Governor Andrew Cuomo is spending millions of dollars from his massive war chest in an effort to secure the Democratic Party nomination for himself and his handpicked Lieutenant Governor Nominee Kathleen Hochul in a Democratic Primary to be held this Tuesday.
One would assume that Cuomo would be a shoo-in in a Primary that he fought so hard to prevent and was only decided on a few short weeks ago, but think again.
In walks two college professors Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu, and their core Democratic values and principals campaign, and one can feel the momentum of a solid majority of people who vote in elections and want to give Cuomo a run for the money.
Although Cuomo should be applauded for many of his accomplishments as Governor – he visibly has walked away from the core group of people who voted for him in the first place.
Cuomo even refuses to debate Teachout – even though he claims he is for open government and discussion on the issues.
Although he directed $2.8 Million in State Aid this week to Repair Damage to Sullivan County’s Infrastructure during the July Flash Flooding after the Federal Government refused, we need just to look at his double talking on the fracking issue and the casino debacle to come to realization why Democrats should vote for Zephyr Teachout for Governor and Tim Wu for Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday.
After four years in office we still do not know how Cuomo really feels about Fracking. Is he for Fracking or not? He ran on being anti fracking, but has accepted millions in donations from the fracking industry.
Last year he came to Sullivan County the day after the elections to boast the passage of Proposition One approving up to seven Resort Destination Casinos in New York State.
We were all so excited and thrilled no one believed that Orange County would become a major contender. In the original legislation Orange County was never even included. Even though it was slipped in, we were all assured not to worry.
There was never any need to include other parts of New York State in the casino legislation – No other county besides ours was ever rallying for casinos.
The legislation could have been very simple – Settle Native American disputes and approve Resort Destination Casinos for Sullivan County. But, instead we were all fooled, saw Foxwoods and the Stockbridge Munsees walk away – and you know the rest.
A strong core group of Sullivan County Democrats including Town of Mamakating Supervisor Bill Herrmann and Town of Lumberland Supervisor Nadia Rasjz along with Callicoon Democratic Chairman and Anti Facking activist Bruce Ferguson are rallying behind Teachout and Wu.
To me this Democratic Primary is personal. Zephyr Teachout has made passage of “Paula’s Law” named after my sister Paula Liblick who was raped in her Group Home part of her campaign.
“Paula’s Law” sponsored by Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther is very simple – it calls for surveillance cameras to be installed outside of state run group homes and day programs, but after four legislative sessions, and huge bipartisan support, it has yet to be brought to the floor of the Assembly or State Senate for a vote.
I have spoken to Cuomo and others in his administration to help me with Paula’s Law, but my pleas have gone unanswered. I am certain if I were a high priced lobbyist Cuomo would express some passion and compassion and do something to push Paula’s Law along.
I am left believing that Cuomo and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) could care less about my sister’s rape and the abuse of others. The only answer has been to close Paula’s Group Home and fire five employees.
I have reached out to all the candidates running for Governor about Paula’s Law – Andrew Cuomo, Zephyr Teachout, and Rob Astorino – But Zephyr Teachout quickly responded, researched the legislation, and made Paula’s Law and protecting the developmentally disabled part of her campaign.
That’s right – a person running for political office seeing the need to protect people who do not vote and have no real voice in government.
I hope, if you are a registered Democrat you see the need to make a statement and vote for Teachout and Wu on Tuesday September 9, 2014 from 12 PM to 9 PM.
Zephyr Teachout issued a Press Release about Paula’s Law this week, and there was an article written in the Legislative Gazette. I would like to share them with you now.
Teachout Backs Paula’s Law
Pledges to Protect Most Vulnerable
Zephyr Teachout, Democratic Candidate for Governor, said today that she will be a strong advocate in protecting our most vulnerable population if elected Governor.
“Individuals with developmental disabilities and their families overcome the biggest challenges every day. It is tragic and alarming that this population also confront instances of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, all within the confines of our state run facilities. I believe that cameras are a first step to avoiding and countering this abuse,” said Teachout. “To this end, I vigorously support the passage of NYS Assembly Bill #1750 and NYS Senate Bill #2000, also known as “Paula’s Law”, which will mandate the installation of cameras outside of State run group homes and day programs.”
Teachout added, “I applaud the advocates who are working hard to make this law a reality, and particularly Bill Liblick, whose sister Paula sustained brutal and fatal sexual abuse in our facilities.”
Bill Liblick, Paula’s brother and outspoken advocate for people living with development disabilities stated, “Zephyr Teachout clearly understands the need to protect our most vulnerable population. New York State has a proven record of looking the other way and covering up crimes against this population. I am thankful that Zephyr Teachout is committed to changing that, and if elected Governor will see to it that Paula’s Law is passed.”
Liblick added, “Surveillance cameras are everywhere except when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable. If New York State had proper measures in place to protect the safety of the functionally disabled, Paula would not have been raped “multiple” times and would still be alive today. New York State’s only answer to what happened to Paula was to close her group home and fire five employees. Zephyr Teachout clearly wants to see to it that what happened to my sister Paula Liblick never happens again. I wonder, how many candidates running for Governor can say the same?”
Teachout added, “I encourage all lawmakers to move immediately on this issue, and ensure that people like Paula Liblick are treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve, and what happened to Paula Liblick never happens again.
