Frank Serpico, deadbeat dad wannabe, is running for office. Would his son vote for him?

Frank Serpico litigated to pay less child support

Frank Serpico is running for the Stuyvesant Town Council.  Here’s why you might not want to vote for him.

Years ago while looking for a hero to profile, my thought was – “Can’t  go wrong with Frank Serpico!”

Turns out, I could.  The more I researched, the more Frank Serpico’s dark side came into focus. Including the fact that,

Frank Serpico fought all the way to the New York Supreme Court for the right to pay less child support than the law allowed.  Serpico had a novel “Deadbeat Dad” approach.

Turns out, the record indicates Frank’s most enduring trait isn’t bravery, it’s holding a grudge.  Holding a grudge is why he’s running for Town Council.  Full circle!

The NYPD backstory

Sometimes after a dream comes true, it turns into a nightmare. This sums up the life of Frank Serpico, who decades later, still refuses to forgive NYPD, for not being the kind of agency he thought he was signing up to serve… and turning on Frank when he did the right thing.

Frank Serpico will never get over the fact that some cops hate him, and that NYPD brass treated him poorly.  He was right, NYPD was wrong.  But Frank Serpico, for all his “meditation” and living with nature, can’t let that grudge go.

So, not surprisingly, a grudge also explains Frank’s latest “quest” for office.  Poor Stuyvesant.

However, it turns out Frank has a problem with accountability when it comes to his own behavior.

Turns out, Frank Serpico does not hold himself to the standards he insists others comply.

Frank Serpico:  Absentee Dad

This includes refusing to do the right thing by his only child, an infant son.  Perhaps because Frank felt as tricked by the boy’s mother, as he was by NYPD.  Anyone else see a pattern?

Frank Serpico had two quick marriages and then began to roam. In all, Frank married four times. The wife who lasted the longest (although none lasted long), died of cancer in Europe, where they living at the time.

Returning to New York, Frank began hooking up. But on March 15, 1980, Frank was furious to learn he’d become, surprise; a first-time father. Frank claimed the women he’d had an affair with told him she was taking birth control pills.

1. Dad Frank said the woman told him she was on the pill.
2. Mom says she said no such thing.
3. Mom says she wasn’t on the pill.
4. Mom got pregnant.
5. Dad Frank, bailed.

Enter: Family Court

Frank objected to supporting his child saying he felt he was tricked into fathering. The now, non-couple litigated and Judge Nanette Dembitz of Family Court agreed with Frank, and knocked a couple hundred bucks off heR support order because she felt the the sudden, new mom, made “misrepresentations.”

Mother appealed and the court commented on Serpico’s argument was a “Novel” approach, but agreed with Mom, stating in part;

”mother’s alleged deceit has no bearing upon” Mr. Serpico’s ”obligation to support his child.”

The Court of Appeal added,

‘The statute does not require, nor, we believe, does it permit, consideration of the ‘fault’ or wrongful conduct of one of the parents in causing the child’s conception,” wrote Associate Judge Sol M. Wachtler for the court. 

(You may remember Sol Wachtler.  Sol Wachtler became New York’s top judge, before going to prison after initiating a 13 month non-stop campaign of anonymous letters and telephone calls, threatening to kidnap the daughter of Joy Silverman, the woman Wachtler had an affair with, who broke up with him.  Wachtler thought she might turn to him for help.  Silverman instead, turned to the police, who caught coming out of a turnpike phone booth, after yet another threatening call).

But Frank, still intent on “winning” because he was “right” litigated all the way to New York’s top court.

The top Court unanimously affirmed the Court of Appeal, telling a furious Frank:

“The kid’s needs are greater than the parents.“

The top court added:

”mother’s alleged deceit has no bearing upon” Mr. Serpico’s ”obligation to support his child.”

Frank’s heart grew harder as bitterness stole over him.  Frank Serpico did not raise his boy. He saw him occasionally.

The young man is now making his own name and winning awards in his field.

He was not mentioned on Frank’s website or blog years ago.

Frank Now is Frank Then

By today’s standards, Frank has an age appropriate girlfriend.  Meaning she is twenty years younger than he is.

Lee Jamison – has the background to work with Frank Serpico

Interestingly, Lee Jamison is challenging the Town Supervisor on the Democratic and Working Families Party line. Could someone advise her of Frank’s lesser known background? I ask as Ms. Jamison is also seeking the Women’s Equality Party endorsement, and feels Frank’s is part of an “awesome” ticket.

The Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation endorsed Lee’s candidacy. Apparently, non are aware of the behavior of police towards women.  Good thing there’s, there’s a history.

Lee is a 35 year resident of Stuyvesant and works at Columbia Memorial Hospital as a psychiatric social worker serving people with developmental disabilities.

So if Frank wins, Lee would be equipped to deal with him.

What happens if Frank doesn’t win?

Have read Frank has renewed passport and gotten rid of his chickens and goats.  Currently, he indicated future plans include a visit to Cuba.  Perhaps just in time to settle into a new round of taking on the Cuban government and imagined acclaim.

Frank’s run boils down to Frank Serpico as a 79 year old man stomping his foot yet again, because he feels betrayed, yet again.  This time by the town of Stuyvesant.

In Frank’s world, grudges make the world go ’round.