Congressman Ritchie Torres Calls on Governor Hochul To Include Mask Ban Legislation in Executive Budget

On Tuesday, Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) wrote to New York Governor Kathy Hochul regarding his support for mask ban legislation in New York. The letter from reads (full PDF here):

“I am calling upon you to update the proposed executive budget to include legislation reinstating the mask ban, which had been the law of New York State for 175 years. Contrary to false narratives, mask bans have a long history of defending civil rights rather than endangering them. In the early 20th century, scores of states passed anti-masking legislation in order to unmask the KKK. No one at the time—except the KKK and its sympathizers—would have said that the KKK had a First Amendment Right to mask itself.

“According to polling by Mercury Public Affairs, 75% of New Yorkers support a mask ban. The time has come for the Governor to side with the people over the interest groups.

“The State of New York must ensure that the People of New York are not only safe but also feel safe. You are fundamentally failing on both fronts. Hate crimes against Jews are at historic highs, and nowhere more so than in New York City, where Jews have been the target of more hate crimes than everyone else combined. As Governor, the buck stops with you.

“A majority of New Yorkers have concerns about falling victim to targeted hate and harassment. The number rises to 67% for Black voters; to 68% for Asian voters; and to 76% for Jewish voters. The feeling of insecurity under your leadership of New York cuts across every category of color and creed, race and religion.

“Since October 7th, New York has seen volcanic eruptions of antisemitism on the streets of New York. The masked harassment and intimidation of Jewish New Yorkers has been aided and abetted by your fundamental failure to reinstate the mask ban.

“Masking easily enables criminals to harass, intimidate, and commit violence against innocent New Yorkers—all while remaining anonymous and evading detection by law enforcement. The architects of the mask bans against the KKK understood a simple truth that that you have failed to grasp with the fierce urgency of now: that hate and harassment thrives on anonymity. Antisemitism thrives on anonymity.

“A general masking ban with medical and religious exemptions is a necessity for public safety— especially in a post-Oct 7th world of heightened hate and amplified antisemitism.

“Your lip service to a mask ban means nothing without legislation and executive orders that match the words with deeds. The People of New York need decisive action from a Governor who has been absentee in the fight to unmask hate.”