BK Lawmakers Denounce Acts Of Domestic Terrorism, Suspicious Package
Congress members Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, Canarsie, Mill Basin, Coney Island, and South Ozone Park and Howard Beach in Queens) and Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) alongside Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams denounced yesterday’s domestic terrorist threats against high profile democrats.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secret Service officials announced the interception of packages addressed to former President Barack Obama, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, as well as Florida office of former DNC chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, according to USA Today.
Packages were also sent to the TIme Warner building, where CNN is headquartered. CNN reports that package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, who served during the Obama administration. Additionally, earlier in the week, a suspicious package was sent to the Westchester County, New York, home of billionaire liberal activist George Soros.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he anticipated more suspicious packages may be found at additional locations. The terror threats come with less than two weeks to go until the general election for the House of representatives on Nov. 6.
“In light of the vile acts of attempted political violence and domestic terror directed at two former Democratic Presidents, former high-level cabinet officials, critics of the current administration, a progressive donor and the media, America needs responsible leadership from the President and elected officials at all levels of government. Without leadership from the top, America can never come together. It is my hope and prayer that all sides will conclude that enough is enough,” said Jeffries.
“The latest scourge of attempted violence against the White House and Former First Families is absolutely reprehensible. Political violence of any sort is antithetical to our sacred democratic values and has no place in America,” said Donovan.
“Public safety is of utmost priority, and we are fortunate to have a highly professional and dedicated team of law enforcement and first responders who ensure the safety and security of all New York City residents and visitors on a daily basis. I am closely monitoring this situation and urge everyone to remain vigilant,” said Adams.
Hamilton Launches Petition In Support of Anti-Discrimination Bill
State Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn) is calling on support for a bill that would add penalties to people reporting false crimes simply because the reports are based on their race.
Dubbed the 911 Anti-Discrimination legislation, Hamilton’s proposal aims to combat the misuse of 911 and the growing number of “living while black” incidents that have occurred both in New York and around the country. This includes an incident that happened to Hamilton in August at the Prospect Park B/Q/S station entrance, when a woman called the police on him for campaigning for his re-election bid.
Just weeks ago, Teresa Klein, a white resident of the Flatbush community, traumatized a young 9-year old child, Jeremiah, by falsely accusing him of groping her from behind while at the Sahara Deli Market, at 2125 Albemarle Road off the corner of Flatbush Avenue.
Klein called the cops on the child claiming that she had been sexually harassed but later recanted, apologizing for mistaking the boy’s bookbag for his hands. Local activist Jason Littlejohn captured it all on video and coined the women “Cornerstore Caroline,” an incident that has now gone viral.
“Support my Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment 911 Legislation here in New York State by signing our petition. Stand up for meaningful steps to put an end to these abuses. We need to ensure authorities have the tools to hold accountable all those who use 911 to interrogate, intimidate, and harass. The harm of wasting dispatcher and police time with these malicious false reports motivated by bigotry, the harm of the danger posed to the victims when police are called expecting an actual emergency, and the harm of the senseless trauma caused to the victims,” said Hamilton.
Clarke Presents Congressional Gold Medal To Brooklyn Military Veteran
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-Crown Heights, Flatbush, East Flatbush, Park Slope, Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, Brownsville) presented Staff Sergeant Edward Mrozik, of Brooklyn, a replica Congressional Gold Medal earlier this week, for his service in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII.
A Brooklyn native, Staff Sergeant Mrozik joined the U.S. Navy at the age of seventeen and served with the OSS from 1943 to 1946 and ranked Specialist X First Class. He left the Navy in 1946 and enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he earned the rank of Staff Sergeant where he remained until getting discharged in 1952. His career continued in civilian positions with Control Instruments and the Department of Defense until he retired in 1988.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the World War II predecessor to the CIA and the U.S. Special Operations Command, received a Congressional Gold Medal on March 21, 2018. Replicas are given to veterans of the OSS.
The prestigious Congressional Gold Medal award has also been awarded to other American heroes such as former president Harry S. Truman, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. & Coretta Scott-King and The Tuskegee Airmen.
Bichotte Introduces Jeremiah’s Law, Protecting Minors Against False 9-11 Reports
Assembly member Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park) introduced legislation to protect minors from false reports against them on Monday.
The legislation, comes in the wake of an incident in which Jeremiah a 9-year-old African American boy was wrongfully accused of sexual harassment by community resident Teresa Klein, also known as “Cornerstore Caroline.” The accusation made by Klein caused the community to react to condemnation, resulting in heightened racial tension in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush.
This incident is another in a series of racially motivated-bias involving law enforcement including: “Permit Patty ,” a white woman who called the police on a black 8-year old girl selling water on the sidewalk; “BBQ Becky ,” a white woman who called the police on a black man and his family for simply having a barbecue at a public park; ” Pool Patrol Paula ,” who publicly humiliated and harassed a black teenager, telling him he did not belong in a public pool; theStarbuck arrest of 2 young men who were sitting in Starbucks waiting for a friend; ” Golf Cart Gail ,” a white woman who called the police on a black father for cheering on his son at a soccer game; and “Hallway Hillary ,” a white woman who harassed and blocked a black man from entering his apartment complex to go to his apartment.
The measure, coined “Jeremiah’s Law” (A11391), will aim to protect all minors, particularly those in predominantly minority communities, where the application of the law can be misused with racial bias when interacting with police enforcement.
“This bill ensures that someone who is found to have knowingly filed a false report against a minor will face felony charges, i.e. a Class E felony. We need to take action against the spurring undertones that poison our communities. I hope that this will help to deter people from proceeding with extreme and unnecessary actions particularly against minors under 13 years old,” said Bichotte.
