Henry Cianfrani

Henry J. Cianfrani
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 1st district
In office January 2, 1967 – December 15, 1977[1]
Preceded by	Anthony Silvestro
Succeeded by	Vince Fumo
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the Philadelphia County district
In office January 1, 1963 – November 30, 1966
Personal details
Born	March 19, 1923 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	July 3, 2002(2002-07-03) (aged 79)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Rita Ann Marano, Laura Foreman
Children	4 daughters, Mary Ellen Miller, Elvira Marano, Maria Schaffer, Gabrielle Cianfrani
Occupation	State Senator, Lobbyist
Religion	Roman Catholic[2]

Henry J. "Buddy" Cianfrani (born March 19, 1923 – July 3, 2002) was the Pennsylvania state senator for the first district.

Prior to holding elective office, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II where he won the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. He was a delegate to Democratic National Convention in 1956 and 1960.

He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1963, where he served until his election to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1966.^[3][4] He eventually attained the chairmanship of the powerful Appropriations Committee from which position he worked closely with Speaker of the House Herbert Fineman to appropriate money to Philadelphia.^[5]

In 1977 he was convicted on federal charges of racketeering and mail fraud for padding his Senate payroll. He was sentenced to five years in federal prison. After serving 27 months, he was released in 1980.^[2]

In the mid 1970s, he began dating political reporter Laura Foreman of the The Philadelphia Inquirer. The two moved in together and she reportedly accepted money and gifts from him while she was reporting on him for the newspaper.^[6][7][8] After the affair became public in 1977 she was fired by her new employer, The New York Times. She and Cianfrani married in 1980 after his divorce from his first wife was finalized and he was released from federal prison.

Years after his release from prison, his political career enjoyed a resurgence. In 1988 Cianfrani won back his old position as Philadelphia ward leader and regained a measure of clout within Philadelphia politics.^[7]

He was considered a mentor to many Philadelphia politicians, including Congressman Bob Brady and Senator Vince Fumo.

Cianfrani died of a stroke in Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 3, 2002.

See also

United States Army portal

References

1. ^ Cox, Harold (2004). "Pennsylvania Senate - 1977-1978". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/legis/161S.pdf. 
2. ^ ^{a b} The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Churchman to Ciro
3. ^ Cox, Harold (2004). ""House Members "C"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/legis/C.html. 
4. ^ Cox, Harold (2004). ""Senate Members "C"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/legis/SC.html. 
5. ^ New York Times obituary for Cianfrani, July 4, 2002
6. ^ Smith, Ron F. 2003. Groping for Ethics in Journalism. 5th ed. Blackwell. pp. 168-169. ISBN 0813810884
7. ^ ^{a b} NYT obituary
8. ^ Bartlett, Donald L. and James B. Steele. "The Full Story of Cianfrani and the Reporter". Philadelphia Inquirer, October 16, 1977

Persondata
Name	Cianfrani, Henry
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 19, 1923
Place of birth	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of death	July 3, 2002
Place of death