Phil Orenstein

By Shabsie Saphirstein, as published in May 20, 2021 edition of Queens Jewish Link

In the hours before Shavuos this past Sunday afternoon, May 16, Republican Mayoral Candidate Curtis Sliwa joined a contingent of the Queens County Republican Patriots at Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens to announce  their  4-0  win in the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department. The Queens County Republican Patriots is a New York State-registered multi-candidate committee dedicated to building a strong grassroots Republican Party organization for the 130,000 Queens Republicans.

The stunning win and a decision of the New York State Court of Appeals to not hear the case now allows 18 Republican candidates to appear on the primary ballot for the upcoming June 22 Primary election. In essence, this decision creates a Republican Primary in areas where a race had not been expected. Previously, New York City Board of Elections, the establishment known as the Queens County Republican Party, and a lower court ruling had thrown off the candidates citing an “innocent and inconsequential” technicality.

On Sunday, Joe Concannon, Republican Patriots leader and male State Committee candidate for the 33^rd district, applauded the diverse group of assembled candidates: “Here are hardworking American citizens who have the wonderful right and privilege to vote here in America and Queens County, and we will fight for every one of them to have their day, whether it’s to run for State Committee, County Committee, City Council, or Mayor of NYC.”

Curtis Sliwa declared, “People should have an opportunity to run for office at the lowest levels to the highest levels. and there should not be all these impediments.” Sliwa placed blame on the Haggerty brothers “and their minions” for denying Sara Tirschwell, a Republican mayoral candidate, and comptroller candidate John Tabacco, a ballot spot. In the case of Tabacco, Sliwa recounted that one small, misplaced number on a cover sheet was the reason 17,000 signatures and his candidacy were rejected.

Sliwa urged, “If you don’t have deep pockets, or you do, you’ve got to contribute to their legal defense fund, because they’ve had to dig deep into their personal resources to fight the good fight.” The upholding of these candidates’ rights has cost upwards of $20,000, according to insiders. Sliwa continued, “I’m hoping that they and I are able to win this primary on June 22 and send a message to the Queens Republican County machine. But more importantly, it will open up the process for everyone else who wants to make a difference.”

Sliwa also shared a memory of his good friend former Congressman Bob Turner, who was removed from a Queens GOP chair amid a takeover, “I will never forgive, I will never forget, and I will use the power of the mayoralty  to  try  to  find  out  what  kind  of indiscretions have been going on, the same way I want Thrive investigated, de Blasio and his wife, we’re going to be investigating the Queens County Republican Party.”

In speaking with the various candidates on behalf of the Queens Jewish Link, I felt a strong passion resonate in each – a desire to be granted the opportunity to run in a primary.

Concannon saluted this premise, “They should be unimpeded by a  bureaucracy that seems to be hell-bent to never sup- port anybody other than the incumbent.” His words were echoed by those gathered, many proud Orthodox Jewish members of our communities.

“It  is  a  great  victory,  but  we  must continue to fight and unite the Republican Party in Queens,” remarked Daniel Noble, a male State Committee candidate for the 27^th District, on the win. “We need a united Republican Party to fight for our rights.”

“I believe that it is time for a big change here in Queens and in New York City politics. We, the Republican Patriots, have assembled an extraordinary group of Patriots who will work hard and with passion to take back our party, our government, and our schools,” said Phil Orenstein to the QJL, a male State Committee candidate for the 24^th District. “People are yearning for a real American grassroots movement of people in Queens with core conservative values and that’s the Republican Patriots!”

The  excitement  in  David  Abraham,  a male State Committee candidate for District 28, is quite palpable. Abraham has taken on this plight with full fervor. “We have to be taking on the Democrats, not challenging each other,” adding, “It’s time to replace.” Abraham’s statement came as he showed those assembled the court filing financed by taxpayer monies.

With military ballots and some absentee ballots already in the mail, the 18 candidates are now requesting new ones be is- sued. Queens Borough President candidate Danniel Maio wrote to the BOE, “Aggrieved- and-restored, my name should appear on all the Queens Republican Primary ballots starting today, May 13. We do reserve the right to challenge all mailed-in ballots that do not have our names printed.”

