National Security Council Notes: Avril Haines' Call with Cho Taeyong

Ned Price

The following statement was issued by National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price.

Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines spoke by phone today with First Deputy Director of the National Security Office of the Republic of Korea Cho Taeyong. DNSA Haines conveyed that the United States continues to be a steadfast ally, friend, and partner to the ROK, and that we look forward to working with Prime Minister Hwang in his new capacity as Acting President of the ROK.  We anticipate policy consistency and continuity across a range of issues, including the DPRK, other regional matters, and international economics and trade.  The two officials affirmed that the U.S.-ROK alliance will continue to be a linchpin of regional stability and security, and DNSA Haines underscored that the United States will continue to meet all of its alliance commitments, especially regarding defending against the threat from the DPRK. 

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary 

National Security Council Notes: The Situation in The Gambia

 

The following statement was issued by National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price.

The United States strongly condemns the decision by President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia to ignore the will of the Gambian people in calling for the December 1 election to be nullified. It is imperative that President Jammeh, who previously accepted the results of the election, retract his call for a new vote and pledge to facilitate a peaceful and democratic transition to President-elect Adama Barrow. The United States appeals to all Gambians to reject violence and seek a peaceful resolution that upholds the will of the Gambian people and advances the promise of a freer, more democratic, and more prosperous Gambia. We call specifically on The Gambia’s security services to uphold their sacred duty to protect all Gambians and reject any instruction to suppress peaceful expressions of dissent. As we closely monitor the situation, we will work with our international partners to help ensure that there is accountability for any persons who use violence to undermine the peaceful democratic transition that the people of The Gambia both demanded and deserve. 

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary

The Amazing Untold Story of NASA's Brilliant African-American Female Scientists

There have been countless stories told about the men of America's space program, but the new film "Hidden Figures" profiles the surprising women who helped send NASA to space.

Mike Adams, 'The Health Ranger', on the Poisoning of Black People

Note: From The G-Man posted this video primarily because of what Mr. Adams conveyed regarding the tragedy in Flint, Michigan, and the arrest and conviction of a prominent physician who treated cancer patients.

Weekly Address: It’s Time to Get Covered on the Health Insurance Marketplace

West Wing Week: 12/09/16

White House Press Briefing

The Power of the Pen: New Bills Signed into Law

On Saturday, December 10, 2016, the President signed into law:

H.R. 2028, the "Further and Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017." 

 

Note: Details are available here. 

 

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary

Washington Post on the ‘Fake News’ Hot Seat

At least one of the websites blamed in a story for supposedly circulating Russian propaganda is threatening to sue the storied newspaper.

By Lloyd Grove

The Washington Post—whose coverage of Watergate four decades ago angered the powers that be, toppled a president, and defined courageous journalism—has unleashed a hornet’s nest of a different sort, one unlikely to earn a Pulitzer Prize.

Indeed, Washington’s newspaper of record—which was purchased in 2013 by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos from the storied Graham family—is uncomfortably weathering a barrage of criticism from fellow journalists and others for a front-page story published over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The story, by Post technology reporter Craig Timberg and published Nov. 24, purported to reveal how “sophisticated” Russian propagandists had spread fake news through hundreds of web sites to destabilize American democracy, thwart Hillary Clinton and elect Donald Trump to the White House.

So far the story—which has attracted millions of page views and more than 14,000 comments—has provoked lawsuit threats from at least two of the web sites, notably the widely respected financial blog Naked Capitalism, which fired off a legal letter demanding a retraction and apology even though the Post story does not specifically mention Naked Capitalism or any of the other allegedly Russian-influenced websites.

There has also been a fusillade of disparaging commentary in publications ranging from The Intercept to The New Yorker.

