Pushing Biz to the Brink: SI’s COVID Rule Violators
THE ISSUE: Local politicians’ response to a Staten Island bar owner who defied COVID guidelines.
Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio are a disgrace (“Mad Mac’s SI Rampage,” Dec. 7).
They turn hardworking, law-abiding citizens into criminals by harassing small businesses with ridiculous rules.
De Blasio says Mac’s Public House co-owner Danny Presti’s actions are disgusting, yet he barely said a peep when the rioters and looters were destroying our city.
Hey, de Blasio, go after the homeless and vagrants who are violating my freedom to ride on a clean and crime-free subway. Leo Kibler
The Bronx
Presti is no local hero. He is a selfish man who is only thinking about himself and his money.
He is not only endangering the well-being of the dumbbells who are patronizing his establishment, he’s endangering others who come in contact with those dumbbells.
Now this guy Presti allegedly has taken his foolish act a step further and assaulted a law-enforcement officer. How he was released without bail is baffling.
When his patrons start showing up dead from COVID, he’ll give new meaning to the phrase “last call.” Kreg Ramone
Manhattan
Businesses are suffering because high-powered politicians want to turn owners into puppets on a string. They pass down orders that all must submit to and obey.
The owner of Mac’s Public House in Staten Island defied the rules and became an outlaw. The mayor and governor bashed him in the news media, but now a cold reality is setting in: What he did may not be too farfetched anymore.
Sometimes you must become an outlaw to get your point across. You cannot always play by the rules. Rules sometimes need to be broken.
If you’re at a card table, and you’re being cheated, kick over the table. Joseph Comperchio
Brooklyn
A Staten Island bar owner disregarding state laws established to protect citizens from COVID and attacking police officials is the pure definition of “anarchy.”
To keep the bar open, especially while disregarding the protection and safety of other citizen is legally and morally wrong, and un-American. Michael Costagliola Monroe Township, NJ
The Post reported: “The Congregation Yetev Lev D’Satmar went coronavirus-rogue for the funeral of 94-year-old former chief Satmar judge Rabbi Yisroel Chaim Menashe Friedman — with up to an estimated 5,000 people cramming the house of worship at 152 Rodney St. in Williamsburg” (“A tight squeeze at Hasid funeral,” Dec. 8).
Yet Mayor de Blasio moved rapidly to remove the liquor license of a Staten Island pub owner who defied the shutdown order. He was arrested and fined also.
However, it seems that this Williamsburg synagogue continues to ignore the COVID mandates without apology.
I live happily with all religions and am interested in learning about their practices and rituals. But I am not interested in administering special treatment for any religion, as I wouldn’t want any religion to be singled out for illegal treatment. J.M. Frangos Staten Island
Are you kidding me? Cuomo and de Blasio are saying the bar owner in Staten Island showed no respect to police officers by trying to run them down.
Really? But burning cop cars, throwing buckets of water on them and throwing bottles and trash at them is OK? Looting and rioting is OK? What about telling the police they can’t defend themselves but need to stand there and be abused?
The list of hypocrisies goes on and on. It’s the typical behavior from the Democrats.
Judy Corbutt
Lakewood
De Blasio is all of a sudden the law-and-order mayor.
All spring and summer while the city burned and looters ran rampant, the mayor extolled their virtue and legal right to protest. But not this poor Staten Islander.
This poor man, who’s losing his livelihood, is being singled out. New York City is falling apart. I’m glad I got out. Charlie Honadel
Venice