BAY RIDGE — ‘Tis the season for elected officials to celebrate the holidays with their friends and supporters, and the Conservative Party of Kings County is no exception. The party held its annual holiday reception on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at Mussels & More at 8001 Fifth Ave. in Bay Ridge.
Brooklyn Conservative Party Chair Fran Vella-Marrone hosted the warm and congenial reception and welcomed guests including New York State Conservative Party Chair Jerry Kassar; Councilmember Kalman Yeger; Assemblymember Simcha Eichenstein; 68th Precinct Community Council President and Brooklyn Conservative Party Vice Chair David Ryan; Richmond County Conservative Party Chair David Curcio; Liam McCabe, president of the Verrazano Republicans; Mike Connors, attorney and radio host of “Ask the Lawyer;” attorney Michael Tannousis, who is running for the seat currently held by Malliotakis in the Assembly; and community leaders Michael Connors, Jr. and Richard Barsamian.
“I’m very happy to have included all of our friends here tonight,” Vella-Marrone told this paper. “We have some of our elected officials here tonight, and we have our Republican friends here as well and our Conservative committee and other friends that support us. It’s just our way of saying thank-you to the people who support us throughout the year and we are looking forward to a great 2020,” she added.
Vella-Marrone was also delighted to have Tannousis at the reception. “He is going to be our candidate for the 64th Assembly District. The New York State and the Brooklyn Conservative Party have endorsed him. He’s going to make a fine candidate and we look forward to the race next year, and we also look forward to supporting Nichole Malliotakis for Congress. We look forward to a robust campaign next year and taking back New York’s 11th Congressional District.”
Kassar was pleased to spend time with close friends. “Tonight’s celebration is about forever friendships and the Conservative Party in Brooklyn, which I chaired for 30 years,” said Kassar. “It is really my life and the roots of what I’ve done in politics along with [former New York State Chair] Mike Long and Fran, whom I’ve known forever. It’s always great to be with my friends,” added Kassar.