Vigil For Pittsburgh Jewish Community "There Are No Words"

By Karl Grossman 

Reprint The Times of Israel

“There are no words,” said Rabbi Daniel Geffen to the overflow throng of people—Jews and those of other faiths—gathered last week for a “Vigil For The Pittsburgh Jewish Community.”

“I have uttered this phrase many times in my life, but never more than I have over the last few days,” said Rabbi Geffen at the vigil at the Jewish Center of the Hamptons in East Hampton, New York.

Rabbi Geffen, of Temple Adas Israel in nearby Sag Harbor, Long Island’s oldest synagogue, continued: “Although it is unquestionably trite, and unabashedly unhelpful, these are the words I return to because they speak a sad truth. There are no words to describe what took place at The Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh last Shabbat. There are no words to define the anguish and pain that we are feeling. No words capable of offering the kind of comfort all of us so desperately need,”

“And yet, here we are,” he went on, “searching precisely for the orchestrated locutions that will somehow both console and inspire us; to reflect and refract the complexity of both our emotional and rational states of mind.”

“First and foremost, we think of the lives that have been taken. We think of 11 individuals, each with their own story. Each with families and friends and a community that will never see them again. They are not numbers or means for political fodder, they were human beings whose lives were extinguished solely for the fact that they were Jews.”

“Though few, if any of us here tonight knew them, we feel as if we did. Such is the remarkable bond that connects us all in times of loss. The wounds feel gaping tonight; beyond the ability for any salve or suture to seal with ease,” he went on, sometimes his voice breaking with emotion.

“I also know that pain is often followed by fear; and surely many of us tonight are scared. Some of us are feeling that fear only now, shocked that such an act could take place in this country, in this era and in a house of worship. Others of us have been feeling this fear for some time, as we have observed the tides of hatred, racism, sexism, bigotry and anti-Semitism rising in front of us.”

“Certainly, this fear is understandable,” he said. “On the one hand, Pittsburgh feels 500 miles and a world away, and yet at the same time it feels like it is just down the road. I would be lying if I said I have not been jolted awake in the darkest moments of the night, with the thought of my own family, my own community in the crosshairs. These fears are visceral and they touch the very deepest recesses of our minds and hearts. It does not take much for that fear to grow and to feel like a boulder resting upon the chest.”

“To fear is human,” Rabbi Geffen said, “And in our most fearful moments, a voice inside cries out to us to hide. To put up bigger walls, to surround ourselves with sword and shield and to view our neighbors and strangers alike with suspicion and apprehension. It is a natural response. One that can easily be justified by circumstance as much as emotion.”

“But,” he stressed, “despite all its rationality and acceptable cause, fear is not what we need right now. Fear will not help us to remember the victims, nor console their families and friends. Fear will not help us to rebuild the Tree of Life, nor will it help us to counter hatred. Fear did not keep us home tonight and it cannot be allowed to keep us from returning to our synagogues, our churches, mosques, temples and schools.”

“What is needed tonight and tomorrow and the day after,” Rabbi Geffen declared, “is love, compassion, understanding and, ultimately, action.”

“After we have grieved and shed all the tears we possess, then we must concern ourselves with combating both the ways and the means by which hatred is spread. We must address the ways in which we allow our society and our world to hate with such ferocity and the means by which a single person can act on their hate with such unchecked devastation.”

“Yes,” the rabbi continued, “we must first grieve and, yes, we must first heal; no one is debating these necessities. Indeed, this is the primary reason we have gathered here tonight. But our tradition does not allow us to grieve forever. And when we eventually rise up from the floor, remove our sackcloth and dust off the ashes, we must be prepared to combat the evil that is growing right under our noses. If we do not, it is a question of when, not if another attack will come. And that is simply unacceptable.”

“Sadly,” Rabbi Geffen said, “for many of us it took this heinous act to force us to pay attention to what is happening in our world. But it is essential that we not just pay attention to the threats around us, but also to the opportunities for healing and bridge-building. Not just to the dangers, and the hatred, and the evil, but also to pay attention to the outpouring of love and support in the wake of this tragedy—exemplified by our gathering here tonight.”

The vigil on November 1st was sponsored by the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, Temple Adas Israel and the Conservative Synagogue of the Hamptons.

