{{Short description|American politician (born 1968)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = David Catania | image = Davidcatania.jpg | office = Member of the Council of the District of Columbia<br>from the at-large district | term_start = December 15, 1997 | term_end = January 2, 2015 | predecessor = Arrington Dixon | successor = Elissa Silverman | office3 = Commissioner of the District of Columbia for district 1D01 | term_start3 = 1997 | term_end3 = 1999 | predecessor3 = Kathleen M. Early<ref>{{cite web |title=Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Historical List |url=https://www.dcboe.org/dcboe/media/PDFFiles/nr_849.pdf |website=District of Columbia Board of Elections |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105205200/https://www.dcboe.org/dcboe/media/PDFFiles/nr_849.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Past Commissioners |url=https://2d7379.wixsite.com/anc2dsite/past-commissioners |website=Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2D |access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref> | successor3 = Lance P. Salonia<ref>{{cite web |title=Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Historical List |url=https://www.dcboe.org/dcboe/media/PDFFiles/nr_849.pdf |website=District of Columbia Board of Elections |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105205200/https://www.dcboe.org/dcboe/media/PDFFiles/nr_849.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|1|16}} | birth_place = Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Independent (2004–present) | other_party = Republican (before 2004) | spouse = {{marriage|Bill Enright|August 5, 2017|July 27, 2021}} | education = Georgetown University (BS, JD) }} '''David A. Catania''' (born January 16, 1968)<ref name=wapobio>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-11012.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025033554/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-11012.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 25, 2012 | title=David A. Catania | date=January 6, 2005 | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=highbeam.com | pages=T11 | access-date=July 16, 2008 }}</ref> is an American politician and lawyer from Washington, D.C. He was formerly an at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia, which he gave up to pursue an unsuccessful run in the 2014 mayoral election.
==Early life and education== Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Catania is a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and Georgetown University Law Center.
==D.C. Council== He was elected to the council as a Republican in a 1997 special election with 7% voter turnout,<ref name=nytimes>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/11/us/washington-council-election-may-forecast-change.html | title=Washington Council Election May Forecast Change | last=Janofsky | first=Michael | date=December 11, 1997 | work=The New York Times | pages=A22 | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref> but elected to a full term in 1998, and re-elected in 2002 and 2006.<ref name=wapo>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/14/AR2009121403600.html | title=Poised to mark a milestone: For D.C. Council member, same-sex marriage bill a personal and professional victory | last=Craig | first=Tim | date=December 15, 2009 | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=washingtonpost.com | pages=B01 | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=mellow>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/28/AR2006102801285.html | title=For Catania, Mellowing With Age, Incumbency | last=Silverman | first=Elissa | date=October 29, 2006 | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=washingtonpost.com | pages=C01 | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref> Catania lives in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.<ref name=mellow/>
Catania was the first openly gay member of the D.C. Council and one of a small number of openly gay Republican office-holders.<ref name=wapo/> This led to a conflict within his party when President George W. Bush spoke in favor of an amendment to the United States Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Catania opposed the amendment and became a vocal opponent of Bush's 2004 re-election. In response, the District of Columbia Republican Committee decertified him as a delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention.<ref name=delegate>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61775-2004May27.html | title=Catania Leaves D.C. GOP Over Convention Seat: Ouster as Delegate Tied To Opposition to Bush | last=Williams | first=Vanessa | date=May 28, 2004 | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=washingtonpost.com | pages=B01 | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref> Catania announced his endorsement of the Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry, one week prior to the convention.<ref name=endoresement>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45198-2004Aug29.html | title=Gay Activists Demand a Seat in 'Big Tent': Pataki, Specter Among Allies at N.Y. Rally | last=Hsu | first=Spencer S. |author2=Williams, Vanessa | date=August 30, 2004 | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=washingtonpost.com | pages=A07 | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref> In September 2004, Catania left the party and became an independent, citing his displeasure with its direction on urban and social issues.<ref name=independent>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58101-2004Sep28.html | title=Catania to Become Independent Today | last=Williams | first=Vanessa | date=September 29, 2004 | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=washingtonpost.com | pages=B02 | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=metroweekly>{{cite news | url=https://www.metroweekly.com/feature/?ak=1269 | title=Dropping the GOP: David Catania's new political life as an independent | last=O'Bryan | first=Will | date=October 7, 2004 | work=Metro Weekly | publisher=metroweekly.com | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref> He was re-elected in 2006 and 2010 as an independent.<ref name=wapo/>