“I thought it was completely ridiculous that the Post would put this sorry piece of trash on the front page,” Andrew Cockburn, the Washington editor of Harper’s magazine, told The Daily Beast in a typically vehement slam.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Daily Beast 

The Phony War, Trump, and the U.S. Ruling Class

THE DUOPOLY WATCH | Steven Jonas, MD, MPH

In the years leading up to the start of the Second World War in 1939, the Soviet Union tried vainly on several different occasions to get Britain and France to join together in an anti-German pact, in an attempt to deter Nazi aggression in Eastern Europe.  For a variety of reasons, the two Western Powers declined to do so.  Then on August 25, 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the “Nazi-Soviet Pact.”  For the Nazis, the primary objective was to continue their “Drang nach Osten” (Drive to the East).  Previously, the British and the French, refusing Soviet pleas to join in a pact to prevent the German invasion of Czechoslovakia, had strongly encouraged it with the Munich Pact in September, 1938.  For the Soviet Union, the Pact was intended to buy time before the eventual German invasion that Hitler had been writing about since the publication of Mein Kampf in 1926.  (That they made very poor use of the purchased time [and territory] is another story).

On September 1, 1939, using a false flag event, the German’s invaded Poland. Great Britain and France, citing hastily drawn-up treaty obligations to Poland, declared war on September 3.  Germany rolled up its share of Poland (which included Warsaw) in about five weeks.  The English and the French mobilized, The English sent an expeditionary force to France.  There things stood, with very minor actions (including some at sea), until Germany invaded Norway and Denmark in April, 1940 and the Low Countries (Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg) on May 10, 1940.  All of a sudden, the war in the West was on in no uncertain terms.  That interim period on the Western Front, in which little or nothing happened, had been quickly labelled The Phoney War.  It was probably first given its name by the isolationist U.S. Senator, William Borah.

By all accounts, Hitler did not expect to be invading Poland with his Panzer divisions, opposed only by a Polish army heavily dependent on cavalry, in September, 1939.  Thus, on the Western Front, the Phoney War.  By all accounts, the Trumpites really did not expect to win the Presidency, although their hopes rose significantly upon the interference in the election by FBI Director, William Comey.  But win they did.  Unprepared and poorly organized for Transition as they apparently were (under the “leadership” of Chris Christie [who?]), I fully expected that Trump would do nothing more than issue his usual blusters on a periodic basis and also try to make nice, in a Trumpian sort of way, now and then. 

Only after Inauguration would he then launch into full Trump mode, fully and openly in league with the reactionary forces that were increasingly gathering around him after the leading Far Rightist Steve Bannon, et al, joined the campaign in August.  It happens that the “et al” included Trump’s first really big money outside man, Steve Mercer, a major factor in the “hedge fund” wing of the ruling class.  Trump is rich (or at least he has claimed to be rich although declining to prove it through, let us say, release of his income tax returns), but he had never been a certified member of that class.  Now it was becoming clear that Trump was beginning to seriously move towards it.

And so, I must say that I thought Trump would engage in his version of the Phoney War right up until January 21, 2017, and then Boom!  But I was wrong.  Trump is nothing if not a clever marketer, particularly of himself and his name.  And so, almost since the election he has been engaging in a Trumpian Phoney War while also making it very clear what the Trumpian Real War will be like, once he takes power.  And so, on the one hand he makes nice.  “We all have to come together.”  He meets with the top leadership of The New York Times and, after slamming them as hard as he could during the campaign, he says words to the effect of that The Times is a great and important news organization.  (This, by the way, has to be seen in the context of his threatening libel suits and the “loosening of libel laws [which, by the way, cannot be done at the Federal level] during the campaign.) 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Greanville Post

Making History: President Obama's New Approach to Old Adversaries

Behind the Scenes: The Affordable Care Act

Go behind the scenes with President Obama on the day that the Affordable Care Act was passed and the day it was signed into law. 

The footage includes: President Obama traveling to the Capitol to speak to the Democratic members of the House and Senate the day before the vote; the President watching the vote with staff in the Roosevelt Room before speaking to the nation on its passage, and the President hosting a reception in the White House residence to thank the staff who worked alongside him in bringing the legislation over the finish line.

The footage also follows the physical legislation from the Capitol to the Office of the Vice President and then to an East Room signing ceremony. After, President Obama welcomes the individuals who stood with him at the signing ceremony into the Oval Office.

