11th City Council Candidate gets a Boost from Mayoral and Public Advocate Candidates

  Mr. Michael Rendino the Bronx Republican County Leader brought some big names to help show off his Republican candidate for the 11th City Council district in November's General Election. Pictured above Republican County Leader Rendino is between Mayoral candidate Paul Massey (right) and 11th City Council candidate Judah D. Powers on the left.

  While both Powers and Massey may be new to politics they showed off that they each know the problems of the city and the 11th council district. Massey comes from the real estate field, and has been married for 29 years. He spoke about something that seems to be missing that being family values. Massey spoke of some of what is wrong with the current administration from trying to fine small businesses to death to Quality of life issues that have come up in the news recently. Massey, as an expert on housing said that there will be a real housing crisis soon as a good percentage of New York City's housing is nearing the same age as the subway system, that being over 100 years old. 

  Mr. J.C. Polonco a former Board of Elections Commissioner, and political commentator and consultant was more direct in his quest to be the next Public Advocate. Mr. Polonco didn't attack the current Public Advocate like Mr. Massey did to the current mayor, but he stressed that the current Public Advocate has not been doing her job as Public Advocate by not questioning the policies and dealings of the current mayor. The Pay to Play scandal was mentioned with the current Public Advocate doing nothing to be a check on the mayor as the position was made to be. He said that a television Station had to sue for information on the mayor's dealings with certain Agents of the City which the current Public Advocate should have done. 

  Candidate Judah Powers said that more needs to be done for the people of the 11th district, and while not coming out by saying it directly he said that the 11th Council District needs a representative who will look out for them, He was vague on policy, but said that he and people he has spoken with are not happy with the way things are headed in the district.

  Bronx Republican Leader Michael Rendino said that if people want to see better leaders that they should vote for the candidates backed by the Bronx Republican Party, and not just go in tto vote blindly for a slate of candidates they are given. He said that all three candidates at the meeting have been endorsed by the Bronx Republican Party. 

Above - Bronx Republican County Leader Michael Rendino welcomes everyone to meet and hear the candidates of the Bronx Republican Party.

Below - Republican Party Public Advocate candidate J.C. Polonco explains why he is better qualified for the job of Public Advocate than the current Public Advocate. 

  One special note is that this is the same place that the Ben Franklin Democratic Club had their 2014 endorsement meeting to vote to endorse State Senator Jeff Klein for  re-election over one of the Democratic club's founding fathers and former Councilman Oliver Koppell. 

More Than $23 Million In Assets Recovered From The Estates Of Bernard Madoff’s Sons And From His Daughter-In-Law

Recovered Assets Will Be Used to Compensate Victims of the Madoff Fraud

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,  Irving Picard, the Securities Investor Protection Act (“SIPA”) Trustee, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), today announced the recovery of more than $23 million in assets from the Estates of Andrew and Mark Madoff, and from Mark Madoff’s widow, Stephanie Mack, representing funds transferred to them by Bernard Madoff.  A Stipulation and Order of Settlement effecting the recovery was signed yesterday by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.  The assets will be liquidated and distributed to victims either through the Madoff Victim Fund, which was established by the Department of Justice, or through the BLMIS Customer Fund, which is administered and the SIPA Trustee.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “To date, this Office has recovered more than $9 billion in funds for victims of Bernard Madoff’s fraud. Today’s agreement, one of the final pieces in the Government’s eight-year effort to provide justice for Madoff’s victims, demonstrates our commitment not only to holding wrongdoers accountable, but also compensating victims of criminal fraud.”

SIPA Trustee Irving Picard said:  “Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of ongoing investigations by our legal teams and our negotiations with the Madoff family. The outcome marks another significant milestone in the eight years of the Madoff Recovery Initiative, during which we have recovered or reached agreements to recover more than $11.5 billion and distributed more than $9 billion to Madoff’s victims.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “The investment scheme of Madoff’s was so devastating to so many investors who trusted his firm with their money. Today’s announcement of more than $23 million recovered is another small step we can take to try to make things right for the victims of Madoff’s massive Ponzi scheme.”

