June, 08 2016, 03:00pm EDT
TODAY: Elected Officials, Community Members and Civil Rights Groups Demand Racial Equity in New York's Response to the Heroin and Opioid Crisis
Advocates Insist that Repairing the Harms of Failed Drug Policies Must be Central to Policy-Making
ALBANY, NY
Today, elected officials, community members, civil rights and legal advocates, and drug policy reformers joined together to call for the inclusion of communities of color in Albany's response to heroin and opioids. In the midst of the opioid crisis, lawmakers and the media have increasingly highlighted strategies that treat drug use as a public health issue. But despite the rhetoric, the overwhelming emphasis of New York drug policy remains on criminalization, which is disproportionately focused on people of color.
"Heroin abuse and its devastating effects is not a new phenomenon - we have seen how it has decimated poor communities and communities of color for decades," said Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Jeffrion Aubry. "For years we have been calling for meaningful reform to address the issue - Rockefeller drug law reform was the first step. But now we must continue to march forward and pass additional policy reforms that focuses less on criminalization and more on a public health solution - a solution for ALL."
New York, like much of the rest of the country, has begun to move away from criminal justice approaches to drugs amid a perception that more people who use drugs are now from white, suburban, and middle class communities. Despite this trend there has been little effort at the state level to repair the harms of the failed drug policies of the last 45 years that have devastated communities of color. New York's draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws were a significant driver of mass incarceration, gross racial disparities, and disruption of New York families and communities.
While advocates and elected officials are encouraged by the renewed focus on issues around drugs and treatment, they warned that current proposals lack a comprehensive public health approach to drugs.
"We have learned through trial and error - and much unnecessary pain and suffering - that a public health model is the only smart and compassionate approach to addressing substance abuse and addiction," said Robert Perry, Legislative Director with the NYCLU. "And yet legislation pending in Albany adopts several misguided compulsory treatment provisions. Let's not make the same mistakes we made with the War on Drugs - drug policy must be based on upon evidence-based medical science."
"I'm angry! I'm angry because harm reduction saved my life, yet the Senate Republicans have refused even the most basic reforms to expand syringe access," said Terrell Jones, leader of VOCAL-NY, referring to the Senate's last minute refusal to support legislation to reform the Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP). "And I'm angry that as a black man, when I was homeless and drug addicted, I was offered 4-9 years for my first offense and denied drug treatment while white boys awaiting sentencing with me were offered programs in place of prison."
"There are visible racial disparities in drug charges. Unfortunately, individuals of color are more likely to be stopped, arrested and prosecuted for violating drug laws," said Assemblywoman Diana Richardson. "It is essential that we continue to advocate for fair criminal justice reform."
Elected officials and advocates called on the legislature to not only focus on increasing access to services but also work together to deal with the years of "lock them up" policies that have devastated communities throughout New York State.
"I applaud the Drug Policy Alliance and VOCAL-NY for standing up for marginalized communities that have for decades now been plagued and devastated by drug addiction and overdose. Understanding that drug abuse in any community is a public health crisis is key, and ensuring equitable access to resources to fight this blight is vital and long overdue," said Senator Kevin Parker. "When communities of color were initially overtaken by drugs and its negative externalities, the answer that was presented was a War on Drugs. Today, I hope we learn from our predecessors failed policies and enact legislation that provides evenhanded relief to all communities impacted. I remain eager to work with my colleagues in the Legislature to right this wrong."
"As New York battles an increase in heroin and prescription opioid addiction, we must ensure that equal support and treatment is provided to everyone who needs it, regardless of race or economic status. For far too long, we have seen people of color, particularly young black men, serving unnecessarily long prison sentences, perpetuated by draconian drug laws," said Senator James Sanders Jr. "We have an opportunity to affect change by introducing positive reforms across the state including improvements to public health policy and the criminal justice system. I look forward to joining with my colleagues in government to make these changes possible.
"The evidence becomes clearer every day that the old war on drugs is not working, is hurting communities and is destroying families," said Juan Cartagena, President and General Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF. ""We can't incarcerate addiction out of people. It's inhumane and ineffective. It is time for a sane policy, one that helps people and doesn't ostracize them from society."
Elected officials presented several legislative proposals that they believe will not only increase services to communities throughout New York but would also begin to reduce the harms associated with criminalization and the failing drug war.
"Instead of demonizing and punishing the communities of color affected by this epidemic, we need to treat addiction with drug treatment. Research has shown drug treatment is proven to be more effective at reducing crime and recidivism. Moreover, we need to provide pathway for former addicts to be reintegrated into society, said Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson. "Formerly jailed individuals are routinely denied access to jobs, housing, educational loans, welfare benefits, political participation, and other key social goods solely on the basis of their drug convictions. It is an alarmist attitude of a few who refuse to accept the notion that many of these former addicts have served their time and proven themselves worthy of a second chance."
