Tag:

New York State Assembly

NY Rep. Lawler Admits Donning Blackface As 'Hero' Michael Jackson In NYT Exposé NY Rep. Lawler Admits Donning Blackface As 'Hero' Michael Jackson In NYT Exposé
NY Rep. Lawler Admits Donning Blackface As 'Hero' Michael Jackson In NYT Exposé New York Rep. Mike Lawler – a freshman Republican hoping to defend his battleground congressional seat in the Hudson Valley – admitted to once donning blackface, The New York Times reports. The 38-year-old Lawler darkened his skin and dressed up as Michael Jackson for Halloween while he was a sophomore at the now Manhattan University in 2006, photos obtained by the outlet show. In a statement to the New York Times, Lawler said the costume was meant to be “truly the sincerest form of flattery, a genuine homage to my musical hero since I was a little kid trying to moonwalk through my mom’s ki…
'Jury Of Our Peers Act' Allowing Convicted Felons To Serve On Juries Passes NY Legislature 'Jury Of Our Peers Act' Allowing Convicted Felons To Serve On Juries Passes NY Legislature
'Jury Of Our Peers Act' Allowing Convicted Felons To Serve On Juries Passes NY Legislature New Yorkers with felony convictions could soon serve on court juries after state lawmakers passed legislation reversing the lifetime ban on such service. The New York State Assembly on Friday, June 7, passed the “Jury of Our Peers Act,” which would allow those convicted of felonies to serve on New York juries once they are released from prison or have otherwise satisfied all of their sentencing requirements. Advocates say the move will help rectify an underrepresentation of minorities on juries. “Black New Yorkers have been systematically denied the right to serve on juries as they are dis…
'Melanie's Law' Closing Loophole That Led To Hudson Valley Mom's Killing Passes Assembly 'Melanie's Law' Closing Loophole That Led To Hudson Valley Mom's Killing Passes Assembly
'Melanie's Law' Closing Loophole That Led To Hudson Valley Mom's Killing Passes Assembly Two years after a young mother from New York was stabbed to death by her mother’s ex-boyfriend, state lawmakers have passed legislation aimed at closing the dangerous loophole that led to her killing. On Tuesday, May 21, the New York Assembly passed “Melanie’s Law,” allowing judges to expand orders of protection for immediate family members or household members of named victims of domestic violence, regardless of their age. The legislation is named after Melanie Chianese, who was stabbed to death on May 29, 2022, inside the Dutchess County residence in Wappingers Falls that she shared with …