PRESS RELEASE:

Kinderhook, NY – The enthusiasm for Chris Gibson's candidacy for Congress was further highlighted by voter petitions filed last week. Gibson’s campaign filed a hefty 17,000 plus petitions collected by an entirely district-based volunteer team.

In contrast, Congressman Murphy’s 8,876 petitions were surprisingly low for an incumbent Congressman. As the campaigns were able to review each other’s petitions filed with the State Board of Elections, it became evident that the Murphy campaign was forced to import workers from outside the district and most likely had to pay them in order to meet its goals.

“We have the most motivated volunteers,” said Patrick Ziegler, Gibson’s campaign manager. “People have been attracted to Chris’ campaign because they have had it with Washington insiders not listening to those in the district. Unlike our opponent, who may have hired canvassers and professional notaries from outside the district, we collected almost twice as many petitions with a committed army of volunteers who believe in Chris Gibson.”

“If we take all those who signed our petitions, we would fill the Times Union Center,” notes Ziegler.

A review of Murphy’s filing showed that of the 192 Working Families Party petitions collected, half were collected by notaries from outside the district. 900 of Murphy’s Independence Party signatures were collected by workers from outside the district. Murphy even relied on a canvasser who is employed by the Data Field Services (DFS) division of the pro-ACORN Working Families Party. DFS is under investigation by the Federal government and is being watched by New York’s City Board of Elections.

“There is a clear difference between these two campaigns. We believe in reducing spending and building up the private sector, Scott Murphy, as evidenced by his voting record, believes that increasing the size and scope of government is the answer. Simply put, this is why we were able to collect twice as many petitions and out raise the incumbent Congressman in our first full quarter,” Ziegler said.

Click here to view petition samples, http://www.chrisgibsonforcongress.com/files/Pet.%20Sigs.%20PDFS.pdf

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RESPONSE:

Rensselaer County Democratic Chairman Tom Wade:

"The press release fails to mention that Gibson filed Conservative Party petitions while Murphy did not, accounting for thousands of signatures in the Republican's column which Murphy declined to seek. Gibson also filed thousands of signatures on Independence Party petitions which were invalidated. I have been told these two sets of designating petitions amount to over 8,000 signatures.

Combine these factors with the overwhelming number of Republicans in the 20th Congressional district (more than 70,000 over the Democratic Party membership) and you will easily see the myth in Gibson's press release. Proportionately, Gibson's showing with signatures is weaker than Murphy's."

PRESS RELEASE:
6/29/10

Assemblyman Tim Gordon (I-Bethlehem) announced that the Assembly has passed legislation to help keep volunteer firefighters and motorists safe by allowing fire departments to install a combination of blue, red, and white lights on the rear of fire and emergency response vehicles (A.8470-A). Studies have shown that blue light can be seen from a greater distance and are more noticeable than red and white lights, which may be mistaken for tail lights.

“As a volunteer firefighter, I have witnessed vehicles flying past us at top speed while we were working to put out a car fire,” said Gordon. “By allowing fire vehicles to display a combination of red and blue lights, we can help get motorists attention sooner so they have time to slow down – protecting both the drivers and the emergency responders at the scene.”

Current law prohibits volunteer fire fighters from displaying a blue light in combination with red lights. This legislation would allow the installation of rear-facing blue lights in combination with red and/or white lights on fire department vehicles. Volunteers using a personal vehicle would remain limited to the use of a single blue light projected in 360 degree fashion. The legislation, which has the support of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), also requires motorists to reduce their speed when approaching an emergency vehicle that is stopped on a highway.

Volunteer firefighters regularly perform emergency duties along the side of the road where they and passing motorists are at risk. Studies by the Ford Motor Company and the Florida Highway Patrol clearly indicate that the perception-decision-response process in driving – especially at night and when approaching from the rear – significantly favors blue light, which can be seen from a greater distance.

“As firefighters our mission is to protect life and property, said Evan Eisenhandler, of the Poestenkill Fire Company. “Naturally any measure, like Assemblyman Tim Gordon's legislation, that improves safety for the public and emergency responders should be signed into law.”