Treyger Brings Broadway to High School
Council Member Mark Treyger (Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Gravesend, Sea Gate), will be joined today by Principal Connie Hamilton from John Dewey High School, faculty, students, school and community leaders, and representatives from the NYC School Construction Authority (SCA), for a virtual press conference to announce a Broadway-style auditorium at John Dewey High School in Gravesend.
Treyger secured $7.5 million in funding for the auditorium renovation through City Council discretionary funding allocations from fiscal years 2019 and 2021.
The focus of the press conference will be on investing in the performing arts, the impact of the arts in schools, and the vision for the new auditorium at John Dewey High School in Gravesend, Brooklyn.
This event is slated to take place at 11 a.m. today, Dec 11, streaming live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CouncilMemberTreyger
James Urges Courts to Ignore Overturn Request
NY Attorney General Letitia James, as part of a coalition of 23 Democratic attorneys general from around the nation, urged the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request that the court overturns election results in four states — Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“The American people have made their choice and elected Joe Biden the 46th president of the United States, so now is the time for our leaders to move forward with the peaceful transfer of power, instead of putting forward specious and dishonest claims,” said James. “The lawsuit led by Texas is nothing more than a faithless attempt to undermine the will of the people and have the courts choose the next president. Our coalition is calling on the highest court in this nation to uphold its constitutional duty and dismiss this lawsuit outright. Providing any consideration of these ridiculous claims undermines the integrity of our elections and spits in the face of nearly 250 years of our country’s electoral process.”
In an amicus brief filed in Texas v. Pennsylvania, the coalition argues that Texas’s unprecedented suit depends on a misreading of the U.S. Constitution’s Electors Clause — one that clashes with a century of precedent, denies states’ power to make their own decisions about election administration and oversight, and threatens to upend the basic notions of federalism and states’ rights. Further, the suit depends on wildly false and inaccurate claims of voter fraud, offering no evidence whatsoever of systemic fraud in the November election. The coalition is asking the court to throw out Texas’s suit against the four states.
Adams Lighting the Menorah and Tree
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams today will hold his annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
Adams will be joined by representatives from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and sponsors of the tree lighting, which include Ponce Bank, National Grid, and Thrivent. All public health guidelines will be observed during the outdoor event, including required face coverings for all participants and social distancing.
Adams also released a statement on the holiday of Hanukkah.
“Tonight, Jewish families in Brooklyn and across the world will be gathering to light the first candle of Hanukkah. On behalf of all Brooklynites, I extend warm wishes to our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrating the Festival of Light over the next eight nights.
“Over 2,000 years ago, the Maccabees triumphantly reclaimed the Second Temple of Jerusalem and the freedom to practice their faith. The victory brought an end to a dark time when ancient Jews were persecuted for how they worship and their way of life. Hanukkah is a reminder of the sheer resilience of the Jewish people — and this year the community has shown their strength amidst in an unprecedented year.
“This Hanukkah season, like so many observances in 2020, will not likely be celebrated in the company of friends, but instead, at home with family. One of the most important acts of our faith this year must be to ensure that we are keeping one another safe so we can celebrate in person in the years to come,” he said.
This event is slated to take place at 5 p.m. today, Dec. 11 at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
Gillibrand Safe to Report Act
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that her Safe to Report Act will be included in the final FY 21 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The annual must-pass defense bill is expected to be voted on this week. The bipartisan Safe to Report Act would empower survivors of sexual violence to report assault without fear of collateral misconduct charges for minor offenses, such as underage drinking or breaking curfew.
“Sexual assault is a pervasive problem across our military and far too often we are failing to support and protect survivors,” said Gillibrand. “Not only do too many survivors still fear retribution for reporting their experiences, but they also lack confidence that justice will be served if they come forward. Including Safe to Report and other provisions in this year’s NDAA is another step to providing a safe environment for our men and women in uniform to report instances of sexual assault and receive justice.”
Earlier this year, Gillibrand announced the bipartisan Safe to Report Act in the Senate to establish a “Safe to Report” policy in the military. As thousands of military sexual assault cases go unreported each year, the Safe to Report Act would empower survivors of sexual violence to report these incidents without fear of collateral misconduct charges for minor offenses, such as underage drinking or violating curfew.
