Candidate Answers to JOLDC: David Siffert for NY Assembly District 66
Candidate Name: David Siffert
Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 66
Campaign Website: https://www.siffertforassembly.com/
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why do you believe you are best qualified to represent your district?
I am, hands down, the most qualified candidate to be a New York State legislator. I am a civil rights lawyer, law professor, and community advocate, and I have dedicated many of these skills specifically toward the New York State legislation that Jim Owles cares about. For years, I have done the work of drafting bills, advocating for them, building coalitions, and negotiating language – and I love it. I am running for one reason: As an outsider, I spend countless hours doing this work to help people, but making change is a huge uphill battle. I have seen how much easier it is to make change with a seat at the table.
Throughout my career, I have fought for LGBTQIA+ rights, criminal legal reform, and other issues Jim Owles has championed. At the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (“STOP”), I fought to defend New Yorkers’ civil rights to be free from invasive and discriminatory surveillance. At NYU, I worked to improve legislation and the legislative process, to make sure that bills drafted with good intentions actually lived up to their promise. And I have worked tirelessly within my neighborhood to make sure that we all support each other and make sure our neighbors’ needs are met.
As Legal Director of STOP, I have spent countless hours suing the New York City Policy Department and other public and private entities that violate our civil rights. I sued NYPD over its Domain Awareness System, arguing that its invasive surveillance violates our Fourth Amendment rights. The case is pending. I sued NYPD for forcing arrestees to remove religious head coverings in booking photos, and I won. They don't do that anymore, and victims were compensated. But I also use my civil rights skills specifically to draft, advocate for, negotiate, and build coalitions around state legislation -- from facial recognition to geofence warrants to stingrays to AI and more. And I have joined coalitions to advocate for some of Jim Owles’ top priorities, including Parole Justice and shield laws for gender affirming care.
As a law professor, I teach a class specifically on the New York State legislature. I pair 10 students with 10 state legislators to help them write bills, and I work hands on with 20 different bills every year, and with different legislative offices. The bills – now passed and signed into law – requiring health insurance companies to cover dyslexia screenings for kids came out of this class. We bring in expert guest speakers from central staff, unions, lobbying orgs, and more -- I have a deep knowledge of how the system works.
And I have worked deeply and closely with the community. I represented the community in suing Mount Sinai to try to save Beth Israel Hospital. I have gone door-to-door to businesses to help prepare for ICE raids. And I have drafted legislation for the community, including the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act (which passed and was signed) and pieces of police reform legislation in the wake of the George Floyd protests.
I have the ideas and theory from academia, with the practical experience of the civil rights world, and the local community grounding of an organizer. I've outgrown my roles, and I need a seat at the table if I am going to have more success in accomplishing the goals we all share. And I’m ready to hit the ground running on day one. Additionally, there is currently only one person in the state legislature who understands AI and tech policy, and he is leaving at the end of the year. AI is going to create massive changes for New York, with particular risks for the LGBTQIA+ community, and unless the state legislature acts appropriately, the potential harms are immense. I have been a thought and policy leader on the issue for years, and I am uniquely positioned to make sure that New York can navigate upcoming technological changes safely. I would also be the first openly non-binary person elected to office in New York State history.
2. What LGBTQ+ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I have been on the board of Jim Owles for years. I have also specifically focused my efforts on defending New York's LGBTQIA+ community. I am the principal drafter of the proposed New York Privacy Amendment—one of Equality New York’s platform priorities—which would enshrine robust protections against government surveillance and safeguard decisional autonomy in our state constitution. I was the principal drafter of the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act, which allows non-binary New Yorkers to run for party positions such as District Leader or State Committee Member, and which passed and has been signed into law. I have engaged in active support up in Albany for legalized surrogacy, for shield laws for provision of gender affirming care, and for repeal of "Walking While Trans," and I have fought with LGBTQIA+ organizations against provisions of the Kids Online Safety Act that could result in censorship of LGBTQIA+ content. More generally, I have worked to curb government surveillance tools that disproportionately impact marginalized communities, including LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers, including banning the use of facial recognition, which regularly mis-identifies gender non-conforming people.
3. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBTQ+ issues, pro-choice legislation, racial justice, criminal justice have you attended, including rallies specifically against Donald Trump and his policies?
More than I can count! For LGBTQIA+ rights I attend Reclaim Pride / Queer Liberation March every year. I have been at Stonewall recently I think 4 times – three over removal of the flag, and once regarding gender affirming care for minors. I also attended another rally for trans rights in Union Square very recently. For pro-choice legislation, I was at the original Women’s March in DC and attended the protest in Foley Square when Dobbs leaked. For racial justice, I spent every day of June 2020 marching in George Floyd protests, among many others. For criminal justice, I have attended countless press conferences around bills including Communities Not Cages, Parole Justice, Halt Solitary, and more. And I’ve attended countless protests and rallies against Trump across both of his terms.
4. In light of the Trump Administration’s war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, minorities and immigrants, what are your plans to organize and combat the Trump agenda?
I have already been on the front lines of preparing my community for federal incursion – I have led the West Village in going door-to-door to local businesses to prepare them for ICE raids. And it’s not the first time – I was an early responder at JFK Airport to Trump’s initial Muslim Ban, and I worked to coordinate efforts across airports in the US to make sure lawyers were learning from colleagues in other cities to improve ability to respond nationwide, including by setting up a weekly, nation-wide call on the subject. I have been down to the Texas border, spending a week at the Dilley Detention Center, helping to free incarcerated mothers and children. If the federal government shows up in New York, I will put my body on the line to defend this city and my neighborhood.
I am also an attorney, and I specifically got admitted to practice in 2017 in order to file habeas corpus petitions in response to Donald Trump’s initial Muslim Ban. I have already used my legal skills on behalf of my community, including suing to save Beth Israel Hospital and filing an amicus brief in support of congestion pricing. Whether or not I am elected, I plan to use my legal skills to defend the community from federal overreach.
My legal and legislative skills are already proving useful. I was on the Policy Subcommittee of New York For All for years, in an effort to make New York a sanctuary state – and we are finally seeing progress. I have lobbied for legislation such as the Access to Representation Act (right to counsel for people facing deportation) and Dignity Not Detention (banning state prisons and private companies from being used for ICE detention). Recently, I have been involved in negotiations related to the proposals to allow New Yorkers to sue the federal government in state court for violations of constitutional rights. I have been working with the Coalition to End Qualified Immunity in order to make sure that a strong version of the proposed Converse 1983 / State Bivens cause of action is included, and that it does not (for the first time) codify qualified immunity into law. I am also using my constitutional expertise to help ensure that the ultimate legislation is constitutional.
But fighting against Trump will be a team effort. We can only do it together. I’m already putting together networks in the neighborhood, and interfacing with citywide groups like Hand Off and local community groups like VID and others, in order to make sure that we can stand up as a united community in responding to the threats we are facing.
5. Will you seek or accept endorsements from individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights?
No–and I’m sure they wouldn’t endorse me even if I tried, as I would be the first openly non-binary official in New York State if elected.
6. Do you support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion?
Yes, and I would proudly stand up to any attempts to curtail or restrict access to abortion or reproductive care, including the expansion of surveillance technologies that could be used to control and police reproductive rights.
7. Have you hosted, funded or otherwise supported Drag Story Hours in your community?
I have not been directly involved with Drag Story Hour, but I love it. I have attended events and have friends in the drag community in New York City – in fact, my wedding outfit was designed by a friend who does many of the looks from Rupaul’s drag race. I have a campaign party coming up and hope to have drag performers there. Hopefully I can bring my toddler to a drag story hour soon.
