Letitia James, Donald Trump

Former President Donald Trump has withdrawn his lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The withdrawal came in a brief document filed Friday morning with U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks.

Middlebrooks had warned Trump’s legal team the day before that the lawsuit appeared to verge on frivolous.

Trump’s lawsuit against the Attorney General had sought to shield Trump’s revocable trust from James, who has an ongoing $250 million civil suit that alleges fraudulent conduct at the Trump Organization. James has accused Trump and his family members of “grossly” inflating the former president’s net worth by billions of dollars and of cheating lenders and others with false and misleading financial statements.
Trump, who has denied the allegations, has called the investigation by James, a politically motivated “witch hunt.”

On Thursday, Middlebrooks ordered Trump and his attorney Alina Habba to pay fines of nearly $1 million after determining that Trump’s 2022 lawsuit against Hillary Clinton was frivolous litigation meant only to “seek revenge.”

Trump had sued Clinton in March 2022, for allegedly “acting in concert” with top FBI leadership to invent what became known as the Russia investigation into interference in the 2016 election. Trump had argued that the Russia probe was “prolonged and exacerbated by the presence of a small faction of Clinton loyalists who were well-positioned within the Department of Justice.” Middlebrooks dismissed the lawsuit this past September.

In his Thursday opinion, the judge also cautioned Trump’s attorneys that they could face sanctions over their lawsuit against James.

In the opinion, Middlebrooks called Trump “a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries.”

The Downtown Jamestown Gateway Train Station

JAMESTOWN, NY – The acquisition of the Gateway Train Station (formerly “Erie-Lackawanna Train Station“) and its surrounding property by the National Comedy Center in the Summer of 2017 was the culmination of a 25-year renovation and development effort that featured a combination of public and private investment, as well as coordinated efforts on several local fronts.

That’s according to Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, who provided WRFA with his timeline of events going back more than 25 years to help clarify any confusion over the project, as well as to highlight the numerous steps involving the city’s acquisition, development, and eventual disposition of historic property.

Teresi is familiar with the history of the development of the structure because prior to being elected mayor in 1999, he had served as the city’s Development Director throughout the 1990s, meaning he was there in 1992 when the dilapidated structure first came on the city’s radar.

1992 – JURA ACQUIRES TRAIN STATION PROPERTY

According to Teresi, in March 1992 the Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency (JURA) purchased the train station from the property’s previous owners, John Evan with about $120,000 in funding from the federal Community Development Block Grant program. The mayor said even at that time, the train station was in poor condition and would have required significant money for restoration and development.

A photo from Pinterest shows how the train station appeared prior to redevelopment

It’s worth noting that around the same time JURA was working to acquire the train station, a group of local stakeholders, including the Arts Council for Chautauqua County, were developing a concept to make Jamestown a national comedy attraction, building off the Lucille Ball connection and the recent success of the Festival of New Comedy at the time.

According to Teresi, the project being developed was a “National Comedy Center and Hall of Fame,” with the train station serving as a possible location. However, none of the local foundations at the time felt confident enough in the project to support it, and it eventually was shelved and the celebration of Lucy moved in another direction over the next several years.

Meanwhile, JURA maintained possession of the property for the next 14 years as officials worked to identify and secure enough funding to begin the restoration effort.  During that period the train station was placed on both the New York State Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

2005 – MAJOR FEDERAL INVESTMENT LEADS TO REBIRTH OF LOCAL LANDMARK

According to the mayor, in 2005 JURA was able to secure a total of $6 million through the federal transportation bill that was secured with the help of Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, along with Rep. Brian Higgins.

A media release from Congressman Higgins at the time says the number was actually $2.6 million, although that could have been funding for just one year, while Teresi’s figures were the funding totals over multiple years.

The funding was the leverage needed to help raise other money from not just the state, but local funders as well, including the Gebbie Foundation.

2008 – CITY ACQUIRES TRAIN STATION, THEN PASSES ON NEWLY CREATED FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION

In May 2008, the ownership of the train station was transferred from JURA to the city of Jamestown at no cost, which allowed the city to raise more funding for development that it would have been unable to qualify for otherwise. That year the city also entered a property management agreement with the Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation (DJDC).

