Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Overall Crime in New York City Hits Record Low in 2019


NYPD Launches Youth Forum: New Cross-Agency Initiative to Prevent, Address and Curb Youth Violence

 New York City achieved record low overall index crime in 2019, improving upon last year's records for public safety and crime reduction in the modern era. In 2019, overall crime is lower than in 2018, dropping to a new benchmark of approximately 95,000 incidents – with 872 fewer victims than last year. This achievement comes as the New York City Police Department more effectively responds to an increasing volume of calls for help. Radio runs increased to 6.4 million last year, compared with 4.8 million in 2015, an increase of roughly 1.5 million radio runs citywide. Since 2015, response times for both crimes in progress and critical crimes have dropped 23 and 43 seconds, respectively.

NYPD officers' work continues amid the challenge of new criminal justice reforms whose effects are already taking hold in New York City. There is an uptick in homicides, shootings and robberies and the Department vigorously investigates every act of violence in order to bring justice for victims and ensure public safety for everyone. When there are upticks and concentrated areas of violence, the Department works to swiftly target them through deployment, partnerships with the District Attorneys and preventative measures with the public's help. The NYPD continues to focus with precision on gangs, crews and the drivers of violence, to deepen our Neighborhood Policing philosophy and to engage with the city's youth to improve people's lives, keep guns off the streets and prevent crime from occurring.
NYPD will be announcing a new comprehensive youth strategy in the coming weeks. One component of this effort includes the establishment of a "Youth Forum," a new initiative, based on the CompStat and RxStat models, where NYPD and City agency partners will work together to design the most effective enforcement and prevention strategies to address rising youth crime. Preliminary meetings have been underway with members of District Attorney's Offices, other City agency partners, including the Department of Probation, the New York City Law Department and the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice. The official launch of this new partnership will be in January, to be followed by monthly strategy meetings.
"Every man and woman who wears an NYPD uniform is dedicated to serving New Yorkers in every neighborhood and to working around the clock to keep families and individuals safe from the trauma of crime and violence. We will not cede an inch in our mission to vigorously fight and prevent crime while, at the same time, continuing to build trust with the residents of New York who remain our greatest partners in ensuring the highest levels of public safety for all," said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.
"While crime is at a record low in New York City, there is more work to do to ensure that every New Yorker feels safe in their neighborhood. We will continue to use precision policing to target enforcement and deepen our work with communities to fight crime," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "With Commissioner Shea at the helm, I have full confidence the NYPD will continue to make our city even safer."
Key highlights from this month's crime statistics:
  • Lowest number of index crimes in the modern era. There were 872 fewer incidents compared to 96,393 in 2018, or -0.9%.
  • Murder is up +7.8 (318 vs. 295) in 2019 vs. 2018.
  • Citywide shooting incidents are up +2.9 percent (766 vs. 754) when comparing 2019 vs. 2018. There were demonstrable decreases in shootings in the last quarter of 2019, including the lowest number of shootings, 56, in any December since the start of the CompStat era. The number of shootings in the final 6 months of 2019 was the lowest number for any six-month period in the CompStat era.
  • Burglaries are down -8.7 percent (10,751 vs. 11,777) and grand larcenies are down -1.2% (43,227 vs. 43,761) when comparing 2019 vs. 2018.
  • Overall crime in Transit is down -3.4 percent (2,499 vs. 2,586) when comparing 2019 vs. 2018.
  • For 2019, rape decreased by -2.5%. Rape continues to be underreported. If you have been a victim of sexual assault, please come forward. The NYPD's Special Victims Division's 24-hour hotline is 212-267-RAPE (7273).

Hate Crimes as of 1/1/2019 By Motivation

Motivation20192018Diff& Change% of Total
Asian
3
6
-3
-50%
1%
Black
37
44
-7
-16%
9%
Disability
1
0
+1
***.*
0%
Ethnic
5
6
-1
-17%
1%
Gender
13
7
+6
+86%
3%
Hispanic
8
7
+1
+14%
2%
Muslim
14
18
-4
-22%
3%
Other
15
11
+4
+36%
4%
Religion
15
9
+6
+67%
4%
Semitic
234
186
+47
+26%
55%
Sexual Orientation
54
45
+9
+20%
13%
White
29
17
+12
+71%
7%
Grand Total
428
356
+72
+20%
100%
Note: All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revisions, or change.



