Death threat gives Garbarino more attention than ever before

                                                                                     

Internet Ad

From a public relations point of view,  an alleged death threat over his vote for a massive $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill was one of the best things that has ever happened to U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, a Bayport Republican.

It has garnered more media attention and name recognition in the last few days for the little-known Congressman than he received in his previous eight years as an undistinguished Republican in New York's Democratic-controlled state assembly or during his past year and a half in the U.S. House representing the South Shore of Long Island from Massapequa to Sayville.

His vote, followed by the alleged death threat from an angry constituent,  has prompted multiple stories in Newsday and on News12 as well as appearances and mentions on national new broadcasts. Unfamiliar organizations are running internet ads supporting the Congressman, such as the one posted above. 

Too bad the Business Roundtable doesn't know how to spell Garbarino's name.

Garbarino was one of 13 U.S. House Republicans who voted for the $1.2 trillion bill pushed by Democratic  President Joe Biden and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The bill would not have passed with Republican support.

The vote by Garbarino, who has always run as a Republican and Conservative, prompted outrage from many of his constituents, who had just voted against Democrats on Long Island as part of Republican wave of anger over Biden policies. The bill was headlined on the left and right, from CNN to Fox, as a "win" for the president while conservatives outlets accused the 13 of "betrayal."'

Biden is expected to sign the bill tomorrow during a large ceremony on the White House south lawn. Garbarino has said he will not attend, according to news reports.

Nassau police on Thursday arrested a Lake Ronkonkoma man who allegedly phoned a death threat into Garbarino's district office. A lawyer for the retired Long Island Railroad worker denied his client threatened Garbarino.

Nassau Police commissioner Patrick Ryder also announced he was stepping up police patrols around Garbarino's local office in Massapequa Park.

Garbarino appeared today on News12's "Power and Politics" segment, hosted by Rich Barrabi, but he declined to discuss the case "where someone did threaten my life."

"I never thought I would receive a death threat over paving roads and clean water," Garbarino said, as he defended the infrastructure package.

He said social media had stoked anger by spreading misinformation about the bill that is intended to pay for road and bridge repairs, sewers, public transit, airport improvements, broadband access and more. "It's definitely good for my district," he said.

Garbarino said the bill will not increase taxes nor the nation's deficit -- even though the Congressional Budget office reports that it will add $256 billion to the country's budget deficit within the next ten years.

He explained that Congress had repurposed unspent covid money to help pay for the infrastructure projects.

But this is government budgeting.

According to CNN. the congressional budget office said recouping Covid money would provide roughly $22 billion in savings -- not the $263 billion claimed by lawmakers who voted for the bill.

Also, the Hill reports that among the repurposed funds are $3.16 billion from manufacturer rebates for unused drugs paid for by Medicare and $50.8 billion from delaying a Trump era rule on providing rebates for prescription drugs under Medicare.

So essentially, Congress took $54 billion in imaginary money from the Medicare budget and put $54 million in imaginary money into the infrastructure budget. It sounds like they work in the Nassau County budget office, which inserts imaginary "real estate sales" into the county budget every year to balance the spending plans.

Garbarino said he expects work to begin paving roads and on sewer projects by spring -- before he faces re-election.

"I can't wait to be at every ribbon cutting," he said, to demonstrate "This is what our bill did."

                                                                               

Andrew Garbarino