New York State Insider: NYS Attorney General Beat.

 IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

June 17, 2025

Attorney General James Condemns ICE Arrest of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. 

 

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the federal courthouse at 26 Federal Plaza: 

 

“This is profoundly unacceptable. Arresting Comptroller Lander for the simple act of standing up for immigrants and their civil rights is a shocking abuse of power. No one should face fear and intimidation in a courthouse, and this is a grotesque escalation of tensions. The administration’s rampant targeting of New Yorkers only makes our communities less safe.” 

 

 

New York State Insider: Event: New York State Senator Pete Harckham.

Attention Korean War Veterans and their families: the Westchester Senate Delegation is hosting a Korean Veterans celebration in partnership with Westchester County on Sunday, June 22 at Lasdon Park, Arboretum & Veterans Memorial from 2 - 4 p.m.

This special event will include a live performance by the renowned West Point Brass Quintet, as well as tributes and reflections from state and county leaders.

Registration is required. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnIn5kou-qBkoMKwzfwBjTxRqnaH2MV30qyVqXPJSEF8AWqg/viewform 

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

MORE POLITICAL SHENANIGANS BY NEW YORK DEMOCRATS; STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CHAIRMAN GERARD KASSAR.

“Governor Kathy Hochul and her Democratic allies in the State Senate have once again proven that raw political power—not justice, not fairness—is their guiding principle.

“In a naked attempt to tilt New York’s judiciary even further left, Democrats just rammed through S8418, a bill to gerrymander the state’s judicial districts for the sole purpose of installing more progressive judges. This isn’t reform. It’s a court-packing scheme wrapped in legalese and driven by progressive ideology.

“To make matters worse, the same Democratic machine just passed another dangerous bill that makes it easier for political party chairmen to remove members from their parties. It’s a Stalinist maneuver disguised as party discipline—and it's a direct threat to grassroots democracy. The Conservative Party strongly opposes this measure because it invites treachery, coercion, and the silencing of dissent.

“Governor Hochul should be ashamed. These aren’t laws—they’re nefarious political weapons by a corrupted political party.” 

New York State Insider STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

CONSERVATIVE PARTY BLASTS SENATE PASSAGE OF ASSISTED SUICIDE BILL

Chairman Gerard Kassar Urges Governor Hochul to Veto Dangerous Legislation

Brooklyn, NY — The New York State Conservative Party today issued a scathing rebuke of the State Senate's passage of assisted suicide legislation, calling the move “a moral and political disgrace that cheapens life and endangers the most vulnerable among us.” Chairman Gerard Kassar called on Governor Kathy Hochul to immediately veto the bill, warning that it opens the door to coercion, abuse, and a culture of hopelessness masquerading as compassion.

“This legislation is not about dignity—it’s about surrender,” said Kassar. “Instead of investing in pain management, mental health services, and real palliative care, the Democrat-led Senate wants to offer death as a substitute for support. It’s appalling.”

Kassar condemned the measure as an abandonment of New York’s moral responsibility to protect those facing terminal illness, aging, or depression—not pressure them toward an irreversible end. He also cited the experience of other jurisdictions where so-called ‘safeguards’ have gradually eroded, leading to a troubling expansion of eligibility and abuses of the law.

“The so-called ‘right to die’ becomes a duty to die when insurance companies realize it’s cheaper than treatment, or when an overwhelmed caregiver sees no alternative,” Kassar warned. “There is nothing progressive about normalizing suicide.”

The Conservative Party underscored its longstanding opposition to assisted suicide and noted that many disability rights groups, religious leaders, and bioethicists across ideological lines also oppose such laws. “This isn’t a left vs. right issue—it’s right vs. wrong,” Kassar added.

“Governor Hochul has a chance to stop this madness and draw a line for decency and life,” Kassar said. “We urge her in the strongest possible terms: veto this bill.”

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 18, 2024

 

Governor Hochul Has Broken Faith with New Yorkers on
Congestion Pricing Tax Backstab: New York State
Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“New Yorkers no longer trust Governor Kathy Hochul — and why should they? The governor has officially broken faith with New Yorkers by moving forward with a deeply unpopular new tax after cynically ‘pausing’ it right before the 2024 elections. In doing so, Mrs. Hochul has insulted the intelligence and pocketbooks of working- and middle-class New Yorkers who genuinely believed Mrs. Hochul’s controversial tax was gone when they voted less than two weeks ago.

“This tax, which was passed as a budget bill to avoid legislative debate, was never about street congestion or the environment. It will simply shift traffic and pollution to lower-income communities. Indeed, the Congestion Pricing Tax has always and only  been about the constant deficits run by an incompetent and bureaucratically bloated MTA that fails to collect more than $700 million in toll, bus, and subway fares each year. This same MTA, has spent more on consultants for the Second Avenue Subway than on its construction, and New York continues to pay multiple times per track mile than any other city on the planet.

“Governor Hochul just pulled a fast one on New Yorkers. They will never forget it.”

