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Pearl River, NY – 10/16/2024… Tonight, the Lawler for Congress campaign declared victory in the first debate of the 2024 cycle, where Congressman Lawler summarily dispatched opponent Mondaire Jones on the substance of the issues. Mondaire Jones repeatedly attempted to interrupt Congressman Lawler to claim his past statements and votes were “lies” despite Mondaire Jones himself saying he has not changed his policy positions since 2020 on the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC yesterday.

The Lawler campaign was joined by elected officials, local political activists, small business owners, and moms from across the 17th District in noting Congressman Lawler’s victory in the debate and in calling out Mondaire Jones’ extremism.

“Mike Lawler once again showed Hudson Valley families why he deserves another term with a resounding win in tonight’s debate on News12,” said Chris Russell, spokesman for the Lawler campaign. “He came across as the reasonable, bipartisan member of Congress residents of New York’s 17th Congressional District know him to be.”

“Mondaire Jones, on the other hand, was exactly what you would expect: abrasive, rude, and radical,” concluded Russell. “His refusal to own up to his extreme rhetoric and explain his votes against the Hudson Valley, and against Israel, show just how out-of-touch he is with the residents of the 17th Congressional District.”

“Congressman Mike Lawler made a strong and clear case for why he should continue to represent Hudson Valley families tonight,” said Assemblyman Matt Slater. “His level-headed leadership is what we need in Washington and he showed that time and again on the debate stage.”

“Mike Lawler rightly held Mondaire Jones to task in tonight’s debate, highlighting his radical and dangerous rhetoric about cops, law enforcement, and ICE and Border Patrol agents,” stated Town of Carmel Supervisor and former cop Michael Cazzari. “Mondaire Jones’ strong support for cashless bail, defunding the police, and letting cop-killers and rapists vote from prison tells voters in the 17th District all they need to know about Jones – he’s nuts!”

“Mondaire Jones rejected the chance to say he doesn’t support abortions up until the moment of birth, and said he now supports parental notification in the case of a minor getting an abortion which directly conflicts with his support for Prop 1, which would not require parental notification,” said Mount Pleasant GOP Chairwoman Helen Keating. “Mike Lawler rightly called him out for his lies and flip-flopping on this issue, and is the clear winner of this debate and only choice for those who want a commonsense leader in Congress.”

“Mondaire Jones doubled down on his radical tax-and-spend agenda at tonight’s debate, repeatedly touting legislation that raised government spending by over 5 trillion dollars and lying about his past support for congestion pricing,” stated NY-17 small business owners Tim Hauser, Teyena Cowan, Rob Chiapperino, and Nick Sfraga, all small business owners in the 17th Congressional District. “That spending spree by Mondaire Jones hurt local small businesses and their employees like ours right here in Rockland County and across the Hudson Valley – we must reject extremist Mondaire Jones at the ballot box this November and send commonsense problem solver Mike Lawler back to Congress.”

“For Mondaire Jones to come out in full-throated support of Prop 1, which would unfairly allow biological males to compete in girls sports in high school is alarming and disqualifying,” said Elizabeth Dynan, Gabbi Smith, and Desiree Deems, all moms in the 17th Congressional District. “It rolls back decades of progress for women, and puts girls like our daughters at risk of injury.”

Mondaire Jones’ disastrous debate performance will be sure to raise eyebrows amongst Democrats keenly watching the race for the 17th Congressional District, and may negatively impact outside spending for him in the final weeks of the race.

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Pearl River, NY – 10/16/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign calls out Mondaire Jones for confirming what voters in New York’s 17th District have long suspected.

While on a radio interview with WNYC, Mondaire was asked, “Have your views changed on anything since you won in 2020?” 

Mondaire responded, “I would challenge somebody to point to a reversal on my positions on any number of issues.” 

