I’m a lifelong Democrat, and I cannot keep silent whereas Andrew Cuomo tries to rewrite historical past and promote himself as our savior. He isn’t the reply. He was the architect of most of the crises we face right now. He betrayed our belief, abused his energy, and left workplace in shame.
Cuomo resigned to flee impeachment after the lawyer normal confirmed he sexually harassed a number of ladies. That alone ought to disqualify him from any future workplace.
His coverage file is simply as damning. For years, he ran social experiments on New Yorkers. He pushed bail adjustments that stripped judges of discretion. He jammed by way of discovery guidelines that crippled prosecutions and sidelined victims. He moved violent teenagers into juvenile amenities with Elevate the Age. He restricted self-discipline in harmful amenities with HALT and referred to as it reform. He watered down parole penalties with Much less Is Extra.
Crime rose, repeat offenders cycled by way of, and the general public misplaced confidence. That was Cuomo’s agenda, and New Yorkers paid the value.
Throughout the pandemic, he confirmed the identical vanity and contempt for accountability. He pressured nursing houses to simply accept COVID-positive sufferers, and hundreds of seniors died in consequence. My very own mom was one of many 15,000 seniors we misplaced. His administration hid the true toll and performed video games with the info.
He imposed guidelines that crushed small companies and saved schoolchildren out of school rooms for months. He focused Jewish communities for public shaming and selective enforcement. He put politics and optics above equity and information. He cashed in with a multimillion-dollar e book deal whereas employees on the general public payroll helped him produce it, at the same time as New Yorkers had been grieving and determined for trustworthy management.
Cuomo additionally imposed congestion pricing. He offered it as an answer, however it’s a new tax on working households who want a automobile for odd hours, instruments, caregiving, and jobs exterior the subway map. He rushed marijuana legalization with no enforcement plan and opened the door to a flood of unlawful retailers that prey on children and neighborhoods.
He closed prisons with out a plan for security or jobs. He disbanded his personal anti-corruption fee when it acquired near his inside circle. His financial growth program grew to become a logo of bid rigging and favoritism. Again and again, he put ambition and optics above the individuals of this state.
His scandals, investigations, authorized battles, and fallout have already price the general public greater than $65 million. New Yorkers paid for his mess whereas he tried to rehabilitate his picture.
Now he needs us to neglect all of that and hand him the keys once more. He needs moderates and independents to consider he’s a sufferer of politics. That’s false. He isn’t a sufferer. He’s the writer of his personal downfall. He already misplaced, and he left workplace in shame. He shouldn’t be rewarded with one other shot at energy.
New Yorkers deserve an actual alternative. Usually, our metropolis has a two-party race for mayor. This yr must be no totally different. Curtis Sliwa is on the poll because the nominee of a serious political celebration with an extended file of service.
He constructed the Guardian Angels into a world public security power. He has walked the streets, ridden the subways, and stood with victims when nobody else would. His marketing campaign has grassroots help, a critical platform, and the toughness to control.
Curtis has pledged to reverse the injury Cuomo created. He’ll pursue common sense adjustments to bail and parole that shield the general public and respect victims. He’ll crack down on unlawful smoke retailers that exploded beneath Cuomo’s rushed legalization. He’ll combat to cease congestion pricing from punishing working households.
He’ll publish clear dashboards so each New Yorker can monitor progress in actual time. He’ll respect each neighborhood, together with the Jewish neighborhood that Cuomo unfairly focused. He’ll maintain colleges open and college students studying as a result of kids ought to by no means once more be collateral injury for political theater.
This isn’t about celebration labels. I’m a Democrat, and I’m asking fellow Democrats, independents, and Republicans to place competence and integrity first. Cuomo can’t be trusted with energy. Curtis has earned the belief of New Yorkers by way of a long time of service and straight discuss.
If you’d like protected streets, trustworthy authorities, and aid for working individuals, select the candidate who has been there with you. Select the candidate who will stand as much as insiders and ship outcomes. Select the key celebration candidate who can win after which govern.
Andrew Cuomo just isn’t the reply. Curtis Sliwa is.
Holden represents components of Queens within the Metropolis Council.
