Al D'Amato#U.S. Senate

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Al D'Amato

|image = Alfonse D'Amato.jpg

|caption = Official portrait, c. 1990s

|office = Chair of the Senate Banking Committee

|term_start = January 3, 1995

|term_end = January 3, 1999

|predecessor = Donald Riegle

|successor = Phil Gramm

|jr/sr1 = United States Senator

|state1 = New York

|term_start1 = January 3, 1981

|term_end1 = January 3, 1999

|predecessor1 = Jacob Javits

|successor1 = Chuck Schumer

|birth_name = Alfonse Marcello D'Amato

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|8|1}}

|birth_place = Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Penelope D'Amato|1960|1995|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Katuria Smith|2004|2017|end=separated}}

}}

|children = 6

|education = Syracuse University (BS, LLB)

}}

Alfonse Marcello D'Amato (born August 1, 1937) is an American attorney, lobbyist, and Republican politician who represented the state of New York in the United States Senate from 1981 to 1999. From 1995 to 1999, he chaired the Senate Banking Committee.

D'Amato was born in Brooklyn in 1937 and raised in Island Park, New York. He attended Syracuse University, receiving a law degree, before returning to Island Park and becoming involved in local Republican politics. Rising through the ranks, he held offices at the village, town, and county levels.The Almanac of American Politics 1996, by Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa, National Journal Inc., 1995, pages 904 and 908

In 1980, D'Amato defeated four-term Republican incumbent Jacob Javits in the primary election for United States Senator. D'Amato went on to prevail in the general election, defeating Javits (who remained in the race on the Liberal Party ticket) and Democratic U.S. Representative Elizabeth Holtzman. He was re-elected in 1986 and 1992, but was defeated in 1998 by Chuck Schumer.{{Cite web |title=Alfonse Marcello D'AMATO, Congress, NY (1937) |url=https://www.infoplease.com/biographies/government-politics/alfonse-marcello-daamato-ny |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=www.infoplease.com |language=en}} As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, D'Amato is the last Republican to have represented New York in the U.S. Senate.{{cite web |title=States in the Senate {{!}} New York Senators |url=https://www.senate.gov/states/NY/senators.htm |website=senate.gov |publisher=United States Senate |access-date=21 April 2022}}

Following his departure from the Senate, D'Amato founded Park Strategies, a lobbying firm.{{cite news|last1=Rivlin|first1=Gary|last2=Richtel|first2=Matt|title=D'Amato Never Folds; Former Senator, a Poker Aficionado, Lobbies for Online Gambling|work=The New York Times|date=March 5, 2007|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/technology/05poker.html|access-date=February 5, 2017|archive-date=July 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716182648/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/technology/05poker.html|url-status=live}}

Early life and family

D'Amato, of Italian ancestry, was born in Brooklyn and raised in the small village of Island Park on Long Island.{{cite news|title=Alfonse M. D'Amato|url=http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/d/alfonse_m_damato/index.html|access-date=November 12, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|archive-date=October 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091025221438/http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/d/alfonse_m_damato/index.html|url-status=live}} He is the son of Antoinette (Ciofarri) and Armand D'Amato, an insurance broker.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zecCAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Armand+D%27Amato+Sr.+and+the+former+Antoinette+Ciofarri%22&pg=PA44|title=New York Magazine|date=November 13, 1989|publisher=New York Media, LLC|via=Google Books|access-date=November 23, 2020|archive-date=November 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130133017/https://books.google.com/books?id=zecCAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Armand+D%27Amato+Sr.+and+the+former+Antoinette+Ciofarri%22&pg=PA44|url-status=live}} D'Amato is a graduate of Syracuse University and Syracuse University College of Law.{{Cite web|url=https://news.syr.edu/blog/2001/04/28/school-of-management-to-give-alumnus-of-the-year-award-deans-citation-for-exceptional-service/|title=School of Management to give Alumnus of the Year Award, Dean's Citation for Exceptional Service |website=Syracuse University News|date=April 28, 2001}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/03/news/the-senator-cannot-help-being-himself.html|title=The Senator Cannot Help Being Himself|website=The New York Times |last=Weiss |first=Philip|date=March 3, 1996}} He is an attorney.{{cite web |url=https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/attorneyservices/wicket/page/DetailsPage?3 |title=Attorney Detail Report |website=New York Unified Court System |access-date=August 8, 2023 |archive-date=May 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531175146/https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/attorneyservices/wicket/page/DetailsPage?3 |url-status=dead }}