“Mondaire Jones has attempted to distance himself from his radical positions since running for Congress in 2020 and his failed attempt to run for Congress in Brooklyn in 2022,” said Ciro Riccardi, Lawler for Congress Campaign Manager. “At a time when Hudson Valley families are concerned about the crushing affordability crisis, Mondaire Jones has doubled down and fully embraced his extreme and out-of-touch socialist, tax-and-spend ideology.”

The Lawler for Congress campaign highlighted some of Mondaire Jones’ most radical positions:

• “I do see myself sharing many of the same views as the democratic socialists. I think that’s demonstrably true.”
• Jones Praised AOC Noting “We Need More People In Congress Like Her”
• Jones advocated to expand the Supreme Court
• Jones sponsored, argued in favor, and voted for legislation to allow rapists and cop killers vote from prison
• Jones supported legislation to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants with criminal histories
• In 2021, one of Jones’ first acts in Congress was to co-sponsor legislation to establish a commission to study and consider a proposal for Reparations
• In 2020, Jones called for mandatory gun buybacks
• In 2020, Jones called for eliminating all student debt
• In 2020, Jones praised AOC for “leading the way on a #GreenNewDeal”
• In 2019, Jones noted his support for Medicare For All on his campaign website
• In 2019, Jones criticized members of his own party for funding ICE
• In 2020, Jones’ campaign website called for increasing the US Refugee cap
• In 2020, Jones pushed to eliminate mandatory minimums, weakening penalties for violent criminals
• In 2020, Jones called on Congress to abolish cash bail
• In 2019, Jones spoke at a protest to celebrate cashless bail taking effect in NY
• In 2020, Jones noted “Of course we need to… defund the police.”
• In 2022, Jones noted his support of Congestion Pricing, and claimed it was “Long Overdue”

“Mondaire Jones’ extreme beliefs are wildly out of step with Hudson Valley families. On November 5th, voters of New York’s 17th District will send Mondaire packing—likely off to search for yet another district to run in,” concluded Ciro Riccardi.

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LAWLER CAMPAIGN CALLS OUT ELECTION-DENIALISM FROM MONDAIRE JONES AND HIS ALLIES

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Pearl River, NY – 10/8/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign released a statement slamming a last-ditch effort to subvert democracy and kick an opponent of Mondaire Jones off the ballot. Allies of Mondaire Jones’ campaign have even gone so far as to claim that this opponent “stole” the election in June. This lawsuit comes weeks after voting has begun and threatens to disenfranchise thousands of absentee voters, including military and civilians overseas, who have already received ballots and returned them.

“Mondaire Jones and his allies know he can’t win on the issues, so they’re resorting to dirty tricks to try and kick a primary-winning candidate off the ballot,” said Chris Russell, spokesman for the Lawler campaign. “In this effort, they’ve turned to Democrats on the courts in an effort to salvage what has been a train-wreck of a campaign.”

“The argument they’re making would have catastrophic impacts on election law for New York State – if the judge rules in Jones’ favor, it would establish that any candidate, at any time, can sue any other candidate that has won a primary to kick them off the ballot,” concluded Russell. “If that’s not election denialism, I don’t know what is.”

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Pearl River, NY – 10/5/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign released a letter from black elected officials and community activists along with a statement from Ramapo Deputy Town Supervisor Brendel Logan-Charles in support of Congressman Lawler.
 

“Congressman Lawler has been a model member of Congress during his time in office,” said Brendel Logan-Charles, Ramapo Deputy Town Supervisor. “He has conducted himself with integrity and has actually sought to get to know the communities he represents.”
 

“I’ve seen this firsthand in Rockland County, especially in the Village of Spring Valley, Town of Ramapo, Village of Nyack, and the Town of Haverstraw, where Mike Lawler has shown up and worked towards common sense solutions on behalf of his communities of color,” concluded Logan-Charles. “I know that the Congressman will continue to work with constituents in these communities of color and with organizations in Rockland County, and across the district to help uplift all communities through his work in Congress, as he has done the past two years.”
 