"Communities of color have been devastated by bad drug policies and hyper-criminalization for the last 40 years. It is an approach that has never worked and has caused significantly more harm than good to our communities and to our families. If we are going to be centering public health in our drug policy, then we need to do so now and we need to do it for all communities," said Assemblymember Crystal People-Stokes. "We need to increase access to treatment but also alleviate the burden bad policies have had on people of color across the state, including the thousands of New Yorkers who are inhibited daily from accessing employment, housing and an education all due to a conviction on their record for simple possession of marijuana."
"A public health crisis requires an inclusive public health response," said Senator Daniel Squadron. "I'm proud to carry the Fairness & Equity Act that would introduce racial and ethnic impact statements. I thank DPA, VOCAL, the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Caucus, and my colleagues."
"It is important for public health to protect possession of clean needles and possession of naloxone so that people don't have to fear that they're going to come under police scrutiny because they have naloxone in their pocket," said Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried. "Heroin and opiate addiction have devastating effects and we must treat these as critical public health issues, addressed with harm reduction strategies, instead of criminalizing individuals and communities."
"Decriminalizing syringe possession will give the most vulnerable New Yorkers access to the harm reduction services they need in order to avoid contracting HIV or Hepatitis C, said Senator Gustavo Rivera. "We can no longer stand by while ineffective and failed drug polices continue to unnecessarily put the health of New Yorkers at risk."
Together advocates and elected called on the New York State legislature and Governor Cuomo to center repairing the harms associated with the drug war, in addition to ensuring an equitable distribution of public health resources to help all people in need.
"For too long communities of color have been plagued by the consequences of a broken legal system that has unfairly targeted certain neighborhoods, and created a drug policy that has done little to decrease drug use, said Assembly member Robert Rodriguez. "New York needs a compassionate approach to opioid policy reform that works with individuals and communities to both heal and prevent the damage of widespread drug use, and continue to promote progressive police practices."
"Not only must we learn from the mistakes of the past, we must take action to reverse the harms caused by racially motivated drug policy that for years prioritized incarceration and punitive measures over treatment and recovery," said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. "It is crucial that we create policies to ensure that all people in every community that have been affected by addiction have access to comprehensive treatment and recovery supports and that we implement policies that confer justice and equality upon communities who for years have been deprived of it."
"People in communities of color in New York are watching as new resources come to white communities to solve the heroin and opioid problem. Meanwhile, we continue to respond to drug use by increasing law enforcement presence and incarcerating huge numbers of Black and Brown New Yorkers, destroying whole communities and families," said Kassandra Frederique, New York State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance. "Without a doubt, the tragedy of anyone's struggle with drug abuse should be met with a compassionate and humane response. What we are asking for today are two things: first that the resources and compassion being extended to white communities is extended to communities of color and second that lawmakers acknowledge and redress the harms done to communities of color by the 45 year failed war on drugs."
Legislative policy proposals include:
- Racial and Ethnic Impact Statements to determine legislation's effects on communities of color before it is enacted
- Statewide clemency package to seal and vacate all marijuana-related convictions
- Reform criminal drug possession statutes to decriminalize or de-felonize certain offenses
- Bolster and expand Rockefeller drug law reforms
- Reduce recidivism and save money by establishing Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) programs
- Create a Statewide Nonfatal Overdose Response System
- Increase funding for harm reduction services and continue their integration with the broader healthcare system
- Repeal the criminal law on syringe possession and increase access syringes through pharmacies
- Rewrite New York's syringe exchange law to increase the number of providers and reduce barriers to access
- Institute supervised injection facilities (SIFs) wherever needed in the state
- Increase access to the medication-assisted treatment, especially by expanding buprenorphine access in low income communities of color
- Allow access to methadone and buprenorphine in Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facilities
- Establish a New York State Drugs Advisory Council that includes the participation of community experts and the legislature and executive to ensure common objectives and policy coordination between agencies and elected officials
The Drug Policy Alliance is the nation's leading organization promoting drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.
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Watchdog Urges FEC to Investigate Trump Campaign Over Scheme for Legal Fees
"By not disclosing the vendors that actually provided legal services, the Trump-affiliated committees effectively blocked the public from knowing which attorneys and firms are being paid—and how much."
