Child Victims Act Proponent Gary Greenberg Endorses Rochester Dem Rachel Barnhart for N.Y. State Assembly

By Kenneth Lovett
New York Daily News
July 25, 2016

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/fighting-children-pac-creator-backs-dem-assembly-candidate-article-1.2725511

Investor and Child Victims Act proponent Gary Greenberg created a political action committee called Fighting For Children. (Bryan Pace/for New York Daily News)

An upstate investor who has targeted Senate Republicans for not passing a measure making it easier for child sex abuse victims to seek justice hasn't forgotten about the Assembly Democratic inaction on the issue this year.

Gary Greenberg, a child sex abuse survivor who has created a political action committee called Fighting For Children, has endorsed Rochester Democrat Rachel Barnhart, a long-time news anchor who is running a primary against three-term incumbent Harry Bronson.

“This endorsement is the only one I will be making in the Assembly,” he said. “The Assembly failed to take a vote on the Child Victims Act. Shame on them.”

Greenberg through his PAC will make a maximum $4,400 donation to Barnhart's campaign.

“The position of news anchor allowed Rachel to see firsthand the devastating impacts of child sex abuse,” Greenberg said. “Rachel is just the kind of independent leader Rochester needs in the New York State Assembly.”

Rachel Barnhart is a long-time news anchor who is running in a primary against three-term incumbent Harry Bronson. (Facebook)

Barnhart vowed to push for passage of the Child Victims Act, which would extend the time that child sex abuse victims can bring lawsuits.

“Sexual abuse victims of any age deserve justice,” Barnhart said.

Under current law, a victim has until their 23rd birthday to file a civil lawsuit.

A bill to extend the statute of limitations was not acted upon in either house of the Legislature. One that was considered in the Assembly by the Democrats did not go far enough for Greenberg while other advocates deemed it a good first step.

Greenberg and his PAC have already targeted nine incumbent Senate Republicans in hopes of helping the Democratic push to take control of the chamber this November.

He recognizes the Barnhart endorsement is more a symbolic effort since the Assembly Democrats are entrenched in the majority and the defeat of one incumbent in a primary would not be enough to change the dynamics of the chamber.

“It's a message to the Speaker and the Assembly leadership that we're not happy with them, either; that they haven't gotten the job done, either,” Greenberg said.

Michael Whyland, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, dismissed the Greenberg effort.

"We developed a strong bill that addresses this issue, and Speaker Heastie strongly supports Harry Bronson," Whyland said. "These kinds of efforts make no difference to the Speaker and they will not work."