WGXC-90.7 FM
Audio Feature: This week in News for Rep. John Faso 20180904
Sep 01, 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 (13:32).
• Brian Nearing is reporting for the Times Union U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue toured John and Becky Altobelli's vegetable farm in Valatie, August 23, as part of a whirlwind visit to Columbia County where he heard from several local farmers on Mexican labor, Canadian steel, depressed prices for milk and other topics. Foreign workers "are part of the productivity of the American farmer in a very unique way," said Perdue. With farmers across the country relying on tens of thousands of seasonal workers, Perdue said the Agriculture Department is trying to speed up the visa process. U.S. Rep. John Faso, who joined Perdue on the tour, said he was backing a bill to provide a "legal stable agricultural work force" that could cover 3 million currently undocumented people in the U.S. The measure would require the workers to return to their home country periodically as a "touchback" provision. On the issue of imposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, Perdue said the charges were necessary to achieve beneficial ends, likening it go going on a diet "that might not feel good at first." He said Canadian barriers to U.S. products were unfair and that the U.S. had to respond in kind. Asked about depressed prices for milk and other agricultural products, Perdue said details on which U.S. commodities will receive government subsidies will be announced August 27. He did not indicate whether milk would be included. Perdue hinted that some kind of agreement with Mexico on trade issues could be announced "maybe tomorrow, maybe next week ... Once Mexico is in hand, we hope that Canada will come along quickly." Read the full story in the Times Union.
• Matthew Nanci reports at The Fray Aug. 23 that Diane Neal and Dal LaMagna won't appear on the ballot in November in the 19th Congressional District election, with the state board of elections ruling they did not file enough signatures with their petitions. Neal, a television actor who lives in Hurley, and LaMagna, have three days to appeal, and both say they will try to get back on the ballot. Neal, who starred in the television series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” included 1,852 invalid signatures among the 4,181 she submitted. The board invalidated 1,592 of LaMagna's 4,235 submitted signatures, and candidates are required to get 3,500. “A lot of it is nitpicking, technicalities,” LaMagna said. Neal thinks her appeal will succeed. “As long as the judiciary is following their own laws – the laws of New York State that are very clearly laid out – it won’t be any problem to get on the ballot in November,” she said. Republican incumbent John Faso, Democrat Antonio Delgado, Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield, and independent Luisa Parker of Callicoon are also on the ballot Nov. 6. Read the full story at The Fray.
• The Mid-Hudson News Network reports that Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) was at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds this week touting legislation he is co-sponsoring to create an agricultural worker immigrant work visa program. “This is critical for our agriculture industry. It is also critical for us in the Hudson Valley, because we are not going to have the workers to harvest our crops and milk our cows unless we do something about the migrant labor issue," Faso said Aug. 23. Migrant workers classified as H-2C under the proposed Agricultural Guest Worker Act could work in the United States for a maximum of 36 months. Read the full story in the Mid-Hudson News.
