Alessandra Biaggi Accepts the Endorsement of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club

Friends,

New York State still has no law prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression.

As a citizen and an attorney -- this failure to codify basic human dignity offends me.

And when I am representing the 34th District in the State Senate, I will work tirelessly for the passage of GENDA – the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.

That is why I am so pleased today to accept the endorsement of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club. The late Jim Owles was a fearless fighter for the rights of LGBTQ communities. And I know the Jim Owles organization will help me push to make GENDA the law in our state.

“ Alessandra Biaggi will be a welcome addition to the NY State Senate," said Allen Roskoff, President of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and co-author of the nation’s first gay rights bill. "She will fight effectively for economic equality, for the rights of tenants, better schools and more and better jobs for her constituents and all New Yorkers. She is an unabashed progressive who will fight for a woman’s right to choose, a more just and compassionate criminal justice system, documented and undocumented immigrants and will stand up for full equality for LGBT New Yorkers. Her opponent is a Democrat in name only, a major recipient of donations from landlords' lobbyists, who spent the last 8 years caucusing with Trump Republicans, selling out our Democratic values, the Democratic Party, tenants and working people. Biaggi is the clear choice.” 

GENDA was first introduced in 2003. It has been passed repeatedly since then by the Democratic-led Assembly. But passage by the Senate has been blocked because my opponent, Jeff Klein, gave control of the chamber to John Flanagan and his Republican Conference.

Klein said last year: “If I have anything to do with it, John Flanagan is going to be the leader for a long, long time.”

The time for passage of GENDA and a long list of other crucial legislation has long passed – meaning it is also time to oust Klein and the other seven senators in his rogue political clique, the Independent Democratic Conference.

Let’s bring true democracy to Albany!

Alessandra