Katko, Balter discuss gun violence, Trump’s rhetoric in debate

Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) and Democratic challenger Dana Balter sparred in a debate Tuesday night as each candidate made some of their final pitches to voters one week before the midterm elections. 

Both candidates are fighting for control of New York’s 24th Congressional District, which includes Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne counties and the western half of Oswego County. Katko and former Syracuse University professor Balter answered questions on gun violence, health care and President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about citizenship and immigration. The midterm election is on Nov. 6. 

Trump said Tuesday he was considering an executive order to end birthright citizenship in the United States. Katko and Balter agreed that the president doesn’t have the power to make that move and said they would oppose an order.  

The candidates also agreed that the migrant caravan currently traveling from Honduras to the U.S. represented both a humanitarian crisis and a national security threat. But they disagreed about Trump’s intentions for drumming up concerns about the caravan.  

“What the president is doing is not about securing the border,” Balter said. “It’s about stirring up fear a week before an election.” 

Katko said he didn’t believe it’s about fear. He said that Balter supports abolishing the immigrations and customs enforcement, the government agency that enforces immigration law and conducts investigations into drug trafficking. The congressman cited a photo of Balter at a rally organized to protest the Trump administration’s family separation policy, in which there is a sign that reads “Abolish ICE.” 

Balter quickly refuted Katko’s claim, saying she was at the rally to protest the border separation policy. She added that she supports ICE, a position she has spoken publicly about in the past.  

The candidates were shown videos from constituents of the 24th Congressional District who raised concerns about gun violence, health care and the opioid addiction and heroin epidemic.  

Rasheada Caldwell, the mother of Rasheed Baker, who was shot and killed in June 2017, called on the candidates in a video to stop the influx of illegal guns in upstate New York and fund additional resources for schools.  

Katko cited his work as a gang prosecutor in the 1990s as proof he has worked to stop gun and gang violence. He has worked along the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas and in San Juan, Puerto Rico, prosecuting drug cartels before working as a prosecutor in Syracuse.   

“We need to have a robust safe streets task force like we did before and get the guns off the streets of Syracuse,” Katko said. “We need robust enforcements of the laws we already have.”  

Balter said the country needs better gun control measures to stop the violence in communities. Gun control isn’t incompatible with the 2nd Amendment, she added.  

Balter said, if elected, she would vote to institute universal background checks. She claimed the Concealed Weapon Carry Act, which Katko co-sponsored, would allow people to legally bring guns that aren’t allowed in New York into the state. Katko disagreed with Balter’s assessment of the law.   

“When you come from one state to another, you are subject to the laws of that state, so that shouldn’t be an issue in New York state,” Katko said. “And I never — and I’ve prosecuted hundreds of gun cases throughout my career — found a criminal who lawfully possessed a weapon.” 

The candidates were asked about how they will improve health care for struggling families. Balter expressed her support for a universal health care plan. Balter said a Medicare-for-all plan would save the government and households money, but Katko said such a plan would double taxes and the size of government overnight.   

Katko said he instead supports decreasing prescription drug costs and creating medical malpractice reform.