• The Mid-Hudson News Network is reporting area officials are mourning the passing of U.S. Sen. John McCain, Republican of Arizona., who died August 25, at age 81, and reflecting on his life. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, Democrat from New York, said McCain’s “dedication to his country and the military were unsurpassed, and maybe most of all, he was a truth teller — never afraid to speak truth to power in an era where that has become all too rare. The Senate, the United States, and the world are lesser places without John McCain.” Schumer also announced his intention to introduce a resolution to rename the Russell Senate Office Building in McCain’s honor. Kinderhook Republican U.S. Rep. John Faso said McCain was “an American patriot, dedicated to our constitution and the ideals it represents.” Faso said “his courage as a POW in the Hanoi Hilton will be long remembered. America has lost a dedicated and loyal son.” And Gov. Andrew Cuomo said McCain “gave his life in service to this nation, exemplifying all that we admire in a hero.” Cuomo directed that state flags fly at half-mast in honor of McCain. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
• The Daily Freeman is reporting the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a “Meet the Congressional Candidates” event during its monthly breakfast meeting September 20, at the Best Western Plus Hotel in Kingston. The19th Congressional District candidates scheduled to participate are first-term incumbent John Faso, a Republican; Democrat Antonio Delgado and Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield. They will speak and answer questions from the audience. Reservations are required and anyone interested must pay to attend. The cost of admission is $35. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
• Nick Reisman reports in New York State of Politics that the Teamsters Local 294 endorsed Republican Rep. John Faso Aug. 27 over Democrat Antonio Delgado, Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield, and independent Luisa Parker. “Since taking office, Congressman Faso has been a dedicated supporter of efforts to guarantee solvency of the New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund,” said John Bulgaro, the local’s president. “We thank him for his efforts and look forward to continue working with him to ensure our members’ retirement money is safe and accessible in the future.” Faso, a freshman Congressperson in a swing district, thanked the union for their support. “It is a privilege to work with Local 294 on issues important to its members and their families,” said Faso. “I’m pleased to have earned their support in this election. I will continue to fight for our commercial vehicle operators, who have been and will continue to be a linchpin in America’s economic engine.” Read the full story in New York State of Politics.
•
Immediately after Republican Arizona Senator John McCain died over the weekend, there was an outpouring of tributes, from both political parties, from New York politicians. A few days later, there is criticism of how President Donald Trump reacted to the death. Trump and McCain did not get along, and The White House on Aug. 27 first lowered flags in honor of McCain, then raised them back, and then lowered them again. Republican Jake Ashby, who holds the 107th Assembly District seat representing Rensselaer County and parts of Columbia County, wrote on Twitter Aug. 27 that, "Playing games with tradition following the death of a POW and U.S. Senator is not right. If Senator McCain is not worthy of this tradition, I don’t know who is. This isn’t winning, this is losing." Rep. John Faso, the Congressperson from Kinderhook, also took to Twitter. "The White House should issue a Presidential Proclamation to lower flags nationally for the next week to honor the life and service of John McCain. An American Hero deserves no less," Faso wrote.
• The Daily Freeman and the Associated Press are reporting the U.S. International Trade Commission August 29, blocked tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on imported newsprint. The commission found that American producers were not harmed by imports from Canadian paper mills. The newspaper industry had complained that the rising cost of newsprint made it harder to operate. The commission heard testimony in July that the tariffs were actually harming the paper industry they were supposed to protect. The higher prices had caused publishers to reduce the number of pages in their papers, and also led newspapers to cut staffing and the number of local events they covered. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, celebrated the decision in a tweet: “ITC made exactly the right decision to completely eliminate them. I will remain vigilant to make sure that they never return.” U.S. Rep. John Faso, Republican of Kinderhook, also hailed the decision. “People across upstate New York depend on local newspapers to know what is going on in their communities,” he said. “These tariffs threatened to cause irreversible damage to local newspapers, which already operate under thin margins...This is a good day for the people of upstate New York and the hardworking employees of local newspapers.” The Commerce Department imposed the tariffs in response to a complaint from a paper producer in Washington state. The company can appeal the commission's ruling. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
• Ariél Zangla reports in The Daily Freeman that a political attack ad against Democrat Antonio Delgado uses an excerpt from an article about the 19th Congressional District candidate “completely out of context” according to the founders of Chronogram magazine. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group that backs U.S. House Republicans, made the advertisement that lifts three words from the July 20, 2018, Chronogram article “NY19 Rap Narratives Painfully Free of Substance.” “Chronogram condemns this SuperPAC attack ad on Delgado that takes our coverage completely out of context,” Brian K. Mahoney, editorial director for Chronogram parent Luminary Media, said in a statement. The ad attacks Delgado for profane and sexist language on a 2006 hip hop album he released, and says that Chronogram called the album “fraught with profanity.” But the article used that phrase in reference to the way a now-deleted anonymous Twitter account described Delgado’s rap album. The full quote from the article reads: “The songs in his album ‘Painfully Free,’ the account revealed, are fraught with profanity, anti-capitalist sentiments, and contentious critiques of race relations in America, as well as some misogynistic language.” So Chronogram did not write that Delgado's 12-year-old album was "fraught with profanity," but some anonymous Twitter used did. “Chronogram encourages voters to look beyond political attack ads paid for by outside groups and focus on learning about where the candidates stand on the issues,” Mahoney said. Delgado, who lives in Rhinebeck, is running against freshman Congressperson John Faso, a Republican from Kinderhook, in the Nov. 6 election in New York’s 19th Congressional District which includes Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Delaware counties; most of Dutchess County; and some or all of six other counties. Since Delgado won the June 26 Democratic primary, Faso and the national Republican group have spent most time talking about Delgado on his rap past, rather than his current political positions. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.
