Senate Republican Conference Calls For Democratic Socialist Senators To Lose Their Committee Assignments And Leadership Roles

Today, Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and members of the Senate Republican Conference penned a letter to Senate leadership, calling for  Democratic Socialist Senators Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport and Kristen Gonzalez to be stripped of their committee assignments and any leadership roles due to their continued affiliation with the New York City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who rallied in support of the terrorist group Hamas who unleashed carnage against Israel. In addition, the letter requests a special session be convened to take the necessary steps to consider a vote for expulsion of these members pursuant to Senate Rule 9. 

“We have watched Hamas terrorists injure and kill hundreds of innocent men, women and children and shamelessly parade these victims through the streets, showing not a hint of remorse for their grotesque actions.  Every human being with a shred of morality and decency is recoiling from these sights.  Yet the New York City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) held a rally over the weekend to support these terrorists,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt.

The letter states, “Three members of your conference proudly identify as Democratic Socialists and campaigned with the support of the NYC DSA. In light of their refusal to condemn the rally and the DSA, and rationalize the killing of civilians, including women and children as part of a larger ‘fight for freedom’ our Conference is requesting that Senators Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport and Kristen Gonzalez be immediately stripped of their committee assignments and any leadership roles.” 

“This has been a horrific weekend. News reports are saying that this has been the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. And yet, the DSA of New York City is rallying in support of the Hamas terrorists. Senators Salazar, Brisport and Gonzalez rely on their DSA friends to support their campaigns for office, and they refuse to repudiate the DSA’s morally repugnant rally. Public officials who lack the moral compass to call out this perverse activity are not worthy of the people of New York and they should not hold elected office,” continued Leader Ortt. 

New York State Senate Rule 9, states that “each house shall determine the rules of its own proceedings, and be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members….”  Per New York Legislative Law, Section 3 provides that each house of the State Legislature "has the power to expel any of its members, after the report of a committee to inquire into the charges against him shall have been made."

“It is our Conference’s position that these individuals have disqualified themselves by standing in support of war crimes, terrorism and a terrorist group, over our allies, the nation of Israel. Their unwillingness to condemn the rally and the DSA shows a lack of moral judgment at best and anti-semitism at worst. We will not stand in support of anti-semitism and terrorism.  It is our sincere hope that our actions will back up our words,” closed the letter.

A copy of the letter is attached. 

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