The Power of the Pen: New Bills Signed into Law

 

On Thursday, December 8, 2016, the President signed into law:

 

H.R. 4665, the "Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016," which requires the Department of Commerce to conduct an assessment of the outdoor recreation economy of the United States;

 

H.R. 4902, which amends the overtime compensation system for U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations officers to Law Enforcement Availability Pay;

 

H.R. 5785, which exempts retired air traffic controllers under contract with the Federal Aviation Administration as full-time air traffic control instructors from a reduction to their Federal Employees Retirement System annuity supplement;

 

H.R. 5873, which designates the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 511 East San Antonio Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the R.E. Thomason Federal Building and United States Courthouse; and

 

S. 2754, which designates the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 300 Fannin Street in Shreveport, Louisiana, as the Tom Stagg Federal Building and United States Courthouse. 

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary

Veep Meet & Greet: Chancellor Masrour Barzani

On December 8, Vice President Biden met with Masrour Barzani, Chancellor of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Security Council, on the margins of the Chancellor's meeting with Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines.  The Vice President commended Peshmerga and Iraqi forces for their bravery and sacrifice in the fight against ISIL and offered condolences for lives lost.  The Vice President applauded the close cooperation between the Iraqi Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to ensure ISIL's lasting defeat and reaffirmed strong U.S. support for a united, democratic, and federal Iraq committed to the welfare of all Iraqi citizens. 

Source: The White House, Office of the Vice President

'Flashback Friday': Morton Downey Jr. - White Supremacy at The Apollo

Trailblazers in Black History: Charlie Sifford

 

Charles Luther Sifford was a professional golfer who was the first African-American to play on the PGA Tour. He won the Greater Hartford Open in 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in 1969. He also won the United Golf Association's National Negro Open six times, and the PGA Senior's Championship in 1975.

For his contributions to golf, Sifford was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004. He was awarded the Old Toms Morris Award in 2007, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014, and an honorary doctorate from the University of St. Andrews. Lee Trevino referred to Sifford as the "Jackie Robinson" of golf, and Tiger Woods acknowledged that Sifford paved the way for his career.

Additional information is available here. 

Source: Wikipedia

South Korean President Park Stripped of Her Powers After Impeachment Vote

 

by Stella Kim and F. Brinley Bruton 

SEOUL — South Korea's parliament voted overwhelmingly to impeach President Park Geun-hye on Friday after a huge political scandal involving a childhood friend and confidant left her isolated and loathed.

Park was officially stripped of her powers just after 7 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET), and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn took over as acting president.

"I stand here with grave and sad heart and feel deeply responsible for what's happening now and I am very sorry," said Hwang said. "We cannot allow any gap in the governance and I am going to do my very best to restore stability."

For more than a month, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have spilled onto the streets each Saturday to protest Park's relationship with Choi Soon-sil who is accused of massive influence peddling. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: NBC News

Ellison's DNC Chair Bid Regains Steam as New Challenger Looms

 

by Alex Seitz-Wald

Rep. Keith Ellison's bid to chair the Democratic National Committee regained momentum Thursday with a key endorsement from the AFL-CIO, even as outgoing Labor Secretary Tom Perez moves closer to a potential challenge.

Ellison's boost followed days of rough headlines for the progressive Minnesota lawmaker, who on Wednesday reversed course by promising to resign his seat in Congress if he wins the party post.

With Democrats out of power at all levels of government, it's an important choice at a tumultuous time. The next chairman will have to unite a party fractured by loss and at the nadir of its power. But they'll have the opportunity to lead its comeback and be recognized for it. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: NBC News 

Fmr. GOP EPA Head Calls Trump's Pick 'Troubling'

Bipartisan Effort to Investigate Russia's Role in US Election

NY Will Let Patients Use Medical Marijuana in Hospitals

By James T. Mulder

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The state wants to let patients use medical marijuana in hospitals.

Hospitals will be allowed to create policies allowing patients to use the drug or have caregivers administer it to them under a regulation proposed by the state Health Department. The regulation is expected to go into effect in February.

That proposal is part of an effort by the state to expand New York's medical marijuana program.

Here are other changes in the medical marijuana program announced today by the state:

Wholesaling: Organizations licensed to grow and dispense medical marijuana will be allowed to sell it on a wholesale basis to other licensed organizations in New York state. Organizations that want to begin wholesaling must submit proposals to the state. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: Syracuse.com (via The Empire Report)

New York Ranks in Top 10 For States Resettling Refugees

 

by Carlet Cleare

Rochester, N.Y. - When it comes to helping refugees, New York is one of the top three states in the nation.