Humanitarian Relief Effort for Puerto Rico


DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION RELEASES WHERE WE LIVE NYC, A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE OF FAIR HOUSING


New Fair Housing Litigation Unit will use “secret shoppers” to test the housing market for discrimination and hold bad actors accountable

 Today, the de Blasio Administration released the Where We Live NYC Draft Plan for public review. Where We Live NYC is the City’s comprehensive plan to promote fair housing and take action to advance opportunity for all New Yorkers. Intentional policies and practices perpetuated segregation and inequity across the country and in our city, and it will take concerted effort from all levels of government, working with our partners in the private and non-profit sectors, to undo that legacy.

“As the Trump Administration rolls back protections against housing discrimination, we are stepping up to ensure that the doors of opportunity are open to every New Yorker and those who discriminate are held accountable,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Across the country, Americans are living with the legacy of segregation. In New York City, we’re charting a path forward to continue to make New York the fairest big city in America.”

"We live in the greatest city in the world, and that gives us a moral obligation to uplift and empower all New Yorkers and lead the nation in addressing structural racism and housing discrimination," said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. "The Where We Live NYC plan is essential to building on our work to make the City fairer and more just, and I look forward to meeting with New Yorkers to ensure their stories shape the final plan, and future housing policies."

New Yorkers are increasingly living in neighborhoods that are more racially and economically diverse, and this Administration has been focused on creating a fairer city for all by expanding opportunity and strengthening neighborhoods. The de Blasio Administration has made significant progress in implementing inclusive policies and making investments that serve all New Yorkers, reduce existing inequities, and secure a sustainable future including:

·         Creating 44,380 new affordable homes and preserving the affordability of another 92,532 homes through the most ambitious affordable housing plan in the city’s history, with tens of thousands more units on the way
·         Securing one of the nation’s most demanding Mandatory Inclusionary Housing programs, ensuring that in every neighborhood, whenever housing is built through zoning changes, between 20 and 30% of that housing is permanently affordable
·         Enacting legislation to guarantee free legal assistance to every low income tenant facing eviction, and providing legal assistance to more than 100,000 households
·         Expanding neighborhood policing to every neighborhood in New York City, contributing to a historic low crime rate
·         Strengthening worker protections and benefits, from paid family and sick leave requirements to more predictable scheduling for fast food and retail workers
·         Launching Pre-K For All in all five boroughs
·         Establishing the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants to ensure New Yorkers know their rights and can access help to fight back against harassment

The share of New Yorkers living in the most segregated neighborhoods has steadily decreased, with the share of New Yorkers living in the least diverse neighborhoods in New York City – where a single racial or ethnic group is predominant –decreasing from 27% of New Yorkers in 1990 to 19% in 2000 and to 9% in 2012-2016. Additionally, the concentration of poverty across the city’s neighborhoods has also decreased. The share of census tracts with more than 40% of New Yorkers living in poverty has dropped from 13% in 1990 to 8% in 2012-2016.

The Where We Live NYC Draft Plan outlines key goals and strategies to address New York City’s fair housing challenges. The plan analyzes the state of fair housing in New York City today and lays out an action plan for the next five years. New Yorkers can now visit the Where We Live NYC website to read the plan and offer feedback to shape the final report. Both HPD and NYCHA worked with more than 30 government partners to evaluate existing policies and initiatives in order to design new, impactful policy solutions.

The Where We Live NYC Draft Plan includes the following key goals and strategies:

·         Expand resources to combat persistent housing discrimination, including a new dedicated unit to test for and pursue proactive cases agasint housing discrimination and new protections for justice-involved New Yorkers and New Yorkers who use housing vouchers.
·         Support housing development throughout the city and region, by expediting the creation of more affordable housing for low-income households and exploring zoning, land use, and other regulatory actions that will promote growth more broadly across the five boroughs.
·         Preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement of long-standing residents, through improving the quality of the city’s existing housing stock, particularly the 170,000 homes managed by NYCHA and expanding resources that protect tenants and homeowners against the threats of harassment, eviction, fraud, and scams.
·         Empower New Yorkers who use housing vouchers with more choice, by expanding the number of homes available to New Yorkers who receive rental assistance benefits and improving voucher holders’ and landlords’ experiences with the City.
·         Create more independent and integrated living options for people with disabilities, by leveraging the resources of the healthcare sector and expanding programs that assist people with disabilities obtain renovations to accommodate their physical needs.
·         Make equitable investments and change policies to support neighborhoods suffering from historic disinvestment through thoughtful decision-making and community engagement. The City will invest in increased wealth-building opportunities, improved public transit, and expanded diversity in public schools, among other initiatives.

