Congratulations Shaun Marie

An amazing crowd gathered last night at the New York Athletic Club to honor retiring longtime Party Executive Director Shaun Marie. The festivities were highlighted by a Congressional Resolution presented by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

Shaun received the first annual Mike Long Award. It was great to see the Long family there in force led by matriarch Eileen Long. Shaun Marie served as Mike’s Executive Director from 1995 to 2019. Former State Chairman and State Senator Serf Maltese, who Shaun Marie assisted in both the Party and in the Senate, made heartfelt remarks about their long association. Chris Long, Mike’s son, spoke on behalf of the Long family.

I have known Shaun Marie for many years and was delighted that she stayed on these past four years as my Executive Director and continues to serve as the Executive Vice Chairwoman, the Party’s number two spot.

Her work ethic and commitment to the conservative movement is stellar. I certainly learned a great deal from Shaun Marie. Now, I wish her a happy and healthy retirement.

The Mike Long Award reads:

“For many years of loyalty, dedication and tireless efforts on behalf of the Conservative movement and the New York State Conservative Party.”

“You Have Kept the Faith Alive and the Torch Aflame.”

Daniel Penny Indicted by Grand Jury

I said it before and will say it again. Self Defense is not a crime! If anything, Daniel Penny is a hero who intervened to stop an erratic, threatening individual with a long criminal record confined within a moving subway car from violently assaulting riders.

The many eye witnesses and videos should have been enough to prove his innocence, but this is Alvin Bragg’s Manhattan. I feel confident that Penny will be found innocent, but this former Marine continues to need our help both in terms of moral support as well as financial support for what will be an exceedingly expensive legal defense.

I urge you to consider contributing to his defense fund and speaking out on his behalf.

When Will New Yorkers be Safe Again?

The short answer is when the New York State Legislature finally adjourns next week. The State Senate and Assembly could hardly be more out of touch with the average New Yorker these past six months.

They ended last year giving themselves enormous pay raises making them the highest paid legislative body in the nation. They burst into 2023 going after our gas hook ups, creating enormous and growing deficits, and ignoring meaningful criminal justice reform.
The proposals they put off until the very end involved election changes that have been portrayed as the big steal by the Democratic Party. This includes unconstitutional changes in early voting by paper, limitations on bringing election litigation in local courts, and eliminating off year local elections.

The local election bill will result in important local races playing second fiddle to Presidential and statewide races as well as Congressional and State Legislative races. As usual the philosophy in Albany is if it’s not broken let’s break it. And of course, we await the Governor’s decision on the “Clean Slate Act,” which in our increasingly dangerous criminal justice environment, seals records making it more difficult for an employer or District Attorney to make informed decisions on convicted felons.

Take a Governor who cannot lead and mix it with a Legislature that cannot represent half the State and you have a recipe for disaster.