Lavine always finding something new to offer

He’s been an Assemblyman for 17 years with hopes of continuing on at least one more term.
Charles Lavine is a 75-year-old Democrat with a background in law, spending time as a public defender for the Legal Aid Society in New York City, and as an instructor of Cardoza Law School’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program.
His political experience includes membership in the Glen Cove City Council; a committee member, a chair and vice chair of the Glen Cove Democratic Committee; and a committee person for the Nassau County Democratic Committee. He also served in bipartisan efforts as Chair of the Committee on Ethics and Guidance, co-Chair of the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission and as Chair of the Taskforce that produced the Assembly Speaker’s Policy on Sexual Harassment, Retaliation and Discrimination. He also served as Judiciary Chair, where he ensured that the investigation into former Governor Andrew Cuomo was conducted in a fair and responsible manner.
So, what keeps him coming back to the political arena?
“I think I make a difference for the better,” Lavine told reporters during a recent Herald Roundtable session. “Being able to help shape policy is something that energizes me. I think I’m pretty good at it.”

The Assemblyman says he’s no stranger to representing his community’s best interests. In fact, he’s especially proud of this most recent term where he introduced the Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act. It’s intended to stop the manufacture and distribution of so-called “ghost guns,” which can be crafted without appropriate identifying information. Lavine credits Beigel a hero for his acts during the 2018 Parkland and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Miami, Florida.
“We wanted to do something to carry on his name,” Lavine said. “To respect his sacrifice.”
Lavine is also a passionate supporter of initiatives to better educate students on hate crimes. One piece of legislation to combat hate crimes was signed into law this past summer by Gov. Kathy Hochul. This legislation is intended to ensure that New York schools are properly educating students on the Holocaust. For now, however, the new law simply requires the state education department to survey schools to determine where the Holocaust is being taught.
“But more is involved here than simply the Holocaust,” Lavine said. “Anti-Asian hatred has been here as long as Asians have been here.
“For the adults who do this — and do this professionally — I have no problem with some good jail time for them,” Lavine said.
But he doesn’t want jail time for women — or doctors — who are simply exercising their rights to control their own bodies. Lavine expressed disgust for the decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer that essentially overturns Roe v. Wade, saying the decision was an act against Constitutional rights fueled by political demagoguery.
“Trump made it clear that he was appointing judges who were going to overturn Roe v. Wade,” Lavine said. “Anyone who believed these judges when they said that they were going to respect precedent was naive.”
Lavine noted that abortion is almost exclusively a women’s rights issue, but the Supreme Court has robbed Americans of their rights.
“It’s a denial of my right,” Lavine said, “because American rights are not divisible.”