According to Teresi, the city felt that it could maximize renovation funding by utilizing the federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) program, but only for-profit entities are eligible to participate in that program. They mayor said that in April 2010 the property was transferred to a spinoff for profit-entity called Downtown Jamestown Revitalization, LLC (DJR), which was created in 2004.  DJR was be controlled by a board of directors that included the Mayor of Jamestown, the DJDC board president, and the president of the Gebbie Foundation. Each voting member also had a designee to act in their place when necessary. The designees were the city development director, the Gebbie Foundation executive director, and another board member from DJDC.

Once incorporated, DJR served as a holding company for the train station and would be able to apply for and then sell off HTCs to investors to help with the redevelopment effort. In order to avoid paying taxes on a property, the DJR received a tax abatement from the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) that would continue during the lifetime of DJR ownership.

2010 – DJR ESTABLISHES PLAN TO DEVELOP TRAIN STATION ONCE RENOVATION IS COMPLETE

Congressman Brian Higgins (second from left) and Sen. Charles Schumer (right of Higgins) were both in Jamestown in 2010 to welcome the start of renovation work for the long-dilapidated train station. Mayor assistant Matthew Hanley (far left) and then-city councilman Vince DeJoy (far right) are also pictured. (Image from Higgins.House.gov)

Once in possession of the train station property, DJR initiated its plan for how it would eventually use the property. That plan involved marketing the soon-to-be renovated train station to private development. But because it participated in the HTC program, DJR was required under law to maintain ownership of the property for at least five years from the time the HTCs were sold to investment groups.  The plan was to have DJR identify developers and, if one was found before the five-year requirement was up, it would lease the train station to the developer with an option to transfer ownership.

Teresi said at the time DJR developed its plan, it didn’t have the National Comedy Center in mind, considering it hadn’t even been conceptualized yet by the officials with the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center for Comedy. Instead, DJR hoped to have developers come forward and present plans until a viable plan was presented.

By August 2010, enough money had been raised to begin the train station renovation and ground was broken. In October 2012, the renovation was complete and the ribbon was cut on the new facility.

2010-2012 – LUCY DESI FINDS SUCCESS, ANNOUNCES ‘FOUR PILLARS OF COMEDY’

During the time period between 2010 and 2012, the Lucy-Desi Center had transitioned to a new board and new executive director (Journey Gunderson). The new leadership worked to re-energize the organization and put it on a new path. As a result, it developed a strategic plan featuring its Legacy of Laughter “four pillars,” which included the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, a comedic arts education program, comedy film festival, and the establishment of the first national comedy museum and hall of fame.

Both 2011 and 2012 were successful years for the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and in the fall of 2012, Gunderson and Lucy-Desi Center board president Tom Benson shared their plan for developing a national comedy attraction with the Jamestown City Council and mentioned the train station as one of the possible locations.

In January 2013, the DJDC merged with the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation and former DJDC executive director Lee Harkness was hired by DJR as the train station general manager. His role was to find rentals, plan events, and find other uses for the space to help generate enough revenue to pay utility costs and other overhead, while DJR continued to seek out development opportunities.

2014 and 2015 – NCC SEES SIGNIFICANT FUNDING, GROUND BREAKING

NCC Executive Director Journey Gunderson (far left) and Melissa Rivers (third from left) helps shovel dirt at the groundbreaking for the National Comedy Center in 2015. (image from AP)

In December 2014, the NCC was awarded $1.5 million by the 2014 NYS Regional Economic Development Council. At the time, a description of NCC project said it is comprised of the adaptive reuse of both the train station in and a public utility / former trolley station building, along with construction of a new connecting building on the corner of Washington and 2nd Street to provide the necessary total square feet of exhibit space.

In March 2015, the NCC purchases the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities former trolley substation at the corner of Washington and W. 2nd Street for $130,000 from the city of Jamestown.

In July of that year, a groundbreaking for the NCC takes place during the 2015 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. In December the NCC received $2.025 million from the 2015 NYS Regional Economic Development Council.

2016 – NCC SIGNS LEASE AGREEMENT TO TAKE OVER OPERATION OF TRAIN STATION

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli (left) listens to National Comedy Center director Journey Gunderson explain the mission and vision of the center, which is being built in Jamestown. DiNapoli was in Jamestown in October 2015 to tour the location for the National Comedy Center and learn about various economic development projects in the city.

