Molinaro, currently Dutchess County Executive, drew a good crowd in Ulster County
KINGSTON – Republican gubernatorial challenger Marcus Molinaro slammed the administration of his incumbent opponent, Democrat Andrew Cuomo, claiming he is corrupt, at a campaign appearance held in Kingston Wednesday night. The event was attended by supporters from throughout the Mid-Hudson region.
Molinaro charged New York has “the most corrupted state government in the country.”
Most of the Town Hall style meeting, his first public campaign visit to Ulster County since declaring his candidacy, involved public policy.
Molinaro discussed his positions and took questions from the audience for nearly 45 minutes. He vowed to establish term limits for state office; reduce property taxes; centralize and streamline Medicaid at the state level. He also wants to allow fracking along the Southern Tier; and medical marijuana – but balks at recreational use.
“I do not believe in making big decisions based on tax revenue,” he said. “If you’re making a decision based on making money, you’re probably not doing it right. I’m not prepared to embrace legalization, although I do favor decriminalization. No one should be in jail because of a marijuana issue. But what I’d like to do is expand medical access. We’ve done a horrible job in the State of New York, in making sure those who have a medical condition, where marijuana could benefit them, they need to be able to use it for the medical benefit that the physician believes.”
Molinaro said he supports the Second Amendment. “I believe in all of the individual rights, we have to do more to restore those rights for law abiding citizens in the State of New York, I don’t think the governor cares for your Second Amendment, and quite frankly, these days, I don’t think he likes your First Amendment either.”
The gubernatorial hopeful said that “doesn’t dismiss our responsibility for public safety. One of the things we haven’t done, whether it’s the SAFE Act, or other legislation, we aren’t safer. We still have shootings in our communities, we still have those living in violence, dealing with great trauma, and not getting the help they need. We have to do more.”
But Molinaro does not believe that teachers should be armed. “Teachers need to teach. But every building should have safety and security in it,” he cautioned.
“As far as same-sex marriage, it is the law of the land, and now recognized as a constitutional right,” Molinaro said. “I say to you, I raise my right hand, and swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and therefore, I will protect all of the laws as defined by the United States Supreme Court, that is my position.”
In contrast to Andrew Cuomo, Molinaro took aim at liberal immigration policies.
“I do not support the establishment of sanctuary anything,” he said. “We all follow the rules, but you do it in a very kind and respectful way. America is compassionate by nature, but that means leaders have to stop demagoguing the issue and start solving the problem. They’re not; they all want to play this game, don’t want to cooperate, so they can win an election.”
Regarding President Donald Trump, Molinaro took a non-partisan stance. “I’m not distancing myself from anything. I’m running for governor of the State of New York. And you deserve a governor who calls balls and strikes, and I’m going to do that. If the president does something that works for us, I’m going to say it. If the president does something that doesn’t work for us, I’m going to say that too. But I’m going to be respectful about how we do it. This governor [Cuomo] spends every day wanting to talk about the president. Probably, because he doesn’t want us talking about property tax and corruption.”
