Posted on 10/01/2022 9:19:10 AM PDT by Right Wing Vegan
ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — Two area lawmakers are calling for a public hearing over concerns of possible collusion between the Hochul administration, and others in connection to the Schoharie limo tragedy.
Republican state lawmakers, Senator Jim Tedisco and Assemblyman Chris Tague, are calling on Senate and Assembly Transportation and Investigations Committees to hold the hearings days before the NYS Stretch Limousine Passenger Safety Task Force issues its final report on October 1st.
“It certainly appears that the Hochul Administration may be colluding with the Inspector General and the Limo Task Force Co-Chairs to play election year stall ball on the Schoharie limo crash investigation so the families of those who lost loved ones and the public at large don’t see the full extent of state agency malfeasance until after November 8th..." said Tedisco.
In 2020, the National Transportation Safety Board published its report looking into causes of the crash. The report cited that the NYSDOT and NYSDMV share the blame in the Schoharie crash with Prestige limousine operators in not removing the modified stretch limo from the road.
Tedisco says that his freedom of information act request was denied as part of his investigation into the role of the DOT and DMV in the crash.
He says that his constant calls for findings in the investigation that has lasted over a year have been left unanswered.
“The tragic day where we lost 20 people in a horrific limo crash in 2018 will never be forgotten in our community. The Hochul Administration, NYS IG and Limo Task Force are withholding critical information to figure out what really happened to cause such a tragedy. After a year and a half long investigation, we are still waiting for answers. We need transparency,” said Assemblyman Chris Tague.
CBS6 spoke with Kevin Cushing, who is father of one of the crash victims and a task force member. He says he agrees with the lawmakers' position to shed some light on the status of the IG's investigation.
"To say that the families are frustrated, it's an understatement of epic proportions. It's amazing how we can’t just get answers. They can’t even admit if they’re doing an investigation," said Cushing.
"The NTSB report which was released about three years ago, they said there may be some culpability or some issues that relates to the New York State DMV and DOT. If that’s truly the case then that’s truly the information the safety task force needs," he added.
Cushing is one of several task force members calling for an extension to the October 1st deadline.
CBS6 reached out to the Governor's Office for comment surrounding the allegations.
Will Burns, spokesperson for Governor Hochul, sent a statement.
It reads, “The Task Force, comprised of appointees from both the Legislature and Governor Hochul, has worked diligently over the past two years to make the forthcoming recommendations in the report. After the deadline for the report was extended by law in 2021, the Task Force is required by law to release its recommendations on October 1st, which is separate and independent from the ongoing Inspector General’s investigation. We look forward to reviewing the Inspector General’s report and taking swift action to implement the appropriate recommendations from both the Task Force and the Inspector General to help ensure safer transportation for New Yorkers.”
Tediso, in a statement, is accusing the Hochul Administration with colluding with the Inspector General and the Limo Task Force Co-Chairs to play when he is calling "election year stall ball on the Schoharie limo crash investigation.
I must have missed this. What was the 2018 limo crash tragedy in New York?
A couple of threads...
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4058000/posts
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3694403/posts
NYS will pass a law making it a felony for 3 or more people to sing loudly while traveling in a hired limousine, problem resolved.
Thanks. Sad and gruesome. Wonder if they’ve fixed that dangerous intersection. Looks like maybe they put in a roundabout. Probably a good idea. Otherwise, that Apple Store is in harm’s way.
That was FOUR years ago.
And they still haven’t settled this whole atrocity?
Nah!
The state will pass a law making it illegal to demand transparency wrt the integrity of any investigation into which mis/malfeasance on the part of a state agency and/or official is alledged.
I never thought I would see the phrase, ,”horrific limo crash.”
I hate roundabouts, but yeah, they are safer.
I’m just not used to them.
I don’t much care for them either, but given the history and dangerousness of this particular intersection, maybe roundabout was not a bad idea.
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