Rudolph Giuliani - US presidential adviser on cybersecurity: biography, personal life, career

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

Famous throughout the world for his decisive actions during the September 11 terrorist attacks, he recently returned to big politics. Given the excellent reputation earned during two terms as mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani became an assistant to Donald Trump during the campaign. Today, he continues to work for Trump as a senior administration official.

Origin

Rudolph William Louis Giuliani is a third-generation American. The future politician was born on May 28, 1944 in an Italian family living in the western part of New York. His father - Harold Giuliani had a close connection with the criminal environment and was detained several times for petty crimes. In 1934, he was arrested for armed robbery of a milkman and served a year and a half in prison. After his release, he worked as a gunman for Leo D'Avanzo, who was associated with the Italian mafia.and ran a moneylender.

However, marrying the boss's sister, Helen D'Avanzo, had a positive effect on him. Harold gave up his criminal past, settled down, found himself a regular job, first as a bartender, and then as a plumber. It was also reported that he later owned a small tavern in Brooklyn. Rudolf Giuliani's mother worked as an accountant, was a reasonable and intelligent woman, was interested in social life.

Early years

Giuliani himself later recalled that he grew up with uniforms and tales of heroism. Throughout his childhood, he was surrounded by police and firefighters, in the large Italian family of Rudolph Giuliani, four uncles served in the police, and one worked as a fireman.

He knew about his father's turbulent youth, but for a long time he had no idea what exactly he was involved in. Harold did everything possible so that his son would not repeat his mistakes and could avoid connections with the criminal environment. It was he who brought up in the future mayor a negative attitude towards the Italian mafia. And even moved his family from Brooklyn to Long Island to get away from areas controlled by the Italian mafia.

Rudolf Giuliani received his secondary education at Bishop Laughlin School in Brooklyn, graduating in 1961. He studied well and even then was distinguished by organizational skills, was an active participant in school life and an informal leader. As a religious Italian Catholic, Giuliani planned to enter a theological seminary and later become a priest. He changed his mind almost at the last moment and enteredcollege of Manhattan. In 1965, after graduating from college, Rudolph began to attend New York University Law School. Under the influence of his father, who constantly spoke about the importance of keeping order, the boy decided to become a lawyer. He graduated with honors in 1968, having developed a deep respect for authority.

Great career

The first job in the working biography of Rudolph Giuliani was the position of Associate Judge of the Southern District Lloyd McMahon, on whose advice he later moved to the office of the federal prosecutor. On his account there were several high-profile cases related to crimes in the public service. Later, Giuliani was transferred to Washington, where in 1975 he took the place of chief of staff and assistant assistant secretary of justice in the administration of President Ford. At the same time, Rudolph joins the Republican Party.

From 1977 to 1981, the politician worked in a private New York law firm. In 1981, he returned to public service under the administration of Ronald Reagan as Assistant Secretary of Justice. Giuliani de alt with the fight against criminal crime, was responsible for the departments of execution of punishment, the fight against drugs and federal marshals. By status, his post was the third most important in the US legal system.

In 1983, he returned to New York to serve as U. S. Attorney for the Southern District. It was a voluntary demotion, Giuliani wanted to directly engage in the fight against crime. Out of 4152 cases handled by the prosecutor, they were lostonly 25.

He ran for mayor for the first time in 1989, but lost the election to David Dinkins, who became New York's first black mayor. Giuliani won the next election in 1993.

As mayor

Assuming office as mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani launched a fight against mass street crime in the city. The anti-criminal policy was based on the theory of "broken windows", which means a continuous fight against petty crimes. Failure to do so can lead to an increase in crime, and offenders who go unpunished can get involved in bigger cases. According to various reports, during his leadership, the crime rate dropped significantly. According to reports, the number of criminal offenses has decreased by 50-67%, and the number of murders by 64-70%. The FBI named New York the safest American metropolis.

Equally impressive were the achievements in the urban economy. The mayor took over the city with a budget deficit of US$2.3 billion. As a result of the reforms, he achieved a surplus in the billions of dollars. During this time, 23 taxes have been reduced or eliminated, including a tax on individual income and hotel rentals. The growth rate of the urban economy was higher than the national one, which led to the creation of new jobs. The number of recipients of unemployment benefits has been halved.

However, tough measures no longer appeal to New Yorkers after the city was put in order. Liberals stigmatized him for authoritarianism and intransigence. By the end of his second term, he managed to quarrel with almost everyone, but one day changed everything.

This is how glory comes

Immediately after the hijacked planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Rudolph Giuliani immediately arrived at the scene of the crime. He saw with his own eyes how the buildings collapsed. For a long time he remained near the buildings, not being afraid to lose his life.

If US President George W. Bush did nothing for most of that tragic day, Giuliani was in the spotlight, becoming in the eyes of Americans the personification of the American state. He made an appeal in which he tried to reassure the inhabitants of the city, honestly give them an idea of the real scale of the disaster, spoke of the determination and will of the authorities. Having visited several times the hospitals where the victims were placed, he constantly returned to the site of the terrorist attack.

