New York State Insider: 2024 Election Desk: New York State Senator Pete Harckham 40th District: Volunteers Needed for a Winning Team!

 

We need you!

 

My campaign for re-election to the New York State Senate shifted into high gear this week.

 

We held another important fundraiser, rented a campaign office in Peekskill and met with a number of supporters. 

 

People are ready to help, which is great.

 

Because the most important asset in any campaign, though, is human capital.

 

In 2018, I became the first Democrat to win this Senate seat in over 100 years, thanks to the many volunteers who took ownership of this campaign.

 

Once again, volunteers are needed for a winning team!

 

In the weeks ahead, we’ll need volunteers to help canvassing, phone banking, sending out postcards, writing letters to the editor and handing out campaign literature.

Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

Pete

To Volunteer: https://secure.ngpvan.com/KS5PhyIKt0uzg5NkcX8qlg2?emci=12eba0fe-5035-ef11-86d2-6045bdd9e096&emdi=8e99c9b9-1536-ef11-86d2-6045bdd9e096&ceid=5849510

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2024

 

Presidential Debate Statement by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“Tonight’s debate wasn’t even close. President Trump trounced President Biden before tens of millions of American voters. Biden’s performance was at times painful to watch. One couldn’t help wondering if the incumbent President can make it through the next four months, never mind the next four years.

“President Trump demonstrated a clear and energetic grasp of the issues and he presented a winning vision for the country moving forward. Biden’s strongest moment came in the form of a TV commercial. Trump won this debate hands down, and everyone knows it.”

New York State Insider: 2024 Election Desk: Fundraiser for New York State Senator Pete Harckham 40th District: TOMORROW: Join us and help reelect Sen. Harckham!

 

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ph_june27

New York State Insider: New York State Assemblywoman MaryJane Shimsky 92nd District: TRAVEL ADVISORY: Lane Closures on I-87/I-287 at Tarrytown Expected as of 10 PM Friday, June 28.

 

***TRAVEL ADVISORY***

Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge Installation in Tarrytown Will Require Overnight Lane Closures and a Traffic Stop on I-87/I-287 near the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge this Friday, June 28.

Two Cranes to Lift and Set in Place New 270-Foot-Long Pedestrian Bridge Over Thruway.

Expect Lane Closures after 10 PM Friday and a 20-Minute Traffic Stop.

Total Operation Expected to Last 10 Hours.

Motorists Should Seek Alternate Travel Times or Routes to Avoid Delays.

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 26, 2024

 

NOTE: NEW YORK STATE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CHAIRMAN GERARD KASSAR WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT ON THURSDAY NIGHT’S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AT THE BRONX COUNTY CONSERVATIVE PARTY WATCH PARTY AT 3196 3RD AVENUE IN THE SOUTH BRONX OR BY TELEPHONE. DETAILS BELOW. THANK YOU!

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 20, 2024

 

Siena Poll Statement by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“Today’s Siena College Research Institute poll reflects what New Yorkers already know: Governor Kathy Hochul is a failed governor and a change needs to be made at the White House. What’s happening in Albany and Washington is unacceptable.

“The Governor’s lowest-ever approval rating (38-49%) should come as no surprise. New Yorkers are exhausted by the cost of living in this state and by progressive policies that have triggered an ongoing crime and migrant crisis. Voters of all parties are coming to realize that the utopian promises of the political left are a cruel ruse, just like they’ve always been.

“It’s also no surprise, but notable nonetheless, that former President Donald Trump is in striking distance of winning New York. No Republican has won this state since Ronald Reagan in 1984, and the Conservative Party pledges to help deliver the state 40 years after that historic victory. The New York voting public is waking up to the reality of what Democrats are doing to this state and nation. The time for change is now.”

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2024

 

Statement on Appellate Court Prop One Decision by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“In New York State, there is no rule of law — that seems to be the attitude of today’s highly-politicized court system. Politics takes precedence over justice here.

“Last night’s Appellate Court ruling reinstating the controversial Prop One initiative to November’s ballot reeked of partisanship and was bereft of legal substance. In this land the law forgot, an appeal is expected but it's probably pre-doomed.

“Prop One is a clear affront to individual rights, and the New York State Conservative Party will continue to fight it. This carelessly worded proposal would open up a legal can of worms the likes of which New York has never seen. It must be defeated at the ballot box by the New Yorkers it would affect.”

New York State Insider: New York State Attorney General James: New York Attorney General James Releases Statement on Equal Rights Amendment.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 18, 2024.

New York Attorney General James Releases Statement on Equal Rights Amendment.

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement after the Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department unanimously ruled - https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/decisions/byrnes-v-senate-4ad-order.pdf to put the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) back on the ballot in November 2024:

“Today’s decision to put the Equal Rights Amendment back on the ballot in November is a huge victory in our efforts to protect our basic rights and freedoms. The ERA was advanced to protect access to abortion care, enshrine this basic right in our constitution, and protect people from discrimination. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect these rights and ensure everyone can live safely and freely in the great State of New York.”

