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HERALD Veterans mark Pearl Harbor
DeRiggi-Whitton to lead minority
Ringing in the holiday in O.B.
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VOL. 125 NO. 51
DECEMBER 15 - 21, 2023
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Languishing in legislative limbo A look at George Santos’ bills willing to sign their names to his legislation, regardless of its content. Phil Como, a veteran and Throughout his 11-month tenure as the representative for resident of Sea Cliff, described New York’s Third Congressio- the for mer congressman as nal District, George Santos “radioactive” and said that he introduced 43 bills to the House thought it was obvious that of Representatives on a wide Santos was too damaged politirange of issues and topics. cally to get anything done. “He was never gonna move While the disthe peanut forward g raced cong ressbecause of who he man was unable to was,” Como added. get any of them co“This fraud never sponsored except had the chance to for one, Santos’ legget anything done i s l a t ive h i s t o r y once he got found offers an interestout.” ing reflection on Due to the conthe district’s least stant car nival of effective legislator ED LIEBERMAN controversies and in recent memory. former mayor, lawsuits that surFo l l ow i n g t h e ro u n d e d S a n t o s, revelation from a Sea Cliff very little attention New York Times was paid to his legarticle that exposed most of Santos’ personal and profes- islative efforts. From a “SALT sional history was a fabrication (State and Local Tax) Relief and that he had been involved Act” to his “MINAJ Act,” Sanin numerous schemes, the tos’ proposed legislation was a incoming freshman congress- mixture of foreign policy, man found himself unable to MAGA g randstanding and, most surprisingly, a few apparpass legislation. With so many controversies ently reasonable ideas. In terms of foreign policy swirling around him, practically no other member of the legislation, Santos’ focus was House, even Freedom Caucus largely on the People’s Republic members who Santos had of China, specifically aimed at attempted to cozy up to like the Chinese Communist Party. Marjorie Taylor Green, were CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
By WILL SHEELINE
wsheeline@liherald.com
Courtesy O’Neill family
Jack O’Neill, who never drank or did drugs as a student at Oyster Bay High School, became a drug addict when he attended St. John’s University.
Jack O’Neill always wanted to ‘be a part of something’ By LAURA LANE llane@liherald.com
Part One of a series. Jack O’Neill began his days by snorting cocaine. Sometimes the St. John’s University freshman would wake up as early as 3 a.m. to do so. Other times at noon. Regardless, his routine was always the same. “My entire day was focused on using again,” recalled O’Neill, now 25. “In the beginning, I was doing a small g ram ba g of cocaine, and it made me so happy. It made me think about not being judged. If I didn’t have the drug, I couldn’t function.”
Something was missing O’Neill loved sports. He played baseball
all four years at Oyster Bay High School, and football, too, until he had two concussions in his sophomore year. The lifelong East Norwich resident never did drugs or drank alcohol, he said, although they were available at parties. And he had many friends. Jack’s parents, Ellen and Jim O’Neill, encouraged their children to bring their friends home on weekends, offering their large front porch and backyard for them to gather. “Ellen always had kids at the house when there was nothing to do in town,” said Vicki Walsh, a friend of Ellen’s who is an Oyster Bay town councilwoman. “Ellen’s house was the one the kids always went to. They’re a hands-on family.” But as much as Jack liked sports and socializing, he didn’t like school. Suffering CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
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s an initiator of legislation, he was quite inept.