Tuesday, Nov 7th turned out to be a great day, indeed!
In the weeks and months leading up to Election Day, we managed to get our bright yellow ProChoice voting guide into the hands of our 80,000+ pro-choice voters here in Westchester. We made tens of thousands of telephone calls- and then we flyer-ed cars and train stations, talking with people everywhere. It all paid off. The key to winning is grassroots organizing. There is nothing more powerful than direct contact.
Our pro-choice candidates were outspent but they had us, and we have you, our pro-choice voters. And you did what you must do to win – YOU VOTED! You, our pro-choice voters, came out in huge numbers & WE WON.
Our Huge Pro-Choice Wins:
George Latimer – Westchester County Executive
Tim Idoni – Westchester County Clerk
Kitley Covill – County Legislative District #2
Michael Kaplowitz – County Legislative District #4
Ben Boykin II – County Legislative District #5
Nancy Barr – County Legislative District #6
Catherine Parker – County Legislative District #7
Alfreda Williams – County Legislative District #8
Catherine Borgia – County Legislative District #9
Damon Maher – County Legislative District #10
MaryJane Shimsky – County Legislative District #12
Lyndon Williams – County Legislative District #13
Christi Acker – Supreme Court Justice
George Fufidio Jr. – County Court Judge
Arlene Gordon-Oliver – Family Court Judge
Filed under: Election 2017
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On the back of the Ballot, you will also find three (3) propositions. + Proposition One asks whether New York should hold a Constitutional Convention. The NYS Constitution provides that this question must be asked every 20 years.
We stand firmly OPPOSED. We are voting NO to a New York State Constitutional Convention.
It could cause serious damage to our State’s protection of civil rights and liberties, including reproductive rights. It is “rigged” by special interests.
To read more: NY Civil Liberties, Vote NO or No New York Convention
Please Vote “NO” on Proposition One.
+ Proposition Two would legislate that NY public officials convicted of felonies lose their pensions.
This proposition “would amend the state constitution to allow the complete or partial forfeiture of a public officer’s pension if that official is convicted of a certain type of felony.
If approved, courts would be authorized to reduce or revoke the public pension of a public officer convicted of a felony “that has a direct and actual relationship to the performance of the public officer’s existing duties.””
This is supported by good-government groups and is common sense legislation. We are voting YES!
Please Vote “YES” on Proposition Two.
+ Proposition Three “would establish a “land bank” of up to 250 acres within the Adirondack Forest Preserve. Towns, villages and counties with “no viable alternative” to using forest preserve land for those public projects could make withdrawals of small parcels of needed land. With legislative approval, the state could substitute an additional 250 acres that would be added to the forest preserve to make up for the lost land.” Election 2017: What you need to know about NY’s 3 ballot proposals, syracuse.com
If your answer is “NO”, then you can NOT vote for Rob Astorino
Why DOESN’T Astorino oppose the NYS Constitutional Convention (Con Con)?
Maybe because Astorino opposes labor & supports special interests, like Mercer.
His opponent George Latimer is clear. George Latimer OPPOSES the Con Con!
Latimer believes the Con Con is a waste of money & is controlled by special interests!
Astorino has faced three Federal investigations, including one into receiving contributions in exchange for pay-to-play/bought influence. In NY Federal Court, a contributor testified last week that Astorino gave him & a friend County Chaplain positions even though neither was a priest or rabbi, & neither lived in Westchester. This was done IN EXCHANGE for contributions including a Rolex watch. (Thus, a new Astorino’s nickname: Rolex Rob.)
Astorino promotes patronage/from within the family hiring. He hired his mother-in- law’s boyfriend ($93,000 pay) as part of his bodyguard detail.
Astorino vetoed the immigration act here in Westchester, fueling hate & standing by Trump’s war on immigrants.
Astorino is being funded by Trump buddy & part owner of Breitbart, Robert Mercer, to the tune of $1,000,000. Mercer is affiliated with Breitbart’s founder Steve Bannon. Together they provide a platform for the “alt right” a.k.a white supremacists & anti-Semites. Maybe that’s why Astorino sees nothing wrong with the sale of confederate flags & Nazi literature at the gun show he authorized on County-owned property. He claims it’s a freedom of speech issue, BUT would he let us sell books about birth control? We think he would not. Why does he think this hate material fits at a gun show?
