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Al D'AmatoAl D’Amato was born in 1937 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents moved to Long Island soon after his birth and D’Amato has called Long Island home ever since. Of course he’s bounced around to various places, but as you will see further down Long Island has always been his haven.Upon graduation from Long Island’s Chaminade High School, D’Amato headed north to Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Business and then re-entered the University as a graduate student in their distinguished law program. After six years of schooling D’Amato was ready to head back down to the city, to Long Island. In 1962 he passed the bar exam and became a practicing lawyer – the first step in many politician’s careers. And whether D’Amato knew it or not, politics were right around the corner for him. The Syracuse alumnus was elected the Nassau County Public Administrator in 1965. Long Island lies in Nassau County, so for D’Amato it was a natural position. Long Island was, and still is, home; a place he has always felt comfortable. For the following 16 years he held various offices in the county: - 1965-1968: Nassau County Public Administrator - 1969-1971: Town of Hempstead Tax Receiver - 1971-1977: Hempstead Town Supervisor - 1971-1981: Nassau County Board of Supervisors - 1977-1981: Presiding Supervisor 1981 marked the end of D’Amato’s local political career. He ran for New York Senator and won. For the next 18 years New Yorkers would come to know Senator Al D’Amato who they lovingly referred to as “Senator Pothole,” a nickname derived from his willingness to help constituents with their individual problems – even patching up potholes. In the course of his three terms D’Amato was present and played large part in a variety of landmark decisions. Upon learning that Long Island was producing higher-than-average rates of breast cancer he raised over a hundred million dollars for breast cancer research and passed legislation called “Janet’s Law” which forces insurance companies to pay for reconstructive surgery for breast cancer. The Senator also garnered praise for passing legislation which forced Swiss banks to pay out over $1 billion to holocaust survivors and their relatives who deposited money and belongings into Swiss banks before World War II. After 34 years in politics Al D’Amato finally called it quits – as far as public service is concerned. Without missing a beat he founded his own lobbying and consulting firm: Park Strategies in Manhattan. Lobbying, fundraising and making deals takes up the majority of D’Amato’s time these days. Park Strategies is an astonishingly profitable firm and has given the former Senator a different role in New York politics. No longer is he on the front lines, now he plays behind the scenes making changes. Does Al D’Amato miss the excitement and attention of being a Senator? D’Amato says: “I make a little joke. When people say, ‘What’s the difference between now and before?,’ I say, ‘Listen, it’s the same. People used to wave at me before, when I was senator and they wave at me now.’ Before, they waved at me like this”, he says raising his hand and extending his middle finger, “and now they wave at me with all their fingers.” |
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