Senate approves bill to end the shutdown, sends it to the House

Power & Politics: Nassau Republicans maintain control of nearly every level of local government

Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani and others who backed efforts to overturn 2020 election, official says

Senate takes first step toward ending the government shutdown

Power & Politics: Sit down interview with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani

Governor's office: New Yorkers can still expect SNAP benefits, beginning Sunday

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LIPP91B_2024-09-01-11-59-56

Welcome back with election day under three months away. Now, the Suffolk County Police Union is formally endorsed endorsing former President Trump for a second term officers with the department also recently met with Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance on the east end. He was here for a fundraiser. According to the Suffolk PB A, some officers even volunteered their personal time to assist in a motorcade for Senator Vance. They say Suffolk is the first police organization in the state to formally extend Trump an endorsement in one vision. We have a president that is going to back up law enforcement, a president that is going to restore a rational criminal justice system and the endorsement was accepted on behalf of Trump by Ohio congressman Jim Jordan. Joining us right now is the man you just saw Suffolk PB A President, Lou Seo is here today on power and politics. Good to see you. Thanks for coming in. Good to see you too rich. Thank you for having me on. So why was it important to the membership and the leadership to get out in front and endorse former president Trump? Well, I will tell you one thing we do not do is sit on the sidelines. And I think this election is critically important, both for my membership and for the entire country. So for us, after we took a close examination, and I think when you get through the hyperbole and the uh rhetoric of both campaigns, it really comes down to policy. So when you look at the policies uh of both these candidates, I it was sort of an easy decision for us to endorse President Trump. Um His policies tend to support law enforcement. I think in contrast to uh Vice President Harris uh on issues like qualified immunity issues, like the George Floyd Act issues like the 1033 program which provides funding and equipment to police uh on all those issues. Uh President Trump is supportive of law enforcement and uh again, on the other side, I think um Kamala Harris has the opposite is uh you know, outlook former President Trump has uh generally enjoyed support of law enforcement in the past, but he is reaching out beyond that to uh other unions, other local organizations trying to draw support that traditionally goes to Democrats. Why do you think that is? And do you think he'll be successful? I think he needs to, I think he, he needs to reach out to uh the middle of the country. So, you know, it's so divisive and I, I feel like the fringe on both sides is, is sort of the uh loud has the loudspeakers. And I think in order to win this election, in order to move the country forward and unite the country, he needs to appeal to the regular American. And I think uh you can kind of see that in the endorsement of RFK. So RFK was here on Long Island. He's uh you know, a democrat, a lifelong democrat. His father um is an icon in the Democratic Party. Uh His uncle JFK, obviously another icon of the Democratic Party. I think that endorsement kind of shows that he's appealing to people outside of his usual base candidates love to tout their endorsements, especially from unions and uh having that membership support is so critical. But ultimately, do you think voters will look at, say the Suffolk PB A and say, OK, if the Suffolk PB A supports this candidate, I'm going to do the same. Do you feel that there is a correlation? I do, I, I think we have a real influence when it comes to elections and how people vote. I think people care about public safety and they care about uh law enforcement's opinion on public safety. You know, I think uh you know, you say trust the experts. Well, when it comes to public safety, we are the experts and that's why it is important to have us at the table. If you look at the role that unions play law enforcement, unions specifically, uh not only in advocating for our police officers and making sure that they get sufficient benefits and sufficient pay to be able to survive here on Long Island. But also the role we play in a caring for public safety. It's a critical role. So, you know, for quite some time, there has been a movement to defund the police, a movement to replace us with unarmed social workers at one point. Right, we were gonna send social workers into dangerous situations with mentally ill people, sometimes armed people and a lot of the elected officials at the time, if they weren't join, you know, joining in that call, they were in many cases too afraid to stand up against it. And the lone voice were law enforcement unions who were saying, hey, let's slow down here. Let's take a look at at what we're doing because the idea that we're gonna just do away with our police departments like they tried to do in Ithaca, New York where they tried to take that police department, dissolve it and replace it with unarmed security is ludicrous and would result in the loss of life. We have seen uh democrats particularly on Long Island step away from some of those more progressive calls and looks at law enforcement. Do you think that that is um due to the support of unions who have been out in front saying, hey, listen, th this is just not gonna work, this isn't safe certainly. And, and we are not partisan, the Suffolk County PB A we support Democrats and Republicans alike depending on, you know, what their policies are and, and what their positions are. So, we're fortunate to have some, some great, you know, democratic elected officials here on Long Island, uh, like our sheriff, for instance, who, you know, is fully supportive of law enforcement. So I think certainly, um, that there is uh uh a push to move away from some of the defund the police positions, but not from the vice president. The vice president is on record as saying that she does not believe having more cops on the street equals safer streets, which is an erroneous position. It's a position that defies common sense, but one she, she seems to stand by, um she wants to take a look at police budgets and she has again on record as saying, we can take a look at those budgets and maybe see if that money can be better spent somewhere else. Uh That's a disastrous policy for our nation and for certainly for our neighborhoods and our streets. Um when you look at union leadership, right, this is uh your role here, how has it changed over the years? You're somewhat new to the role, but you've certainly been involved in the leadership group. How has it changed? How has it been in terms of being able to recruit membership, retain membership all across the board? Yeah, there is a, a recruitment and retention crisis across this country and, you know, and I think it's a, it's a few things. Um, one, I think it's the way we've been demonized for the last few years. Uh, when you look at nationally what's going on departments across this country are relaxing standards. Right. They're dumbing down written tests. They're lowering standards, uh, physical fitness standards and in some cases like Detroit they're even advertising, hey, if you have a warrant just come on in, you know, if you have outstanding tickets, come on in, we'll work with, you take the job because they can't get anybody to take these jobs. Uh It's a difficult job which has gotten more, more difficult. Uh Everything is on camera now, every move you make is scrutinized. I think. Uh we are one of the most closely scrutinized professions uh that exist, you know, so I think it's a, a difficult job. It's become more difficult. Uh And then in terms of pay and benefits, you know, when you again, the role that unions play, when you look at places that don't have police, unions or unions are relegated to relatively weak positions. Uh the pay and benefits for police are diminished and it's a difficult job if you don't have decent pay decent benefits and you don't have elected officials that stand behind your police officers that are risking their lives. Well, then you're either gonna get a lower quality candidate or you're gonna get no candidates at All. All right, Loso from the Suffolk PB A. Thanks so much for joining us. My pleasure. Thank you for having me. We'll be right back after this.