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Ratings shifts in favor of Congressman Mike Lawler indicate Mondaire Jones’ flailing campaign is rapidly losing steam.

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Pearl River, NY – 9/19/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign released the following statement after Inside Elections and Sabato’s Crystal Ball shifted New York’s 17th Congressional District in Congressman Mike Lawler’s favor.

“Mondaire Jones’ campaign is starting to look a lot like the Titanic – an ill-fated ship doomed to sink in fantastic fashion,” said Lawler for Congress spokesman Chris Russell. “The ratings changes from Inside Elections and Sabato’s Crystal Ball confirm what everyone in the political world already knows – Mondaire Jones might just be the worst candidate for Congress in the country.”

“Between paying himself with small dollar donors’ cash, being caught supporting voting rights for imprisoned cop-killers and rapists, and failing to be able to produce a single poll that shows him winning, it’s clear that Mondaire’s campaign is on life support,” concluded Russell. “And in just 47 days, Mondaire Jones and his campaign will be relegated to the dust heap of history.”

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Three televised debates in October will allow voters to hear directly from Congressman Lawler and his opponent.

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Pearl River, NY – 8/23/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign released the following statement after agreeing, in principle, to four debates for the 2024 campaign cycle. The four debates include 3 televised debates, hosted by News12, CBS2, and Pix11, which represent three more televised debates than the 2022 cycle, when former Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney’s campaign agreed to none. The fourth and final debate the Congressman will participate in is with the New City Jewish Center on October 27th.

“Today, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve agreed, in principle, to four debates for the 2024 campaign cycle,” said Lawler for Congress spokesman Chris Russell. “With four debates in total, three of them televised, Congressman Lawler will have ample opportunity to highlight his common-sense, bipartisan record and contrast it with Mondaire Jones’ radical, extreme one.”

“We call on Mondaire Jones to immediately accept all four of these debates,” continued Russell. “Voters deserve to hear from the candidates, and three televised debates will allow them to hear from both.”

“While Congressman Lawler was ranked the fourth-most bipartisan member of the 118th Congress, Mondaire Jones ranked 381st during his time in office – alongside the most radical members of 117th Congress,” concluded Russell. “It’s clear who the mainstream candidate is in the race for the 17th District, and it’s not Mondaire Jones – we look forward to reminding voters of that simple truth.”

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Stands in stark contrast to Congressman Lawler’s strong record of working with Republicans and Democrats to find common ground and get things done.

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Pearl River, NY – 8/15/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign released the following statement after Mondaire Jones participated in a sham signing ceremony of a NYSUT document that his own radical record totally contradicts.

Mondaire Jones’ extreme record in the 117th Congress includes:

• Working to give cop-killers, rapists, and murderers the right to vote from behind bars in a push co-led by Rep. Cori Bush, a member of the “Squad”.
• Voting with the “Squad” 97% of the time, including 98% of the time with Jamaal Bowman and 96% of the time with Cori Bush, both of whom lost primaries for being too radical.
• Ranking 381st for bipartisanship and 209th out of 220 members of his own conference for writing bipartisan bills. Meanwhile, Congressman Lawler ranked the 4th-most bipartisan member of the 118th Congress and has introduced dozens of pieces of bipartisan legislation.
• Receiving one of the lowest Common Ground scores from the Common Ground Committee in the 117th Congress, in stark contrast with Congressman Lawler’s perfect score from the Common Ground Committee.
• Attacking police officers as “racists,” calling ICE a “racist institution,” working to allow criminals to receive amnesty, and accusing Border Patrol of inflicting “unimaginable cruelty” for doing their jobs and upholding immigration laws at the Southern Border.

