1) Pat Gizzo is a 59-year-old lawyer running for the position of Harrison Justice against the incumbent Marc Lust. Gizzo has experience as both a lawyer and administrative law judge.
2) Though typically described as stern, Gizzo is known for his warm personality and involvement in the community. He has a large family that is supportive of his campaign.
3) Gizzo defeats Lust in the election with over double the percentage of votes. This is despite Lust having held the position for 15 years and facing a pending DWI case. Gizzo's commitment to public service and fair judging are cited as reasons for his victory.
1. (Your) Honor Thy Father
By Mary Fennell
1140 words
“Pat Gizzo for Harrison Justice” is sprawled across a large wooden sign on the front lawn
of an old 19th century farmhouse which was once the East White Plains Post Office. Inside sit the
offices of Tom and Pat Gizzo, Attorneys at Law, where Pat and his family are gathered to wait
for the results of the judicial election. Wearing a black suit with sleeves that seem just slightly
too long, paired with a dark red tie with gold accents and recently shined shoes, Gizzo proudly
stands in his office. His silver, wire-rimmed glasses and white teeth compliment his naturally
rosy cheeks. Although he tries to remain stoic, 59-year-old Pasquale, known affectionately as Pat
to his many friends, begins to walk anxiously from end to end of the large covered porch,
greeting guests with a wide smile and his famous “Hey! How ya doing?”
Standing at 5’11, Gizzo’s height might make him
intimidating to some, but his large welcoming smile and warm
brown eyes make him more of a teddy bear than a grizzly bear.
Cold, stern, and ferocious are typically words used to
describe judges, but according to friends and family, Gizzo does
not fit this narrative. “He’s got heart,” says Catherine McCann,
Gizzo’s sister in law.
Figure 1 Pat Gizzo Poses for a Picture
in His Office on Underhill Avenue.
Photo By Mary Fennell
2. “He’s played Santa Claus, he’s sold Christmas trees, he’s done so many cool out of the
box things you wouldn’t normally see a lawyer or a judge do,” says Gizzo’s 20-year-old
daughter Genna, “So hearing him sing in the choir or at some random gathering is pretty cool.”
Singing is one of the many things that people remember Gizzo for. “I like to sing, I do a little
Elvis,” says Gizzo. Though he said he wouldn’t quit his day job, he could have a fighting chance
in a group of Elvis impersonators.
His day job however, does call for some fighting. In the courtroom, that is. Gizzo
practices general law in Harrison, NY. “Many lawyers are general practitioners,” says Gizzo
“meaning they’ll deal with criminal law, defense law, traffic tickets, family court - try to help
families that are in trouble.” A general practitioner will also deal with simple cases. “They’ll do
real estate law, like a simple transaction if someone wants to buy a house or a building,” says
Gizzo.
Gizzo attended Fairfield University, Manhattanville College and Pace University School
of Law. “I did my masters and really wasn’t thinking about law school, and I took a
Constitutional Law class and that’s what really pushed me over. I didn’t see myself as being in a
government job for my entire career,” says Gizzo “so I followed my interests and the call of God
that said ‘go’ and I did, and I’m glad I did.”
In 2007, Gizzo and his brother, opened a practice on Underhill Avenue in White Plains
which according to Gizzo’s wife was a difficult process. “When you open your own business,
there’s always that uncertainty,” says Kathy Gizzo. “You don’t always know when that next
paycheck is going to come.”
3. Gizzo makes a point to help people when and where he can, in and out of the courtroom.
“When Sandy hit, my dad helped my neighbors shovel their driveways,” says Gizzo’s daughter.
”We were driving one day and he saw an old woman he knew walking and carrying a big heavy
bag and he pulled over and helped her.”
Gizzo has served on multiple boards and committees, including The Harrison Historical
Society and the Harrison Board of Education, where he served three terms as the President and
Vice President of the NYS School Board Association Ad Hoc Town Law Committee.
Boards such as this were only a stepping stone in Gizzo’s career. In 2011, he ran for the
position of Harrison Justice, and lost due to the fact he was only running on the Conservative
line. During the 2015 election, he ran again, this time
he is better prepared to take on Marc Lust, a sitting
judge who has held the position for the past 15 years.
As the day goes on Gizzo waits with baited breath to
hear the final results of the race. At 10:30 the last of
results rolled in which declared Gizzo the winner with
double the percentage of votes of his opponent.
Gizzo’s win comes on the Conservative, Republican
and Reform Party line which is anti-common core.
“You know all the standardized tests that the kids have, there are parents that are against it. So I
don’t think it’s the best way to go,” says Gizzo “standardized tests don’t always tell the
intelligence of a child and if the teacher doesn’t do well, it’s gonna affect their job and whether
they’re going continue as a teacher.”
Figure 2 Gizzo Leaving the Polls Feeling Lucky About
the Election. Photo by Bob Lacey
4. One of the contributing factors to Gizzo’s win, was his commitment to serve. Gizzo
formerly served as an Administrative Law Judge in Harrison for the Westchester Human Rights
Committee and has been serving as an Administrative Law Judge for the Westchester Taxi
Limousine Commission up until 2015 when he beat the current judge, Democratic candidate
Marc Lust, for one of the open chairs. Gizzo had 31% of the votes compared to Lust, who totaled
at 18%. Lust who has been the sitting judge for 15 years, was seeking re-election despite a
pending DWI case dating back to Dec. 10. "The town of Harrison has received excellent judicial
work from myself for 16 years. Nothing has affected my ability to sit fairly and impartially."
Lust said according to a Lohud article posted in June of this year.
Running an election against a judge that has been sitting for 15 years is not an easy feat,
but Gizzo remained strong through the campaign. “I know it’s tough,” Gizzo’s mother says
through her heavy Italian accent, “it’s a tough line of work. Especially at this point.”
It takes even more perseverance to beat a Democratic judge that has held that position for
as long as Lust has. There were some surprises in the campaign as well. “I’ve been a democrat
all my life. I have worked in political campaigns for over 50 years. This is the first time I worked
for a Republican,” says Gizzo’s brother in law Bob Lacey.
“As a judge, he must be fair and see both sides. Judges deal with a multitude of cases.
Town cases, landlord cases, etc. and that makes it more unique than other jobs,” Says Gizzo’s
brother, Tom Gizzo “I think he’d make a great judge.”
Through the tough campaign, his friends and family remained hopeful that he would win.
“I have known Pat for many years and have always found him to be fair and trustworthy,” says
Harrison mayor, Ron Belmont, “He is an experienced trial attorney and has a deep knowledge
5. and understanding of the law. I have every confidence that, if he is elected to the bench, he will
be an impartial, even tempered and respectful jurist.”
“I’m humbled and gratified by such a tremendous outpouring of support by the residents
of Harrison and I look forward to serving the residents in this most important capacity,” says
Gizzo “I’ve been on both sides. I’ve won elections, I’ve lost. But it’s better to win.”