Newly crowned as America's Mayor, Giuliani looks set to cash in on his newfound popularity. He shoots for the White House and misses. After disappearing from the spotlight, he decides to make a comeback working for someone who could very well be his last legal client: President Donald Trump. This episode was reported, written, and produced by Deep Vakil and Hope Talbot.

Rudy Giuliani begins his second term as New York City’s mayor riding high — a crime-fighting icon fresh off a re-election win. But as the years unfold, controversies mount, political ambitions clash with personal scandals, and his successes begin to fade. His rise quickly turns into an unraveling — until a national tragedy shifts Giuliani’s fate. Episode 5: King Rudolph, reported and produced by Alice Finno and Peter Shea.

In 1993, Giuliani wins the mayoral election in NYC. He runs on the promise to curb one of the biggest issues for New Yorkers: crime. And, when he wins, he hires a police commissioner who flies too close to the sun. And changes the NYPD forever.

In June 1983, Rudy Giuliani moves back to New York City. He takes a job as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and sets his sights on going after organized crime.

He’ll use his time as prosecutor to go after the mob, which earns him a lot of media attention.

In May 1989, Giuliani has a new goal-to become the next mayor of New York City.

Join us as we try to find out why Giuliani was so obsessed with the mob - and how he used it to run for the city’s top job. By Lauren Gould and Liza Golovtsova.

Why did a young Rudy Giuliani have tea with Haiti's dictator in 1982?

To answer that question, we’ll have to go back to 1968 when a 24 year-old Giuliani was just graduating from law school. He was a young, driven lawyer whose sight was set on a political career with the Democratic Party. 

But in just 7 years, Giuliani would change cities, change jobs, change political parties and establish what we now call: immigration detention centers. 

You're listening to Episode 2: "Ambition is a Beast."

By: Leonardo Bevilacqua and Dante Dallago

Every New Yorker knows Rudy Giuliani. He was America's mayor, one of the heroes of 9/11. He was President Donald Trump's lawyer. He denied the 2020 election. Giuliani has been a big name in New York City politics since the 1980s. But it didn't start that way. The story of Rudolph William Louis Giuliani starts long before then. On May 28th, 1944. In East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

This episode was reported, written, and produced by Eleanor Hildebrandt and Emily Sawaked.

This season on Shoe Leather, a look into the life and career of Rudy Giuliani – one of the most influential politicians in New York City’s recent history.

Amadou Diallo’s name became synonymous with “41 shots”.

He was killed in 1999 by four NYPD officers, who fired at him 41 times inside the doorway of his Bronx apartment building. The incident etched his name into public memory through explosive news coverage.

But beyond the headlines, who was Amadou Diallo?

In “Boli”, we dive into Amadou’s life – from his dreams to his time in New York. We hear from neighbors and friends who go down memory lane to tell us his side of the story.

Join us as we go beyond “41 shots” to learn more about Amadou Diallo.

By Serena Balani and Neha Sati

Police said they approached Amadou Diallo because they suspected he was a serial rapist who had been terrorizing the Bronx and Harlem for six years. A judge later blamed the real rapist, Isaac Jones, for Diallo's death. Was Jones really responsible?

Amadou Diallo’s name became synonymous with “41 shots”

He was killed in 1999 by four NYPD officers, who fired at him 41 times inside the doorway of his Bronx apartment building. The incident etched his name into public memory through explosive news coverage.

But beyond the headlines, who was Amadou Diallo?  

In “Boli”, we dive into Amadou’s life – from his dreams to his time in New York. We hear from neighbors and friends who go down memory lane to tell us his side of the story.

Join us as we go beyond “41 shots” to learn more about Amadou Diallo.