It opened with a welcome from Rabbi Joshua Franklin of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons. The sanctuary was packed with people, all seats were taken and many people stood along the sides of the synagogue and many in the hall outside and in the synagogue’s basement who watched the vigil on television. There were 800 or more people there.

“Wow,” said Rabbi Franklin about the attendance. He said he was “quite blown away” by the turnout. “The world is much smaller than we think, and I think that’s why we’re all here,” Rabbi Franklin said. “Being here, we get to see the beauty of community.”

East Hampton Mayor Paul Rickenbach, Jr. then spoke, telling of how “eleven lives were snuffed out because of bigotry….This has to change and it’s going to take each and every one of us.”

“East Hampton stands in solidarity with the Jewish community,” declared the mayor, a Christian and former police officer.

There were other public officials at the vigil including New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. of Sag Harbor and candidates for public office including Perry Gershon, the Democratic nominee to run for Congress from eastern Long Island and a member of Temple Adas Israel.

Cantor/Rabbi Debra Stein of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons led the singing of “Let There Be Love.”

Rabbi Franklin then spoke again telling how what happened in Pittsburgh “could happen to any of us.”

“Jews have a long history of being hated, persecuted,” said Rabbi Franklin.

He asked whether anti-Semitism “is the new normal once again.” The answer, he said, is “no—look around the room, this is the new normal”—Jews with people of other faiths “coming together…supporting one another. This is our new normal,” said Rabbi Franklin.

But, he said, anti-Semitism is afoot, “loud and extreme” in the United States. Acts of anti-Semitism in the U.S. rose 57 percent in 2017, he noted. He spoke of the “neo-Nazi group” that marched last year in a torchlight parade in Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting “Jews will not replace us.”

“It reminded us,” he said, “of Nazi Germany.”

Rabbi Franklin said “we must make sure that anti-Semitism and racism of all kinds stay on the margins.”

Then there was the lighting of candles for the eleven Jews murdered in Pittsburgh. Christian ministers lit the candles. And then East Hampton Village Police Chief Michael Tracey lit a candle for the six Pittsburgh police officers shot and wounded by the Pittsburgh killer, a Nazi sympathizer.

The vigil ended with the Mourner’s Kaddish and many wet eyes.

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - Gardiner's Island LI's Ecological And Historical Jewel

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman 

I’ve been to many beautiful islands—Bora Bora, Mykonos, Nantucket, Cuttyhunk, Tahiti,  Virgin Gorda, Tobago. But just off Long Island’s shores is a gem, splendorous, an exquisite island that excels any. Gardiner’s Island is an ecological and historical jewel. 

But what will its future be? 

The 3,300 acre island is home to hundreds of bird species, freshwater ponds, lagoons, and a 1,000-acre white oak forest, Bostwick Woods, the largest stand of White Oak in the Northeast. It is the oldest English settlement in New York.

I first went to Gardiner’s Island nearly 50 years ago. Robert David Lion Gardiner, who described himself as the “16^th Lord of the Manor” of the island, for nearly 400 years privately held by his family, welcomed a large camp-out of Boy Scouts on it in 1971. I visited, interviewed Mr. Gardiner on the island, and wrote about the camp-out.

The next year, 1972, I got to know Mr. Gardiner pretty well—when he ran for Congress in the lst C.D. on the Conservative Party ticket against incumbent Otis Pike of Riverhead as a protest to Pike’s effort for federal acquisition of the island. 

Gardiner was no Conservative. Indeed, he ran for the State Senate in 1960 as a Democrat. It was quite a scene when he ran—this kind of an American aristocrat. As Mr. Gardiner told American Heritage magazine in 1975: “The DuPonts, Rockefellers and Fords, they are nouveaux riche. The DuPonts came in 1800; they’re not even a colonial family.”

Gardiner lost, of course, but there was also a letter-writing campaign—80,000 letters opposing Pike’s bill were sent to the House Committee on the Interior—and Pike withdrew it.

Mr. Gardiner was subsequently a guest on my weekly TV show, “Long Island World,” on WLIW/21, the Long Island PBS station. And I did more interviews with him for print. 

Meanwhile, in 1974, thinking about the eastward move of development in Suffolk, I embarked on a TV documentary with my crew from WLIW titled “Can Suffolk Be Saved?”

It was ten half-hour programs broadcast on WLIW and WPIX/11 in New York City. 

