Stefanik, at O'burg event, claims Albany 'war on law enforcement' - WWNY

OGDENSBURG, New York (WWNY) - During a rally in support of the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility Thursday, north country congresswoman Elise Stefanik blamed the closing on “Albany’s war on law enforcement.”

The Hochul administration announced in early November the closing of the facility, as one of six state prisons scheduled to be shut down March 10.

In November, Ogdensburg had 158 inmates, and a capacity of 557. The state cited declining population as the reason for the closing.

“This is a disgrace, that the governor of New York state would make this announcement right before the holidays,” Stefanik said at the rally and press conference.

“This is part of the governor’s mansion attack on the north country,” she said.

“These are the same leaders who embraced defunding the police. These are the same leaders who want to attack law enforcement at every level, whether it’s corrections officers, whether it’s our sheriff’s, whether its our NYPD,” Stefanik told the crowd.

Hochul has explicitly said she does not support defunding the police, and that her administration does not, though her Lieutenant Governor reportedly released a statement in support of defunding the police, and Hochul reportedly named a man to her administration who supported cutting the budget of the New York Police Department by $3 billion.

Both Stefanik and state Senator Patty Ritchie said Hochul should come to Ogdensburg.

“The least you could do would be get in your car, travel up here, tour the facility and talk to the people you’re affecting,” Ritchie said.

The closure of the Ogdensburg facility won’t result in any lay-offs, but the people employed there will have to move to other prisons across the state.

“Guess what Governor Hochul, we’re New Yorkers too, and ripping 300 jobs and families away from their loved ones, especially right before Christmas, is not fighting like hell for New Yorkers. It’s the wrong thing to do,” Ritchie said.

Ritchie scoffed at the state’s pledge to find a reuse for the facility, pointing out the state has abandoned the buildings of the old psychiatric center.

“The buildings up there are falling down. It’s been over 20 years.”

Copyright 2021 WWNY. All rights reserved.

source: https://www.wwnytv.com/2021/12/16/stefanik-oburg-event-claims-albany-war-law-enforcement/

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