Gillibrand Draws Big Crowd in Kingston

KINGSTON – Hundreds flocked to George Washington Elementary School in midtown Kingston on Saturday afternoon, to hear U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand speak during a Town Hall style community forum. It was her sixth similar event held this year statewide.

“I believe this is when Democracy works best, when regular people stand up and demand action,” Gillibrand explained after the one-hour address. “I think it’s really important for all constituents around the State, and particularly in this District, to be heard. Congress is supposed to represent us, they are supposed to listen to the people, and vote for the things that are important to us. When they are not doing that, we have to speak out, push back, and demand accountability. That’s what elections are,” said Gillibrand.

Sponsored by the Ulster County Democratic Committee, the forum took on the tone of a partisan pep rally. Gillibrand spoke to party issues including racism and universal Medicaid. Policies enacted under newly elected president Donald Trump must be reversed, she warned.

“There’s very little we can do to stop agency heads from doing whatever they want to do. Some things have to be laws. I’m going to write a law to stop Trump from banning transgenders in the military.”

The Democrat senator said, “We have to fight back,” a reference to the last election. “The very best thing we can do is focus on 2018, as a way to flip the House.” Gillibrand expressed optimism that Democrats can take control of the Senate.

“I will protect your free speech rights to the end of the Earth, you will never have to buy something you don’t want to,” Gillibrand remarked, in response to a question about the Israeli boycott bill, intended to impose sanctions to corporations who support international coalitions against Israel, including the UN and EU. “There has been grave concern about that bill, until they fix it, I will not be on that bill,” she said,

Gillibrand also said that she does not believe corporations should have free speech, because they are not people.