“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it”-Ronald Reagan
On behalf of the Conservative Party, I want to wish the men and women of the United States Armed forces, both past and present, a happy Memorial Day.
We are grateful now and forever to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great nation.
Last year’s challenges have given us even more reason to cherish our freedoms and family more than usual. I hope your weekend is filled with celebration and gratitude for the ideals that make the United States the greatest country on earth.
Spring Reception
I was happy and humbled to see a great number of you at our spring reception. As our community emerges stronger and more resilient from our challenging times, seeing you all reminded me that despite the challenge we still face, the support of one another only makes the Conservative Party stronger.
There are many people to thank for making the evening memorable including Congressman Lee Zeldin and former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino who gave us insight in their quest to replace Governor Cuomo, something we can all get behind. It was a pleasure to bring Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay to the podium to talk about the amazing work the Assembly Republican Conference is doing.
Additionally, I want to thank Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis for being our keynote speaker. Nicole is a longtime friend of the party and founder of the Congressional Freedom Force. She has been an outspoken critic of the far left who tout socialism, vowing to fight their radical agenda.
Congratulations to Senators Ortt, Helming, O’Mara, Borrello, as well as Assemblyman DiPietro for being awarded with the state Conservative Party’s highest legislative rating. Senate Minority Leader Ortt, like his Assembly colleague Will Barclay, has conservatives proud with his stellar leadership.
Finally, a big congratulations to Bob Smith our J. Daniel Mahoney award winner. It was an honor to bestow the award named after a great conservative to another great conservative who has played such a large role in our party.
Since Governor Cuomo created JCOPE in his first term, isn’t it obvious this is exactly what he wanted? Remember the Moreland Commission? Cuomo calls state watchdog ethics panel JCOPE ‘meaningless.’ The Emperor is invincible in his own eyes. His passion is to do something his father, Mario, couldn’t do — win a fourth term. The emperor, who has done everything possible to blind us with a perfect aura around his warts, will deservedly fail and his legacy will be the same as the meaningless commissions he created to fool the public. The people who have not fled New York’s high taxes, out-of-control crime, failing public schools, a Legislature that abdicated its responsibility, and other major problems that vitiate our quality of live, will speak loud and clear to save our state on November 8, 2022. New Yorkers have a message to Governor Andrew Cuomo: fool me once shame on you fool, me twice shame on me.
Fauci Says It Would Have Been a ‘Dereliction of Our Duty’ Not to Work with China on Coronavirus Research; to which I say, Dr. Fauci, it is a dereliction of duty to collaborate with Chinese scientists who are beholden to the communist government determined to destroy the United States of America. You are a disgrace to your profession, in fact, you are a disgrace to humanity if you truly believe that collaborating with the Chinese scientists was the right action to take. China’s goal is to rule the world…and what we have seen is terrifying.
Dr. Fauci is addicted to publicity and probably cannot help him self when he makes outlandish statement like this: “Fauci can’t say whether WHO is infected by China’s political influence but can say that New York, the COVID mecca of the US with the most deaths and infections, handled the crisis right.” If New York handled it right, who handled it wrong – Vermont the least number in the contiguous states?
Governor Cuomo Directs Flags to Half-Staff and State Landmarks Lit in Honor of Essential Workers Who Lost Their Lives to COVID-19. While our essential workers are heroic, Memorial Day is when “Americans honor those who sacrificed their lives in military service, it wasn’t just to defend the United States, it was also to uphold the natural rights and transcendent values associated with the nation’s founding that was understood to provide inspiration for others worldwide.” With all due respect to Governor Cuomo, and those who sacrificed so much during the pandemic, Memorial Day should remain a day to commemorate those who served in our Military.
With all of Governor Cuomo’s warts, only 41% want him to resign; 5% points higher than April’s results. What shocks me most about the Siena Poll is that those polled support Cuomo handling of the pandemic 58% to 35% even though 67% thought he only did a fair or poor job making public the nursing home COIVD-19 related deaths (doing so would have damaged his $5.1 million book deal). I do not understand how the responders think he did a good (58%) job when 67% of the same responders believe the reporting of the data of COVID-19 nursing homes deaths was poor. How can they absolve Andrew Cuomo’s sending nursing home patients back to their nursing home knowing his responsibility was protecting the elderly and also knowing COVID-19 was akin to “fire through dry grass.”
This triple-edge sword really gets under my skin: Insurance giant CNA Financial reportedly paid hackers $40M in ransom, 1) good organizations do not demand a ransom; obviously, the ransom money will only be used against us, 2) it encourages more terrorist groups to attack more businesses, and 3) no company will absorb the cost resulting in higher costs/premiums to consumers. Companies have a moral and fiscal obligation to protect their companies and hire people to end the possibility of being hacked.
Next week, we have our first conference with the Judge and related parties regarding our complaint that the New York State Legislature and Governor exceeded their authority when the Legislature approved and the Governor signed into law legislation that extended universal absentee ballots through 2021.