Catania was most recently the chairperson of the council's Committee on Education and was a member of the Committee on Government Operations, the Committee on Finance and Revenue, and the Committee on Health. Catania chaired the Committee on Health between 2005 and 2012.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} As one of two openly gay members then serving on the council, Catania played a major role in the city's recognition of same-sex unions and legalization of same-sex marriage.<ref name=wapo/><ref name=bbc>{{cite news | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8034601.stm | title=DC approves same-sex marriage law | date=May 6, 2009 | work=BBC News | publisher=news.bbc.co.uk | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=salon>{{cite news | url=https://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/feature/2009/04/07/vermont | title=Same-sex marriage: Who's next? | last=Mieszkowski | first=Katherine | date=April 7, 2009 | work=Salon | publisher=salon.com | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=approval>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/12/11/ST2009121102889.html | title=D.C. Council approves bill legalizing gay marriage: Bill heads to Fenty's desk, still must survive congressional review period | last=Craig | first=Tim | date=December 15, 2009 | newspaper=The Washington Post | publisher=washingtonpost.com | access-date=December 15, 2009 }}</ref>
===Positions=== thumb|Catania speaking at an event for his 2014 mayoral campaign Catania opposed terms limits for elected officials. In 2001, Catania voted in favor of legislation that overturned the results of a popular referendum limiting members of the D.C. Council to two terms.<ref name=wp.termlimits>{{cite news |title=D.C. Council Considers Repeal of Term Limits|first=Sewell |last=Chan |date=January 9, 2001 |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2001/01/09/dc-council-considers-repeal-of-term-limits/48803598-c687-4b2e-b81e-65674bf75d33/|access-date=October 1, 2016}}</ref><ref name=wt.termlimits>{{cite news |title=Up with term limits|author=Washington Times |date=May 3, 2001 |work=Washington Times |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2001/may/3/20010503-022851-6200r/|access-date=October 1, 2016}}</ref>
==Post-Council career== thumb|DC Capital Pride Parade, 2014 In 2014, Catania was unsuccessful in a bid for mayor of Washington, D.C. In 2015, he joined the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, where he focuses his practice on healthcare, government law and strategy, and public policy.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2015/03/david-catania-lands-health-role-at-greenburg.html |title=David Catania lands health role at Greenburg Traurig |first=Tina |last=Reed |date=March 18, 2015 |access-date=February 16, 2018 |newspaper=Washington Business Journal }}</ref>
In 2018, he served as the U.S. Head of Public Affairs for Starship Technologies, a robotic delivery company.<ref name=washingtonian>{{cite news |url=https://washingtonian.com/2018/05/11/more-delivery-robots-are-coming-to-dc/ |title=More Delivery Robots Are Coming to DC |first=Jessica |last=Sidman |date=May 11, 2018 |access-date=May 16, 2018 |newspaper=Washingtonian }}</ref> In February, Catania opened a District-based lobbying firm with Benjamin Young, his former chief of staff and campaign manager.<ref name=allen/>
In 2018, Catania was campaign co-chair for S. Kathryn Allen, a former insurance executive who sought Catania's former seat on the council, held by Elissa Silverman.<ref name=allen>{{cite news |last=Schwartzman |first=Paul |date=June 29, 2018 |title=Why a progressive D.C. lawmaker is suddenly facing opposition |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/a-progressive-dc-lawmaker-in-the-cross-hairs/2018/06/29/6179b3e4-7988-11e8-80be-6d32e182a3bc_story.html?noredirect=on |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=June 29, 2018 }}</ref> An investigation determined that more than half of Allen's signatures were fraudulently collected and her name was not included on the ballot.<ref name=allenend>{{cite news |last=Nirappil |first=Fenit |date=September 11, 2018 |title= Board boots business-backed council candidate from D.C. ballot, citing signature fraud |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/board-boots-business-backed-council-candidate-from-dc-ballot-citing-signature-fraud/2018/09/11/553453aa-b48e-11e8-a2c5-3187f427e253_story.html?noredirect=on |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 17, 2018 }}</ref>
==Personal life == Catania married floral designer Bill Enright on August 5, 2017, in a ceremony officiated by his former Council colleague Mary Cheh.<ref name= weds>{{cite news |last=Chibbaro, Jr. |first=Lou |url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/08/09/catania-weds-ceremony-performed-council-colleague/ |title=Catania weds in ceremony performed by Council colleague |newspaper=The Washington Blade |date=August 9, 2017 |access-date=February 16, 2018 }}</ref> Catania and Enright finalized their divorce on July 21, 2021.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20141219052058/http://www.davidcatania.com/ Councilmember David A. Catania] ''official website'' (archived) * [https://web.archive.org/web/20121109122516/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/12/14/GA2009121403651.html "David A. Catania: D.C. politician doesn't pull punches"], photo essay by ''The Washington Post''
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-dc}} {{s-bef|before=Arrington Dixon}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Council of the District of Columbia<br>from the at-large district|years=1997–2015}} {{s-aft|after=Elissa Silverman}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catania, David}} Category:1968 births Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:20th-century American lawyers Category:21st-century American lawyers Category:American lobbyists Category:American gay politicians Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni Category:American LGBTQ city council members Category:LGBTQ people from Missouri Category:LGBTQ people from Washington, D.C. Category:Lawyers from Kansas City, Missouri Category:Lawyers from Washington, D.C. Category:Living people Category:Members of the Council of the District of Columbia Category:People from Dupont Circle Category:Politicians from Kansas City, Missouri Category:Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni Category:Washington, D.C., independents Category:Washington, D.C., Republicans Category:Candidates in the 2014 United States elections Category:20th-century Washington, D.C., politicians