Press Release
Congressman Pete King Attends N. Amityville Community Parade & Festival Day
Amityville, NY - Congressman Pete King (R-Seaford) discusses issues of importance with constituents at the North Amityville Community Parade & Festival Day. A truly outstanding display of community pride.
Today I had the opportunity to meet with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower. Vice-President-elect Mike Pence joined the meeting about halfway through. The main topics we discussed were Islamist terrorism and the recent distorted media reports regarding the disgraceful leaks about alleged Russian hacking. I emphasized the importance of the Justice Department and FBI taking aggressive action to prevent terrorist actions in our country. Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney and Suffolk GOP Chairman John Lavalle joined in the meeting.
After the meeting, President-elect Trump Senior Adviser Kellyanne Conway said I was "a tremendous asset" during a press conference in the lobby of Trump Tower. Watch video of her statement here: www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/kellyanne-conway-calls-rep-pete-king-a-tremendous-asset/201...
Below is Newsday's recap of the meeting:
Peter King presses Donald Trump on Muslim surveillance
Newsday
By Emily Ngo
December 15, 2016
Rep. Peter King suggested in a meeting Thursday with President-elect Donald Trump that the federal government launch a Muslim-surveillance program similar to the one NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly started in New York City after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“The main issues I discussed were what we have to do to have the Justice Department and the FBI be more leaning-forward when it comes to investigating Islamic terrorism,” King told reporters after the meeting at Trump Tower in Manhattan.
“I suggested a program similar to what Commissioner Kelly did here in New York, and that we can’t worry about political correctness,” King said.
King (R-Seaford), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the surveillance was “very aggressive and forward-leaning” and “very effective for stopping terrorism.”
King did not disclose Trump’s reaction to his suggestion.
A report earlier this year by the inspector general for the NYPD found the police broke intelligence-gathering rules in the practice. The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups have filed a legal challenge calling the surveillance of Muslims discriminatory and unjustified.
King and Trump met for about 45 minutes. They were joined by Vice President-elect Mike Pence, Suffolk County Republican chairman John Jay LaValle and Hempstead Town Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney, the congressman’s daughter.
King said he was not meeting with the president-elect about employment in the administration.
LaValle also said he did not discuss a position in the meeting with Trump.
“National security and international security are the No. 1 issues this country faces right now,” LaValle said of the focus of the discussion.
King said Trump was also interested in Long Island politics.
“He wanted to know every block and every corner of my district and how they voted, who voted for him and who didn’t, how I did and how he did,” King said.
King and LaValle were early campaign surrogates for Trump, appearing for him at fundraisers and in national television interviews.
www.newsday.com/news/nation/peter-king-presses-donald-trump-on-muslim-surveillance-1.12761336
Paid for by Pete King for Congress.
Paid for by Pete King for Congress
