January 16, 2006
by Dylan Skriloff
It may have unofficially been Jeanine Pirro's first speech in her candidacy for Attorney General of New York, but no one knew for sure.
Pirro, the former Westchester County District Attorney and newly announced Republican candidate for Attorney General, Jeanine was the RBA's guest speaker at the December General Membership Luncheon. At the time she was still announced as the Republican candidate to battle Hillary Clinton for the New York Senate seat, but her speech stirred of issues familiar to an attorney general, not a senator, and within a week she had indeed disclosed her decision to switch races.
Pirro talked mostly about the threat society faces from disturbed people and criminal and/or terrorist organizations. She told members that "government can be whatever you want it to be," and that so far in New York, government hasn’t been doing its job on a number of issues like security, gun laws and sex-abuse.
Pirro had just visited the funeral of two police officers shot in the line of duty in the past week and urged the audience that they must be vigilant if they want to protect their quality of life against criminals and sexual predators. One issue she hit home on was gun laws.
"We've got to do something about gun laws in New York State. Gun dealers don't get caught, the government is not taking care of the situation," she said. She repeated the mantra on several issues, "You think the government is taking care of it. Guess what, the government is not taking care of it."
With vigilance on the part of citizens, government will take care of it, she said, citing her own history as an example. She grew up in Elmira, New York, being told that she could not achieve her dream of being a lawyer. She recalled believing in herself and working her way up the ladder, fighting for justice on issues such as domestic violence and child abuse. She recalled working with RBA member Carolyn Fish of the Rockland Family Shelter.
Pirro urged the crowd's support in creating a civil-confinement program for released sex offenders. Many of these offenders never even seek to rehabilitate themselves because they don't want to, she said, citing an example of an 86-year-old man taking Viagra so he can molest children.
In spite of this fact, speaker Sheldon Silver has yet to let discussion of the bill get onto the floor of the state Assembly, she said. RBA CEO and President Al Samuels pointed out that Rockland Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, who was in the audience, had introduced a bill in Albany and it was expected to get to the floor.
RBA members were impressed with Pirro's passionate speaking style and many were holding a crystal ball, predicting whether she'd switch campaigns or not.
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Other news from Luncheon
RBA News
The RBA has reached its 2005 goal of 900 members thanks to the hard work of Vice President of Development Roger Scheiber. Al Samuels congratulated RBA members and Scheiber at the luncheon.
Samuels and Board Chair Howard Hellman recognized four Directors whose terms had expired, Dave Heinrich of Smart Money Mortgages, LLC, Richard M. Struck of Orange and Rockland, Dr. Dodge Watkins, Superintendent of Haverstraw-Stony Point Central School District and Thomas A. Condon of Montalbano, Condon and Frank, P.C.
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Pirro Says American Dream is threatened by Criminals
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