Letter: ‘Illegal Aliens’

I have a problem with Thomas Liotti and others who use cute phrases such as undocumented immigrants.

First of all they’re illegal aliens and should be treated as such. What part of illegal don’t these people get. You couldn’t get away with what these people do here if we were illegal in their country. You would be jailed, fined and deported.

Village Justice Fights for Independence of the Judiciary

(Note: the following was edited for publication)

Thomas F. Liotti is an attorney in Garden City and a part-time Village Justice in Westbury for 20 years. He has published 35 decisions; more than 125 articles; law review pieces and book reviews and five books.

Liotti, 63, considers himself to be a child of the ’60s, a community, political and legal activist from that era, a Progressive who supports Warren Court decisions and dislikes most of those from the Berger, Rehnquist and Roberts’ courts.

Letter: Happy Holidays From Project GRAD LI

We have so many reasons to celebrate this year.

Some can be counted – more than 110 volunteers at our Walk for Success and more than 200 students recruited to join the new class of students aiming for college, with the incentive of college scholarship money from Project GRAD Long Island.

Some can be greeted – our new executive director Sybil Johnson, new board member Dr. Drew Bogner and many new supporters, all of whom make Project GRAD Long Island a community achieving great dreams together.

Letter: Westbury Water and Fire District

I am deeply honored by the confidence and trust that you the voters placed in me in the recent Water and Fire District Election. Your trust means a great deal as I continue the Board’s efforts to help keep our water supply safe, clean and plentiful as well as to continue to provide the community with the finest fire and ambulance service.

As I begin a new term, you will have my commitment to protect our community’s water quality and quantity. It will always be my top priority as your Commissioner. Thank you again for your support. Mrs. Jones and I wish you a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.

Kenneth O. Jones

Letter: Judge Lippman

Every bar association and attorney in New York State should be honoring New York Court of Appeals Judge Jonathan Lippman for his support for lawyers who represent the poor in civil cases by recommending that the state appropriate $100 million for that purpose and efficiently realigning the judiciary and court budget to allocate monies for that purpose. This is an initiative, which should make us all very proud.

Congratulations and thank you very much Judge Lippman.

Thomas F. Liotti
Founder, Pro Bono Publico Bar
Association, Inc.

Letter: Rangel’s Walkout Is A Mockery

Congressman Charles B. Rangel’s protest and walkout of the House Ethics Committee is a mockery not merely of the House of Representatives but of our justice system as a whole. Mr. Rangel is both an attorney and a lawmaker. He represents a District in Harlem, still a downtrodden, poor neighborhood in many respects. Mr. Rangel stated before the Committee that he could not afford counsel. There is, of course, no assignment of counsel system in place for civil cases or for a purported indigent Congressman who makes two hundred thousand dollars per year in Congressional salary plus benefits and other perks.

Letter: Thanksgiving

Giving thanks to God for all the beautiful people that made it possible for The Church of the Advent to give out over 60 overflowing Thanksgiving baskets with food to last for a week as well as toothpaste, paper towels and toilet tissue.

I am truly humbled by the generosity of so many people. First and foremost I have to give thanks to God for Ms. Estell Myers, who after giving 110 percent putting the baskets together, went on to serve dinner at Magnolia Gardens on Thanksgiving day for the community. On top of all this, there were doctor’s appointments once or twice a week for her husband.

Letter: Immigrants

At last there is breathtaking news that confirms what many have been saying for many years about immigrants.  (See Kirk Semple, L.I. Study Rebuts Perceptions on Immigrant Workers, The New York Times, Nov. 18, 2010).  A commendable study by Hofstra University has found that:

“The growing immigrant population on Long Island has made a disproportionately large contribution to the region’s economy, with immigrants employed across the spectrum of occupations and more than half of the immigrant labor force holding white-collar jobs, according to a study released on Wednesday.

Letter: Sex Offenders

(Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to the following people: Nassau County Legislator Richard Nicolello, Nassau County Legislator Robert Troiano, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman, North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Viviana Russell, Westbury Superintendent of Schools Constance Clark-Snead and Carle Place Superintendent of Schools David Flatley.)

It has come to my attention from a number of concerned residents, public officials and school officials that there has been a marked increase in the past several months in the number of registered sex offenders that have been placed or directed by the County to the Westbury area, including the unincorporated areas of Carle Place (particularly to the Holiday Inn and Red Roof Inn), which are in very close proximity to the village boundaries and our area parks and schools.

Letter: Cuomo Letter to Chief Judge Regarding Election Litigation

(Attorney General and Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo released this letter on Nov. 17 to Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, requesting that the New York State Unified Court System take appropriate steps to ensure that election-related litigation involving three undecided State Senate races be resolved expeditiously and fairly.)

Dear Chief Judge Lippman:

For reasons which follow, I write for the purpose of requesting that the New York State Unified Court System take appropriate steps to ensure that election-related litigation involving the three undecided State Senate races be resolved as expeditiously as possible.

Today, more than two weeks after Election Day, several lawsuits have already been commenced, and numerous courts, election workers and lawyers throughout the State are busily engaged in the process of resolving the elections at issue.