Rob Astorino Leads Demonstration in Front of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz' Office Against Bill A8378

 

Sunday afternoon brought colder weather, but that didn't stop around one hundred people from joining Republican Candidate for Governor Rob Astorino in a demonstration against Assembly Bill A 8378, (introduced by Assemblyman Dinowitz) a law that would mandate a COVID vaccination for children ages 2 - 18 to attend school. State Senator Brad Hoylman introduced the companion Senate Bill S7320. The demonstration took place outside Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz's Kingsbridge office. 

Astorino said that he and his wife have been vaccinated, but he had reservations about vaccinating young children when they are 99,8% immune to the virus. He continued that more is known now, than one year ago, but more information is needed. Astorino brought up term limits, while mentioning that Assemblyman Dinowitz has now been in office for over twenty-seven years. He added that thirty-seven states do not have mandates for children. He closed by saying if elected governor he would reverse any mandate that current Governor Kathy Hochul has put in place referring to the mask mandate for children in school.

The crowd of around one hundred people spilled out into the street, bringing the new 50th Precinct commanding officer Captain Girven and a couple of his community affairs officers. 

This wanted poster for Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, and State Senator Brad Hoylman was made up, for their introduction of a child vaccination mandate bill.

Rob Astorino (standing behind the Governor Astorino podium) speaks out against Assembly bill A8378, and Senate Bill S7320 that would mandate vaccination of school children ages 2 - 18 against COVID.

On the right hand side is a sign with a swastika on it, which Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz would make a statement about later, and is included at the end of this article.

While Astorino would be speaking to reporters, others in the background are putting signs all around the entrance to Assemblyman Dinowitz's office.

Signs against the state mandate to vaccinate children aged 2 - 18 were left all around the entrance of Assemblyman Dinowitz's office.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz shortly after the rally issued the following statement:

“I am disgusted and offended by the anti-Semitic imagery that was brought to my office by apparent supporters of Rob Astorino's failing gubernatorial campaign. People are free to express their opinions on vaccine policy and on any issue, but I draw the line at swastikas. I understand that Mr. Astorino is desperate for support for his struggling campaign for Governor, but to stand next to swastikas and yellow Stars of David outside of a Jewish legislator's office shows a lack of integrity at best and an embrace of right-wing extremism at worst. This is not who New York needs as Governor. I want to believe that this kind of unhinged embrace of Nazi symbols is why 95% of Republican leaders across the state chose to support somebody else for Governor, but the jury remains out on how many Republican leaders will condemn Mr. Astorino's embrace of anti-Semitism.

 

“On the substance of today's publicity stunt over my legislation to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the current list of required vaccines to attend school in New York, I refuse to be cowed by anti-Semites or anti-science extremists. Vaccine requirements have a demonstrably positive impact on vaccination rates, and vaccination rates have a demonstrably positive impact on reducing fatalities and hospitalizations from preventable diseases. Mr. Astorino wants you to ignore what you see with your own eyes and what you hear with your own ears by masquerading his anti-vax ideology as anti-mandate. It's bunk. His position is obviously anti-vaccine, as evidenced by the anti-vaccine signs and statements from the 40-50 people who attended his rally. New Yorkers ought not to be fooled by his double-speak, and Mr. Astorino must condemn in the strongest terms the anti-Semitic symbology to which he gave a platform this afternoon.”