Jeffries Releases Statement On President’s Pardon Of Joe Arpaio
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Central Brooklyn, Coney Island/Queens)) member of the House Judiciary Committee, released a statement denouncing the pardon of Joe Arpaio last week.
President Donald Trump pardoned Arpaio last Friday evening, after hinting at a possible presidential pardon at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona Tuesday night stating Arpaio “would be just fine,” at the event. Arpaio is a former Arizona sheriff who in July was convicted of criminal contempt after violating a 2011 court order to stop racially profiling Latinos.
“Donald Trump’s reckless pardon of fellow hate-monger Joe Arpaio is further evidence that he is not fit to serve as President of the United States. The Arpaio pardon is a lawless act by an out of control President who continues to inflict grave damage to our democracy. The House Judiciary Committee must immediately convene hearings to explore Donald Trump’s apparent willingness to obstruct justice and abuse his power,” said Jeffries.
BK Lawmakers Hail Signing Of Briana’s Law
Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn) and Assembly member Felix Ortiz (D-Sunset Park, Red Hook) and City Council member Stephen Levin (D-Brooklyn Heights, DYMBO, Williamsburg, Boerum Hill) are hailing the signing of Briana’s law by Governor Andrew Cuomo last week.
Briana’s Law requires NYPD officers to take CPR training every two years, barring exceptional, extenuating circumstances, and mandates the training at least once every four years without exception. The legislation also requires state troopers to receive CPR retraining every two years. The American Heart Association recommends CPR retraining every two years for certified persons. Under existing NYPD policy, officers receive CPR training as a cadet in the police academy, without a requirement that officers be retrained in CPR. The bill passed the Senate and Assembly in June.
Briana’s Law is named in memory of 11-year-old Briana Ojeda, who died seven years ago today (August 27, 2010), due to a severe asthma attack. Briana suffered an asthma attack at a playground in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Briana’s mother, Carmen Torres, drove her daughter to Long Island College Hospital for medical attention when she was stopped by a police officer for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. The NYPD officer did not know how to perform CPR. Ms. Torres was allowed to proceed to the hospital but Briana died soon after.
“Briana Ojeda and her family have given the gift of life to New Yorkers who turn to help from police. Briana’s Law ensures our police officers have the training to provide life-saving assistance in an emergency. Governor Cuomo’s signing Briana’s Law vindicates a seven-year effort to make communities across New York safer, with police who are more capable of delivering aid in emergencies. This is a legacy truly worthy of Briana Ojeda’s memory,” said Hamilton.
“Briana’s Law is a victory in the name of Briana’s family who has fought, lobbied, and advocated every day since losing their daughter. My only hope is that the Ojeda family will finally achieve some peace, knowing that no other child will be lost in this way. All first responders should be trained in CPR. If a police officer is the first to arrive on scene and someone requires CPR, they should be able to perform it,” said Ortiz.
“Briana’s legacy will be to save innumerable lives by ensuring that all law enforcement has the basic CPR training necessary to respond when a life is at risk. I especially want to acknowledge her family for their incredible perseverance and faith in the face of such immense tragedy and heartbreak. They are my heroes,” said Levin.
Donovan Calls For Columbus Statue To Staten Island; Unveils Plan To Stop Proliferation Of Sex Dolls
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) is calling on the city to donate the controversial Christopher Columbus statue to the National Parks Service to then be placed at Great Kills Park on Staten Island.
Presently, the statue is located at Columbus circle overlooking Central Park in Manhattan. In recent weeks, Mayor Bill de Blasio has been considering the removal of the statue in response to a national drive to remove controversial statues and monuments in the wake of the Charlottesville violence that broke out earlier this month in Virginia.
Last week, de Blasio unveiled plans to create a panel tasked with exploring the removal of New York City’s statues and monuments alongside City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan).
“Christopher Columbus is a permanent fixture of our national history. Rarely can we trace the wheels of progress over 500 years back to the actions of a single person. If a radical group bent on sanitizing history doesn’t want the statue at Columbus Circle anymore, Staten Island will gladly accept it. Columbus is a symbol of Italian-American culture. He discovered our land, and generations of Italian-Americans helped build New York. I will fight tooth and nail to see to it that his statue remains a fixture in our city,” said Donovan.
In addition, Donovan will announce his plan to introduce legislation that will ban the importation, sale, and distribution of child sex dolls in the United States today.