To root out discrimination in the housing market, the City is launching the Fair Housing Litigation Unit to bring cases against owners and brokers who discriminate based on race, disability and source of income. This unit will be comprised of researchers, lawyers, and market testers who will go into the community as “secret shoppers” and identify discriminatory practices. The Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants will closely track the work of this unit to insure it is delivering for New Yorkers. The Fair Housing Litigation Unit will:  

·         Use data analysis and targeting to identity portfolios where the owner or broker is discriminating based on race, disability or source of income.
·         Bring affirmative litigation cases to court to hold bad actors accountable
·         Build new case law to deepen efforts to further fair housing
·         Educate brokers and owners on the consequences of discrimination

This Where We Live NYC Draft Plan was created through an inclusive, collaborative, and comprehensive effort to better understand fair housing challenges. The City worked with partners to learn directly from more than 700 residents across the five boroughs through 62 focus-group-style conversations in 15 different languages. The City also worked with a Fair Housing Stakeholder Group comprising of more than 150 community-based organizations, researchers, and policy advocates. New Yorkers were also asked to participate by sharing input on the Where We Live NYC website, participating in events, and hosting a conversation in their own community.

The City will also be hosting a listening tour across the city to continue the extensive collaborative public engagement that has driven Where We Live NYC’s two-year planning process. The tour will feature 3-4 day- exhibit installations that outline the process and draft plan. Residents will have a chance to learn and discuss the history of fair housing, explore data on diversity and opportunity in New York City, and share feedback on the strategies outlined in the draft plan to address discrimination, segregation, and equity in opportunity.

To launch the draft review process, the City will host a Where We Live NYC Listening Tour Opening Reception on January 8, 2020 at the Abrons Art Center in Manhattan, where participants can meet with City representatives to ask questions, share feedback, and experience an interactive Where We Live NYC exhibit.

The City will also be holding a public hearing on February 6, 2020 where members of the public can provide formal, on-the-record comment on the draft. The hearing will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the City Planning Commission Hearing Room, Lower Concourse, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.   

For more information on the process, visit the Where We Live NYC website.

“Where We Live NYC is a sweeping fair housing plan that will guide the City’s bold and transformative efforts to dismantle the legacy of segregation and discrimination that stand in the way of opportunity for many people in our communities.  Throughout this process we’ve worked hand in hand with New Yorkers to make sure that their voices were heard, and we’re releasing this draft to fine tune what we’ve done so far, solidifying our next steps to make this city a more fair and just place to live for everyone,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “I thank our many partners across the City and the 150 organizations that participated in our stakeholder group that have helped us reach this milestone. We look forward to continuing the conversation and building on our work to make this city better.”

“As we fight a citywide affordability crisis and address the challenge of homelessness, decades in the making, connecting New Yorkers in need to housing they can afford is our number one priority,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steve Banks. “This announcement builds on our progress at DSS-DHS-HRA helping more than 133,000 New Yorkers secure permanent housing through our Social Services programs and implementing a first-of-its-kind dedicated unit at DSS to combat Source of Income discrimination. Through these proactive programs and strategies—helping New Yorkers find, secure, and afford stable housing, while holding bad landlords accountable—we are making it easier for those individuals and families experiencing homelessness to open doors of opportunity in order to get back on their feet—and these new initiatives will take that work even further.”

“Creating an inclusive housing plan that meets the needs of everyone takes extensive planning,” said Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. “We have made adaptable units that can meet the requirements of people with various disabilities, provided financial planning resources to make housing more attainable and stepped up our level of enforcement to prevent housing discrimination. We are proud of the progress we have made in the Where We Live plan and look forward to continuing to include the disability community in this important conversation.” 

