Rosenthal, Epstein, Quart Co-Write Op-Ed on Importance of Bail Reform
Yesterday, Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal (D-Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen), Harvey Epstein (D-Lower East Side, East Village) and Dan Quart (D-Murray Hill, Lenox Hill) co-wrote an op-ed for the Daily News with the following message; the recent surge in anti-Semitic attacks doesn’t negate the importance of rewriting bail reform.
The three legislators, all Jewish, made it clear that they were deeply concerned about the recent hate crimes against Jewish New Yorkers. However, they argued that the best way to combat anti-Semitism is with education and communication, not incarceration.
“While it’s important for us to to untangle the truly heinous crimes from incidences of people with mental illnesses lashing out, it’s also important to ensure defendants in all of these cases are treated like human beings while they await prosecution,” reads the article. “Rolling back the landmark criminal justice reforms that were accomplished in the last legislative session — which limited potential use of cash bail to a list of specified, mostly violent crimes, while requiring pretrial release for all others — is not the answer.”
Read the full article here.
Maloney Releases Statement in Support of Cuomo’s Empire State Complex Proposal
Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) recently spoke out in support the Governor’s proposal for the creation of the Empire State Complex.
At the 2020 State of the State, Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) unveiled his proposal to create a state-of-the-art transit complex on Manhattan’s West Side. The plan will entail combining the in-progress Moynihan Train Hall with the existing Penn Station site to create an expanded train and subway complex.
“A city must invest in itself to stay strong, and the creation of the Empire Station Complex is a great example of the type of bold, innovative projects New York should pursue,” said Maloney. “This project would not only expand capacity at Penn Station by 40%, but also better commutes for more than half a million New Yorkers. As all New Yorkers know, Penn Station has needed upgrades and increased capacity for years, and I look forward to working with the State, City, and the community to fully develop this plan to better serve New Yorkers.”
Brewer to Host “Trash Talk”
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer (D) will be hosting a meeting on recycling and sustainability next Thursday.
The meeting, co-sponsored by JCC Harlem, will educate attendees about new sustainability projects in Manhattan, all intended to help the borough meet its “Zero Waste to Landfill” goal by 2030. Said goal entails reaching a point where less than 1 percent of our trash is sent to landfills.
The event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 16 at JCC Harlem, 318 West 118th St.
Nadler Condemns Trump for Escalating Conflict with Iran
Yesterday, Representative Jerry Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn) released the following statement attacking President Donald Trump (R) for escalating hostilities with Iran.
“President Trump not only represents a serious and pressing threat to our democracy, his actions risk the safety and security of our citizens, our interests, and our allies—including Israel—across the globe. Whether it is out of personal bravado or part of an effort to deflect and distract from his own failures and embarrassments, President Trump has continuously undermined our national security by acting recklessly and without any legal authority or legitimate reason. And he has done so without providing Congress or the American people the legal justification to take such dangerous and provocative action that puts our country on the brink of another war in the Middle East.
“President Trump threatens our rule of law, he threatens the integrity of our democracy, and he threatens global security through his continued actions. Congress must fulfill its duty to ensure the President complies with the law, to protect our citizens and defend our security from needlessly being put in harm’s way, and to guard against the erosion of our values as a nation. We cannot allow the President’s power to go unchecked, and I will continue to uphold my responsibilities to my constituents, to the country, and to the Constitution.”