I started the series on Gardiner’s Island describing it in a “stand-up” as a “time capsule.” I ask whether Suffolk can avoid being swallowed in the swath of sprawl from Boston running through New York down to Washington. Then Mr. Gardiner speaks of the island as a “paradise” and gave a tour. The Gardiner’s Island segment can be seen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiayfbQKOTY

Lion Gardiner acquired the island from the Montaukett Indians in 1639. Among its structures is a windmill, brilliant white, constructed in 1795 by Nathaniel Dominy 5th of East Hampton that’s on the National Historic Register. There’s a carpenter’s shed, built in 1639, the oldest surviving wood-frame structure in New York State. 

In the tour, Mr. Gardiner—standing in a truck bed—told of how Captain Kidd came to the island in 1699 and buried treasure. Kidd then headed off to Boston where he was captured, tried for piracy and executed. The Gardiners were ordered to return the treasure. He spoke about Julia Gardiner, born on the island, who became President John Tyler’s wife in 1844.

Subsequently, a feud developed between Mr. Gardiner and his niece, Alexandra Creel Goelet, who stood to inherit the half-share of the island held by Gardiner’s sister, Alexandra Gardiner Creel. It went on for years. Gardiner accused his niece and her husband, Robert Goulet, of planning to sell the island for development. He switched and said he was not opposed to ownership of the island by government or a private conservation group. Mrs. Creel’s ownership went to her daughter when she died in 1990. Mr. Gardiner died in 2004.

A few months later, the Goelets arranged with the Town of East Hampton for a 20-year conservation easement covering more than 95% of the island. It was contingent on a promise from the town that it would not further upzone the island, change its assessment, or attempt to acquire it by condemnation.

Earlier, in 2001, Lee Koppelman, long-time Suffolk County planner, recommended that “development rights” for the island be purchased or it becoming a limited access national park or national wildlife refuge. He described Gardiner’s Island as “perhaps the most important offshore island on the entire Atlantic seashore from Maine to Florida….The overriding concern is for the long term future.” Dr. Koppelman in 2004 commented that the Goelets “cannot perceive what their children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren will decide to do. And what if the line itself passes from history, as many families do?”

Mrs. Goelet is an environmentalist. She has a master’s degree from the Yale School of Forestry. Mr. Goelet is former chairman of the American Museum of Natural History. The Goelet family has enormous wealth.  

The Goelets have been, as was Mr. Gardiner, excellent stewards of Gardiner’s Island. But the conservation easement expires in a few short years. Will unique and wonderful Gardiner’s Island in future years, in the long term, in 50, 100, 200, another 400 years, be saved?

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books. 

LWV Debate County Comptroller Candidates John Kennedy And Jay Schneiderman

Part II 

Suffolk County Comptroller candidates John Kennedy and Jay Schneiderman

John Kennedy has lived in Smithtown most of his adult life. He is seeking a second term as Suffolk County comptroller. Prior to getting elected comptroller, he served on the Suffolk County legislature in 12th LD for 10 years   Kennedy has an MBA in business Administration from Adelphi, a JD from St. Johns and a BA in psychology from Stony Brook. When he ran for the office of comptroller his platform was for more audits, less debt and better service. He believes that he has fulfilled that platform saying, “promises made promises kept.” 

Jay Schneiderman grew up in Hauppauge. He has a bachelor of arts from Ithaca and a masters from Cortland University. He is the Supervisor of the town of Southampton and in the town of East Hampton, and served as a Suffolk County Legislator for 12 years. Schneiderman emphasizes his strong fiscal management in both towns that have received Triple A bond ratings. He sees himself as a strong independent watchdog and touts his 19 year record in elected office of having never raised property taxes. Schneiderman said that he is running to help resolve some of the county’s fiscal challenges.

Complete guestions and answers can be found on the League Of Women Voter YouTube page

There were seven questions asked of the candidates. 

Question #1 Suffolk County recently suffered a downgrade in its credit rating from Moody’s Investment Services and the NYS Comptroller rated the county’s finances as suffering from “significant stress.” What impact does this have on the citizens of Suffolk County and as comptroller what impact can you have?

