Historical Figure
Rudy Giuliani
b. 1944
American attorney and politician (born 1944)
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Biography
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani is an American politician and disbarred lawyer who served as the 108th mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the U.S. associate attorney general from 1981 to 1983 and the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1983 to 1989. Giuliani led the 1980s federal prosecution of New York City mafia bosses as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. After a failed campaign for mayor of New York City in the 1989 election, he succeeded in 1993, and was reelected in 1997, campaigning on a "tough on crime" platform. He led New York's controversial "civic cleanup" from 1994 to 2001, and appointed William Bratton as New York City's new police commissioner. In 2000, he ran against First Lady Hillary Clinton for a U.S. Senate seat from New York, but left the race once diagnosed with prostate cancer. For his mayoral leadership following the September 11 attacks in 2001, he was called "America's mayor", and was named Time Person of the Year for 2001.
In Their Own Words (5)
There are many qualities that make a great leader but having strong beliefs, being able to stick with them through popular and unpopular times, is the most important characteristic of a great leader.
Speech before the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. August 30, 2004. , 2004
I don’t need Michael Moore to tell me about September 11.
Press conference (29 July 2004), as quoted in "Searching for Spin" in ''The Nation" (29 July 2004) , 2004
We had no domestic attacks under Bush. We’ve had one under Obama.
January 8, 2009, on ABC's Good Morning America. . , 2009
Leaders must be optimists. Their vision was beyond the present and set on a future of real peace and true freedom.
Speech before the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. August 30, 2004. , 2004
After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and other terrorist incidents, "The United States government, then President Clinton, did not respond. Bin Laden declared war on us. We didn't hear it.
As quoted in "Giuliani Faults Bill Clinton for Terror Response in 1990s" (26 June 2007) , 1993
Timeline
The story of Rudy Giuliani, told in moments.
As U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, led the prosecution of the Five Families of the New York Mafia. The "Commission trial" resulted in convictions of eight powerful mob bosses. It made him famous.
Elected mayor of New York City after losing his first race in 1989. Ran on a "tough on crime" platform. During his two terms, violent crime in the city dropped dramatically, though the causes remain debated.
Rushed to Ground Zero after the Twin Towers collapsed. His visible, calm presence during the crisis earned him the title "America's Mayor." Time named him Person of the Year.
Found liable for $148 million in damages to two Georgia election workers he'd falsely accused of fraud. Previously disbarred for his role in Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Filed for bankruptcy.
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