Serphin R. Maltese R-C;
15th Senatorial District Counties: Part of Queens
Albany:
803 Legislative Office Building
518-455-3281
District:
71-04 Myrtle Avenue
Glendale, NY 11385
718-497-180
Email address: MALTESE@SENATE.STATE.NY.US
Serphin R. Maltese was first elected to the New York State Senate in November
of 1988 on the Republican and Conserva- tive Party lines. He represents
the 15th Senatorial Dis- trict, which includes the communities of Forest
Hills Gardens, Glendale, Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Maspeth, Middle Village,
Old Howard Beach, Ridgewood, Woodhaven, and parts of Elmhurst, Forest Hills,
Kew Gardens, Ozone Park, Rego Park, Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill,
South Ozone Park, Sunnyside and Woodside.
Born in Corona, New York on December 7, 1932, Senator Maltese graduated
from P.S. 63, JHS 64 and Stuyvesant High School. He went to Manhattan College
on a Regents scholar- ship, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree.
He was awarded a War Service Scholarship and received his L.L.B. and J.D.
degrees from Fordham University Law School.
Senator Maltese was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1963 and admitted
to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Senator Maltese is an Infantry Veteran of the Korean War and a member of
the American Legion, Catholic War Veterans, Korean War Veteran's Association,
Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Vietnam Veterans of America. His active
role in veterans affairs prompted his appointment during his first term
as Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Veter- ans. He is currently
a member of the American Legion's Na- tional Legislative Council.
As a Senator, Mr. Maltese has distinguished himself as a leading advocate
not only for veterans throughout the state, but also for senior citizens
and the middle class. He has been instrumental in the enactment of many
significant ini- tiatives to benefit these groups. In his second term, he
served as Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Con- sumer Protection.
Prior to his election, Senator Maltese served as Queens Assistant District
Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau. His law enforcement experience
and background led to his appointment as Chairman of the Senate Standing
Com- mittee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction in his third term.
In 1969, Senator Maltese was active as a citywide coordi- nator for State
Senator John Marchi's mayoral bid and in 1970 he became Law Chairman and
Election Law Advisor for U.S. Senator James L. Buckley. He previously served
as Counsel to U.S. Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato and was elected a New York
State Reagan-Bush Elector in the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections. He
also served as New York State Chairman for Conservatives for Ronald Reagan
in 1980. Sen- ator Maltese presently serves as a member of Senator D'Amato's
Federal Judicial Selection Panel and is on the Na- tional Board of Directors
of the American Conservative Un- ion.
A co-founder of the New York State Conservative Party, in 1971 Senator Maltese
became Executive Director of the New York State Conservative Party. He was
elected to the posi- tion of State Chairman of the party in 1986, a position
in which he served until his election as Senator, when he vol- untarily
relinquished that post.
Senator Maltese's experience and interest in election law led to his appointment
as Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Elections as he begins his
fourth term.
The Senator is affiliated with many civic and community organizations, including
the Juniper Park Civic Association; Glendale Kiwanis; Queens Chamber of
Commerce; Sons of Italy- Mario Lanza Lodge, Ridgewood Property Owners and
Civic Asso- ciation; Alpha Phi Delta; Americans of Italian Heritage; Belmonte-Mezzagno
Benevolent Society; Italian Charities; and previously served as counsel
to the New York State Commis- sion on Deaf and Multiply Impaired. He served
as liaison for the Columbus Countdown Quincentennial Program and is an Honorary
Chairman of the Italian American Professional Busi- ness Association. He
is Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Christopher Columbus Association,
is Secretary of the New York Conference of Italian American State Legislators
Quincentennial Committee and is a member of the New York State Senate Columbus
Quincentennial Commission. The Sen- ator is also an Executive Board Member
of the Stuyvesant High School Alumni Association and he has been serving
as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Christ the King Re- gional High
School since 1976.
In addition to the many awards received by Senator Maltese, he was recently
recognized by St. John's University as the recipient of their prestigious
President's Medal.
The Senator's primary election in 1990 received nationwide attention when
he achieved 96.3 percent of the primary vote in a remarkable write in of
6,480 votes. After receiving 70 percent of the vote in the 1992 general
election, he ran un- opposed in 1994.
Serphin Maltese married the former Constance Mary DelVecchio on August 27,
1955. Constance is a renowned por- trait artist, and is well known for her
award winning "Age Home Page.