Anthony Gioia

Anthony Gioia is one of several prominent conservatives funding Freedom's Watch, a new White House front group which began "a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to urge members of Congress who may be wavering in their support for the war in Iraq not to 'cut and run'."

Gioia is West New York State Finance Co-Chair for Republican 2008 presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani.

Gioia, appointed April 4, 2001, by President George W. Bush, served as U.S. Ambassador to Malta until 2004.

"Friendship and fund-raising are likely what got Anthony Gioia the nomination as ambassador to Malta, a three-island nation off the tip of Sicily," the Center for Responsive Politics (CSP) reports.

"Gioia contributed $25,850 to Republican candidates and party committees during the 1999-2000 election cycle, including $3,000 to the Bush campaign. He also made a $5,000 contribution to the Bush-Cheney recount fund. His lone contribution to the Democrats was $1,000 to incumbent Rep. John J. LaFalce of New York. Gioia's wife, Donna, contributed a total of $6,561 in 1999-2000, all to Republicans.

"Gioia is reported to be a prominent GOP fund-raiser who hosted a reception for former President George Bush at his Buffalo home. The event raised $500,000 for George W. Bush's presidential campaign, reports The Buffalo News. During the presidential campaign, Gioia was a member of Bush's national finance committee," CSP reports.

Profiles
At the time of his appointment as Ambassador, Gioia was the Chairman and CEO of Gioia Management Company, "a management and investment holding company located in Buffalo, New York. He served in the Gioia family pasta business as Vice President and then President/CEO until RHM, Inc., purchased Gioia Macaroni. He then became the President and CEO of RHM Pasta, Inc. He is the former Chairman of the National Pasta Association and was appointed by Governor George Pataki to be a Board Member of the New York State Urban Development Corporation. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and received his M.B.A. from the University of Southern California."

External articles

 * Mike Allen, "Pro-Bush group spends $15M defending war," The Politico (posted by Free Republic), August 22, 2007.