{"id":534692,"date":"2023-01-04T02:42:56","date_gmt":"2023-01-03T23:42:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/gops-lester-chang-sworn-in-as-ny-dems-mull-blocking-him\/"},"modified":"2023-01-04T02:42:56","modified_gmt":"2023-01-03T23:42:56","slug":"gops-lester-chang-sworn-in-as-ny-dems-mull-blocking-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gops-lester-chang-sworn-in-as-ny-dems-mull-blocking-him\/","title":{"rendered":"#GOP&#8217;s Lester Chang sworn in as NY Dems mull blocking him"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35252e09917\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35252e09917\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/gops-lester-chang-sworn-in-as-ny-dems-mull-blocking-him\/#%E2%80%9CGOPs_Lester_Chang_sworn_in_as_NY_Dems_mull_blocking_him%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;GOP&#8217;s Lester Chang sworn in as NY Dems mull blocking him&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CGOPs_Lester_Chang_sworn_in_as_NY_Dems_mull_blocking_him%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;GOP&#8217;s Lester Chang sworn in as NY Dems mull blocking him&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n        <\/aside>\n<p>ALBANY \u2014 Republican Lester Chang was sworn in Tuesday as a member of the New York Assembly despite ongoing residency concerns that could give the Democratic supermajority the pretext they need to block him from taking the Brooklyn seat he won weeks ago. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m confident. I\u2019m duly elected by the people, supported by the people so that\u2019s my strength. That\u2019s where it comes from,\u201d Chang told reporters after the Albany ceremony alongside other incoming GOP members while expressing optimism that the courts would allow him to serve if Democrats do not.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have other tools. We have the court system,\u201d he said while noting he could also run in a  special election that Gov. Kathy Hochul could call sometime later this year if he were removed from office.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m ready to fight,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Chang defied the odds to beat longtime Democratic Assemblyman Peter Abbate <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/enr.boenyc.gov\/CD247460.html\">48.6% to 47.49%<\/a> to win the Nov. 8 election to represent Assembly District 49 in Southern Brooklyn covering parts of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst.<\/p>\n<p>But concerns grew after the election that he still legally lived in Manhattan where he voted last year and has run for office before.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nyassembly.gov\/comm\/?id=24&amp;sec=story&amp;story=104431\">An Assembly Judiciary Committee report<\/a> released on Dec. 31 details how Chang supposedly fell short of meeting residency requirements needed to take office despite  evidence supporting his claim that he moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn in time to run for the seat in 2022.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/new-york-state-assembly-albany.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25225879\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/new-york-state-assembly-albany.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/new-york-state-assembly-albany.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/new-york-state-assembly-albany.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>A majority vote by members is needed to anyone from the 150-member Assembly.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Chang was effectively a \u201cvisitor\u201d to Brooklyn despite some evidence pointing to him maintaining legal residency in Kings County, Stanley Schlein, a Bronx-based lawyer with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.villagevoice.com\/2008\/10\/07\/rival-bronx-dem-leaders-take-battle-to-court\/\">longtime ties to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie<\/a>, said in the 156-page document.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats discussed the matter at length Tuesday afternoon in anticipation of a Wednesday vote where a majority of members could oust Chang just four days into his term.<\/p>\n<p>As of Tuesday afternoon, it remained unclear whether at least 76 Democrats are in favor of making Chang, a naval veteran, the first Assembly member in a century to not be seated in the lower chamber of the state Legislature.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLester Chang was elected and by operation of law the term began on Jan. 1. However the Legislature will be formally organized tomorrow and that body will consider his qualifications to serve,\u201d Heastie spokesman Michael Whyland said Tuesday. <\/p>\n<p>Republicans <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ear united in opposing any effort to remove Chang.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/lester-chang.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Chang at a table testifying\" class=\"wp-image-25226133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/lester-chang.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/lester-chang.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/lester-chang.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Chang insists he is a Brooklyn resident and deserve to serve his new constituents.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Hans Pennink<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Some of their colleagues cross the aisle say the biggest question facing their Assembly supermajority is whether Democrats want to deal with the political blowback of blocking him.<\/p>\n<p>An historically large chunk of Asian Americans turned towards Republicans in the November election amid rising crime and concerns that Democratic leaders were not taking anti-Asian violence seriously enough. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis should have been dealt with before the election. We shouldn\u2019t overturn an election or disenfranchise Asian voters,\u201d a Democratic Assembly member told The Post.  \u201cWe keep wondering why we lose elections in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/carl-heastie.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Heastie at a podium\" class=\"wp-image-25226226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/carl-heastie.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/carl-heastie.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/carl-heastie.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Heastie\u2019s Democratic conference could boot Chang as soon as Wednesday. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">James Messerschmidt for NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Chang deflected a question from The Post Tuesday about whether he thinks anti-Asian animus might be driving the effort to remove him from office while adding that Asian Americans could mobilize like never before if Democrats end up ousting him Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really hope it\u2019s not. But if it is then my community \u2013 my Asian community \u2013 throughout the whole state and United States will address those issues,\u201d he said. \u201cLet\u2019s see what [Democrats] have to say.\u201d\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/01\/03\/republican-lester-chang-sworn-in-as-assembly-dems-talk-blocking-him-from-seat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;GOP&#8217;s Lester Chang sworn in as NY Dems mull blocking him&#8221; ALBANY \u2014 Republican Lester Chang was sworn in Tuesday as a member of the New York Assembly despite ongoing residency concerns that could give the Democratic supermajority the pretext they need to block him from taking the Brooklyn seat he won weeks ago. \u201cI\u2019m&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":534693,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/01\/lester-chang-state-assembly-heastie-comp.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[137929,71239,4950,70288,137061,71972,32681],"class_list":["post-534692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-1-3-23","tag-asian-american","tag-brooklyn","tag-elections","tag-lester-chang","tag-new-york-state-assembly","tag-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=534692"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534692\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/534693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=534692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=534692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=534692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}