Sources: Latimer comes out swinging, lohud.com; Rob Astorino dips into Westchester airport reserves for mailing, lohud.com; Westchester to close NYC economic development office, lohud.com; Westchester County Executive Hopeful Takes Aim, newyork.cbslocal.com; NY Lawmaker: Gun Shows Inappropriate-Whole Counter-Culture, Anti-Society’ Mindset, mrctv.org; Westchester Residents say Nazi literature, Confeerate Flag Items were sold at gun show, newyork.cbslocal.com; Pro-Nazi Literature, Confederate Flags Sold at Gun Show at Westchester County, patch.com; Billionaire gives 1m to super pac backing Rob Astorino, NYpost.com; Steve Bannono: Five things you should know, adl.org; Spoils system stays strong in Westchester, lohud.com; Astorino’s officed subpoenaed in Bharara probe; lohud.com; Astorino: Feds reviewing emails, phone calls, lohud.com; After Astorino donor testifies, George Latimer camp calls for resignation, lohud.com
Filed under: Election 2017
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I’m a tough love kind of mom. I tell my kids, “take responsibility for your actions.”
Well, that’s true for the public at large. Our side takes voting for granted.
These actions by the Trump & Co Administration are not a surprise. This is what they promised all along.
The far right succeeds despite its ultra-conservative regressive ideas because they vote – and they made sure their friends, colleagues, and neighbors vote too. The result: an ultra-reactionary President and Congress, and right-wing anti-choice state and local governments, including Westchester’s own.
They succeed because of voter apathy on our side. Data shows that under Obama, we, the pro-choice majority, became complacent. State and local governments – and even school boards – were taken over.
It is time to say ENOUGH –
If we elect our pro-choice slate here we jump start the 2018 elections!
On Nov. 7th Make Astorino the FORMER County Executive & tell him to take his anti-choice – anti-woman – anti-family – anti-economic diversity policies with him!
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Supreme Court Justice 9TH Judicial District Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess and Orange Counties CHRISTI ACKER
Westchester County Court GEORGE E FUFIDIO JR
Westchester Family Court ARLENE GORDON-OLIVER
Westchester County Executive GEORGE S LATIMER
Westchester County Clerk TIMOTHY C IDONI *
WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEGISLATURE
District 1 Peekskill, Buchanan, parts of Yorktown and Cortlandt NANCY S VANN
District 2 Mt. Kisco, Bedford, North Salem, Lewisboro, Pound Ridge and part of Somers KITLEY S COVILL
District 3 North Castle, Pleasantville, & parts of Briarcliff Manor, Harrison, Mt. Pleasant, Ossining & Sleepy Hollow DAREN B TOLZ
District 4 New Castle & parts of Yorktown, & Somers MICHAEL KAPLOWITZ*
District 5 Scarsdale, parts of White Plains BENJAMIN BOYKIN II*
District 6 Rye Brook, Port Chester, & parts of Harrison & Rye Town NANCY E BARR
District 7 Rye City, Mamaroneck Town, Larchmont, & parts of Harrison, the Village of Mamaroneck, New Rochelle & Rye Town CATHERINE F PARKER*
District 8 Elmsford, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown & parts of White Plains, Greenburgh & Mt. Pleasant ALFREDA WILLIAMS*
District 9 Croton, Town & Village of Ossining, parts of Briarcliff Manor & Cortlandt CATHERINE BORGIA*
District 10 Tuckahoe & parts of New Rochelle & Eastchester DAMON R MAHER
District 12 Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings, Irvington & parts of Greenburgh MARYJANE SHIMSKY*
District 13 Parts of Mt. Vernon LYNDON WILLIAMS*
District 15 Bronxville & parts of Yonkers & Eastchester RUTH WALTER
To be endorsed by WCLA PAC, the candidate must receive an A+ from WCLA – Choice Matters. The complete 2017 Endorsement Policy appears below. Those who are rated pro-choice but not endorsed, and those that are rated anti-choice will also appear in the WCLA PAC 2017 Voting Guide. Look for it in your mailboxes in the third week of October!
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WCLA PAC Voter Endorsement Policy, 2017 WCLA PAC makes its endorsements based on the candidate ratings made by the Board of Directors of WCLA – Choice Matters.
WCLA PAC’s endorsements are determined case by case. To be considered for endorsement, candidates must complete and return the Organization’s questionnaire and participate in an interview if requested. All endorsements are made on a strictly non-partisan basis. The questionnaires, incumbents’ and opponents’ records, leadership, and helpfulness during the legislative session are all reviewed. Consistency between candidates’ actions, interviews and questionnaire responses is important.
