Michael V. Lawler
Republican | New York
Candidate Profile*
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Michael V. Lawler
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 17
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Manhattan College, Riverdale, M.S., 2009
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Church of the Presentation, Lector
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
NYS Assemblyman, 2020 - present
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (3)
*Tea Party Express; Kevin McCarthy; Conservative Party of New York State
OTHER (3)
Log Cabin Republicans PAC; National Republican Congressional Committee; Elise Stefanik
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Kevin McCarthy; Elise Stefanik
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (3)
John Boehner (2014); Mitt Romney (2013); WinRed (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (35)
Adrian Smith (2022); American Revival PAC (2022); America's First PAC (2022); Bob Hugin (2022); Bold Active Conservatives of Nebraska (Bacon PAC) (2022)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (2)
International Union of Operating Engineers (2022); Laborers International Union of North America (includes national, state & local affiliates) (2022)
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Neutral
Federal and state dollars used for the purposes of promoting women’s health should continue to be given. However, taxpayer money should not be used for the purpose of providing abortions.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Disagree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
I am personally pro-life, a position that was reaffirmed for me when my wife and I experienced a miscarriage in 2020. However, I do support exceptions for rape, incest, and the health of the mother. What I do not support is partial-birth abortions or late-term abortion.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Neutral
Religious freedoms should be respected and tolerance is a two-way street. However, there is a fine line between exercising your own rights and discriminating against someone else’s. We must always strive to balance those competing interests.
What should be the relationship between the church and the state?
Separation of church and state is important insofar as it ensures that no one religion or institution sets policy for the United States government. However, it does not mean that religion should be removed from the public sphere.
NATIONAL SECURITY
With regard to America's foreign policy, which view most closely resembles yours: A) The United States should intervene whenever freedom is threatened. B) The United States should selectively help countries trying to grow democracy and fight tyranny. C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. D) The United States should stay out of foreign conflicts completely.
B and C. As the leader of the free world, we cannot be isolationist. However, we also do not have the ability to nation-build. We must continue to use diplomatic means and keep our military strong, using intervention when necessary and diplomacy where open conflict can be avoided.
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Strongly Disagree
We must stand with our ally Israel, with whom we have shared strategic goals and a shared commitment to democracy and human rights.
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
The United States must remain firm in the fight against terror, stand with our allies, and honor the commitments that we have made to our partners. The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan last year emboldened our enemies and has made us less safe. Additionally, the Iran nuclear deal must be permanently abandoned. Iran has proven they will not abide by the terms and has only become emboldened in its threat to regional and global security.
HEALTHCARE
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Generally speaking, I support the right of individuals to make their own healthcare decisions. I support religious exemptions for vaccines. However, I do think there are certain vaccines that have a proven track record over a long period of time and think if they meet certain standards they should be required. I do not believe the COVID-19 vaccine should be mandated.
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
C. As a society, we have a responsibility to help those who need it, including our seniors and low-income families. These critically important programs help ensure access to critical healthcare services and should be funded. However, I do not support a government takeover of healthcare or the elimination of the private insurance market.
ECONOMY
Redistribution of income is needed to lessen the gap between the wealthy and working classes.
Strongly Disagree
The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.
Strongly Agree
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
We must simplify the tax code to reduce the strain on middle class families and small businesses. In Congress, I will fight to reduce personal income taxes, corporate taxes, and the overall tax burden on Americans, including eliminating the cap on SALT deductions.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Border security is crucial in order to crack down on the trafficking of fentanyl that is devastating communities across our country as well as to stop the humanitarian crisis that has resulted in the loss of many lives, including those of women and children, in attempting to cross a highly porous border.
State and federal funds shall be denied to any public or private entity, such as a sanctuary city, that is not in compliance with immigration laws.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
We should close the back door of illegal immigration and more broadly open the front door of legal immigration. As the husband of an immigrant, I know how cumbersome the process is for those seeking to emigrate to our country. We are a nation of immigrants and robust legal immigration will make our country and economy stronger.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Agree
Qualified immunity gives our law enforcement officers the ability to do their jobs without fear of themselves or their families being subjected to frivolous lawsuits. Attacks on qualified immunity are intentionally misleading on what this actually entails and are an attack on our law enforcement community.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Strongly Disagree
Mental health funding is important but should absolutely not be redirected from the funding our law enforcement officers need. With crime on the rise and law enforcement officers under attack, we must increase funding for our police, not decrease it, and certainly never defund our police as many demagogues on the left are calling for. With respect to mental health funding, this should be a separate line item.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
In the NY State Assembly, I supported our state’s bipartisan Red Flag law that helps keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals and those who would use firearms to harm themselves or other individuals. I also supported banning ghost guns and strengthening criminal penalties for the sale, manufacturing, and use of them. I strongly support prosecuting criminals who use guns to aid in their crimes to the full extent of the law. I believe doing a better job to ensure firearms don’t fall into the wrong hands and safeguarding the rights of law-abiding citizens are not mutually exclusive. This has been my record in Albany and will be my record in Washington.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
https://video.foxnews.com/v/6307674790112#sp=show-clips; https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ny-assemblyman-mike-lawler-rein-in-cuomo-power-nursing-home-investigation; https://video.foxnews.com/v/6236445001001#sp=show-clips; https://video.foxnews.com/v/6267350342001#sp=show-clips; https://video.foxnews.com/v/6236438007001#sp=show-clips; https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ny-assembly-demands-cuomo-release-full-transcript-nursing-home-deaths-call-as-gov-remains-silent
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
My priorities are reducing the overall tax burden on Americans, getting our economy back on track through by restoring America’s energy independence and unleashing the full potential of Main Street, and securing our porous Southern border.
VALUES
Sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Agree
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a practicing Catholic and my wife is Christian Orthodox. Our Christian faith is very important to us in our values and how we are choosing to raise our daughter. In addition, our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values, which have helped guide me as an elected official.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I strongly support free and fair elections and believe a paper record of every vote cast should be kept. I co-sponsored legislation in the NY State Assembly that would have done precisely this.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is reprehensible and the rise of hatred, bigotry, and extremism is concerning. All of us have a responsibility to call it out any time we see it and work toward bridging any divides within our country. While I believe there are some people who clearly hold racist views, I do not believe that the vast majority of the American people are racist or bigoted.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
A. Environmental regulations that help ensure clean air and clean water are important, but many of the regulations being passed do little to protect the environment while doing much to harm small businesses. Ironically, this results in greater environmental harm as energy production is shifted oversees to countries that have few if any environmental regulations on their industries. Energy independence is also a national security issue. We cannot rely on nations that wish us or our allies harm and this is exactly the path the current Administration in Washington has led us down. We must have an all-of-the-above approach to energy, including nuclear, natural gas, and renewables.