Early political career

D'Amato served as public administrator of Nassau County from 1965 to 1968, and then served as Hempstead tax assessor in 1969. From 1971 to 1977, D'Amato was a Hempstead town supervisor. He was the presiding supervisor and the vice chair of the Nassau County Board of Supervisors from 1977 to 1980.[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000018 Senator Alfonse D'Amato's entry in The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120040051/http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000018 |date=January 20, 2011 }}, retrieved January 26, 2011

U.S. Senate

File:President Ronald Reagan presenting New York leaders with a check for Westway Project Funds.jpg presenting Al D'Amato and other New York leaders with a check for Westway Project Funds, September 1981]]

Although a relatively obscure candidate, D'Amato defeated incumbent senator Jacob Javits by 56% to 44% in the 1980 Republican primary election following Javits' 1979 diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Javits nevertheless pursued the seat on the Liberal Party ticket, splitting the left-wing vote in ordinarily liberal New York with Democratic Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman and leading to D'Amato's 45% plurality victory.{{cite news|title=New York State Plurality Was 165,459 for Reagan|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1980/12/10/111825724.html?pageNumber=56|access-date=March 5, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=December 10, 1980|page=B24|archive-date=November 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130133019/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1980/12/10/111825724.html?pageNumber=56|url-status=live}} D'Amato was re-elected in 1986 and 1992, but lost in 1998 to Democratic congressman Chuck Schumer, a future Senate Majority Leader.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/senate/new.york/|title=Schumer topples D'Amato in New York Senate race - November 3, 1998|website=www.cnn.com}}

D'Amato drew the nickname "Senator Pothole"{{cite web |title=New York's Veteran 'Senator Pothole' Gets Run Over by Schumer |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/keyraces98/stories/ny110498.htm |website=washingtonpost.com |last=Harden |first=Blaine |date=November 4, 1998 |access-date=21 April 2022}} for his delivery of "constituent services", helping citizens with their individual cases. While some New Yorkers meant the nickname as a pejorative, others saw it as a positive affirmation of his attention to getting things done.{{cite book |last1=Lurie |first1=Leonard |title=Senator Pothole: The Unauthorized Biography of Al D'Amato |date=1994 |publisher=Carol Publishing Group}}

File:Ronald Reagan and Alfonse D'Amato.jpg in 1986]]

D'Amato holds the record for the third- and eleventh-longest filibusters ever recorded in the United States Senate. He is remembered for his unique and rather comical filibusters. In 1986, in a filibuster against a military bill that lasted 23 1/2 hours, he read the District of Columbia telephone book. In 1992, D'Amato filibustered a bill that would have caused the loss of 750 jobs in upstate New York by singing "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)".[http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/galleries/2010/04/20/filibusters.html#slide10 Alfonse D’Amato, 1992] "U.S. Senate Filibusters: A History of Talk" The Daily Beast. April 20, 2010. Accessed January 25, 2013 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208093145/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/galleries/2010/04/20/filibusters.html#slide10 |date=December 8, 2012}}

D'Amato is remembered for presenting a poster of a "Taxasaurus Rex", which he then stabbed with an oversized pencil.{{cite news |last=Pillifant |first=Reid |url=http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/01/4828592/anti-tax-entrepreneur-marc-cenedella-wants-run-against-kirsten-gill?page=all |title=Anti-tax entrepreneur Marc Cenedella wants to run against Kirsten Gillibrand and pay for it, too |work=Capital New York |date=January 6, 2012 |access-date=May 19, 2015 |archive-date=May 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522051124/http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/01/4828592/anti-tax-entrepreneur-marc-cenedella-wants-run-against-kirsten-gill?page=all |url-status=live }}

