FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 28, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 19
Richards looks to hold off Zmich in BP race
BY JULIA MORO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Queens residents will be deciding
between Democratic incumbent Donovan
Richards and former Oath Keepers member
PA to consult ‘outside experts’ after pausing LaGuardia AirTrain project
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Bigwigs at the Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey announced plans
to tap “outside experts” to review the inlimbo
$2.1 billion AirTrain proposal for
LaGuardia Airport aft er Governor Kathy
Hochul asked the agency to pause the
project last week.
“We will consult with outside experts
and stakeholders as we carry out this
review,” Port Authority Executive Director
Rick Cotton told reporters following the
agency’s monthly board meeting on Oct.
21. “Our plan is to carry out this review as
expeditiously as possible, consistent with
our commitment to carry it out at the
absolutely highest level of quality.”
Th e head of the bi-state entity remained
tightlipped about any details of the review
— such as who the consultants would
be, a timeline for the study, or whether
the rail project pushed by disgraced ex-
Governor Andrew Cuomo still had any
chance of survival.
“What we’re going to do right now is
do the study, and we’re going to cross all
future bridges when we get to them,” he
said at the press conference. “All elements
of the review are currently under development
and are part of the planning process
for the overall review.”
Th e Authority hit the brakes on the
rail project on Oct. 12 at the request of
Hochul, who wants the agency to examine
alternative mass transit options to the
Queens airport.
Cotton said as recently as Sept. 30 that
the 2.3-mile elevated AirTrain between
LaGuardia and the Mets-Willets Point stations
on the subway’s 7 line and the Long
Island Rail Road was the best way forward.
But on Oct. 21, he struck a diff erent
tone, refusing to say whether he still
believed in the pricey plan. Cotton instead
repeatedly gave a variety of the same prepared
response when pressed by reporters.
“Th e framework is what I said at the
beginning, and what I said at the beginning
of this question and answer: Governor
Hochul asked the Port Authority to carry
out a careful and thorough study of alternatives,”
he said. “Th at is what we intend
to do. We intend to do it expeditiously
and we intend to do it rigorously.”
Th e AirTrain was a pet project of
Cuomo’s and got the green light from
President Joe Biden’s Federal Aviation
Administration in July, but progress
stalled aft er the former governor resigned
due to sexual harassment allegations.
Opponents of the plan have long criticized
the train for not off ering a one-seat
ride to Manhattan and for taking passengers
headed to the island the wrong way
east before transferring to mass transit.
Alternative proposals have included
extending the N/W subway line, building
out better bus service or launching a ferry.
Th omas Zmich for Queens borough
president in the Nov. 2 general election.
Richards was the fi rst Black man elected
to be Queens borough president last year
aft er his predecessor, Melinda Katz, took
offi ce as the district attorney. He also formerly
served as a City Council member for
District 31, representing southeast Queens.
Aft er a tight Democratic primary
this past June, Richards beat former
Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley with
razor-thin margin of about 0.6%, garnering
92,222 votes to Crowley’s 91,153
votes. When results came in, Richards
claimed Crowley, the cousin of former
Congressman Joe Crowley — who was
defeated by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-
Cortez — was racist.
Richards tweeted about his opponent,
saying, “@ElizCrowleyNYC told me she
would win, because BLM would die?
What’s good now?”
“We beat your racist ass,” Richards
tweeted.
In the general election, Richards is up
against Republican candidate Zmich, who
was recently reported to be a former
member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right,
anti-government organization. Zmich
admitted he belonged to the militia group
before the New York chapter dissolved.
However, when asked to comment on
his involvement, he pointed a fi nger at
Richards for a trip he took to Ukraine
this month.
“It is already known that I do not
belong to that organization anymore
over three years ago,” Zmich wrote in an
email to QNS. “You should be investigating
how and who paid for the complimentary
Ukraine trip that Richards took this
month. What city business was he doing
over there to justify the approval for this
free trip.”
Richards traveled to Ukraine this month
to commemorate the 80th anniversary of
the Babi Yar Massacre when Nazis killed
nearly 100,000 people during World War
II. Th e trip was paid for by the nonprofit
Assembly of Nationalities of Ukraine.
In addition to running on the
Republican party line, Zmich is also running
on the Conservative party and Save
Our City party lines. He previously ran for
the U.S. House of Representatives and lost
to Congresswoman Grace Meng.
Th ough Zmich said he is no longer a
member of the far-right militia group, he
apparently had not completely cut ties with
the organization since the Oath Keepers
were listed on the affi liations page of his
2020 campaign website. According to his
former congressional campaign site, Zmich
prioritizes national security by “stopping
illegal immigrants from crossing our borders,”
the economy, education and veterans.
Comparatively, Richards prioritizes
issues in line with what Queens residents
face every day, like jobs, transportation
and healthcare access.
Early voting started Saturday, Oct. 23
and will last through Sunday Oct. 31.
In-person absentee ballot requests can be
made up until Nov. 1. To fi nd your poll
site, visit fi ndmypollsite.vote.nyc.
Photos courtesy of campaigns
Incumbent Donovan Richards (left) is facing off with Thomas Zmich (right) for the Queens borough
president seat in the Nov. 2 general election.
Courtesy of governor’s offi ce
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