18 Republican Candidates are restored to the ballot, and vow to fight, as litigation continues in New York State’s highest court

Kew Gardens, NY.  The Queens County Republican Patriots candidates for public and party offices were joined by NYC Republican mayoral candidate, Curtis Sliwa at Queens Boro Hall Sunday afternoon, to announce the stunning 4-0 ruling in NY State Appellate Court 2^nd Department. This decision reversed the New York City Board of Elections and lower court rulings this past week throwing the candidates off the ballot for an “inconsequential” technicality. 18 Republican candidates are ordered to be restored to the ballot and Republican voters of Queens get a chance to hold a Republican primary and select the candidates of their choice. 

Notwithstanding that decision, the establishment Queens County Republican Party organization is seeking to drag this soap opera out and see if they can get the New York State Court of Appeals to grant them a hearing.  While we think this is highly unlikely, we think the four-judge panel’s 4-0 decision speaks volumes on our behalf and that this coming Tuesday, the establishment organization will be rebuffed once again.

Republican Patriots leader, Joe Concannon, spoke on behalf of the diverse group of assembled candidates, applauding them as “…hard working American citizens who have the wonderful right and privilege to vote here in America and Queens County, and we will fight for every one of them to have their day, whether it’s to run for State Committee, County Committee, City Council or Mayor of NYC.” He continued, “All they wanted from the very beginning was their opportunity for a primary….They wanted all of you to have the opportunity to vote for the best candidate out there. And that’s why we are here today, because we are going to fight that into the highest court in NYS, the NYS Court of Appeals.”

Concannon discussed the right and privilege for a Republican in Queens County to run for public or party office, saying “…they should be unimpeded by a bureaucracy that seems to be hellbent to never support anybody other than the incumbent.”

To the tune of occasional chants of “throw them out” he went on to say, “We will not be told by the establishment here in Queens County, these people who behave like juveniles from some sort of pre-school, that we cannot be on the ballot…They need to grow up or they need time out in the corner to think about what they’re doing to our party, our county, or city and state. They are manipulating the system with their cohorts at the NYC Board of Elections who should be thrown out.”

Concannon concluded his remarks about the establishment GOP, saying “It’s time for a change…and your juvenile theatrics and all your little manipulations of the Board of Elections, their lawyers, their commissioners, and everyone else, your day is done. It’s over. We’re coming after you…until you are out of this party.”

Concannon then introduced Curtis Sliwa, a great candidate running for mayor, as the man for the working man and woman of NYC, and Sliwa declared, “…people should have an opportunity to run for office at the lowest levels to the highest levels and there should not be all these impediments.”

Sliwa remarked about the sacking of Republican mayoral candidate Sara Tirschwell, comptroller candidate, John Tabacco and “so many candidates at the hands of the Haggerty brothers and their minions.” In the case of Tabacco, Sliwa recounted that one small, misplaced number on a cover sheet was the reason 17,000 signatures and his candidacy were tossed out. 

Sliwa said “something has to be done” about the ability of the Republican Patriots to run unimpeded against the county candidates, since they’ve been put through delays and endless court proceedings, and had to raise so much money to defend themselves. He urged, “…if you don’t have deep pockets, or you do, you’ve got to contribute to their legal defense fund, because they’ve had to dig deep into their personal resources to fight the good fight.”

Sliwa continued, “…I’m hoping that they and I are able to win this primary on June 22^nd and send a message to the Queens Republican County machine. But more importantly, it will open up the process for everyone else who wants to make a difference.”

He ended his remarks commenting on the time they sacked his good friend former Congressman Bob Turner, ousting him from the chairmanship of the Queens GOP and taking over the party, saying, “I will never forgive, I will never forget and I will use the power of the mayoralty to try to find out what kind of indiscretions have been going on, the same way I want Thrive investigated, de Blasio and his wife, we’re going to be investigating the Queens County Republican Party.”

View the entire press conference below or on Rumble: https://rumble.com/vh5a2d-qcrp-press-conference-may-16th-2021.html

The Queens County Republican Patriots is a New York State registered multi-candidate committee dedicated to building a strong grassroots Republican Party organization in Queens.
For more information, visit the website: https://queenscountyrepublicanpatriots.com

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