A new poll shows that Republican Congressman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lee-zeldin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lee Zeldin</a> is running neck-and-neck with Democratic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a> Governor Kathy Hochul.
The poll of 1,087 likely voters, conducted by the <a href="https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/NY-General-Poll-Report-1004.pdf">Trafalgar Group</a>, found that Hochul is holding onto a razor-thin lead over Zeldin, 44.5% to 42.6%; Libertarian candidate Larry Sharpe holds 3.2% of the vote, and 9.7% are undecided. Hochul&#8217;s 1.9% lead is just within the poll&#8217;s margin of error, meaning Zeldin could be on track to pull off a major upset in a deep-blue state that has not elected a Republican to statewide office since 2002.
&#8220;We saw a few trends,&#8221; Trafalgar Group chief pollster Robert Cahaly told The Daily Wire in an interview. &#8220;She [Hochul] is not winning Democrats by nearly what she needs to win, and Zeldin is dominating with Republicans and independents.&#8221;
One of the biggest reasons why Hochul is lagging among her own party and Zeldin is surging is the growing problem of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crime</a> in the state. Cahaly told The Daily Wire that crime is overwhelmingly the top issue for New York voters. &#8220;It&#8217;s the only state we&#8217;ve seen crime exceed the economy,&#8221; he said.
Crime is especially important for people who live in and around New York City, even lifelong Democrats; their number one issue is crime, and they are voting for Zeldin because of it, Cahaly added. Voters especially want something to be done about soft-on-crime progressive prosecutors like Manhattan District Attorney <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alvin-bragg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alvin Bragg</a>. &#8220;They believe that she has the power to remove these liberal DA&#8217;s, and she won&#8217;t, and that&#8217;s why they don&#8217;t like her,&#8221; said Cahaly.
&#8220;As long as crime stays on people’s radar screens, Kathy Hochul’s having issues,&#8221; he added.
In addition to crime, illegal immigration and the border crisis are weighing heavily on voters&#8217; minds. &#8220;More and more people outside of border states are telling us they’re worried about fentanyl and someone they know being hurt from that,&#8221; and New York is no different, Cahaly said.
Earlier this week, New York City and State law enforcement officials and the DEA announced the arrest of a woman and the seizure of more than 15,000 brightly-colored rainbow <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dea-ny-officials-seize-15000-rainbow-fentanyl-pills-hidden-in-a-box-of-legos-in-nyc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fentanyl pills</a> hidden in a box of Lego blocks, as The Daily Wire reported. Investigators found that the pills had originated from Mexican drug cartels.
Another reason the race is so close is because neither Republicans nor Democrats are spending large sums of money in the race. &#8220;When big money is spent, it changes things,&#8221; Cahaly said, noting that when the parties are spending big, candidates tend to focus more on personal attacks against each other. When they aren&#8217;t spending money, the election focuses much more on issues and the incumbent&#8217;s track record, and the issues are heavily against Hochul. However, the parties may be more inclined to spend as the race tightens, he said.
If the election were to be held next week, Cahaly speculated that Zeldin would lose just slightly, but he might have a different opinion closer to November. However, Cahaly urged poll readers not to draw conclusions about the rest of the country from this race, since it was very much about issues contained to New York. &#8220;It&#8217;s very much about New York issues because the crime is touching home so much,&#8221; Cahaly said.

Lee Zeldin

Poll Finds Republican Lee Zeldin Neck-And-Neck With Kathy Hochul In Governor’s Race In Deep-Blue New York

Republican Lee Zeldin Surging, Neck-And-Neck Against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul In General Election, New Poll Finds

2022 Election

Kathy Hochul

New York

Poll

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a> announced Thursday that it will become the next state to ban the sale of new gas cars by 2035.
At a press conference in the Chester Maple Municipal Garage in White Plains, New York, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would be directing the State Department of Environmental Conservation to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. Under new state regulations yet to be announced, all new passenger vehicles would be required to be zero-emissions. New York is the latest state to adopt the policy after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-regulators-approve-banning-new-gas-car-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> announced it would ban new gas car sales by 2035 in August.
&#8220;In New York, every week is climate week,&#8221; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VxbPsVcNik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hochul said</a> after pulling up to the podium in an electric Chevrolet Bolt. &#8220;And we&#8217;re committed to protecting our environment and combating climate change every single day &#8230; electric vehicles are the key to achieving this.&#8221;
In a <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-drives-forward-new-yorks-transition-clean-transportation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">separate statement</a> on the governor&#8217;s website, Hochul outlined the details of the new regulatory scheme: under the new rules, by model year 2026, electric vehicles must make up 35% of all new vehicles sales; by 2030, 68% of all new vehicle sales must be electric. The scheme would also establish new emissions standards for cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles from model years 2026 through 2034. In addition, Hochul said in her press conference that by 2027, all new school buses must be zero emissions; the whole fleet must zero-emissions, statewide, by 2035.
Hochul also announced a series of new financial incentives for residents to buy an electric vehicle, and federal and state investments to build fast charging stations and other infrastructure. The Department of Environmental Conservation made available some $5.75 million in grants to help local governments purchase electric cars for their municipal fleet, and to build local fast charging stations.
The state also put up $10 million to its &#8220;Drive Clean Rebate&#8221; initiative, which offers residents an extra $2,000 state tax rebate, on top of the $7,500 federal tax rebate for new electric vehicles under the Inflation Reduction Act. The state also received $175 million in federal investments form the bipartisan infrastructure law in 2021 to build a network of EV charging stations, on top a $250 million commitment from the state.
“We’re really putting our foot down on the accelerator and revving up our efforts to make sure we have this transition — not someday in the future, but on a specific date, a specific year — by the year 2035,” Hochul said.
Hochul specifically cited California&#8217;s move to ban gas-powered car sales as the impetus behind her state&#8217;s decision. &#8220;We had to wait for California to take a step because there&#8217;s some federal requirement that California had to go first &#8230; but once they made that decision we were able to step up immediately and say &#8216;now there&#8217;s nothing holding us back.’”
“We are not heading down that dead-end street [of gas vehicles] any longer,” she added.
New York&#8217;s plan mirrors the California plan, which Governor Gavin Newsom proposed in April and the California Air Resources Board approved in August. The ban was one of the first of its kind in the world. “The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution,” Newsom said in a statement last month.
A day after California unveiled its ban, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-more-states-follow-californias-ban-on-new-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington and Massachusetts</a> followed suit. The plan was also adopted by a state law in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-forced-to-comply-with-californias-ban-on-new-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> in 2021.
Hochul&#8217;s financial incentives may not be enough to offset the cost of electric cars, which average more than $66,000, according to <a href="https://mediaroom.kbb.com/2022-07-12-New-Vehicle-Prices-Set-a-Record-in-June,-According-to-Kelley-Blue-Book,-as-Luxury-Share-Hits-New-High">Kelley Blue Book</a>. Most electric vehicles <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-electric-vehicles-wont-qualify-for-inflation-reduction-act-tax-credits-none-will-qualify-in-a-few-years">don&#8217;t qualify</a> for the federal tax credit because they do not meet the requirements for parts made in America, and Ford and GM <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-inflation-bill-made-7500-electric-vehicle-tax-credits-ford-and-gm-just-raised-their-prices-by-the-same-amount" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised the prices</a> of new electric vehicles by roughly the same amount.
According to a June ranking from <a href="https://www.motortrend.com/features/top-10-cheapest-new-cars?slide=6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motortrend</a>, the top 11 cheapest gas-powered cars all come in under $22,000 — including vehicles from Toyota, Kia, and Hyundai. In contrast, a July <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g40605495/cheapest-electric-cars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Car and Driver</a> survey found that the cheapest electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf, sells for $28,495. Additionally, according to <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/electric-cars-vs-gas-cars/#the-upfront-cost-of-electric-vehicles-compared-to-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bankrate</a>, insurance premiums are sometimes higher for electric vehicles as well.
“Typically, you will pay more to insure an electric vehicle than a conventional automobile,” Bankrate notes. “This is primarily due to the higher electric vehicle purchase price and the fact that electric vehicles generally have higher repair costs, especially those with expensive technology features.”

