Court Affirms Attorney General James’ Successful Suit Against Rensselaer County, Orders County to Increase Access to Early Voting Sites in Communities of Color

 

 Court Orders BOE to Find Accessible Sites in Troy by September 3  

 New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that a court ruled in favor of her lawsuit against the Rensselaer County Board of Elections (BOE) and ordered the BOE to select new early voting poll sites, following its failure to provide voters in the county with accessible early voting poll sites, specifically in communities of color. The Appellate Division, Third Department held that the BOE failed to adequately address whether selected early voting sites were accessible by public transportation and that the chosen sites likely did not provide convenient access for many Troy residents. The court ordered the BOE to select sites that would provide Troy voters with  adequate and equitable  access to early voting poll sites by September 3, 2021.  

“Today’s decision is a critical step to ensure fair access to the polls for all eligible New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “While places like Georgia and Texas continue to make it harder for communities of color to vote, New York must continue to safeguard the right to vote throughout the state. I will always fight against any attempt to infringe on this most basic democratic right.”  

In May 2021, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against the Rensselaer County BOE and its commissioners, Jason Schofield and Edward McDonough, for failing to provide voters in Rensselaer County with adequate and equitable access to early voting poll sites, as required by New York’s Early Voting law. The lawsuit alleged that when the BOE and its commissioners selected early voting sites, they ignored criteria that were required by law to take into account when determining poll sites. Despite the availability of potential early voting sites in Troy, the BOE and its commissioners repeatedly refused to select an early voting site that was easily accessible to Troy residents, where the majority of the county’s Black, Hispanic, and lower-income communities reside. The lawsuit followed multiple attempts by the Office of the Attorney General, as well as various advocacy, community, and faith-based organizations in and around Rensselaer County to urge the BOE to select additional or alternative early voting sites, but the BOE has continuously declined to do so.     

In June 2021, a  judge ruled in favor of Attorney General James' request for an injunction against the BOE in this case.    

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers On State's Progress Combating COVID-19

 

59,839 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

25 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"As we approach back to school season, it's crucial to keep our children, teachers and other school staff in our minds and get vaccinated," Governor Hochul said. "The vaccine is the best option we have when it comes to keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe. If you haven't already, go out and get your vaccination as soon as you can."

 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 160,554
• Total Positive - 5,407
• Percent Positive - 3.37%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.18%
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,191 (+48)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 312
• Patients in ICU - 441 (+19)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 214 (+5)
• Total Discharges - 191,582 (+283)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 25
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 43,458
  • The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.
  • Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 55,440
    • This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

• Total vaccine doses administered - 23,414,005
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 59,839
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 337,155
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 76.2%

• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 69.3%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 78.9%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 70.9%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 64.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 57.9%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 66.6%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 59.4%

Doctor Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In Prison For Conspiring To Distribute Thousands Of Oxycodone Pills Illegally

 

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Dr. EMMANUEL LAMBRAKIS, a former state-licensed doctor, was sentenced this afternoon to 188 months in prison for conspiring to distribute medically unnecessary oxycodone unlawfully.  LAMBRAKIS pled guilty on November 26, 2019, before U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III, and was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. 

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Dr. Emmanuel Lambrakis wrote medically unnecessary prescriptions for thousands of oxycodone pills – an addictive and potentially fatal opiate.  Instead of abiding by his oath to ‘do no harm,’ Lambrakis pumped deadly drugs into the community.  Lambrakis put his own greed before his duties as a medical professional, and for that he will now spend a lengthy term in federal prison.”

According to the Complaint, the Indictment, and other court documents, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:

Oxycodone is a highly addictive, narcotic opioid that is used to treat severe and chronic pain conditions.  Oxycodone prescriptions are in high demand and can be resold on the street for thousands of dollars.  A single prescription for 120 30-milligram tablets of oxycodone can net an illicit distributor $2,400 in cash or more.

From at least approximately January 2011 until December 2016, LAMBRAKIS operated two medical clinics in Queens, New York, where LAMBRAKIS wrote numerous medically unnecessary prescriptions for large quantities of oxycodone in exchange for cash payments.  LAMBRAKIS typically charged approximately $150 in cash for “patient visits,” and these visits often involved numerous “patients” being seen by LAMBRAKIS at the same time in the same examination room.  During these “patient visits,” LAMBRAKIS would perform simple, perfunctory body manipulations (such as rotating the patient’s arm or leg) and engage in little or no conversation with the purported “patient.”  Nonetheless, LAMBRAKIS would then issue to the patient a prescription for a large quantity of oxycodone, most often 120 30-milligram tablets or more.

Between January 2011 and December 2016, LAMBRAKIS wrote hundreds of oxycodone prescriptions, resulting in the illicit distribution of thousands of oxycodone tablets.  On numerous occasions, LAMBRAKIS wrote 100 or more prescriptions for 30-milligram oxycodone pills in a single day.  As a result of LAMBRAKIS’s actions, LAMBRAKIS collected approximately more than $3 million in fees from his “patients.”

