Was Rudy Giuliani's father part of the mob? Colorful and violent family history of NYC mayor famed for his zero-tolerance approach to crime exposed in new book

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Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani may be known for taming crime, but a book probing into his life claims that his father was tied to the mob and served prison time for armed robbery.

Though Giuliani credits his father with raising him to have the values that made him a success, the book alleges that his father had connections with organized crime. 

Rudy!: An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, written by former Village Voice investigative reporter and senior editor Wayne Barrett in 2001, alleges a slew of claims about the former mayor and his family.

Rudy!: An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, written by former Village Voice investigative reporter and senior editor Wayne Barrett in 2001, claims a slew of claims about former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani

Family: Though Giuliani credits his father with raising him to have the values that made him a success, the book alleges that his father had connections with organized crime

Crime: Giuliani is known for the zero-tolerance policy that lowered the crime rate in New York CIty while he was in office

The former mayor's father Harold Giuliani went to Sing Sing prison for a one-and-a-half years in 1934 after robbing a milkman at gunpoint, Barrett claims. 

Book: The former mayor's father Harold Giuliani went to Sing Sing prison for a one-and-a-half years in 1934 after robbing a milkman at gunpoint, Barrett claims

This was a decade before his son, who later sought the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, was born.

Harold Giuliani also allegedly 'broke legs, smashed kneecaps [and] crunched noses' when he served as a 'muscle' for a for a loansharking operation in the 1950s, and got in a Brooklyn gunfight in the 1960s, according to ABC.

Direct links between the former mayor and organized crime, however, are hard to find, Barrett told ABC.

'I think Harold Giuliani went out of his way to protect his son from that environment. Rudy has said he was taught to hate the mob when he was growing up,' Barrett said. 

Giuliani, who was mayor of New York from 1994 through 2001, is credited for taking down organized crime and lowering crime in the city. 

He also is known for his great leadership in New York after the September 11 attacks. 

The former mayor has said that has missed his father every day since he died of prostate cancer in 1981.

'He taught me enormously important lessons, including the lesson of being honest, which I've practiced all my life,' Giuliani said when asked about the book in 2001. 

Barrett's book also reveals information about his romantic relationships with two women that eventually led to a public separation from his wife, Donna Hanover.

Giuliani recently hit headlines after questioning President Barack Obama's love of the United States last week.   

Author: Harold Giuliani also allegedly 'broke legs, smashed kneecaps [and] crunched noses' when he served as a 'muscle' for a for a loansharking operation in the 1950s, and got in a Brooklyn gunfight in the 1960s, Barrett (pictured above) claims in his book

Marriage: Barrett's book also reveals information about his romantic relationships with two women that eventually led to a public separation from his wife, Donna Hanover, pictured with son Andrew Harold

The former mayor said at a New York City event on Wednesday night that 'I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America.' 

'He doesn't love you. And he doesn't love me. He wasn't brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country,' Giuliani said, according to Politico. 

Giuliani says he is standing by his comments about Obama and denies that the statements are rooted in racism.

But he said he has received death threats - mainly in the form of voicemails - in the wake of the controversial comments. 

'I'm right about this. I have no doubt about it. I do not withdraw my words,' Giuliani told NBC Friday. 'I do not detect, in this man, the same rhetoric and the same language, the same love of America that I detected in other American presidents including democrats.' 

Giuliani told NBC that though he never meant to question the president's patriotism, he absolutely will not apologize for saying what he believes. 

Patriotism: Giuliani, pictured here in 1987, recently hit headlines and received death threats after questioning President Barack Obama's love of the United States

Stands by claims: Giuliani, pictured here in 1985, said last week that though he never meant to question Obama's patriotism, he absolutely will not apologize for saying what he believes