A new report by the Pew Research Center says New York trails just Texas and California in resettling refugees.

The study shows more than 5,000 refugees resettled in New York in the 2016 fiscal year. This came after  President Obama increased the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. in 2015.

Mary’s Place on Lexington Avenue is one of a few places in Rochester that helps give them a new life. 

Click here for the full article.

Source: CNYCentral.com (via The Empire Report)

Gov. Cuomo Reveals He Spoke to Feds For Longtime Aide Joseph Percoco's Corruption Probe

By Glenn Blain and Kenneth Lovett

Gov. Cuomo revealed Thursday he met with federal prosecutors about the corruption scandal that has rocked his administration, but said he does not believe he is a target.

Cuomo told reporters he was questioned by the feds several months ago in preparation for the case they brought against his former longtime aide and close friend Joseph Percoco and eight other associates.

The governor said he was not placed under oath for the questioning and that he did not sense he was a target. “It was about the case they were bringing, or have brought ... after the charges were made public,” he said. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The New York Daily News (via The Empire Report)

Trump Presidency Raises Stakes for Cuomo Climate Leadership

 

The following was submitted by Environmental Advocates of New York. 

On January 20, 2017, the United States will become one of the few countries in the world led by someone who denies climate change, and the responsibility for protecting our communities falls to state officials like Governor Andrew Cuomo. Today, residents and a coalition of 100 organizations rallied for Governor Cuomo to turn his rhetoric – “anyone who feels that they are under attack…. the state of New York is their refuge” – into action by making the state a true climate leader with his 2017 Executive Budget proposal. This means incorporating the New York State Climate and Community Protection Act, the most aggressive climate legislation in the country, into his broader economic development, public health, and environmental agenda.

The state Budget is the most significant work that the Executive and Legislature complete annually. It is Governor Cuomo’s best opportunity to prove he will take on President-elect Trump, who has called global warming science a “Chinese hoax,” and has threatened to renege on the Paris Climate Agreement. Trump has also told supporters he intends to abolish life-saving clean air protections, further harming frontline communities bearing the brunt of climate change.

Lorraine Pierre-Destine, Resident Nurse (Lincoln Hospital) and member of the New York State Nurses Association said, “Just imagine a 6-year-old girl wheezing so loudly there’s no need for a stethoscope. Donald Trump refuses to believe in climate science and its detrimental impacts. I would like to invite Mr. Trump to join me at work one day so that he can see firsthand the impacts that dirty air has on the children and families who live here. Air that isn’t safe to breathe makes kids feel like they are being suffocated. Air filled with toxic pathogens causing a lifetime of chronic illness and premature death. Governor Cuomo can be a hero for the families I help to take care of. Trump may have won the White House, but Governor Cuomo can win the fight against climate change.”

Reverend Lennox Yearwood, Jr., President of the Hip Hop Caucus said, “We cannot afford further damage to our health or our planet. The climate movement is defining what climate leadership is by raising the bar for our politicians. They are not fragile children in need of constant reassurance. They are decision-makers who, by and large, are failing to move fast enough when it comes to doing what’s necessary to leave fossil fuels in the ground and facilitate a justice-based transition to 100 percent clean energy. Governor Cuomo can seize this opportunity and send a message to the millions concerned about the future of our climate and air that he is ready to be the leader we need.”

Eddie Bautista, Executive Director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance said, “Our coalition puts equity at the center of climate policy, because to fight climate change we need transformative ideas that address environmental justice and create new jobs. One hundred organizations are committed to the NY Renews vision – and we are building on our collective advocacy and powerful partnerships to push New York State to be a national leader when we need it most.”

By incorporating the New York State Climate and Community Protection Act into the SFY2017-18 Budget, Governor Cuomo will:

Solidify his climate and clean energy goals by placing the State Energy Plan into law, creating the pathway to a future powered 100% by clean, renewable energy.

Prioritize frontline, environmental justice, and Disadvantaged Communities statewide, by dedicating at least 40% of revenue generated by the Clean Energy Fund and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to projects and programs that benefit these communities.