Both candidates explained the role of Suffolk County Comptroller as being that of a chief fiscal officer having the responsibility for providing oversight, but having no policy function. Kennedy expressed the sentiment that the downgrade would have no impact on the interest the county is paying on prior debt. He said that it was a “very ominous warning” that the county is in dire financial strains and that the 2019 budget presented by County Executive Bellone “included shaky and problematic estimates.” Schneidermann  was a more concerned about the Moody’s downgrade. He said the county has borrowed a lot including $300 million to cover pension costs and he explained that the debt service on that money amounts to $41 million a year. He expressed the sentiment that the downgrade should be revisited since the proposed 2019 budget was sound with no one shot revenue generators and that the sales tax revenue had increased. 

Question #2 - What is status of Suffolk County revenues and projections and do we get our share of online sales tax revenues? Schneiderman - Was a bit optimistic when talking about county sales tax revenue which generates $1.5 billion for the county. He pointed out that recently there was 5% growth amounting to $30 million more in sales tax revenue than projected. He added that the county needed do everything possible to support small business and to avoid making policy that might adversely affect them and reduce sales tax. Saying revenue suffered with the growth of the internet, he acknowledged that Amazon and other major retailers were now collecting sales tax.  He agreed with John Kennedy that the 2019 projections for sales tax revenue might be ambitious. Kennedy - Called Suffolk County a $3 billion municipal corporation. Kennedy said the projected 3.5% increase in projected tax revenue is higher than Nassau’s 2.5%, “we’re trying to gauge what impact would be on consumption.” He pointed to $32.9 million transfer being used to plug a 2018 hole in the budget. “We have to have a smaller budget, we have to spend less that is what the majority refuses to accept.”

Question #3- Suffolk County Comptroller is elected directly by voters and should be independent of county executive yet it is vital to have good communication and align on goals. Is it a partisan or nonpartisan office? Kennedy -  No, there is no democratic, republican, or minor party way to audit the audit function, vouchers for payment of vendors, payroll, plug every there is no politics associated in a ministerial function. “Some might say there appears to be a push and tug, I say bravo, that’s the way the charter was set up.” The comptroller needs to be independent, arms length, it is a non-policy office charged with verifying financial transactions. Schneiderman- A comptroller needs to put party behind, be party blind, go where trail leads. You are charged with rooting out corruption, fraud and misappropriation and you need to do that without favoritism and animosity. I will be vigilant in rooting out corruption.  I will be an independent watch dog not a political attack dog.

Question #4 -A new Deputy police commissioner and Deputy DA were appointed after they retired (from their county positions) some legislators say this is another product of the broken system. Can you clarify how this occurs?  Is there any role for the comptroller or audits? Is this something that can be fixed in someway? Schneiderman - The comptroller does not negotiate contracts. He stated that in terms of payouts, all the comptroller can do is make sure that it is accurate based on hours served, look at time sheets and make sure protections are in place. If they’re due the money, they’re due the money. Schneiderman believes that a comptroller can have an elevated role in advising policy, “say if I believe that it’s a risky scheme that might undermine county’s financial position going forward. If they are going into a contract and i have some concerns about outlying years that might lead to tax increases and other ways they are going to have to generate the revenue.” Kennedy - Addressing the issue of waivers under which these appointments were made. Kennedy said the enity must make the case to NYS Civil Service, that this individual is the only individual that can perform that particular function.  “I think that we have to be mindful of the fact that each one of these individuals is collecting their pension and did so at the time they were picked”.  he question the position that out of 1.5 million people they are the only two with the skills to do the job.

Question #5 - LWV observes the SC Waiver Committee. Some legislators say it is a way not to use the RFP for bid process, to go around the bidding process. Does the comptroller have imput or a fiscal responsibllity, imput here and where does it fit together? Both candidates expressed concern about the waiver process. Kennedy explained that the waiver committee is a mechanism to relieve the county from the obligations of the rfp process and its requirement to engage in the solicitation of bids obligation which is  to select the lowest most qualified bidder. When waiver committee either there were not three bids submitted or extra necessary or urgency. Kennedy was emphatic in his belief that there are abuses in the waiver process. Schneiderman concurred  and said he also has concerns with the process. He explained how he has, in his role as town supervisor, discarded bids and began a new rfp to get better results and stressed the need to be more aggressive in outreach.  “if you don’t like the numbers you have to go out again, not skip the harder step and issue a waiver.” 

