ABOUT THE STREET ATTORNEY

Gerard Marrone, The Vice President of the Italian-American Civil Rights League (IACRL)

• The original Italian-American Civil Rights League, founded in April 1970 by Joseph Colombo, sought to protect Italian Americans from defamation, fight stereotypes (especially the association with “the Mafia”), and protest perceived governmental or social bias.  
• Over time, it took on public relations campaigns: for instance, pressuring media and advertisers to avoid negative portrayals of Italians; removing references to “Mafia” in the press; reacting to film content, etc.  
• According to recent sources, the IACRL has been revived and repurposed to address contemporary issues affecting Italian Americans, including cultural recognition, education, and discrimination:
• Its renewed mission is described as:
• honoring Italian traditions
• celebrating family values and notable contributions from the Italian-American community
• educating the broader public about anti-Italian bias or “persecution”
• fighting discrimination through both legal channels and public advocacy  
• One of its focus points is defending Columbus Day as a symbol of Italian-American heritage, amid debates about whether it should be replaced by Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  

Gerard Marrone’s Role

Title & Position:

• Marrone is a Vice President (or otherwise a high-ranking leader) of the revived IACRL. He is commonly described as the organization’s public face and is deeply involved in its leadership.  
• Advocacy & Activities:
• Marrone has publicly spoken about how the IACRL intends not only to preserve heritage but to fight modern anti-Italian discrimination.  
• Under his leadership, they have engaged in community outreach—e.g. supporting youth sports programs like donating to the Martin Luther School basketball team.  
• He emphasizes both legal support and public awareness initiatives. For example, using the organization to address media portrayals, stereotypes, and discriminatory behavior.  
• The original IACRL has long been viewed critically by historians and journalists, who note that while it presented itself as a civil rights organization, it was heavily tied to Joseph Colombo—a crime family boss—and often engaged more in image-management than structural reform.  
• This history casts long shadows over any revival, creating skepticism among some about whether the new IACRL can fully distance itself from the past.

Revived Purpose:

• Today’s IACRL under Marrone appears more focused on community advocacy, protecting cultural symbols, addressing anti-Italian bigotry, supporting local programs, and legal/public action.
• Marrone’s Role: Marrone is a leading figure in this revived movement; he’s leveraging his platform as a lawyer and public figure to drive change and awareness.

Challenges Ahead:

• Given its origin, the IACRL will likely face scrutiny: balancing the desire for cultural pride with credible, ethical advocacy; ensuring transparency; dealing with criticism that historical reputations may overshadow current efforts.
• Gerard Marrone vigorously defends those accused of various levels of criminal offenses. Including but not limited to serious felonies such as homicide, assault, bank robbery, larceny, sexual assault, white-collar crimes, computer crimes and organized crime. Vehicular crimes including driving while intoxicated and other misdemeanors could have serious consequences and accordingly our attorneys are often called upon to defend those accused of such offenses.