Menchaca introduces resolution to oust de Blasio

June 18, 2020 Jaime DeJesus
Menchaca introduces resolution to oust de Blasio
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Councilmember Carlos Menchaca introduced a resolution on Thursday to call on Governor Andrew Cuomo to remove Mayor Bill de Blasio from office.

The resolution asks the City Council to express “a loss of confidence in Mayor de Blasio” and asks the governor “to bring charges to effectuate the removal of the Mayor for failing to protect the safety and promote the general welfare of the public, in accordance with section 33 of the Public Officers Law and section 9 of the Charter.”

Menchaca, who represents Sunset Park, Red Hook, Greenwood Heights and parts of Borough Park, made a video statement and wrote an op-ed on Medium to discuss his decision.

“Only by defunding the NYPD and reinvesting that money back into our communities will we achieve a fair and just people’s budget, and ensure a just and equitable recovery from COVID-19,” he said. “Yet right now, Mayor de Blasio is standing in the way, which is why New Yorkers are calling for his resignation.

“For decades, we have falsely assumed that more cops mean more public safety, when in reality, true public safety does not come from more cops, more jails, or more punishment, but from investing in critical resources that address the root causes of trauma, displacement and poverty.”

“Even if black, brown, Latinx, or immigrant New Yorkers survive COVID-19, they could still die at the hands of a militarized and unaccountable carceral system. We are failing our most fundamental function: to protect the most vulnerable. Recognizing this, these same New Yorkers are demanding nothing short of a complete re-imagining of public safety to ensure a just and equitable recovery. A vision to end our reliance on policing and incarceration and instead prioritize community needs with community-led solutions.”

Menchaca also talked about how recent clashes between police and protesters affected his decision.

“Watching in horror, New Yorkers have realized that the Mayor represents the single greatest obstacle to peace and justice in New York City, and to passing a fair and just people’s budget,” he said. “I believe it is our duty, as the people’s representatives, to elevate all demands for accountability, and to debate them openly so that New Yorkers can discuss them clearly and publicly. We should not be afraid to debate the people’s demands and to bring New Yorkers into conversation with us.”

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