View with an open Mind - Accuser #5

Note:  This post examines publicly available information and defense-raised challenges. 

Accuser #5

Executive Assistant #1’s was responsible for assisting the Governor in managing incoming and outgoing telephone calls, taking dictation, drafting and editing documents, and performing other similar administrative tasks, including at the Executive Mansion on the weekend.

The allegations / what was left out

increasing familiarity and intimacy  The AG report says, “The Governor’s behavior ranged from playful banter about Executive Assistant #1’s potential romantic relationships to looking through Executive Assistant #1’s social media posts and asking about the marital status and social and dating lives of Executive Assistant #1 and her friend, Alyssa McGrath, who also served as an executive assistant in the Executive Chamber.”  However, Cuomo does not use social media.  Even in the Politico article about the lawmakers who were going to “takedown” Cuomo, it was said, “Their strategy was clear:  use the digital space to outmaneuver the governor, a notorious technophobe.”

Take off the hoodie  Executive Assistant #1 was working at the Executive Mansion on a weekend and commented that it was warm in the room.  Cuomo suggested in response that Executive Assistant #1 take off her zip-up hoodie, which she had been wearing on top of a light tank top.  “A colleague of Executive Assistant #1 was present and corroborated the incident.”  Is this mystery colleague Alyssa McGrath?  There is a footnote that states “In her testimony, Ms. McGrath corroborated much of Executive Assistant #1’s sworn testimony. Ms. McGrath’s own allegations regarding Governor Cuomo are detailed later in the Report.”

McGrath and Executive Assistant #1 were close friends since high school and McGrath is listed as Executive Assistant #1 emergency contact at work. It would be nice to know if anyone else could give testimony except her best friend.

Mingle mamas  Cuomo engaged in a conversation about a trip to Florida that the two women planned to take together in April. Cuomo asked McGrath, who was separated from her husband at the time, whether she planned to go and “mingle” with men during the Florida trip. Cuomo then asked McGrath whether she would “tell on” Executive Assistant #1 if Executive Assistant #1 cheated on her husband while in Florida. Cuomo proceeded to refer to both women as “mingle mamas” for the remainder of the day. Cuomo admitted in his testimony that he had called Executive Assistant #1 and McGrath “mingle mamas,” but testified that it was in response to Executive Assistant #1 and McGrath stating that they were “single and ready to mingle.”  No notes that anyone else heard any of this but it’s listed as fact because her best friend vouched for her.

Intimate physical contact-the selfie  Per the AG report, “On December 31, 2019, Executive Assistant #1 was assisting Cuomo in his office at the Executive Mansion when Cuomo asked her to take a “selfie” photograph with him.  Cuomo stood next to Executive Assistant #1, on her left, as she took a selfie with her right hand. As Executive Assistant #1 held up the camera,  Cuomo moved his hand to grab her butt cheek and began to rub it.  The rubbing lasted at least five seconds.  Executive Assistant #1 was shaking so much during this interaction that her initial selfies with Cuomo were very blurry. At Cuomo’s suggestion, the two of them then sat down and took one more selfie, with Cuomo’s hands around Executive Assistant #1’s waist. Cuomo then told Executive Assistant #1 to send the photograph to McGrath, and directed Executive Assistant #1 not to share the photograph with anyone else.”

How is this absolute proof of her butt being grabbed?  She doesn’t look nervous or terrified.  And McGrath’s response to the picture,

Intimate physical contact-the holiday photo  At the 2019 holiday party, before a photograph was taken, Cuomo kissed McGrath on the forehead and kissed Executive Assistant #1 on the cheek, then posed for a photograph with his hands firmly around both women’s ribcages, just below their breasts.

It’s actually called your waist and that’s usually where a hand goes during a photo.  There is also the manner they are standing in.  Also about the picture is a footnote buried at the bottom of the page.

