History of Curtis Sliwa in Timeline
"Curtis Sliwa is an American activist, radio talk show host, and founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels, a non-profit organization dedicated to crime prevention. He was the Republican candidate in the 2021 New York City mayoral election, but lost to Eric Adams, the Brooklyn Borough President."
March 26, 1954: Curtis Sliwa is born
Curtis Sliwa was born on March 26, 1954.
May 1977: Sliwa Creates the Magnificent 13
In May 1977, in response to a crime wave in New York City, Curtis Sliwa formed the "Magnificent 13," a civilian group aimed at combating violence and crime on the subway system.
1979: The Magnificent 13 Becomes the Guardian Angels
The Magnificent 13, a group founded by Curtis Sliwa to combat crime on the New York City Subway, grew in size and was renamed the Guardian Angels in 1979.
December 1981: Guardian Angel Member Fatally Shot
In December 1981, Frank Melvin, a member of the Guardian Angels, was fatally shot by a Newark police officer. The officer claimed that Melvin was mistaken as a threat when he unzipped his jacket to reveal his Guardian Angels emblem. Sliwa alleged that Melvin's death was racially motivated.
1981: Sliwa Marries Lisa Evers
Curtis Sliwa married his second wife, Lisa Evers, in 1981. At the time, Evers held the position of National Director of the Guardian Angels and co-hosted a radio show on WABC-AM called "Angels in the Morning."
1981: Investigation into the Guardian Angels
In 1981, Mayor Ed Koch, initially critical of the Guardian Angels, launched an investigation into the organization. The investigation yielded positive findings about the group, leading to their potential recognition with official status.
1986: Evers Trains with WWF
Lisa Evers, Curtis Sliwa's second wife, briefly trained with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1986.
1990: Sliwa Begins Radio Career
Curtis Sliwa's career in radio broadcasting began in 1990 at WABC-AM.
June 19, 1992: Sliwa Kidnapped and Shot
On June 19, 1992, Curtis Sliwa was kidnapped and shot by two gunmen after getting into a stolen taxi in Manhattan. He was able to escape by jumping out of the moving vehicle.
1992: Sliwa Admits to Faking Heroic Actions
In 1992, Curtis Sliwa confessed to fabricating stories of heroic subway rescues staged by himself and the Guardian Angels for the purpose of gaining publicity. He also admitted to making false claims about being kidnapped by off-duty transit police officers.
1993: Sliwa Supports Giuliani for Mayor
Curtis Sliwa supported Rudy Giuliani in the 1993 New York City mayoral election.
1994: Sliwa Joins WNYC
In 1994, after his release from WABC, Curtis Sliwa was hired by WNYC, the city-owned and operated radio station.
1996: Sliwa Begins Hosting Shows on WABC
Curtis Sliwa has been hosting various radio shows on WABC since 1996, marking his transition into becoming a conservative radio talk show host.
2000: "Curtis and Kuby in the Morning" Debuts
In 2000, Curtis Sliwa partnered with attorney Ron Kuby to co-host the long-running radio show "Curtis and Kuby in the Morning."
2000: Sliwa Marries Mary Galda
Curtis Sliwa married his third wife, Mary Galda, in 2000. Galda was a former employee of WABC and had also served as the national director of The Guardian Angels. They have one son together.
September 20, 2005: Charges Dropped Against Gotti
On September 20, 2005, after three mistrials, charges against John A. Gotti, who was accused of the attempted murder of Curtis Sliwa, were dropped. Prosecutors alleged that Gotti's actions were motivated by Sliwa's remarks about his father, John Gotti, on his radio show.
December 1, 2008: "Curtis Sliwa LIVE" Goes National
Curtis Sliwa's radio program "Curtis Sliwa LIVE" entered national syndication on December 1, 2008.
November 2009: Sliwa Leaves WABC
In November 2009, Curtis Sliwa's show on WABC was canceled due to a contract dispute, marking his departure from the station.
2010: Sliwa Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer
Curtis Sliwa was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010.
April 20, 2011: Sliwa Publicly Announces Cancer Diagnosis
On April 20, 2011, Curtis Sliwa made a public announcement about his prostate cancer diagnosis.
January 2, 2014: Sliwa Returns to WABC
Curtis Sliwa returned to WABC on January 2, 2014, taking over the time slot previously held by Rush Limbaugh, who moved to WOR-AM.
2014: Separation from Melinda Katz and Allegations of Financial Impropriety
In 2014, Curtis Sliwa ended his relationship with Melinda Katz, with whom he had two children via in vitro fertilization. Sliwa's ex-wife, Mary, filed a lawsuit alleging that he had been diverting funds to Katz during their marriage to establish a "nest egg" before moving in with her.
September 2016: Sliwa and Morano Take Over Reform Party
Curtis Sliwa and Frank Morano successfully orchestrated a hostile takeover of the Reform Party of New York State in September 2016.
2016: Sliwa Does Not Support Trump
Curtis Sliwa did not endorse or support Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
June 2017: Sliwa's Co-Host Change
Starting in June 2017, Curtis Sliwa's co-host on his radio show became attorney and television commentator Eboni Williams.
2017: Sliwa Criticizes Mateo's Donation to de Blasio
During the mayoral primary race, Curtis Sliwa criticized his opponent, Fernando Mateo, for donating to the 2017 re-election campaign of then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat. Sliwa viewed this as a sign of disloyalty within the party.
July 5, 2018: Marriage to Nancy Regula
On July 5, 2018, Curtis Sliwa married his longtime girlfriend, Nancy Regula, an animal activist and attorney. The ceremony took place at Howe Caverns. The couple resides on the Upper West Side with their numerous rescue cats.
November 2018: Reform Party Loses Ballot Access
The Reform Party, under the leadership of Curtis Sliwa and Frank Morano, lost its ballot access in the November 2018 elections.
February 2019: Huddy Joins as Co-Host
Juliet Huddy joined Curtis Sliwa's radio show as his co-host in February 2019.
December 2019: Sliwa Publicly Criticizes Trump
Curtis Sliwa publicly expressed his disapproval of then-President Donald Trump in December 2019, referring to him as a "screwball and a crackpot."
March 8, 2020: Sliwa Announces Candidacy for NYC Mayor
On March 8, 2020, Curtis Sliwa announced his intention to run for mayor of New York City in the 2021 election as a Republican candidate.
2020: Sliwa and Mateo Clash Over Trump
During their campaign for NYC mayor, Curtis Sliwa and Fernando Mateo clashed over their stance on former President Donald Trump. Mateo expressed support for Trump's false claim of winning the 2020 presidential election, while Sliwa publicly denounced Trump's claims.
February 2021: Sliwa Switches Parties
In February 2021, weeks after Donald Trump left office, Curtis Sliwa switched his political affiliation from the Reform Party to the Republican Party.
March 2021: Sliwa's Radio Show on Hiatus
Curtis Sliwa's radio program went on hiatus after he formally announced his candidacy for mayor in March 2021.
November 2, 2021: Sliwa Loses Mayoral Election to Adams
Curtis Sliwa experienced a significant defeat in the general election for mayor of New York City on November 2, 2021, losing to Eric Adams, who secured over two-thirds of the votes.
2021: Sliwa Runs for NYC Mayor
Curtis Sliwa ran for mayor of New York City in 2021 as a Republican. He lost the election to Eric Adams.
August 2023: Sliwa Arrested at Anti-Illegal Immigration Rally
In late August 2023, Curtis Sliwa, along with four other individuals, was arrested for his involvement in an anti-illegal immigration rally held outside Gracie Mansion in New York City.