According to the Stipulation and Order of Settlement (the “Stipulation”) and other documents filed in connection with the criminal and civil forfeiture cases relating to the Madoff fraud:

For decades, Bernard L. Madoff (“MADOFF”) used his position as Chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities (“BLMIS”), the investment advisory business he founded in 1960, to steal billions from his clients.  On March 12, 2009, MADOFF pled guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle. 

MADOFF’s sons, Andrew and Mark Madoff (“ANDREW” and “MARK”), worked for MADOFF at BLMIS, amassing substantial assets from their employment there.  To fuel their luxurious lifestyle, MADOFF frequently provided money to members of his family, including millions of dollars to ANDREW and MARK.  As part of these transfers, ANDREW and MARK issued a series of seven promissory notes, with face value of $28.15 million in total (the “Notes”), to MADOFF, promising to repay the money provided by MADOFF, with interest, after the period of years specified in each Note.  Included in this amount is one Note for $6.5 million that was co-signed by MARK’s wife, Stephanie Mack (“MACK”).   

Following MADOFF’s arrest, his property was seized.  On June 29, 2009, United States District Judge Denny Chin sentenced MADOFF to 150 years in prison for running the largest fraudulent scheme in history.  Describing MADOFF’s crimes as “extraordinarily evil,” Judge Chin ordered MADOFF to forfeit $170,799,000,000 as part of MADOFF’s sentence.  In a final order of forfeiture dated February 16, 2016, Judge Chin ordered the Notes forfeited to the United States.

MARK passed away in 2010, and ANDREW passed away in 2014.  The Stipulation resolves the Government’s claims against the Estates of ANDREW and MARK (the “ESTATES”) and MACK based on the Notes, as well as various claims asserted against them by the SIPA Trustee.  Pursuant to the terms of the Stipulation, the agreement must also be approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stuart M. Bernstein, who oversees the SIPA Trustee’s efforts in bankruptcy court. 

The Stipulation requires the ESTATES and MACK to relinquish cash, securities, and liquid assets worth a total of more than $23 million, as well as various interests in additional corporate assets held by the ESTATES.  These additional corporate assets will be liquidated and the proceeds added to the total recovery.  The total recovery will be split evenly between the Government and the SIPA Trustee, and then distributed to victims of the Madoff fraud. 

The Government’s portion will be distributed to victims through the Madoff Victim Fund.  The Madoff Victim Fund is funded through recoveries by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in various criminal and civil forfeiture actions, and is overseen by Richard Breeden, the former Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, in his capacity as Special Master appointed by the Department of Justice to assist in connection with the victim remission proceedings. 

Mr. Kim praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the SIPA Trustee.    

Two Afghan Men Plead Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Conspiring To Import Hundreds Of Kilograms Of Heroin Into The United States

   Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LAJBAR LAJAWARD KHAN, a/k/a “Haji Lajaward,” and AMAL SAID SAID ALAM SHAH, a/k/a “Haji Zar Mohammad,” pled guilty to conspiring to import heroin into the United States, and to distributing heroin intending that the heroin would be imported into the United States. LAJAWARD and SAID pled guilty earlier today to a Superseding Indictment in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As these two defendants admitted today, they conspired and attempted to import heroin into the United States from Afghanistan. Indeed, as the investigation revealed, they intended to import so much heroin into the United States from Afghanistan that their ‘sample’ shipment, meant as a test run for future shipments to the U.S., was three kilograms of heroin. We will continue to work with the DEA to curb the importation of heroin, a lethal drug that plagues every community right now.”

