Capital District SCOPE

From the Watertowndailytimes.com: While the House of Representatives passed two gun control bills, both with a handful of Republican votes, Ms. Stefanik opposed both.

“I am proud of my record as a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and of working across the aisle to enact common-sense reforms that protect our children, our schools and our families from senseless gun violence,” Ms. Stefanik wrote in a statement on one of these, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. “The legislation brought to the Floor today infringes on the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, with little to no effect on deterring criminals.”

In her statement, she also criticized Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who signed the Red Flag bill into law on Monday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in attendance. The new state law allows judges to issue extreme-risk orders of protection to temporarily remove firearms from someone deemed a threat to themselves or others.

“I also stand with our law enforcement community in opposing the firearm legislation signed by Governor Cuomo and championed by Speaker Pelosi earlier this week, which effectively boxes out law enforcement and hands their authority directly over to the courts,” Ms. Stefanik wrote. “This misguided legislation infringes on the rights of responsible gun owners across the North Country and is yet another example of Governor Cuomo’s failed leadership in our state.”

The following votes only include roll call votes, as other kinds of votes — like voice votes — are not recorded. Procedural votes are not included.

Ms. Stefanik voted to suspend the rules and pass the Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act. It passed, 385-18.

She voted to suspend the rules and pass the Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act. It passed, 387-19.

She voted to pass a bill relating to a national emergency declared by the president on Feb. 15. It passed, 245-182.

She voted to suspend the rules and pass the Natural Resources Management Act. It passed, 363-62.

She voted against the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. It passed, 240-190.

She voted against the Enhanced Background Checks Act. It passed, 228-198.

“Today’s vote marks a major turning point in our fight to end America’s gun violence epidemic,” said Tonko. This bill is a first step …..said Tonko. Supported by 90% of Americans, lied Tonko. Congress can and must do more….said Tonko.

According to Tonko’s press release, He says Since its inception, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has prevented some 3 million convicted felons, domestic abusers and people with violent histories from purchasing a gun. But what he doesn’t say is that 99% of the 3 million are false positives, and of the 1%, only about 460 people were prosecuted and of that about 209 were convicted, mostly of providing false information.

He also said A recent study found that more than 80 percent of firearms used for criminal purposes were obtained without a background check. Duh Mr. Tonko, criminals don’t go through background checks, they steal guns or buy them on the black market.

He is also a co-sponsor of the new assault weapons ban. more here and here

Next time you think about popping in to Dick’s to buy one small thing, even though you know they did all that anti-gun stuff a year ago, think again. They are still up to their anti-gun tricks, including:

• Dick’s CEO Recently Accepted a “Force For Good” award for what he did

• Dick’s CEO said he would do it all over again

• He recently signed a letter to congress supporting the background check bill

• He joined Everytown Business Leaders for Gun Safety

In my opinion, Dick’s qualifies as a anti-gun group. More here

From the Times Union:

New Yorkers interested in tracking the flow of legislation in the Capitol have a free option this year.

Last summer the state Senate rolled out the beta version of a program that allows registered users to keep tabs on bills and committees during the legislative session. The service is a little clunky, but it helps people interested in the legislative process stay in the know.

“The New York State Senate’s bill status alerts make it easy for you to stay up-to-date on the bills that are important to you in the New York State Legislature. Subscribers receive timely email notifications for important milestones in the life cycle of a bill,” according to the website.

In order to utilize the Senate’s program, you need to supply a name (a fake one works), valid address and email address. Nearly 30,000 people signed up to track legislation, and the most popular bill has more than 2,000 followers.

According to the site, you can receive an email alert when a bill is referred to a committee, amended, voted on, delivered to the governor and most other significant steps along the way to becoming a law. (The system worked as advertised on Friday when the governor signed two bills.)

The new service is unlikely to attract lobbyists and government affairs professionals, who already utilize the legislature’s premium service (that costs money) or the private competitor (New York StateWatch).

https://www.nysenate.gov/citizen-guide/bill-alerts

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand flat-out lied. As the New York Democrat’s 2018 re-election campaign neared its end, she bluntly denied she would run for president and pledged to serve her full term.

According to an editorial in The Buffalo News (https://buffalonews.com/2019/01/17/editorial-gillibrand-lied/):

At her Oct. 25 debate with Republican challenger Chele Farley, Gillibrand and the moderator had this exchange:

Question: “Can you tell New Yorkers, who plan to vote for you on Nov. 6, that you will, if re-elected, serve out your six-year Senate term?”

Gillibrand: “I will. …”

Question: “Just want to make this clear, you’re saying that you will not get out of the race and you will not run for president? You will serve your six years?”

Gillibrand: “I will serve my six-year term.”

