“Let me be as clear as I can. I support marriage equality for our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQIA communities. I support a woman’s right to have access to a safe, legal abortion.”
Assessing the Mayor’s Record on Policing
“De Blasio’s wariness towards certain policing strategies earned him hostility from rank-and-file cops — at least at first. Less than a year into his term, a grand jury declined to indict the police officer implicated in the death of Eric Garner, an African-American stopped for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes. That night, de Blasio talked publicly about how he and his wife were concerned about whether his bi-racial son Dante would be harmed by police. ‘De Blasio, I think, was speaking to try to address the fear and anger in black families,’ I told WNYC. ‘He was talking about a real conversation that does take place. But the reaction to it from the police and their allies and even some others was pretty negative.'”
For a fuller look at de Blasio’s record, go here.
The Three Ballot Questions You’ll Face on November 7
“While the Constitutional Convention — question number one — has soaked up most of the ballot initiative press, New Yorkers get to weigh in on questions concerning stripping pensions from corrupt public officials and utilization of some protected forest reserves for essential infrastructure projects.”
De Blasio Adds 100,000 Units to Housing Goal
“At nearly every town hall de Blasio hosts throughout the city, from East New York to East Harlem, residents press him on the shortage of affordable housing. Some are concerned about the future of the New York City Housing Authority, others ask about the increase in homelessness, and most say they pay too much in rent. To address the issue, the mayor announced Tuesday he will spend an extra $150 million per year to finance another 100,000 homes, bringing the goal to 300,000. He altered the original timeline, promising the original 200,000 units will be financed by the end of his second term, if he is reelected. The total cost of the city’s commitment is now $13.5 billion.”
Libertarian Mayoral Hopeful is Former Hijacker
“A Bronx man is running for mayor of New York City 17 years after he hijacked a plane at JFK Airport with a handgun and a knife and ordered the pilots to fly to Antarctica. Aaron Commey is the Libertarian candidate for mayor and will be on the ballot in all five boroughs on Nov. 7. But on July 27, 2000, he was 22 years old and suffering from delusional disorder and paranoid schizophrenia when he walked onto a Boeing 757 bound for Las Vegas and rushed into the cockpit while brandishing a handgun.”
Speaker Hopeful Clarifies Position on Marriage Equality and Abortion
“City Councilmember Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midoowd) last week sent a letter to his colleagues in the city council throwing his whole-hearted support behind marriage equality and a woman’s right to have an abortion.The letter comes as Williams has been actively seeking to become the Speaker of the City Council as current Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito is term-limited. In the past, Williams has told colleagues that his positions are private, rooted in both religious conviction and personal experience involving a pregnancy that was terminated without him being consulted.”
