Protesting Sabini
Here's YouTube video that shows people protesting outside State Senator John Sabini's office in Jackson Heights. (It doesn't give an exact date, but the protests have been going on this week.) Sabini pleaded guilty to a D.W.I. on February 5, and these demonstrators are calling for his resignation. Although he has no official challenger yet, Sabini may face his political rival, City Councilman Hiram Monserrate, in 2009.
UPDATE: A spokeswoman for Sabini disputes the protesters' characterization of the Senator's attitude, and referred me to statement he released when he plead guilty.
"I take the matter against me very seriously, and am extremely grateful to have this settled. I would like to offer a sincere apology to my constituents, the Albany Court, and the many loyal friends, colleagues and family members for any burdens this may have caused. As a legislator for sixteen years who has always strived to make the right choices, I have learned from this incident and will continue working hard to maintain the confidence and integrity of my role in the State Senate."
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It is heartbreaking to watch this guy, who can barely breath, participate in a protest. He looks so devastated and disillusioned with the whole system. Poor chap.
I am the man in the wheelchair in the video. I understand that Senator Sabini has 16 years in office. I have only recently begun to follow local politics so I do not know much about his past. I do know that driving while impaired at age 50 shows a tremendous lack of judgment. It is the kind of thing that should never happen. With so much attention on drunk driving in recent years I don't understand how someone gets away with just a $300 fine for his guilty plea. Additionally, as a State Senator, Mr. Sabini behaved disrespectfully to law enforcement, in my opinion, by refusing to take a breathalyzer. I read that in one of the accounts of his arrest. I don't know the law here, but perhaps he knew he would fail it and that that would mean more serious penalties. I don't know if he has even had his license suspended. Anyway, I would be "grateful to have this settled" if I was him too. The penalties were very lenient.
Regardless of what you think about the penalties, the main point is whether a 50-year-old man who does something like this should continue to be given the public's trust. Should a 50-year-old drunk driver be granted the privilege of serving in high office on the taxpayer's dime? I certainly don't think so and that's one of the reasons I came out to protest in the snow and cold on Tuesday to get Mr. Sabini out of office. I'm sure there are other qualified individuals with a record of integrity who would far better represent the district and its values.
Tom Cooke
Poor chap is right; he doesn’t know politics so he should stay out of politics and not be a puppet for someone else’s interest
It's insulting to refer to me as "someone else's puppet." For the record, I initiated contact with the Lefrak group when a friend of mine in the development told me about the protest. I offered to help and explained why. I'm standing up for something I believe in. If someone else benefits from it, so be it, but I initiated my own action and have never been someone's puppet. Why is it so hard for people to believe that disabled individuals have independent thought and control over our own actions?
Please don't buy into any preconceptions you have about disabled people. I lead a very active life and have begun to take on some civic responsibility. It shouldn't be belittled.
Thanks,
Tom Cooke
Mr. Cooke seems alright to me. The problem is he is protesting next to Al Blake, a convicted drug user and known protester-for-hire who only comes around in election years to confuse the voters. Also, there are three known street drunks from Lefrak in the picture. (Can be seen on 57th Ave. any day of the week) So.... makes you question who exactly is orchestrating these displays. It's not hard to guess the common denominator...