Contributing Writers: Azad Ali, Tangerine Clarke,
Nelson King, Vinette K. Pryce, Bert Wilkinson
GENERAL INFORMATION (718) 260-2500
Caribbean L 10 ife, MAY 14-20, 2021
By Schneps Media
In 2019, one of the most
prominent conservative
voices in American politics,
Wyoming Congresswoman
Liz Cheney, came to Staten
Island for a fundraiser to offer
moral and financial support
for then-Assemblywoman
Nicole Malliotakis’ bid to
unseat then-Congressman
Max Rose the following year.
Cheney’s influence
undoubtedly helped spur Malliotakis
to victory over Rose
in 2020. And on Wednesday,
Malliotakis delivered quite a
thank-you present to a congresswoman
who helped her
get to Capitol Hill: A knife in
her back.
Malliotakis went along
with the horde of Trump
sympathizers in the House
Republican Caucus who voted
Wednesday to boot Cheney
from her position as conference
chair.
This was the punishment
the caucus meted out against
Cheney for speaking the truth
about the 2020 election, and
the Jan. 6 Capitol attack by
a mob of Trump supporters,
militia members and white
supremacists.
Even with the ouster vote
pending, even with Trumpists
in Wyoming vowing to vote
her out of Congress next year,
Cheney remains true to fact,
and true to the Constitution.
Would that we could say
the same for Malliotakis, and
too many of her Republican
peers these days.
Let’s not forget that Malliotakis
objected to some electoral
vote certifications in the
hours after the Jan. 6 Capitol
attack — thereby continuing
to give credence to Trump’s
big lie about the election.
Let’s not forget that she
voted against his impeachment
for inciting the insurrection
on our Capitol.
Let’s not forget that her
actions earned her an F grade
from the Republican Accountability
Project in their rating
of GOP lawmakers in fulfilling
their oath to defend
American democracy.
At least she condemned
Congress’ most infamous
Qanon believer.
Still, it’s no surprise that
Malliotakis went along with
the Trump cult of personality
again on May 12 in ousting
Cheney from her party
leadership, and embracing as
her replacement upstate Congresswoman
Elise Stefanik
— one of the most flagrant,
shameless Trump boosters in
America.
In our democratic republic,
legislators aren’t sent to
the Capitol merely to do what
the people tell them. There
are times when popular opinion
is dead wrong, and it’s
a legislator’s responsibility to
stand up for the truth and the
rule of law.
This is one of those times,
and Malliotakis continues to
fail that test.
Either she is part and parcel
to Trump’s lawless, factless
cult of personality, or she
is so scared of her own constituents
that she cannot bear
to do the right thing for fear
of being primaried.
If there’s any justice,
Brooklyn and Staten Island
voters in her district will see
to it that Malliotakis is voted
out next year and replaced by,
at the very least, a Republican
who respects democracy and
the rule of law.
Someone like Liz Cheney.
By Melissa John
It is no secret that throughout
history, Black and Brown
people in America have been
shut out of the democratic
process and effectively silenced.
Now, we have an opportunity
to create a more inclusive city
by passing Intro 1867, a local
law that would allow nearly one
million permanent residents,
like myself, who call New York
City home, a chance to vote in
our upcoming local elections.
The passing of this law
is a first and critical step in
eradicating the inequities
immigrant communities face.
Expanding voting rights is New
York City’s opportunity to take
the lead in addressing the pervasive
marginalization immigrants
face. This bill would
permit Legal Permanent Residents
(green card holders) and
those with work authorizations
to vote in municipal elections
for offices like Mayor and City
Council. Moreover, although
municipal non-citizen voting
currently exists in several
other municipalities in the U.S.
– including in California and
Maryland – the passage of Intro
1867 in New York City would be
a catalyst for immigrant suffrage
rights in large cities, especially
now, when immigrants
have been so essential during
this pandemic and will be critical
to the country’s recovery.
I myself am a green card
holder who has never had the
opportunity to participate in an
election, despite paying taxes
for more than 20 years. Immigrants
are the cornerstone of
New York City’s culture and
commerce, yet we continue to
have our political voices stifled
and denied power at the polls.
And even though we contribute
financially to the neighborhoods
and boroughs we call
home, we cannot fully participate
in democracy or hold our
local leaders accountable.
But now more than ever, New
Yorkers have seen first-hand the
crucial role immigrants play in
our city as essential workers.
Throughout this ongoing pandemic,
immigrant New Yorkers
have risked their lives to
care for the sick as medical
professionals and home health
aides, delivered our groceries,
kept gas stations open and the
lights on in our local pharmacies,
and kept medical facilities,
residential, and office buildings
clean. Simply put, many immigrants
put themselves and their
families’ lives in harm’s way to
help keep countless of their fellow
New Yorkers safe.
This June, while registered
voters elect a new Mayor, City
Comptroller, Public Advocate
and over 30 City Council seats,
nearly 1 million of my fellow
immigrant New Yorkers will
not have the chance to make
their voices heard in one of the
most consequential elections of
our lifetimes.
The reality is that without
a say in who our local elected
leaders are, we are essentially
being left out of every critical
decision that affects our families
and communities. Granting
the vote to nearly one million
non-citizen New Yorkers
will not only boost voter turnout
numbers, but also make it
more difficult for local leaders
to ignore our needs.
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brief portions for purposes of review or commentary consistent with the law.
Malliotakis betrays
Liz Cheney, elections,
constituents and the rule
of law – again
Grant non-citizen New
Yorkers the right to vote
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
/schnepsmedia.com