According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment to which LAJAWARD and SAID pled guilty, statements made during the plea and other court proceedings, and other documents in the public record:

LAJAWARD and SAID, two Afghan nationals, were part of a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) based in Afghanistan that produced and distributed large quantities of heroin. Between approximately May 2014 and June 2015, LAJAWARD and SAID worked together in an effort to import large quantities of heroin – in the range of 1,000 kilograms – from Afghanistan into the United States.

In August 2014, LAJAWARD began communicating by telephone with an individual he understood to be a New York-based narcotics trafficker, who was in fact an undercover agent of the DEA (the “UC”). LAJAWARD, in sum and substance, told the UC that he was interested in supplying large quantities of high-quality heroin for importation into the United States, where it would be sold for millions of dollars. In the course of the calls between LAJAWARD and the UC, LAJAWARD introduced the UC to one of LAJAWARD’s heroin-trafficking associates, SAID.

On October 30, 2014, LAJAWARD and the UC met in person in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In the course of that recorded meeting, in sum and substance, LAJAWARD continued to express his interest in supplying large quantities of heroin to the UC for importation into the United States, and LAJAWARD offered to supply a sample of heroin to the UC, as a test shipment to be sold in the United States. In the months following that meeting in Dubai, in the course of recorded telephone calls with the UC, LAJAWARD and SAID arranged to supply a three-kilogram sample of heroin in Kabul, Afghanistan (the “Heroin Sample”).

During those recorded calls, LAJAWARD, SAID, and the UC agreed that the delivery of the three-kilogram Heroin Sample would occur in Kabul on or about January 15, 2015. On that day, an undercover Afghan law enforcement officer, acting at the direction of the DEA and posing as an associate of the UC, met with LAJAWARD and one of LAJAWARD’s associates in Kabul and received delivery of the three-kilogram Heroin Sample. In parallel, over 1,000 miles away in Dubai, the UC met with another associate of LAJAWARD to pay for the Heroin Sample, as had been arranged during recorded calls between the UC and LAJAWARD. At that meeting, which was recorded, the UC paid $10,500 to the associate for the Heroin Sample.

About two weeks later, on January 28, 2015, SAID met with the UC in Dubai. During that recorded meeting, in sum and substance, SAID discussed the Heroin Sample that the DTO had recently supplied for importation into the United States, stated that the DTO was prepared to supply 1,000 kilograms of heroin to the UC, and indicated that it would only take the DTO about 15 days to produce 100 kilograms of heroin for shipment to the United States.

On April 2, 2015, SAID met again with the UC in Dubai. During that recorded meeting, SAID and the UC negotiated additional details of the agreement for the DTO to supply massive quantities of heroin for importation into the United States, including that LAJAWARD and SAID would share in the profits generated from the sale of the heroin in the United States. SAID also agreed, in sum and substance, that he and LAJAWARD would meet the UC in Thailand, for purposes of finalizing the heroin deal, and for LAJAWARD and SAID to receive their share of the profits generated from the purported sale in the United States of the three-kilogram Heroin Sample previously supplied by the DTO.

In June 2015, LAJAWARD and SAID traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to meet with the UC. On June 13, 2015, LAJAWARD and SAID were arrested in Bangkok by Thai authorities based on the charges in this case, at the request of U.S. authorities. LAJAWARD and SAID were later brought to the United States to face the charges against them.

LAJAWARD, 52, of Afghanistan, and SAID, 46, also of Afghanistan, each pled guilty to one count of conspiring to import one kilogram and more of heroin into the United States, and to one count of distributing or attempting to distribute one kilogram and more of heroin, knowing and intending that it would be imported into the United States. LAJAWARD and SAID each face a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Sentencing is scheduled for November 1, 2017, at 3:30 p.m., before Judge Wood.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division; the DEA’s Kabul, Dubai, Tokyo, and Bangkok Country Offices; the DEA’s New York Field Division; the CNP-A Sensitive Investigative Unit of the Afghan Ministry of the Interior; the Dubai Police Department and the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Emirati Ministry of Interior; Japan’s National Police Agency and the Saitama Prefectural Police; Thailand’s Sensitive Investigative Unit of the Royal Thai Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau; Thailand’s Attorney General’s Office; Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; INTERPOL; the U.S. Department of State; and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.

