There is no elected official who enjoys holding press conferences more than U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, especially when he gets to look like the white knight riding in to save the day. But there are times when New York’s senior senator could get more done with a simple phone call. Last week was one of those times.
The camera-loving Schumer called a press conference to demand that the Federal Railroad Administration look into reports of uncovered freight cars transporting loose debris on the Long Island Rail Road main line through Mineola.
With Schumer was Daniel Dore, a New Hyde Park resident, who held two pieces of debris that he said flew out of an open car and struck his truck as he was driving under a rail line overpass.
“I could have been killed. A [police] car came out and they said it was an act of God,” Dore said.
Unfortunately for Schumer, the problem had already been dealt with before the cameras started rolling. Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss told our reporter he had already contacted LIRR officials who gave him assurances the New York & Atlantic Railway had been told to remedy the situation.
“The LIRR representatives said they were aware of it and contacted the company,” Strauss said. “I believe it’s already a requirement to have the cars covered. The railroad said they were on top of it. I’m just looking for compliance.”
“Here’s Mr. Schumer holding a press conference, but it’s all done already. Maybe it was a slow day for him and he needed a press conference,” he said.
Both Strauss and an aide to state Sen. Jack Martins questioned why they were not invited to attend the Schumer event. They figure that would have been a simple courtesy.
In a letter dated May 3, two weeks before the Schumer press event, LIRR Vice President Richard Gans told New York & Atlantic Railway that the debris was a safety problem and ordered the company to use netting to prevent future incidents as required by law.
“We think we took care of the problem. As far as we know, the railroad took care of the problem,” said a spokesman for Martins. “We’re not quite sure why Sen. Schumer held this press conference.”
Schumer should be embarrassed. He tried to look like a hero and wound up looking like a fool, exploiting a problem that was already solved for his own political gain.
