LOWER HUDSON VALLEY, N.Y. -- Today, Assemblyman David Buchwald, running for Congress in New York’s 17th Congressional District to succeed U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, called on leaders in Albany to quickly repeal 50-a, the law that shields law enforcement personnel records from public view. He also released his criminal justice platform outlining a series of critical reforms, from reining in police misconduct and brutality to ending mass incarceration. 

“I support repealing 50-a, and I am proud to co-sponsor Assemblymember O'Donnell’s bill to do just that,” said Buchwald. “I am proud of the work that Speaker Heastie and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins have done, and I urge them to bring this bill to the floor so we can pass it as expeditiously as possible. The repeal of 50-a is a critical step towards bringing more police accountability to our criminal justice system, but is only the beginning. We cannot rest until racism is stamped out of our politics, policies, and institutions. The murder of George Floyd demands justice and the killing of unarmed black men at the hands of our police cannot continue.”

Buchwald’s campaign for Congress has been endorsed by the author of the 50-a repeal bill, Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell. 

Buchwald is in his fourth term as a member of the New York State Assembly and has passed 70 pieces of legislation that have become law. Last year, he introduced and passed the New York TRUST Act, which enables the U.S. Congress to request the New York State tax returns of top government officials -- a law which Donald Trump is now suing to block.