Governor Hochul And Mayor Adams Deliver Remarks At NYS Financial Control Board Meeting

New York Becomes Latest State To Ban Sale Of New Gas Cars By 2035

California

Cars

electric vehicles

I was watching TV the other day and a political ad caught my eye. The ad was courtesy of New York’s Democratic governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-ny-gov-kathy-hochul-admin-gave-covid-test-contract-to-campaign-donors-company-at-double-the-price">Kathy Hochul</a>, slamming her Republican opponent, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alleged-attacker-of-republican-congressman-released-from-custody">Lee Zeldin</a>, about his support for “extreme insurrectionists” on January 6 and other purported crimes.
So, the lines are being drawn and the strategies are solidifying. Fine. Politics are, after all, a contact sport.
The ad then goes on to say “&#8230; five law enforcement officers lost their lives.” 
As the famous quip goes, “How do you know when a politician is lying? When their lips are moving.”
The narrative about the death of these law enforcement officers is predicated on a flagrant lie, and the Democratic Party leaders know this. This is where a line must be drawn, in the interest of both accuracy and common decency.
Democrats have spent years labeling the police as an organization tantamount to the Knights of the White Camelia. They declare the police must be ‘defunded,’ and have actively supported mass riots that resulted in attacks on hundreds of police officers.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi also recalled four of the officers by name during her recent January 6 commemoration speech.
“Let us acknowledge today – as I conclude, I want to acknowledge our fallen heroes of that day, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood, Metropolitan Officer Jeffrey Smith, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Billy Evans, of a later assault.”
What you just read from the sitting Democratic Speaker of the House is a series of outright, demonstrable lies. Yet, she went on record anyway. Why? Because she was confident that a pliant media would not call her out on it. And she believes that most Americans are too ignorant to know the facts. Unfortunately, she’s right on both counts.
So, how did these officers actually die?
Since I don’t know who the mysterious fifth hero is, let’s review the other four.
<a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/medical-examiner-finds-uscp-officer-brian-sicknick-died-natural-causes">Brian Sicknick</a>, the officer most tied to the events of that day, died of a stroke — on January 7, 2021. The results of his autopsy — which were denied to the public for four months — were inconclusive, and they were unable to draw any connection between the events of January 6 and his death the next day. One does not go from being perfectly healthy to suffering a fatal stroke in the course of 24 hours. In my view, Sicknick was obviously already a dangerously ill man.
<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-capitol-police-officer-howard-liebengood-death-20210110-ou4fzbyle5aoti3i5kj5qti2ha-story.html">Howard Liebengood</a> died of an apparent suicide — on January 10, 2021. To my knowledge, there is no known connection to his act of self-destruction (no statements or notes) that would tie his death to the events at the Capitol four days earlier. Anyone who has dealt with the suicide of a loved one (as I have) well knows, it is a far more complicated action than one brought about by a single one-off “trigger” event. It is a culmination of chronic emotional suffering, even mental illness. This man was a trained police officer, after all, not a bystander caught in the fray.
<a href="https://nypost.com/2022/03/09/dc-police-officer-jeffrey-smith-suicide-after-jan-6-riot-ruled-line-of-duty-death/">Jeffrey Smith</a> also died of suicide — on January 15, 2021. Now we are nine days and counting after the riot. Another tragedy whose ties to January 6 seems to begin and end with the fact that Smith was present for duty that day.
And most vile of all, is Pelosi’s mentioning of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/william-evans-death-us-capitol-police/2021/04/02/d5718bf0-93f7-11eb-a74e-1f4cf89fd948_story.html">Billy Evans</a>. This brave man was murdered on April 2, 2021, three months after the January 6 riot, by a lone assailant who rammed him and two other cops with a car. Notice how the vulpine Pelosi slips in practically under her breath the  “…of a later assault” to cover her tracks. But the fact that she even mentions Evans in connection to January 6 at all starkly reveals how these unbelievably opportunistic and shamelessly mendacious party leaders really view that day.
All of these deaths are a great loss, especially for the loved ones these men left behind.
To be fair, one person did actually die by violence on January 6. Four-tour war veteran <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officer-who-shot-ashli-babbitt-comes-forward-i-saved-countless-lives-followed-my-training">Ashli Babbitt</a> was shot dead at some distance by Capitol Hill cop, Lt. Michael Byrd, for the crime of attempting to climb through a broken window. Interestingly, Lt. Byrd received little attention.  
Pelosi and Hochul, whose party never once supported law enforcement throughout the months of far more destructive and deadly BLM riots from coast-to-coast, have used these terrible tragedies to promote a false narrative to help forward a political agenda. Their ultimate goal seems to be to stay in power, no matter the cost to truth, trust in our institutions, or national comity.
They continue to feign public outrage, though their behavior indicates they believe the events are a gift, overflowing with endless opportunities for political gain.
Ads like Hochul’s show the Democrats are willing to exploit the deaths of police officers who died for reasons other than a four-hour riot, without regard for the actual facts. 
In New York, even if the press acts as diligent and brave watchdogs rather than Democrat Party lapdogs, Hochul will likely win re-election. This is, after all, blue New York we’re talking about. “Facts are stubborn things,” said John Adams, a man whose bona fide integrity would be completely anathema to today&#8217;s Democratic leaders. 
But in the age of the unchallenged lie, the candle of facts doesn’t stand a chance of being seen when held up against the blinding sun of stubborn, even fetishized, ideological entrenchment.
Brad Schaeffer is a commodities trader, columnist, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Books-Brad-Schaeffer/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ABrad+Schaeffer">author of the best-selling novel</a> The Extraordinary, which deals with autism and PTSD and the critically acclaimed World War II novel, Of Another Time And Place.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

