UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - A new book that chronicles the political ties of a Utica legend is now available for purchase. It's called Rufie : A Political Scrapbook. It's a look at the political ties of Rufus Elefante. The books two co-authors held a reception and book signing at the Utica Public Library Sunday afternoon. All of the proceeds of the book will go to the library.
    
In the book, you'll find everything from the proclamation by then Utica Mayor Ed Hanna declaring April 7, 1974, Rufus Elefante Day, to a letter to Elefante from then New York City Mayor Ed Koch in 1984, thanking Elefante for getting Koch votes here in Utica in Koch's unsuccessful run for Governor.
    
Co-author Dr. Eugene Nassar, a retired English Professor from Utica College says Elefante truly ruled the city for a 30 year period, "He was pretty much running the city from 1928 to 1958, that was a long time. He was democratic leader and he had great strength in east Utica and that gave him enough strength to take over the whole city."
    
Nassar says he was approached two years ago by Elefante's daughter Angela about what do do with all of the scrapbook clippings about her father. Nasser thought it would be wise to have the collection available for people to view, so it will be at he Utica Public Library in the future. Nassar co-authored the book along with Phil Bean who also grew up in Utica, and is now Dean of Student Affairs at Haverford College near Philadelphia. Bean says "my last name is Bean, but my mother's maiden name is Bonomo and my grandfather was a wholesaler here in Utica and I grew up around it."
    
Both authors say historically, the 20's through the 50's was an amazing time in Utica, and the city they say truly was ruled by Elefante. Nassar says "He did it all from a private booth at Marino's Restaurant. He never got a position in the city, never had a city contract, simply had a cadre of loyal people and would put them in positions in city government and they were loyal, and I think we had order in the city at that time. So how did he put people in positions in the city? Well, he had the votes, he picked the man who was going to be Governor, he picked the City Clerk, so it all filtered down."
    
The book chronicles the ties Elefante had at the local, state and even national level of politics. Nassar says "all kinds of politicians from New York State and from around the country came to see him because he could throw Central New York his way during that period."
    
Bean says "of course everybody thinks that political machines are successful by doing nefarious things, Rufie said he was no angel, but he said he was no devil either, and I think that was true."
    
You can purchase copies of the book at the Utica Public Library.