September 20, 2025

Dear Friends,

Like so many of you, I have spent these days grappling with the state of politics in our nation. There’s no question that this is a frightening time. We have witnessed horrific acts of violence with increasing frequency that have flooded our social media feeds, televisions, and news stories, and left countless communities, families, and individuals shattered.

In October 2022, a man broke into the house of Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and bludgeoned her husband with a hammer.

Last year, President Trump was the target of, not one, but two assassination attempts.

This summer, former Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were gunned down in their own home, and another state representative and his wife were severely injured.

And last week, Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking to a crowd of students during an event at Utah Valley University.

Each and every one of these horrific acts of violence have no place in our nation, or in any democracy.

You do not have to align with or agree with a person’s beliefs in order to understand that these despicable acts are unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. No free and fair nation can exist if any of its citizens fears being attacked or killed for personal political views. These acts make all of us less safe. They go against the very bedrock of our country and its values.

In this time of escalating political violence, the answer simply cannot be devolving further into partisan rhetoric and pointing fingers. It’s true that we need much more than toothless statements about turning down the temperature. But, if we truly believe in the idea of democracy and protecting America and its citizens, we cannot slide further into villainizing, sowing more division, and silencing dissenting voices.

That’s why I am so concerned by the comments and actions this week by President Trump and his administration to crack down on opposing viewpoints.

Earlier this week, Vice President JD Vance vowed a crackdown to dismantle left-leaning institutions and non-profits. Days later, ABC announced that they were pulling late night host Jimmy Kimmel’s show indefinitely off the air — a move that came hours after Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr threatened the network with retaliation over comments Kimmel made, saying “we can do this the easy way or the hard way.” This chilling action is a direct threat to our First Amendment rights.

A crackdown on free speech will not get us out of this nightmare of rising political violence and extremism; it will only worsen the problem and promote an era of state-sanctioned censorship that enables any party in power to go after those whose viewpoints do not align with its own.

Debate and disagreement, even fundamental disagreement, are the hallmarks of a healthy and functioning republic. A free society cannot exist without these differing beliefs and the ability to voice them.

In these moments of crisis, we cannot forget our humanity and allow despair and division to rule the day. We must speak out in favor of understanding and of compassion, and — as hard as it sometimes is — look for reasons to hope.

As is so often the case in times of upheaval and fear, I return to the immeasurable moral compass and teachings of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

I still believe in the promise of America. I have faith in its future and its people. I hope you do too.

As always, thank you for reading

Your friend,

DID YOU KNOW?

My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from state and federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• Next week, on Tuesday, September 23rd at 6:00 PM, my office is joining the office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to host a Service Academy Night!
• The event will be held at the UAlbany ETEC Building, located at 1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12203. You can view the map on the registration page HERE to find the exact location of the building.
• This event is an educational opportunity for students, parents, and guidance counselors to learn more about the congressional nomination process for the United States military service academies.
• At the event, you’ll have the chance to engage with representatives from our nation’s service academies, including:
  • U.S. Military Academy
  • U.S. Naval Academy
  • U.S. Air Force Academy
  • U.S. Coast Guard Academy
  • U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
  • Army and Navy R.O.T.C.
• You can register for the event by clicking HERE and reserving your spot.
• You can also view the event flyer HERE and scan the QR code for more details.
• If you’re not able to join us in person for this event and would like more information about the service academy nomination process, you can visit my Academy Nominations webpage or contact my office at (518) 465-0700.