New York State Insider: Attorney General James Announces 103 Guns Turned in at Peekskill Gun Buyback.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

November 16, 2024

Attorney General James Announces 103 Guns Turned in at Peekskill Gun Buyback.

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that 103 firearms were turned in at a community gun buyback event in Peekskill hosted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the New York State Police, Peekskill Police Department, Westchester District Attorney’s Office, and the Peekskill chapter of the NAACP. This event was part of Attorney General James’ ongoing effort to combat gun violence and keep New Yorkers safe. To date, Attorney General James has removed more than 8,300 guns from New York state since taking office in 2019.

“Every one of the guns collected today is a step in the right direction to help safeguard New Yorkers from gun violence,” said Attorney General James. “Gun buyback events empower members of the local community to turn in unwanted firearms with no questions asked, and to be a part of the solution to gun violence. I thank the New York State Police, Peekskill Police Department, Westchester District Attorney’s Office, and the Peekskill chapter of the NAACP for working with my office to ensure this event was a success. Together, we will continue to help protect New York families and remove unwanted guns from our streets.”

Today’s buyback event in Peekskill resulted in 103 guns being turned in, including 9 assault weapons, 68 handguns, and 19 long guns. Following today’s gun buyback event, Attorney General James has helped remove more than 8,300 guns from New York communities.

“Getting illegal guns off our streets is a top priority and makes all New Yorkers safer,” said U.S. Representative Mike Lawler. “I’m glad that Attorney General James and her office partnered with my office and the Peekskill NAACP on this critical measure, and I’ll keep working on commonsense solutions to the problems facing our shared constituents.” 

“I applaud Attorney General James for her leadership in making Westchester County safer by getting illegal firearms off our streets,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “Her efforts are a critical step forward in protecting our communities and reducing gun violence.”

“Gun buybacks are essential components of broader gun safety goals that my office has set in Westchester County to reduce gun-involved incidents, including suicides,” said Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah. “We are proud to participate in Attorney General James’ community buyback with our law enforcement and community partners in the state and in Peekskill to remove firearms from our streets out of potentially the wrong hands, and help keep communities safe.”

“Gun buyback programs, like the one held in Peekskill, help protect our communities in many ways,” said Senator Pete Harckham. “Safely removing unwanted rifles and handguns from people’s homes prevents these weapons from being stolen or borrowed and later used in crimes, while also reducing their use in suicides, domestic violence incidents, and accidents involving children. I applaud Attorney General James for hosting this program and remaining committed to the safety of residents across New York.”

“Thank you to the Attorney General's office, our local and state law enforcement, and the Peekskill NAACP for organizing this event in my district,” said Assemblymember Dana Levenberg. “Collaboration and collective efforts such as these are what we need to keep our communities safe from the scourge of gun violence.”

“Thank you, Attorney General Letitia James for your unwavering commitment to make our city safer with this gun buyback event,” said Peekskill Mayor Vivian McKenzie. “The City of Peekskill and its dedicated Police Department are happy to partner with you and your team to remove dangerous weapons from our streets and ensure our city is safer from gun violence. Your dedication and perseverance in our community are appreciated.” 

“The City of Peekskill Police Department is excited to work with Attorney General James and all of our partners to make this gun buyback happen,” said Peekskill Police Chief Leo Dylewski. “It is this along with other programs that make our communities a safer place.”

“The Peekskill NAACP is honored to cosponsor the gun buyback program in the City of Peekskill,” said Priscilla Augustin, President of the Peekskill NAACP and Sophia L. Trott, Chair, Peekskill NAACP Criminal Justice Committee Branch #2170. “We thank Attorney General James for her leadership and commitment to this essential step towards fostering a safer, stronger community. Every day, our neighborhoods face the risk of guns—both legal and illegal—falling into the wrong hands, especially our youth. By participating in this program, you have the power to make a real difference. Turn in your firearms, no questions asked, and receive compensation, knowing that your choice directly contributes to reducing the potential for gun violence in our community. This initiative is a meaningful way to create a safer environment for everyone, especially our children. While we acknowledge that while no single measure can end gun violence, programs like this, alongside continued community action, pave the way for significant change. Join us in taking this step toward a safer Peekskill, where families can thrive and peace can be more than just a goal—it can be our reality.”

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 14, 2024

 

Statement on President-elect Trump’s Opposition to Congestion Pricing Tax by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“Hardworking New Yorkers should thank President-elect Trump for fighting to protect their wallets when Governor Hochul and her progressive colleagues won’t. Governor Hochul insults the intelligence of New Yorkers by bringing back the controversial Congestion Pricing Tax days after the 2024 elections. Her craven, bait-and-switch scam on voters will be remembered as one of the most nakedly disingenuous political ploys in Empire State history. The 2024 election results were predicated upon the understanding that Mrs. Hochul’s congestion tax was effectively gone. There will be no such misunderstanding in 2026.”