How did the “two guys from Italy” thing work in politics?
One time I had breakfast with a client, when George was a state senator. We agreed on a fee for me to kill a bill. I went to my room at the hotel in Sacramento, I called George to ask about the bill and he said, “Fine, it’s dead.” The client hadn’t got back to his room – and the bill was already dead. Q: How has Italian heritage played into your career? A: I got active in the Italian-American National Foundation. They called me up and said I had been nominated to be president. I turned down the nomination and they said, “Fine, you just got elected.” Q: What were the highlights of your tenure? A: I have met the Pope on four occasions. I have been knighted by the president of Italy. I went to Milan a few years ago, the phone rang. A secretary said, “This is Prime Minister Berlusconi’s office. He wants to know what you’re doing tomorrow morning.” I said, “I’m doing whatever Mr. Berlusconi wants me to do.” The next day we went to watch Berlusconi’s soccer team at his stadium. Q: What do yo