D'Amato voted in favor of the bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987.{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/98-1983/s293|title=To Pass H.R. 3706. (Motion Passed) See Note(s) 19.|access-date=May 15, 2020|archive-date=May 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520132928/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/98-1983/s293|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s432|title=To Pass S 557, Civil Rights Restoration Act, A Bill to Restore the Broad Coverage and Clarify Four Civil Rights Laws by Providing That If One Part of and Institution Is Federally Funded, Then The Entire Institution Must Not Discriminate.|access-date=May 15, 2020|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728203812/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s432|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s487|title=To Adopt, Over the President's Veto of S 557, Civil Rights Restoration Act, A Bill to Restore Broad Coverage and Clarify Four Civil Rights Laws by Providing That If One Part of and Institution Is Federally Funded, Then The Entire Institution Must Not Discriminate. Two-Thirds of the Senate, Having Voted in the Affirmative, Overrode the Presidential Veto.|access-date=May 15, 2020|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810145251/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s487|url-status=live}} In 1987, D'Amato voted to confirm Robert Bork to the Supreme Court of the United States, but Bork's nomination was rejected.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/10/24/senate-soundly-rejects-bork/|title=SENATE SOUNDLY REJECTS BORK|website=Chicago Tribune|date=October 24, 1987}} In 1991, D'Amato voted to confirm Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court; Thomas was confirmed by the Senate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2016/04/16/clarence-thomas-is-confirmed-to-the-supreme-court-in-1991-even-after-sexual-harassment-charges-by-anita-hill/|title=Clarence Thomas is confirmed to the Supreme Court in 1991 even after sexual harassment charges by Anita Hill|website=nydailynews.com|date=April 16, 2016}}

D'Amato was chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and was a member of the Senate Finance Committee. As a member of the former, he became a leading critic of the Clinton administration regarding the Whitewater scandal, and during 1995 and 1996 he chaired the hearings-heavy Senate Special Whitewater Committee. As a member of the latter, he facilitated the lawsuit of Holocaust survivors trying to recover relatives' funds from accounts in Swiss banks.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

D'Amato was influential in New York Republican politics and was considered the "boss" of the state party during his Senate years. For example, he played a leading role in recruiting George Pataki and in securing him the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race of 1994.{{cite news |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C12F93D5A0C768CDDA80994D0494D81 |work=The New York Times |first=Richard |last=Perez-Pena |title=The 1998 Elections: New York State – The Parties – New Order for New York's G.O.P. and Democrats |date=November 5, 1998}}

D'Amato was known for being fairly conservative, a reflection of then-strongly conservative Nassau County and Long Island. He strongly supported the conservative positions of his party on "law and order" issues such as capital punishment and harsh penalties for drug offenses. On some issues, he agreed with the opposition: in 1993, D'Amato was one of only three Republicans to vote in favor of allowing gays to serve openly in the U.S. military. While D'Amato voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996,{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/104-1996/s280|title=H.R. 3396 (104th): Defense of Marriage Act -- Senate Vote #280 -- Sep 10, 1996|website=GovTrack.us|access-date=October 11, 2015|archive-date=October 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019081339/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/104-1996/s280|url-status=live}} he was among the minority of Republicans to vote for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/104-1996/s281|title=S. 2056 (104th): Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 -- Senate Vote #281 -- Sept. 10, 1996|website=GovTrack.us}} In 1998, the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign endorsed D'Amato for re-election over socially liberal Democratic Congressman Chuck Schumer.{{cite news|last=Nagourney|first=Adam|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/21/nyregion/d-amato-wins-endorsement-of-gay-group.html|title=D'Amato Wins Endorsement Of Gay Group|work=The New York Times|date=October 21, 1998|access-date=May 19, 2015|archive-date=May 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523105614/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/21/nyregion/d-amato-wins-endorsement-of-gay-group.html|url-status=live}}

File:Members of the Senate Budget Committee announce an agreement on mass transit funding legislation.jpg, Pete Domenici, Jack Reed, Paul Sarbanes, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan announce an agreement on mass transit funding legislation in 1998]]