New York Gov. Hochul’s Ad Echoes DNC’s False Narrative About Capitol Police Officers

Capitol Police

January 6

Nancy Pelosi

Readers Pass

Governor Kathy Hochul&#8217;s (D-NY) administration paid double the cost for COVID tests in a $637 million deal to a major donor&#8217;s company, according to a new report.
Reinvent Albany released the report on Friday that revealed the concerning deal.
&#8220;Digital Gadgets’ tests cost $12.25 each compared to $5 each for the first 5 million tests the state bought from iHealth ($5 each),&#8221; the report <a href="https://reinventalbany.org/2022/09/subsidy-sheet-hochul-administration-purchased-637m-of-covid-tests-that-cost-2x-other-nys-vendors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">observed</a>.
&#8220;The second most expensive vendor was Spectrum Medical, whose tests cost $7.80 each. The state ultimately paid out 5 times more to Digital Gadgets than it did to any competitors, as this damning graph shows,&#8221; it added.
The founder and CEO of Digital Gadgets, Charlie Tebele, along with his family members, reportedly donated nearly $300,000 to Hochul&#8217;s campaign, the Times Union <a href="https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/How-a-Hochul-donor-received-637M-million-in-17424950.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, including $70,000 last winter ahead of Hochul signing the COVID test deal.
The higher price was despite the state purchasing 52 million tests in bulk, paying more than the average retail store cost per test.
In July, Hochul claimed she was unaware that the company&#8217;s CEO had supported her campaign.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
MORE: A senior fellow at the Empire Center for Public Policy reviewed records obtained by the Times Union and was struck by the significantly higher price paid to Digital Gadgets, resulting in hundreds of millions in additional spending.
FULL STORY: <a href="https://t.co/ivWdJWh06M">https://t.co/ivWdJWh06M</a> <a href="https://t.co/HJAgmJwFuc">pic.twitter.com/HJAgmJwFuc</a>
&mdash; Times Union (@timesunion) <a href="https://twitter.com/timesunion/status/1567878629157228545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
State Republican Party Chair Nick Langworthy said at the time that he planned to file a Freedom of Information Act request regarding the issue.
“I’m calling on Governor Hochul and the department of health to turn over all of their communications with the Tebele family and Digital Gadgets,” Langworthy said, <a href="https://www.wamc.org/news/2022-07-21/hochul-says-company-awarded-600m-for-covid-tests-was-a-necessary-expenditure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> WAMC. “New Yorkers need to know who our government spoke to and when they spoke to them, and what was discussed.”
Republican Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay also addressed the concerning report on Friday in a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nHD4vdxPxKZZny3jZw66hrrKFC7610nC/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to the New York State Assembly.
&#8220;The Minority members of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee are urging you to call an immediate hearing to conduct a full review of what the state has spent during the disaster emergency,&#8221; he wrote.
&#8220;The governor’s ongoing emergency declarations have allowed her to avoid proper spending oversight. In light of the recent Times Union report, many questions need to be answered. It has never been clearer that we need a full accounting of the state’s COVID-related expenditures and oversight authority must be restored to the appropriate agencies,&#8221; he added. Nine other state Republican Ways and Means Committee members joined in his letter.
New York Assemblyman Ed Ra also released a statement expressing his concern regarding the situation.
“The sheer volume of the purchase multiplied by the inflated price has cost New Yorkers hundreds of millions in unnecessary spending. This is an enormous sum, and any potential impropriety surrounding the deal must be immediately addressed,” Ra, the Republican Conference’s ranking member on the Ways and Means Committee, <a href="https://geneseesun.com/assembly-republicans-call-for-budget-hearing-to-address-purchase-of-overpriced-covid-tests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “Our call for a hearing comes in the name of basic fiscal responsibility, which at this time appears to have disappeared from the executive’s office.”