New York State Insider: 2024 Election Desk: Fundraiser for New York State Senator Pete Harckham 40th District: NEXT WEEK: Join us in Ossining!

 

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ph_june27

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Pete Harckham 40th District: Join us on June 27th!

 

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ph_june27

New York State Insider: New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax Praises Governor Hochul.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Statement from Susan Lee, President–New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax.

 

June 11, 2024

“New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax is grateful to Governor Hochul and various elected officials who support the suspension of the Congestion Pricing Tax indefinitely. Since Governor Hochul’s announcement to pause Congestion Pricing, transit advocates have threatened to hold Governor Hochul responsible for every train and bus delay, and signal failure; however, the Congestion Pricing Plan was not ready for implementation in the first place.  The license plate readers are up and activated to track traffic flow but the Federal Highway Administration has yet to approve the final ‘re-evaluation’ of the tolling fee schedule.  What has been lost in the discussion is that the MTA cannot go ahead with the Congestion Pricing Tax Scheme without such approval. 

 

“Currently, there are eight lawsuits filed from both New York State and New Jersey. Without a decision from any of these cases, the MTA went ahead with the installation of these license plate readers, which cost $500M. One of those lawsuits is from New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax and other plaintiffs from New York City and Long Island including small-business owners and a bipartisan group of elected officials. The Environmental Assessment (EA) was completed using pre-pandemic data and since then, New York City and the surrounding areas have faced many challenges and changes. Several of the lawsuits, including ours, are petitioning for the more comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement.  Apart from the other suits, our suit raises SAPA (NYS Administrative Procedure Act) under which socio-economic impacts and job retention must also be considered.

 

“If New York wanted to be first in the country to implement a congestion pricing tax, why didn't they get it right from the start?  If this was truly about the environment, they should have conducted the Environmental Impact Study/Statement so the public had an accurate understanding of the economic, environmental and equity consequences of Congestion Pricing which were not addressed in the EA.”

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 11, 2024

 

Statement on Federal Nursing Home Death Probe by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“More than 13,000 New York seniors died as a result of former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s ill-conceived Covid-19 policies, and his lack of contrition is deafening. Today, he called the federal probe into his actions the ‘nuclearization’ of the Justice Department, demonstrating his callous disregard for surviving family members seeking answers and justice. His attitude regarding these hearings is appalling, especially in light of the millions of dollars he made from a book about his Covid 'leadership.’

“Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis is right to demand answers from the former governor, including in her queries about the relative monetary incentives of hospitals, nursing homes, and COVID facilities. Rep. Malliotakis is also correctly pressing for the timeline of events and information that lead to Mr. Cuomo’s controversial decision.

“Interestingly, Governor Kathy Hochul has escaped testifying in the probe. Mrs. Hochul was New York’s Lt. Governor during the Covid pandemic, and she should be a material witness in the case. Mrs. Hochul either knew what was going on, or she was so disconnected from her job that she was ignored by her own governor. The public has a right to know where Mrs. Hochul was when the decision was being made to place Covid patients in vulnerable nursing home facilities. Did she know about the decision? Was she consulted about it? Did she object or sign off on it? These are questions the public has every right to ask, and which, as governor, she has a responsibility to answer.”

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 8, 2024

 

Statement on End of Legislative Session by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“The 2024 Legislative Session will go down as the most expensive Albany session in history, with final numbers coming in long after the budget was passed. It’s remarkable that a state can spend so much money while accomplishing so little. Taxpayers got no relief from the insane cost of living in this state; nothing was done to restore sanity to our criminal justice system; illegal migrants were further incentivized to come here by New York’s progressive leadership; consumers will pay more at the grocery store because of woke environmental policies, and housing will remain scarce because property owners are overtaxed and over-regulated. No corner of this state went untouched by Albany’s woke ineptness this year. The good news is that voters get to do something about it on Tuesday, November 5th.”

