Presidential Candidate Rudy Giuliani married his Cousin Regina Peruggi on October 26, 1968. They remained married until 1982, when Giuliani asked for a church annulment of the marriage claiming that the couple, who had been friends since childhood, just discovered after 14 years of marriage that they were cousins. Giuliani was dating television personality Donna Hanover at the time of the annulment, leading some analysts to speculate that this, rather than an objection to cousin marriage, was the true cause of his annulment request. Critics have also noted that Giuliani utilized Monsignor Alan J. Placa, a suspended priest who a grand jury accused of molesting two former students and an alter boy and organizing a church cover-up of other priest sexual abuse cases, to secure the annulment from his cousin and perform the next marriage to Hanover. Giuliani then hired Placa to work for him at Giuliani Partners, his management and security consulting firm.
Giuliani has remained quiet on the subject of his marriage to his cousin, and his views on cousin marriage issues, throughout the 2008 presidential campaign. www.RudyMarriedHisCousin.org welcomes inquiries and information from reporters and voters interested in this critical national issue.
“By marrying his cousin, family values candidate Rudy Giuliani has shown that he supports recognition for all types families, including those consisting of two people who are cousins”
-- John Smith, Founder and Editor, CousinRubbin’ Weekly
“Rudy Giuliani’s decision to marry his cousin was nothing more than blatant political pandering to inbred and dentally-challenged voters in key swing states.”
-- State Senator Bob Jones (NY), author, “Its All Relative”