“As New Yorkers, we pride ourselves on the diversity of our city – but also know that unacceptable levels of inequity remain. This Administration has made great strides in righting the wrongs of the past, including the adoption of Mandatory Inclusionary Housing. Where We Live promotes this momentum, and I look forward to continuing to use zoning to help us build inclusion and equity for all New Yorkers,” said Marisa Lago, Director the Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Marcos A. Crespo - Governor Cuomo Signs My Bill Into Law











On Thursday, January 2nd my bill requiring all Individuals engaged in the design, construction, operation, inspection, maintenance and repair of elevators to be licensed by New York State was signed by Governor Cuomo.

"By creating a statewide license, a uniform standard, and increasing the accountability for the installation and repair of elevators across our state we will not only improve the safety conditions for this workforce, but also ensure a safer and more reliable service for all New Yorker's who rely daily on elevators to go about their lives and work. There is no doubt that this legislation will help prevent serious injury and loss of life for elevator installers and repair personnel and users alike. I'm grateful to have worked with Governor Cuomo, Senator Diane Savino, labor leaders, advocates and our labor committee staff to finally see this bill become law.

Our Bronx Revolution - Petitioning for Bernie



OUR BRONX REVOLUTION
(OBR)


Our Bronx Revolution and Bronx 4 Bernie Sanders 2020 are actively supporting these events and we ask volunteers to join the campaign at these activities.  Come together with fellow Bernie supporters and join this historic movement to defeat Trump and transform America. We’ll collect petition signatures from our neighbors, friends, and families to ensure that we have a real champion to vote for this April.
Below is the calendar of events, up to January 15, 2020:


 Jan 6th, 2020
From 8-10 AM and 4-7 PM will be at the intersection of River Ave & 161th St (in front of McDonald's), Bronx, NY 10451; Contact: C. Suarez, 347-353-6495

At 1:00 PM will be at 1385 Metropolitan Ave, Bronx, NY 10451. Contact: Susan, 347-9070694-

At 4;00 PM will be at East Fordham Rd & Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10468: Julian, 202-909-3424

Jan 7th, 2020
8-10 AM and 4-7 PM will be at the intersection of River Ave & 161th St (in front of McDonald's), Bronx, NY 10451. Contact: C. Suarez, 347-353-6495

Jan 8th, 2020
At 8:00 PM will be at East Fordham Road & Grand Concourse The Bronx, NY 10468. Contact: C. Suarez, 347-353-6495

At Noon will be at1 E Kingsbridge Rd The Bronx, NY 10468. Contact: Javier, 914-648-0482

At 4:00 PM will be at Castle Hill and Westchester Avenue The Bronx, NY 10462. Contact: Elizabeth, 917-335-4803

Jan 9th
At 8:00 AM will be at East Fordham Road & Grand Concourse The Bronx, NY 10468. Contact: C. Suarez, 347-353-6495

East Fordham Road & Grand Concourse The Bronx, NY 10468. Contact:C. Suarez, 347353-6495

Jan 10th
At 8:00 AM will be at East Fordham Road & Webster Avenue The Bronx, NY 10458. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495
At 4:00 PM will be at East Fordham Road & Webster Avenue The Bronx, NY 10458. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

Jan 11th, 2020
At 11:00 AM will be at 923 Hunts Point Ave, Bronx, NY 10450
At 9:30 AM will be at 3702 Riverdale Ave The Bronx, NY 10463. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

At 12:00 Noon will be at 592 E. 183rd St, Bronx, NY 10458. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

At 1:00 PM will be at Hugh J. Grant Cir The Bronx, NY 10472. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

Jan 12
At 8:00 AM will be at Grand Concourse & East 149th Street The Bronx, NY 10451. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

At 2:00 PM will be at 3828 Dyre Avenue The Bronx, NY 10466. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

At 4:00 PM will be at Grand Concourse & East 149th Street The Bronx, NY 10451. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

Jan 14th
At 8:00 AM will be at Southern Boulevard & Westchester Avenue The Bronx, NY 10459. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

At 4:00 PM will be at Southern Boulevard & Westchester Avenue The Bronx, NY 10459. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

Jan 15th
At 8:00 AM will be at Southern Boulevard & Westchester Avenue The Bronx, NY 10459. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

Southern Boulevard & Westchester Avenue The Bronx, NY 10459. Contact: C. Suarez, 347353-6495

You can signup for these events at: map.berniesanders.com

STATEMENT FROM DOI COMMISSIONER MARGARET GARNETT ISSUED ON DECEMBER 31, 2019 IN RESPONSE TO REPORTERS’ INQUIRIES REGARDING DOI’S BACKGROUND BACKLOG


