It's Not Too Late to Stop Senator Skoufis's Fascist NY Mask Ban
Call James G. Skoufis's office now and make him own his anti-democratic ban on masks during a national emergency.
Pictured Above: Over 100,000 people marched in New York City on April 5th to protest President Trump's authoritarian coup. An estimated five million people demonstrated nationwide, including in State Senator Skoufis’s district (Cornwall, Middletown, Highland Falls, and Warwick). By the time they’re done counting, April 5th may turn out to be one of—if not the largest—decentralized mass protests in American history.
Thanks to State Senator James G. Skoufis's proposed mask ban, 100,000 of these New Yorkers, many wearing masks, could have been locked up and charged with baseless crimes for having done so.
So let’s be clear about what’s happening: During a national emergency, when a fascist movement has taken over America, New York State Senator James G. Skoufis decided to push for legislation that would have further empowered Trump’s coup, and made it dangerous for New Yorkers across the state to practice their first amendment right to protest.
Like a lot of things that come out of State Senator James G. Skoufis’s mouth (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C, Exhibit D, Exhibit E), his proposed ban on masks in New York reeks of little dick energy coming from someone who sounds like a muppet does when it’s strangled.
It should come as no surprise to our readers that Mr. Skoufis has been investigated by the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. Including a recent investigation concerning his threat to cut off state funding to the Town of Monroe unless the local Democratic Committee supported fossil fuel-loving freak David Rabbitts over current Town Councilwoman Maureen Richardson.
This is the second time in less than a year that Skoufis has threatened to cut off or otherwise obstruct state funding to a local community we cover. The first was Woodbury in 2024. As part of Skoufis’s consistent pattern of retaliation against his enemies, he is working with a convicted felon in Monroe, Tim Mitts, and an alleged member of the Proud Boys, Brandon Calore, to harm local elected officials who speak out against him.
I don’t know about you, but the fact that Skoufis is coordinating at all with a January 6th Truther (Calore) during a national emergency led by MAGA should speak volumes on its own.
When asked by NY1 about his proposed mask ban, Skoufis didn’t even want to refer to it as a “mask ban” — and he has consistently not mentioned his push for the mask ban in his weekly newsletter. That should show you how weak of a man he is. He can’t even stand behind his own proposed legislation, because he knows it’s deeply unpopular. If that sounds Trump-like, it should. You’ll notice that Trump waited to announce the largest tax hike in American history after a crucial round of elections was held in Wisconsin and Florida this week.
If you need any further evidence before we move on, I encourage you to reach out to residents of South Blooming Grove who don’t have clean drinking water or often have no access to any water at all. Skoufis has consistently ignored these people, refused to speak to them directly, and often sends form letters with a timeline—sent by his staff—demonstrating his complete and total lack of effort to investigate the situation. As I write this, I am looking at the same South Blooming Grove form letter sent in April of 2025 that Skoufis has been sending out since early in 2024.
And while South Blooming Grove is a small village, the situation there is so bad, that both the FBI and EPA are investigating. The Monroe Gazette confirmed the open FBI investigation last month and the EPA investigation months before that. Skoufis has since tried to take credit for a New York State Comptroller investigation into South Blooming Grove, which local residents actually triggered. We can demonstrate this because the audit didn’t get underway until March of 2024. The Skoufis timeline cites a letter he sent to OSC in 2023 as the cause for the investigation. A claim that has never been confirmed by the OSC spokespeople we’ve been in (constant) communication with since the audit began. It’s also worth noting that Thomas DiNapoli and his office have consistently refused to acknowledge this ongoing audit in their regular newsletter documenting his office’s ongoing audits. Take that for whatever it’s worth.
Also missing from the timeline Skoufis sends South Blooming Grove residents? The 2022 $15,000 payment he received by the two men directly responsible for the situation in South Blooming Grove. One of whom is under investigation by the FBI.
But then again, this guy told his constituents he doesn’t take any corporate or PAC money, while simultaneously raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in that money.
Perhaps more worrisome, despite being granted permits by the New York State DEC, the DEC has consistently returned to South Blooming Grove’s Clovewood project — a project Skoufis brags about protesting in his timeline to residents — and issued more and more fines. Skoufis has not mentioned those new fines and has not called for the DEC to revoke the Clovewood permits because of them. As I’ve pointed out to residents who show me the Skoufis South Blooming Grove timeline, he’s left a lot of stuff out.
Can’t imagine why that would be. Can you?
So, when I tell people that State Senator James G. Skoufis is a problem, he’s not just Orange County’s problem. On this current trajectory, he’s now a problem for every single New York State resident looking to protest the coup. If the Schumer Democrats continue to be allowed to determine the actions and positions of the Democratic party, you’ll eventually wind up seeing Skoufis in higher office. Congressman Pat Ryan thinks he’s going to be the next governor of New York after Hochul. Skoufis wants Pat Ryan’s seat and intends to step on the throats of our Haredi friends and neighbors to get him that seat.
Unless of course, you smack Skoufis down like the hand of God.
Calling his office, and other NYS offices about Skoufis’s fascist Mask Ban is a good place to start. Here’s how.
If you learned anything from today’s post, it’s that State Senator James G. Skoufis is a weak little man. So, if enough of you reading this call his office—don’t send an email; they ignore those—I bet we can get him to fold on this mask ban. Remember: It’s the volume that matters.
So, I have borrowed a letter you can use from my friends at Jews for Mask Rights. Since January 13th, this group, along with nearly 100 organizations, including the NYCLU and the New York Doctors Coalition, 300 Jewish leaders, and 250 healthcare professionals, has been banging the drum to oppose the mask ban. (You’ll notice in the NY1 interview that Skoufis again lied in explaining that only the NYCLU opposes his ban on masks. And like I’ve told you, everything that comes out of Senator Skoufis’s mouth is a lie.)
Phone #s
District Office: (845) 567-1270
Albany Office: (518) 455-3290
Script
Hi, my name is [Name], and I'm a constituent in your district (feel free to mention your town). (If you are NOT in Skoufis’s district, that’s ok. Skoufis lies all the time. Why can’t you?)
I’m calling to oppose the inclusion of any anti-mask legislation in the State Budget…
Any law that would criminalize masking, whether as an enhancement or a ban, is dangerous for New Yorkers. Especially right now.
That's why I'm asking Senator Skoufis to oppose Hochul's inclusion of any anti-mask measures in the budget, including his own proposed legislation, S.3070
This issue is important to me because I need to be able to protect myself. The federal government and malicious groups are targeting protesters. Elon Musk has stolen the tax and social security data for nearly every American. There is no doubt the authoritarian government in Washington will seek to retaliate against me, my friends, and my family for exercising my first amendment right to protest. The Senator must protect his constituents from President Trump.
This bill hands Trump's administration a weapon against dissent, making it harder for Americans to protest. We must be able to exercise our civil liberties without fear of retaliation or punishment.
I urge the Senator to oppose any anti-mask legislation. Can you please share my concerns with him directly?
Can I get your full name, position here, and the best way to reach you?
My contact info is…
If I don't hear from you, I will follow up again. This is not a South Blooming Grove situation. I will now allow the senator to send out misinformation, demonstrating his total lack of effort to address my concerns. This moment demands action, and we will hold the Senator accountable for his failure to act.
When you’re done, don’t stop there!
We’ll talk more about David Rabbitts (Assemblyman Chris Eachus’s Chief of Staff, currently putting his own political future ahead of his constituents here in Monroe) in an upcoming post.
Is Skoufis backing Hochul's attempt to include in the budget battle a new law authorizing "Religious" housing that would allow ignoring local zoning laws?