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New York, NY- Today leaders of the New York State Democratic Party again called on Sandy Treadwell, one of four Republican candidates for Congress in New York's 20th Congressional District (Gillibrand) to break his silence and come clean about his position on President Bush's veto of legislation to increase funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Last week House Republicans voted to sustain that veto.
On Monday the New York State Democratic Party called on all the candidates in the 20th Congressional District to take a stand on children's health insurance. Over the course of the week every candidate except Treadwell has broken their silence and come clean about their position.
"At least John Wallace, Richard Wager and Michael Rocque are finally being honest about their right wing beliefs and admitting that they would have voted with George Bush against children's health insurance. You have to assume that Treadwell is trying to hide something here," said Dave Pollak, Co-Chair of the NYS Democratic Party.
"Voters in the 20th Congressional District have the right to know how Sandy Treadwell would have voted on the single most important health care vote of this Congress. The other candidates have made it clear that they stand with George Bush against New York's working families. Does Sandy? The President's veto will cost New York millions and cause thousands of working families to lose their health insurance. It's shocking that Sandy is refusing to take a position on this issue," said June O'Neill, Chair of the NYS Democratic Party.
"Sandy has an opinion about everything - including things that are completely out of his purview as a member of Congress. Yet when it comes to an issue that he will actually have to vote on in Congress - children's health - he won't take a position," said Pollak.
"Voters deserve to know how Treadwell would have voted. Is he - like the other GOP candidates - with George Bush or is he with New York's working families?" asked O'Neill.
Two GOP members of Congress from New York - Tom Reynolds and Randy Kuhl - were the only two members of Congress from New York who voted against overturning the President's veto.
The current Democratic incumbent in Congress from the 20th district, Kirsten Gillibrand, voted with a majority of Democratic members to override the President's veto and has been a vocal advocate for the expanded reauthorization of the S-CHIP program.
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