Question #6 We have a NYS comptroller office that sends out weekly emails that summarize and presents the audits The League wants to see transparency and sunlight in county government. Is this something that would be useful? Does the county work with state comptroller? Both Schneiderman and Kennedy expressed support for NYS Comptroller Tom Dinapoli, the information his office provides and the helpful assistance they receive. Both indicated that they would continue to work with NYS on auditing and other projects.

Question #7- How do you do more with less in comptroller office? Kennedy-  I’ve kept the comptroller’s budget static. Combining the two offices of  treasurer and comptroller through the accelerated consolidation we have saved $1 million salary savings having five less positions a year. Comptroller’s office has brought in  $8 million in audit recovery reduced $35 million in interest debt by refinancing debt.  Schneiderman - Can’t always do more with less, sometimes you do less. He sited work being done in the health dept where less is being done and the county’s public transportation system (less bus routes) as an examples of not being able to do more with less. Schneiderman talked about the difficult decisions that are required when the funding is not available. Sometimes doing less means layoffs and closing a nursing home, you can’t always do more with less sometimes you have to make tough choices.

LWV's Debate With Assembly, County Comptroller And Town Council Candidates

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Smithtown hosted a debate for candidates in NY Assembly District 8,  Suffolk County Comptroller and Smithtown Town Council. The event was moderated by St. James resident and member of the LWV Lisa Scott. The LWV has been hosting candidate debates for decades this event was professional and very informative. Voters can watch the debate on YouTube *

The questions asked allowed audience members an understanding of who the candidates were, why they were running and what they hoped to accomplish.  Ms. Scott began the event by announcing the cancellation of a planned debate with the candidates running for office in  Congressional District 1. Both congressional candidates Perry Gershon and Lee Zeldin had accepted the LWV’s invitation to participate in a Smithtown debate, the LWV was unable to secure a location after a local church declined.

Ms. Scott read the following statement : “We regret to announce that church leaders advised last night that they cannot host the 1st CD candidate event on Oct. 23. Although they strongly value civic engagement and they realize that the League of Women Voters as well as the campaign teams have worked for months to thoroughly plan for candidate dialogue and discussion of positions on issues, they are most concerned that the state of civil discourse and polarization at this time make it impossible for anyone to guarantee that there will not be problems. Since this would have been the first true debate between the two candidates and only 2 weeks before election day, the probable large turnout of candidate supporters outside the church building would have overwhelmed the site and the surrounding neighborhood, even with public safety present.”

The debate was broken-up into three parts; NYS Assembly candidates Michael Fitzpatrick and David Morrisey, John Kennedy and Jay Schneiderman for Suffolk County comptroller, Smithtown Town Council candidates Amy Fortunato and Tom Lohmann. 

PART I

NYS Assembly candidates Michael Fitzpatrick and David Morrissey -

Opening statements - Michael Fitzpatrick is seeking a 9th term in the NYS Assembly he would like to continue the fight for fiscal responsibility, “the hallmark” of his career in government”, stem the population flow out of NYS, improve the business climate which he believes will increase resources which can be used to deal with the opioid problem. David Morrissey is a first time candidate, a software engineer with an MBA in business admin. He is a former Republican who changed affiliation to Democrat 15 years ago. Morrissey’s oldest son William suffered from mental illness and drug addiction before becoming a “statistic”  dying  from a drug overdose.  He is running to address the opioid epidemic, women’s issues, infrastructure and the environment.

Question #1 - Opinion on the loss of the SALT (State and Local Tax Decuctions) deduction. Fitzpatrick -expressed some concern but said most people in NYS will see a reduction in taxes. “In the long term the potential benefit is that it sends a message to states like NY that spend a lot to get their houses in order.” Need mandate relief. Morrissey- Said the loss of the SALT deductions is a big middle finger to NYS and an assault on the majority of Americans who live in largest states. Declaring that Fitzpatrick wants to strangle Albany, he believes Albany is a positive enabler. “We need to ask more from our government to harness it with vision and goals to address infrastructure and opioid addiction.”

Question #2 - New York Health Act(NYHA) Would you sponsor and vote for NYHA- Fitzpatrick - Does not support and called it very dangerous. Fitzpatrick stated NYHA would ban private health care coverage. Competition and the market forces to bring down cost of drugs. Fitzpatrick believes that there is universal support for coverage for preexisting conditions. The cost of covering preexisting conditions would be spread out. Morrissey - Wonderful law. Believes in a single payer system and sees a need to develop systems to simplify administrative overhead that will save money. He would also hold big pharma accountable for the opioid crisis.