A similar exchange occurred the following day, while meeting with the Buffalo News editorial board:

Question: Are you really not running for president?

Gillibrand: I’m really running for Senate.

Question: But you’re not going to?

Gillibrand: No, I’m focused on my Senate race …

That looks like a lie to me.

After lying to you just 9 weeks ago about fulfilling her term as a New York Senator and not running for President, lets reminisce on her former statements on gun rights.

Gillibrand said in a CBS News interview last year that as she expanded her views beyond “the lens of Upstate New York,” she realized that her gun rights and immigration positions were “wrong.”“I just didn’t take the time to understand why these issues mattered because it wasn’t right in front of me. And that was my fault,” Gillibrand said in the interview. “It was something that I’m embarrassed about and I’m ashamed of.”

How can anyone vote for this person. Maybe some protests at her future Troy office are a good idea.

Albany School Has Skiing and Target Shooting Program
I ran across this program while looking at the Castleton Fish and Game web site.  Interesting.  Hats off to the Nordic Alliance for this.
Russ Myer, an Albany resident, runs a non-profit organization called Capital Region Nordic Alliance. He provides after-school training in biathlon (skiing and target shooting) as well as orienteering (think scavenger hunt meets relay race) at Hackett Middle School in the Albany City School District.
https://www.capitalregionnordicalliance.org/uploads/1/2/2/3/122326813/ob-12-11-17-biathlon.pdf
capitalregionnordicalliance.org

Support Cathy Young for Senate minority Leader?

The NYS Rifle & Pistol Association wants to back Cathy Young for minority leader of the NY Senate. They figure it is time for John Flanagan to move over and let someone else lead that represents upstate values. We are thinking of backing them on this. What do you think?
https://www.facebook.com/NYSRPA/posts/10156803998651489

Vote Today. Bring a friend. Grab a coffee afterwards.

SCOPE Ratings here:

US Senate
(R) Chele Farley ?
(D) *Kirsten Gillibrand F

US House of Representatives
DISTRICT 19
(R) *John Faso A
(D) Antonio Delgado F
DISTRICT 20
(R) Francis Vitollo A
(D) *Paul Tonko F
DISTRICT 21
(R) *Elise Stefanik A
(D) Tedra Cobb F

GOVERNOR
(R) Marcus Molinaro A
(D) *Andrew Cuomo F
ATTORNEY GENERAL
(R) Keith Wofford ?
(D) Letitia A. James F
COMPTROLLER
(R) Jonathan Trichter ?
(D) *Thomas P. DiNapoli F

STATE SENATE
DISTRICT 43
(R) Daphne Jordan AQ
(D) Aaron W. Gladd ?
DISTRICT 44
(R) Christopher F. Davis AQ
(D) *Neil D. Breslin F
DISTRICT 46
(R) *George A. Amedore A
(D) Pat Courtney Strong F
DISTRICT 49
(R) *James N. Tedisco A
(D) Michelle Ostrelich F

ASSEMBLY
DISTRICT 103
(D) *Kevin A. Cahill F
DISTRICT 104
(R) Scott M. Manley ?
(D) Jonathan G. Jacobson F DISTRICT 105
(R) *Kieran Lalor A
(D) Laurette Giardino F DISTRICT 106
(R) William G. Truitt A-
(D) *Didi Barrett F DISTRICT 107
(R) *Jacob C. Ashby A
(D) Tistrya G. Houghtling FF?
DISTRICT 108
(D) *John T. McDonald F DISTRICT 109
(R) Robert Porter AQ
(D) *Patricia A. Fahy F DISTRICT 110
(R) Christopher J. Carey ?
(D) *Phil G. Steck F DISTRICT 111
(R) Brian McGarry AQ
(D) *Angelo L. Santabarbara F DISTRICT 112

LOCAL

Rensselaer County DA
Joel Abelove A
rd NYS Supreme Court 3 District
Judge William McCarthy A

https://scopeny.org/resources/Documents/SCOPE%202018%20RATING%20FINAL.pdf

Tuesday the 30th is the LAST day to postmark your absentee ballot application to receive a ballot to return before Election Day.

Access an absentee ballot application here: https://www.elections.ny.gov/votingabsentee.html.

I know you know how important this election is for our future.  Every single vote is going to count.  At the bottom of this email is a list of county board elections offices. Send your completed form to the office that matches your home county.

Columbia County Board of Elections
401 State St.,
Hudson, NY 12534

Rensselaer County Board of Elections
Ned Pattison Government Center
1600 Seventh Ave.,
Troy, NY 12180

Greene County Board of Elections
411 Main Street, Suite 437
Catskill, NY 12414