For Immediate Release:
January 26, 2024
What People Are Saying About Mazi Pilip’s Disastrous Press Conference & No-Show Campaign
”Media Handlers Tried to Block Questions”…”No Specifics”…”Only Committed to One Debate”…”Did Not Express An Opinion”…“Can we hear from Mazi now?”..
ABC7: Candidates to replace George Santos in Congress discuss migrant crisis on campaign trail
It is a different kind of campaign because one of the candidates – Mazi Pilip – is running a rather quiet race. Compared to the Democrat – former Congress from the Third District, Tom Suozzi.
Tough questions for Republican nominee Mazi Pilip who is better known for what she doesn’t say than what she does. Everything from government funding to why she’s only committed to one debate with challenger Tom Suozzi.
NBC 4: Special Election Race for New York’s 3rd District Heats Up
This was Pilip’s first news conference since being introduced last month as the GOP’s candidate to replace George Santos. That day she left without answering reporters’ questions.
Today, Pilip’s media handlers tried to block questions about Pilip’s decision to take part in only one debate before next month’s special election
Politico: What the dueling NY-3 pressers tell us
Pilip will be reliant on surrogates, both because the Nassau County legislator is a political novice and because she wants to show a coalition has her back. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito opened her news conference by speaking for 12 minutes on the perils of unchecked immigration before introducing Pilip, who made four minutes of prepared remarks. He also answered questions with her.
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The presser was the first of Pilip’s campaign, though she was nominated six weeks ago. Only a few news outlets were invited — with the New York Times, WNYC and others left out. (Playbook was tipped off and wrangled last-minute info.)
Newsday: Mazi Pilip, Tom Suozzi trade barbs on immigration at dueling news conferences
Pilip sidestepped a question about whether she sided with former President Donald Trump, who last week called on Republican lawmakers to reject a proposed deal to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan along with billions of dollars in funding to boost enforcement at the southern border.
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park), who accompanied Pilip at the news conference, answered the question first, criticizing President Biden and other Democrats for inaction on the migrant crisis.
After about two minutes, the reporter asked “Can we hear from Mazi now?”
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Devine cut off a reporter’s questions about other topics such as discrepancies between financial disclosure forms Pilip filed as a county legislator and as a congressional candidate.
Newsday reported this week that Pilip listed assets on her county financial disclosure that were not included in her filings as a federal candidate. In the Nassau disclosure, for instance, Pilip said her husband, a physician, was an owner or partner in three businesses besides his main medical companies listed on the federal disclosure forms.
NY1: Pilip, Suozzi hold dueling press conferences outside Queens migrant shelter
Pilip did not express an opinion beyond touting a House GOP plan proposed last year that Democrats vehemently opposed and President Joe Biden pledged to veto if it ever reached his desk.
NY Post: LI Dem Tom Suozzi crashes GOP rival’s event outside NYC ‘tent city’ migrant shelter as both gun for Santos’ empty seat
Pilip said in her four-minute remarks….
“I know that you were just here for a press conference. My opponent in this race, she will not do debates with me,” the ex-congressman told constituents outside the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center shelter site.
“I thought it was important to come here and rebut some of the things that she brought up directly — and talk about this immigration crisis that is affecting so many families.”
Brigid Bergin @brigidbergin @maziforcongress we are trying to cover your campaign, but your team refuses to give me even basic information about what you are doing despite my many requests, including the press conference today at 11. Why is that?
Emily Ngo @emilyngo I asked @maziforcongress what she likes in the Senate immigration deal. No specifics. “We have to protect our borders, that’s period. And if there is a real partner from the other side willing to compromise and … protect the American people, that’s where we should focus on.”
Emily Ngo @emilyngo .@Tom_Suozzi got into specifics on legislative history and bills. “H.R.2 is draconian bill that goes way too far, that you will never get a single Democratic vote for. It’s a my-way-or-the-highway bill. And the Democrats who say ‘my way or the highway,’ they’re wrong, too.”
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Tom Suozzi, trained as an attorney and CPA, is the former Congressman for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, Nassau County Executive, and Mayor of Glen Cove. Tom has committed his 30-year public service career to delivering for his constituents. His philosophy of working with anyone who shares his goal of solving problems and delivering for his constituents has guided his career and led to notable accomplishments on issues including protecting the environment, common-sense gun safety, full access to reproductive health care, immigration, caring for our veterans, affordable healthcare, and fiscal responsibility.