Letters to the Editor - The Millerton News - 8-20-20

Sen. Serino shares health status update

In July, I wrote to share some personal news about my recent breast cancer diagnosis with you, and now I am writing to let you know that last week, I completed my final round of radiation treatments.

I cannot thank our community enough for the tremendous outpouring of support and well-wishes during this time. Every card, call, email and gesture of kindness was a humbling reminder of just how special our community really is and how fortunate I am to be a part of it. I’m feeling better than ever and am excited to be looking toward the future.

When I was diagnosed, I made a promise to you that this chapter in my story would not slow me down as I worked to serve you. I was fortunate that my early diagnosis allowed me to undergo a manageable form of treatment that enabled me to keep much of my schedule intact. However, many of us — especially women — often think we have to “do it all,” and as I have now learned first-hand, you cannot take care of others until you take care of yourself. Sharing that message, especially given the many challenges brought on by the pandemic, is critically important. 

Before this diagnosis, I never thought twice about putting off my routine health screenings — especially mammograms — always putting family and work first. I knew I was not alone in that habit, but after hearing from so many of our neighbors who had been putting off their own appointments, I’ll continue to use this experience to send a message to anyone who needs it: Now is the time. I urge you to take a minute, make the appointment and follow through, because it truly can make all the difference.

In about six weeks, I will have a follow-up scan to ensure that there is no trace of the cancer remaining, and I will be sure to keep you updated at that time. I thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart, for your support. I could not be more proud to serve such an incredible community.

Sue Serino

New York State Senator (R-41)

Hyde Park

Response to Tom Parrett’s letter that I ‘missed a few things’

Tom Parrett suggested I missed a few things in my comments regarding Trump supporters, then suggested I should “check my facts.”

Mr. Parrett argues Trump has been in office for three years in which he says that the first two and half years his party controlled the House and Senate and secured 5-4 of the Supreme Court, thereby implying Trump hasn’t done much. What is missing from Tom’s observation, is the enumerable “Republicans in Name Only” (RINOs) like Senators McCain, Romney and Flake, who all opposed him, and in McCain’s case, worked to sabotage Mr. Trump by working with the corrupt Obama administration, led by Barrack Obama, Joe Biden, Susan Rice, John Brennen, James Clapper and James Comey, putting forth the phony dossier bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton. 

These people didn’t oppose the president, these people worked to remove Mr. Trump, who was duly elected. They wrongly framed General Flynn, spied on the Trump campaign and later his administration. They put forth, by the corrupt James Comey, the appointment of the independent counsel, led by Robert Mueller, with a team of biased Clinton supporters to find out that Trump never colluded with the Russians (yet they did). 

They spent $300 million of the taxpayers’ money to investigate something they all knew from the start was completely unfounded and in their own words, described as, “no there, there.” 

Robert Mueller couldn’t even defend the report he allegedly headed. Most of his testimony before Congress ended with answers either “I don’t recall” or “I’ll have to get back to you on that.” 

Then this guy has the gall to suggest that he couldn’t say Trump didn’t obstruct justice, when he and his team couldn’t find evidence that he ever did. What was that, except a way to continue the division in our country?  Mueller’s wrongful investigation ended as a complete farce, then along comes Adam Schiff and the Ukraine investigation, based on the fact that the president asked about the corrupt relationship Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, had with a Russian-run oil company in the Ukraine. 

Surely Mr. Parrett remembers watching Joe Biden bragging that he leveraged the Ukrainian government to fire the investigator looking into this oil company, using the American people’s money and using his office as vice president to do so. 

This was a company that Hunter Biden was getting $83,000 per month or $1 million a year, for sitting on a board of directors, in a business he knew nothing about. (Never mind the other deal with the Chinese.)  Adam Schiff and the Democrats argued that Trump abused his power by asking about Biden. Why?  Because Biden was one of a number of candidates running against him. This was a poor joke. In the face of the obvious, the American people should know whether Biden is corrupt or not.   

Mr. Parrett should have “checked the facts” about Obama, Hillary and Biden before criticizing the president and what he accomplished in the face of such obstruction. 

Peter Antell

Boston