In response to a stunning decision by Gov. Cuomo earlier this week to pardon 77 sexual predators, many of whom are convicted rapists and pedophiles deemed to dangerous to live among the general public, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is condemning the decision and calling for the ban of any such person from a school setting under any circumstance.

“As I said earlier this year when Gov. Cuomo began pardoning convicted murderers and arsonists, this is the most egregious and dangerous abuse of power I’ve seen in my time as a lawmaker,” Hawley said. “But apparently the lengths to which this governor will go to garner votes knows no bounds as we have learned that dozens of dangerous predators and pedophiles were also pardoned.”

With Gov. Cuomo pardoning dozens of sexual predators, the possibility exists that they will be allowed to enter schools after a certain time and with a Superintendent’s permission if that is their polling place.

“These depraved criminals should never see the light of day, especially to exercise our nation’s most cherished right, which was justly stripped from them. At the very least they should be given an absentee ballot and never allowed to vote in or near a school,” Hawley continued. “We have already learned that taxpayers are paying for parole officers to assist felons in registering to vote, but who is going to pay for transportation for them to and from their polling place? Taxpayers should never be on the hook for the radical decisions of one man in his endless pursuit of power and ambition.”