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Friday, July 21, 2023
Vol. 72, No. 29
KIDS GUIDE
PAGES 21-28
CHAMINADE REBUILDING D’ESPOSITO LEADS IN CD4 FUNDRAISING CREW HOUSE PAGE 2
PAGE 8
Redraw NY’s congressional maps: Court GOP to appeal order that would give state Legislature final say, aid Dems BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y New York’s bipartisan redistricting commission will need to redraw congressional maps after an Appellate Division ruling Thursday rendered the new House maps approved last year as only a temporary fix. The midlevel court in a 3-2 ruling reversed a decision made last year by the state’s Supreme Court–which rejected maps from Democratic officials in the Legislature that Judge Patrick McAllister said “were unconstitutionally drawn with political bias.” The Appellate Division’s ruling is seen as a boost for Democrats, who currently have majorities in the state Legislature. Republicans said in a statement they will appeal the decision to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, in what could have major implications for who controls the House after the 2024 elections. “The Appellate Division majority’s conclusion guts the New York Constitution’s explicit prohibition against middecade redistricting. When Democrats can’t compete, they cheat,” U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville), who chairs the U.S. House Republican conference said in a joint statement with Ed Cox, the state party chair. “Their
illegal gerrymander violated the State Constitution and bucked the will of the voters. The Court of Appeals must overturn this ruling, or Democrats will gerrymander the map to target political opponents and protect political allies — all to the People’s detriment.” U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Espositio (R-Island Park), who represents New York’s 4th District, said in a tweet “New York Democrats know they can’t win on the issues, so now they’re trying to use the courts to gerrymander their way to victory.” D’Esposito is one of 18 House Republicans–alongside 3rd District Rep. George Santos–that represent districts President Joe Biden won in 2020. Biden won NY-4 by 17 points, according to multiple reports. In New York, Democrats lost six congressional races last year that Biden carried in 2020. The lawsuit was first introduced on behalf of 10 New York voters that wanted the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission to submit a proposal for new congressional maps. The commission’s first proposal was rejected and a lawsuit led to a court-appointed expert to redraw the maps for 2022. Those 2022 maps were only a temporary fix and can be discarded since the commission “had an indisputable Continued on Page 41
PHOTO COURTESY OF HERRICKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Herricks students recently participated in the week-long summer camp at Herricks High School. See story on page 43.
Santos raises $162K, repays $85K to himself BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y
paying $85,000 of the contributions to himself to partly cover U.S. Rep. George Santos of the over $700,000 in personal loans 3rd Congressional District raised from previous congressional bids, $162,031.52 in the latest quarter according to the Federal Election for his re-election campaign, re- Commission.
An amended filing report showed the indicted congressman is currently behind Democratic hopefuls–former two-term state Sen. Anna Kaplan, advocacy group coContinued on Page 12
Visit thewillistontimes.com or theisland360.com for the latest in breaking news.