8. How will you work to enhance protections for immigrants and uphold New York’s role as a “Sanctuary City”?
I have actually been on the front-lines of this issue and have testified at the City Council about it. New York City’s sanctuary laws have a very specific loophole. They bar collaboration for the purpose of civil immigration enforcement, but NYC agencies including law enforcement agencies can still collaborate for other purpose. Most relevant, NYPD participates in multiple inter-state and federal task forces and fusion centers for criminal investigations. This allows NYPD to share data with the federal government for criminal purposes – including data on individuals who are not criminal suspects – and that data can later be used by the federal government for civil immigration purposes.
One solution is to pass legislation that prevents NYPD and other law enforcement agencies from participating in task forces or otherwise sharing data with the federal government unless the federal government signs an agreement that the data will never be used for civil immigration enforcement. Crafting the agreement in a way that New York could legally enforce is challenging, but in my opinion this would be the most effective way of closing the loopholes in New York City’s sanctuary rules.
9. Do you support New York becoming a Transgender Sanctuary State?
Yes. As you can tell from my answer above, I have done extensive research on sanctuary rules. We should absolutely have similar rules that prevent sharing of data with the federal government for the purposes of restricting gender-affirming care or reproductive healthcare, or otherwise punishing anyone from seeking healthcare that is legal under New York law. But aside from these sanctuary protections, there are other important things we need to do. For example, I helped write this research paper on surveillance of gender-affirming care. Among the findings is that every state has a prescription database that is shared with the federal government. These databases include prescriptions for testosterone. As a result, New York currently supplies the federal government with a database easily sortable to target trans men. It may seem obvious, but New York must stop sharing this, and other, data immediately.
10. If elected, will you commit to supporting legislation that raises taxes on the richest New Yorkers and large corporations in order to fund the services and investments our communities need?
Yes. I was a founding member of the Invest In Our New York Act coalition – some of the early meetings were at my office at NYU. I co-wrote the Heirs Act as part of that package to tax inherited wealth. I am a strong supporter of increasing taxes on the rich, especially increased income taxes and corporate taxes, in addition to more novel taxes such as inherited wealth taxes and vacant property taxes. In order to accomplish our shared goals, especially in light of federal cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we will need to raise revenue. Doing so progressively will be one of my top priorities. I traveled to Albany on 2/25 with the Tax The Rich coalition and rallied in support of precisely this.
11. How will you represent the most vulnerable, including individuals experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers? Have you ever opposed any shelter in your district?
LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers are also more likely to experience homelessness, face rental discrimination, or otherwise lose access to the housing market. I have never opposed a shelter in my district, and I would actively support the expansion of shelters in my district. Unhoused New Yorkers are just as much our neighbors as housed ones, and I have no interest in trying to make them move somewhere else. But the best way to help homeless New Yorkers is to give them homes. This is also called the “housing first” model, which I strongly support. This model must include supportive housing with wraparound services. An important first step is to pass the Social Housing Development Authority and Tenant Power Act, which will allow the State to build the necessary infrastructure.
12. Will you sponsor and support legislation which will ensure that state and local resources are not used to facilitate or cooperate with federal immigration enforcement (New York for All Act) to prevent the funneling of people into ICE custody, and the sharing of sensitive information with ICE?
Yes, I have been on the Policy Subcommittee of New York For All, and I have spent countless hours fighting for it already. I was just up in Albany at the rally in support of this bill on 2/25.
13. To advance safety and justice, New York must address our archaic sentencing and parole laws. Do you support the following key legislation: 1) Second Look Act (S.158/A.1283), which would allow judges to review and reconsider excessive sentences by considering if incarcerated people have transformed while incarcerated or based on changes in law and norms; 2) Earned Time Act (S.342/A.1085), which would strengthen and expand “good time” and “merit time” programs in prison that encourage personal transformation and reunite families?; 3) Marvin Mayfield Act (S.1209/A.1297), which would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences, thereby allowing judges to consider individual factors in a case?; 4) Elder Parole (S.454/A.514), which would allow incarcerated people over age 55 who have served 15 years the opportunity to go before the parole board?