D'Amato's 54% to 44% loss in 1998 was attributed to a lack of support among moderate voters in New York City, the site of opponent Schumer's U.S. congressional district.{{Cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Adam |date=November 4, 1998 |title=THE 1998 ELECTIONS: NEW YORK STATE -- THE SENATE; Schumer Uses D'Amato's Tactics To Win Senate Election Handily |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/04/nyregion/1998-elections-new-york-state-senate-schumer-uses-d-amato-s-tactics-win-senate.html |access-date=October 27, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |title=About Chuck {{!}} U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York |url=https://www.schumer.senate.gov/about/biography |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=www.schumer.senate.gov |language=en}}

Later career

=Columnist and analyst=

Shortly before leaving office, D'Amato published his book of recollections, Power, Pasta and Politics. After retiring from politics in 1999, he became a regular columnist for George magazine until it ceased publication in 2001.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/03/09/damato/|title=D'Amato to pen advice column - March 9, 1999|website=www.cnn.com|access-date=February 5, 2019|archive-date=November 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119042622/http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/03/09/damato/|url-status=live}} He also emerged as an analyst for Fox News. A notable on-air incident occurred when D'Amato took offense at comments of GOP strategist Jack Burkman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/al-damato-to-gop-strategist-you-are-a-nasty-racist/|title=Al D'Amato to GOP Strategist: "You are a Nasty Racist"|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=January 24, 2020|archive-date=February 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221051147/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/al-damato-to-gop-strategist-you-are-a-nasty-racist/|url-status=live}} Saying he agreed with Burkman's suggestion that the Postal Service should be privatized; D'Amato slammed him for his characterizations of postal workers, which D'Amato said were racist.{{Cite web|url = https://huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/17/al-damato-unloads-on-fell_n_721104.html|title = WATCH: d'Amato FLIPS over Fellow Guest's 'Racist Bullsh-t' on Fox Business|website = HuffPost|date = September 17, 2010|access-date = December 12, 2019|archive-date = April 25, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170425192745/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/17/al-damato-unloads-on-fell_n_721104.html|url-status = live}}

As of 2023, D'Amato is a regular contributor at Red Apple Media’s 77WABC, hosted by John Catsimatidis.{{Cite web|url=https://radioink.com/2023/09/21/wabc-adds-former-senator-alfonse-damato-to-roster/|title=WABC Adds Former Senator Alfonse D'Amato To Roster|first=Cameron|last=Coats|website=radioink.com|date=September 21, 2023}}

=Presidential politics=

==2008==

File:Pledge of Allegiance (1618095351).jpg, Mike Long, and D'Amato in 2007.]]

On June 12, 2007, the former three-term Senator from New York endorsed one-time Senate colleague from Tennessee Fred Thompson for the Republican nomination for president in 2008.Raymond J. Keating, "D'Amato could be right on Thompson", Newsday, June 18, 2007, [http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opkea185259368jun18,0,5031278.story?coll=ny-viewpoints-headlinesa Newsay.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716164459/http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opkea185259368jun18,0,5031278.story?coll=ny-viewpoints-headlinesa |date=July 16, 2007 }}

In explaining his endorsement of Thompson, former Senator D'Amato called Thompson "a real conservative", not a candidate who adopted conservative positions in preparation for an election. D'Amato added, "Fred Thompson is the kind of candidate our party can unify behind and support wholeheartedly.""D'Amato explains his '08 pick", New York Daily News: "The Daily Politics" June 13, 2007 [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2007/06/damato_explains_his_08_pick.html NYdailynews.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930062104/http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2007/06/damato_explains_his_08_pick.html |date=September 30, 2007 }}{{cite news | url=https://huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070613/on-the-2008-trail/ | work=Huffington Post | title=Clinton Gets Endorsement From Spielberg – The Huffington Post | first=Beth | last=Fouhy | date=June 13, 2007 | access-date=December 12, 2019 | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220103617/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070613/on-the-2008-trail/ | url-status=live }} On January 22, 2008, after poor showings from Thompson, D'Amato threw his support to John McCain for the 2008 presidential election, saying: "If you want to win in November, John McCain is the man".{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

