[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 24, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E72]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO U.S. FEDERAL MARSHAL ROMOLO J. IMUNDI
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HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, January 24, 1996
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Federal Marshal Romolo
J. Imundi. At the age of 75, Marshal Imundi has completed 53
consecutive years of Government service and retired from his post as
U.S. marshal for the southern district in New York on October 15, 1995.
Mr. Imundi was a highly respected marshal in New York and has
received numerous awards and plaques during his long and distinguished
career in law enforcement. For 13 years, Mr. Imundi's office has been
responsible for the security of 80 Federal judges, 200 U.S. attorneys,
80 security officers, 100 marshals and inspectors, and dozens of crime
suspects. In recognition of his unfailing dedication to his work, I am
inserting an article into the Record detailing his years of public
service.
The suspects he has escorted have been some of the most famous and
notorious this century, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman--found guilty of
plotting the bombing of national monuments such as the Statue of
Liberty--and those accused of plotting the World Trade Center bombing.
Not a single one of his clients has been injured or harmed in any way
during his protection, to say nothing of all the innocent lives he has
helped to save during the course of his impeccable career.
The southern district of New York is losing a marshal greatly
respected by all people. He brought to his post, his 32 years of
experience in the New York Police Force and 8 years as an investigator
for the U.S. Veterans Administration. He was first appointed Federal
marshal by President Ronald Reagan and served under Presidents George
Bush and Bill Clinton, giving him the distinction of being the longest-
serving Federal marshal this century. His record in public office has
been an inspiration to his colleagues as well as the community as a
whole.
Mr. Imundi's well-deserved retirement will sadden all those who
gained so much from his time in office: not just the citizens of New
York but all the people of the United States. On January 30, 1996,
there will be an event honoring Mr. Imundi's years of service and
dedication to law enforcement and justice. Mr. Speaker, I know you will
join me in wishing Mr. Imundi well and the best of luck in his
retirement.
Gladiator Retires After Half-Century of Service
Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson may have been the most famous
federal marshals.
Romolo J. Imundi may be the most photographed.
``I'm also the longest-serving federal marshal in this
century,'' Imundi said.
He retired Oct. 15 from his job as U.S. marshal for the
Southern District in New York after 13 years in the post. He
was appointed by President Reagan in 1982.
At 75, Imundi completed 53 years of government service,
including 32 years as a New York City police officer and
detective, eight years as an investigator for the U.S.
veterans Administration and the past 13 as a federal marshal
in the Manhattan office.
Imundi and his wife of 48 years, Rosemarie, who have four
grown children and eight grandchildren, have lived in the
Crestwood section of Yonkers the past eight years.
``This job is a presidential appointment,'' Imundi said.
``George Washington appointed the first federal marshal in
New York City in 1789. He was the chief lawman for the area.
I'm a conservative Republican. I was appointed by Reagan and
reappointed by George Bush. When Bill Clinton came in, I was
asked to stay on the job.''
Imundi, nicknamed the ``Roman gladiator,'' often was seen
in newspaper photographs and on television as he escorted
such suspects as Leona Helmsley, Bess Myerson, mobster ``Fat
Tony'' Salerno, Michael Milken, Mafia boss Paul Castellano
and Imelda Marcos into federal court.
His last case was completed earlier this month when Sheik
Omar Abdel-Rahman was convicted of plotting the bombing of
the Lincoln Tunnel, the United Nations, the Holland Tunnel
and the Statue of Liberty.
``Imagine what would have happened if they blew up a
tunnel, and you had water cascading all over Manhattan,'' he
said. ``It is too horrible to even think about.''
The sheik and his followers were moved each day from the
Metropolitan Corrections Center underground to the federal
courts for their trial. All were found guilty and will be
sentenced in January.
``I think they will all spend the rest of their natural
lives in jail,'' Imundi said.
They were not subject to the death penalty. Imundi has
witnessed one execution, the electrocution of murderer Elmer
``Trigger'' Burke in Sing Sing Correctional Facility 40 years
ago.
For 13 years, Imundi's office has been responsible for the
security of 80 federal judges, 200 U.S. attorney, 80 security
officers, 100 marshals and inspectors and dozens of crime
suspects.
He never had a client injured or killed in all that time,
although junk-bond king Milken fainted after Judge Kimba Wood
sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Former Miss America Myerson, charged with a tax violation,
was close to fainting when she was in a cell and was told she
had to be fingerprinted.
``I put a hand on her shoulder and steadied her,'' he said.
Helmsley, who served three years in prison on a tax charge,
was one of his most difficult cases.
``She was so disliked that many people stood on the
courthouse steps and screamed obscenities at her every day of
the trial,'' he said.
``The terrorist trial was clearly the trial of the century,
not that thing in Los Angeles,'' he said. ``Millions of lives
were at stake here when these guys plotted their violence.
Judge Michael B. Mukasey really did a great job of handling
that. He had to deal daily with 15 lawyers and kept * * *.''
Imundi, who handled the suspects in the World Trade Center
bombing case, said that crime really frightened him.
``Few people know this, but if that bomb was planted two
stories higher and not in the garage, that entire building
would have gone down,'' he said. ``It would have dwarfed the
bombing at Oklahoma City and thousands upon thousands of
lives would have been lost.''
Now, the care and feeding of so many suspects has been
turned over to a new marshal--Martin Burke, a bodyguard for
former Gov. Mario Cuomo.
``Now, I'll just take it easy for a while, do some
painting, work around the house, tend to my garden, and enjoy
our family,'' Imundi said.
Few public servants have done as much to earn a quiet,
peaceful retirement as Imundi has. Few have had a half-
century of such adventures.
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