Report: NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Admin Gave COVID Test Contract To Campaign Donor’s Company At Double The Price

Report: NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Admin Gave COVID Test Contract To Campaign Donor's Company At Double The Price

Corruption

COVID

The state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a> declared a state of emergency Friday over the continued spread of polio.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul made the <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-order/no-21-declaring-disaster-state-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declaration</a> Friday, after multiple counties in the state discovered traces of the virus in wastewater. New York was also the site of the first case of polio in the U.S. in years, which was discovered in July. Polio was thought to be eradicated in the U.S. after the polio vaccine was developed in the 1950s; the last naturally occurring case was detected in 1979.
&#8220;I, Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of New York, hereby find &#8230; that a disaster has occurred in New York State, for which the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately, and I do hereby declare a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York through October 9, 2022,&#8221; Hochul declared. &#8220;I direct the implementation of the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and authorize all necessary State agencies to take appropriate action to assist local governments and individuals in containing, preparing for, responding to and recovering from this State disaster emergency.&#8221;
The emergency declaration notes that the first case of polio was discovered on July 21 in an individual from Rockland County. Since that time, polio has been detected in wastewater samples in Rockland County, as well as Orange and Sullivan Counties, in April, May, June, July, and August. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/09/nyregion/new-york-polio-state-of-emergency.html">The New York Times</a> reported that 57 samples were discovered between May and August; most of them came from Rockland County, and 50 of the samples were genetically related to the Rockland County case. Additionally on Friday, testing in Nassau County found traces of the virus in its wastewater, making it the fourth county to detect the virus, <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/long-island-has-latest-ny-county-detecting-polio-virus-in-wastewater/3858441/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC 4 New York</a> reported.
Polio was declared eliminated in 1979 due to the prevalence of the polio vaccine; but vaccination rates have declined, and so-called &#8220;vaccine hesitancy&#8221; has increased, the declaration claimed.
As part of the response to the emergency outlined in the declaration, Hochul temporarily empowered paramedics and emergency medical technicians to administer the polio vaccine, including in non-emergency situations. The order also empowers midwives to administer vaccines, so long as they are supervised by a licensed medical professional. Pharmacists and nurses are also allowed to administer the vaccine under the order.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-identify-first-case-of-polio-in-united-states-in-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first case of Polio</a> was discovered in an individual in Rockland County on July 21, as The Daily Wire reported. State and County health officials reported at the time that the case likely originated from outside the U.S.; testing identified a strain of the virus that only appears in countries that use the oral polio vaccine, which is no longer authorized in the U.S.
The polio virus spreads orally, usually through contact with fecal matter from an infected person, or hands contaminated by fecal matter. The disease can also spread through mouth-to-mouth contact or saliva. The disease itself, called poliomyelitis, attacks the nervous system. Symptoms can be mild and flu-like, including fatigue, muscle pain, muscle weakness, fever, and stiffness. In rare cases, it can also cause paralysis and even death. Symptoms do not typically appear for up to 30 days, during which time an infected person can still transmit the disease to others.

COVID-19 vaccine

New York Declares State Of Emergency As More Counties Detect Polio

Health

Medical

New York City

Democrat <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a> Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kathy-hochul" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kathy Hochul</a> is championing the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), which critics say is burdensome and an infringement on numerous constitutional rights.
Following a Supreme Court decision in June <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-scotus-strikes-down-new-york-concealed-carry-restrictions-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">striking down New York&#8217;s concealed carry restrictions as unconstitutional</a>, state Democrats and Hochul moved to crack down further on gun rights, seemingly in direct defiance of the “reckless” decision.
“In response to the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision to strike down New York&#8217;s century-old concealed carry law, we took swift and thoughtful action to keep New Yorkers safe,” Hochul <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-new-concealed-carry-laws-passed-response-reckless-supreme-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a press release. “I refuse to surrender my right as Governor to protect New Yorkers from gun violence or any other form of harm. In New York State, we will continue leading the way forward and implementing common sense gun safety legislation.”
The CCIA requires New Yorkers applying for gun permits to <a href="https://gothamist.com/news/these-are-the-new-ny-gun-laws-taking-effect-this-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provide</a> all their social media accounts from the past three years, sparking concern over political bias in the approval process.
The legislation also bans guns from dozens of location types in New York, including churches, restaurants serving alcohol, public transportation, theaters, and public sidewalks.
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Electronic billboards in midtown, announcing that Times Square is a gun-free zone <a href="https://t.co/Id9BHjXue6">pic.twitter.com/Id9BHjXue6</a>
&mdash; Kate Hinds (@katehinds) <a href="https://twitter.com/katehinds/status/1564974401610711041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“Effective September 1, 2022, the possession of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun is prohibited in sensitive locations,” a press release from the governor said, highlighting the following as “sensitive locations”:
<ul>
<li>Any location owned or under control of federal, state, or local government for the purpose of government administration, including courts;</li>
<li>Any location providing health, behavioral health, or chemical dependence care or services;</li>
<li>Places of worship or religious observation;</li>
<li>Libraries, public playgrounds, public parks, and zoos;</li>
<li>NYS Office of Children and Family Service licensed or funded facilities (childcare facilities);</li>
<li>Nursery schools, preschools, summer camps;</li>
<li>NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities licensed or funded facilities;</li>
<li>NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports licensed or funded facilities;</li>
<li>NYS Office of Mental Health licensed or funded facilities;</li>
<li>NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance licensed or funded facilities;</li>
<li>Homeless shelters, family shelters, domestic violence shelters;</li>
<li>NYS Department of Health licensed or funded residential facilities;</li>
<li>Colleges, universities, private schools, public schools, and other educational institutions;</li>
<li>Public transportation and transit facilities;</li>
<li>Bars and restaurants serving alcohol, and on-premises cannabis consumption locations;</li>
<li>Theaters, stadiums, racetracks, museums, amusement parks, performance venues, concert halls, exhibit halls, conference centers, banquet halls, gaming facilities, video lottery terminal facilities as licensed by the gaming commission;</li>
<li>Polling places;</li>
<li>Public sidewalks and other public areas that are restricted from general public access for a limited time or special event;</li>
<li>Gatherings of people to collectively express their constitutional rights to assemble or protest; and</li>
<li>Times Square (with boundaries determined by New York City).</li>
</ul>
Gun Owners of America (GOA), a gun rights group suing the state over the legislation, said the CCIA “would essentially make all of NY a gun free zone and infringes upon the rights of its citizens.”
“New York state is blatantly citing racist and discriminatory laws in defense of their new Concealed Carry law,” the group said via Twitter on Wednesday. “GOA sued the state, and we hope to get an injunction TODAY!”
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WATCH: New York state is blatantly citing racist and discriminatory laws in defense of their new Concealed Carry law, which would essentially make all of NY a gun free zone and infringes upon the rights of its citizens.
GOA sued the state, and we hope to get an injunction TODAY! <a href="https://t.co/H3QaJlcORZ">pic.twitter.com/H3QaJlcORZ</a>
&mdash; Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) <a href="https://twitter.com/GunOwners/status/1565050492010512384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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A federal judge on Wednesday sided with New York, asserting that GOA and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) did not have standing to represent their members in court, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3623331-federal-judge-rules-new-york-can-restrict-gun-carrying/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The groups are expected to appeal to the U.S. Second Circuit Court.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) in July <a href="https://www.nraila.org/articles/20220711/as-court-slams-door-on-one-obnoxious-gun-law-ny-enacts-fresh-version" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slammed</a> the legislation, too, claiming New York State officials were “defying” the Supreme Court ruling and continuing “to conflate law-abiding license holders with the unlicensed scofflaws behind the surge in violent crime.”