==2012==

On March 14, 2012, D'Amato endorsed Mitt Romney for president.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/03/damato-for-romney-117430.html|title=D'Amato for Romney|first=Maggie|last=Haberman|website=POLITICO|date=March 14, 2012 |access-date=January 24, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808140300/http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/03/damato-for-romney-117430.html|url-status=live}} He and Peter Kalikow appeared with Romney at fundraisers in New York leading up to the election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/09/romney-hits-nassau-county-with-kalikow-damato-134347.html|title=Romney hits Nassau County with Kalikow, D'Amato|first=Maggie|last=Haberman|website=POLITICO|date=September 4, 2012 |access-date=January 24, 2020|archive-date=October 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026002300/http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/09/romney-hits-nassau-county-with-kalikow-damato-134347.html|url-status=live}}

==2016==

On August 26, 2015, D'Amato endorsed Ohio Governor John Kasich for president of the United States over Jeb Bush and former New York Gov. George Pataki.{{Cite web|url=https://observer.com/2015/08/damato-snubs-pataki-to-endorse-kasich-for-president/|title=D'Amato Snubs Pataki to Endorse Kasich for President|website=The New York Observer|date=August 26, 2015|access-date=January 24, 2020|archive-date=March 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328202303/https://observer.com/2015/08/damato-snubs-pataki-to-endorse-kasich-for-president/|url-status=live}} While stating that the Republican Party needed to move past the Bush family, he credited Pataki as a "wonderful guy", but cited Kasich's experience in balancing the budget as a congressman in the 1990s and in Ohio. Following Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 general election, D'Amato stated: "I am in great spirits. I feel great for the people of our country." He urged Trump to appoint Rudy Giuliani as Attorney General, stating: "I think one great appointment and someone who will follow the law and not bend the law as he or she sees fit as the attorney general is Rudy Giuliani..."{{Cite web|last=Nahmias|first=Laura|title=Lobbyist Al D'Amato 'in great spirits' about Trump win|url=https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/11/lobbyist-al-damato-in-great-spirits-about-trump-election-107308|access-date=2021-10-11|website=Politico PRO|date=November 13, 2016 |language=en|archive-date=October 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029173637/https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/11/lobbyist-al-damato-in-great-spirits-about-trump-election-107308|url-status=live}}

==2020==

In 2020, D'Amato supported Trump for re-election against Democrat Joe Biden.

==2024==

Leading up to the 2024 election, D'Amato opined that New York donors would be reluctant to donate to Trump's campaign. He also criticized Trump's post-election behavior.{{Cite web|title=Former Senator Has Bad News for Trump About New York Donors|website=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/former-senator-al-damato-has-bad-news-for-trump-about-new-york-donors |last=Ladden-Hall |first=Dan |date=February 27, 2023}} In 2024, however, D'Amato expressed support for Trump. He also asserted that Tim Scott should be chosen as the Republican vice presidential nominee.{{Cite web|url=https://wabcradio.com/episode/senator-al-damato-tim-scott-is-my-choice-for-trumps-vp-3-8-2024/|title=Senator Al D'Amato: Tim Scott is my choice for Trump's VP |website=wabcradio.com}}

Personal life

D'Amato married Penelope Collenburg in 1960.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/05/archives/long-island-weekly-the-arrival-of-a1-damato-al-damato-arrives-in.html|title=The Arrival of Al D'Amato |website=The New York Times |last=Silver |first=Roy|date=February 5, 1978}} The couple had four children{{cite news|last=Bratskeir|first=Anne|url=http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/d-amato-and-wife-welcome-baby-daughter-1.1528435|title=D'Amato and wife welcome baby daughter|newspaper=Newsday|date=October 16, 2009|access-date=May 19, 2015|archive-date=May 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522035112/http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/d-amato-and-wife-welcome-baby-daughter-1.1528435|url-status=live}} before divorcing in 1995.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1995/02/28/amore-damato-the-senator-the-rich-guy-his-2-wives/904962cd-1266-4ae9-a5e5-af904dbeb4d7/|title=Amore D'Amato: The Senator, The Rich Guy & His 2 Wives |last=Bumiller |first=Elizabeth |date=February 28, 1995}}

