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Audio Feature: This week in News for Rep. John Faso 20180817
Aug 17, 2018 10:45 am
Here's the week in the news for Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook), the District 19 Congressperson for the WGXC listening area. The Fivethirtyeight.com website currently reports Faso votes with Donald Trump's positions 90.0 percent of the time, the same as last week, as the House of Representatives has not been in session. Click here to download or play an audio version of this report (5:39).
• Madison Iszler and Eric Anderson are reporting for the Times Union U.S. Rep. John Faso is one of three upstate members of Congress asking Amtrak to reconsider its decision to stop operating the Toys for Tots train, which distributes winter clothes, toys and other items to upstate families every year. In an August 9 letter to Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson, Faso, U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik and Paul Tonko said the train is "a beloved and endearing resource that many of our region's neediest families rely on...Discontinuing this train service will mean approximately 40,000 children and their families will not benefit from donated gifts and much needed winter hats and gloves," they wrote. "We implore you to reconsider." This year would have been the 20th anniversary of the Marines' Toys for Tots campaign. The train almost did not operate in 2017, but a last-minute intervention from Stefanik and Tonko helped to save the service. However, in a statement issued last week, the company said, "Amtrak's objective is to operate its core, scheduled train service safely, on time, and efficiently, and must therefore decline to operate this charter. Amtrak will continue to proudly support the Toys for Tots program through the collection of toys at participating stations." Read the full story in the Times Union.
• Convoluted national politics have taken over the local Congressional race this week between Rep. John Faso and Antonio Delgado. The Republican attacked Delgado Aug. 13 in a press release that name-checked Hillary Clinton, Faso's campaign criticized efforts to throw out petition signatures for independent candidates seeking to run against Faso and Delgado in November. A Times Union story says a close associate of Delgado who has contributed to Delgado’s campaign, Rima Liscum, challenged the petitions. “Make no mistake, Antonio Delgado, Nancy Pelosi or whoever is paying these high-priced lawyers to subvert Democracy in the 19th district are nervous,” Faso campaign manager Tom Szymanski said in the press release. “Antonio Delgado’s candidacy is flawed and they know he can’t win the race on his own merits.” So far Faso's campaign is not announcing local appearances, and has focused on attacking Delgado. The Democrat Delgado, meanwhile, has called on the Kinderhook Republican to return $3,000 he received from Rep. Chris Collins, a western New York Republican who was arrested by the FBI last week. "John Faso has consistently favored big corporations and special interests over the needs and concerns of his own constituents," said Delgado campaign manager Allyson Marcus. "He has taken thousands from dishonest representatives and Washington insiders. Faso should return the $3,000 from Collins immediately in order to finally demonstrate to the people of our district that he won't benefit from corrupt politicians." Faso did not comment on the contribution from Collins.
• The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund is reporting the major party candidates in the 19th Congressional District race will face off in a forum focused on environmental issues, August 29. First term Congressman John Faso, a Republican from Kinderhook, and challenger Anthony Delgado, a Democrat from Rhinebeck, will participate in the event sponsored by the League, the Friends of the Upper Delaware River, the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, and the Delaware Highlands Conservancy. The forum will focus on efforts at the federal, local, and state levels to protect the Delaware River Watershed. According to the League, the watershed provides drinking water to 15 million people and is responsible for 600,000 jobs and $22 billion in annual economic activity. The event will be held in the Western Hotel's Grand Ballroom in Callicoon, 6 p.m., Wed., Aug. 29.
• Madison Iszler and Eric Anderson are reporting for the Times Union U.S. Rep. John Faso is one of three upstate members of Congress asking Amtrak to reconsider its decision to stop operating the Toys for Tots train, which distributes winter clothes, toys and other items to upstate families every year. In an August 9 letter to Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson, Faso, U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik and Paul Tonko said the train is "a beloved and endearing resource that many of our region's neediest families rely on...Discontinuing this train service will mean approximately 40,000 children and their families will not benefit from donated gifts and much needed winter hats and gloves," they wrote. "We implore you to reconsider." This year would have been the 20th anniversary of the Marines' Toys for Tots campaign. The train almost did not operate in 2017, but a last-minute intervention from Stefanik and Tonko helped to save the service. However, in a statement issued last week, the company said, "Amtrak's objective is to operate its core, scheduled train service safely, on time, and efficiently, and must therefore decline to operate this charter. Amtrak will continue to proudly support the Toys for Tots program through the collection of toys at participating stations." Read the full story in the Times Union.
• Convoluted national politics have taken over the local Congressional race this week between Rep. John Faso and Antonio Delgado. The Republican attacked Delgado Aug. 13 in a press release that name-checked Hillary Clinton, Faso's campaign criticized efforts to throw out petition signatures for independent candidates seeking to run against Faso and Delgado in November. A Times Union story says a close associate of Delgado who has contributed to Delgado’s campaign, Rima Liscum, challenged the petitions. “Make no mistake, Antonio Delgado, Nancy Pelosi or whoever is paying these high-priced lawyers to subvert Democracy in the 19th district are nervous,” Faso campaign manager Tom Szymanski said in the press release. “Antonio Delgado’s candidacy is flawed and they know he can’t win the race on his own merits.” So far Faso's campaign is not announcing local appearances, and has focused on attacking Delgado. The Democrat Delgado, meanwhile, has called on the Kinderhook Republican to return $3,000 he received from Rep. Chris Collins, a western New York Republican who was arrested by the FBI last week. "John Faso has consistently favored big corporations and special interests over the needs and concerns of his own constituents," said Delgado campaign manager Allyson Marcus. "He has taken thousands from dishonest representatives and Washington insiders. Faso should return the $3,000 from Collins immediately in order to finally demonstrate to the people of our district that he won't benefit from corrupt politicians." Faso did not comment on the contribution from Collins.
@DelgadoforNY19 & @NancyPelosi are nervous if their supporters are retaining high powered @dccc & @HillaryClinton lawyers (including Marc Elias, who paid Fusion GPS for Russian dossier) to subvert democracy & throw @DalLaMagna & @DianeNeal off ballot https://t.co/O4ngNMVRvk
— John Faso (@JohnFasoNy) August 13, 2018
• The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund is reporting the major party candidates in the 19th Congressional District race will face off in a forum focused on environmental issues, August 29. First term Congressman John Faso, a Republican from Kinderhook, and challenger Anthony Delgado, a Democrat from Rhinebeck, will participate in the event sponsored by the League, the Friends of the Upper Delaware River, the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, and the Delaware Highlands Conservancy. The forum will focus on efforts at the federal, local, and state levels to protect the Delaware River Watershed. According to the League, the watershed provides drinking water to 15 million people and is responsible for 600,000 jobs and $22 billion in annual economic activity. The event will be held in the Western Hotel's Grand Ballroom in Callicoon, 6 p.m., Wed., Aug. 29.