Intimate physical contact-the incident  “On November 16, 2020, Stephanie Benton, the Director of the Governor’s Offices, asked Executive Assistant #1 to assist Cuomo at the Executive Mansion.  As Executive Assistant #1 finished her assignment and prepared to leave the Governor’s personal office, on the second floor in the Mansion, and return to the Capitol, Cuomo pulled Executive Assistant #1 in for a close hug.  Executive Assistant #1 was conscious that the door to Cuomo’s office (facing out into the hallway on the second floor) was open at the time. Executive Assistant #1 stepped away from Cuomo and said, “You’re going to get us in trouble,” to which Cuomo replied, “I don’t care,” and slammed the door shut. Executive Assistant #1 testified that Cuomo’s demeanor at the time “wasn’t like ‘ha ha,’ it was like, ‘I don’t care.’ . . . It was like in this—at that moment he was sexually driven. I could tell and the way he said it, I could tell.”  Cuomo then returned to Executive Assistant #1 and slid his hand up her blouse, and grabbed her breast, “cupp[ing her] breast” over her bra.”

At McGrath’s birthday party, Executive Assistant #1 confided in Executive Assistant #2 that Cuomo had grabbed her and reached under her shirt. Still upset, Executive Assistant #1 visited Executive Assistant #2’s house the next day with her boyfriend and Executive Assistant #3. There, Executive Assistant #2’s boyfriend, an FBI employee, recommended she speak with a lawyer, whom she later retained. Believing they were required to report what happened, Executive Assistants #2 and #3 informed Judy Mogul, Special Counsel to the Governor and Beth Garvey,  acting counsel for Andrew Cuomo, on March 8, stating Cuomo had touched Executive Assistant #1 and gone under her shirt. They also mistakenly reported that Cuomo pushed her against a wall, which Executive Assistant #1 denied. The call lasted just a few minutes, and Mogul thanked them for coming forward.

On March 9, the Times Union published an article describing the allegations of an anonymous current aide in the Executive Chamber, who was alleging that Cuomo had groped her while at the Executive Mansion. Executive Assistant #1 testified that she had not communicated with the press in advance of the March 9 article about her allegations and that she had been shocked at the publication of the Times Union article.

The public learned that Executive Assistant #1 was Brittany Commisso on August 8, 2021. Excerpts of her interview with CBS News were released on the 8^th and the full interview airing the following morning, August 9, on CBS This Morning.  The Albany Times Union published an exclusive story simultaneously.

The AG report found Executive Assistant #1 to be credible “both in demeanor and in the substance of her allegations.”

What shows up in her testimony but not in the AG report is the confusion over her coat and the lawyers leading her. (breakdown from Justice for Cuomo)

There is also the information that Rita Glavin gave concerning Cuomo’s schedule on the day in question

Also never mentioned or followed up is Commisso told Cuomo in or around November that because she was going through a divorce, she needed a different work schedule. She told him the divorce created financial pressure. She spoke in late 2020 and early 2021 to her supervisors about having to leave early, She asked for a raise and more overtime hours on weekends. They denied the raise and made no other promises. Her husband filed for divorce, and a summons with notice is recorded at Albany County Clerk on February 22, 2021, with Brittany Commisso as the defendant.

  

You need a 360-degree view. Accuser #3 and #4

 Note:  This post examines publicly available information and defense-raised challenges.

 Accuser #3

Below is the About tab of Anna Ruch’s photography website

The allegation

On Saturday, September 14, 2019, Ruch attended the wedding of her friend Alexa Kissinger to Gareth Rhodes, a senior aide to Cuomo.  Cuomo officiated the ceremony.  Shortly after the ceremony ended, one of her friends pointed out that the Governor was approaching them and suggested that they try to take a picture with him.

Ruch said Cuomo put his hand on her lower back and when she removed it with her own hand, he said that she seemed "aggressive" and put his hands on her cheeks.

He then asked to kiss her in a request that was also heard by her friend standing nearby. "I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed," Ruch said, "I turned my head away and didn't have words in that moment."  "I didn't have a choice in his physical dominance over me at that moment. And that's what infuriates me. And even with what I could do, removing his hand from my lower back, even doing that was not clear enough."  "It's the act of impunity that strikes me," she told the paper. "I didn't have a choice in that matter.”

Two days after the interaction with Cuomo, Ruch texted her friend the picture with comments.

