April 4, 2026

Dear Friends,

This week we saw actions and rhetoric from the White House that have only added to the maelstrom of chaos currently facing our nation. These erratic actions have done nothing to strengthen our economy or meaningfully improve the lives of American families.

Chief among these disastrous moves is Trump’s war of choice with Iran. We are just entering week 6 of this reckless conflict that is costing the American people $1 billion per day. Yet we still have no clear plan from the President on how it will end. While claiming he will wind down operations in coming weeks, Trump also threatened further strikes against Iran, and sent thousands more U.S. troops to the Middle East. Despite Trump’s claim that the Strait of Hormuz is not our problem, global energy costs are skyrocketing, and the average cost of gas topped $4 this week. The only thing that is clear about this war is that Trump has completely failed to understand the ramifications of this conflict on our economy and the lives of everyday Americans.

This unlawful war is the latest in a slew of misguided efforts by the President that flout the constitution and ignore the most pressing needs of our communities in favor of his own personal agenda.

For more than a year, the Trump administration has defined itself by lawless action after lawless action. With our democracy under daily threat, many of you have asked me what legal efforts are being taken to confront and stop this assault. To answer those questions, I held an event this week to update you on the legal actions we have taken against this administration. I was joined by a representative of Democracy Forward — a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy and public education — to share the latest on these legal challenges, as well as resources for how individuals like you can join the fight to defend our democracy. You can view our full discussion HERE.

While by no means foolproof, we cannot lose sight of the importance of the courts in standing up against this administration and upholding the rule of law. In the hundreds of lawsuits filed against the Trump administration last year, analysis shows that judges ruled in favor of Trump only about 25 percent of the time. And just this week:

• A judge ordered a halt on all construction of Trump’s $400 million ballroom that demolished the East Wing of the White House, “unless and until Congress blesses this project.”
  
  
• Another judge permanently blocked President Trump’s executive order to halt funding to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcast Service (PBS), marking a major victory for the first Amendment and freedom of speech.
  
  

As important as our courts are in this fight to defend our democracy, greater still is the importance of the public. As Abraham Lincoln said, “In this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed.” With that in mind, I was energized and inspired by the passion and determination of all those who showed up to the No Kings rallies last weekend. Thousands of people of all ages and from every corner of our Capital Region joined their voices with 9 million Americans across the country to demand better for themselves, for their neighbors and for their nation.

If there is one thing that is clear, it is that democracy is not a spectator sport. It demands our vigilance, commitment, and cooperation. I thank all those who are showing up for one another and making your voices heard. Now and always, I stand right there with you in that push.

As always, thank you for reading.

Your friend,

DID YOU KNOW?

My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is partnering with the Hudson River Directors of Community Services to host in-person Community Engagement Sessions on April 21-22, 2026.
• Session Details:
  • Tuesday, April 21, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Wednesday, April 22, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
  • Lansingburgh Boys and Girls Club, 501 4th Ave, Troy, NY 12182
• In particular, OMH is eager to hear from people who receive or have received mental health services, and people who have wanted to get services but haven’t.
  • The sessions are open to all community members! Children, youth, adults, older adults, and families are welcome. There will be breakout groups specifically for young people.
• Register for a session HERE.
  • The registration form has space to describe any accessibility needs you have.