WNY pols carrying Trump’s water

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Erie County Sheriff John Garcia is regurgitating Donald Trump’s talking points on immigrants, essentially saying too many of them are lawless. Credit to Sandy Tan of The Buffalo News, who reported: “An overwhelming body of research indicates that immigrants, including immigrants who enter the country illegally, commit violent crimes at a much lower rate than the rest of the American population.”

Perhaps the sheriff should focus his efforts on keeping prisoners in his jails alive. As we reported last month, the rate of deaths is higher under Garcia than his predecessor, Tim Howard, whose management of the jails was roundly criticized.

Meanwhile, Congressman Nick Langworthy’s Twitter account has gone full MAGA on immigration, hurricane relief and more.

I get it. Politicians want to support their party’s nominee for president. But they cross the line when they repeat blatant lies.

Bob Dylan is a smart guy. When invited by Buffalo Sabres players to attend their game in Prague, Czechoslovakia, he declined. Said he had to play a concert that night. 

I attended the Sabres home opener Thursday and wound up wishing I had a gig to play instead. Not looking like a playoff team, although they rebounded Saturday against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. 

Regardless, concession prices at the arena are up again this season. Beer will cost you up to $18 a can, a slice of pizza as much as $10.50. Not a good way of showing appreciation to a fan base that has supported the team through more than a decade of miserable hockey.

I told you last week that Billy Shaw was a big deal. Enough so that The New York Times published his obituary the other day. As The Times noted, No. 66 is the only member of the pro football Hall of Fame who played his entire career in the American Football League.

New York State has a lot of lead water lines that need replacing. The estimated cost is $2.5 billion, according to New York Focus.

Ken Kruly, in his Politics and Other Stuff, breaks down who has raised what for state legislative races in Western New York and the Erie County district attorney. 

Climate change is a hoax? Tell the people living in Florida. The winds blew harder and rainfall was heavier because of global warming, scientists say. The result: 16 deaths and $50 billion in damage.

Solar and wind power is a lot more popular with Americans than fossil fuels, according to polling by the Pew Research Center. Fracking, an issue this presidential campaign in neighboring Pennsylvania, is opposed by a 53 to 44 percent margin. 

A couple of reads from Columbia Journalism Review:

• Police are cracking downs on journalists, especially photojournalists, while covering protests.
• Trump’s assault on the press is having an effect and will get worse if he regains the White House, as evidenced by his recent threats against CBS and NBC.

Meanwhile, the administration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is threatening to press criminal charges against television stations if they continue to air political advertising it objects to.

I’ve tried watching Saturday Night Live in this, its 50th season. Lots of lame comedy. Even Weekend Update has gone flat. So I was happy to come across a piece in the Guardian featuring SNL’s 20 best skits over the years. Lots of laughs. But how could they leave off this classic?

Jim Heaney