Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) Spearheaded Lawsuit Leading to Unanimous 7-0 Ruling That Overturned Mayor’s Executive Order
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court delivered a unanimous 7–0 decision this week, ruling that former Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney exceeded his executive powers four years ago when he replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day as an official city holiday.
By striking down Kenney’s order, the court has restored Columbus Day to the city’s calendar, effectively ending Indigenous Peoples Day’s status as a recognized city holiday.
The lawsuit arguing for the reversal was litigated by Philadelphia attorney George Bochetto on behalf of the lead plaintiff, the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO), which is also led by Basil Russo.
At its core, the ruling raises the question of whether other municipal leaders overreached when changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in their respective cities.
“First, the power to establish, change, or eliminate official City holidays is essentially a legislative power,” Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough declared in the 21-page opinion.
In 2024, a separate PA Commonwealth Court panel ruled 7-0 to revive a lawsuit that was filed by Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) to prevent the removal of Pittsburgh’s 30-foot Christopher Columbus statue In the 24-page opinion, the panel didn’t mince words, stating that Pittsburgh City Hall does not have “…’free reign’ to act as it pleases in defiance of the law.”
In this case, former Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and the Pittsburgh Art Commission failed to observe the city’s home rule charter, which stipulates that action by city council was necessary in such a decision.
In December 2022, the commonwealth court — in yet another lawsuit filed by Bochetto — blocked Philadelphia’s former mayor Kenney from uprooting the city’s 149-year-old Columbus statue from Marconi Plaza.
“This unanimous decision affirms both the rule of law and the value of our Italian American heritage,” said Bochetto this week. “The voice of the people, expressed through their elected council, cannot be overridden by executive action.”
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Russo is working with lawmakers from both parties — including Congressmen Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Mike Rulli (R-OH) — to safeguard Columbus Day. Rulli, co-chair of the 42-member Italian American Congressional Delegation, is building support to codify the holiday at the federal level, making it permanent law and far harder to change or abolish.
Columbus’ History
Opponents of Columbus statues and holidays often misinterpret them as tributes to colonialism. In truth, Columbus became a symbol of hope and belonging for early Italian immigrants seeking acceptance in America.
In 1891, the largest lynch mob ever to assemble on U.S. soil murdered 11 innocent Italian immigrants in New Orleans — one of the darkest chapters in American history.
To ease the resulting diplomatic crisis with Italy and promote national healing, U.S. President Benjamin Harrison declared the first national Columbus Day celebration in 1892 (400 years after Columbus’s discovery of North America). The massive New York City parade drew over a million people in a powerful display of unity and recognition.
That event inspired generations of Italian Americans to build Columbus statues and organize parades — not to glorify conquest, but to assert their place in American society and honor their heritage.
Today, Columbus Day continues to stand as a symbol of Italian American pride, perseverance and assimilation.
In recent years, ISDA / COPOMIAO President Basil Russo has worked directly with the White House to ensure that federal Columbus Day proclamations reflect and clarify this rich and widely misunderstood history.
See the 2022, 2023 and 2024 proclamations to learn more.
Make a pledge and become a member of Italian Sons and Daughters of America today.