Governor Kathy Hochul pays respects at 9/11 Memorial &

‘All Of NY A Gun Free Zone’: Controversial Anti-Gun Legislation Takes Effect In New York

Hochul Boasts Of Law Critics Say ‘Essentially Makes All Of NY A Gun Free Zone‘

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york">New York</a> has become the first state to offer people with past cannabis-related convictions and business experience initial access to obtain marijuana dispensary licenses before other applicants.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul&#8217;s administration and the <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://cannabis.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/cannabis-management-fact-sheet-social-equity_0_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Office of Cannabis Management</a> began accepting applications from &#8220;justice-involved&#8221; individuals last week. Such applicants must show proof of profitable business experience for at least two years. The office said it would prioritize women, minorities, veterans, and distressed farmers previously charged with marijuana convictions before March 31, 2021. Relatives of convicted individuals, including parents, guardians, children, spouses, and dependents, are also eligible for priority.
Non-profit organizations could also be eligible if they &#8220;intentionally serve justice-involved individuals and communities with historically high rates of arrest, conviction, incarceration or other indicators of law enforcement activity for marijuana-related offenses.&#8221;
The move comes after New York lawmakers passed the <a href="https://cannabis.ny.gov/marihuana-regulation-and-taxation-act-mrta">Marijuana Regulation &amp; Taxation Act</a> last year, which created a new Office of Cannabis Management that emphasizes &#8220;social and economic equality&#8221; for those disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. The law would automatically expunge past marijuana convictions and invest 40% of the tax revenue into rebuilding such communities affected by individuals who were &#8220;harmed&#8221; by the War on Drugs.
&#8220;We think that leaning into folks who are not only justice-involved but have that business experience means that we&#8217;re going to find a bunch of applicants who have gone through some significant challenges to still open and operate successful businesses,&#8221; Office of Cannabis Management executive director Chris Alexander told <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/27/new-york-cannabis-social-equity-00053549" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>. &#8220;We just took a different approach.&#8221;
Alexander said that the office had taken measures to remove barriers from the application process that would otherwise be &#8220;overly burdensome&#8221; or require hiring consultants or attorneys for completion. But applicants won&#8217;t receive a refund of the $2,000 application and licensing fee.
Those who pass through the application process would be entitled to receive aid from a $200 million Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund, which would set up nearly 150 applicants with a retail location and financing.
Fox Business <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/retail-cannabis-licenses-ny-prior-marijuana-convictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that when New York lawmakers signed the 2021 marijuana bill, the governor&#8217;s office estimated it would create approximately 60,000 jobs and generate up to $350 million in annual tax revenue.
New York Governor candidate Lee Zeldin denounced Hochul&#8217;s legislation saying it would only fuel a coalition of criminals.
&#8220;The Criminals for Kathy coalition is growing,&#8221; Zeldin said in a March 11 <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://twitter.com/leezeldin/status/1502324521981861889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1502324521981861889%7Ctwgr%5Ef87333ea370a5706be829267808f63fd94587cb0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marijuanamoment.net%2Fmost-new-york-voters-oppose-prioritizing-marijuana-licenses-for-people-with-previous-convictions-poll-finds%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweet</a>.&#8221; Cannabis dispensary licenses are going to start getting distributed in NY, &amp; the Hochul admin will be giving FIRST PRIORITY to people previously convicted for marijuana offenses. Hochul&#8217;s criminal first agenda is so wrong for NY.&#8221;
A Siena College Research Institute <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://scri.siena.edu/2022/03/28/hochul-has-commanding-lead-over-williams-with-cuomo-in-race-hochul-leads-38-30-other-two-way-behind/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> that polled 804 registered New Yorkers revealed that only 33% are in favor of prioritizing giving previously convicted marijuana-related offenders a head start on obtaining dispensary licenses. While 54% opposed and 13% said they were unsure.
&#8220;Giving first dibs on marijuana licenses to those previously convicted divides Democrats and New York City voters. Strong majorities of Republicans, independents, voters outside New York City, and white voters give it a thumbs down,&#8221; Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said. &#8220;Latino voters support it by 12 points and Black voters by 11 points.&#8221;
New York&#8217;s dispensary licenses online portal opened on Aug. 25 and runs through Sept. 26.
New York is one of 19 states to have legalized recreational weed.

