Kirsten Gillibrand in The New York Post

On Gun Control: Shifted to left because "I fight for my constituents"

Gillibrand explained her sharp shift to the political left--particularly on gun control and immigration--since Gov. Paterson appointed her to the statewide seat last year. "One thing that's clear is that I always fight for my constituents," she said; noting that she's now focused on keeping illegal guns out of cities.

DioGuardi said voters could get "whiplash" watching Gillibrand's policy changes. "She sounded like Annie Oakley, and now she's somebody different," DioGuardi said.

Source: New York Post coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 16, 2010

On Principles & Values: Accused of hiding facts connecting cigarettes and cancer

The pair traded their toughest blows over jobs each had held outside public office. DioGuardi accused Gillibrand of shilling for Big Tobacco, while Gillibrand expressed "serious questions" over reports that federal regulators were investigating his ties to a business deal. DioGuardi insisted he was merely a bit player in the deal described by a Gillibrand ad as a "Madoff-style $1.7 billion Ponzi scheme."

He returned fire by highlighting defense work Gillibrand did as an attorney for tobacco giant Philip Morris in the 1990s. "She was actually the architect of everything that company did to try to hide the fact that cigarettes cause cancer," he said.

"Your arguments are absolutely fantasy," Gillibrand scoffed. The senator characterized her tobacc work as something she got stuck with when she was "a junior associate in a big firm."

She pointed out that DioGuardi, too, had represented Big Tobacco, as an accountant. DioGuardi objected, and she shot back: "Oh, so you didn't choose your clients?"

Source: New York Post coverage of 2010 N. Y. Senate debate Oct 16, 2010

The above quotations are from Media coverage of New York political races in The New York Post. Click here for other excerpts from Media coverage of New York political races in The New York Post. Click here for other excerpts by Kirsten Gillibrand. Click here for a profile of Kirsten Gillibrand.
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