• Richard Moody is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media 19th Congressional candidate Democrat Antonio Delgado officially opened his new campaign headquarters in the city of Hudson, August 28. The office is located at 717 Columbia Street, in the space that used to be Billy's Italian Market. Retired physician and Hudson resident Katherine Clark attended the opening and for the first time heard Delgado speak. “He is charismatic and has a good energy. He could be a good leader,” Clark told Moody. Columbia County has nearly 15,000 active Democrats registered to vote, and approximately 12,000 active Republicans, according to the state Board of Elections. Greene County reports more than 7,200 active Democrats registered and nearly 12,000 active Republican voters. “I feel it every day, I’m out there every day, and I can’t tell you how committed people are right now to change, to making a bold statement,” Delgado said at the opening. “We have an opportunity to make real, concrete change. We have the opportunity to put someone in Congress who really cares, who is here to do the work, who is actually here to reflect the will of the people.” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.
• Brian Nearing is reporting for the Times Union U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue toured John and Becky Altobelli's vegetable farm in Valatie, August 23, as part of a whirlwind visit to Columbia County where he heard from several local farmers on Mexican labor, Canadian steel, depressed prices for milk and other topics. Foreign workers "are part of the productivity of the American farmer in a very unique way," said Perdue. With farmers across the country relying on tens of thousands of seasonal workers, Perdue said the Agriculture Department is trying to speed up the visa process. U.S. Rep. John Faso, who joined Perdue on the tour, said he was backing a bill to provide a "legal stable agricultural work force" that could cover 3 million currently undocumented people in the U.S. The measure would require the workers to return to their home country periodically as a "touchback" provision. On the issue of imposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, Perdue said the charges were necessary to achieve beneficial ends, likening it go going on a diet "that might not feel good at first." He said Canadian barriers to U.S. products were unfair and that the U.S. had to respond in kind. Asked about depressed prices for milk and other agricultural products, Perdue said details on which U.S. commodities will receive government subsidies will be announced August 27. He did not indicate whether milk would be included. Perdue hinted that some kind of agreement with Mexico on trade issues could be announced "maybe tomorrow, maybe next week ... Once Mexico is in hand, we hope that Canada will come along quickly." Read the full story in the Times Union.
• Matthew Nanci reports at The Fray Aug. 23 that Diane Neal and Dal LaMagna won't appear on the ballot in November in the 19th Congressional District election, with the state board of elections ruling they did not file enough signatures with their petitions. Neal, a television actor who lives in Hurley, and LaMagna, have three days to appeal, and both say they will try to get back on the ballot. Neal, who starred in the television series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” included 1,852 invalid signatures among the 4,181 she submitted. The board invalidated 1,592 of LaMagna's 4,235 submitted signatures, and candidates are required to get 3,500. “A lot of it is nitpicking, technicalities,” LaMagna said. Neal thinks her appeal will succeed. “As long as the judiciary is following their own laws – the laws of New York State that are very clearly laid out – it won’t be any problem to get on the ballot in November,” she said. Republican incumbent John Faso, Democrat Antonio Delgado, Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield, and independent Luisa Parker of Callicoon are also on the ballot Nov. 6. Read the full story at The Fray.
