AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

President Trump, who became the presumptive nominee of the NYS Conservative Party two weeks ago wrapped up the national GOP nomination this past week with a near sweep of Super Tuesday GOP primaries. See our press release here:

The Conservative Party in New York is the sole second line the former President will carry in the nation. This is due to New York’s fusion voting laws which allow the Conservative Party to join with another political party for purposes of a unified candidacy.  In August, the Conservative Party and NYS Republican Party will nominate a joint slate of 28 Trump electors.

The action now moves over to the general election and the growing speculation that President Biden, because of infirmities that are eroding voter confidence and support, will bow out.

Unfortunately for the Democrats, their farm team is limited with their leading prospects supportive of the many failed policies of Biden, Schumer, and former Speaker Pelosi. Every day with every poll and dinner table conversation it becomes more clear that America wants a change in leadership at the top.

THE STATE OF THE UNION

 This nation is suffering a variety of problems, domestically and internationally, and President Biden’s highly partisan address tonight did nothing to fix them. His speech, which can only be described as wandering and angry, confirms the need for change at the top. You can read the press release here:

CONSERVATIVE PARTY TO PRESENT J. DANIEL MAHONEY AWARDS

The Conservative Party will present Oswego County Chairman Ron Greenleaf and State Executive Committee Member Chung Dick with its prestigious J. Daniel Mahoney award at a reception to be held on Monday, March 25^th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Fort Orange Club in Albany located at 110 Washington Avenue, Albany NY 12210. You can purchase your ticket here:

Ron Greenleaf is the longtime Chairman of the Oswego County organization. Under his leadership, the Party has a solid track record of victories with an expanding membership and vote tally.  Ron, a decorated Vietnam War Veteran, has in addition to his Party responsibilities, held numerous local public offices.

Chung Dick, who hails from Kings County, joined the Party’s State leadership while playing key roles in several Brooklyn Party victories. Chung, a commercial movie producer and successful NYC businessman, brought the Party’s message of secure borders, a strong national defense, and anti-communist values to New York State’s fast-growing Asian American communities.

Daniel Mahoney, together with his brother-in-law Kieran, the Buckley family, Charles Edison, and others were founders of the Conservative Party in 1962. Mahoney who served as State Chairman for over twenty years went on to become a Federal Court of Appeals Judge. Congratulations Chung and Ron!

PODCAST WITH MIKE SAPRAICONE

Thank you all for tuning in to the Patriots Podium Podcast over the last year. We are now on episode number 20 of Patriots Podium where we continue to bring like-minded conservative experts, lawmakers, candidates, and much more into the mix. For this episode, we are excited to have on Mike Sapraicone, the Conservative and Republican Party endorsed candidate for United States Senate against Kirsten Gillibrand. A little background on Mike, he hails from Richmond Hills, Queens, and has lived in Nassau County for many years as a father of five children. He is a retired NYC police detective and founder of successful domestic and international security companies. In this episode, we discuss Mike’s race, 2^nd Amendment rights, Gillibrand’s absence, congestion pricing, and many more issues facing our State. I encourage you to give this a listen if you are interested in learning more about Mike and his campaign. You can listen on any of the links below:

YouTube                              BuzzSprout                         Apple Music                                      Spotify

REAPPORTIONMENT

On Monday, the State Legislature voted to reject the Congressional maps from the Independent Redistricting Commission that passed by a 9 to 1 vote the previous week. See our press release here. On Wednesday, the Legislature voted to approve and the Governor signed legislation establishing new Congressional lines that, with few exceptions, were identical to what was rejected on Monday. Which in turn, was very similar to what existed in 2022. The 2022 lines were created by a court-ordered special master after the lines produced by the Legislature in 2022 were thrown out after being declared by a court to be a partisan gerrymander.

My takeaway is that millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted by Democratic legislative leaders who had trouble coming to grips with Congressional maps that were fair and equitable. Stops and starts produced by their legislative henchmen eventually fell victim to the threat of new lawsuits and delays that could ultimately hurt Democratic efforts.

The final maps, although violating the national 2% (they went in some cases as high as 6%) standard in legislative adjustments when reviewing Independent Commission-produced maps essentially were the same as the maps that were used in 2022.  There are many solid GOP/Conservative districts as well as several fair fight districts currently held by members of both parties.

The Democratic leadership was searching for ways to explain the outcome, in as much as they looked petty and small-minded as they worked against community interests until it became apparent that they were going to find themselves in court once again.

As an aside, when all else fails, Albany Democrats look to fix the courts by restricting reapportionment and political litigation to only heavily dominated Democratic courts in the state. That is exactly what the Democrats in the Legislature are working to accomplish with the Democratic Governor a willing ally.  Boss Tweed could learn a lesson or two from the current crop of Democratic Party leadership.

PRESIDENT TRUMP RECEIVES PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE STATUS

The New York State Conservative Party’s Executive Committee declared Donald Trump the presumptive nominee of the Party after 20 counties holding 56% of the Party’s weighted vote officially came out in support of the former President. The rest of the counties are expected to follow with the State Convention set by state law to be held in August.

The first county committee to endorse Trump in late 2023 was Richmond County. Last week, Erie County put Mr. Trump over 50% and with the recent endorsement of Kings County, the number reached 56%. The full list of the counties, in no order, that have to date endorsed Trump are: Broome, Dutchess, Greene, Onondaga, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Wayne, Bronx, Richmond, St Lawrence, Suffolk, Queens, Oswego, Erie, Westchester, Kings, Schenectady.