US-DRUGS-PROTEST-LEGALIZATION

New Yorkers With Past Marijuana Convictions Get First Dibs On Obtaining Dispensary Licenses 

Marijuana

It has been quite the week for civility in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden&#8217;s America</a> as Democrats up and down the East Coast likened <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republican-party">Republicans</a> to haters and &#8220;semi-fascists.&#8221; One governor even told Republicans to get out and move to <a href="https://www.ailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> — which honestly doesn&#8217;t sound like the worst idea.
The messaging makes it clear that the Democratic Party has no interest in working together with half of the country (as if it wasn&#8217;t obvious before).
Nonetheless, here is a brief recap of some of the messages of love from our left-leaning leaders as of late.
We&#8217;ll start with &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-brass-barred-agents-from-probing-hunters-laptop-whistleblowers-tell-lawmaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Big Guy</a>&#8221; himself, President Joe Biden. This week, Biden blasted former President Donald Trump and anybody who agrees with his version of conservatism.
&#8220;What we’re seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of extreme MAGA philosophy,” Biden <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/25/biden-trump-philosophy-semi-fascism-00053831" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Monday.
&#8220;It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something, it’s like semi-fascism,&#8221; he added.
Biden also said this week, &#8220;I respect conservative Republicans. I don’t respect these MAGA Republicans.”
“There are not many real Republicans anymore,” the president noted.
Thursday evening, Biden again <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-maga-republicans-semi-fascism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compared</a> &#8220;MAGA Republicans&#8221; to semi-fascism. When asked by a reporter what he meant by &#8220;semi-fascism,&#8221; Biden said with a smirk, &#8220;You know what I mean.&#8221;
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“What do you mean by semi-fascism, sir?”
BIDEN, smirking: “You know what I mean.” <a href="https://t.co/hMJk2GGVov">pic.twitter.com/hMJk2GGVov</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1563378005270925314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Actually, many people did not know what he meant, which is why a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if Biden actually meant the provocative term.
&#8220;You look at the definition of fascism and you think about what they&#8217;re doing in attacking our democracy, what they are doing in taking away our freedoms, taking away, wanting to take away our rights, our voting rights,&#8221; Jean-Pierre said in defense of her boss.
&#8220;That is what that is,&#8221; Jean-Pierre added. &#8220;It is very clear, and that&#8217;s why he made that powerful speech that you heard from him last night. And he has not shied away from saying that. Maybe he has not used that specific word, but you have heard him certainly use that definition.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Jean-Pierre on Biden calling MAGA &#39;semi-fascism&#39;: &quot;You look at the definition of fascism and you think about what they&#39;re doing in attacking our democracy, what they are doing in taking away our freedoms&#8230;our voting rights. That is what that is.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/F76OMqxFzh">pic.twitter.com/F76OMqxFzh</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1563232810860793856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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So, if you are a part of the <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/us/2024_republican_presidential_nomination-7548.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">51.2% or so of GOP primary voters</a> who support Trump in 2024, then the White House is basically saying you support semi-fascism.
That figure is based on the RealClearPolitics polling average for the 2024 GOP primary. The next closest guy in that poll is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Well, bad news for DeSantis fans, Florida&#8217;s gubernatorial Democratic nominee Charlie Crist thinks you are a hater. He does not even want your vote.
“Those who support the governor should stay with him and vote for him, and I don’t want your vote,” Crist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-dont-want-your-vote-florida-democrat-celebrates-primary-win-by-alienating-half-the-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> earlier this week. “If you have that hate in your heart, keep it there!”
“I want the vote of the people of Florida who care about our state: good Democrats, good independents, good Republicans,” Crist added. “Unify with this ticket. Unify with Val Demings and Charlie Crist. Unify with us. Those who are haters? You’re going to go off in your own world, and you better get right.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrat nominee for Florida governor Charlie Crist attacks supporters of Gov. <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantisFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantisFL</a> as &quot;haters&quot;:
&quot;I don&#39;t want your vote. If you have that hate in your heart, keep it there!” <a href="https://t.co/n61dNpGSsN">pic.twitter.com/n61dNpGSsN</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1562452986390929408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Yet there is also not-so-great news for Crist. He might have to deal with a lot more &#8220;haters.&#8221;
On Monday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) told her GOP opponents to pack up and head to The Sunshine State.
&#8220;And we are here to say that the era of Trump, and Zeldin and Molinaro, just jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong, ok?&#8221; Hochul <a href="https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2022/08/26/hochul-defends-controversial-remarks-about-zeldin-leaving-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in reference to her gubernatorial opponent Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY), as well as GOP congressional candidate Marcus Molinaro. &#8220;Get out of town. Because you do not represent our values. You are not New Yorkers.&#8221;
Some took that to mean that Hochul was telling all 5.4 million GOP New York voters to leave. For her part, she defended herself, saying, &#8220;I referred to three individuals: Donald Trump, County Executive Molinaro, and Congressman Lee Zeldin. I spoke about three people whose views we believe are extreme. They supported the overturning of a presidential election.&#8221;
Molinaro lost Tuesday evening, but it would stand to reason that if you support any of those three individuals, Hochul might also find your views &#8220;extreme.&#8221;
All of this fiery rhetoric, of course, starts at the top with Biden.
The president <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/01/20/inaugural-address-by-president-joseph-r-biden-jr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proclaimed</a> on his inauguration day that America &#8220;can join forces, stop the shouting, and lower the temperature.&#8221;
&#8220;For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury,&#8221; he added. &#8220;No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.&#8221;
Of course, most Republicans knew that he was full of it at the time. After all, Biden is the same man who <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/vp-biden-says-republicans-are-going-to-put-yall-back-in-chains" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> a group of Democrats, including many black voters, that then 2012 GOP president and vice presidential nominees Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, and the GOP at large, were going to put them &#8220;back in chains.&#8221;
After this week, if there are any GOP voters who still think that Biden actually wants unity, well, I&#8217;ve got a bridge from New York to Florida to sell you.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Kathy Hochul, Joe Biden, Charlie Crist

Democrats Slam Republicans As Haters, Semi-Fascists, And Tell Them To Get Out Of Town – All In One Week