According to Donovan, the lifelike silicone dolls, which resemble children as young as five years old, are being sold and imported to pedophiles in the U.S. through online websites, including Amazon and eBay. Psychologists believe that these dolls could reinforce pedophilic behavior and encourage urges, potentially putting more children at risk to harm.
The announcement is slated for 10 a.m., today, August 28, at Richmond County Supreme Court (in front of courthouse), 26 Central Avenue in Staten Island.
Local Lawmakers’ Tenant Protection Packages Signed Into Law
City Council members Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) and Antonio Reynoso (D-Bushwick, Williamsburg) are applauding the signing of two packages of bills that seek to curb tenant harassment.
Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the two packages into law last Friday. The first package, Stand for Tenant Safety (STS), affords tenants better protections from potentially harmful construction projects that are being used to push residents out of their homes. The second set of bills address remedies for tenant harassment.
The second tenant protection package includes Intro. 1556, sponsored by Williams which increases the civil penalties for violations of the administrative code for tenant harassment and Intro, 938, 939 and 940, sponsored by Reynoso that call for the Department of Buildings (DOB) to maintain watch list of contractors who have conducted work without a permit, and increase penalties for those working without permits and have violated stop work orders. The bills go into effect 120 days after being signed into law.
“My bill, Intro 1556 sends a message to unscrupulous landlords that the City is serious about protecting tenants and their rights. As the pace of construction continues to increase and creates opportunities for unscrupulous owners to take advantage and harass New Yorkers. we must also change how we thwart handle these situations to thwart their bad practices,” said Williams.
“I am proud to Stand for Tenant Safety. This a victory for everyone- for the advocates who have been tirelessly working on the ground in our neighborhoods and for the tenants who are being driven out of their rent stabilized homes by unscrupulous landlords. The Department of Buildings will have a comprehensive package of reforms to work with for better enforcement. These bills strengthen and protect tenants’ rights to stay in their homes and not be harassed by construction to their unit or building,” said Reynoso.
Deutsch’s Senior Tax Benefit Signed into Law
City Council member Chaim Deutsch‘s (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest) bill to offer a significant property tax benefit to senior and disabled homeowners was signed into law last Friday.
The Senior Citizen/Disabled Homeowner Exemption (SCHE/DHE) program offers a property tax break to qualifying homeowners. Until now, the maximum income level to be eligible for the program was $37,399. Deutsch’s bill raises the income level to $58,400, opening the program to tens of thousands of additional property owners.
Recently, Deutsch passed a legislation requiring a citywide effort to educate seniors about scams that target the elderly. In addition, the South Brooklyn Council member has made improvements to the Access-A-Ride service, for elevators in local subway stations, has expanded the Meals on Wheels program and has secured funding for local senior centers in the yearly budget.
“Today’s bill signing is a victory for tens of thousands of senior and disabled New Yorkers, who will no longer need to make a choice between paying bills and purchasing food or essentials. We are providing a tax break to the most vulnerable in our society – the people who need it the most,” said Deutsch.
CM Williams Applauds Passage Of Legislation Calling For Published Reports On Police Misconduct
City Council member Jumaane Williams (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) applauded the passage of Intro. 119-D, which seeks to reduce police misconduct and improve support for police officers.
Sponsored byWilliams, Intro 119-D requires the Inspector General for the Police Department to review information on police misconduct and develop recommendations related to the disciplining, training, and monitoring of police officers. The bill mandates biannual reporting of law suits alleging police misconduct, regular studies by the Inspector General examining all sources of information on police misconduct, and identifying patterns to issue recommendations on ways to reduce misconduct. Intro 119-D also calls for a study by the police department on determinations by judges that an officer’s testimony at a trial is not credible.
The bill compiles already publicly available information into one report in an effort to find patterns that can be used to strengthen training efforts to better police officers. Intro 119-D, is not a punitive bill and does not garner information that does not already exist.
Information will be collected through complaints and lawsuits filed against police officers. The Inspector General will work with the Law Department, the Police Department, the Comptroller, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, and Commission to Combat Police Corruption to facilitate this review.
“Our City still has areas of opportunity when it comes to police accountability and transparency. I believe that Intro 119 will help move us forward by providing real information on patterns of behavior so that issues, patterns and problems can be identified more swiftly and addressed,” said Williams.