“The sad rebrand attempt continues for extremist Mondaire Jones, this time with an effort to hide his radical record in Congress,” said Lawler for Congress spokesman Chris Russell. “During the 117th Congress, Mondaire Jones worked to give cop-killers the right to vote from prison, voted with the Squad 97% of the time, racked up the 3rd-most radical record, called cops racists, and routinely attacked Republicans, calling them ‘white supremacists.’ So much for common ground.”

“Congressman Lawler, meanwhile, has amassed an impressive record of building consensus, working with Republicans and Democrats to find common ground, receiving top marks from the Common Ground Committee as a ‘Common Ground Champion’, and being ranked the 4th-most bipartisan member of the 118th Congress,” continued Russell. “No number of sham pledges that Mondaire Jones signs can change this fundamental truth – he’s an out-of-touch, left wing extremist who wants to defund the police, can’t decide whether he wants to represent the Hudson Valley or New York City, and will say or do anything to try and return to office.”

“Hudson Valley voters will send him a clear message this November – pack your bags and skip town,” concluded Russell.

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Positive ad highlights Congressman Lawler’s bipartisan success in first term, provides a hopeful, unifying message to Hudson Valley voters. 

Pearl River, NY – 8/14/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign released the following statement after going live with their first TV ad of the cycle. The ad, found here, is the beginning of a $5 million ad campaign that will span broadcast, cable, digital, OTT, and more. Specifically highlighted in the ad is Congressman Lawler’s bipartisan work to stop congestion pricing and lift the crushing cap on SALT.

“Congressman Mike Lawler is getting things done in DC — from stopping congestion pricing to fighting to lift the cap on SALT to returning tens of millions of federal dollars to the Hudson Valley, he’s been the bipartisan fighter NY-17 elected him to be,” said Lawler for Congress spokesman Chris Russell. “We look forward to reminding voters of Mike’s record as a commonsense problem solver, and his opponent’s record as a far-left radical, do-nothing politician. The contrast is clear.”

“While Congressman Lawler has worked with Democrats and Republicans to get things done in the 118th Congress, Mondaire Jones racked up a 97% voting score with the socialist, antisemitic ‘Squad’, earning himself the 3rd-most extreme far-left voting record in the entire Congress during his one term in DC,” continued Russell. “When Mondaire wasn’t busy working to give cop-killers the right to vote from prison, or calling for police to be defunded, he was busy enacting his only bill into law – a post office renaming. Talk about no record to run on.”

“In stark contrast, Congressman Lawler was 

rated the 4th-most bipartisan member of the House, stood up to his own party to fight for IVF access for women, and passed nearly a dozen bills and amendments through the House, including the Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act, SHIP Act and Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act, and the Antisemitism Awareness Act,” concluded Russell. “That’s the record of a serious-minded legislator and that’s why Congressman Lawler will be re-elected this fall.”

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Mondaire Jones led the charge, with “Squad” member Cori Bush, in 2021 to let cop-killers, rapists, and murderers vote from prison.

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Pearl River, NY – 8/12/2024… Today, the Lawler for Congress campaign and law enforcement unions from across the Hudson Valley and New York City released the following statement slamming Mondaire Jones for leading the charge to let cop-killers vote from prison while serving their prison sentences. Jones voted for his amendment on the House Floor, as did Hakeem Jeffries.

The measure, co-authored by Jones in the 117th Congress, would have let all prisoners vote regardless of the crime committed. This would have included the criminals behind the 1981 Brink’s Robbery in Rockland County and dozens of cop-killers in New York’s prisons today. Mondaire Jones even went so far as to say that not letting cop killers vote from jail was a “form of slavery.”

In contrast, Congressman Mike Lawler introduced legislation in the State Assembly that would have ensured cop-killers don’t qualify for parole and has the support of most law enforcement unions. Lawler also voted against a similar measure to Jones’ in the State Legislature.