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A campaign finance watchdog on Wednesday filed a Federal Election Commission complaint accusing former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, affiliated political groups, and an accounting firm of violating U.S. law in a scheme "seemingly designed to obscure the true recipients of a noteworthy portion of Trump's legal bills."
The Washington, D.C.-based Campaign Legal Center (CLC) said that "evidence appears to show an illegal arrangement between several Trump-affiliated committees and a compliance firm named Red Curve Solutions that is designed to obscure the identities of those providing legal services and how much they are being paid."
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CLC alleges that the Trump campaign, Trump's political action committee (PAC) Save America, and three affiliated organizations "violated federal reporting requirements based on a scheme in which the committees reportedly paid over $7.2 million—described as 'reimbursement for legal' costs or expenses"—to Red Curve.
The watchdog also said that Red Curve appears to be "making or facilitating illegal contributions that violate either federal contribution limits or the prohibition on corporate contributions."
According to CLC:
Red Curve is a domestic limited liability company that offers compliance and FEC reporting services but does not appear to offer any legal services. It is managed by Bradley Crate, who also serves as the treasurer for each of the five Trump-affiliated committees concerned in this complaint, as well as over 200 other federal committees.
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Trump—who is the presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee—faces 91 federal and state felony charges related to his role in the January 6 insurrection and his organization's business practices. He is currently on trial in New York for allegedly falsifying business records related to hush money payments to cover up sex scandals during the 2016 election cycle. The twice-impeached former president has been open about his use of campaign donations to pay his legal costs.
The new CLC filing comes a day after the watchdog filed separate FEC complaints urging investigations into a pair of Trump-affiliated "scam PACs," which "pretend to fundraise for major candidates or issues while secretly diverting almost all of their donors' money back into fundraising or the fraudsters' own pockets."
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Three Republicans in the Arizona House of Representatives on Wednesday joined with Democrats to advance legislation that would repeal an 1864 ban on abortion—a development rights advocates welcomed while stressing that the fight is far from over.
The 32-28 vote on House Bill 2677—with GOP Reps. Tim Dunn (25), Matt Gress (4), and Justin Wilmeth (2) voting in favor—was the third attempt in as many weeks to pass repeal legislation since the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the ban.
"The state Senate could vote on the repeal as early as next Wednesday, after the bill comes on the floor for a 'third reading,' as is required under chamber rules," according toNBC News. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs on Wednesday toldThe Washington Post that "I am hopeful the Senate does the right thing and sends it to my desk so I can sign it."
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Florez noted that "even with the repeal of the Civil War-era ban, the state will still have a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy that denies people access to critical care. And lawmakers continue to attack Arizonans' ability to access reproductive healthcare. Our right to control our bodies and lives is hanging on by a thread."
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The coalition supporting the amendment, Arizona for Abortion Access, highlighted on social media that the House-approved bill "did not include the emergency clause required to stop the 1864 ban from taking effect on June 8," meaning H.B. 2677 wouldn't apply until 90 days after the end of the legislative session.
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Arizona is one of multiple states where rights advocates are promoting abortion rights ballot measures this cycle. Reproductive freedom is also dominating political races at all levels, including the presidential contest. Democratic President Joe Biden is set to face former Republican President Donald Trump in November.
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While continuing to give Israel billions of dollars in support to wage war on the Gaza Strip, the Biden administration this week has declined to join the growing global demands for an international probe into mass graves discovered at hospitals in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Two journalists on Tuesday questioned Vedant Patel, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, about the administration's response to the hundreds of bodies found at Gaza City's al-Shifa Hospital and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis as well as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk's call for an independent investigation.
"Would you support such an independent investigation?" Said Arikat asked during a press briefing. Patel responded, "Right now, Said, we are asking for more information... That is squarely where we are leaving the conversation."
Patel added that "I don't have any details to match, confirm, or offer as it relates to that. We're aware of those reports, and we have asked the government of Israel for additional clarity and information. And that's where I'm at."
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After Patel again stressed that the administration has asked Israel for more information, Stanage inquired, "And do you believe the government of Israel is a credible source in enlightening you?"
The spokesperson interrupted Stanage to say, "We do."
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"Somehow I don't think the U.S. State Department would defer to Russia as a credible source to investigate itself if a mass grave were discovered in Ukrainian territory it had occupied," Finucane said on social media in response to Stanage's questioning.
Meanwhile, European Union spokesperson Peter Stano made clear Tuesday that the E.U. supports an independent probe.
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Guevara Rosas continued:
Mass grave sites are potential crime scenes offering vital and time-sensitive forensic evidence; they must be protected until professional forensic experts with the necessary skills and resources can safely carry out adequate exhumations and accurate identification of remains.
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