On March 1, 2021, The New York Times ran the article “Cuomo Accused of Unwanted Advance at a Wedding.” In it, Ruch described the September 2019 incident.

The assessment of the AG was, “Ms. Ruch was credible both in her demeanor and in the substance of her allegations. Pictures taken as the Governor held Ms. Ruch’s face and kissed her corroborate her general description of what the Governor did.”

What was left out

Ruch was never employed by Cuomo or the State, so sexual harassment law does not apply.  The AG lists her under other complainants.

After the ceremony, Cuomo approached Ruch and friends. One of her friends suggested Ruch should take a picture with him. In a CNN interview, her friend stated that Ruch asked Cuomo for a photo.

Ruch’s accusation set off a torrent of criticism and calls for Cuomo to resign.  New York Rep. Kathleen Rice was the first Democratic US House member to demand that the governor step down.

“The time has come,” Rice tweeted. “The Governor must resign.”

With her statement, Rice joined a small group of other Democratic state lawmakers, including state Sens. Alessandra Biaggi and Gustavo Rivera, and Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, who have said Cuomo should leave office in the wake of mounting allegations.

However, this was the little group caught on an audio chatroom saying, “how do we make it impossible for our governor to every run again?”

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Accuser #4

Ana Liss was an Empire State Fellow who worked in the Executive Chamber from September 2013 to September 2015.  She was assigned to work for a senior staff member handling economic development.  In November 2013, Liss was informed that Howard Glaser, then Director of State Operations, wanted her “to go over and work in his office.” Liss moved to Glaser’s office, which was close to the Governor’s office.  She thought her assignment to work with Glaser was a promotion.  She explained that “the Governor had developed a reputation” for championing economic development in upstate New York, where she was from, and she was excited for the opportunity.

Liss testified that she quickly came to feel that Cuomo and his senior staff valued her for her appearance rather than her capabilities.  Liss testified that she understood employees who angered Cuomo faced outbursts from Cuomo and his surrogates, involuntary reassignment, and even termination.  She observed that Cuomo was customarily aggressive and short-tempered with men and flirtatious with women.

Liss testified that upon meeting her, Cuomo held her hand and gazed into her eyes in a manner that Liss felt was simultaneously “grandfatherly” and “somewhat flirtatious.”  She recalled that a longtime aide told her that the Governor liked her, which she interpreted to mean that her “appearance was attractive to the Governor, and that was a good thing for [her] ability to survive and stay there”

On multiple occasions afterwards, Cuomo kissed and touched Liss both in the office and at work parties, including a celebration in May 2014, after the passage of the budget.  On that occasion, Cuomo approached her, kissed her on the cheek, and slipped his hand around her lower waist.  Cuomo beckoned his photographer to take their picture.  Liss produced that photograph from March 2015, which showed Cuomo with his hand around her waist.

Liss said that Cuomo frequently stopped by her office and interacted with her in a playful or flirtatious manner.  On at least one occasion, Cuomo “kissed Liss’s hand and asked her if she had a boyfriend and kissed her cheek.”  Liss testified Cuomo never asked permission to touch her, and his conduct was unwelcome.

Liss testified that Cuomo almost always addressed her as “sweetheart” or “darling,” instead of by her name.   She described this as demeaning.  Liss also noted that Cuomo never spoke with her about work.

Liss left the Executive Chamber in 2015 when her fellowship was completed.  During and after her time there, she had nothing but positive things to say.

On March 6, 2021, Liss gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal accusing Cuomo of inappropriate behavior.  Her reason for coming forward with her experience was, “I spoke up about all of this, I did so by and large because the other young women that had come forward with more egregious allegations weren’t being believed and I believed them and I wanted to share an account that was less egregious and spoke to the broader culture that allowed for the things that happened to them to happen to them. The tolerance for those micro flirtations, I guess, that would allow for him to act a certain way behind closed doors with women in more serious manners.”

The AG’s assessment was, “we found Ms. Liss to be credible in substance and in demeanor. Ms. Liss’s testimony was corroborated in relevant part by photographs and other witnesses.”

The Governor testified that he did not remember Ms. Liss.