In February 2016, the NCC enters a lease agreement with DJR and moves into the Gateway Train Station.  The lease included zero dollars in rent and in exchange, the NCC would assume all operations of the property, including utilities and insurance, along with any needed structural repairs as well as scheduling events and activities. The mayor said the lease also included an option to transfer the property once the HTC five-year waiting period is over. Because of the federal funding tied to the project, the terms of the lease say the NCC must also keep the train station’s center concourse open to the public and available for public transportation usage.

Once the NCC takes over operation, it decides to not keep the position of Train Station General Manager when assuming operations and Harkness is terminated.

At the end of 2016, the NCC is awarded another $834,000 by Empire State Development. The additional funding follows awards of $2.025 million in 2015 and $1.5 million in 2014, bringing the total amount awarded by New York State to approximately $4.3 million. $600,000 of the awarded funds from Empire State Development are for continued development of the Center and adjacent Comedy Center Park, and $234,000 of the grant dollars are Market NY tourism capital funds.

2017 – NCC RAISES NEEDED FUNDING TO FINISH DEVELOPMENT, ASSUMES CONTROL OF TRAIN STATION

In February 2017 The IDA extends the PILOT agreement with DJR for one year to give the NCC an additional year to transfer the train station over to the non-profit.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY on Aug. 3, 2017.

By April 2017, the NCC received a $3 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and a $5 million grant from New York State which was unveiled by Governor Andrew Cuomo in his State of the State Address as part of the Buffalo Billion II program.

By May of 2017 the NCC secured all funding for its capital budget with the closing of a Federal New Markets Tax Credit transaction that provided the Project with approximately $5 million of equity funding. The $8 million from a month earlier provided the leverage that was required as the New Markets Tax Credit closing was predicated on having all other necessary funding in place.

With enough funding secure and the 5-year HTC waiting period over, Teresi said the DJR board officially transferred ownership of the train station property over to the NCC at no cost in June 2017. The property value was listed as $500,000, but Teresi said because of the financial contributions the NCC had made between utility costs, insurance, and building upkeep – in addition to the NCC serving as an economic driver for other downtown development projects, the DJR board gave the property to NCC at no cost.

The transfer was then finalized in August and with the property transfer complete and the DJR plan from 2010 realized, the for-profit corporation is no longer needed and dissolves.

Despite the culmination of more than 25 years of effort to renovate and develop the train station, the seven years of work by DJR and its board spent toward finding a viable project for it, and the amount of fundraising required by the NCC to realize its vision and own the train station property, there was no public announcement by mayor Teresi, nor any media release announcing the property transfer or dissolution.

2018 – GRAND OPENING OF NCC TO TAKE PLACE IN AUGUST

The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY will open on Aug. 1, 2018.

In April 2018, the NCC announced its grand opening will take place on Aug. 1, 2018.

The Center, which comes with a combined cost of $35 million between the money invested in the Train Station, as well as the NCC build out,  is expected to attract more than 100,000 annual visitors and have a $23 million annual stabilized economic impact on the region.

WRFA plans to tell more about the history of the National Comedy Center’s development in the summer of 2018 when we talk with NCC board chair Tom Benson.

FEDERAL OFFICES

PRESIDENT/VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

• WINNER – Donald Trump/Michael Pence (R, C)
• Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine (D, WF, WE)
• Gary Johnson/Bill Weld (I, L)
• Jill Stein/Ajumu Baraka (G)

UNITED STATES SENATE – NEW YORK STATE

• WINNER – *Charles Schumer (Brooklyn – D, WF, I, WE)
• Wendy Long (New York – R, C, Ref)
• Alex Merced (Brooklyn – L)
• Robin Laverne Wilson (Brooklyn – G)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – NY 23rd CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

• WINNER – *Thomas W. Reed II (Corning – R, C, I, Ref)
• John F. Plumb (Lakewood – D, WF)

STATE OFFICES

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE – 8th DISTRICT (CHOOSE TWO)

• WINNER – Daniel J. Furlong (East Aurora – R, C)
• WINNER – Mary L. Slisz (Buffalo – R, C)
• Grace M. Hanlon (Fredonia – D, WF, I)
• Lynn Wessel Keane (Orchard Park – D, I)
• Kenneth D. Schaeffer (New York – WF)

