Republicans aim to retain ousted George Santos' seat with six-figure ad blasting 'sanctuary' Tom Suozzi

Metro

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by carl campanile

Republican Maji Pilip defeated former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi in a Feb. 13 special election to fill the House seat vacated by the ouster of lying former Rep. George Santos. A super PAC was launched.

Safe New York PAC is running six-figure radio and digital ads accusing Democrats of being “sanctuary suozim,” supporting illegal immigration and claiming to be a “rubber stamp” for President Biden.

The group also created the website sanctuarysuozzi.com.

This is the first major investment pro-Republican forces have made in the nationally-watched race since Suozzi and the NDP launched a fiercely anti-Pilip TV ad two weeks ago.

The radio ads play clips of Mr. Suozzi running in the Democratic primary for governor in 2022, trying to eat into his words.

In a CBS debate with Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Public Defender Jumaane Williams, Mr. Suozzi boasted that “I kicked ICE” when he was Nassau County executive. [US Immigration and Customs Enforcement] I'm from Nassau County. ”

The radio ad depicts a couple doing a crossword puzzle.

“This crossword is to die for. It's a six-letter word that means 'dangerously weak,'” the man says.

“Sanctuary Tom Suozzi. He is in immigration custody in critical condition,” the woman says.

“Oh, that career politician from Congress, again,'' my husband replied.

“He voted to fund sanctuary cities many times,” his wife said.

Then my husband says that the six-letter word “Suozzi” doesn't fit the puzzle after all.

“That’s fine,” my wife says. “Tom Suozzi of Sanctuary is also unfit for Congress.”

The pro-Pilip PAC also pointed out that when Mr. Suozzi was Nassau County executive, local police were prohibited from interrogating immigrants about their legal status unless they were arrested for a crime.

“Tom Suozzi was wrong about illegal immigration long before Joe Biden ousted New York with his open borders policy,” said Allie Lipnick, executive director of SecureNYS. “The last thing New Yorkers need is a ‘sanctuary suozzi’ – a 100% rubber stamp proclaiming Joe Biden and his open southern border.”

Suozzi's campaign pushed back Monday, calling the Republican ad a cheap shot.

“Tom Suozzi has stood up to and worked with his own party on immigration issues.” [former GOP Congressman] Peter King talks about bipartisan solutions that strengthen border security and treat people like people. Maji Pilip's position on immigration is completely bogus – she makes incoherent generalizations at the behest of party bosses who would rather play politics than deal with the real crisis, and she They are too ignorant and unprepared to even show up to discuss this issue. ” said Kim Devlin, Suozzi senior advisor.

Suozzi's campaign also blamed his termination of cooperation with ICE on the “failed'' 2007 ICE investigation, in which only six of the 96 fugitives targeted were captured. Said it was after that.

He added that he did not declare Nassau County a “sanctuary county.”

Mr. Suozzi sought to confront expected criticism from the right over the immigration crisis head-on, writing in a Jan. 2 letter to President Biden that the federal government is pushing New York City and other cities into a corner. , wrote that they lack the resources to absorb the relentless waves. New arrivals flood the municipality.

The Feb. 13 special election is being watched nationally as a potential precursor to determining which party will secure a House majority in the Nov. 5 election. Republicans currently hold a very slim majority of 220-213, with two open seats.

Pilip, 44, served two terms on the Nassau County Legislature and is the mother of seven children. Originally from Ethiopia, she immigrated to Israel at the age of 12, where she served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) before immigrating to the United States with her husband.

Mr. Suozzi, 61, previously served three terms in the House of Representatives, representing much of Nassau County and parts of eastern Queens.

Despite fabricating much of his personal and professional history, Santos became the sixth member in history to be expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives on December 1, more than a year after he was elected.

He has since been indicted on numerous charges related to campaign fund embezzlement and other wrongdoing, which he denies.