The allegations

Eye Candy  The AG’s report states that a former colleague of Liss recalled that he formed the impression that Liss had been moved to sit closer to Cuomo because she was a young, beautiful, blonde woman and that he understood that she was there to be eye candy. Another former colleague said it was widely considered that Liss office had been moved because of her appearance.  Who these former colleagues are and what they said and when are not attached to the AG report to question these individuals.  Also, Liss was moved by Howard Glaser, not Cuomo.

Hand Around her waist  There is a photo of Liss and Cuomo together and he has his hand around her waist.  Where do you put your hand on someone during a picture?  And if this moment from 2014 was traumatic, why did she have it framed and keep it on her desk until at least 2021.

Conduct Unwelcome  Liss found Cuomo’s actions toward her as demeaning and unwelcome.  Why didn’t she tell him?  Why didn’t she tell HR? But she told the Wall Street Journal.

What was left out

In 2023 for the Trooper #1 lawsuit, Liss testified, “I was just thrown into this group of women who said the Governor sexually harassed me, and I wanted to be clear that the Governor didn’t sexually harass me.”

metoo-plot-to-bring-down-new-york-governer-andrew-cuomo

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It's Important to see the whole picture, Accuser #2

Note:  This post examines publicly available information and defense-raised challenges.

Charlotte Bennett worked for Governor Andrew Cuomo as a special assistant for briefings in January 2019.  She organized and researched materials on relevant topics for the Governor.  In May 2019, she was also assigned to be his executive assistant.  In this role, Bennett managed telephone calls, took dictation and, for a period of time, traveled with the Governor.

At Hamilton College, Bennett majored in Women’s and Gender Studies and Psychology.  She was an activist and was a founding member of the Sexual Misconduct and Assault Reform Task-Force (SMART).

The allegations

Danny Boy  On May 16, 2019, Cuomo asked Bennett if she knew the song, “Danny Boy.” He handed her a copy of the lyrics and asked her to memorize them.  There are notes in the AG’s report to corroborate this and Melissa DeRosa remarks that this was “hazing.”  Bennett also texts a family member.

The report also says  “Once Ms. Bennett returned to her cubicle, a colleague told Ms. Bennett that the Governor had been testing Ms. Bennett for her temperament, confidence, ability to handle herself, anxiety, and memory.”

Pushups  Cuomo asks Bennett how many pushups she could do.  Stephanie Benton overheard this conversation.

On August 9, 2019, Bennett posts to her Instagram account

 Hand size   Cuomo persistently asked Bennett what people were saying about the size of his hands.  Bennett testified that she understood Cuomo was attempting to get her to say something about the size of his genitals.  She was uncomfortable and wanted to change the topic but didn’t want to anger Cuomo.  I find it interesting that the one in this group that is true sexual harassment has no corroboration.

The Bun  Cuomo asked Bennett why her hair was in a bun and that he didn’t like it.

 January 19, 2020 conversation   Bennett told Cuomo that his signing of sexual assault legislation in 2015 changed her life.  She then disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted in college and that the difficult experience motivated her to work in politics.  She tells her mother about the conversation in a text.

 

May 2020 conversation  Bennett spoke with Cuomo about a speech she was giving at her alma mater, Hamilton College, regarding sexual assault.  While providing her feedback, Bennett says Cuomo pointed at her and kept repeating, you were raped, you were raped.  He also told her that he wanted to find a lady and drive off on his motorcycle into the mountains with her.

June 5 and 6, 2020  Bennett says Cuomo said (1) he was “lonely” and “wanted to be touched”; (2) asking her whether she had been with older men; (3) that he would be willing to date someone who was as young as 22 years old (he knew Ms. Bennett was 25 at the time); (4) asking whether Ms. Bennett was monogamous; (5) telling Ms. Bennett, after she told him that she was considering getting a tattoo for her birthday, that if she decided to get a tattoo, she should get it on her butt, where it could not be seen; and (6) asking whether she had any piercings other than her ears.

Bennett testified that she understood her June 5 conversations with Cuomo to mean that he was propositioning her for sex.  Bennett no longer wanted to be in a role that required her to work with him.

