Latest news with #NewYorkRepublicanStateCommittee
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hochul denounces ‘unacceptable' taping of swastikas on Albany GOP headquarters
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Thursday denounced the vandalization of the state GOP headquarters in Albany. Police say an individual taped swastikas and a message that read, 'If this is not what you stand for, prove it,' on the building's doors and windows overnight. 'This is unacceptable. No one should ever resort to violence or vandalism to make a political point,' Hochul wrote in a post on the social platform X. 'Grateful for the swift response of the Albany Police Department to keep this location safe and hold those responsible for this despicable act accountable,' she added. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) appeared to blame Democrats for allegedly motivating the crime with political rhetoric. 'New Yorkers haven't forgotten that New York Democrats viciously and dangerously compared last year's successful Trump Madison Square Garden Rally to Nazis and called President Trump 'Hitler,'' she wrote in a post on Facebook, accompanied with images of the property. 'Americans rejected this dangerous rhetoric and overwhelmingly elected President Trump at the ballot box. And now less than a year later, the New York Republican State Committee Albany State headquarters was criminally vandalized with Nazi symbols. We must ensure this dangerous rhetoric stops and this vicious criminal who perpetrated this heinous crime be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,' she added. Her comments appeared to reference former Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's statements last October, when he compared President Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden to a 1939 pro-Nazi event. State GOP Chair Ed Cox echoed her sentiments, urging New York Democrats to condemn violent crime, which they later did. 'A vandal duct taped swastikas to our doors and windows — symbols of genocidal evil, meant to intimidate and silence,' he said in a statement. 'This is not only an attack on our party, it is also an attack on the values of civil discourse, democracy and decency,' he added. The New York Democratic Party shared their concerns in a statement following Cox's lead. Democrats dealt with similar issues of violence during last year's presidential campaign, forcing them to close their field office in Tempe, Ariz., after three shooting incidents. 'Hate has no place in our communities, and the New York State Democratic Party unequivocally condemns this shameful and inappropriate act,' the statement said. 'We encourage New Yorkers across the political spectrum to denounce hate in all its forms.' Police have not yet apprehended the suspect responsible for the Albany GOP headquarters crime. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
17-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Hochul denounces ‘unacceptable' taping of swastikas on Albany GOP NY headquarters
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Thursday denounced the vandalization of the state GOP headquarters in Albany. Police say an individual taped swastikas and a message that read, 'If this is not what you stand for, prove it,' on the building's doors and windows overnight. 'This is unacceptable. No one should ever resort to violence or vandalism to make a political point,' Hochul wrote in a post on the social platform X. 'Grateful for the swift response of the Albany Police Department to keep this location safe and hold those responsible for this despicable act accountable,' she added. House Republican Leadership Chair Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) appeared to blame Democrats for allegedly motivating the crime with political rhetoric. 'New Yorkers haven't forgotten that New York Democrats viciously and dangerously compared last year's successful Trump Madison Square Garden Rally to Nazis and called President Trump 'Hitler,'' she wrote in a post on Facebook, accompanied with images of the property. 'Americans rejected this dangerous rhetoric and overwhelmingly elected President Trump at the ballot box. And now less than a year later, the New York Republican State Committee Albany State headquarters was criminally vandalized with Nazi symbols. We must ensure this dangerous rhetoric stops and this vicious criminal who perpetrated this heinous crime be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,' she added. Her comments appeared to reference former Democratic vice-presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz 's statements last October, where he compared President Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden to a 1939 pro-Nazi event. State GOP Chair Ed Cox echoed her sentiments, urging New York Democrats to condemn violent crime, which they later did. 'A vandal duct taped swastikas to our doors and windows – symbols of genocidal evil, meant to intimidate and silence,' he said in a statement. 'This is not only an attack on our party, it is also an attack on the values of civil discourse, democracy and decency,' he added. The New York Democratic party shared their concerns in a statement following Cox's lead. Democrats dealt with similar issues of violence during last year's presidential campaign, forcing them to close their field office in Tempe, Ariz., after three shooting incidents. 'Hate has no place in our communities, and the New York State Democratic Party unequivocally condemns this shameful and inappropriate act,' the statement said. 'We encourage New Yorkers across the political spectrum to denounce hate in all its forms.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Noncitizens cannot vote in New York City's local elections, state high court rules
New Yorkers vote early before November's presidential election. New York state's highest court struck down New York City's statute that would have allowed noncitizens to vote in local elections. () New York state's highest court struck down a New York City statute that would have allowed 800,000 noncitizens to vote in mayoral, city council and school board elections. This month, six of the seven judges on the New York State Court of Appeals upheld an earlier ruling that found the city's statute unconstitutional, siding with the New York Republican State Committee, the Republican National Committee and others. The statute, which passed the City Council in 2021 and would have gone into effect the following year, was never implemented after it was immediately challenged in court. '[I]t is facially clear that only citizens may vote in elections within the State of New York,' wrote Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson for the majority. Proponents of allowing legal permanent residents and those in the United States on work authorization to vote solely in local elections argue that it helps integrate immigrants into American society, allowing them to vote on issues dear to them, such as their children's education or taxes. Taking that away is a 'grave injustice,' said Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, one of the groups that appealed a lower court's ruling. 'New York City needs more democracy, not less,' Awawdeh said in a statement. 'Expanding voting rights strengthens our communities, and improves our school, housing, and public services.' New York City was one of about 20 cities and towns in California, Maryland and Vermont — along with the District of Columbia — that allow noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Those laws make it clear that the vote would only be extended for local elections, noting that only U.S. citizens may vote in statewide and federal elections. In November, 60% of voters in Santa Ana, California, rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed noncitizens to vote in local elections. Last month, a Vermont Superior Court judge dismissed a conservative group's lawsuit challenging Burlington's statute allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections, including those for school board. As Stateline has reported, very few noncitizens have actually participated in these local elections, many either afraid that voting would alert federal immigration officials or unaware that the statutes even existed. Those challenging the New York City statute argued that not only did the statute language violate the state constitution, but that it also would dilute the voice of the city's 5 million registered voters. The issue of noncitizens participating in American elections has become a focus of Republican efforts to add more restrictions to the voting process. The GOP-led Congress has made enacting the proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act a major priority. The legislation, known as the SAVE Act, would require voters to show a birth certificate, passport or some proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. But passing the SAVE Act could disenfranchise U.S. citizens, some voting rights advocates say. Critics of the measure point out that more than 21 million American citizens lack access to such documents. They also note that women who have changed their names after marriage are also at risk of being disenfranchised. Finally, they point out that it is already illegal under federal law for noncitizens to vote. Stateline reporter Matt Vasilogambros can be reached at mvasilogambros@