RIKERS ISLAND INMATE CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED FORCIBLE TOUCHING OF FEMALE CORRECTION OFFICER

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Rikers Island inmate has been convicted of Attempted Forcible Touching of a female correction officer. 

   District Attorney Clark said, “The sexual degradation of a correction officer doing her job is disgusting and unacceptable. We will seek justice for any crimes committed on Rikers Island, and I hope this conviction reinforces our message that we will hold offenders accountable.” 

   District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Chavarr Gilliam, 26, was convicted on June 21, 2017 after a bench trial before Criminal Court Judge Bahaati Pitt of Attempted Forcible Touching and second-degree Harassment. He faces up to three months in jail when he is sentenced on July 12, 2017. The defendant is serving 18 years in prison for a robbery conviction and was being held at Rikers Island on a pending Manhattan case.

  According to the investigation, on February 7, 2017, in the George R. Vierno Center, Gilliam passed a female correction officer and proceeded to touch her buttocks in front of several other inmates.

  District Attorney Clark thanked Department of Correction Investigator Phil Lee, DOC liaison Scott Frank and former Assistant District Attorney Travis Long.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES THAT FIVE TIMES MORE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS APPLIED TO CUNY FOR FREE

36,336 students saved $65 as a result of application fee elimination – a total of more than $2 million across New York City families  

  Mayor Bill de Blasio, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives Richard Buery, and CUNY Chancellor James B. Milliken today announced that 36,336 students took advantage of the CUNY fee elimination when applying to college for the 2017-18 school year. In previous years, only 6,500 students received fee waivers annually. The expansion is only possible because of mayoral control of New York City schools, and the total savings for families across New York City amounts to $2,368,470.

The fee elimination was announced in September 2016 as part of Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Fariña’s College Access for All initiative, removing a barrier to college for low-income students. College Access for All is one of the initiatives in the Equity and Excellence for All agenda, which builds on record-high graduation and college enrollment rates as a result of mayoral control of New York City schools, and aims to ensure that by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time and two-thirds of graduates are college-ready.

“We believe nothing should stand in the way of a path to college and a meaningful career. That’s why we eliminated the CUNY application fee for low-income students to help remove a barrier standing in the way for many families,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “As we work towards equity and excellence for all students, we’ll continue to remove barriers and add resources to ensure our students have every opportunity afforded to them.”

  

“As the first person in my family to attend college, I understand how important it is to remove barriers. Eliminating the CUNY fee for low-income students has made the path to college a little smoother for 36,000 more families, and it goes hand-in-hand with our College Access for All work to level the playing field, like taking students on college trips in middle school, providing more support in high school, and offering the SAT for free during the school day,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

“We knew when we announced this policy last fall that it would make a world of difference for the City’s many talented young people who are discouraged from applying to college each year due to the financial burden of application fees. The jump from just over 6,000 students applying to CUNY for free in years past to more than 36,000 in the first year of the expansion alone demonstrates a critical need being met. This is a great example of the impact we can make with smart policies that will help children all across this City reach their full potential in their education and in their lives,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives Richard Buery.

Mayor de Blasio is making the announcement at the graduation ceremony of The Urban Assembly Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice, where he also met with seniors earlier this year and announced a 72.6 percent high school graduation rate – up from about 50 percent in the years before mayoral control of New York City schools. At The Urban Assembly Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice, almost all of the 95 graduating students took advantage of the CUNY fee elimination, up from fewer than 20 students who received a fee waiver last year. The Urban Assembly Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice received new training and support to build a college-going culture this year through the College Access for All initiative, and will be able to take all its 7^th-graders to visit college campuses next school year. The school will also add new AP courses through AP for All next school year.