On June 10, 2020, Bennett reported Cuomo’s conduct to Jill DeRosiers, the governor’s chief of staff, and was transferred to work in the health policy team.

On June 30, 2020, Bennett had a follow-up conversation with DeRosiers and special counsel Judith Mogul.  Bennett said she did not want an investigation and that she still considered Cuomo a friend.

A month later, Bennett went on medical leave and quit her job and on December 8, 2020 she contacted Lindsey Boylan on Twitter.

The AG’s assessment was, “We found the level of detail and consistency in Ms. Bennett’s account, her demeanor, and the circumstances of her allegations to be credible.”

What nobody told you    Charlotte Bennett was accused in a 2017 federal lawsuit of having filed a false claim of “non-consensual sexual contact” against a fellow student at Hamilton College.

The lawsuit used pseudonyms for the students and Bennett is referred to as “Sally Smith”, but is identifiable due to a reference to a newspaper opinion she’d written.

Evidence proved she fabricated the allegations, and she withdrew her complaint immediately after the College removed John Doe from Campus and denied him graduation. The victim of the false allegations sued the college for the mishandling and failed investigation, and Hamilton College agreed to an undisclosed settlement in 2018.

Like the college, the AG never investigated the Hamilton lawsuit in connection with this case and never mentioned it.  How can anyone be considered credible without reviewing a previous false allegation.

You need to know both sides. Accuser #1

There are things I believe in.  “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  “Don’t pick sides until you know the full story…Some people are really skilled at making others look bad.”  “Innocent until proven guilty.”  ‘No person shall…be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law.”

I believe that women’s allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment should be taken seriously.  However, there are many reasons why it never gets reported:     fear of retaliation or negative consequences; fear of not being believed or being blamed; shame or guilt; lack of faith in the system or process; desire to move on from it.  A person should not be dismissed because they are a woman or held in high regard because they are a man.  The facts and the truth should always be the goal.  However, I don’t believe all women no more than I believe all men.  That has recently gotten me called misogynistic.  Everyone isn’t right all the time.

Andrew Cuomo has always been criticized for using aggressive political tactics, having an abusive workplace environment and being a bully, but that is where it has always stopped.

Note:  This post examines publicly available information and defense-raised challenges.

Lindsey Boylan worked for Andrew Cuomo from 2015 to her resignation in September 2018.  During that time, she was Vice President at Empire State Development, Chief of Staff at Empire State Development, Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and then Special Advisor to the Governor. 

On September 26, 2018, Boylan was called into a meeting that involved Alphonse David, who was then counsel to Cuomo.  The meeting was described as a “counseling session”/discussion to address complaints from staff about her alleged behavior of belittling, yelling at or bullying subordinates.  During the meeting, Boylan voluntarily tendered her resignation.  David was “clear that she was not being asked to resign, fired or pushed out in any way.” And the meeting was documented as stated in the AG report.  After the meeting, she sent a mass email informing staff members of her resignation.

On December 13, 2020, Lindsey Boylan made her first public accusation against Andrew Cuomo.  Not to him, not to Human Resources, not to the police but in a series of tweets, where she stated Cuomo had “sexually harassed me for years.”  Boylan said she spoke up now after hearing from another former staffer.

Cuomo held a press conference denying the claims outright, saying “it’s just not true”. (Coincidentally, her tweets came out when there was conversation of Cuomo becoming U.S. Attorney General.)

On February 24, 2021, Boylan describe several specific events in her Medium essay titled "My story of working with Governor Cuomo.”

Key specific events she described include:

January 6, 2016: Her first in-person encounter with Cuomo at a Madison Square Garden event promoting the Pennsylvania Station-Farley Complex project. She described as uncomfortable interactions, including comments on her appearance.

December 14, 2016: An email from aide Stephanie Benton relaying that Cuomo suggested Boylan resembled his rumored former girlfriend "Lisa Shields" (calling her the "better looking sister"), after which he began calling her "Lisa" in front of colleagues, which she found degrading.

October 2017: On a government plane flight after a Western New York event, Cuomo allegedly said to her, "Let’s play strip poker." She described this as crude and part of a pattern.