LAMBRAKIS, 74, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to unlawfully distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone. 

In addition to the prison term, LAMBRAKIS was sentenced to three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $3,093,000, representing the amount he gained from issuing medically unnecessary oxycodone prescriptions.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad, which comprises agents and officers from the DEA, the NYPD, the New York State Police, Town of Orangetown Police Department, Rockland County Drug Task Force, Westchester County Police Department, and New York City Department of Investigation.  She also acknowledged the assistance of the Department of Health & Human Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the New York City Human Resources Administration, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Attorney General James’ Statement on Appointment of Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin

 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement on the appointment of State Senator Brian Benjamin as Lieutenant Governor of New York:

“State Senator Brian Benjamin has long been a champion for communities in New York City, and as our next Lieutenant Governor, I know he will continue this fight for all New Yorkers. His track record and commitment to public service will help advance our state, and I look forward to working with him in his new capacity. Congratulations to our new Lieutenant Governor, Brian Benjamin. I know you will serve New Yorkers well.”

Governor Hochul Announces Selection of Senator Brian Benjamin for Lieutenant Governor

 

Senator Benjamin and Governor Hochul Share History of Working Together on Key Issues, Including Ending the Opioid Epidemic, Supporting MWBEs and Voting Reforms

  

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the selection of Brian Benjamin for Lieutenant Governor. Senator Benjamin and Governor Hochul have previously worked together on several key issues, including fighting the opioid epidemic and boosting addiction recovery programs, supporting MWBE business owners and making it easier for New Yorkers to vote.

Senator Benjamin previously served as the New York State Senator for District 30 - which encompasses Harlem, East Harlem, and the Upper West Side - Chairman of the Senate Committee on Revenue and Budget and Senior Assistant Majority Leader, where he distinguished himself as a leader in criminal justice reform and affordable housing. Senator Benjamin remains heavily involved in his community in Harlem.

"I believe that governing is about working together. Teamwork is the essence of effective leadership, and it is more important than ever as we confront the urgent problems facing the state," Governor Hochul said. "My administration is going to attract the best and the brightest -- people who share my values of working hard for the people of this state and who will get the job done - and that includes the newest member Senator Brian Benjamin who has agreed to serve as my Lieutenant Governor. There is so much work to do, and I am grateful to have him by my side as we implement our vision for a safer, healthier and fairer New York."

"I want to thank Governor Hochul for trusting me with the incredible honor of serving alongside her as Lieutenant Governor," said Senator Benjamin. "Governor Hochul is a collaborator who makes sure everyone has a seat at the table, and, like me, is laser focused on listening to the needs of New Yorkers and empowering local leaders. We have a strong history of collaboration that will help us to hit the ground running immediately as we help guide New York through this challenging moment in history."

Reverend Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network, said, "Whether it's life experience, race, background or otherwise, New York was built on a foundation of diversity and thanks to Governor Hochul's leadership, that foundation has already become a pillar of her administration with the selection of Brian Benjamin as our state's next Lieutenant Governor. From his early work to build affordable housing in Harlem as a community leader, to his advocacy as a longtime member of NAN, to his efforts as a Senator to solve the issues threatening the health and well-being of New Yorkers like the opioid crisis, Senator Benjamin has made a career of tackling the problems that have prevent far too many working families from lifting themselves up. This is a fantastic choice and I look forward to helping both Governor Hochul and Senator Benjamin begin this next chapter in New York's history."

Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, President of the NAACP New York State Conference, said,"From his work helping fight the opioid crisis to his work to help Minority and Women Owned businesses thrive, Brian Benjamin has spent his career focused on the issues that impact everyday New Yorkers and I am so excited to see him continue that work as our state's Lieutenant Governor. In just a few days, Governor Hochul has already set New York on a path for success and this selection only further solidifies that point. I am so excited to begin working with the Governor's administration to move New York forward and extend my sincerest congratulations to Senator Benjamin."

Senator Benjamin was born in Harlem to a Caribbean mother who came to this country seeking new opportunities. Though they didn't have a college education, his parents were fortunate enough to find well-paying union jobs, which allowed them to provide Senator Benjamin and his siblings with a middle class upbringing. After graduating from high school in New York City, Senator Benjamin sought the quality education his parents had dreamed of providing him with, earning his undergraduate degree in Public Policy from Brown University and his MBA from Harvard Business School.

After school, Senator Benjamin returned to Harlem to build affordable housing, creating over a thousand units of environmentally sustainable, affordable housing at an MWBE while helping young people develop work skills and secure good construction jobs through community youth programs.