Charlie Crist

Democratic Party

Joe Biden

Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) announced Monday that the state is lifting its COVID restrictions for schools to align with updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
Hochul shared the announcement during a news conference in Manhattan.
“No more quarantining — no more ‘test to stay,&#8217;” Hochul told reporters. “The days of sending an entire classroom home because one person was symptomatic or tested positive — those days are over.&#8221;
The announcement seeks to reflect updated CDC health guidelines released earlier this month in an effort to simplify pandemic protocols.
“What that means is if a classmate tests positive for COVID and your child doesn’t have symptoms, your child can stay in school as long as they wear a mask under those circumstances. That’s what we’re recommending,” Hochul added.
Hochul has often been criticized for government overreach during the pandemic, particularly related to schools. The governor was among the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-to-end-statewide-mask-mandate-for-schools-nyc-expected-to-follow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last</a> to announce the end of statewide school mask mandates, ending the practice in late February.
“With more New Yorkers getting vaccinated, and the steady decline over the past several weeks in cases and hospitalizations from Omicron, we are now entering a new phase of the pandemic,” Hochul said in a <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-plan-end-state-mask-requirement-schools-starting-march-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> at the time. “Because New Yorkers have stepped up, we can confidently remove the statewide mask requirement in our schools. This is a huge step forward for our kids and communities and I am grateful to the students, educators and parents for their dedication to keeping us all safe—we’ve reached this milestone because of your hard work.”
The state continues to encourage vaccination. However, the latest update from the state <a href="https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/08/2022-23-school-year-covid-19-faqs-for-schools_8-22-22.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">does not currently require</a> COVID vaccinations for students or staff to attend school for the 2022-2023 school year.
To help increase vaccination rates among students, Hochul has <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-updates-new-yorkers-states-progress-combating-covid-19-325" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the #VaxtoSchool initiative, a &#8220;multi-faceted statewide campaign aimed at increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates among school-aged New Yorkers.&#8221; The effort includes more than three dozen pop-up vaccination sites, with more to be added.
New York&#8217;s COVID case numbers on Friday, according to the announcement, included 5,062 positive cases and 13 deaths. More than 73,000 deaths statewide have been reported due to the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.
Other blue states have faced battles with schools and parents regarding COVID vaccination. California became the first state to require vaccination for public school attendance but later <a href="https://time.com/6167635/california-covid-vaccine-mandate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">postponed</a> the mandate until at least July 2023.
Washington, D.C., requires school students ages 12 and up to be fully vaccinated to attend class in person, making it one of the strictest mandates in the nation. Restrictions were <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/08/19/dc-schools-covid-rules-vaccinations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eased</a> as students first started the semester and have been given 20 days after the first day of school to get their shots to remain in class.

‘No More Quarantining’: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Announces End Of School COVID Restrictions

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Announces End Of School COVID Restrictions

COVID-19 Vaccine

Public Schools

Quarantine

Vaccine Mandate

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/monkeypox">Monkeypox</a> cases continue to rise in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york-city">New York City</a>, prompting officials to declare a public health emergency on Saturday while estimating that approximately 150,000 Big Apple residents face possible exposure.
The emergency declaration went into effect immediately and has allowed the state&#8217;s health department to issue orders under the New York City Health Code and access more funds and resources to &#8220;slow the spread&#8221; of the virus. New York&#8217;s Department of Heath reported at least 1,383 cases as of July 29. Of those numbers, New York City alone makes up for 1,289 cases. 
&#8220;This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment,&#8221; Mayor Eric Adams and Dr. Ashwin Vasan, the head of the New York City health and mental hygiene department, <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/555-22/new-york-city-health-department-declares-monkeypox-public-health-emergency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a joint statement.
Two days earlier, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order declaring a State Disaster Emergency in response to the outbreak. 
&#8220;More than one in four monkeypox cases in this country are in New York State, and we need to utilize every tool in our arsenal as we respond,&#8221; Hochul <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-declares-state-disaster-emergency-response-ongoing-monkeypox-outbreak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s especially important to recognize the ways in which this outbreak is currently having a disproportionate impact on certain at-risk groups.&#8221;
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the U.S. has at least 5,189 reported cases of Monkeypox, which spreads through skin-to-skin and extended face-to-face contact, hugging, kissing, and sexual intercourse. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and nasal congestion. The disease can also cause painful rashes and blisters.
While Monkeypox is not spread exclusively through sex, the disease infects gay men at a far higher rate than any other demographic. 
The Biden administration could declare Monkeypox a national public health emergency in the coming days, according to Politico. The announcement would come from the Department of Health and Human Services and give the federal agency the ability to new money and appoint new personnel. 
Last weekend, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the virus a &#8220;public health emergency of international concern.&#8221; Recent numbers indicate more than 18,000 cases and five deaths across 78 countries have spread since the current outbreak began spreading in May.
Roughly 70% of those cases were reported from Europe, while the Americas make up about 25%.
New York City marks the second major city in the United States, following San Francisco, to declare a public health emergency.
Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

Aerial view of Loser Manhattan skyline, New York City, USA

150,000 New Yorkers At Risk For Monkeypox, Officials Declare Public Health Emergency