NEW YORK STATE SENATE – 57th SENATE DISTRICT

• WINNER – *Cathy Young (Olean – R, C, I, Ref)
• Lee Hyson (Frewsburg – D, WF, WE)

NEW YORK SATE ASSEMBLY – 150th DISTRICT

• WINNER – *Andrew Goodell (Falconer – R, C, I)
• Jason Perdue (Jamestown – D, WF, Ref)

LOCAL OFFICES

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY (Special Election)

• WINNER – **Patrick Swanson (Fredonia – D, WF, I, WE)
• Jason L. Schmidt (Fredonia – R, C, Ref)

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY FAMILY COURT JUDGE (Special Election)

• WINNER – Michael J. Sullivan (Fedonia – R, C, G, I)
• Sally Jaroszynski (Falconer – D, WF, WE, Ref)

Countywide Public Referendum

• VOTED DOWN – Chautauqua County Proposition Number 1: A Local Law Amending the Chautauqua County Charter,”Which Changes the Term Of Office Of Elected County Legislators From Two (2) Years To Four (4) Years?”

KEY: D – Democrat; R – Republican; I – Independence; L – Libertarian; C – Conservative; G – Green; WF – Working Families; WE – Women’s Equality; Ref – Reform.

*Notes Incumbent
**Office Holder via Appointment

• WRFA ELECTION 2016 STORIES
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: NY 23rd CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: NY 150th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
• LOWV MEET THE CANDIDATES: FAMILY COURT JUDGE

Clinton addressed a crowd of supporters on Wednesday who gathered in a New York ballroom. She said the loss was “painful and it will be for a long time” and acknowledged that the nation was “more divided than we thought.” However, she also urged supporters to give Trump a chance.

“I still believe in America and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future,” Clinton said. “Donald trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.”

Still, Clinton also told her supporters that they need to continue fighting for the goals and supporting the issues that her campaign had focused on during the past year.

“Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time,” Clinton said. “So lets do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we hold dear – making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top; protecting our country and protecting our planet; and breaking down all the barriers that hold any American back from achieving their dreams.”

Donald Trump

Trump, meanwhile, was quiet in the aftermath of his victory and made no public appearances on Wednesday. According to staff, the president elect huddled with advisers at Trump Tower in Manhattan, beginning the daunting task of setting up an administration that will take power in just over two months. He also met with Vice President-elect Mike Pence and took calls from supporters, family and friends..

In Washington, Trump’s transition team is now culling through personnel lists for top jobs and working through handover plans for government agencies.

Trump was expected to consider several loyal supporters for top jobs, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for attorney general or national security adviser. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker were also expected to be under consideration for foreign policy posts.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged early Wednesday on word of Trump’s election, but later recovered. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 1.4 percent for the day in trading in New York.

World leaders congratulated Trump on his victory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had a contentious relationship with Barack Obama, called the Republican a “true friend of Israel.”

British Prime Minister Theresa May said the U.S. and United Kingdom would remain “strong and close partners on trade, security and defense.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first to reach out to the incoming American leader. Trump praised Putin throughout the campaign and advocated a closer relationship with Russia, despite Moscow’s provocations in Ukraine and elsewhere.

U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of hacking Democratic organizations during the campaign, actions Clinton’s team saw as an indication that Putin was trying to meddle in the election. Trump notably did not accept the conclusions of intelligence officials.

# # #

Hillary Clinton (left) and Donald Trump.

NEW YORK – In an election in which there apparently were no foregone conclusions, New York proved to be one of few places where conventional wisdom held true in the presidential race: Democrat Hillary Clinton cruised to a win by popular vote with statewide Democratic enrollment on her side; Republican Donald Trump won the geographic battle of the state by picking up 46 county-level victories, primarily upstate.

Clinton received more than 4,143,000 votes in New York (nearly 59 percent), compared to trump receiving 2,637,000 (bout 37.5 percent).  Clinton’s victory in New York gave her 29 of the 228 total electoral votes she received in on Election Day.

Despite winning the popular vote in the U.S. by a margin of 200,000 – Clinton was unable to capture the 270 electoral votes required to become president, as stipulated by the U.S. Constitution.  Instead, it was Donald Trump who won the popular vote in enough states to receive a total of 279 electoral votes.  The Electoral College will cast its votes on Dec. 19.

Clinton’s small geographic pockets of victory include the counties with the largest population centers in the state (Erie County, New York City’s five counties and Albany County, to name a few), boosting her 1.5 million-vote victory over Trump in New York State.

In Chautauqua county, Trump dominated Clinton. Of the roughly 50,000 votes that were cast, Trump picked up 59 percent (29,418) of them.  Meanwhile, Clinton was able to only muster a total of 17,281, or about 35 percent. The total number of registered voters in the county for the 2016 election was 76,846, with 25,863 registered Democrats and 25,247 registered Republicans.

Donald Trump following the news that he had won the 2016 Election and will become the 45th President of the United States (Damon Winter/The New York Times)

The 2016 Election is in the books and it’s turned out to be a major victory for Republicans across the country as well as in the Southern Tier.

In the race for U.S. president, upstart Donald Trump pulled off one of the biggest surprises in election history by defeating former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Trump won enough support in key battleground states to tilt the total number of electoral votes his way, and by early Wednesday morning he had secured more than 270 votes – which is the minimum amount needed to win the presidency.  While Trump garnered more electoral votes, both candidates had about an equal share of popular votes with each approaching 60,000,000. The total number of votes cast won’t be known for a couple more weeks, after an official canvas of the votes as taken place and all electoral votes are counted.

REED WINS REELECTION TO FOURTH TERM

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress, Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23), was able to secure a fourth term in office after defeating Democratic Challenger, Naval Captain John Plumb (D-Lakewood).  Reed picked up just under 150,000 votes in the district, which spans the Southern Tier of New York from Chautauqua County east to Tioga County. Plumb picked up just over 108,000. The margin of victory for Reed was 58 percent to 42 percent.

“We are humbled by the outpouring of support from volunteers and voters,” Reed said following the win. “I care deeply about this place we call home. I am proud to have earned your trust. I am excited to continuing working for our families.”

“We will put our record up against anyone’s because we have always fought to make sure New York got its fair share,” continued Reed. “Thank you for standing with us.”

• LISTEN TO REED ELECTION NIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE CALL

In his concession speech, Plumb also thanked those who supported his campaign.

John Plumb

“This has been a long uphill battle, and I’m very proud to say that I’ve woken up every day of this campaign to fight on our behalf. Unfortunately, the votes have been counted and today did not go in our favor,” Plumb said during his concession speech in Jamestown.

“I’m proud to say that we ran the race I wanted to run. The race we all want our politicians to run. We ran our race with integrity and honor, and with a focus on the communities we seek to serve. Those are the values I ran our campaign with, the values that run deep in the Southern Tier, Western New York, and the Finger Lakes. Those are the principles we should always strive for no matter what challenges we face. Thank you all for supporting me throughout this journey,” Plumb added.

In Chautauqua County Reed picked up an unofficial total of 27,400 votes to Plumb’s 19,900 (also 58 percent to 42 percent), with between 3200 and 4000 absentee ballots left to be counted.

Reed was just one of 238 Republican who were elected or won reelection to the House on Tuesday, given the party a 40-member advantage over the Democrats.

Meanwhile in the Senate, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-Brooklyn) easily won reelection over Republican Challenger Wendy Long by a margin of 70.4 percent to 27.5.

Despite predictions from some national media outlets that the Democrats would take over Congress’s upper legislative chamber, the GOP was able to maintain its control and will likely have 52 members come January, to the Democrats 48 members.

YOUNG, GOODELL CRUISE TO REELECTION

Senator Cathy Young and Assemblyman Andy Goodell

The area’s two representatives in Albany also won reelection.

In the State Senate race, Cathy Young (R-Olean, 57th District) easily defeated challenger Lee Hyson (D-Frewsburg). Young received 87,000 votes from across the 57th district – which comprises all of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties, along with the southern portion of Livingston County. Hyson, meanwhile, only managed to pick up just under 18,000 votes, giving Young an 83 to 17 percent margin of victory.

Nearly half of all of Young’s votes came from Chautauqua County, where she picked up an estimated 40,000. Hyson picked up just over 8,000.

While some races are still to close to call, state GOP officials are claiming victory in maintaining control of the state senate, meaning Young will continue to serve as chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, as well as serve as one of the top ranking Republicans in state politics.

Over in the Assembly race, Assemblyman Andy Goodell (R-Jamestown) won his fourth term in office, easily defeating challenger Jason Perdue (D-Jamestown) – 35,000 to 12,200 (74 to 26 percent).

SWANSON, SULLIVAN WIN IN SPECIAL COUNTY ELECTION

Chautauqua County Acting District Attorney Patrick Swanson (D-Fredonia) won in the race to fill out the remainder of the DA’s term – which expires at the end of 2017. Swanson defeated Jason Schmidt (R-Fredonia) 25,207 to 21,447. Swanson was appointed to the DA’s office at the start of 2016 after former DA David Foley left the post to assume the role of Chautauqua County Court Judge.

In the special election for Chautauqua County Family Court Judge, Michael Sullivan (R-Fredonia) defeated Sally Jaroszynski (D-Falconer) by a margin of 61 to 37 percent. The election took place to fill out the remainder of the term of former judge Judith Claire, who retired from the post earlier this year.

COUNTY LEGISLATURE TERM LENGTH REMAINS AT TWO YEARS

Voters in Chautauqua County voted down a proposition to amend the county charter and increase the term length for legislators from two years to four years. The proposition was defeated 26,783 to 16,287 – a margin of 62 to 38 percent.

STATE SUPREME COURT RACE TOO CLOSE TO CALL

And in the election to appoint two new Justices to the New York Supreme Court 8th District (which includes Chuatauqua County), the Buffalo News is reporting Wednesday that Republicans Mary L. Slisz and Daniel J. Furlong narrowly led a four-way race late Tuesday, but the outcome may depend on the districts in Erie County where ballots had not yet been tabulated.

Slisz, a Buffalo lawyer, and Furlong, confidential law clerk for retiring Justice Joseph R. Glownia, built pluralities in the seven Western New York counties outside Erie County. Both also ran for seats on the court in 2014.

Unofficial totals late Tuesday showed Democrats Lynn Wessel Keane, the Orchard Park town justice, and Grace M. Hanlon, former first assistant district attorney in Chautauqua County, ahead in Erie County by sizable margins, but it was not clear whether that would offset the vote for Slisz and Furlong elsewhere.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning) (left) and John Plumb (D-Lakewood)

MAYVILLE – The two candidates for New York’s 23rd Congressional District were at Chautauqua Lake Central School Tuesday night, Nov. 1 to participate in the second of two scheduled debates.

The forum, hosted by the Chautauqua County League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women, featured both Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning) and challenger John Plumb (D-Lakewood).

Reed told the audience that he feels the biggest challenge facing residents of the 23rd district is a lack of economic opportunity – which is something he’s been working to help bring to the southern tier since he was first elected in 2010. Plumb said that the biggest challenge facing residents is the dysfunction that can currently be found in Washington DC, and he said the Reed has shown he’s been a part of that ongoing dysfunction.

• LISTEN TO THE CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY LOWV DEBATE, FROM NOV. 1
• WATCH THE WETM DEBATE FROM FRIDAY, OCT. 28

A variety of issues were covered during the debate, including The Affordable Care Act, the Second Amendment, conservation and environmentalism, social security, and veterans’ services.

When it came to the Affordable Care Act, Reed stood by his effort to repeal the healthcare plan, which he says has failed thousands of residents in the district.

“What we’re seeing, is it’s driving people out of the healthcare insurance market because you’ve got 25 percent premium increases, which just came out the other day,” Reed said. “At the town halls I’ve been at, I’ve seen the impact of these laws. People say, ‘Tom, I can afford the deductible. I can’t afford the co-pay. I can’t afford to go see the doctor. What is so good about this law?'”

Plumb also acknowledged that the affordable care act has not worked the way it was intended, but also said that instead of repealing the law, Tom Reed and the rest of his colleagues in congress should have focused on improving it.

“My opponent has voted 63 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, with no plan to replace it or fix it,” Plumb said. “That is making it worse every single time. It’s wasting our time. It’s wasting our taxpayer dollars and you know, we’re paying him to go to congress to do thsese things. The fact is, if we had improved this thing 63 times, maybe we would be somewhere right now.”

Both Plumb and Reed also addressed the issue of the second amendment and how to deal with violent gun incidents. Plumb said that he is a supporter of the second amendment and feels that requiring universal background checks for all gun purchases doesn’t infringe on the constitutional law, nor does banning gun ownership from those who are suspected of terrorism.