From the Legislative Gazette
Teachout endorses Paula’s Law
By ROGER HANNIGAN GILSON
Zephyr Teachout, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s chief challenger in the Democratic primary, has thrown her support behind a bill that would require cameras to be installed on the entrances and exits of all facilities run by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
The bill (S.2000-a/A.1715) was named Paula’s Law after Paula Liblick, a 61-year-old with developmental disabilities who was raped at a Hudson Valley OPWDD-run facility in 2009. Liblick was incapable of alerting anyone to the assault, and the crime was only discovered after bruises and blood were found several days later during an examination.
Liblick died in April of 2011 from strongyloides, a sexually-transmitted parasite native to the Caribbean, which is believed to be a result of the rape.
The crime was never solved, though the facility was shut down and five staff members were fired.
“Individuals with developmental disabilities and their families overcome the biggest challenges every day,” said Teachout. “It is tragic and alarming that this population also confronts instances if sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, all within the confines of our state-run facilities. I believe that cameras are a first step to avoiding and countering this abuse.”
Paula’s Law was first introduced in 2011, but has made little progress since then. The Assembly version of the bill has repeatedly stalled in the Codes Committee, and the Senate version has repeatedly stalled in the Finance Committee.
Bill Liblick, Paula’s brother, has been a fierce advocate of the bill. Over the last few years, he has lobbied legislators about the measure while collecting stories of abuse from others around the state.
“The state should be ashamed of itself” for not passing Paula’s Law, said Liblick.
Liblick argues that cameras are inexpensive and are already placed at other state-run facilities with at-risk populations, such as nursing homes.
[The developmentally disabled] do not vote, so politicians don’t want to lift their fingers…it’s deplorable…a slap in the face to the functionally disabled,” said Liblick.
A couple months ago, Liblick approached Teachout at a rally and told her about his sister and his efforts to get cameras installed in OPWDD-run facilities.
Liblick said he and Teachout met and talked after the rally and exchanged contact information. Her campaign “thoroughly” researched the bill before supporting it, Liblick said.
Liblick said he hopes Gov. Cuomo and Rob Astorino, Cuomo’s Republican challenger in the general election, also voice their support for the bill, though neither has yet to directly endorse its passage.
From the Teachout/Wu Website
http://www.teachoutwu.com/an_open_democracy
LOOK AT ISSUE “E”
E. Paula’s Law …
Individuals with developmental disabilities and their families overcome the biggest challenges every day. It is tragic and alarming that this population also confronts instances of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, all within the confines of our state-run facilities. I believe that cameras are a first step to avoiding and countering this abuse.
To this end, we vigorously support the passage of NYS Assembly Bill #1750 and NYS Senate Bill #2000, also known as “Paula’s Law,” which will mandate the installation of cameras outside of state-run group homes and day programs.
We applaud the advocates who are working hard to make this law a reality, and particularly Bill Liblick, whose sister Paula sustained brutal and fatal sexual abuse in our facilities.
http://www.teachoutwu.com/an_open_democracy
From Dailykos
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/03/1326961/-What-s-a-governor-to-do#
What’s a governor to do?
By cinepost
Or better still, how should a governor “do,” how should they govern? So do the rich and the powerful travel to the governor to press their case? Or should the governor go out among the populace they serve and hear from those they govern? Some might claim that it is a distinction without a difference–that the rich and powerful are also citizens with needs that deserve the attention of the governor. There is a significant difference however.
(There are potential triggers in this diary, so I have left out details that can be found summarized in an article at The Legislative Gazzette)
The cost of bringing meaningful change in the life of a wealthy person comes at a much higher cost to the state than when the state attends to the needs of those not blessed with fortune. For a simple example: The cost of running water and sewer lines across my 35′ wide city lot is way less than running them 850′ across a lot in the wealthy neighborhood up the hill. In New York, local municipalities receive most of their funds through property taxes. Andrew Cuomo help push through legislation that caps real estate taxes. Capping my real estate taxes does not benefit me… my home isn’t worth enough for the “savings” from the cap to be meaningful. The benefit to the person with the mansion with 850′ frontage, however, is truly meaningful. At the same time, state funds returned to municipalities have shrunk while state mandated spending has grown. And in the meantime, our schools suffer from underfunding, infrastructure repair is less frequent and takes longer, and local services are diiminishing.
I ran across a story today of another way to govern. When Zephyr Teachout was at a rally this summer, she was approached by a man by the name of Bill Liblick. He told her about what had happened to his sister while residing in a state-run facility for people with developmental disabilities, and about the law that he wanted to see passed so that no other disabled person might suffer her fate. The law is referred to as “Paula’s Law,” and it has languished in our State Assembly and State Senate since 2011. It is a fairly simple idea. Every facility that houses people with developmental disabilities should have 24/7 video cameras at every entrance and exit. With the costs of telecommunications technology falling like a rock, it would seem that the cost/benefit ratio would easily justify the expense.
So what happened when Mr. Liblick approached Zephyr Teachout about “Paula’s Law”?
Liblick said he and Teachout met and talked after the rally and exchanged contact information. Her campaign “thoroughly” researched the bill before supporting it, Liblick said.
So what did Andrew Cuomo and Rob Astorino do?
Liblick said he hopes Gov. Cuomo and Rob Astorino, Cuomo’s Republican challenger in the general election, also voice their support for the bill, though neither has yet to directly endorse its passage.
(emphasis mine)
Which style of governing would you like to see? Vote in the New York State Primary on September 9.
Bill Liblick has made a name for himself on National TV Talk Shows where he spouted his outspoken views from the front row. Now he offers you his opinion every week in the “MOUTH THAT ROARS” Column in THE SULLIVAN COUNTY POST.