• The Mid-Hudson News Network reports that Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) was at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds this week touting legislation he is co-sponsoring to create an agricultural worker immigrant work visa program. “This is critical for our agriculture industry. It is also critical for us in the Hudson Valley, because we are not going to have the workers to harvest our crops and milk our cows unless we do something about the migrant labor issue," Faso said Aug. 23. Migrant workers classified as H-2C under the proposed Agricultural Guest Worker Act could work in the United States for a maximum of 36 months. Read the full story in the Mid-Hudson News.
• The Mid-Hudson News Network is reporting area officials are mourning the passing of U.S. Sen. John McCain, Republican of Arizona., who died August 25, at age 81, and reflecting on his life. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, Democrat from New York, said McCain’s “dedication to his country and the military were unsurpassed, and maybe most of all, he was a truth teller — never afraid to speak truth to power in an era where that has become all too rare. The Senate, the United States, and the world are lesser places without John McCain.” Schumer also announced his intention to introduce a resolution to rename the Russell Senate Office Building in McCain’s honor. Kinderhook Republican U.S. Rep. John Faso said McCain was “an American patriot, dedicated to our constitution and the ideals it represents.” Faso said “his courage as a POW in the Hanoi Hilton will be long remembered. America has lost a dedicated and loyal son.” And Gov. Andrew Cuomo said McCain “gave his life in service to this nation, exemplifying all that we admire in a hero.” Cuomo directed that state flags fly at half-mast in honor of McCain. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
• The Daily Freeman is reporting the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a “Meet the Congressional Candidates” event during its monthly breakfast meeting September 20, at the Best Western Plus Hotel in Kingston. The19th Congressional District candidates scheduled to participate are first-term incumbent John Faso, a Republican; Democrat Antonio Delgado and Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield. They will speak and answer questions from the audience. Reservations are required and anyone interested must pay to attend. The cost of admission is $35. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
• Nick Reisman reports in New York State of Politics that the Teamsters Local 294 endorsed Republican Rep. John Faso Aug. 27 over Democrat Antonio Delgado, Green Party candidate Steve Greenfield, and independent Luisa Parker. “Since taking office, Congressman Faso has been a dedicated supporter of efforts to guarantee solvency of the New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund,” said John Bulgaro, the local’s president. “We thank him for his efforts and look forward to continue working with him to ensure our members’ retirement money is safe and accessible in the future.” Faso, a freshman Congressperson in a swing district, thanked the union for their support. “It is a privilege to work with Local 294 on issues important to its members and their families,” said Faso. “I’m pleased to have earned their support in this election. I will continue to fight for our commercial vehicle operators, who have been and will continue to be a linchpin in America’s economic engine.” Read the full story in New York State of Politics.
•
Playing games with tradition following the death of a POW and US Senator is not right. If Senator McCain is not worthy of this tradition, I don’t know who is. This isn’t winning, this is losing.
— Assemblyman Jake Ashby (@JakeCAshby) August 27, 2018
Immediately after Republican Arizona Senator John McCain died over the weekend, there was an outpouring of tributes, from both political parties, from New York politicians. A few days later, there is criticism of how President Donald Trump reacted to the death. Trump and McCain did not get along, and The White House on Aug. 27 first lowered flags in honor of McCain, then raised them back, and then lowered them again. Republican Jake Ashby, who holds the 107th Assembly District seat representing Rensselaer County and parts of Columbia County, wrote on Twitter Aug. 27 that, "Playing games with tradition following the death of a POW and U.S. Senator is not right. If Senator McCain is not worthy of this tradition, I don’t know who is. This isn’t winning, this is losing." Rep. John Faso, the Congressperson from Kinderhook, also took to Twitter. "The White House should issue a Presidential Proclamation to lower flags nationally for the next week to honor the life and service of John McCain. An American Hero deserves no less," Faso wrote.