2018 (specific one-on-one briefing, shortly before her September 26, 2018 resignation): In his Manhattan office during a private update on economic and infrastructure projects, Cuomo allegedly stepped in front of her as she was leaving, blocked the door, and forcibly kissed her on the lips without consent. She said she was in shock but continued walking out. This was a pivotal incident she cited as contributing to her decision to resign.

This was the New York Attorney General’s assessment: 

“Most of the allegations that Ms. Boylan has made against the Governor are now essentially uncontested. For example, although the intent is in dispute, there is no serious question that (1) the Governor commented on Ms. Boylan’s appearance, including comparing her to someone who was an ex-girlfriend; (2) the Governor on occasion touched Ms. Boylan on the waist, leg, and back; (3) the Governor gave Ms. Boylan a tour of his office that included the cigar box from President Clinton; (4) Ms. Boylan received a rose from the Governor for Valentine’s Day; and (5) the Governor thought she did good work and paid attention to her at events. While the Governor vehemently denied, and others did not recall, the “strip poker” comment, Mr. Zemsky testified under oath that he recalls the Governor making such a comment, independently corroborating Ms. Boylan. And with respect to the alleged kiss on the lips, although the Governor again denied it, he has admitted that, on occasion, he has kissed members of his staff on the lips. Thus, despite the intensity of the attacks on Ms. Boylan by the Governor and others within and outside of the Executive Chamber, and the refusal to even consider the possibility that she may have felt harassed, most of the factual allegations that Ms. Boylan has made are not disputed and those that are have corroboration, including in the allegations by the other complainants of similar conduct. What the Governor disputes is his intent and the way in which he believes Ms. Boylan perceived the interactions. Thus, regardless of whether Ms. Boylan may have had political or other personal motivation for making her allegations public, we find that the factual allegations she has made are credible and supported by the rest of the evidence in our investigation.”

Cuomo issued statements and held briefings apologizing for any offense caused by his “collegial” or “too familiar” behavior, but denied the inappropriate touching, advances or harassment.  He called some interactions misinterpreted.

So let’s breakdown the AG’s “factual allegations”.

“Let’s play strip poker”  despite everyone denying that this happened, this is considered credible because Howard Zemsky (Boylan’s former boss at Empire State Development) said it was a fact.  Zemsky also told Boylan that the governor appeared to have a “crush” on her.  However, the AG never bothered to make public the fact that Boylan and Zemsky had a sexual encounter in 2017 and she used that encounter to threaten Zemsky into changing his testimony.  

The Rose  Boylan did receive a rose from the Governor’s office on Valentine’s Day. Other female staff members also did and there is no proof that she was specifically singled out. Sometimes a rose is just a rose.

The Cigar Box  Cuomo has the highest regard for Bill Clinton and this gift from Clinton is important to him.  Cuomo showed off the cigar box to Boylan during a tour. To assert that this was an intentional sexual reference is a stretch for anyone and absurd that the AG would call this factual.

He Touched Her  Boylan said Cuomo would touch her in passing, touched her back during a photo and would always sit where he could see her.  There are no details to these events or witnesses.

Her Appearance  Boylan received an email from Stephanie Benton where Cuomo compares her to a former girlfriend.  The email is Exhibit 58 of the report and in her testimony Benton says Cuomo only said to tell Boylan to look Lisa up, the comparison came from Benton.

 

What nobody told you  Prior to the December 2020 accusation, Boylan had nothing but nice things to say about Cuomo.

Boylan told Robert Mujica (Director of the Division of the Budget) that she was frustrated about her work at the Executive Chamber due to inability to access or speak directly with Cuomo, which contradicts that Cuomo was singling her out.

Boylan ran for the United States House of Representatives to represent New York’s 10^th Congressional District.  On March 14, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order shortening the petition period for primary election candidates to reduce the spread of the Covid virus for all candidates.  Boylan reacted by sending strongly worded text messages to senior Executive Chamber employees.

In November 2020, Boylan announced her candidacy for Manhattan Borough President. On December 5, she posted her toxic workplace tweets.  Shortly after, Boylan was contacted by Charlotte Bennett and Bennett offered to help her.  Boylan’s story went from toxic workplace to sexual harassment.