Building on record-high graduation rates, record-high college enrollment rates, record-low dropout rates, and a high-quality pre-K seat for every New York City 4-year-old – all achievements under mayoral control – Equity and Excellence for All is creating a path from pre-K to college and careers for every child in every neighborhood in New York City.

In addition to eliminating the CUNY application fee for tens of thousands of additional students, through College Access for All, by 2018-19, every middle school student will have the opportunity to visit a college campus and every high school student will graduate with an individual college and career plan. The initiative has also made the SAT exam available free of charge during the school day for all high school juniors. College Access for All is also supporting new training and funding for 100 high schools to build a schoolwide college and career culture; funding for 28 additional high schools to hire alumni “bridge coaches” to ensure graduating seniors follow through on their plans to enroll in college in the fall; and funding for new Student Success Centers – college and career planning hubs – serving 15 schools at 4 campuses. 

From Pre-K for All to College Access for All, the Equity and Excellence for All initiatives are building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our schools are starting earlier – free, full-day, high-quality education for three-year-olds and four-year-olds through 3-K for All and Pre-K for All. They are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier – Universal Literacy so that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade; and Algebra for All to improve elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensure that all 8th graders have access to algebra. They are offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework – Computer Science for All brings 21st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All will give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools. Efforts to create more diverse and inclusive classrooms through Diversity in New York City Public Schools, the City’s school diversity plan, are central to this pathway.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

While this is an impressive number of applications, we are going to have to wait to see how many students are accepted, finish the first year of college, and then how many are able to graduate in four years. 

This was done many years ago when it was called Open Enrollment where if you were in the top half of your graduating class you were given free college acceptance into a CUNY College.

There is no mention of how many students are to be accepted and it will have to be seen how many do finish college or drop out. 

FAMILY-FRIENDLY SUMMER FUN: MAYOR ANNOUNCES NEW IDNYC BENEFITS

IDNYC unveils new partnerships to make more entertainment and cultural activities available for family-friendly summer fun & online payment for lost or stolen cards

  Mayor de Blasio announced today new family-friendly benefit partners for IDNYC’s over 1 million cardholders to enjoy starting this summer. Additionally, cardholders will now be able to prepay for their lost or stolen card on the IDNYC web portal and pick up their replacement IDNYC at an enrollment station most convenient for them. The City is committed to making IDNYC more useful and essential for even more New Yorkers, building on its groundbreaking growth as a government-issued identification for every New Yorker 14 and above, regardless of immigration status.

“IDNYC continues to prove a more useful tool for New Yorkers,” saidMayor Bill de Blasio. “Having IDNYC in your pocket is a passport to family-friendly fun all summer long, connecting you with outdoor activities and world-class cultural institutions across our great city.”

“Every year we make IDNYC even more indispensable than before for New Yorkers,” said Nisha Agarwal, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “As students enjoy summer break, these entertainment and cultural discounts will allow more families to spend time together at a bargain. Our new online payment feature will make taking advantage of IDNYC even easier for the busiest people in the world: New Yorkers.”

“IDNYC’s innovative approach continues with our new online payment feature, allowing cardholders to prepay for their replacement IDNYC through our online portal,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “Under Mayor de Blasio’s leadership, we have continued investing in technology that makes City government more responsive and efficient, so that we can provide all New Yorkers with equal access to the benefits and services available to them.”

“IDNYC is a key that opens up a range of cultural experiences in all five boroughs, with zoos, museums, theaters, and gardens offering cardholders free membership benefits,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl. “We are thrilled that New Victory Theater and other groups are joining the dozens of IDNYC cultural partners that provide programming for New Yorkers of all ages just in time for summer.”

IDNYC has launched new partnerships with entertainment and cultural institutions that are fun for the whole family. The new partners are listed below:

KidPass: With a KidPass membership, families can find and plan a wealth of great activities for their children. With IDNYC, households can receive either a 50 percent discount on one purchase of a one month membership plan or a 20 percent discount for a three month membership plan.