The State Constitution outlines who is eligible and the process in which to obtain an absentee ballot. Any change must be through the approval of a State Constitutional amendment by the voters on election day. If that is the will of the voters, then and only then, should it become law.
Check back for regular updates as it is certain there will be much to report as our complaint moves forward.
Party Leadership
I am happy to announce at last Saturday’s meeting of the State Executive Committee, two longtime party leaders were promoted, and a longtime political activist in Central New York joined the committee.
Regional Vice Chairman Jim Thomas of Broome County was elevated to full Vice Chairman, Madison County Chairman Chris Kendall can now add Regional Vice Chairman to his impressive list of Party roles. Additionally, Tom Dadey, a former Vice Chairman of the State GOP and longtime Onondaga County GOP Chairman has joined the Conservative Party. He was elected to a position of State Executive Committee member.
The State Executive Committee of the Conservative Party makes policy for the Party when the State Committee is not in session. It also issues authorizations of all multi-county candidates and recommendations to the State Committee for all statewide offices. The Committee creates our annual legislative platform as well as approves the bills that are used in our annual ratings.
Congratulations to all.
Cuomo Cashes in On Tragedy
New York governors aren’t supposed to get rich from serving in office, but that’s exactly what Governor Andrew Cuomo got last year from his official duties —stinking rich — just as the Conservative Party has been saying for months.
The estimated $5.1 million that Cuomo received for his book, ‘American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic,’ is blood money: Cuomo and his cohorts in state government proactively concealed thousands of Covid-19 nursing home deaths as the book contract was being signed to further the myth that Cuomo was infallible in all things Covid-19. He was not, and early mistakes made by him should have been properly reported to the public, even if that would have killed the book deal.
This $5.1 payment represents a sickening abuse of power. How Cuomo can keep even a dime of the money is beyond us.
Governor Cuomo is the American crisis as I discuss here
Have you sent in your RSVP to our upcoming Spring Reception this Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at the ’76 House in Tappan, NY? This is the first time since COVID-19 hit that we have been able to gather with our supporters and friends and I truly hope I will see you there. For more information click here.
Unfortunately for the free world, President Biden is putting pressure on the wrong person in the Middle East. As the NY Sun points out Mr. Biden “conveyed to the Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) that he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire.” Read President Biden’s War here. Then read Larry Kudlow’s Changing on Israel, Democrats Turn Toward Iran and ask yourself, does President Joe Biden put America’s interest first, or has he completely capitulated to the progressives? On his current course how would he respond to the tragic, horrific events of September 11, 2001? How safe do you feel knowing President Joe Biden expects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to de-escalate? Hamas is the terrorist organization, is it any wonder that Netanyahu brushes off Biden call for ‘significant de-escalation’ in Gaza, says Israel ‘determined to continue’
This strikes me as the beginning of guaranteed minimum wages…if you have children under 17. IRS to start monthly payments of child tax credit July 15. Socialism’s seeds are planted and are rapidly growing strong roots and like all destructive weeds they must be eliminated to save the America that has been the beacon of freedom to the people who have suffered under socialistic dictatorships.
And this is a perfect example of Big Brother! American Airlines Investigating Pilot Who Opposes School District’s Critical Race Theory Plan. What gives American Airlines the right to dictate what a pilot says if it is unrelated to his job duties? America is spiraling out of control due to the fact far too many believe only they have the “right” to voice their beliefs and they have the right to ostracize from society anyone who disagrees with them.
For Immediate Release
May 17, 2021
Contact: Shaun Marie
518-356-7882
www.cpnys.org @cpnys
Statement from New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Controversial $5.1 Million Book Windfall
Brooklyn, NY – “New York governors aren’t supposed to get rich from serving in office, but that’s exactly what Governor Andrew Cuomo got last year from his official duties — stinking rich — just as the Conservative Party has been saying for months.
“The estimated $5.1 million that Cuomo received for his book, ‘American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic,’ is blood money: Cuomo and his cohorts in state government proactively concealed thousands of Covid-19 nursing home deaths as the book contract was being signed to further the myth that Cuomo was infallible in all things Covid-19. He was not, and early mistakes made by him should have been properly reported to the public, even if that would have killed the book deal.
“This $5.1 payment represents a sickening abuse of power. How Cuomo can keep even a dime of the money is beyond us.”
Good news: “This case has the opportunity to reconsider the precedent set by the landmark Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey decisions.” Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Major Abortion Case.
While SCOTUS considers a new case that provides the opportunity to reconsider the precedent of the absolute right to take the life of the unborn, the democratic-controlled NYS Legislature is on the verge of diminishing the value of humans when the have died. S. 5535-Comrie/A. 382-Paulingsponsor a bill, that has passed two committees in the Assembly and is “live” on the floor today, while the Senate is considering it in committee as you read this. The Bill essentially seeks to add composting, or “natural organic reduction,” to the approved methods in New York State for the disposition of human remains. The reality is it would allow humans to become composting material in natural organic reduction facilities that accelerate the process of biological decomposition naturally converting human remains to soil. We live, we make choices, we think and make rational decisions and our human remains should be treated with that dignity when we die, not become compost in some facility that does not acknowledge that we are just organic matter and bones to be used to enrich the soil. Call your Senator at 518-455-2800 and your Assembly Member at 518-455-4100 and gently remind them your body should be treated with the respect it has earned.