Also in December, there were phone conversations between Boylan’s campaign consultant, Trip Yang and Ibrahim Khan, Letitia James’ chief of staff. Trip Yang was Letitia James’ consultant to her 2018 AG campaign.  Nothing was ever released stating what the conversations were about.

 

Lindsey Boylan has the right to have her thoughts and feelings taken seriously and investigated.  BUT why are these accusations not in full context and allowed to go unchallenged?  Cuomo was never allowed to defend himself and has never received all of the evidence against him.  Claims this serious should have required serious investigation.

The next posts will go thru the other accusations.

 

  

Factory Farms - Get Involved

 “AND IT’S HURTING ALL OF US

Billions of animals and thousands of humans suffer behind the walls of factory farms and slaughterhouses. Entire forests are cleared to make way for miles and miles of barren feedlots. Communities living downwind and downstream endure pollution and poisoning. Giant corporations squeeze contractors, customers, and—most of all—innocent animals, all in the name of profit. It’s never been clearer: our food system is broken. And it's in dire need of repair.” (from thehumanleague.org)

It’s time for us to stand up for these animals and to stand up for ourselves.  Treat the world with care and leave it better than we found it.

                          (from thehumanleague.org)

GET INVOLVED

https://www.farmsanctuary.org/advocacy/

Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 to combat the abuses of factory farming and encourage a new awareness to help advocate reforms.  Their President and Co-founder, Gene Baur, rescued a live sheep from a pile of dead animals found during an investigation into a farm in PA. 

They established the first permanent sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York, and later added the Los Angeles/Anton, California sanctuary.  They care for nearly 600 animals across the two sanctuaries that they have pulled from factory farms.

They educate by giving sanctuary visits and tours, they have live webcams and use social media and newsletters to keep everyone informed.

You can become a member, sponsor a specific animal and volunteer

https://thehumaneleague.org/

The Humane League was started in 2005 in Philadelphia and initially focused on protesting foie gras at local restaurants, highlighting the cruelty involved in its production.  Now they have evolved into a leading organization advocating for animal welfare.     

Their main focus is their corporate campaigns, pressuring food companies to adopt higher-welfare policies like going cage-free for eggs and ending practices like gestational crates for pigs.

To get involved, get on their site to sign petitions, email companies and legislators, or join campaigns directly from their site. 

https://www.aspca.org/shopwithyourheart

ASPCA Shop with your heart program was launched in 2016 as part of their Farm Animal Welfare efforts.  It was created to empower and encourage consumers to make informed choices about the food they purchase.  

The program provides a detailed label guide, a list of nationally available welfare-certified and plant-based brands, and a list of welfare-certified farms in each state.  There is also a supermarket scorecard that ranks the top 20 grocery chains on issues like cage free eggs, gestational crate policy and broiler chicken welfare.

You can get involved by using their tools daily as well as signing up for alerts as well as emailing/calling your grocery store or restaurant to adopt better policies.

#LetsBeTheChange

If anyone is interested in doing something and doesn't want to work on it alone, let me know.  We can all work together.

National Service Animals Monument

Thirty years ago, a dedicated group of animal advocates gathered in the San Francisco Bay Area with a shared passion: to raise public awareness and generate community support for the well-being of animals. They formed an organization called Critter Lovers at Work (CLAW), focusing their efforts on bolstering animal welfare agencies through education, fundraising, and outreach. Over the decades, CLAW built a strong foundation of volunteers and supporters committed to highlighting the vital roles animals play in human lives.

By 2019, the group recognized an opportunity to refine their mission. They shifted their primary emphasis toward raising awareness and support specifically for service animals—those extraordinary creatures trained to assist humans in critical ways, often at great personal risk. This evolution led to a name change: the organization became the National Service Animals Monument (NSAM), with a clear and ambitious goal—to establish a national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring all service animals and their handlers throughout United States history. The memorial would celebrate not just their contributions but also the profound human-animal bond that underpins their service.

