New York, NY – A coalition of leading progressives rallied at Governor Cuomo’s New York City office today to demand he take immediate action to bring the State Senate under the control of the Democratic majority that New Yorkers elected. Right now, despite having a numerical majority, at least one Democrat, and possibly as many as eight, elected to the State Senate are allied with Senate Republicans who back Donald Trump, keeping the Republican minority in control.
Governor Cuomo’s tough talk in recent weeks about opposing the Trump administration’s anti-worker, anti-immigrant inequality agenda isn’t enough. Progressive leaders will call on Cuomo, and all thirty-two Senators elected on the Democratic line, to denounce Trump’s anti-worker, anti-immigrant cabinet nominations, and call on the state Republican Party to do the same.
“If Governor Cuomo wants to be a progressive leader, we need more than tough talk against Trump’s hate and pro-billionaire agenda,” said Robert Suarez from VOCAL-NY. “He has to use his political capital to unite the Democrats, take control of the Senate and advance a vision of equity, justice and love in New York.
“While a Trump administration looks ready to threaten basic social safety net programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, potentially roll back health care access for millions and threaten New York’s most vulnerable communities, we need a state government that can respond by passing forceful, progressive legislation that lifts up working people and upholds our values,” said Jesse Laymon, New York City chapter Board Member, Citizen Action of New York. “We can’t do that with a State Senate hijacked by a Republican minority that has stood by Trump since Day One – no matter what he’s said or done. It isn’t enough to oppose Trump’s radical right-wing agenda rhetorically, as Governor Cuomo has eloquently done over the last four weeks. New Yorkers need to see real action. He can start by working to restore control of the State Senate to the Democratic majority that voters elected.”
“President-elect Donald Trump has empowered white supremacists and Wall Street Executives to reign in our nation. Our most vulnerable residents are now the victims of heinous hate crimes by empowered racists. We must not only stand up to Trump, New York needs to be a champion of progressive values,” said Skipp Roseboro, Member of New York Communities for Change. “The time is now to unify Democrats so that we can protect immigrants, women, workers and all New Yorkers.”
“We have no illusion as to the magnitude of the environmental crisis we are facing under a Trump presidency,” said Maritza Silva-Farrell, the Executive Director of ALIGN. Trump and the fossil fuel executives who are rounding out the wealthiest cabinet in this history of this country are laser-focused on passing the most robust anti-climate agenda which is inextricably linked to an anti-Black, anti-worker, anti-woman and anti-immigrant agenda. If Cuomo wants to demonstrate a deep commitment to racial and environmental equity that stops Trump’s agenda cold in its tracks, he must seize the opportunity to unite Albany and stand with communities and workers in passing ambitious climate legislation like the New York Climate Protection Act.”
“In these trying times, it seems that the Governor is less concerned about uniting his party and more concerned about putting money into the pockets of billionaires. His energy seems to be focused at this very moment, on passing a 421a bill to enrich his real estate buddies. Think about it – instead of working to unite his party against what will likely be a torrent of cuts out of Washington D.C. come January, he is proposing to renew and EXPAND a tax giveaway for luxury development projected to cost 2.4 billion dollars per year for the next 35 years. Meanwhile, the homeless population in the city continues to grow because Mr. Cuomo refuses to put any teeth in the fight to strengthen laws governing rent regulated apartments, which is the last residence for many folks we serve,” said Delsenia Glover, Campaign Manager for the Alliance for Tenant Power.
“Governor Cuomo has shown us many times that, when he really wants something done in New York, he can achieve it.” Said,Mercedes Hurtado, member of Make the Road Action and Queens resident. “Now, as we prepare for attacks on our communities from Donald Trump, it’s time for the Governor to show his leadership by uniting Democrats to ensure that New York defends our families and becomes the real progressive leader that we need it to be.”
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