Philip Giordano

Philip Anthony Giordano (born March 25, 1963) is the former Republican mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut, and a convicted sex offender. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to Italian parents and his family moved to the United States when he was two years old.

Philip Giordano
Mayor of Waterbury
In office 1996–2001
Preceded by	Edward Bergin
Succeeded by	Sam Caligiuri
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 71st district
In office 1995–1996
Preceded by	Donald Davino
Succeeded by	Anthony D'Amelio
Personal details
Born	Philip Anthony Giordano March 25, 1963 Caracas, Venezuela
Political party	Republican
Education	Naugatuck Valley Community College University of Connecticut, Storrs (BA) Western Michigan University (JD)

A lawyer, former state representative and former Marine (1981–1985), Giordano served three terms as mayor after being elected for the first time in 1995. In 2000, he unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate, losing to Joe Lieberman.

Mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut

Giordano was elected mayor in 1995, defeating seven-term Democratic Mayor Edward "Mike" Bergin[1] by 52% to 45%.[2] He was re-elected with 53% of the vote in 1999.[3]

During his time as mayor, he claimed to have balanced Waterbury's budget, but prior to his arrest a state oversight board had to intervene as a result of chronic pension underfunding and taking money out of the pension fund to balance the general fund. Upon Giordano's arrest in 2001, he was forced to step aside, leaving President of the Board of Aldermen Sam Caligiuri as acting mayor.

U.S. Senate race

In 2000, Senator Joe Lieberman was chosen by Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore to be his Vice Presidential running mate -- and Lieberman also chose to run for a third term to the Senate (Connecticut law permits candidates running for both offices). Having little chance to defeat the very popular centrist Lieberman, few Connecticut Republicans wanted to take him on. Finally, the state GOP settled on Giordano. Lieberman focused on his Vice Presidential run and refused to show up at debates; Giordano, mostly ignored by the press, received some coverage by debating alone and mocking Lieberman. In the end, it mattered little, as voters returned the incumbent to the Senate by a nearly two-to-one margin (63% to 34%).

Convicted sex offender

While investigating municipal corruption,[4][5] the FBI discovered phone records and pictures of Giordano with a prostitute, as well as with her 10-year-old niece and her eight-year-old daughter.[6] He was arrested on July 26, 2001, and, in March 2003, was convicted of 14 counts of using an interstate device,[7] his cellphone, to arrange sexual contact with children.[8] He was also convicted of violating the girls' civil rights. He was sentenced to 37 years in prison.[9] In July 2007 his motion to reduce this sentence was denied by a federal judge.[10] In 2006, Giordano sued the city for back pay resulting from sick days and vacation time.[11]

Giordano is currently serving his 37-year sentence at the FCI Bennettsville in South Carolina, a medium security federal institution, and is scheduled for release in 2034.[12]

References

1. "Waterbury Mayor Philip Giordano Arrested by FBI | the Waterbury Observer".
2. "Our Campaigns - Mayor of Waterbury Race - Nov 07, 1995".
3. "Our Campaigns - Mayor of Waterbury Race - Nov 02, 1999".
4. Stowe, Stacey; Anthony Ramirez (March 1, 2005). "Metro Briefing ; Connecticut: Waterbury: Ex-Official Pleads Guilty". The New York Times. Waterbury (Conn). Retrieved 28 April 2011.
5. "Metro Briefing ; Connecticut: Bridgeport: Contractor Sentenced". The New York Times. 26 July 2006. p. 7. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
6. Cowan, Alison Leigh (18 October 2003). "Woman Who Took Children to Mayor for Sex Gets 10 Years". The New York Times. p. 5. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
7. "Appeal for Former Mayor in Child Sex Case". The New York Times. 31 January 2004. p. 5. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
8. Cowan, Alison Leigh (19 June 2003). "Convicted in Federal Court, Waterbury Ex-Mayor Now Fights State Sex Case". The New York Times. p. 8. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
9. Cowan, Alison Leigh (14 June 2003). "Ex-Mayor Gets 37 Years In Prison for Abusing 2 Girls". The New York Times. p. 6. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
10. "METRO BRIEFING ; CONNECTICUT ; Bridgeport: Mayor's Sentence Upheld". The New York Times. August 7, 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
11. Holtz, Jeff (August 27, 2006). "THE WEEK; Imprisoned Ex-Mayor Seeks Waterbury Pay". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
12. "Inmate Locator". Federal Bureau of Prisons. US Department of Justice. Retrieved 15 August 2015.

External links

• http://www.nbc30.com/politics/2063329/detail.html
• Mayor arrested on sexually related charges involving child