D'Amato married Katuria Smith in 2004.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/al-d-amato-divorce-katuria-h87953|title=Al D'Amato, Katuria D'Amato settle matrimonial battle, spokesman says|date=January 24, 2020|website=Newsday}} The couple had one son and a daughter. Katuria D'Amato filed for divorce on October 3, 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2017/10/10/ex-senator-al-damatos-wife-files-for-divorce/|title=Ex-Sen. Al D'Amato's wife files for divorce|first=Julia|last=Marsh|date=October 10, 2017|access-date=December 20, 2017|archive-date=December 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224025543/https://nypost.com/2017/10/10/ex-senator-al-damatos-wife-files-for-divorce/|url-status=live}} Al D'Amato won emergency custody of the couple's children, claiming that Katuria D'Amato was mentally ill following an episode in which she was detained by authorities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-damato-custody-war-20190312-story.html|title=Al D'Amato's ex-wife sues him for $100 million amid cutthroat custody battle|date=March 12, 2019|website=New York Daily News |last=Brown |first=Stephen}} In 2018, Katuria D'Amato released a video of Al D'Amato shouting obscenities at her while she was hospitalized.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/al-amato-curses-wife-hospital-child-care-dispute-article-1.3901439|title=SEE IT: Al D'Amato curses at his wife while she's laid up in the hospital amid child care dispute|date=March 29, 2018|website=New York Daily News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.syracuse.com/state/2018/03/al_damato_wife_hospital_ny_senator.html|title=Ex-NY Sen. Al D'Amato curses out wife in hospital (video)|date=March 29, 2018|website=Syracuse.com |last=Herbert |first=Geoff}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/katuria-alfonse-d-amato-video-k95034|title=Video shows Alfonse D'Amato cursing at wife in hospital bed|date=March 29, 2018|website=Newsday}} In the midst of the couple's custody battle, Katuria D'Amato filed a $100 million lawsuit against Al D'Amato for alleged racketeering.

In 2017, D'Amato made headlines when he was removed from a New York-bound JetBlue flight after reportedly trying to rally the passengers against the flight crew. The plane was delayed six times. He later issued a statement apologizing for his behavior.{{cite web|title=Ex-Sen. D'Amato kicked off flight after rallying passengers against crew|website=CNN |date=January 10, 2017 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/al-damato-plane/index.html}}

On November 20, 2020, D'Amato was hospitalized with COVID-19.{{Cite web|last=Campanile|first=Carl|date=2020-11-20|title=Former New York Sen. Al D'Amato hospitalized with COVID-19|url=https://nypost.com/2020/11/20/former-new-york-sen-al-damato-hospitalized-with-covid-19/|access-date=2020-11-21|website=New York Post|language=en-US|archive-date=November 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121140449/https://nypost.com/2020/11/20/former-new-york-sen-al-damato-hospitalized-with-covid-19/|url-status=live}} Five days later, he was released from the hospital.{{Cite web|title=D'Amato released from hospital after COVID-19 stay|url=https://www.newsday.com/news/health/coronavirus/sen-alfonse-d-amato-covid-19-hospital-1.50075191|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Newsday|language=en|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202095852/https://www.newsday.com/news/health/coronavirus/sen-alfonse-d-amato-covid-19-hospital-1.50075191|url-status=live}}

Electoral history

1980 United States Senate election in New York
Republican primary
Al D'Amato, 55.7%
Jacob Javits (incumbent), 43.7%
General election
Al D'Amato (R), 44.9%
Elizabeth Holtzman (D), 43.5%
Jacob Javits (Lib.) (inc.), 11.1%
1986 United States Senate election in New York
Al D'Amato (R) (inc.), 53.0%
Mark Green (D), 38.4%
1992 United States Senate election in New York
Al D'Amato (R) (inc.), 49.0%
Robert Abrams (D), 47.8%
1998 United States Senate election in New York
Chuck Schumer (D), 54.6%
Al D'Amato (R) (inc.), 44.1%

Book

{{Cite book |last=D'Amato |first=Alfonse |date=1995 |title=Power, Pasta, and Politics: The World According to Senator Al D'Amato |location=New York |publisher=Hyperion |isbn=978-0-786-86045-6}}

References

External links

{{C-SPAN|101}}
[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/time/1998/10/19/damato.ny.html Dems target Al D'Amato]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060410044911/http://www.aldamato.com/ Al D'Amato]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060513093418/http://www.aldamato.net/BIO.html Biographical information]

{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from New York
(Class 3)|years=1980, 1986, 1992, 1998}}