"New York Congressman" Mario Biaggi Hand Signed TLS Dated 1983 Todd Mueller COA

Description

Up for auction "New York Congressman" Mario Biaggi Hand Signed TLS Dated 1983.  This item is authenticated By Todd Mueller Autographs and comes with their certificate of authenticity.
ES-6625E
Mario Biaggi (October 26, 1917 – June 24, 2015) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York between 1969 and 1988. Before his political life, Biaggi worked as a New York City police officer. He retired from the force as one of the most decorated officers in New York Police Department (NYPD) history after being injured 11 times in the line of duty. He was elected as a Democrat from The Bronx in New York City. In 1987 and 1988, he was convicted in two separate corruption trials, and he resigned from Congress in 1988. Biaggi was born in East Harlem on October 26, 1917, to poor Italian immigrants from Piacenza in northern Italy. His father, Salvatore Biaggi, was a marble setter. His mother, Mary, worked as a charwoman. At age 18, Biaggi became a substitute letter carrier for the U.S. Post Office. Later, he became a regular letter carrier; his mail route included the home of one of his heroes, New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. He served nearly six years with the Post Office and, in a preview of things to come, became an activist in Branch 36 of the National Letter Carriers Association. In 1942, Biaggi joined the NYPD. His police career spanned 23 years. He was wounded 11 times and received dozens of citations for valor, becoming one of the NYPD's most decorated officers. Among his many exploits was the rescue of a woman on a runaway horse, which injured him, causing a permanent limp. He retired from the Department in 1965, with the rank of Detective Lieutenant. At the age of 45 and near the end of his police career, Biaggi entered law school. The American Bar Association granted him a special dispensation to study law even though Biaggi did not have an undergraduate college degree. Biaggi attended New York Law School, and received a full scholarship thanks to Dean Daniel Gutman. Studying days, nights and weekends, Biaggi completed the three-year law degree program in only two and one-half years. In 1966, at the age of 49, he was admitted to the New York Bar and founded the law firm Biaggi and Ehrlich. In 1968, the 24th District seat in the U.S. House became open when 8-term Republican incumbent Paul Fino resigned to become a New York Supreme Court Justice. Biaggi ran as a Democrat, and won easily, with 60.5% of the vote in what had been a traditional Bronx Republican stronghold. He was easily re-elected in 1970. From 1972 onward, he was nominated by the Republicans as well, and was effectively unopposed. In 1968, 1970, and 1972, he also got the Conservative nomination, but this support ended after his abortive run for mayor in 1973. From 1978 onward he got the Liberal nomination.[ In the redistricting after the 1970 census, Biaggi's district was renumbered the 10th, and included part of Queens. In the redistricting after the 1980 census, his district was renumbered the 19th, and included part of suburban Westchester County. In 1975 Biaggi introduced a joint resolution of Congress, Public Law 94-479, to posthumously promote George Washington to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States and restore Washington's position as the highest-ranking military officer in U.S. history. This was passed on January 19, 1976, approved by President Gerald Ford on October 11, 1976, and formalized in Department of the Army Order 31-3 of March 13, 1978, with an effective appointment date of July 4, 1976, the United States Bicentennial.[ Biaggi was a leader in the effort to ban "cop killer" bullets.