Al D'Amato
| Al D'Amato | |
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United States Senator from New York |
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In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Jacob K. Javits |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Schumer |
| Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs | |
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In office 1995–1999 |
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| Preceded by | Donald Riegle |
| Succeeded by | Phil Gramm |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alfonse Marcello D'Amato August 1, 1937 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Penelope (m. 1960, div. 1995) Katuria Elizabeth Smith (2004–present) |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University (B.S., J.D.) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Alfonse Marcello "Al" D'Amato (born August 1, 1937) is an American lawyer and former New York politician. A Republican, he served as United States Senator from New York from 1981 to 1999, when he was defeated by current New York Senator Chuck Schumer. He subsequently founded a lobbying firm, Park Strategies.
Since he left office in 1999, no other Republican from New York has served in the U.S. Senate.
D'Amato, of Italian heritage, was born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, in the small village of Island Park. He is the son of Antoinette (Ciofarri) and Armand D'Amato, an insurance broker. He is a graduate of Chaminade High School, Syracuse University, and Syracuse University College of Law. At Syracuse University, he was a brother at Alpha Chi Rho fraternity.
D'Amato married his first wife, Penelope, with whom he has four children, in 1960. Al and Penelope D'Amato separated in 1982 after 22 years of marriage. After a 13-year separation, their divorce became final in 1995. On July 18, 2004, he married Katuria Elizabeth Smith. They have one son, Alfonso Marcello D'Amato, born on February 5, 2008, and a daughter, Luciana Cioffari D'Amato, born on October 16, 2009.
His political career started with the Nassau County Republican Party, and he held the appointive position of Public Administrator of Nassau County, where he was responsible for managing the assets of county residents who died without wills. He was first appointed and then elected Receiver of Taxes of Hempstead, New York. He left this office to become a town supervisor in Hempstead and in 1977 he was elected presiding supervisor. He was also vice chairman of the Nassau County Board of Supervisors from 1977 to 1980.
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