OUR TIME PRESS | January 3-9, 2019

Page 1

| From the Villa ge of Brook ly n |

OUR TIME PRESS THE L OCAL PAPER WITH THE G LOBAL VIEW

| VOL. 23 NO. 1

L

January 3-9, 2019 |

Since 1996

Brooklyn’s Letitia James Is New York State’s Top Lawmaker

etitia James took the oath of office as New York State Attorney General in Albany shortly before midnight on Monday and delivered remarks on New Year’s Day at the official New York State Inauguration Ceremony on Ellis Island. Below is a transcript of her remarks. The Democrat is the first black woman to hold statewide office. Allow me to take a moment to congratulate Governor Cuomo, Comptroller DiNapoli, Lieutenant Governor Hochul, and to recognize all the dignitaries here today. And a special recognition to Barbara Underwood, who took the mantle of this great position, and in a short period of time, battled giants on our behalf. We are all grateful to her. It is my profound honor to stand before you today, and pledge my service to you, the people of the great state of New York, as your Attorney General. Like so many, I come from humble-- but determined-- beginnings. My parents came from Southern backgrounds, raising their children in New York City in order to give us all a chance at a better life. They weren’t privileged, but they were blessed. And I imagine they would be very proud to see me here today. We stand today on hallowed ground. Blessed with the sacrifice of resisters who refused to bow to traditional rule; seeded with the dreams of millions of Americans, refugees leaving their nations of birth for a brighter future under the torch of Lady Liberty; as well as those like my parents, who simply saw their destiny and seized their shot at the American Dream. Unfortunately, today many Americans find that dream slipping from their reach. The rights and dignity of everyday people

are being trampled by the most powerful among us. We see powerful corporations who act like they are above the law. We see profiteers and politicians risking the hard-earned security of working people in the pursuit of greater wealth and power. We see corruption eating away at the bedrock of our society, and too often, we feel powerless to respond. But today, we take that power back. Today, we respond. I believe in the rule of law and democracy and the expectation that in the eyes of government, you shall be treated no worse than your neighbor on the right and no better than your neighbor on the left. I will work in a legal system where even the most powerful federal official in the country cannot use a loophole to evade justice. I will fight for a law that codifies a woman’s right to choose and defends our reproductive freedoms. I will crackdown on government officials who abuse the public trust. I will take on corporations that pollute our air and water, that defraud taxpayers, and harm consumers. I will protect the rights of women, immigrants, LGBTQ communities, communities of color, and anyone targeted by the wrath of bigotry. I will focus on working with the State Legislature to reform a broken criminal justice system and ensure that young black and brown children are not held back by a system that is stacked against them. And I will shine a light into the murkiest of swamps, and act as a steward of justice for every New Yorker. Leaders worth their salt are here to protect those who are vulnerable and seek justice on their behalf -- and that is a promise I make to each and every one of you.

Photo Credit (Credit Image: © Lev Radin/Pacific Press via ZUMA Wire)

To New York’s teachers, and nurses, preachers and parents, firefighters and police, soldiers and factory workers. From Buffalo to the Bronx. From Rochester to Riverhead, I am here to promote meaningful change, to keep our families safe and moving forward, and to advance justice at every turn. And I will keep you and your community held firmly in my heart and mind as I walk into work every day. Guided by the principles of Micah to “do

justice, love kindness, and walk humbly in the company of God.” And to those who aim to test or break the law on our watch, to challenge the dignity and security of our great state and its people, you have a new opponent. And you better believe that I am battle tested. Thank you so much for this great honor. And the opportunity to humbly serve each of my fellow New Yorkers. Now, let’s get to work. Thank you and Happy New Year.

“The 60 million pounds of styrofoam New Yorkers throw away each year clog our landfills and fuel the petroleum economy destroying our planet.” Mayor Bill de Blasio

In Remembrance 2018

“This long-overdue ban will put an end to Styrofoam littering our streets and clogging our waterways,” said Mark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “Now we must build on this progress by cutting out other wasteful, outdated products like single-use plastic bags and plastic straws.” Page 2

Page 12


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.