John D'Amico, Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who currently serves on the Monmouth County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders and served in the New Jersey Senate in 1988 and 1989.
Born in Long Branch on January 24, 1941, D’Amico served as a Councilman in Oceanport, New Jersey from 1979 to 1984 and was elected to a three year term as a Monmouth County Freeholder in 1983. He was reelected in 1986.[1] As Freeholder, he helped found the Monmouth County Department of Transportation and the Office of Recycling.
Following the death of Representative James J. Howard, State Senator Frank Pallone was elected to fill the vacancy. On December 10, 1988, John D'Amico was elected to Pallone's senate vacancy by the Democratic County Party Committee members in the 11th Legislative District; he was the first of the state's legislators to be chosen by a political caucus and not popularly elected. Eleven months later, he was defeated in the 1989 general election by Republican Assemblyman Joseph A. Palaia.
During his tenure in the New Jersey Senate, D'Amico sponsored bills on transportation and the environment, including a Green Acres Bond Act and the Clean Water Enforcement Act.
In 1992, he was appointed as a Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court. In 2003, he was appointed Chairman of the New Jersey State Parole Board, serving until 2007.
He was elected to a third three-year term as Freeholder in November 2007. As a freeholder, D'Amico oversees Planning, Commerce and Education, which includes Brookdale Community College, Economic Development & Tourism, Planning Board, Superintendent of Schools and the Vocational Board of Education.[2]
He served as Deputy Director of the board in 2009. At the January 7, 2010 annual reorganization, he was succeeded as Deputy Director by Robert D. Clifton. On November 3, 2010, D'Amico was defeated for re-election to the freeholder board finishing as bottom votegetter and losing re-election by roughly 38,000 votes.
D'Amico, after the election and short of his 70th birthday, announced his retirement from politics. He was honored on December 14 for his career in public service, a career which included serving as a superior court judge, chairman of the state parole board, a state senator, a Monmouth County Freeholder during 3 different decades at 2 different times and as an Oceanport councilman.
D'Amico is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.