The White House should issue a Presidential Proclamation to lower flags nationally for the next week to honor the life and service of John McCain. An American Hero deserves no less.
— John Faso (@RepJohnFaso) August 27, 2018
• The Daily Freeman and the Associated Press are reporting the U.S. International Trade Commission August 29, blocked tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on imported newsprint. The commission found that American producers were not harmed by imports from Canadian paper mills. The newspaper industry had complained that the rising cost of newsprint made it harder to operate. The commission heard testimony in July that the tariffs were actually harming the paper industry they were supposed to protect. The higher prices had caused publishers to reduce the number of pages in their papers, and also led newspapers to cut staffing and the number of local events they covered. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, celebrated the decision in a tweet: “ITC made exactly the right decision to completely eliminate them. I will remain vigilant to make sure that they never return.” U.S. Rep. John Faso, Republican of Kinderhook, also hailed the decision. “People across upstate New York depend on local newspapers to know what is going on in their communities,” he said. “These tariffs threatened to cause irreversible damage to local newspapers, which already operate under thin margins...This is a good day for the people of upstate New York and the hardworking employees of local newspapers.” The Commerce Department imposed the tariffs in response to a complaint from a paper producer in Washington state. The company can appeal the commission's ruling. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
• Ariél Zangla reports in The Daily Freeman that a political attack ad against Democrat Antonio Delgado uses an excerpt from an article about the 19th Congressional District candidate “completely out of context” according to the founders of Chronogram magazine. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group that backs U.S. House Republicans, made the advertisement that lifts three words from the July 20, 2018, Chronogram article “NY19 Rap Narratives Painfully Free of Substance.” “Chronogram condemns this SuperPAC attack ad on Delgado that takes our coverage completely out of context,” Brian K. Mahoney, editorial director for Chronogram parent Luminary Media, said in a statement. The ad attacks Delgado for profane and sexist language on a 2006 hip hop album he released, and says that Chronogram called the album “fraught with profanity.” But the article used that phrase in reference to the way a now-deleted anonymous Twitter account described Delgado’s rap album. The full quote from the article reads: “The songs in his album ‘Painfully Free,’ the account revealed, are fraught with profanity, anti-capitalist sentiments, and contentious critiques of race relations in America, as well as some misogynistic language.” So Chronogram did not write that Delgado's 12-year-old album was "fraught with profanity," but some anonymous Twitter used did. “Chronogram encourages voters to look beyond political attack ads paid for by outside groups and focus on learning about where the candidates stand on the issues,” Mahoney said. Delgado, who lives in Rhinebeck, is running against freshman Congressperson John Faso, a Republican from Kinderhook, in the Nov. 6 election in New York’s 19th Congressional District which includes Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Delaware counties; most of Dutchess County; and some or all of six other counties. Since Delgado won the June 26 Democratic primary, Faso and the national Republican group have spent most time talking about Delgado on his rap past, rather than his current political positions. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.
• Richard Moody is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media 19th Congressional candidate Democrat Antonio Delgado officially opened his new campaign headquarters in the city of Hudson, August 28. The office is located at 717 Columbia Street, in the space that used to be Billy's Italian Market. Retired physician and Hudson resident Katherine Clark attended the opening and for the first time heard Delgado speak. “He is charismatic and has a good energy. He could be a good leader,” Clark told Moody. Columbia County has nearly 15,000 active Democrats registered to vote, and approximately 12,000 active Republicans, according to the state Board of Elections. Greene County reports more than 7,200 active Democrats registered and nearly 12,000 active Republican voters. “I feel it every day, I’m out there every day, and I can’t tell you how committed people are right now to change, to making a bold statement,” Delgado said at the opening. “We have an opportunity to make real, concrete change. We have the opportunity to put someone in Congress who really cares, who is here to do the work, who is actually here to reflect the will of the people.” Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.