Funeral Held For Staten Island Political Patriarch Guy Molinari
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A funeral was held Saturday for longtime New York politician Guy Molinari.
Between 1975 to 2001, the Republican served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, three in the New York State Assembly and three as Staten Island borough president. Before going into politics, Molinari served in the United States Marine Corps from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War. He earned his law degree after returning to New York.
He's remembered for helping convince Rudy Giuliani to run for mayor of New York City in 1988. On Saturday, Giuliani said the late politician and power broker was his "staunchest ally" and "greatest defender."
Giuliani, a fellow Republican who's now President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, told NY1 that Molinari was a "real tough cookie," loyal and "honest as the day is long."
Molinari also was instrumental in the closing of the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island. His legacy in politics was carried forward by his daughter Susan Molinari, who served in Congress from 1989 to 1999.
One of the Staten Island ferries also carries the name Guy V. Molinari in honor of the congressman.
Services were held at Our Lady Queen of Peace in New Dorp. Molinari died Wednesday at the age of 89.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
