State Sen. Daniel Squadron to resign on Friday

Plans to Work in National Politics to Fight Corruption

August 9, 2017 By Mary Frost and Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Sen. Daniel Squadron. Eagle file photo by Mary Frost

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In a surprise announcement, state Sen. Daniel Squadron (Brooklyn waterfront – lower Manhattan) said on Wednesday that he will be resigning from the state Senate this Friday. Squadron said he is leaving his Senate seat in order to work at a national level to change the direction of the country.

“Like many across the country, since November, I’ve thought a lot about how best to change the direction of our country, and stand up for core values that are under threat. After much reflection, I have decided to lend my hand to make a difference in states across the country, pushing policies and candidates that will create a fairer and more democratic future,” Squadron said in a letter to constituents.

He added, “It’s not possible to take on this challenge and continue to be a full-time legislator, which is what I always promised I would be.”

The timing of his decision means the 26th District Senate seat will be filled in this November’s election.

Squadron has been a strong voice in the 26th District, fighting for Brooklyn Bridge Park and Bushwick Inlet Park, public schools, public housing and storm resiliency, while at the same time responding to constituent requests like getting wood chips delivered to a local dog park and tour buses off the narrow streets of Cobble Hill.

He long opposed the plan to have development within Brooklyn Bridge Park pay for its maintenance, pushing the idea of funding the park through bond issuance, and challenged the necessity of two residential towers on Pier 6. He strongly advocated for a “Pop-up Pool” in the park.

Squadron introduced the LICH Act following the closure of Long Island College Hospital (LICH). The legislation would allow the commissioner of the New York State Department of Health to approve a hospital closure application only if the needs of the community and impacted stakeholders were met.

He actively fought to remove a loophole campaign finance, where LLCs are able to contribute near-unlimited sums of money to political candidates and committees.

Squadron enlisted seniors to fight Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s cuts to senior centers, advocated for a $15 minimum wage, pushed for a Lunar New Year holiday for schools – and rapped a modified rendition of the Broadway musical “Hamilton” on the Senate floor to draw attention to ticket scalpers.

“What’da we need? A ticket revolution!” he sang.

In an op-ed published in the Daily News, Squadron wrote that he has seen Albany’s potential “thwarted by a sliver of heavily invested special interests,” and spoke of a growing divide nationally, “manufactured for the financial gain of the Koch brothers and very few others. For decades, they have invested in campaigns on the local, state and national levels, as well as think tanks, legislative development, and media outlets, building a unified front to advance their self-serving agenda.”

Squadron said in the editorial that he will be joining entrepreneur Adam Pritzker and Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University to launch a national effort focused on addressing the crisis at the national level.

Returning to Political Roots

In one sense, Squadron’s decision to leave the state senate and devote himself to political activism marks a return to his roots.

His parents were political activists in the turbulent 1960s.

His father, Howard Squadron, marched with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King for civil rights. His mother, Anne Strickland Squadron, took part in Freedom Summer in 1964, when thousands of young people descended on Mississippi to help African-Americans register to vote.

Squadron grew up in Riverdale in a household where topics such as human rights and racial equality were part of the dinner conversation nearly every night.

“I was always interested in public service,” Squadron told the Brooklyn Eagle in a 2015 interview.

Even as a child, Squadron was full of ideas on how to make the world better. “I had a view about kids voting,” he said.

At that time, Squadron said that many of his ideas have “come up against the reality of Albany.”

In his op-ed, Squadron said that his decision will not impact the partisan balance of the chamber. “The 26th District is safely Democratic, and I am stepping aside with enough time to ensure it will be filled on election day this November,” he said.

Squadron’s spokesperson emphasized that the office would remain open for constituents even with the senator gone.

This story will be updated.