Create community-driven Just Transition processes for workers and whole communities as they transition away from a fossil fuel-based economy, ensuring avenues to good-paying jobs with fair labor standards.  

President Obama on the Passing of John Glenn: 'He Lifted the Hopes of a Nation'

 

When John Glenn blasted off from Cape Canaveral atop an Atlas rocket in 1962, he lifted the hopes of a nation.  And when his Friendship 7 spacecraft splashed down a few hours later, the first American to orbit the Earth reminded us that with courage and a spirit of discovery there's no limit to the heights we can reach together.  With John's passing, our nation has lost an icon and Michelle and I have lost a friend.  John spent his life breaking barriers, from defending our freedom as a decorated Marine Corps fighter pilot in World War II and Korea, to setting a transcontinental speed record, to becoming, at age 77, the oldest human to touch the stars.  John always had the right stuff, inspiring generations of scientists, engineers and astronauts who will take us to Mars and beyond--not just to visit, but to stay.  Today, the people of Ohio remember a devoted public servant who represented his fellow Buckeyes in the U.S. Senate for a quarter century and who fought to keep America a leader in science and technology.  Our thoughts are with his beloved wife Annie, their children John and Carolyn and the entire Glenn family.  The last of America's first astronauts has left us, but propelled by their example we know that our future here on Earth compels us to keep reaching for the heavens.  On behalf of a grateful nation, Godspeed, John Glenn. 

Statement by the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden  

Any minute spent with John Glenn was a blessing. Because for all his heroism that history will remember—in war, in space, in public life—you felt something deeper. You felt his capacity to love—the country he inspired, the people of Ohio he served. And most especially, love for his Annie, a hero in her own right, and together, they forged a true partnership that bore the weight of fame and responsibility with the humility and sense of duty that defined them as the greatest of America’s greatest generation. 

Jill and I are blessed for the twenty-five years we shared with John and Annie in the United States Senate, and for the forty years we have shared as dear friends. In our prayers to Annie, their children John David and Lyn, and the entire Glenn family, we can only offer the solace that future generations of Americans, when tested and challenged, will find a model for how to explore, serve, and love. For if there is ever a message to send beyond our time here on our Earth for what it means to be an American, it is the life of John Glenn. Godspeed, friend. 

 

Source: The White House, Offices of the Press Secretary and Vice President

Former Astronaut, Senator John Glenn Dead at 95

Veterans Who Stood With Standing Rock Say They’re Heading To Flint Next

U.S. military veterans who traveled to North Dakota to support the Standing Rock Sioux in opposing the Dakota Access pipeline have new plans to organize in Flint, Michigan.

Wes Clark Jr., a U.S. Army veteran, helped mobilize veterans to join the effort to protect the Standing Rock Sioux’s water supply. The tribe says crude oil could leak into their water if the pipeline were to cross under the Lake Oahe reservoir. Flint, where residents continue to have lead-tainted water despite a national outcry earlier this year, seems like the next logical destination for activism-minded vets.

“We don’t know when we are going to be there, but we will be heading to Flint,” Clark told Michigan Live on Monday, noting that people have been mistreated for a long time and need support. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Huffington Post

National Security Council Notes: Susan Rice’s Meeting with State Councilor Guo Shengkun of China

 

The following statement was issued by National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price. 

National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met today with State Councilor Guo Shengkun of China to emphasize the importance of fully adhering to the U.S.-China cyber commitments from President Xi's September 2015 State Visit.   The meeting occurred following the conclusion of the third U.S.-China High-Level Joint Dialogue on Cybercrime and Related Issues, which State Councilor Guo co-chaired along with Attorney General Lynch and Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson on December 7.

Ambassador Rice raised U.S. concerns about the potential impacts of China's cybersecurity law and Foreign Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) management law on commercial and people-to-people links between the United States and China.  She underscored the United States’ enduring concern about human rights conditions in China.  She also encouraged further promoting bilateral risk reduction measures, including between both sides' Coast Guards.  Ambassador Rice and State Councilor Guo agreed that the United States - China relationship is the most consequential relationship in the world, and both expressed support for continued efforts to develop more durable and constructive bilateral ties. 

