With 5 months to go till the June 27 Democratic main, Queens District Lawyer Melinda Katz has landed her first main endorsement in her re-election bid.
Katz on Jan. 24 introduced that she’s “earned the backing” of 1199SEIU and its 450,000 members, one of many largest and most politically energetic unions in New York and Queens, particularly.
“The outpouring of assist I’ve obtained from organized labor has been extremely humbling, and to obtain this main labor endorsement on this race from 1199SEIU is a real honor,” Katz mentioned. “The work the members of 1199SEIU do on an on a regular basis foundation to maintain out hospitals, nursing houses and the healthcare sector shifting has at all times proved really invaluable however by no means extra so than within the tough occasions introduced on the final three years — which started simply as I took the reigns of the DA’s workplace in early 2020.”
Katz was elected district lawyer in 2019 and inaugurated simply two months earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic. She mentioned probably the most important fraud circumstances she has prosecuted throughout her tenure led to the confiscation of 1.7 million counterfeit N95 face masks earlier than they made their approach to hospitals, in a case that straight impacted the lives of 1199SEIU healthcare staff.
“District Lawyer Melinda Katz has diligently served Queens County and the 1199 members who reside right here as district lawyer, borough president, and within the state Meeting and Metropolis Council. We’re proud to endorse her to serve one other 4 years within the DA’s workplace,” 1199SEIU Downstate Political Director Dell Smitherman mentioned. “As district lawyer, Melinda Katz has damaged floor on the truth that security and justice can co-exist. She’s sought to deal with the basis causes of crime to maintain our households secure similtaneously she’s launched applications that guarantee equity and justice within the courtroom, reminiscent of Queens’ first-ever Conviction Integrity Unit.”
Since 2020, the DA’s Conviction Integrity Unit has vacated 13 convictions and a further 86 convictions have been vacated as a result of they have been based mostly on the police work of detectives who have been later convicted of assorted crimes. Katz additionally led the trouble to take unlawful ghost weapons off the streets and held human traffickers and home abusers accountable.
“Maintaining staff secure at work and at house is a job I’m privileged to do and it’ll stay my high precedence over the remainder of this time period and into the 4 years of my subsequent,” Katz mentioned.
Douglaston resident George Grasso retired as administrative decide at Queens Supreme Courtroom, legal time period, in August 2022 to problem Katz in June’s Democratic main. Grasso and Katz obtained their levels at St. John’s Legislation Faculty simply six years aside and pursued careers in public service. Katz pursued elected workplace whereas Grasso spent greater than 30 years within the NYPD rising via the ranks to develop into the primary deputy police commissioner earlier than stepping down in 2010 and heading to the bench.
