"As a Member of Congress, I pledge to preserve Ft. Totten as a haven for the people of Northeast Queens, not outside special interests," declared Grant Lally, Republican candidate for Congress in the Fifth Congressional District. "I will not allow insider deals with land developers or radical homeless groups take away an important piece of our community. As a federal legislator, I will present a five point plan to preserve the greenspace of Ft.Totten, preserve the history of Ft. Totten, clean up Ft. Totten, not allow homeless shelters in Ft. Totten, and protect the taxpayer against radical government projects."

"Ackerman politicized Ft. Totten right away," stated Lally. "Ackerman's top lieutenant on the LRA is Joe Mattone, a real estate lawyer and major contributor to Ackerman's campaigns. Also on the committee is Mark Lii, a Flushing businessman who hosted a fundraiser for Ackerman on June 24, 1996. Ackerman is mixing his campaign money politics with the future of Ft. Totten. This is self-serving and wrong."

"Ackerman then goes a step further by appointing a smokescreen committee to 'advise' the LRA," Lally continued. "Who comprises this committee? Ackerman campaigners Ann Jawin and Chet Szarejko, and yet another contributor to Ackerman's political campaigns, Virginia Dent. I am appalled that one can buy their way into deciding the future of Ft. Totten by signing up to be an Ackerman political operative."

"I was particularly disturbed by Congressman Ackerman's legislative actions regarding Ft. Totten," Lally continued. "We have learned that Ft. Totten has been classified by the state as a 'hazardous waste site,' the same as Love Canal," Lally continued. "Where was Gary Ackerman? I know that he does not live in our district, but the fact that he has ignored toxic land where our children play is unconscionable."

"The June 20 issue of the Bayside Tribune was very disturbing," Lally continued. "Homeless Shelter Proposed for Fort, was the page one headline. Ackerman found it 'controversial.' I am stunned that Ackerman has the audacity to come to Northeast Queens and claim ignorance, while in Washington he voted for the McKinney Act, which would turn Ft. Totten into a homeless shelter."

"Washington bureaucrats will not turn Ft. Totten into a homeless shelter under my watch in Congress," Lally continued. "I have consulted with the majority in Congress. With the support of both Republicans and Democrats, we will preserve Ft. Totten and protect it from the likes of Gary Ackerman."