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary

NSTAC Member Meeting

The committee met on December 7, 2016, to receive remarks from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership and other senior government officials regarding the Government’s current cybersecurity initiatives and NS/EP priorities.

Saving Our Youth: Gang Free Inc.

Steve Harvey continues his celebration of inspiring women by teaming up with Ford to honor Melissa Elliott of Henderson, NC. Melissa is the creator of Gang Free Inc., an anti-gang program for teens. 

Source: Steve Harvey

Trailblazers in Black History: Annette Gordon-Reed

 

Annette Gordon-Reed is an American historian and law professor. At Harvard University, she holds the Charles Warren Professorship in American Legal History, and is the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. 

She is noted for changing scholarship on Thomas Jefferson regarding his relationship with Sally Hemings and her children. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History and 15 other prizes in 2009 for her work on the Hemings family of Monticello, and in 2010 she received the National Humanities Medal and was named a MacArthur Fellow. 

Additional information is available here.

Source: Wikipedia

Governor Cuomo, Consulate General Announce Hurricane Matthew Donations Headed to Haiti

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Consul General Peter Helder Bernard, Esq. of the Consulate General of Haiti in New York today announced food, water, medical supplies and other donations from New Yorkers will be delivered to assist those devastated by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. The more than 30,000 pounds of donations on 60 pallets include food, water, hygiene products, medical supplies and clothing. New York, the Consulate, elected officials and local leaders worked together to gather items for those in need and provide support services for family members in New York following the hurricane earlier this year. Items will be transferred from the New York State Office of General Services warehouse in Brentwood by truck and rail to Florida, and then shipped to Haiti by the Consulate.

“Haiti is still struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew and I am proud New Yorkers opened their hearts and donated these much needed supplies to support this nation’s recovery efforts,” Governor Cuomo said. “New Yorkers always help their neighbors in need, whether they are next door or around the globe.”

Consul General Peter Helder Bernard, Esq. said, “Hurricane Matthew caused much devastation in so many areas of the country and the outpouring of aid from the people of New York is so great, it is an honor to personally thank you all for your generosity and support for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Haiti loves New York…and New York loves Haiti.”

Hurricane Matthew was a Category 4 storm when it hit the southwestern portion of Haiti on October 4, 2016. The effects of heavy rain, high winds and damaging tides took their toll on the country, its people and its land. Information provided by the Consulate General of Haiti in New York indicates the storm left nearly 500 people dead, approximately 150,000 homeless, and more than a million severely struggling for the means to survive. Six years after suffering a catastrophic earthquake claiming the lives of over 300,000 Haitians, the people of Haiti were yet again dealt a devastating blow as the storm ravaged farms and livestock, eliminating a prime source of food and destroyed communities including Jeremie, Grand Anse, Les Cayes, Nippes.

Ongoing challenges for the Haitian people include addressing the Cholera epidemic and supplying those affected by Hurricane Matthew with the basic amenities of life. In response, the Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in NY, the office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, community organizations including the National Action Network, local and state government officials, and many others joined forces to help the people of Haiti.

The Haitian Consulate worked with the Governor’s office to help manage logistics for community donations and the New York National Guard picked up the collected items at more than 25 state office locations throughout the State and delivered them to State warehouse locations in Albany and Brentwood. The Office of General Services packaged the items and readied the donations for shipment. Photos of the donation packaging are available here.

Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito said, “As we know from our own experiences with hurricanes here in New York State, we understand that recovery efforts will go on for a long time. We hope that the supplies donated by our citizens will offer some relief to the people devastated by Hurricane Matthew.”

Major General Anthony German, the Adjutant General of New York, said, "The men and women of the New York National Guard are proud to do their part in helping to get these supplies donated by New Yorkers to people as they recover from Hurricane Matthew.”

The following elected officials and local leaders assisted with the recovery effort led by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Consul General Peter Helder Bernard Esq.:

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke

Senator Kevin Parker

Senator James Sanders Jr.

Assemblyman N. Nick Perry

Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein

Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages

Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte

Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre

Assembly-elect Clyde Vanel

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams

Council Member Mathieu Eugene

Council Member Jumaane D. Williams

Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages

Joseph Makhandal Champagne, former Mayor of South Toms River, New Jersey 

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo