3^rd Congressional District

The New York State Conservative Party, in conjunction with the Nassau and Queens Conservative Party Committees, have chosen to endorse Mazi Melesa Pilips to run for the 3^rd Congressional District after the expulsion of George Santos. She is an outstanding public official who will be an incredible candidate to keep this seat in the hands of our party. I have talked to her extensively, and am confident she aligns with the Conservative Party’s values. Here is her bio:

Mazi Pilip is an Israeli-American politician serving in New York’s Nassau County Legislature representing Nassau County, Long Island’s 10th district, as a Republican. She is an Ethiopian Jew who was born in a poor village in Ethiopia, immigrated to Israel when she was 12 years old, and later served in the Israel Defense Force’s Paratroopers Brigade. She studied at the University of Haifa, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy, and also studied at Tel Aviv University, where she earned a masters degree in diplomacy and security. In addition to her unique background, she is a married mother of seven children! In 2021 and again in 2023, Pilip was elected to the Nassau County Legislature.

You can read my full press release here:

Reapportionment Decision

It really came as no surprise, especially considering the manner in which Governor Hochul went about “fixing” the court. Our highest Court in NYS, the State Court of Appeals, made it abundantly clear that they engage in partisan politics; even when it’s against the will of the voters.

The decision this week threw out a congressional reapportionment that was considered fair, equitable, and competitive. Now the work goes to the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission, a body that is divided equally between democrats and republican/conservatives.

The Conservative Party’s position is that the existing lines make perfect sense, and should be what the commission puts forward to the State Legislature. It’s worth noting that the Court of Appeals ruled on process. The original congressional lines done by the legislature, and thrown out last year by the courts, was ruled an unconstitutional gerrymander. That ruling still remains in place. These current lines produced by an expert special master made sense then, and make sense now. You can read our full press release here: 

Patriots Podium Featuring Joe Borelli

For our last Patriots Podium Episode of the year, I was delighted to have on the Minority Leader of the New York City Council, Joe Borelli. As many of you may know him, Joe is a major asset to the Conservative movement and a champion of common sense in NYC. With all the madness that occurs in NYC, people like him and the recently formed “Common Sense Caucus” help put a stop to the radical agenda coming out of the Democrats. In this episode, we dive into the hot topic of congestion pricing that recently came into effect. Joe goes into great detail on why congestion pricing is a complete disaster. You can listen using any of the links below:

YouTube                      BuzzSprout                  Apple Music                Spotify

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bill O’Reilly, 212-396-9117
bill@novemberteam.com
December 14, 2023

New York State Conservative Party Chooses Nassau Legislator Mazi Pilip to Run in NY-3

Brooklyn-NY…The New York State Conservative Party today announced that Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip is its choice to run in the upcoming special election in New York’s 3rd Congressional District on Long Island. Ms. Pilip, who was also endorsed today by the New York State and Nassau Republican Party, will run against perennial Democrat candidate, former congressman Tom Suozzi.

Ms. Pilip was unanimously chosen by the Conservative Party’s executive committee, after being nominated for the office by Nassau County Conservative Party Chairman Daniel Donovan. Nassau Conservative Party Executive Vice President Chris Mistron seconded the nomination.

“There were a number of terrific candidates pursuing this nomination, but Legislator Pilip has everything we think it will take to retain this seat,” said State Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar.  “Ms. Pilip has an extraordinary background, and a built in political base within Nassau County. We trust that voters in the 3rd Congressional District will see what we see in her: a strong and confident leader and a champion of common sense. We look forward to campaigning with Ms. Pilip in the important weeks ahead.”

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Speaker Mike Johnson

This past weekend, I had an opportunity to spend time with House Speaker Mike Johnson at both a roundtable and lunch. The event was also attended by many of our endorsed Congress members including Nicole Malliotakis, Mike Lawler, Marcus Molinaro, Elise Stefanik, Anthony D’Esposito, and Nick LaLota. Conservative Party’s Livingston County Chairman, Jason McGuire, attended the luncheon with me.

Johnson, who hails from Northwestern Louisiana may be the most conservative House Speaker in over a hundred and twenty years. A constitutional attorney, well versed in conservative philosophy, Johnson can make the case for the values we hold dear.

During the roundtable, he emphasized the importance of the economic and financial bills being put forward by the House GOP, including his support for single-budget bills; ending the practice of submitting gigantic omnibus bills.

A former member of the House Judiciary Committee, Johnson indicated that there was more than sufficient evidence to impeach President Biden- an impeachment he will move forward in the coming days.

I did have a chance to talk with him for a few minutes about state politics, as well as my knowledge of his part of Louisiana where my wife and I own property.

Smart, articulate, and grounded in conservative values, Speaker Johnson thinks the way we do. As I have said before, we are fortunate to have him as the Speaker of the House.

Eventful Week

This week, the Conservative Party held a successful fundraiser in Syracuse with the help of Tom Dadey and local conservatives. We had a great turnout with an array of legislators, local leaders, and community members. Additionally, I had an opportunity to do several radio and cable shows around the state including the Bob Lonsberry Show and New York One with Bernadette Hogan.

Bob’s questions were excellent. There was great interest in my take on the distinctions between the various political parties as well as reasons to enroll in the Conservative Party. Be on the lookout for the release on our social media, website, Lonsberry Radio, etc.

NY-1 was interested in my take on the obvious deal Governor Hochul made with her former opponent Tom Suozzi to get her support for the 3^rd Congressional District Democratic endorsement. Suozzi will now be saddled with an unpopular Governor that he cannot escape from. You can read the article here.

Hunter Biden Indictment

As this is being written, more information is coming out on the Hunter Biden case, and an indictment has been issued. Hunter is being indicted on nine charges, including three felonies for avoiding paying over $1 million in taxes. “The Defendant engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019,” noted special counsel David Weiss. In addition, Hunter was funneling and withdrawing millions from his own company to afford his lavish lifestyle; neglecting to pay his tax bills. It seems crystal clear that Hunter is a serial tax evader, and just like any other American with this degree of charges, should spend some time in a penitentiary.

Happy Hanukkah

I wanted to take the time to wish all of our Jewish friends a safe, peaceful, and loving eight nights of Hanukkah. In the wake of horrific events, and the alarming rise in anti-semitism toward the Jewish community, it is more important than ever that we acknowledge the significance of their tradition. From the Maccabean victory to the miraculous oil lasting eight days, each candle symbolizes resilience, faith, and the enduring spirit of the Jewish people. Today, Hanukkah still stands as a beacon of hope and perseverance. As we join together in celebration, the New York State Conservative Party extends warm wishes for a Hanukkah filled with love and the promise of a future illuminated by unity, prosperity, and shared joy. Chag Urim Sameach!

Is New York City Government Sustainable?

The short answer is no. Even when you take out of the equation the countless ethical and legal questions that have arisen concerning the Mayor and other top City Officials including Commissioners, Council Members, and other officeholders, you will come to the same conclusion.

New York City only thinks of increasing revenue and spending; which has become even more difficult due to the loss of many of its higher-income citizens, who are emigrating to other states. The city consistently raises property taxes, often income taxes, and any other forms of revenue, from parking meters to various fines and fees as the solution. This, of course, does not consider inflation on non-government services.

When you are spending literally billions of dollars on illegal migrants for everything from housing, food, education, health, and transportation, you have an unsustainable budget problem. Add onto these billions the additional strains on public safety, as well as the criminal justice system and everyone feels the pinch.

Now with gigantic protests relating to the Middle East happening several times a week in the city, Mayor Adams, as a cost saver, announces the cancellation of the next three NYPD Academy classes.  That amounts to canceling 1500 new police officers from taking their oaths at a time when the retirement numbers are hitting new highs. The NYPD, in the matter of three years between the retirements and cancellation of these classes, will have the smallest force in several decades. It is just crazy and will have a myriad of unintended consequences as we have seen already.

Other agencies that provide basic services will also see their budgets cut; while taxes and fees continue to go up to cover the billions being spent on the illegal migrants and inflationary cost increases.

The Mayor talks a good game of pushing back against new arrivals. He cries for as much money as he can get from the feds and state, even as they tell him substantial new funds are not coming. In turn, the illegal migrants keep on coming to NYC, while taxpayers foot the bill with no end in sight.

Visitors to New York City see the difference and they are quick to speak up about it. The city is less safe, dirtier, and less welcoming overall than it has been since the early 1970s. In addition, unlike the 70s when you could still find inexpensive places to eat, live, and make a life for yourself and your family, everything in New York City today is very expensive.

Once again, the New York City of 2023 is not sustainable.

Patriot’s Podium Episode #16 Featuring Shaun Marie Levine, and Assemblyman Matt Slater

I am pleased to announce a special double-feature episode of Patriots Podium. In this episode, we spend our time discussing our 2023 Legislative Ratings, the process behind it, and how they come to fruition. Who better to bring on than Shaun Marie Levine, former longtime Executive Director, and current Vice Chairwoman of our State Executive Committee. As many of you know, Shaun Marie has been an instrumental part of the Conservative Party for many years, and we are thankful for her expertise to this day. In addition to Shaun explaining the outcome of the ratings, we are pleased to be joined by Assemblyman Matt Slater, who represents parts of Westchester, and Putnam County. Assemblyman Slater is a former Yorktown Town Supervisor, former chief of staff in the Senate, active in the Navy Reserves, and had one of our higher Conservative ratings. Matt had introduced several conservative bills to the Assembly that should have passed. However, because of the overwhelming majority of Democrats in the legislature, his bills never saw the light of day. There are many instances such as this, where Republican/Conservative endorsed legislators bring forth great bills, but cannot be rated without a floor vote. You can watch on any of the links below:

    YouTube                 BuzzSprout              Apple Music                      Spotify

Thanksgiving

I wanted to take this time to wish you and your families a happy Thanksgiving. As we gather with family and friends next week on Thanksgiving Day, let us reflect on the principles that have shaped our great nation. 

From the pilgrims’ journey to the founding fathers’ vision, our history is a testament to the enduring values of freedom and liberty. Even in times of hardship, we express our deepest gratitude for the blessings of being Americans in a land where the pursuit of happiness is a sacred right. Our forefather’s sacrifices echo in the foundation of this great nation and state.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to our members of the New York State Conservative Party. Your unwavering commitment to conservative principles strengthens the foundation of our democracy. Together we stand as guardians of limited government and common sense conservative values, just as our predecessors did. 

To our dedicated supporters, your tireless efforts have been instrumental in preserving the conservative vision that has defined our party. Your commitment fuels our mission to protect the constitutional liberties that make our nation exceptional. If it wasn’t for our members and supporters, the Democrat Party would have free reign to do whatever they please with no accountability. Surely it would not be the America we know today if that were the case. We are thankful for you each and every day.

As we come together to celebrate this day of gratitude, let us remember the enduring spirit of America and the responsibility we bear to uphold its legacy. With yet another successful election behind us, we rapidly approach a Presidential election year. It is our responsibility to continue the fight, but for now, enjoy this time to relax and cherish time with loved ones because that is what this Holiday is about. May this Thanksgiving be a time of reflection, unity, and appreciation for the blessings that unite us as one nation, under God.

I’ll leave you with this quote from President Reagan, “Although we are a pluralistic society, the giving of thanks can be a true bond of unity among our people. We can unite in gratitude for our individual freedoms and individual faiths. We can be united in gratitude for our nation’s peace and prosperity when so many in this world have neither.”

Happy Thanksgiving,

Jerry Kassar