Thursday, May 18, 2023

Much Ado About "No-Knock"

The Common Council meeting on Tuesday was one of the stranger Council meetings Gossips has witnessed over the years. For one thing, it took place in the truck bay of the Central Fire Station, something that has not happened since 2013, when gun owners from all over the county showed up to protest a law being considered by the Council which would have banned guns from City buildings and parks.   


This time it wasn't the size of the crowd that necessitated holding the Council meeting in the truck bay but the fact that the meeting room at the fire station was being used as a polling place for the school district vote.

Another thing that made Tuesday night's meeting bizarre was that Council president Tom DePietro was in a different time zone (literally) and trying to conduct the meeting while he was on Zoom and the councilmembers were physically present in the truck bay. 


Things got unexpectedly testy when it was time to introduce and vote on a resolution supporting a bill (A4369/S4820) making its way through the state legislature regarding the use of no-knock warrants. The resolution, which does nothing more than declare the Council's support for proposed state legislation, seemed simple enough. As the resolution indicates, Mayor Kamal Johnson issued an executive order banning the use of no-knock warrants by the Hudson Police Department on June 15, 2020. Still, Councilmember Theo Anthony (Fourth Ward), who authored the resolution, went on for rather a long time explaining it. When DePietro interrupted, asking for questions from councilmembers in preparation for calling for a vote, Councilmember Dominic Merante (Fifth Ward) said the timing of the resolution was bad, because there is about to be a change of leadership at the HPD, and it was "disrespectful to the new chief." He also asserted that the Council had not had sufficient time to review the resolution. Apparently, the resolution had been distributed to councilmembers the previous day. After some back and forth between Merante and Anthony, all of which can be heard here (starting at 33:00), Merante moved to table the resolution, to give the Council "a chance to breathe and be a little more transparent." The motion inspired DePietro to utter, "Oh, God." 

The conversation between Merante and Anthony went on until DePietro interrupted by calling for a vote. He was then reminded that there was a motion on the floor to table the resolution. After more discussion, it was determined that the motion to table had been seconded by Councilmember Margaret Morris (First Ward). When a vote was taken on the motion to table, all voted in favor except Anthony and DePietro, who said, "Absolutely not. The most ridiculous conversation I've heard in the Council." When Merante expressed the opinion that DePietro's comment was inappropriate, DePietro countered, "Dominic, you use that word inappropriate and transparent, and obviously you should have a dictionary handy because you use them incorrectly, as a cudgel against people who disagree with you. It's really offensive what you do." When Merante said something about wanting to be "democratic and fair," DePietro shot back, "You're not a Democrat. Cut the crap."

Erratum: Gossips has been informed that Councilmember Art Frick (First Ward) also voted against tabling the resolution.

Regarding the resolution, which has been tabled, the Common Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, May 24, at 5:00 p.m., to consider it again. The meeting will be a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
COPYRIGHT 2023 CAROLE OSTERINK

7 comments:

  1. Why does the council waste time on these silly non-binding resolutions? If you want to support a bill in the state legislature then call Didi Bartlett. That being said, Tom really is a bully, and obviously a narcissist. It would really be great if someone, anyone, runs against him. All they'd need to do is make a highlight reel of him belittling the council and citizens at meetings; you can throw in shoving video for good measure. It's too bad that the most competent candidates are too busy for public service, leaving us with these petit tyrants that run the council like some co-op board.

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    1. Many of these time wasting resolutions are given to the various aldermen by any number of astroturf groups. They aren’t actually drafted by the aldermen. Drafting takes time, ability and determination. Not one alderman has actual self-starting experience. They’re all waiting for someone to tell them to do something or simply too intellectually and physically lazy to do an actual job of legislating. Compound that by the complete failure of leadership (Tom is the epitome of a man drowning out of his intellectual depth compounded by his innate lack of charm). So rather than do real work that might improve the lives of Hudsonians they debate nonbinding doggerel with no application to our city. Fucking pathetic.

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    2. Exactly correct, the Aldermen are just pawns being handed documents. How is a discussion, motion and a vote undemocratic? That's rediculous.

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  2. Enough with the hybrid meetings already! This is no way to effectively communicate and try to get things done. It's not possible to have a healthy discussion via zoom with dozens of people involved, let alone a healthy, worthwhile argument. The meetings don't have to be hybrid -- Tom chooses it. It's just another sign of government decay and laziness, just what we need now.

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  3. Aside from all the normal DePietro nonsense, I have two comments: First, "no knock" sounds like the officers would just "barge in" to issue a warrant. That sounds dangerous and like it would put our officers at risk, no? Second, I'm glad to hear that someone quasi stood up to DePietro. That's the way to stop a bully. More council members need to do so. The few council meetings I have attended when citizens challenged him he got all flustered. Keep the pressure on!

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    1. I would think since such a warrant was issued by a judge it would only be used when deemed necessary and in the interest of assisting law enforcement. Like anything it can be misused. Why is there never any analysis or information to support these resolutions? How many times was a no knock used in Hudson, did it cause a problem, was it used appropriately, things of that sort? If it is a useful tool locally and being used correctly why would a local council be making this resolution? Little Hudson does not make NY State policy. Maybe there is a bit too much ego being asserted here.

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  4. It's a shame that Theo Anthony will be done with the council at the end of the year as he is the most, or only, worthwhile member. But you can understand why he has had enough after just two years.

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