Is North Korea a threat: Admiral Stavridis on Cat’s Rountable

Former Navy Admiral James Stavridis retired Admiral in the U.S. Navy.  He was the Supreme Allied Commander of the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009 to 2013.  He also served as Commander of U.S. Southern Command – with responsibility for all military operations in Latin America from 2006-2009.    He was Senior Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy (2001-2002).  He is Chair of the Board – U.S. Naval Institute (2013-present.)  Admiral Stavridis is the dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University.  The Fletcher School is oldest exclusively graduate school of international affairs in the United States. His most recent book is entitled “Sea Power.”

Senator Charles Schumer is the Minority Leader of the United Sates Senate.  He is the senior United States Senator from New York – a Democrat.  First elected in 1998 by a margin of 55%–44%. Schumer was re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a margin of 66%–33%.  Before his election to the U.S. Senate – Schumer served in the US House of Representatives from 1981 to 1999 – representing New York’s 16th congressional district – Manhattan.  A native of Brooklyn and graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School – he was a three-term member of the New York State Assembly – serving from 1975 to 1980.

Dr. Peter N. Schlegel, MD, FACS is the James J. Colt Professor of Urology, a Professor of Reproductive Medicine, and Urologist-in-Chief for New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.  His early training as a resident at Johns Hopkins led him to perform ground-breaking work in prostate cancer and male infertility.  After a fellowship at Cornell and Rockefeller/The Population Council, he elected to stay on the faculty at Weill Cornell rather than returning to Baltimore, as planned.  Schlegel serves as vice president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.  Dr. Schlegel is nationally and internationally recognized as an outstanding urologist, having served on the American Board of Urology and as a member of nearly every important, select professional organization in Urology.

Professor Richard Baum leads the White House Office of Drug Control Policy. This position is often called the “Drug Czar” of the nation.  Professor Baum is a policy expert who has worked for nearly 20 years in numerous strategic and leadership roles at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). His tenure at ONDCP has spanned four administrations.  In his two decades of service at ONDCP, he has seen the heart-breaking suffering caused by illegal drugs.  Baum’s experience also includes working as a Hill staffer, a writer and researcher on criminal justice policy, and as a coordinator of a local non-profit’s community policing project.

John Chachas began as First Boston’s managing director of the firm’s Media Group.  In 2000, he joined Lazard as a managing director and co-head of the firm’s Media Advisory practice in the Americas. He advised the board on the $18 billion buyout of Clear Channel Communications, the Walt Disney Company on its 2006 sale of its ABC Radio business, and the Hearst Corporation on its go-private transaction of Hearst-Argyle Television in 2009 among others.  In 2010, Chachas left Lazard to become a candidate for the U.S. Senate in the Republican primary race in his home state of Nevada.  After his unsuccessful Senate race Chachas returned to New York and founded Methuselah Advisors.  Since the formation of Methuselah, he has served as a financial advisor to several of the country’s largest media organizations, including Tribune Company throughout its bankruptcy from 2009 until its emergence in 2012. He advised Journal Communications on its $2.2 billion spin-merger combination with the newspaper and broadcaster, E.W. Scripps.   In 2015, Methuselah represented Journal Media Group on its $300 million sale to Gannett.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance – Jr. – inaugurated as the District Attorney of New York County on January 2010. He overwhelmingly re-elected four years later.  District Attorney Vance enhanced the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as a national leader in criminal justice by expanding the offices expertise on an array of 21st century crimes – including identity theft – cybercrime – white-collar fraud – hate crimes – terrorism – domestic violence – human trafficking – and violent and gang-related crimes.  The District Attorney’s office has become a national leader in combating cyber terrorism.  His office has also become a leader in the use of DNA evidence to solve old crimes and right wrongful convictions.   He has recovered billions of dollars from international financial institutions that had been engaged in violating international sanctions for the benefit of countries like Iran – Libya – and Sudan.

Steven Malanga is City Journal’s senior editor and a Manhattan Institute senior​ 
fellow. He writes about the intersection of urban economies – business communities – and public policy.  Malanga is considered an expert in analysis of public budgets and the implications of rising taxes and reduced services.  Before joining City Journal – Malanga was executive editor of Crain’s New York Business.   Malanga has written for the Wall Street Journal – Los Angeles Times – New York Times – New York Daily News – and New York Post.

Jack Martins is the Nassau County Executive and seeking re-election in November. He previously served as the State Senator of the Town of North Hempstead and portions of the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay. While in the Senate, Martins has repeatedly led Long Island’s 31 state legislators in the number of bills sponsored which were ultimately passed by both houses of the State Legislature.  Martins is a vivid opponent to the Common Core curriculum taught in schools.  Martins ran for Congress in 2016 election to represent New York’s 3rd congressional district and narrowly lost to Tom Suozzi.   Prior to serving in the State Senate, Jack was Mayor of the Village of Mineola for eight years.   As Mayor, Martins instituted a debt management plan to stabilize the village’s finances, facilitated downtown revitalization and economic growth and passed eight consecutive balanced, fiscally-responsible budgets

Michael McMahon is the District Attorney of Staten Island since 2015 – the seated vacated by the recent election of former District Attorney Dan Donovan to Congress.  Mr. McMahon was the former U.S. Representative for New York’s 13th congressional district – serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Recognizing the significant challenges facing Staten Island as the epicenter of the heroin and prescription drug crisis, Mr. McMahon has made this issue a central focus for RCDA. In his first 100 days, Mr. McMahon led the takedowns of over a dozen drug dealers on Staten Island, restructured resources and staff within the office to better coordinate leadership between the Narcotics Bureau, Investigations Bureau, and Crime Strategies Unit, and created the City’s first and only Overdose Response Initiative.