Rick Amato
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Rick Amato is the radio talk show host of The Rick Amato Show, columnist for theWashington Times newspaper, columnist forTownhall.com, political commentator, contributor to KUSI television in San Diego and frequent guest on cable TV news shows.
The purpose of his radio show and newspaper column is to make a difference in the lives of people during times of injustice.
Whether it be a young 22 year old American soldier in Iraq facing questionable allegations of wrong doing without adequate money for proper legal representation, or a youth center for under privileged kids being threatened with closure due to the arrogance of eminent domain…he makes a difference by exposing an issue, raising awareness… and moving people to action.
He believes that increasingly the vast American middle-class feel under represented, under appreciated and overwhelmed as lobbyists and special interest groups gain greater influence in Washington, as the integrity of the U.S. borders are viewed as a mere inconvenience in the flow of global trade and as nameless faceless government bureaucracies become more intrusive in to the personal lives of every day people.
'Crowd size and fears for public safety' were the reasons given for the cancellation of one of his scheduled broadcasts. He was to broadcast his radio show 'live' from outside the gates of Camp Pendleton Marine base in order to raise awareness of the government's treatment of The Pendleton 8. However the Oceanside, CA police department expressed concerns over public safety due to the anticipated large crowd size forcing cancellation of the broadcast.
Instead he rallied on behalf of The Pendleton 8 from inside his San Diego-based studio. The Pendleton 8 were seven marines and a naval corpseman being held in a brig- shackled, chained and in solitary confinement- before charges were ever formally brought against them.
He received his first-ever radio experience by co-hosting The Business Of Sports on XTRA radio in San Diego along with Jim Rome, America's premeir sports talk personality.
His background also includes having had worked as a Financial Advisor for the Wall Street firm Merrill Lynch. He is the founder and President of Amato Wealth Management Group, a financial advisory boutique which in 2006 was named The Top Financial Advisory Firm in La Jolla, California by The La Jolla Light newspaper.
He was born in the western Pennsylvania steel town of Sharon, PA and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. He is the grandson of Italian and German immigrants. Rick Amato is a graduate of The Bloomsburg State University of Pennsylvania where he majored in Marketing and minored in Economics and Accounting.
His hobbies and interests include sports, travel, and cooking. He has a blue belt in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu where he has trained under former world champion Rodrigo Medeiros.