Susan Bahary with Sully and the bronze of Sully for the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum commissioned by America’s VetDogs.
– Photo Credit: James Chang/America’s VetDogs

At the heart of this vision is Susan Bahary, a world-renowned sculptor and the driving force behind the project. Bahary served on the executive board of CLAW and emerged as the lead visionary and sculptor for the monument. Her expertise in capturing the essence of animals in bronze has made her one of the foremost artists specializing in monuments that honor the animal-human partnership. Bahary's work is celebrated internationally for its lifelike expression, anatomical accuracy, and emotional depth.

Bahary's portfolio already includes landmark tributes to service animals. In 1994, she created the first official U.S. war dog memorial, titled "Always Faithful"—a poignant reference to the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis. Unveiled at the Pentagon and later installed at the Marine Corps War Dog Cemetery on the U.S. Naval Base in Guam, this sculpture honors the courage of military working dogs and their handlers. Her international contributions further demonstrate her global impact: the War Animal Memorial in Pozières, France, commemorates the nine million animals that perished on the Western Front during World War I, marking the world's first monument dedicated to these forgotten heroes. In Australia, she sculpted the Australian War Animals Memorial in Queensland's State Heritage Rose Garden, and in New Zealand, the New Zealand War Animal Memorial stands at the National Army Museum. These works have solidified her reputation as a leader in raising awareness about animal sacrifices in conflict and service.

Other notable commissions include a life-size bronze of Sully, the service dog of President George H.W. Bush, commissioned by America’s VetDogs and placed at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Texas. Bahary has also sculpted tributes to historic figures like Stubby, the famous World War I hero dog, and Smoky, recognized as the first therapy dog of World War II.

The momentum for a national monument culminated on December 29, 2022, when President Biden signed into law a bipartisan bill—the National Service Animals Memorial Act (part of the larger omnibus legislation)—authorizing the NSAM Corporation to establish a commemorative work on federal land in Washington, D.C. This legislation marked a historic milestone, formally recognizing the need to honor the heroic deeds and sacrifices of service animals and their handlers. The act enables the creation of a first-of-its-kind memorial in the nation's capital, encompassing a broad definition of service animals: from search-and-rescue dogs and police horses to guide dogs, military working dogs, law enforcement K9s, therapy animals, and even dolphins and other species trained for specialized roles in security and support.

Central to the monument's symbolism is the Purple Poppy, an international emblem of remembrance for animals that have died or served in conflict. Mirroring the red poppy worn to honor human soldiers on Remembrance Day (Veterans Day in the U.S.), the purple poppy pays tribute to the millions of animals lost in wars, from carrier pigeons and horses in World War I to modern military dogs. NSAM has embraced this symbol, promoting it through campaigns, awards (such as the Purple Poppy Award given to historic animals like Rags, the WWI dispatch dog), and educational initiatives. It serves as a unifying theme, reminding visitors of the shared sacrifices across species and eras.

The proposed design envisions a thoughtful park-like or civic plaza setting, featuring life-size bronze sculptures of approximately 15 service animals and their handlers, representing diverse roles across history. Informational plaques, interactive elements, and a mobile app will provide educational context, allowing visitors to learn about individual stories—from military dogs detecting explosives to guide dogs fostering independence for the visually impaired. The memorial aims to inspire reflection, education, and celebration of the unbreakable bond between humans and animals.

As of recent updates, the project has advanced to the site selection phase in Washington, D.C., with active efforts to identify an optimal location that balances accessibility, visibility, and reflective space. Supported by major organizations like the U.S. War Dogs Association (which provided a leading $150,000 gift), Canine Companions, Guide Dog Foundation, America’s VetDogs, and others, NSAM continues fundraising—privately funded, as required for national memorials—with estimates ranging from $20–30 million. The organization maintains an education program on its website for parents and teachers, and plans include an interactive phone app at the site to engage visitors of all ages.

This monument represents more than stone and bronze; it is a national movement to acknowledge the overlooked contributions of service animals. From battlefield valor to everyday assistance, these animals have enhanced safety, security, independence, and emotional well-being for countless Americans. Through Susan Bahary's artistry and the tireless work of NSAM, their legacy will finally receive the enduring recognition it deserves in the heart of the nation's capital.

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