STATE SENATE CANDIDATE GINA ARENA BLASTS PETER HARCKHAM’S LIES ON CAMPAIGN MAILER

TRUTH: Peter Harkcham praised the sponsor of Bail Reform for his “courageous work” and blamed the NYPD for the rise in crime in New York

SOMERS, NY – Gina Arena, candidate for the New York State Senate in the 40th District, today blasted her opponent, Peter Harckham for spreading lies in his most recent campaign mailer. In a desperate attempt to gaslight Hudson Valley residents, Peter Harckham claims he “fought for sensible changes to bail reform laws to give judges more discretion to keep dangerous people off our streets.”

Peter’s claim is a lie. Bail Reform has failed, because the law – that Peter Harckham has voted for every time it has hit the Senate floor – does not grant judges the discretion to hold criminals based on a dangerousness standard. Under Peter Harckham’s so-called “sensible changes,” a judge cannot set bail for the following crimes:

• Assault in the third degree;

• Domestic violence offenses;

• Driving drunk and causing serious injury;

• Failure to register as a sex offender;

• Killing a police K-9 or horse;

• Unlawful possession of a weapon on school grounds;

• And much, much more violent crimes.

Working Mom and Candidate Gina Arena blasted Peter Harckham for lying to the voters of the 40th Senate District.

“My opponent is actually sending lies to your mailbox. He claims he has fought to change Bail Reform, but, in reality, he has voted in lockstep with Albany’s Pro-Criminal Agenda. This is plain old gaslighting. Peter claims to represent our Hudson Valley values – but all he does is fake our values. I am running for State Senate to repeal bail reform and start from scratch, using input from law enforcement, judges, DAs, and victims. It is past time we send a leader to Albany who will actually fight for restoring public safety,” said Gina Arena, State Senate candidate for the SD-40.

Back in April, during the floor debate of the ineffective, watered-down changes to bail reform, Peter Harkcham praised the sponsor of Bail Reform for his “courageous work” and blamed the NYPD for the rise in crime in New York.