The City of New York Department of Investigation MARGARET GARNETT COMMISSIONER

  In January 2019, shortly after taking office as DOI Commissioner, I recognized the serious issue I inherited involving a significant backlog in DOI's Background Investigation Unit of approximately 6,000 applicant files, some dating back to 2015. Thousands of background investigations had not even begun and City hiring agencies were not receiving crucial background information expeditiously, despite the fact that most City employees subject to a background investigation begin working before their background investigation is cleared. It was clear to me that this situation was urgent and we began to take immediate steps to assess and address it. We devoted additional resources to background investigations through a rotation of incoming staff, and requested additional new resources to address the existing backlog. With additional staffing provided by City Council in the most recent budget process, we completely reorganized the Background Investigation Unit, creating two teams, effective July 1 of 2019. One team is dedicated to ensuring that, going forward, we are meeting our obligations to City agencies in a timely way and not adding to the existing backlog. That team operates with the goal of completing all background investigations in less than six months. I am proud to say that to date we are on track with those goals. A second team is dedicated to clearing the backlog. In the past six months alone, this talented team has cleared over 1,000 applicant files. 

 Mr. Hay was part of the inherited set of approximately 6,000 backlogged background files. Although it is not clear whether a completed background investigation would have revealed information relevant to the current charge against Mr. Hay, the risks presented by this example are exactly why I took immediate steps to assess and then reorganize the Background Investigation Unit. However, reducing a 6,000 file backlog takes time. We are continuously evaluating the process to see if there are additional improvements that can be made, and will assess the Hay situation to see if it illuminates any broadlyapplicable issues. Finally, DOI background investigations gather the facts regarding issues like tax compliance, previous arrests, and the truthfulness of a candidate’s claimed work history and educational background. Our investigations enhance a hiring agency's internal hiring process but do not supplant it, meaning the hiring agency can and should be conducting its own standard review that may include reference checks and requiring other information from a candidate.

 We are addressing the existing backlog as aggressively as possible with the resources we have and will continue to do so. Moreover, we have made significant reforms to ensure new background investigations are completed in a timely manner. Background investigations are confidential; therefore, DOI will not comment on specifics regarding Mr. Hay's background.

 DOI is one of the oldest law-enforcement agencies in the country and New York City’s corruption watchdog. Investigations may involve any agency, officer, elected official or employee of the City, as well as those who do business with or receive benefits from the City. DOI’s strategy attacks corruption comprehensively through systemic investigations that lead to high-impact arrests, preventive internal controls and operational reforms that improve the way the City runs.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Attorney General James Seeks Supreme Court Review Of ACA Case

 New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition — which includes 19 additional states and the District of Columbia — filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Texas v. U.S. The decision affirmed a lower court’s ruling that the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional, yet refused to rule on the validity of the rest of the ACA — calling into question whether the remaining provisions of the statute could still stand, including those that protect and provide coverage to Americans with pre-existing conditions. Because this decision causes uncertainty that may harm the health of millions of Americans — in addition to doctors, clinics, patients, and the healthcare market — Attorney General James and the coalition are petitioning the Supreme Court to take up the case and resolve it before the end of the court’s current term in June. 
“The Affordable Care Act has been the law of the land for a decade now and despite efforts by President Trump, his Administration, and Congressional Republicans to take us backwards, we will not strip health coverage away from millions of Americans,” said Attorney General James. “Our coalition will continue to fight any effort to kick children off their parents’ health care plans, to rip health coverage away from those with pre-existing conditions, to charge women more for no other reason than being a woman, or to deprive millions of Americans access to quality, affordable health care. In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled the ACA was legal, so we will not allow President Trump and his Republican allies to dismantle the ACA, piece-by-piece, after failing to get Congress to do its dirty work.”
The lawsuit — originally filed by a Texas-led coalition and supported by the Trump Administration — argued that Congress rendered the ACA’s individual mandate unconstitutional when it reduced the penalty for noncompliance with the law to $0. The plaintiffs further argued that the rest of the ACA should be held invalid as a result of that change. A coalition of attorneys general — that included New York — defended the ACA in its entirety, supported by a bipartisan group of amici, including scholars, economists, public health experts, hospital and provider associations, patient groups, counties, cities, and more. The Fifth Circuit held the individual mandate to be unconstitutional, but declined to further rule on the validity of the ACA’s remaining provisions. The court instead sent the case back to the Northern District of Texas to determine which provisions of President Obama’s signature health care law are still valid.
This petition makes clear that states, patients, doctors, hospitals, employers, pharmaceutical companies, and more will be impacted by the looming uncertainty caused by the Fifth Circuit’s decision. It asks the Supreme Court to review the case this term. The petition also highlights the important advancements in health care access made under the ACA, including:
  • More than 12 million Americans now receive health coverage through the ACA’s Medicaid expansion;
  • Nearly nine million individuals nationwide receive tax credits to help subsidize their health insurance coverage through individual marketplaces;
  • Millions of working families rely on high-quality employer-sponsored health insurance plans;
  • Important protections prohibit insurers from denying health insurance to the 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, like diabetes, cancer, or pregnancy, or from charging individuals higher premiums because of their health status; and
  • Nearly $1.3 trillion in federal funding has been dedicated to keeping Americans healthy and covered, which includes spending through Medicaid expansion and public health dollars.
Filing the petition with Attorney General James are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota (by and through its Department of Commerce), Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governor of Kentucky.