In his community, Senator Benjamin worked to preserve the character of Harlem and help keep the community affordable. He helped countless young people at Harlem's Wadleigh High School achieve a brighter future since launching a mentoring program in 2013, and he is honored to serve as an alumni-elected trustee of Brown University. Senator Benjamin is also an active member of Harlem's historic First Corinthian Baptist Church.

During his time in the New York State Senate, Senator Benjamin successfully pushed for the divestment of the state public pension funds from private prisons in 2018, and the following year he introduced a bill to forbid state-chartered banks from such investments as well, which helped pressure Bank of America to end their relationship with Geo Group and Core Civic. Senator Benjamin's proposal to keep rent controlled apartments affordable was a part of the history-making Tenant Protection Act of 2019, the largest expansion of tenant's rights in decades. In his first term, he served as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Civil Service and Pensions, where he looked to defend the public pensions of hard working public servants like his parents while ensuring the pension money was invested in a manner that reflected New York's values.

AIR QUALITY HEALTH ADVISORY ISSUED FOR LONG ISLAND AND NEW YORK CITY METRO In Effect for Friday, Aug. 27, 2021

 

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for the Long Island and New York City Metro regions for Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. 

The pollutant of concern is: Ozone 

The advisory will be in effect 11 a.m. through 11 p.m. 

DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. 

OZONE 

Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and are the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere. 

People, especially young children, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma) should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening). When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce your exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor. 

Ozone levels generally decrease at night and can be minimized during daylight hours by curtailment of automobile travel and the use of public transportation where available. 

New Yorkers also are urged to take the following energy-saving and pollution-reducing steps: 

• use mass transit or carpool instead of driving, as automobile emissions account for about 60 percent of pollution in our cities; 
• conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions by combining necessary motor vehicle trips; 
• turn off all lights and electrical appliances in unoccupied areas; 
• use fans to circulate air. If air conditioning is necessary, set thermostats at 78 degrees; 
• close the blinds and shades to limit heat build-up and to preserve cooled air; 
• limit use of household appliances. If necessary, run the appliances at off-peak (after 7 p.m.) hours. These would include dishwashers, dryers, pool pumps and water heaters; 
• set refrigerators and freezers at more efficient temperatures; 
• purchase and install energy efficient lighting and appliances with the Energy Star label; and 
• reduce or eliminate outdoor burning and attempt to minimize indoor sources of PM 2.5 such as smoking. A toll-free Air Quality Hotline (1-800-535-1345) has been established by DEC to keep New Yorkers informed of the latest Air Quality situation.  

Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and on DOH's website.  

The Friday, Aug. 27, Air Quality Health Advisory regions consist of the following: Region 1 Long Island, which includes Nassau and Suffolk counties and Region 2 New York City Metro, which includes New York City, Rockland, and Westchester counties. 

Rep. Jamaal Bowman Statement on Kabul Bombings

 

 Rep. Jamaal Bowman issued the following statement Thursday after suicide bombers at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul killed at least 12 American service members and at least 60 Afghan civilians:

 

“The act of terrorism today in Kabul and loss of life are absolutely devastating. Our prayers and condolences are with the families and loved ones of the 12 U.S. service members and scores of Afghans killed and injured today. It is because of the work and bravery of our service members that more than 100,000 people have been able to evacuate safely so far. We are praying for the safety of those still trying to evacuate and the service members still on the ground. 

 

“The Biden administration’s top priority must be to continue to evacuate as many Americans and Afghans as possible over the coming days and avoid any additional violence, and we stand ready to help however we can. My office is working with federal agencies to facilitate evacuations and are monitoring how the bombing today affects those efforts. Constituents looking for assistance on cases pertaining to Afghanistan, or anyone who knows someone who is looking for help, should reach out to our office at the following address: bowman.casework@mail.house.gov, and our team will get back to you as quickly as possible.”

 

Espaillat Statement on the Terrorist Attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport

 

Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat released the following statement in response to President Biden's remarks on the bombings at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan that killed 12 American service members, dozens of innocent civilians, and injured many more: "The terrorist attack that took place today outside of Kabul airport was horrific, heinous, and an act of cowardice. I mourn the loss of innocent life lost to this tragedy, and I express my deepest condolences to the loved ones of the servicemembers, American citizens, and Afghan allies we lost today. The United States must do everything possible to ensure justice for those who lost their lives in the line of duty carrying out these evacuation efforts," said Rep. Espaillat. "I thank the brave men and women of our Armed Forces, as well our nation's diplomats, who continue to put their lives on the line to ensure the United States' evacuation mission continues - even in light of today's attacks. We must not - and will not - be deterred from the critical mission at hand, and I thank President Biden for his commitment to our troops, our allies, and the American people in continuing this evacuation. "To forfeit the evacuation mission would dishonor the sacrifice these men and women made for our country and for the people of Afghanistan," Espaillat concluded.