Reed said that he also favors limiting access of weapons to convicted felons, but said that government should focus on the mental health associated with individuals who are capable of committing violent crimes rather than resort to universal background checks. He also took Plumb to task for failing to receive a positive grade from the NRA….

“NRA endorsed us and gave us an ‘A’ rating. My opponent didn’t even bother to fill out the questionnaire and has a question mark from the NRA. What that means to the NRA is you are openly hostile to the second amendment going forward,” Reed said.

In response, Plumb said that as a military trained sharp shooter for both pistol and rifle, and as a lifelong hunter, he believes his experience and history when it comes to firearms speaks for itself.

“I do not need to fill out a silly questionnaire to get my credentials on my ability to use and safely handle a weapon. I’ve been doing it most of my life,” Plumb responded. “The fact is, I am a strong defender of the second amendment. I’m a hunter. I’m a firearms owner. And I defend the second amendment and all of the amendments – I’ve sworn an oath to that – and I’ve been doing it for 22 years in the United States Navy.”

The two candidates also commented on their choice for president. Plumb has supported Hillary Clinton since the beginning of her bid for president, while Reed has endorsed Donald Trump since the spring. Reed said that while he doesn’t always agree with Trump, he strongly feels that choosing Clinton will take the country in the wrong direction.

“When he has said things that we disagree with, we have called him out on that and said we disagree and that’s just plain wrong,” Reed said. “But when we are talking about the Supreme Court of the United States, I can assure you Donald Trump will put Supreme Court  Justices on the Court that will do what the court should do – interpret and enforce the Constitution, not what Hillary Clinton and my opponent wants to do with his support of her: carry out a progressive agenda.”

In response, Plumb said that he disagrees with how Clinton has handled her email scandal and there are no excuses for it. But, he said she is still a far better choice than Trump.

“I’m not going to defend Hillary Clinton on the email server and the use of the server. That’s is just a terrible mistake and she should never have done that. With that said, I can not possible align myself with someone who disrespects disabled people, who mocks prisoners of war and who mocks fallen soldiers, and then boasts about sexual assault. This is not someone who should be leading the country,” Plumb said.

The two candidates addressed various issues for an hour. Both were pleased with their performances and felt the forum gave them an opportunity to highlight their platform while also illustrating why they should be elected to represent the district.

Plumb is challenging Reed (R-Corning) for his seat in Congress. Over the past two decades he’s served as a submarine officer in the Navy and later as an official at the Department of Defense. Most recently he’s served as director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council. He graduated from Randolph High School in 1988.

Reed is an attorney and former mayor of Corning who was elected to Congress in 2010 and has represented Chautauqua County since January 2013, when redistricting created the new boundaries for the state’s 23rd congressional district.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) says he supports the decision by the FBI to reopon its investigation into Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s emails.

Last Friday FBI Director James Comey sent Congress a brief letter about emails that may or may not be new or relevant to the previously concluded investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

In the letter, Comey stated that he was obligated to update Congress because he had testified in July that the investigation was complete.

Congressman Reed told WRFA during a media conference call on Monday that he agrees with reopening the investigation, adding that the election shouldn’t have been a factor in deciding whether or not to move forward.

“The timing of it, to me, is not relevant to the political process,” Reed said. “This came as a result of a secondary investigation, that’s my understand. What the FBI director is doing is what the FBI director should do – and that’s when the evidence calls for additional investigations to occur, you need to demonstrate that no one is above the law, including Hillary Clinton. And he, as the FBI director, will get to the bottom of it with his organization.”

FBI Director James Comey

Comey’s announcement on Friday, less than two weeks before Election Day, rattled the Clinton campaign and helped Republican candidate Donald Trump gain ground in the polls.

Since then, the Clinton Campaign has criticized Comey, saying it was premature for him to publicly say he is reopening the investigation because he knew nothing about the substance of the newly discovered emails, which were found during a separate investigation of a computer belonging to Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of one of Clinton’s closest aides.

The Justice Department and F.B.I. are now working to process hundreds of thousands of emails to determine whether there is anything relevant in them before Nov. 8.

