Republican U.S. Congressman Mike Lawler serves New York’s 17th congressional district which includes all of Rockland County and Putnam County, and most of Northern Westchester County and portions of southern Dutchess County.
The district is one of 18 districts nationally that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican in 2022, and has a significant Jewish population, including conservative Hasidic communities in Rockland County.
At a vigil in downtown Chappaqua (in Westchester County) yesterday, to honor those lives that were lost in Israel in the Hamas terrorist attacks, Lawler shared the stage with former President Bill Clinton.
Both Lawler and Clinton (a resident of Chappaqua) spoke at the event organized by E.N.O.U.G.H. (Educate Now On Understanding Genocide and Hate).
At the event attended by approximately 1,200 residents, Clinton said: “I can tell you, if there is one thing I have learned, it is that violence begets violence and peace can force people to make a new beginning,” Clinton said. “Something has to be done to minimize the continuous threat that Hamas poses in Gaza, and something has to be done to make sure we minimize others getting involved and contemplating it.”
I spoke at a vigil in downtown Chappaqua honoring those lives that were lost in Israel. Thank you to Elliott Saiontz and Educate Now On Understanding Genocide and Hate (ENOUGH) for organizing this event. We must work together to stop antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head. pic.twitter.com/z8dA0nIZ0S
— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) October 16, 2023
Lawler said Iran is “a catalyst for why this attack occurred. They do not want normalized relations between Israel and other Arab nations. It is incumbent on all of us to continue that work, to continue to support those efforts. That is the only way we will be able to stop this anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism at its core.”
Lawler reiterated the need for collaboration: “We must work together to stop antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head.”
Note: Lawler is also working with New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat. The two appeared together on local ABC-TV News, to promote “the possibility of bipartisan cooperation in the weeks and months ahead,” to elect a new Speaker of the House and to avoid a government shutdown.
I joined @RepJoshG with ABC’s @billritter7 last week to discuss the possibility of bipartisanship cooperation in the weeks and months ahead. pic.twitter.com/mVjZzAdxPm
— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) October 15, 2023
