The ‘Special Election’ in A.D. 65 on the Lower East Side was a ‘Political Slug Fest’ featuring some of the most powerful politicians in New York State. It was a ‘Political Slug Fest’ and I was the poor Green Party candidate with a front row seat who was unable to be heard through the noise as New York City politics played out on the Lower East Side. Indeed, solutions to real problems in A.D. 65 were ignored in favor of the political fight. Convicted Assemblyman Sheldon Silver had a big influence in the outcome of the special election fight as well as Joe Crowley, the Queens Democratic Party boss who was accused of ‘meddling in the Lower Manhattan race’. State Senator Squadron supported Luh-Line Niou, of the Working Families Party and City Council member Rosie Mendez was a Cancel supporter. Silver had the advantage as an Orthodox Jew who grew up on the Lower East Side. He represented the community in the NYS State Assembly for nearly 40 years and served as Speaker of that body for 21 years. Truth is, his conviction and removal from office has not erased his huge impact in the neighborhood. The community will not soon forget that the Speaker directed millions of dollars in funding to non-profit organizations that provide social services to the community, including after school programs and meals for seniors. Furthermore, Silver had appointed several District Leaders who worked with the Manhattan Democratic Party. They hire poll workers and election inspectors, and most importantly, guide local political clubs. Shelly was a long term member of the Truman Club that was instrumental in the selection of Alice Cancel, the Democrat candidate who ultimately won Silver’s seat. The people of District 65 ultimately lost because all the political fighting drowned out the real policy differences.
Even with Silver’s coronation, Cancel’s candidacy only split the special election vote with Yuh-Line Niou who ran on the Working Families line. Soho activist, Sean Sweeney of the Downtown Independent Democrats political club, said Niou was a ‘Queens Machine candidate backed by the Working Families Party’. The outside of the district interference and political involvement of elected officials made the special election a real political slug fest and everybody was mixing it up.
At the end of day, the voters on the Lower East Side were the real losers. I participated in four political forums. My positions on closing down the Indian Point nuclear power plant, moving us away from fossil fuels to clean natural energy sources like wind, solar, etc, and ecologically green retro fitting apartment buildings for poor and working class people didn’t break through the political noise and money but some people heard me. The Green Party Platform resonated with poor and working class black, latino, white, and Asian people who live in Battery Park, NYCHA and tenements in Chinatown. Unfortunately, money played too big a role for me to overcome. Cancel raised $5,000 for her campaign and Niou raised an incredible $140,000. I campaigned with just $200 dollars. It was about the candidate with the most political backing and money. The Green Party has no political club on the Lower East Side. It should be noted, political clubs are the base where parties recruit volunteers and build ‘get out the vote’ networks. I have already moved to resolve this deficiency by starting the ‘Lower East Side Green Party Club’. I promise the next election will be about the candidate who will best serve the community.
Unfortunately, the main stream New York media is still crowing about Democrat Alice Cancel defeating three other candidates to win Silver’s old seat. They portrayed the race as a fair contest between the Democrats and Republicans. It should not be surprising when the media has given a reality show entertainer Donald Trump a chance to be President. Alternative parties like the Green Party’s Presidential candidate Jill Stein are not mentioned. Such is politics in the U.S. and the post Sheldon Silver 6th AD. I could go on ranting about the ‘special election’ and how my long resume and the Green Party’s platform best qualified me to be the NYS Assembly person. But, I won’t waste your or my time. More important, I’m thinking about running again in the September primary because ‘A Winner Never Quits and A Quitter Never Wins’..