Tom Reed (left) and Donald Trump

WASHINGTON – Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress says he will continue to stand by embattled Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) said during a conference call with media on Tuesday afternoon that he will not pull his endorsement of Trump, even as other members of the Republican Party have publicly stated they will no longer support the party’s candidate for president.

Trump has been in the spotlight in recent days due to a leaked 2005 video of him making lewd comments about a woman. Some have even claimed the comments refer to sexually assaulting another person because they involve groping without permission. Since the release of the video, Trump has been criticized by both sides of the political aisle. He also attempted to deflect criticism against him by pointing out Bill Clinton’s history of alleged sexual assault during Sunday’s presidential debate.

In the wake of recent denouncements from dozens of Republicans, including Paul Ryan, Trump announced via Twitter that “the shackles have been taken off me and I can now fight for America the way I want to.” In what is widely viewed as evidence of a widening rift in the Republican Party, Trump went on to bash Ryan as a “very weak and ineffective leader” and label Democrats—”with the exception of cheating Bernie”—as “far more loyal to each other” than Republicans.

Tuesday afternoon, Reed reaffirmed his stance that he is 100 percent against the comments, but also said that Trump is still the better option than Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

“I’m looking at a situation where we have to choose beween Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. I think overall, for the future of the Presidency, Donald Trump gives us the best chance to get the American people’s business done, get us back to work, and keep us secured for generations to come.”

Reed also told reporters that when the Trump story broke, he had a conversation with his wife and family, prior to making the decision to continue his endorsement of Trump.

“We absolutely did talk about this over the past 72 hours. My wife and I did spend a lot of time talking about this,” Reed said. “I am obviously disappointed in that rhetoric and in those statements. I always try to look at the silver lining in these situations and having this conversation, hopefully we can talk to other people and say that kind of talk is not acceptable, and we can start changing the tone of comments, such as that, which have been made.”

Tom Reed (left) and Donald Trump

WASHINGTON – Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) issued the following statement Saturday morning, Oct. 8 via his reelection campaign, regarding crude comments made in a leaked hot mic of Donald Trump from 2005.

“Women are never to be talked about in this way. As someone with eight older sisters, a wife and daughter I care deeply about, it is disappointing and offensive to hear these words,” Reed said. “It is not right and these comments must be called out for what they are, just wrong.”

There was no indication from Reed’s statement that he plans to withdraw support form the Republican presidential candidate.

Reed was one of the first members of Congress to endorse Trump for president. He also serves as the Trump campaign committee’s co-chair for New York State.

On Friday the Washington Post released a video in 2005 with audio of Trump making lewd comments about women. Trump apologized for the comments during a recorded video statement released Friday night.

“I’ve never said I’m a perfect person, nor pretended to be someone I am not,” Trump said. “I’ve said and done things I regret, and the words released today on this more than a decade old video are one of them. Anyone who knows me, knows these words don’t reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize.”

Trump then went on the attack, raising issue with opponent Hillary Clinton and husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

“I’ve said some foolish things, but there’s a big difference between the words and actions of other people. Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed, and intimidated his victims. We will discuss this more in the coming days,” Trump said.

RESPONSE FROM REED’S OPPONENT

John Plumb

Reed’s opponent in the 2016 Election, U.S. Navy Commander John Plumb (D-Lakewood), responded to Reed statement Saturday afternoon, via a statement from his campaign.

“Congressman Tom Reed has support for Donald Trump that knows no bounds,” Plumb said. “In light of the events of the past 24 hours, leaders from his own political party across the country are calling for a change. In contrast, Congressman Reed is refusing to give up his position as Campaign Co-Chair of Trump’s campaign in New York State. This shouldn’t surprise us. Congressman Reed will do and say anything to advance his own self-interests at the expense of all of us here in the Southern Tier. And it is clear that he made a self-serving political calculation that this is the best way to advance his Washington career and the special interests that he protects.
“This dangerous doublespeak of pretending to stand with victims while advancing a candidate that demeans women and promotes sexual violence is damaging to our entire country.”

Plumb’s accusation that Reed made a self-serving political calculation is based on a video recorded in August 2016, when Tom Reed flew to Miami to introduce  Trump during a campaign appearance. Trump responded by telling him that he would not forget.

Reed and Plumb will be the only two candidates for New York’s 23rd Congressional District appearing on the 2016 General Election Ballot.  Election Day is Nov. 8, 2016.