Yes. I already organized the Village Independent Democrats to meet with the outgoing Assemblymember to urge her to support these bills. And, through my work at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, I have been a part of the Communities Not Cages coalition, the Parole Justice coalition, and the broader Justice Roadmap coalition. I know these bills, and others, and I have already been fighting alongside Jim Owles, public defenders, and others in support of these bills.
14. Do you oppose the death penalty?
Yes, in all instances.
15. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?
Yes, and I have attended rallies, protests, and press conferences on the issue. I went up to Albany in support of HALT Solitary.
16. Do you commit to visit constituents who are incarcerated? Will you work to secure the release of individuals who have demonstrated sincere remorse, worked toward rehabilitation and are not deemed a threat to society?
Yes, absolutely. I would do anything in my power to secure the release of incarcerated individuals who are ready to be released.
17. Do you commit to make applications for clemencies available to your constituency including a link to an application in a constituent newsletter? Will you submit it to our club?
Yes, I would love to do this, and I would be excited to work with Jim Owles to make it happen.
18. Did you rank Andrew Cuomo on your Democratic primary ballot in 2025? Who did you support for mayor in the 2025 Democratic primary and general election?
No, I did not rank Cuomo. I supported Brad Lander in the primary. I voted for Zohran Mamdani in the general election.
19. In view of the fact that Ed Koch has been documented to have caused the deaths of scores of people with AIDS, excused city council members who voted against the gay rights bill and was blatantly racist, would you support and sponsor a bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge?
Yes. I would carry this bill, and I would actually push to make it happen. There is no reason the Mayor responsible for so many AIDS deaths should have his name on any public infrastructure.
20. What is your legislative remedy to secure the building of low and moderate-income housing around the state?
I support proposals to increase production of housing in middle class neighborhoods. For example, the state should eliminate parking requirements and eliminate single-family zoning near train stations. Both Governor Hochul and former Senator Hoylman-Sigal had effective proposals of this nature. I do not believe that construction of luxury housing will provide the same benefit to the general public. As a result, rather than hand air rights to developers for free so that they can build more luxury condos, we must effectively sell those air rights in order to force developers to build more affordable housing. We have seen effective versions of this – for example, Julie Won’s work on OneLIC. We have also seen failed versions, such as the Soho/Noho rezoning, which has resulted in a net loss of affordable housing in the neighborhood.
21. Will you refuse donations from AIPAC, SolidarityPAC, police and corrections associations, the fossil fuel industry, and the charter school industry?
Yes, absolutely.
22. Do you support removing criminal penalties for consensual commercial sex work between adults? Also known as Cecilia's Act for Rights in the Sex Trades (S2513 Salazar / A3251 Forrest).
Yes, this should be a priority. I have already sat in legislators’ offices arguing in support of this bill.
23. There is an effort to have mandatory inclusion of the New York State proposal that would require public schools to teach about the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, commonly described in the bill text as an “insurrection.” Do you support this proposal?
Yes.
24. What additional information would you like the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision?
I have been a member of the Jim Owles board for probably 7 or 8 years. I have regular attended Jim Owles meetings. At the same time, I have fought for Jim Owles’ priorities in Albany. I have written bills that Jim Owles supports, and I have advocated for others. Basically – I’ve already done the work with Jim Owles. I’m running so that I can do it better. I’m running so that I can help accomplish the things that we have failed to accomplish for too long—Elder parole. More clemencies. A better New York for LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers. And I’m also doing this in a groundbreaking campaign that would result in my being the first non-binary person to hold elected office in New York. In short, I come from Jim Owles, and I am running to represent Jim Owles in Albany.
25. If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club on all appropriate literature and electronic materials?
Yes, I would be very excited to do so.