New York State Insider: Prop One Could Negate Hochul Teen Social Media Protections.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PROP ONE COULD NEGATE GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S TEEN SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS:  NONPARTISAN GROUP.   Could Challenge Age-old, Common-Sense Restrictions for New York Children and Adolescents.    New York - June 7…Governor Kathy Hochul’s commendable efforts to protect children from harmful social media feeds could be negated if her November ballot initiative, Prop One, passes, the nonpartisan children’s advocacy group Coalition to Protect Kids - NY today warned.  The ballot proposal is currently on hold, pending a New York Appellate Court decision.  The case is set for argument June 17 in Rochester.    The issue is “age discrimination”, which would be Constitutionally outlawed in New York under Mrs. Hochul’s controversial proposal. Since the amendment makes no exceptions for minors, children under the age of 18 would be able to claim the Gov. Hochul’s social media ban qualifies as “age discrimination” under the amendment.    “New York parents are grateful that Governor Hochul is concerned about the mental health of our children, but her ballot proposal, which many are calling the Parent Replacement Act, would make any restrictions based on age potentially unconstitutional in New York,” said Holly Grant, a mother of four and a supporter of Coalition to Protect Kids-NY. “Prop One was written so broadly that it could take away sensible protections for children that have been established for decades. Parents across the state are raising a giant red flag here; just look at the language in the initiative.”    “We have consulted with several leading New York State attorneys, and each of them has expressed alarm at the vague and uncertain language in this initiative,” said Coalition to Protect Kids - NY Executive Director Greg Garvey. “This hastily passed initiative represents a major threat to New York children and parents. Passing Prop One could open the biggest can of worms in memory. Mrs. Hochul and her colleagues should go back to the drawing board.”    Coalition to Protect Kids - NY has also raised concerns about provisions in the initiative that could give biological males a Constitutional right to play on girls’ and womens' sports teams in New York. It could also prevent parents from knowing if a child is gender transitioning in school, the group notes.    The Coalition to Protect Kids-NY is a nonpartisan ballot issue committee registered with the New York State Board of Elections. It is composed of New Yorkers from all walks of life dedicated to defeating the so-called Equal Rights Amendment to the New York State Constitution.

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 5, 2024

 

Statement on Congestion Pricing Halt by
New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“This is a major victory for New Yorkers by New Yorkers, and a reminder that persistent opposition has consequences, too.

“Governor Hochul’s halting of the congestion pricing tax is an admission of what opponents have been saying all along: the tax would have been unfair, regressive, and economically counterproductive. It should never see the light of day again.

“Governor Hochul should now focus on a massive overhaul of the MTA’s leadership. An agency that loses more than $700 million annually in lost fares and tolls, and which spends seven times more to lay a mile of track than the second most expensive city in the world, needs a top-to-bottom audit. It spent more than $1.4 billion in overtime costs alone last year.

“The Conservative Party has stood firmly against this tax from the very beginning. We are proud to have been a leader in this historic citizen-driven battle. Tenacity pays off.”

New York State Insider: Hochul Needs to Protect Teens From Prop One Madness.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: GOVERNOR HOCHUL WANTS TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT WOULD BLOCK PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE OF GENDER TRANSITIONING; DESTROY GIRLS’ AND WOMENS’ SPORTS.

 

New York - June 4…Governor Kathy Hochul is rightly concerned about the effects of social media on young minds, while at the same time she’s advancing one of the most radical Constitutional initiatives in state history that would prevent parents from knowing if a child is transitioning genders during school hours. Her Prop One initiative would also give biological males a Constitutional right to play on girls’ and womens’ sports teams in New York, the nonpartisan Coalition to Protect Kids - NY today charged.

 

“Governor Hochul claims to be looking out for kids, while at the very same time she’s seeking to erase more than 50 years of progress in girls’ sports. She also wants to separate parents from children during one of the most confusing and consequential times in their lives, and that’s mind boggling” said Coalition to Protect Kids - NY spokesman Greg Garvey. “Children need their parents' guidance, and parents have a right to know what’s going on with their kids in school. If Governor Hochul really wanted to protect children, she’d immediately withdraw this ballot initiative, which many are now calling the Parent Replacement Act.”

 

Sixty-six percent (66%) of New Yorkers recently surveyed by the Siena College Research Institute said they oppose biological males competing in girls’ and womens’ sports, and parents around the state are outraged to see their parental rights threatened.

 

The Coalition to Protect Kids-NY is a nonpartisan ballot issue committee registered with the New York State Board of Elections. It is composed of New Yorkers from all walks of life dedicated to defeating the so-called Equal Rights Amendment to the New York State Constitution.

New York State Insider: STATEMENT FROM NYS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2024

 

Statement on Gov. Hochul’s Social Media Bill by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.

“Governor Kathy Hochul is right to worry about teen mental health in this state, but how does she explain Prop One - https://nypost.com/2024/04/03/us-news/ny-proposed-era-curbs-parents-rights-over-kids-transgender-surgery-opponents/

“This radical ballot measure would prevent parents from knowing if a child is transitioning genders in New York, including through surgical procedures now banned in many parts of Europe. If Governor Hochul really wants to protect children, she’d end her efforts to pass this dangerous initiative. Children need their parents in times of personal crisis.”

New York State Insider: New York State Senator Pete Harckham 40th District: Attack Ads Have Started.

As chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, I have never hesitated to take on special interest groups to protect the health and well-being of New Yorkers.

 

As well as protect our communities, environmental resources and fragile drinking water supplies.

 

Well, last week a powerful Washington, D.C. interest group launched a series of attack ads against me and important legislation I have introduced—the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act.

 

Opponents of this legislation are desperate for one reason: a wide majority of the public approves of the bill.

 

That’s right: a Siena poll released last week showed that 82% think single-use plastic packaging is a problem and a bipartisan 67% of voters support my Packaging Reduction bill (S.4246B).

 

Because I am committed to protecting our environment for future generations!

 

Please support my re-election to the State Senate.

 

Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Pete