See our full press release here:

A BIG WIN ON NON-CITIZEN VOTING

I am happy to report that the 2^nd Department of the State Supreme Court Appellate Term upheld a lower court decision, of which I was a citizen plaintiff, that declared non-citizen voting in NYC municipal elections unconstitutional.

Although not unanimous, the decision could hardly be clearer. The New York City law passed by the Democrats in the City Council and signed by Mayor Adams was as the lower court correctly ruled unconstitutional and further violated additional provisions of New York State law addressing home rule issues.

I was one of several citizen plaintiffs. Many local elected officials whom the Party supports including Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, Councilman Joe Borelli, State Senator Andrew Lanza & Assemblyman Michael Tannousis among others joined. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella played a key role in organizing the original case and appeal.

A special shout out to the Republican National Committee that came in heavy to assist with the successful appeal.

See our attached press release here:

NEW YORK’S UNPOPULAR GOVERNOR

The reality is that Governor Hochul has never been popular. She won the closest statewide election since 2002, has had many of her key programs and legislative items rejected, managed to become a national conversation on her mishandling of border security and public safety, and has had public polling numbers that swing from barely popular to quite unpopular.

Unfortunately, too many New Yorkers vote with their feet when confronted with present-day New York created by her and the Democratically controlled legislature.

Her fallback on everything from her overreaching environmental policies to unchecked shoplifting and abuse of the Second Amendment is to talk about her support for legal abortion until term.

New Yorkers consistently want her gone. The Conservative Party took the lead on running Lee Zeldin in 2022. This year is not a Gubernatorial election year; however, it is an election year for the entire state legislature.  The Party is in the process of nominating dozens of excellent candidates.  Get involved in supporting their campaigns. If you would like to make contact, we should be able to assist.  Call us at 718- 921- 2158.

See the attached press release on the matter here:

PATRIOTS PODIUM FEATURING FRANK VERNUCCIO

On the nineteenth episode of Patriots Podium, I was pleased to have a known Conservative radio host of the Vernuccio-Novak Report, Frank Vernuccio. A little background on the Vernuccio-Novak report, it is a very popular radio show currently running in 12 cities across New York and televised as the American Political Zone. Franks Corporation has been around for 12 years and is a great resource for conservative thinkers. In addition, he is also a Bronx native and has been active with the Conservative Party for decades. After the show, if you want to find out more about the Vernuccio-Novak report you can go to their website at usagovpolicy.com.

On this episode of Patriots Podium, we discuss the real threats to our Democracy, analyze foreign policy, Biden’s failed leadership, border security, and much more. This is a very informative podcast with expert opinions, tune in to listen to our thoughts on Russia, China, and The Ukraine. You can view the podcast using any of the links below:

YouTube                              BuzzSprout                                        Apple Music                                      Spotify

CPPAC VIDEO

At this year’s CPPAC, you might have seen our Director of Operations, Andrew Davis, going around and interviewing attendees on their thoughts on this year’s event. With the gracious help of Katie Mahon, we were able to bring the project to fruition. It’s a short, less than five-minute clip, loaded with interviews and pictures from CPPAC. I hope you enjoy it, and please share it around! We hope to see you next year!

You can view the production on YouTube here:

Presidents Day Tribute

On this Presidents Day weekend, the New York State Conservative Party proudly honors the legacy of our nation’s remarkable leaders who have embodied the principles of conservatism and shaped the course of American history. From the visionary leadership of George Washington to the resolute determination of Abraham Lincoln, and the unwavering optimism of Ronald Reagan, each president has left a positive mark on our nation’s journey.

As conservatives, we draw inspiration from the historic figures who have championed the values of limited government, individual liberty, and fiscal responsibility. President Ronald Reagan, in particular, stands as a towering figure in the conservative movement. His commitment to free-market principles, tax cuts, and a strong national defense revitalized our economy and restored America’s confidence on the world stage. Something we are severely lacking today in our current President.

Just four days ago, we celebrated the birthday of President Abraham Lincoln, whose leadership during one of our nation’s darkest periods exemplified the timeless principles of conservatism. Lincoln’s unwavering resolve to preserve the Union and abolish slavery serves as a testament to the enduring values of freedom that define our nation.

As we reflect on the legacies of these conservative stalwarts, and others, let us rededicate ourselves to upholding the principles they fought so tirelessly to defend. Let us unite in the spirit of optimism and determination that guided President Reagan and the resolve that defined President Lincoln. Together, let us work towards a future guided by the ideals our founding fathers laid in the Constitution.

In the words of President Reagan, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Let’s honor the sacrifices of our past presidents by preserving and advancing the conservative values that have made America the greatest nation on earth.

Have a great Presidents Day weekend!

CPPAC

I hope all that came to this year’s CPPAC had a great time! Not everything is out quite yet, but we do have photos from our award dinner that can be viewed here. Congratulations to the twelve Legislators who received awards! If you couldn’t make it this year, mark your calendars for the beginning of February next year.

I was grateful to see so many conservatives gathered in one place for a truly meaningful and educational two days in Albany. With so many great speakers and attendees, I was honored to give this year’s opening remarks. It is my pleasure to serve as the Conservative Party’s State Chairman and I look forward to more years of victory and growth. You can view my opening address here:

In the coming days, be on the lookout for more videos, photos, and more on our social media sites and YouTube page.