Bike New York: Bike New York provides bike education trainings for New Yorkers of all ages. With IDNYC, individuals can receive a 50 percent discount on their first-time one-year membership. With this membership they can join exclusive Social Rides, receive Early Access registration for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, as well as acquire discounts on tune-ups and new parts.

Gulliver’s Gate: At Gulliver’s Gate, people will engage in exploration of the world at miniature, traveling from the Taj Mahal to the Panama Canal and beyond. With IDNYC, individuals can receive a 25 percent discount for the regular entry fee.

Victorian Gardens Amusement Park: Since 2003, Victorian Gardens has been an institution with families looking for great rides and entertainment, nestled in the Wollman Rink of Central Park. With IDNYC, individuals can receive two admission tickets for the price of one.

New Victory Theater: In Times Square, New Yorkers can receive a night of family-friendly theater performances at the oldest operating theater in New York City. With IDNYC, individuals can receive a 20 percent discount on tickets for all evening performances (5PM and 7PM).

Starting today, IDNYC cardholders will be able to prepay on IDNYC’s website, nyc.gov/idnyc, for replacements for lost or stolen cards using their major credit cards, debit cards, and checking accounts. This will allow cardholders to process their replacement application at any convenient IDNYC enrollment center, including pop-up enrollment centers, in addition to Department of Finance locations.

REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT LEADS CHARGE OPPOSING EFFORTS TO RENAME HARLEM

  Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) led officials and community leaders during a press conference in opposition to recent efforts by developers to rename Harlem.

“Harlem is a treasure of New York and has long stood as the center of black culture and African American history,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat. “I along with leaders and constituents of this community stand united to vigorously oppose the renaming of Harlem in yet another sanctioned gentrification. This is an incredibly insulting attempt to disown Harlem’s longtime residents, legacy, and culture – and we simply will not stand for it.”

"The community has spoken loud and clear: callous and exploitative attempts to rename the Village of Harlem will not be tolerated. Efforts to rebrand our historic neighborhood as "SoHa" not only ignores the innovators and institutions that came before, but aids in the displacement of families and long-time residents of Harlem" said NYS Senator Brian A. Benjamin.

“Harlem is and will always be a transcendent community and no self-interested businesses or landlords will ever change this fact. Long the epicenter of African American culture--a place that brought the world Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes--the cultural significance of Harlem is unassailable and the name resonates in the minds of millions. Not only is the notion that any portion of this historic community be named “SoHa” ridiculous on face, it likely does a disservice to those looking to promulgate the name, as tourists from around the world make a note to stop in Harlem on their visits New York. The fact remains that Harlem will always be Harlem and no amount of whitewashing promotion can change this,” said NY City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez.

In addition to NYS Senator Benjamin and NYC Councilman Rodriguez, Rep. Espaillat was joined at today’s event by former New York Governor David Paterson, Councilman Bill Perkins, former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, and others.

Rep. Espaillat has long been a vocal critic of the proposed name change of Harlem to “SoHa” and the purpose of this press event was to stand united with community leaders to reaffirm his support of the Harlem neighborhood, its historic landmarks, and legacy. Rep. Espaillat will introduce a House Resolution in Congress titled, Supporting the Protection of the Name Harlem, later this week

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NYC Council Member Mark Levine Statement on A Train Derailment

   “New Yorkers already know the City’s subway system has become unreliable, but today’s A train derailment was a frightening demonstration that in extreme cases it can even be a threat to public safety. The MTA needs to recognize the severity of the problem so we can start a new conversation about what solutions are necessary before another accident like this occurs -- not after.  These issues must be met with immediate and dramatic action.

New Yorkers have the right to a safe, reliable transit system so they can get to work, take their kids to school, and live their daily lives.

My thoughts are with the injured passengers and the families of those affected by today’s A train derailment. I am deeply grateful no lives were lost and applaud the NYPD and FDNY for their rapid response and safe evacuation of the passengers.”