Former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato. AP PhotoLawyer in Ex-NY Senator's Divorce Sues Firms, Judges
Thomas Liotti, an attorney who represented the wife of former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato in a high-profile divorce, said that he filed grievances against a former appellate court judge and D'Amato.
December 16, 2019 at 12:34 PM
3 minute read
An attorney who represented the wife of former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato in the couple's high-profile divorce has sued several judges and law firms, including Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, accusing them of defaming him and driving a wedge between him and his former client.
Thomas Liotti, who until recently represented attorney Katuria D'Amato in divorce proceedings and litigation against her husband, filed an amended complaint in Nassau Supreme Court on Wednesday that accused Alfonse D'Amato and his lawyer, James Catterson of Arnold & Porter, a former judge in New York's Appellate Division, First Department, of filing false misconduct claims against him.
Liotti represented Katuria D'Amato in her divorce and custody battle until October 2018, when he was disqualified for having given Katuria D'Amato and her children a ride to a friend's home when Katuria D'Amato feared she was about to be falsely arrested. An attorney for the children said the act risked turning Alfonse D'Amato's children against their father.
Katuria D'Amato filed a sprawling racketeering case against Alfonse D'Amato earlier this year that accuses her husband of using an investigative firm, and his influence with Long Island judges, to portray Katuria D'Amato as unstable and win custody of the children. Liotti originally represented Katuria D'Amato in that case but sought to withdraw Dec. 6, saying she is going it alone in settlement talks.
"They've been working on her," Liotti said in an interview, referring to lawyers for Alfonse D'Amato. "They've caused, basically, alienation between me and Katuria D'Amato. … She's told me not to have anything more to do with her cases as of Oct. 25."
Liotti said that he filed grievances of his own in the Second Department against Catterson and Alfonse D'Amato, who is also a lawyer. He said because of D'Amato's influence in Long Island politics and Catterson's role in the First Department, the Third Department may be a more appropriate venue.
Stephen Gassman, a partner at Gassman Baiamonte Gruner who represents Alfonse D'Amato, said in a Friday interview that Liotti's claims were "baseless and spurious" and would be dismissed. He confirmed that talks were ongoing with Katuria D'Amato with the hope of producing a settlement of all ongoing litigation.
Catterson didn't respond to a message left at his office and an Arnold & Porter representative didn't respond to a comment request.
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