Last Thursday, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, candidate for State Senate in the 35th District, and Shelley Mayer running for State Assembly in the 93rd District, held a joint press conference in front of the Westchester County Courthouse to renew their call for immediate passage of a strong Civil Confinement Statute to deal with dangerous sexual offenders.
Former United States Attorney Denise O’Donnell accompanied the candidates, making an introductory statement that the passage of a civil confinement statute, “is not a law enforcement
issue.”
Declaring, “It’s the fault of the Legislature that we do not have the legislation we need,” O’Donnell endorsed Mayer for Assembly and Stewart-Cousins for State Senate, as “the people we need to breakup the gridlock and get the bill passed.”
Repeatedly stressing that the Senate and Assembly versions of the bill are very similar, candidate Mayer, a former Assistant Attorney General, asked, “When we have two bills that are very close, why can’t we get the bill
passed?” Mayer concluded, “We simply need the Assembly and the Senate to get together.”
Andrea Stewart-Cousins, stepping up to the podium, remarked, “Amongst the many bills Governor Pataki will be signing today, there is one bill that is not on the Governor’s desk, the Civil Confinement Law.” She continued,
“Failure to enact that legislation is unacceptable because we must make some Due Process occur for people who pose a danger to our families. They must be processed and assessed.”
Railing against “the dysfunctional Legislature,” and “Albany Gridlock,” Stewart-Cousins opined, “Despite two bills that are very similar we still do not have a bill that can be passed.”
She responded to a reporter who asked “If you’re elected as a Democrat, will you face gridlock given the dominance of Republicans in the State Senate?” Stewart-Cousins observed,
“Change happens when you change the people. When I arrive in Albany, the message will be loud and clear. The People will have spoken, and I will be working closely with a new Democratic Governor, and together we will help bring about change.”
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