“We’re at a full complement of 62 senators,” Majority Leader Dean Skelos told the Albany chamber earlier this afternoon. “Today we have sworn in and we have a new member in David Storobin who is representing the 27th Senate District in Brooklyn.”
Mr. Storobin, who finally locked up an epic 14-vote victory last week in a special election that took place all the way back in March 20th, is the first New York State Senator of Russian descent, a fact Mr. Skelos heavily referenced in his short speech today.
“[In] 1984 I had the opportunity to travel to the then-Soviet Union, sponsored by the Long Island Committee for Soviet Jewry,” he said. “When I was there I had the opportunity to meet with various refuseniks who were not allowed to get married in a religious ceremony, who were discriminated against on a daily basis, and certainly there was absolutely no opportunity to run for public office.”
Mr. Skelos went on to describe Mr. Storobin’s path from Soviet immigrant to Albany legislator as the fulfillment of the American dream, to the applause of his supporters and colleagues in the room.
“David, we welcome you to this body. We salute you in your life story and journey, and we hope that you will be able to accomplish much for your constituents in Brooklyn,” he continued. “So, David, we welcome you to the State Senate.”
Watch below:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKT9hK1uyxc]
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