Mario Biaggi
Mario Biaggi (October 26, 1917 – June 24, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, and police officer. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1969 to 1988.
Mario Biaggi | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York | |
| In office January 3, 1969 – August 5, 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Paul A. Fino |
| Succeeded by | Eliot Engel |
| Constituency | 24th district (1969–1973) 10th district (1973–1983) 19th district (1983–1988) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 26, 1917 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | June 24, 2015 (aged 97) New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Conservative (1973) |
| Spouse |
Marie Wassil
(m. 1940; died 1997) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Alessandra Biaggi (granddaughter) |
| Education | New York Law School (LLB) |
Prior to his political career, Biaggi became one of the most decorated officers in NYPD history; he killed two criminals who attacked him and was injured 11 times in the line of duty. He then became an attorney at 49 years of age. First elected a U.S. Representative as a Democrat from the Bronx in 1968, Biaggi was subsequently re-elected nine times, seven times with more than 90% of the vote.
In 1987 and 1988, he was convicted in two trials of receipt of unlawful gratuities, and, facing the prospect of expulsion from the House, he resigned from Congress in 1988.