Eric Adams

Monkeypox

World Health Organization

The man accused of attempting to assault Republican congressman and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york">New York</a> gubernatorial candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lee-zeldin">Lee Zeldin</a> (R-NY) with a weapon was released from police custody hours after the attack. 
The suspect, 43-year-old David G. Jakubonis of Fairport, New York, was charged with attempted second degree assault and was &#8220;released on his own recognizance&#8221; Thursday, <a href="https://www.monroecounty.gov/files/sheriff/Press%20Releases/2022/Rep.%20Zeldin%20Attack.pdf">according</a> to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. 
Zeldin was speaking on an outside stage at a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Perinton, New York, when Jakubonis allegedly ran onstage and told Zeldin, “You’re done.” Jakubonis then allegedly swung a weapon at Zeldin’s neck.
Zeldin’s attacker was wrestled to the ground and there were no injuries as a result of the incident. Shortly after the attack, Zeldin predicted that his attacker would be released from custody.
“The attacker will likely be instantly released under NY’s laws,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/leezeldin/status/1550352498078130176">tweeted</a>.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out following tonight’s attack in Fairport. Someone tried to stab me on stage during this evening’s rally, but fortunately, I was able to grab his wrist and stop him for a few moments until others tackled him,” the congressman also <a href="https://twitter.com/leezeldin/status/1550313386700849154">said</a>.  
AMVETS national Director Joe Chenelly tackled Zeldin’s attacker, according to Fox News. 
“His right hand came up, I assume out of his pocket, and he had a blade on his hand,&#8221; Chenelly<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/alleged-lee-zeldin-attempted-attacker-charged-felony-immediately-released-just-congressman-predicted"> told</a> Fox. &#8220;His fingers were like two finger holes in the blade and lunged at the congressman. And Congressman Zeldin blocked the first lunge. And then as he tried to lunge again, I grabbed him from behind and tackled him down to the ground and held him on the ground.”
A spokeswoman for Zeldin <a href="https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/22/lee-zeldin-attacked-ny-governor-candidate-us-congressman-campaign-stop-perinton-ny/65379950007/">said</a> that the incident was an example of “out of control crime and violence in New York.” 
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) condemned the attack, <a href="https://twitter.com/KathyHochul/status/1550295647865257984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1550295647865257984%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailycaller.com%2F2022%2F07%2F22%2Fny-gop-hochul-zeldin-assassination-attempt%2F">saying</a> that violence “has no place in New York.” 
Zeldin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-republican-congressman-and-ny-gubernatorial-candidate-lee-zeldin-attacked-at-campaign-event">handily</a> won the GOP nomination for governor last month and is now set to face Hochul, who took over for former Governor Andrew Cuomo following his resignation last August.
The House Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committee member has held his seat in Congress since 2015 despite his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-republican-lawmaker-reveals-cancer-diagnosis-and-status-of-treatment-regimen">battle with cancer</a> that began in 2020. Zeldin revealed last September that he received a cancer diagnosis in November 2020 and had achieved complete remission.
Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

Congresman Lee Zeldin Calls for Repealing Cashless Bail

Alleged Attacker Of Republican Congressman Released From Custody

Alleged Attacker Of New York Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin Released From Custody

Crime

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york-city">New York City</a> family has given Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kathy-hochul">Kathy Hochul</a>&#8216;s campaign hundreds of thousands of dollars, while the state has paid the family&#8217;s company more than half a billion dollars.
Entrepreneur Charlie Tebele&#8217;s family donated close to $300,000 to Hochul&#8217;s campaign, according to an investigative <a href="https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/A-single-family-has-donated-300K-to-Hochul-17310875.php">report</a> by the Times Union published Tuesday.
Meanwhile, New York paid hundreds of millions for COVID tests to Tebele&#8217;s company, Digital Gadgets. Since December, the New York Health Department has paid Digital Gadgets $637 million in taxpayer funds for COVID test kits, records show.
The health department reportedly did not conduct any competitive bidding before ordering the COVID tests from the company and paying it the enormous sum.
Digital Gadgets, which is based in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-jersey">New Jersey</a>, normally makes and sells electronic devices to the home shopping network QVC and others, the Times Union reported. Like many other companies, the electronics wholesaler began making medical equipment in 2020 in response to the pandemic.
Hochul <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/kathy-hochuls-new-york-sent-600-million-in-no-bid-covid-contracts-to-dem-megadonors-company/">signed</a> a state of emergency executive order back in November for COVID-related purchases, suspending competitive bidding as well as the contract review and approval process for some spending.
However, there was apparently no formal contract between the health department and Digital Gadgets, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli&#8217;s office said, and the department simply made &#8220;purchase orders&#8221; for the tests.
&#8220;DOH entered into 3 purchase orders totaling $637.6 million which served as agreements with Digital Gadgets for medical supplies. These purchase orders did not come to our office for review and approval,&#8221; a spokesperson for New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/hochul-administration-pays-637m-business-owned-donor-family">told</a> Fox Business. &#8220;Of this amount, $600K was paid and subsequently refunded from Digital Gadgets to the state.&#8221;
The money from the health department to Digital Gadgets was doled out in 239 separate payments from December 30 to March 25, according to the state comptroller&#8217;s website.
A Hochul senior advisor, Bryan Lesswing, told the Times Union that the state looked at several vendors, but Digital Gadgets was the only company that could deliver the large amount of COVID tests the state needed before schools reopened in January of this year. New York also bought COVID tests from other vendors, Lesswing said.
An attorney for Tebele told the outlet that Tebele &#8220;never had a conversation&#8221; with Hochul about the deal.
&#8220;At the height of omicron when even the federal government could not supply tests, Mr. Tebele supplied tens of millions of tests to the State of New York in record time,&#8221; attorney Harlan Lazarus said.
Tebele and his wife Nancy have a long history as political donors in New York. Both have reportedly donated the maximum amount allowed to Hochul, $69,700.
In recent years, Digital Gadgets has secured several separate lucrative contracts with New York state as well.
The company had at least two contracts for medical equipment with Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cuomo-nursing-home-scandal-worse-than-previously-reported-aides-spent-months-hiding-death-toll">Andrew Cuomo</a>&#8216;s administration, but on a $100,000 contract, no money has been paid out, and on a $600,000 contract, the money was returned, according to the Times Union.
The company also reportedly snagged $119 million in emergency no-bid contracts for COVID equipment at the height of the pandemic in spring 2020 from former New York City <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/de-blasio-claims-mandates-that-threaten-peoples-paychecks-and-their-dining-experience-are-good-for-business">Mayor Bill de Blasio</a>’s administration, right after the Tebele family donated about $44,000 to de Blasio’s campaigns and related PACS.
In another detail, both Hochul&#8217;s campaign and de Blasio&#8217;s presidential campaign reportedly hired a member of the Tebele family, a college student, Hochul paying him $3,700 a month to be a campaign fundraising &#8220;finance associate.&#8221;
Several of the Tebele family donors are <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/hochul-administration-pays-637m-business-owned-donor-family">listed</a> in campaign filings as having the same address. State law prohibits political donors from being reimbursed by someone else for campaign donations.
&#8220;Mr. Tebele’s children are successful businesspeople in their own right and make political donations independent of their father,&#8221; Tebele&#8217;s attorney said.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul

New York Family Gave Hochul $300K, State Paid Their Company $637M For COVID Tests

New York Family Gave Kathy Hochul $300K, State Paid Their Company $637 Million For COVID Tests

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