“Extremist Mondaire Jones is so radical that he wants to let cop-killers, child rapists, and murderers vote from prison,” said Lawler for Congress spokesman Chris Russell. “In 2021, fresh off the heels of his defund-the-police 2020 campaign, Mondaire Jones again doubled down on extremism, co-authoring an amendment to the For the People Act, H.R.1, which would have allowed all criminals, regardless of the crime committed, to vote from prison.”

“From trying to defund the police, blaming them for ‘white supremacy,’ to even letting those that kill cops vote, it’s clear Mondaire Jones can’t be trusted with any seat in public office ever again,” concluded Russell. “Voters in the Hudson Valley will make that overwhelmingly clear this November when they reject radical Mondaire Jones and his divisive, extreme ideology once and for all.”

“Cop killers and murderers are some of the most heinous and dangerous criminals. Their actions devastate families and cause unimaginable heartbreak,” said Vincent J. Vallelong, President of the NYC Sergeants Benevolent Association. “I cannot imagine how any elected official could justify allowing them to vote from prison. It defies logic and is an affront to all common sensibilities.”

“It’s appalling that former Congressman Mondaire Jones believes convicted felons, including cop-killers and murderers, deserve the right to vote from prison. For Rockland County, it’s especially disgusting. This amendment by Mondaire Jones would have given the terrorists who committed the 1981 Brink’s Robbery and those who killed Paula Bohovesky, a sixteen-year-old Pearl River girl, the right to vote from behind bars,” stated Larry Ayers, President of the Rockland County PBA, and Pat Casey, Public Information Officer of the Rockland County PBA. “It’s wrong, it serves no legitimate purpose other than political pandering, and it’s exactly why Rockland County needs to send extremist Mondaire Jones packing this  November.”

“Mondaire Jones’ decision to introduce and vote for legislation that would allow cop-killers, terrorists, and serial killers, like the Son of Sam, to vote from prison is a perfect example of how radical he really is. It’s bad enough that he wants to defund the police and call us racist, but now he wants to let those who kill our brothers and sisters in the line of duty vote? Disgusting,” said Keith Olson, President of the Associated Police Associations of Westchester. “All Hudson Valley voters should reject Mondaire Jones’ extremism at the ballot box this November. If he can’t stand up to cop-killers, how on earth can we expect him to stand up for anything in Washington?”

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Pearl River, NY – 7/29/2024… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler announced the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local Union 5, coming on the heels of dozens of other endorsements by labor unions from across the Hudson Valley.

“We are happy to bestow on you the endorsement of Boilermakers Local 5,” said Tom Ryan, Business Manager, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Boilermakers Local 5. “As a member of the United States Congress Apprenticeship Caucus and Building Trades Caucus, you have stood with the organized men and women of the Hudson Valley.”

“You have strong ties with the building and construction trades local unions, going back to your time of service in the New York State Assembly,” concluded Ryan. “We are happy to join the endorsement of the Rockland County Building and Construction Trades Council.”

“I’m deeply honored to have the support of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local Union 5,” stated Congressman Mike Lawler. “This endorsement is another indication that we’re building a broad, strong coalition of labor support in New York’s 17th District – in stark contrast to my opponent.”

“While in Congress, I’ve fought to deliver tens of millions in federal funding for local projects that will create good-paying, middle-class jobs for the members in the Boilermakers Local Union 5 and other unions,” Lawler added. “I’m honored to partner with the men and women of organized labor and to have their support, and I’ll never stop fighting for those that are the backbone of the Hudson Valley economy.”

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In addition to the Boilermakers Local 5, Congressman Lawler has also been endorsed by the IBEW Local Union 363, Teamsters Local 456, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC), Sheet Metal Workers (SMART) Local Union 38, Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) New York, Laborers Local 754, Affiliated Police Associations (APA) of Westchester, NYS Supreme Court Officers Association, NYC Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), Policemen’s Benevolent Association of Westchester County, Inc., New York 10-13 Association, Superior Officers Association Retired (SOAR) NYPD, and Westchester County Correction Officers Benevolent Association.