Question #3 What concrete steps can be done about MS13?  Fitzpatrick -It should concern us all begins with immigration, illegal, unaccompanied minors coming in. Cannot afford to take care of illegals education and health care passing the NYHA would allow illegals access to health NYS must get tough in terms of penalties. Morrissey - Spanish translating cops and detectives. Cops have a difficult time working with people when they don’t understand what they are saying. We can’t demonize hispanic people. We need to work with hispanics who make up twenty per cent of Suffolk County population. Morrissey believes the first step is to engage in communities. 

Question #4- What single legislative action could you take to reduce gun violence in NYS? Morrissey - The Red flag law preventing firearms in homes with domestic violence where spouses are at 20 times more risk for gun deaths.  He believes that the public has no business carrying assault rifles, there should be no reciprocity, no concealed carry in NY and guns should not be brought into schools. Fitzpatrick - Red Flag law was too rushed to be supported and needs to be improved. Possible problem with double jeopardy The problem is not law the abiding who own guns for protection and hunting or the wealthy people who carry gun for protection.

Question #5 A Drunk Driver hit a boy scout who died. what kind of offense is drunk driving, is it considered murder? Should NYS make Drunk Driving law stronger.  Morrissey - Not sure of a legal aspect. I am a person in recovery, vehicular homicide is horrific for the victim’s family. He said that alcoholism is no excuse and that treatment must be available in jail. Fitzpatrick - I am not an attorney. In addition to having to live with this crime those who get caught will be prosecuted with penalties that are severe. 

Question #6 NYS is 46th in voter turnout, do you support early voting.. Morrissey - Supports early voting pointed out that some people are unable to get to the polls. Wants to make it easeier for college students to vote. People need more time to vote which is a privilege and a right. Supports early voter registration. Fitzpatrick - No excuse absentee voting “early voting costs a lot of money” two day voting and Sat. or Sunday voting. Request online absentee ballots. Political parties already work to get college students to vote. 

Question #7 School Financing Is there a more equitable way to finance schools position and opionion on charter schools. Morrissey - Current system guaranteed to keep social inequities. Charter schools do not adhere to same standards and are select students. Money that is spent on charter schools could go to improve education for all students. Fitzpatrick - We spend record amounts in aide to education $26 billion for schools which is threatened by NYS senate becoming Democratic in the election and the city delegation gains control. Property tax because you can’t depend on income tax. On charters parents deserve choice in education. 70,000 people in NYC waiting to get into a charter school.

Question #8 - NYS’s government has been found to be one of the most corrupt and unethical and ineffective governtment in the country. Why run and how can you clean it up? Morrissey - One problem is conflict of interest. Pay legislators more to avoid conflicts, require transparency and legislators must recuse themselves when there is a conflict . Fitzpatrick - “You can’t legislate morality. Some very, very smart and bright and ethical people in the legislature on both sides.”Get every elected official out of defined benefit pension the mustard seed from where this all comes. Elected officials must go into a 401K program. 

Morrissey used the two minutes alloted for closing comments to say that part of the problem in government are leaders who stopped representing the public’s interest. He then went after Fitzpatrick’s record saying he voted against women’s right to privacy with doctor, equal pay, red flag law, he said Fitzpatrick sides with insurance companies and big pharma, Wall St. over Main St., supports coupling tests scores with teacher evaluations. He stated that he hasn’t heard anything Fitzpatrick had done proactively to address the opioid crisis, called him out on Kings Park sewers and local infrastructure. 

Fitzpatrick used his time to make closing comments to criticize Morrisey’s closing calling him “full of crap” which drew a negative response from the audience. Fitzpatrick focused on Democrats who he said needed to answer to charges of corruption. ‘I am proud of my record. I have been a lone voice advocating for change in Albany to stop the flow of people out of NYS. They are leaving because of policies put in place by Cuomo, Spitzer through Democratic controlled Assembly and the NYS Republican Senate which leans too far to the left.” Fitzpatrick said that Morrissey’s account of his record was wrong and mentioned his support for an opioid task force and stated that he supported a lot of things in the budget that have brought money back for the district.  “I have served this town admirably.”

