Appealing to his left flank, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that he’s signed an executive order to give convicted felons on parole the right to…
Appealing to his left flank, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that he’s signed an executive order to give convicted felons on parole the right to vote.
The governor, a Democrat who faces a primary from actress Cynthia Nixon, made the announcement at a conference sponsored by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.
He said the administrative action was necessary because the Republican-led state Senate has refused to pass a law to restore voting rights to parolees who’ve served their time.
Under current state law, convicts have to complete their parole before they can re-register to vote.
Cuomo has come under fire from Nixon and progressive critics for not doing enough to help Democrats win majority control of the Senate.
The governor, who spoke after Mayor de Blasio left the event at the Sheraton New York, took indirect shots at Hizzoner.
He accused the New York City Housing Authority of managing “slums” and “cement reservations,” a term used by Martin Luther King to describe public housing in Chicago.
Cuomo also likened the conditions of Rikers Island to “Robben Island” – the infamous prison in South Africa where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years.
