Paul A. Fino

Paul Albert Fino (December 15, 1913 – June 16, 2009) was an American lawyer and liberal politician from New York. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a New York state senator, a member of the United States House of Representatives and a justice of the New York Supreme Court.

Early life Fino was born on December 15, 1913, in the Bronx to Isidore and Lucia Fino. He graduated from St. John's University School of Law in 1937.

Legislative career He ran unsuccessfully for the New York State Assembly in 1940 and the New York State Senate in 1942. In 1944, Fino ran in the 27th district and defeated the Minority Leader of the State Senate, John J. Dunnigan. 1960, 1964, and 1968, as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He championed the creation of a "national lottery," which he believed would allow the federal government to raise additional revenue to fund crucial programs without raising taxes. At one point, he introduced a bill to outlaw the Communist Party.

Fino became an opponent of John Lindsay when the two served in Congress. After Lindsay became the Mayor of New York City in 1966, Fino continued to feud with him. The New York Times reported that Fino asked Lindsay for the appointment of a law partner as sanitation commissioner and was denied by the new mayor. Afterwards, he criticized Lindsay's more liberal legislative initiatives and mocked him for promoting New York as "Fun City".

He was a delegate to the 1960, 1964 and 1968 Republican National Conventions. From 1961 to 1968, he was also the Republican leader in The Bronx.

Later career Fino won election to a newly created seat on the New York Supreme Court in 1968, and resigned from Congress on December 31; his seat was next filled by Mario Biaggi.

Fino served on the Court until 1972 and built a reputation for tough sentencing. In one case, he sentenced an addict to 30 years in prison for possession of 1/73 of an ounce of heroin. Fino lost in the Republican primary election to Pasquale Mele.

Later life In 1986, Fino published his autobiography, My Life in Politics and Public Service.

He was a resident of Atlantic Beach, New York, when he died on June 16, 2009, in North Woodmere, New York. He was buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.