"Congressman Gary Ackerman (D - Jamaica) is continuing his smokescreen on the truth behind Ft. Totten," stated Grant Lally. "This so - called "Blue Ribbon" panel headed up by a big dollar contributor to Ackerman is just another front behind his real scheme to turn Ft. Totten into a homeless shelter."

The contributor, Joseph Mattone of Douglaston, has contributed the maximum $1,000 to Congressman Ackerman over the last three election cycles. Mr. Mattone is a partner in Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Mattone, Menga, and Todd, a powerful law firm that deals heavily with real estate matters.

"Having a powerful real - estate attorney who happens to be a top political crony of Gary Ackerman chairing this committee smacks of all that is wrong with our current Congressman," Lally continued. "Gary Ackerman was a key supporter of The McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (H.R. 558) in Congress, which could turn Ft. Totten into a huge homeless shelter. Instead of answering to the truth of his support of this homeless shelter act, he appoints a top financier to his political campaigns to give him political cover. "

"Mr. Mattone's deep roots in real estate dealings make him unfit to fairly discuss the future of Ft. Totten. If Gary Ackerman's preference of turning Ft. Totten into a homeless shelter fails, he has a built - in backup plan to pay off a top political crony," Lally concludes. "Gary Ackerman should move into our Congressional district to better understand us. Ft. Totten should never become a homeless shelter and it should never become a prize in a political payoff.

"Gary Ackerman has been a part of all that is wrong with our government, and eighteen years of Gary Ackerman on our payroll is long enough."