Crime continues to skyrocket across New York City as Democrats continue to ignore their fatal decision making that led to the surge in violence.
In 2020, murder in New York City saw an alarming increase. The tension and danger could be felt on the streets. Now, in 2021, those numbers are once again rising causing the city to feel more like 1991, not the safest big city as Mayor de Blasio touts. As of May 9th, 2021 murders have increased by 27%, shooting victims by 83.6%, shooting incidents by 86.4%, and hate crimes by 68.9%.
These numbers are worrisome at any point in time, but even more as the numbers increased during the winter months and during a quarantine. We experienced a cold, snowy winter which is usually a violent crime deterrent, but it seemed to offer no assistance this year.
Perhaps Mayor de Blasio, the New York City Council, and the Democratic State Legislature should stop passing the buck and own up to what has caused this disaster. It should come as no surprise that bail reform, defunding the police, postponing recruitment classes and stripping law enforcement of the ability to do their job has led to the situation we now have.
Daily, we open our local or city wide newspapers to see children, and other innocent bystanders, being struck by stray bullets, subway riders slashed in the face, or gang violence taking over our city streets. On Twitter we see our city and state representatives offering their condolences, but failing to admit fault. Some even point to the need for gun control, ignoring the fact New York City already adopted some of the most restrictive gun laws anywhere in this country.
I fear this city is on a collision course with financial and criminal ruin and sincerely hope the voters realize we have a chance to fix this, or continue to regress backwards to the days we thought were far behind us.
Hamas Attack on Israel
The terrorist organization Hamas launched an attack on Israel as they celebrated Jerusalem day on Monday in what has turned into a growing conflict by the Iranian backed terrorists and our biggest ally in the Middle East, Israel.
The United States must stand alongside our allies that are fighting terrorists and make it clear that our actions are predicated on an America first foundation.
Though many administrations both Republican and Democrat have worked to promote peace in the Middle East, none being more successful than President Trump, bad actors, such as Iran who funds Hamas, continue to be a clear and present threat to free people everywhere.
In just a week, the fighting has grown to resemble the 2014 “50 day war” and shows no sign of slowing down.
While our thoughts are with the innocent bystanders, we must work to cripple Hamas once and for all, sending a clear message terrorist organizations do not have a home anywhere in this world.
Elise Stefanik New Conference Chair
I want to congratulate Elise Stefanik on being elected Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference this morning in a resounding victory.
This is exciting news for both Elise and New York State as she becomes only the second Conference leader from the state, the first being Congressman Jack Kemp.
As I said in February, Liz Cheney does not represent the 70,000,000 plus Americans who voted for Donald Trump in 2020. She has focused on harassing the former President and his supporters, who have carried down ticket Republicans to victory, instead of attacking the real problem at hand which is the Democrats dangerous socialist agenda.
Rep. Stefanik brings a new vision, one that is in touch with 2016 and 2020 voters, one that will look to grow and take the majority as opposed to damaging the party and keeping the gavel in Pelosi’s hand.
Elise is good for the Conference, and the New York Conservative Party. We look forward to her energized and thoughtful brand of leadership.
Pipeline Cyber Attack
A major east coast pipeline is now functioning again after being targeted by the largest infrastructure cyber-attack this country has seen.
Colonial Pipeline was shut down a week ago today after an attack was discovered against its computer system. The shutdown caused pain at the pump for consumers, many of whom had to wait in long lines for a fill up.
The pipeline that connects Texas to New Jersey is fully activated and receiving the shipments of fuel it needs to correct the week long crisis.
With the pipeline restored, it is now time to focus on the origin of the hack. It is becoming clear that this hack was carried out by the Russians and it is my sincere hope that the Biden Administration never forgets who wishes to hurt America and who our enemies really are.
The CDC is about to recommend new guidelines…CDC Announces Vaccinated Americans No Longer Need to Wear Masks Indoors in Most Situations Updated CDC guidance will still call on Americans vaccinated for coronavirus to wear masks in crowded indoor settings, such as public transportation, hospitals, and prisons, but not schools or offices. (What about Churches???) And most importantly, will the Emperor allow New Yorkers to comply with the new guidelines?
From the Wall Street Journal (subscription required): Department of National Child Care/ The Biden plan would cause costs to explode for little benefit.
Thankfully, people are waking up to the division the “woke movement” is doing its best to sow throughout our education systems, corporate boardrooms and our families: Scholars Line Up to Join Anti- ‘Woke’ Online Education Platform. Keep spreading the news that there are alternatives ways to protect our American Dreams.
Larry Elder’s column, Blacks Don’t Need ‘White Savior’ Politicians, should be sent to every person pushing the debunked 1619 project, but they would only call him Uncle Larry while denouncing it.
