For Immediate Release

August 19, 2019

Contact:  Shaun Marie 518-356-7882

  State Conservative Party and the Five NY City Conservative Party Chairs United in Denunciation of Pantaleo Firing

Brooklyn, NY – Caving to political pressure, the NYPD fired Officer Daniel Pantaleo today, for simply doing his job.  It was obvious that Officer Pantaleo would be fired when Mayor de Blasio proclaimed that Garner’s family was “going to get justice … in the next 30 days” during a Democratic presidential primary debate on July 31.  Mayor de Blasio politized the unfortunate and untimely death of Eric Garner in his quest for president, in complete disregard to the fact that Officer Pantaleo was not indicted by a grand jury.

“The Conservative Party disagrees with NYPD Commissioner O’Neil’s decision to fire Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo.  Multiple investigations on various levels and a Grand Jury probe determined that his actions did not violate the law,” said Conservative Party State Chairman Jerry Kassar.

The Bronx County Chairman William Newmark, agreed with PBA President Pat Lynch who stated that “O’Neill chose politics over the police officers he claims to lead.”

Thomas M. Long, who chairs the Queens County Conservative Party organization questioned in the wake of this decision “the ability of the NYPD to turn around plummeting morale.”

Brooklyn County Chairwoman, Frances Vella-Marrone, stated “the system up until this point worked.  It evaluated the information as presented and concluded that Pantaleo was innocent.  The Commissioner’s decision is unjust.”

“I would expect in light of this firing that all NYC police officers will be extraordinarily cautious in doing their jobs knowing that the department will not back them,” stated Manhattan Party Chairman Stuart J. Avrick.

Harold Wagner, Chairman of the Staten Island Conservative Party, “I dare say the men and woman of the Staten Island Conservative Party, many former law enforcement members themselves, would strongly disagree with this highly political decision.”

Essentially, every police officer just had their ability to do their job – enforce laws and protect every person – curtailed and seconded guessed by police haters, and possibly hesitate not knowing if the action taken will lead to their dismissal.  New Yorkers are less safe now, knowing that every decision made by police officers will be judged by those who were not present and only know the results.

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