Press Room

"Happy Veterans Day to our city and nation. As the pandemic prevents us from mass gatherings as a show of support or appreciation, we must be sure to convey our respect and gratitude in our personal interactions and, perhaps most importantly, in our policies. We do this not as a tacit approval of war and violence, but to pay homage to those who answered their country's call to service; many of whom are disrespected or abandoned by our government when they return home. 

"Too many veterans see their service met by a government not fulfilling their end of the contract. This is an injustice not confined to any one party or administration, and one we must correct moving forward as we transition into new national leadership. I stand in appreciation of all, past and present, who have chosen to serve our nation in uniform, including within my own family and staff.

"Veterans Day takes its origin from Armistice Day - it was born from a celebration of peace. May we always work toward achieving that peace, at home and abroad."

"Last night, we saw videos of the NYPD appearing overly aggressive in the way it polices certain protests - particularly through kettling and dozens of arrests. These early enforcement actions seemed intended to suppress, rather than ensure that non-violent protest happens safely. The context of a contentious election and the disparate response to recent protests for other causes are reasons for even greater scrutiny and deeper concern. I was not present last night, but over the summer I personally witnessed extreme aggression by police that was excused and dismissed by the department and the Mayor. 

"After a summer of sustained protest, the administration and NYPD could have honestly acknowledged their failures in policing protests, and acted in good faith to try to correct the disparate precedent set. Sadly, that did not occur, and the Mayor still refuses to admit to the reality of the aggression that the public has seen and experienced. What we're witnessing now are the disturbing results of the administration's opportunity missed, obligation ignored and inability to provide the leadership needed at this moment."

"The Queens community, and the entire city, have lost an iconic leader with the passing of former Council Member and District Leader Archie Spigner. I offer my prayers of peace, comfort and condolence to his family and community. As the first Black man elected to the City Council from Queens, he served as both a groundbreaking leader in his own right and a driver of progress for Black leaders to come who benefitted from his guidance and example.

"He was a trailblazer who became a mentor, a pioneer who became a steward, and his dedication to the people of Queens was enduring and absolute across his decades of service. I am honored to have been able to get to know him, and to have chaired the Housing and Buildings Committee over which he presided for years. The Dean's impact will long continue- on the people of our city and Southeast Queens in particular, on generations of leaders he inspired and empowered, and on all those who were lucky enough to have his presence in our lives."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement in response to announcements from Mayor Bill de Blasio that just 280,000 students have attended in-person instruction in the last month, and that parents' one chance to opt-in to hybrid learning will be from November 2-15.

"As the administration rushed to reopen schools, I encouraged parents to keep their children at home if possible - in evaluating the city's in-person efforts so far, we have to look at the number of students reached, and the number of promises abandoned. After all of the last minute changes, all of the risks faced, confusion and stresses stoked, and money wasted, only 280,000 students received in-person education in the last month - just a quarter of the city's public school students and hundreds of thousands less than the administration had touted. At the same time, not enough resources are being put into ensuring high-quality remote learning is accessible for all students, and the city has still not provided remote learning devices to all students who need them.

"Parents are choosing to keep their children home in an expression of a lack of trust in this administration or its ability to manage a re-opening rooted in safety and equity. At the same time, should they choose to re-enroll in hybrid learning, the administration is providing just one opportunity to do so. This puts families in a difficult position of having to make a long-term assessment based on an ever-changing reality, with little information or transparency. The city itself has failed in that regard, and it fails now, again, in providing safe and satisfactory options for students, parents, and school staff who have had to endure an alternating absence and incompetence of leadership."

"Rather than vote to provide COVID-19 relief to people in New York City and across the country desperately seeking aid, the Senate ignored the needs and will of the American people to confirm a Supreme Court Justice who will have a detrimental impact on New Yorkers for generations.

"This action by Republican Senators and the Trump administration is among the most grotesque embraces of hypocrisy in order to grab at power in recent history, and history will condemn it as its corrosive impact on our country reverberates for decades. Because this confirmation isn't solely about accumulating power, it's about using that power to oppress marginalized groups - and not just to block progress, but undo it on issues of reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, healthcare access, labor protections, and countless other areas.  "Three votes are spotlighted today. The present votes for confirmation, which were cast in  cowardice. The impacted future votes of the Supreme Court, now weighted even further from being cast for true justice. And our own votes, which we must cast as a rejection of the apathy and the ideology represented by this confirmation vote. This is yet another gut-wrenching reminder that no matter one's feelings about the politics of the moment, a single election can have devastating decades-long consequences."

"Across the city, thousands of people waited hours in line to cast their ballot on the first day of early voting. This demonstrates energy, enthusiasm and engagement from New York voters. The turnout today surprised and inspired me.

"While long lines are a sign of civic pride and determination, they are also a sign that we may need to open additional sites in the future to meet the demand of the electorate. The Administration and Board of Elections must monitor the next couple of days very closely. "Thankfully there are nine days remaining, including another weekend to vote early. I encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of this opportunity to cast your ballot at the best time for you while also reducing the expected strain on the system November 3rd. This is our opportunity to vote for a government that reflects and represents the needs of our communities."