New York State Assemblyman Michael Blake Statement on Iranian General Suleimani


No American or anyone seeking peace and justice is upset by the killing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Qassim Suleimani.  However, the safety and security of Americans around the world are now in danger because President Trump's ordered strike clearly did not take into account the inevitable consequences of escalation and retaliation that will ensue moving forward.

Let me be clear: General Suleimani was ruthless and his reprehensible actions killed countless people, but, Bronxites and the American people do not want war with Iran. Period.  This action will very likely be seen as an act of war by Iran.  Indeed, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has already promised “harsh retaliation” and “severe revenge” in response to the U.S.’s action.

As a member of the New York Assembly Veterans Committee, the youngest brother of an Iraq U.S. Army veteran, and now as a U.S. congressional candidate, it is appalling to learn from public statements that congressional leaders were not briefed on a decision of this magnitude.   It is another example of the Trump Administration's actions destabilizing the world, deceiving Americans, endangering lives, and impairing our foreign relations.  Congressional leaders must remain vigilant to demand answers and information as the Trump Administration's actions accelerate a wider conflict with Iran, since the unfortunate possibility exists that this irresponsible decision was made for political and/or personal gain.  The Trump Administration must immediately answer to its co-equal branches of government and be held accountable.  Leadership matters and decisions have consequences.  

We cannot ignore that top military and policy advisers warned the Trump Administration against the U.S. withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Agreement as it would lead to instability throughout the region and the world.  Yet, President Trump did not heed their warnings.  Instead, he acted thoughtlessly and recklessly and thus has potentially endangered the lives of millions.  It is also not lost on me that the U.S.’s previous military intervention in Iraq destabilized the region and sparked the creation of new Shiite alliances which in turn helped Soleimani gain unchecked loyalty and power in the region.  Therefore, this attack is not just about how Iran will respond, but, one must wonder how Shiites may retaliate given their allegiance to Soleimani.

The 5,000 Americans currently stationed in Iraq, the nearly 375,000 veterans residing in and around the Bronx, and all Americans deserve transparency about what happened in Iraq and Iran to provoke such an action on January 2nd.  It is also imperative that the Department of State update its travel security alerts to protect American students and residents abroad.

The American people have said it before, and, we will say it again: we do not more war - not with Iran, not with anyone.  President Trump must understand that his decision may give rise to a new wave of unforeseen consequences that will impact us all for generations to come.  Once again, it matters whom we send to Washington. 

Michael Blake

EDITOR'S NOTE:

15th Congressional Candidate Michael Blake, why did you ask me who told me about the deal you made (which you said only two people knew about) to have City Councilman Ritchie Torres not run in the February 2019 Public Advocate Special Election, support you for the position, and you would then support Councilman Torres in his bid for the 15th Congressional district? 

When I asked Councilman Ritchie Torres about not running in the Special Election for Public Advocate, at first he said he was never interested in the position, but after I told him that you said only two people knew about the deal, Councilman Torres would only speak off the record very angry for almost twenty minutes. 

So let's be honest Assemblyman Blake, do you even know where Iranian General Suleimani was killed, what city and what country, and why it had to be done after a U.S. embassy was attacked in Iraq where General Suleimani was.