Pols fire away over gun laws in crucial race
ALBANY — New York’s growing gun control debate promises to be a dominant issue in a city race that has become important in the battle for the state Senate.
Supporters of state Sen. Joe Addabbo (D-Queens) are already trashing his potential Republican opponent, City Councilman Eric Ulrich of Ozone Park, for his positions and votes on the issue.
Ulrich has said he doesn’t see a need to strengthen the state’s gun laws, which were ranked fourth toughest in the nation by a leading gun-control advocacy group. Like Mayor Bloomberg, Ulrich says the bigger problem is illegal guns being smuggled into New York from out of state.
Ulrich, who won Addabbo’s Council seat after the Democrat moved on to the Senate, also joined other Council Republicans in voting against a resolution to oppose a House of Representatives bill that would allow anyone licensed to carry a concealed weapon in one state to bring it into a different state.
“Eric Ulrich is out of touch and his gun-friendly positions make our streets more dangerous,” sniped Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy.
State Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif shot back that the Senate Dems were “hypocrites” because earlier this year they walked out on several key votes, including one on a bill to expand the state DNA database, which would help police solve crimes.
“New Yorkers shouldn’t take anything they say on any public safety issue seriously,” Reif said.
Ulrich’s spokeswoman, Jessica Proud, called Addabbo’s walkout on the DNA database vote “cowardly,” and said the councilman “has been a vigorous defender of stop-and-frisk and other policies that are helping to keep New Yorkers safe and get illegal guns off the streets.”
The Dems have made gun control a central issue in races across the state , while Republicans, who have a 33-to-29 edge in the chamber, are trying to steer attention to the economy. Senate Democrats are pushing a host of new gun-control measures, and Gov. Cuomo has insisted that a legislative solution be passed on the issue next year, but many Senate Republicans have said they will not support new laws. Instead, the GOP wants tougher penalties for those who use illegal guns. Ulrich alread y has the Conservative and Independence party lines, but is facing a Sept. 13 GOP primary against Forest Hills lawyer Juan Reyes, who has the backing of the Queens Republican committee. Many Senate GOPers see Ulrich, who has a cash advantage over Addabbo of greater than 3 to 1, as the best chance to win back the traditionally Republican seat.
State government’s largest union could announce as soon as this week that it is taking a punitive approach to making legislative endorsements for the fall.
Many incumbents who in the past enjoyed backing from the 300,000-member Civil Service Employees Union will this year be snubbed — payback for supporting what the union believes was anti-worker initiatives like pension benefit reductions for new hires, a source with knowledge of the plan said. Lawmakers will lose thousands of dollars in campaign donations and grassroots organizing help.
“You’re not going to see business as usual,” a second source said.
CSEA gave $130,000 to state candidates last year. In March, days after the Legislature approved Cuomo’s proposal to scale back pension benefits for new hires, the union suspended its campaign contributions and political endorsements for state candidates in order to “reevaluate our political relationships.”