Senator Phillips Calls On Legislature To Hold Hearings After Report Reveals Dozens Of Convicted Sex Offenders Part Of Governor’s Pardons

Following the New York Daily News’ explosive report revealing that dozens of convicted sexual predators deemed too dangerous to be returned to the community are among those to receive pardons by Governor Cuomo, Senator Elaine Phillips today called on the State Legislature to hold hearings to address the issue.

“By pardoning sexual predators, the Governor is not just releasing dangerous individuals back into society, but welcoming them into our schools to vote, which could potentially jeopardize children,” Senator Phillips said. “Today’s report shows the Governor’s program lacks necessary safeguards and raises questions if there are any standards in place at all.”

The Daily News reported that dozens of confined sexual predators — many held beyond their prison release dates because they are still deemed too dangerous to be returned to society—were granted special pardons allowing them to vote this November.

This is in addition to hundreds — if not thousands — of child rapists and other sex offenders who could turn up in schools to vote on Election Day as a result of the special pardons

Last month, Senator Phillips identified five sexual predators in the 7th Senate District and more than two dozen in Nassau County – all of whom could vote in local schools this November. Standing with community and school leaders, Senator Phillips demanded the names of 24,086 felons, including hundreds and possibly thousands of convicted sex offenders.

Senator Phillips also has created a petition on her website—phillips.nysenate.gov—urging the Governor to keep sex predators out of schools on Election Day.

While Gov. Cuomo has not released a list of felons who received pardons, limited information on the felons can be found by crosschecking the state’s online Megan’s Law registry with a database of parolees. So far, Senator Phillips was able to identify hundreds of sex offenders with pardons in just a few communities across the state, including at least 20 from our area.