Socialist transgender plans to primary sexual offender

 

Queens Post

A Long Island City resident is aiming to become New York’s first transgender state legislator, having announced a run for Assembly District 37, a seat currently held by embattled Assembly Member Juan Ardila, whose term has been shrouded with sexual abuse allegations.

Émilia Decaudin, 24, a transgender woman, launched the political campaign on July 11 on a Democratic socialist platform and is seeking to make New York more livable and inclusive. District 37 covers Long Island City, Maspeth, Ridgewood and Sunnyside.

Decaudin, who is a Democratic Party district leader, wants hundreds of thousands of more affordable housing units built across the state and is looking to bring down the cost of living. Decaudin would be the first transgender person to serve in the New York state Legislature if elected.

“New York cannot be the sanctuary it claims to be if people can’t afford to live here,” Decaudin said. “The high cost of living and the lack of political courage is failing thousands of New Yorkers every day. We must use every tool at our disposal to ensure that every one of us has access to high quality and deeply affordable housing.”

Decaudin is also calling for more social and publicly-owned housing to tackle the housing crisis, as well as eliminating barriers to constructing dense, mixed-income development.

Decaudin also says tackling climate change is a centerpiece of the recently launched campaign.

“We owe ourselves and future generations a world with clean air, safe temperatures, and dry homes,” Decaudin said. “New York state not only has the ability to become a leader in renewable energy production and environmental resiliency, but the duty to do so in an equitable and efficient manner.”

 

 

Juan Ardila wins assembly seat despite his car culture addiction and traffic violence while campaigning

Bye Bye Brian

Queens Post 

Assembly Member Brian Barnwell announced via social media Tuesday morning that he will not be seeking re-election.

“It is with sadness that I announce that I will not be seeking re-election to the NYS Assembly for a 4th term,” he announced via Twitter. “… It has been a true honor to serve, and I will never forget that I owe everything to the kindness of the People who allowed me to serve as their representative.”

Barnwell’s decision was abrupt and a surprise to many political insiders since he had filed signatures with the Board of Elections last week to appear on the ballot for the June 28 Democratic primary.

The 36-year-old — who represents the 30th Assembly District that covers areas such as Sunnyside, Woodside, Maspeth and Middle Village — did not provide a reason as to why he was not running again.

“It has shocked a lot of us. It has come out of left field,” said Steven Raga, Barnwell’s former chief of staff who is running to be a district leader. “I hope everything is ok with him.”

Barnwell took office in January 2017 after defeating incumbent Margaret Markey in the Democratic primary — in what political pundits viewed as a major upset. Markey had been elected to the seat nine times, while Barnwell was a political newcomer at the time. He had worked as an aide to former Council Member Costa Constantinides before running for office.

It is unclear what impact his eleventh-hour decision not to run will have on the election of his successor.

Under election law, Barnwell could play a major role in who is elected to his position. For instance, if Barnwell submitted a document called a “certificate of declination” to the Board of Elections by the end of April 11, a special committee would be formed to choose someone to take his spot in the upcoming primary, according to Democratic District Leader Èmilia Decaudin.

The committee, which would be made up of Barnwell’s supporters, is more than likely to pick someone that the assembly member recommends. If he didn’t file the form his name would remain on the ballot.