Background
Molinari was born in Manhattan, New York, the son of Elizabeth Margaret (Majoros) and S. Robert Molinari (1897–1957), a politician who represented the 2nd District of Richmond County in the New York State Assembly from 1943 to 1944.
United States representative politician
Molinari was born in Manhattan, New York, the son of Elizabeth Margaret (Majoros) and S. Robert Molinari (1897–1957), a politician who represented the 2nd District of Richmond County in the New York State Assembly from 1943 to 1944.
He attended private schools growing up and graduated from New Dorp High School in Staten Island in 1945.
He was admitted to the New York State Bar following his discharge from the military in 1953 and commenced practice in Staten Island. He was a delegate to the New York State Republican conventions in 1979 and the Republican National Convention in both 1980 and 1984. In 1980, he was elected to the House of Representatives, unseating nine-term Democrat John M. Murphy.
He was reelected to the three succeeding Congresses with minimal opposition and served from January 3, 1981, until his resignation December 31, 1989, to become Borough President of Staten Island.
He served as Borough President from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2001. In 1994, a week before the statewide elections, Molinari announced that Karen Burstein, the Democratic nominee for New York Attorney General was not qualified to serve as attorney general because she was a lesbian.
The New York Times called his remarks, "gutter politics". Guy Molinari"s daughter Susan succeeded him as a member of Congress.
He attained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wagner College in Staten Island in 1949 and his law degree from New York Law School in 1951. He served in the United States Marine Corps (attaining the rank of Sergeant), from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War. In 1982, his district was merged with that of four-term Democrat Leo Zeferetti, and he won with 57%. The combination of Molinari"s remarks, a strong national Republican showing, and the win of George Pataki in the governor"s race, lead to Republican Dennis Vacco narrowly defeating Burstein.
He was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly from 1975 to 1980, sitting in the 181st, 182nd and 183rd New York State Legislatures.