*Listen to complete questions and answers on LWV YouTube page

Monday Part II Suffolk County Comptroller candidates 

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - Zeldin And Gershon "Kinda" Debate Environment

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

The rivals in the hotly contested race in the lst Congressional District this year—Republican incumbent Representative Lee Zeldin and Democratic challenger Perry Gershon—appeared last week at an environmental forum.

It provided quite the contrast.

The one thing Messrs. Zeldin and Gershon share is both are Jewish—and it is the first time in my memory covering politics in Suffolk County since 1962 that two Jews were running against each other in a major race. Decades ago, there was a level of reluctance to run a Jewish person for a major office in Suffolk—a concern that this would reduce the vote received. 

Also, both men are affiliated with the same denomination of Judaism, the Reform movement. Mr. Zeldin and his family are members of B’nai Israel Reform Temple in Oakdale where he was bar mitzvahed by the rabbi still there, Steven Moss, who id also chair of the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission. Mr. Gershon and his family are members of Long Island’s oldest synagogue, Temple Adas Israel in Sag Harbor.

Jews, along with Italian-Americans (earlier discriminated against in Suffolk politics), and African-Americans and Latinos in recent years, have made great strides in Suffolk politics.

Although they have a religion in common, Messrs. Zeldin and Gershon could not be more different politically. 

The arrangements for the October 15^th forum were poor. Instead of getting use of a big high school auditorium for the large group of people that could be expected to attend—this was the first time the candidates would be answering questions at the same event—the New York League of Conservation Voters arranged for the relatively small auditorium at the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center of Suffolk County Community College.  This resulted in a fiasco. Many people on a dark, rainy night in Riverhead weren’t allowed in and had to wait outside or go home. There were public apologies from the moderator from the League of Conservative Voters. 

Messrs. Zeldin and Gershon, meanwhile, didn’t debate each other—despite decades of debates under the auspices of the League of Women Voters and other organizations held for contests in the lst C.D. which includes much of Smithtown. 

Instead, the candidates appeared separately. There was a panel of three environmentalists asking questions. Mr. Gershon came in first, gave an opening statement and then answered questions from the environmentalists and three questions gathered from members of the audience He then gave a closing statemen. Next, Mr. Zeldin came in, gave an opening statement and answered the exact same questions Mr. Gershon was asked. Then he made a closing statement.

Despite this not being a normal head-on debate, the differing stances of Gershon, of East Hampton, and Zeldin, of Shirley, about environmental issues came through.

For example, on the issue of climate change, Mr. Gershon, in response to a question from the panel as to whether he thought it was caused by humans, said “yes.” Mr. Zeldin also said “yes,” but then added. “there are multiple factors.”

Mr. Zeldin’s personal and political closeness to President Donald Trump—who has been in denial of climate change and has had his administration dismember a host of environmental protections—was a central target of Mr. Gershon. “We need a congressman that’s going to stand up to the Trump administration and say, ‘No, we’re not going to take this anymore. We’re going to get on the right track. That’s why I ran for Congress.”

He cited Mr. Zeldin’s rating of a low 7 percent last year from the League of Conservation Voters. Mr. Gershon spoke about his environmental ethic. “I have solar panels on my roof. I drive an electric car,” he said. And he gave strong support to a wide array of environmental initiatives—and proposed other steps. He not only supported offshore wind but, a businessman, he suggested the turbines for offshore wind be produced on Long Island, creating a major industry. He criticized the Trump move to broadly open ocean waters to oil drilling, going on to say that Mr. Zeldin has opposed Atlantic offshore oil drilling but wouldn’t sign a petition in Congress opposing the opening of other ocean waters off the U.S. coastline to drilling.

Mr. Zeldin cited funding and re-authorizations he had secured for various environmental projects especially involving the Long Island Sound and National Estuary Program. He spoke of his effort to stop the dumping of dredge spoils from Connecticut into the Long Island Sound and his resolution to block the federal sale “to the highest bidder” of Plum Island which, he said, should not only be preserved but research there should continue. The federal government has run the Plum Island Animal Disease Center since the 1950s.

“I believe it is hugely important to ensure we have stringent standards set to provide clean air and clean water for Long Island and across the country,” said Mr. Zeldin, a lawyer.  

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books.