Global recognition

These were the darkest days in the history of New York City, and Giuliani showed his ability to make difficult decisions without hiding from responsibility. The townspeople appreciated the iron hand and willpower of the mayor, forgetting old grievances. His rating rose from 32% to 79%. In September 2001, the famous TV presenter Oprah Winfrey called him the "mayor of America".

In 2001, Time magazine named Giuliani "person of the year", writing a long article on this occasion under the heading "Mayor of the World". In February of the following year, the Queen of Great Britain granted himknighthood.

Business at the top

After serving two terms in an elected office, the former mayor actively took up the capitalization of earned political capital. In 2002, the firm Giuliani Partners was organized, which was engaged in consulting in the field of security, securities and investments. Many former high-ranking associates from work in the mayor's office came to work in the new company. The business developed very successfully, and many large American companies were among the clients. More than $100 million has been earned from consulting in five years.

Many critics point out that references to Giuliani's actions during 9/11 were a key method of attracting customers. The basis of his honestly earned name "person of the year" was the activity during the crisis. Even before his resignation from a responsible post, he announced the creation of his own business with the participation of his closest associates at work in the city administration. According to many investment analysts, he managed to turn into a very powerful lobbyist, deftly speculating on his personal popularity.

He also made good money in public speaking, each of which cost those wishing to organize the lectures of the "mayor of America" about 100 thousand dollars. In January 2003, Giuliani advised Mexico City authorities on the fight against crime that was rampant in the city. He valued his recommendations at a modest $4.3 million.

He also continued to be actively involved in political activities, supportingRepublican candidates in their campaigns, including in 2004 Bush's nomination for a second presidential term. In 2007, he announced his intention to run for president, but after losing one of the primaries, he announced his withdrawal from the race and support for the candidacy of Senator McCain.

In the Trump administration

Giuliani was named the most likely candidate for the position of US Secretary of State, as a result he became the adviser to the President of the United States on cybersecurity. At the time of the appointment, it was stated that Donald Trump will meet from time to time with companies that face cyber challenges such as identity theft, hacking, manipulation and other threats.

Giuliani's main task in his new state post is to establish good relations with big business. This will help to accumulate information about the ability of a business to counteract cyber threats. Large companies pay great attention to the protection of their electronic systems, since some of them are subjected to up to 300-400 hacker attacks per day, of which about 1% are successful.

The former mayor has a lot of experience. He led Giuliani Partners, a security consulting firm, and led the cybersecurity division at Greenberg Traurig. Still, he worked in this field for about 13 years. His work is accompanied by confidence in the need to build a kind of cyberwall to identify andthreat protection.

New adviser is preparing a program to improve cybersecurity. Giuliani said that the main threat is a possible attack on the country's energy systems. If the electricity goes out in New York, then the losses will amount to trillions of dollars a day, because the main stock exchange of the country is located in the city. Given that there will be no one to take revenge, since it is impossible to reliably determine the perpetrators of the attack.

Private life

The first time Rudolph Giuliani married in 1968. According to Italian tradition, the marriage was concluded with a distant relative, Regina Perugia. After 14 years of marriage, the Catholic Church gave permission for a divorce. Not having children made it easier to get that approval.

In 1984 he married a second time to actress and local TV reporter Donna Hanover. The couple had two children - daughter Caroline and son Andrew. During his tenure as mayor in the personal life of Rudolph Giuliani, the first serious problems began. The first lady of New York appeared less and less at mandatory city events. The yellow press began to write about his affair with his secretary Christine Lategano. There has never been any official confirmation of these rumors. However, Hanover later claimed that the most serious damage to the marriage was caused by her husband's relationship with one of the employees. In 1999, Christine was forced to resign from City Hall.

In the same year, the divorced Judith Nathan became the official mistress of the loving mayor. As a girl, she bore the surname Stish, worked as a nurse, then as a drug sales manager in a pharmaceutical company.companies. Giuliani defiantly advertised a new relationship, falling under the scrutiny of the American press. He even appeared with his crush at the traditional St. Patrick's Day celebration, where the mayors were always accompanied by their wives.

Starting the divorce process and a new marriage

The couple began open hostilities, exchanging harsh remarks and comments about each other in the press. The best lawyers specializing in divorce proceedings were involved. Hanover managed to get an injunction against the presence of his mistress at official events at the mayor's residence - the Gracie mansion. Lawyers also joined the family quarrel, some accused Hanover of harsh and inhuman treatment, while others accused Giuliani of open adultery in response.

After a final quarrel with his wife, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani moved from his mansion to a spare room in the apartment of his friend Howard Kippel, becoming the first mayor in history to do so.

The divorce process was finally completed after Giuliani left the post of mayor. Under the terms of the settlement reached, he must pay his ex-wife an annual allowance of one million dollars. In 2003, Giuliani and Judith Nathan's lavish wedding ceremony was held at the mayor's official residence, hosted by new New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.