Dem, GOP Debate Watching Parties
For those looking for a totally partisan place to watch tonight’s presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the following are two suggestions:
The New Kings Democrats political club is hosting their presidential debate watch party at Matt Torrey’s Bar, 46 Bushwick Avenue in East Williamsburg. According to Google, the bar is a rustic-chic haunt with hardwood floors & tin ceilings, and offers New York craft beer & choice pub grub.
Not to be outdone, the Brooklyn GOP and the Kings County Conservative Party will host their presidential debate watching party at the Bay Ridge Manor, 476 76th Street in Bay Ridge.
The family of Republican State Sen. Marty Golden (Bay Ridge) owns the Bay Ridge Manor, which is a full-service catering hall with several renovated ballrooms and smaller rooms, ideal for wedding receptions, anniversary parties, bridal & baby showers, birthdays, sweet sixteen’s, retirement parties, corporate events… and presidential debate watch parties!
The debate is slated for 9 p.m., tonight.
Gillibrand Measure Would Clear Record Of Human Trafficking Victims
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand yesterday stood with survivors of trafficking and advocacy groups to announce new bipartisan legislation, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2016, which would clear criminal records of victims of human trafficking.
The measure would apply to non-violent crimes committed by individuals as a direct result of human trafficking.
“We need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to take care of human trafficking survivors who manage to escape from captivity,” said Gillibrand. “In many cases, when trafficked people – including children – are forced into slavery, they are tagged with criminal charges that stay with them for the rest of their lives, even though they have absolutely no freedom to say no to their captors, who force them to commit crimes. I urge all of my colleagues to support my legislation to clear non-violent criminal convictions of trafficking victims who were forced to break the law while in captivity. We all have a responsibility to take care of the most vulnerable Americans.”
Human trafficking is a modern day form of slavery affecting millions in the United States and abroad. This crime involves either the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit a person for labor or commercial sex, or the exploitation of a minor for commercial sex. As a result of being trafficked, victims are commonly charged with crimes such as conspiracy, money laundering, drug trafficking, and related offenses that then follow them throughout the duration of their lives. These charges make it difficult for human trafficking victims to find jobs and housing, leaving them vulnerable to being exploited and trafficked again.
Schumer Pushes To Update Emergency Alert System
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer yesterday called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to swiftly finalize a list of long-sitting proposals that would finally modernize the Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA).
Last week, following the Chelsea explosion, WEA notifications were sent to millions of New Yorkers to help aid in the search for the suspect while he was on the run. Schumer lamented that the information provided to New Yorkers in the notification was limited because of a 90-character restriction on WEAs that also does not allow for multimedia images or links.
“In light of the need to respond in real time to terror threats, we can’t afford to have an emergency wireless response system that is stuck in the 90’s. The bottom line is that in the era of Instagram, Facebook and SnapChat our Wireless Emergency Alert System needs to get as smart as our phones and be updated so it can deliver photos and other media that has information that can save lives,” said Schumer.
The Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA) was established through the FCC under the WARN Act. WEA is a public safety notification system which delivers geographically-targeted message alerts reporting imminent threats to safety or life. There are three types of alerts: 1) alerts issued by the President; 2) alerts involving imminent threats to safety or life (i.e.: evacuation orders, shelter-in-place orders, a terrorist threat); and 3) Amber Alerts for abducted children.
Donovan, Schumer Decry Obama Veto of JASTA
Congressman Dan Donovan (Southern Brooklyn, Bay Ridge) and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer on Friday decried President Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which would have allowed Saudi Arabia to be sued for any alleged role in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
According to Politico, White House officials have repeatedly said Obama has several objections to the measure, including concerns that U.S. officials would face retaliation in the courts by foreign governments, and that civil courts in such litigation would have trouble wading into terrorism issues, resulting in incomplete information and risk having different courts reaching different conclusions.
“President Obama’s veto of JASTA – which unanimously passed the House and Senate – is an insult to 9/11 families who’ve already suffered unimaginable loss. The President caved to Saudi threats and sent a deeply saddening message to future victims of terror: relationships with foreign governments come first,” said Donovan.
“That the President believes a foreign government should be able to hide behind sovereign immunity after slaughtering Americans in our homeland is an outrage. Every American victim of terror deserves the chance to seek well-deserved justice against individuals and governments. I’ll be joining my colleagues in Congress to override this veto,” he added.
Schumer said he believes both parties in Congress will override the veto this week.
“If the Saudis did nothing wrong, they should not fear this legislation. If they were culpable in 9/11, they should be held accountable. The families of the victims of 9/11 deserve their day in court, and justice for those families shouldn’t be thrown overboard because of diplomatic concerns,” said Schumer.
Cumbo Hosts Meeting On The Coming Ingersoll Senior Housing
City Council Member Laurie Cumbo (Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights) tonight will host a meeting tonight on the coming Ingersoll Senior Housing Project.
The project is part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s NextGeneration plan to sell off NYCHA property to pay for additional services to the cash-strapped agency. According to the plan, the project calls for a 16-story building holding 145 affordable apartments earmarked mainly for seniors from the LBGT community.
BFC Partners was chosen as the developers of the Ingersoll project through a competitive request for proposals (RFP), and Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) was chosen as the non-profit to provide a range of community services at the site.
The developers, NYCHA officials and others will be at the meeting to explain and answer questions about the project, eligibility and address other questions residents may have.
The meeting is slated for 6:30 p.m., tonight at the Ingersoll Community Center, 177 Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and the Downtown Brooklyn border.
Williams Holds Hearing On Two Proposals
City Council Member Jumaane Williams (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood),chair of the Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings, today will hold a hearing to discuss the following two bills he is proposing:
Int. No. 179: The measure would require street numbers to be placed on every side of a building that contains an entrance primarily utilized for day-to-day pedestrian ingress or egress. It would also increase the civil penalty for failing to post street numbers from twenty-five dollars to two hundred and fifty dollars and the daily penalty from five dollars to fifty dollars.
Int. No. 1120: The measure would require that the DEP be notified whenever excavation or drilling to a depth greater than 50 feet is proposed. If DEP determines that such proposed activity is in close proximity to critical infrastructure, proponents would be required to obtain a permit from DEP, in addition to any permits or approvals required by the Department of Buildings (DOB).
The hearing is slated for 1 p.m., today in the City Council Chambers in Lower Manhattan.