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LIPP91C_2024-09-01-12-01-03

A new report shows an alarming surge in hate crimes. According to the state controller, hate crimes statewide have gone up 69% since 2019. 44% of those incidents targeted Jewish people. Hate crimes against Muslims jumped from 18 in 2018 to 37 last year. While there has been a great deal of talk and discussion, there hasn't been enough action taken to prevent this in our schools, in our universities. It's a wake up call for all of us. We should be responsible to create a harmonious society and the trend holds true for Long Island as well. NASA and Suffolk both saw big increases over the last five years in Congress. I'll fight to secure our border and put an end to the migrant crisis and I'll, the race for New York's fourth congressional district is heating up with this to add from Democratic nominee Laura Gillen on top of highlighting her background, Gillan also says in the 32nd spot that she'll fight to secure the border and fund police to keep Nassau family safe. Gillan will face off against Republican and Cong Congressman Anthony de Esposito from Island Park. Come November in what is a rematch of their 2022 race veterans made their voices heard in Garden City after the only commissary on Long Island closed. The Mitchell Field commissary helps veterans many on fixed incomes get cheaper groceries, but it shut down in July due to structural issues. Now, the clo closest commissary is in Brooklyn and local veterans are calling on the Department of Defense to make the repairs needed to reopen the Mitchell Field location. This facility covers both Nassau and Suffolk County. You guys, guy, you guys go to Suffolk County. Gotta drive all the way to Fort Hamilton. Come on, give me a break. A commissary worker tells us a temporary solution is in the works that would allow veterans to order what they need from the Brooklyn location online and then pick it up here on the island. A lasting tribute to a fallen hero from our island. The memorial bench dedicated to NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller at John Street School in Franklin Square. That's where he went to school. The memorial bench was placed by the school, sensory sensory playground and courtyard and the Rockville Center. Police Department is now New York's first sensory certified Department Culture City, a nonprofit specializing in sensory accessibility has now trained all of the department's officers. Each of the 12 patrol cars are equipped with these sensory bags. You see there, they include noise canceling headphones and a chart to help people show officers what emotion, they're feeling officials hope these bags will help people living with conditions like autism, dementia and PTSD. That's the only time we have this week here on power and politics. Thanks for joining us. Happy Labor Day. Enjoy the rest of the day. I'm Rich Bar ra.

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Gov. Kathy Hochul and Suffolk County officials toured the storm-ravaged North Shore as homeowners and business owners grapple with the road ahead and the cost of making repairs.

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