Who

Formerly a Republican U.S. Senator—he represented New York from 1981 to 1999—D'Amato is now a lobbyist and speaker-for-hire.

Backstory

The Brooklyn native and law school graduate waited just two years after passing the bar before running for his first political office—Nassau County Public Administrator—in 1965. He moved through the ranks, from administrator to tax assessor to supervisor, before defeating U.S. Senator Jacob Javits in the 1980 Republican primary election and winning the seat. D'Amato served in the Senate from 1981 to 1999, during which time he became known as Senator Pothole for his tendence to spend government money on individual constituents' petty problems. He also earned a reputation for his opposition to taxes and for his own questionable ethics. (In the early '90s, he was reprimanded for allowing his shady brother to use his name and stationary to solicit business as a lobbyist.) He was defeated in an upset by Democrat Chuck Schumer in 1998. D'Amato now runs his own consulting and lobbying firm, Park Strategies. He also works the lecture circuit. He charges between $15,000 and $30,000 for each of the dozen or so speeches he makes each year.

Recently

Since leaving office, D'Amato has taken on a variety of clients, including banks, healthcare companies, and racetracks. Most recently he's taken up the cause of gambling which, in D'Amato's world, isn't a vice—it's a "sport." D'Amato's connection to the sport is personal: He's an avid poker player, having graduated from games at his Capitol Hill office to high-stakes matches against celebs like Howard Stern. In March 2007, D'Amato signed a lobbying agreement with the Poker Players Alliance, aiming to overturn the federal ban on Internet gambling.

Personal

D'Amato and his first wife, Penelope, with whom he had four children, officially divorced in 1995, although by that point they'd been separated for 13 years. During the '90s, D'Amato dated the late gossip columnist Claudia Cohen as well as Candace Bushnell. He eventually settled down with Katuria Elizabeth Smith in July 2004. In 2008—at the age of 70—he welcomed a son, Al D'Amato Jr, into the world.

Habitat

D'Amato lives in Lido Beach, New York. In 2003, he faced widespread opposition over his plans to build a 5,000-square-foot home on oceanfront land he purchased for $925,000; he eventually modified the plans for the building and received approval from the Hempstead Zoning Appeals Board, amid much grumbling.

True story

Chatty D'Amato holds the record for staging both the second- and seventh-longest filibusters on the Senate floor; his signature move was reading the D.C. phone book. In 1986, he filibustered for 23 straight hours against a military bill. In October 1992, he sang South of the Border and Deep in the Heart of Texas in order to save jobs at an upstate typewriter factory.