Each race is voted separately. Incumbents may be endorsed over pro-choice challengers if they have consistent voting records and have established a reputation for strong leadership and extra effort in advancing access to abortion and contraception. Non-incumbents may be endorsed if they have demonstrated leadership on the issue.
Endorsement is considered only for those who unequivocally support:
Access to abortion and contraception for all women, unimpeded by laws, restrictions, or regulations
Strict confidentiality for all reproductive health care;
Coverage by public and private insurance of abortion and contraception.
Judicial candidates: To be eligible for endorsement, judicial candidates must participate in an interview if requested, and neither seek nor accept the Right to Life Party nomination.
Filed under: Election 2017
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– What we feared is indeed the new reality –
This White House is in the hands of
anti-Semitic misogynistic white supremacists.
Dear Pro-Choice Voters,
Donald Trump and his closest advisers have turned the clock back to a time where discrimination and hate were an accepted, common trait of American life. They began before the General Election with hate mongering intended to stir the base and intimidate everyone else. Beginning with the Muslim ban to reinstating and expanding the Mexico City Policy* to trampling on LGBT rights**, Trump was laying the groundwork for the resurgence of the KKK and Nazi demonstrations and violence we saw this weekend.
But make no mistake, this ideology of hate and the intimidation tactics the Trump administration employs are not limited to Charlottesville or the South. It is right here in Westchester County and being spirited forward by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.
On August 17th, Astorino vetoed the Immigration Protection Act – a bill that was in total compliance with federal law and that had passed the Board of Legislators 10-5. The goal of the bill was to stop local law enforcement from acting as federal immigration officials, thereby protecting county resources and building trust in our communities.
Why did Astorino do this?
You need look no further than the praise Astorino’s veto received from Trump’s AG Jeff Sessions.
Remember this is THE Jeff Sessions who said the KKK is “OK”*** and used a Supreme Court case permitting the racial segregation of swimming pools to justify the Muslim ban.
This was not Astorino’s first attempt to please Trump. Back in the fall, when swastikas and racist graffiti started appeared around Westchester, Astorino blamed Obama and Clinton supporters, telling both leaders to calm their supporters – just as Trump blamed those who were demonstrating peacefully against the Nazis and KKK in Charlottesville.
Only you can put an end to this hate mongering by our elected officials here in Westchester.
And that is by VOTING – And if you are not registered, do so: Register Here
Clearly Choice Matters’ expose of the IDC’s anti-choice actions as well as their tactics of obstruction of all progressive legislation is taking its toll.
They just sent out a mailing implying that their 8 rogue members were endorsed by Planned Parenthood — NOT!
The truth is: 1. Planned Parenthood had nothing to do with the mailer. 2. The 8 IDC members stopped the Reproductive Health Act & the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act from coming to the floor for a vote. 3. The IDC members did nothing to advance the Reproductive Health Act and Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act to the floor, despite these bills having bipartisan sponsorship and support – BUT the mailer falsely implies that IDC members successfully passed both bills. 4. In addition, the IDC members REFUSED to support a bill that would have provided contingency funding to Planned Parenthood.
Call All 8 IDC members & tell them to stop lying!
Click 8 NYS Democrats for their names & telephone numbers!
fyi: The IDC is blocking all progressive legislation including the Reproductive Health Act, Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act, and Contingency funding for Planned Parenthood from coming to the floor of the NYS Senate, INCLUDING a New York State bill that would force Trump to disclose his taxes.
When Astorino decided to run for the office of Governor in New York State, in 2014, he altered his position on abortion from opposing it under any condition to opposing abortion, except for rape, incest & maternal life.
Astorino, in his capacity as a Westchester County Executive, hasn’t had many chances to take action on abortion-related issues but when he has, he has taken women’s rights away. Just look at his veto of legislation passed to guarantee women safe access to health centers. Astorino put his religious convictions ahead of the safety of the women of Westchester and vetoed it!
Although in previous county elections Astorino has avoid discussing reproductive rights, because he knows Westchester is a pro-choice county, his actions have spoken loudly. Astorino has used Women’s Equality Day to honor only women who oppose the right to choose; and he has vetoed legislation passed by the majority of our county legislators to ensure women safe access to health care.
Asked whether he philosophically opposes permitting state money to be used to allow women lacking other financial resources to access abortion care, Astorino said yes, but wouldn’t say whether he’d seek to cut such spending given the opportunity – or whether he would defund Planned Parenthood and other health centers.
Remember: Who you stand with says a lot about what you stand for – and Astorino stands with Trump!
