In the ongoing battle to become political king of Boro Park’s religious Jewish community, sources say City Councilman David Greenfield is silently behind a movement to become a write-in candidate against Assemblyman Dov Hikind‘s chosen successor for the unpaid Democratic 48th Assembly District leadership position.
Sources say Greenfield’s back channel move to petition the City’s Board of Elections for the Opportunity to Ballot (OTB) as a write-in candidate comes just days after KCP exclusively reported that Hikind, was stepping down from his long-held district leadership seat to focus on his assembly position. He and his petitioning committee then picked his 22-year-old communications assistant David Schwartz to replace him on the day that petitions to do so were due.
It also comes nearly two years after Greenfield reportedly was behind a failed million dollar campaign for Republican District Leader Nachman Caller to beat Hikind for his assembly seat.
Sources say that some of Greenfield’s people were making phone calls and circulating the petition for a write-in candidate even a few days before Hikind named Schwartz as his successor. Among those named in helping Greenfield circulate the write-in candidacy drive was Community Board 12 District Manager Barry Spitzer, who is close with Greenfield.
Spitzer did not return KCP’s inquiry as to whether he is involved in a ‘draft Greenfield movement’ for the district leadership position.
When asked yesterday, Greenfield spokesperson Stephen Snowder shrugged off the question as to his boss’s involvement in recruiting people for a district leadership write-in campaign. “Councilman Greenfield is speaking at a Jewish Roundtable event in Philly now at the Democratic National Convention and is therefore not available for comment,” said Snowder.
But Hikind said if the sources are correct and Greenfield is trying to mount a write-in challenge for the district leader seat, it appears like a power grab at the expense of bringing new blood into the political process.
“As far as I’m concerned everyone should be very proud of someone like David Schwartz having a position (district leader) like this and should be enthusiastic about it,” said Hikind. “I can’t believe that David (Greenfield), who is a member of the New York City Council and holds a very important position (Land Use Chair) would stand in a way of giving this man an opportunity.”
Should Greenfield run against Schwartz it would create a David versus Goliath situation as Greenfield is well-connected politically and is one of the top fundraisers in the City Council.
Schwartz, although young, has a growing reputation as being both religious and progressive with a sound political head on his shoulders. He is originally from Williamsburg, but recently moved into the community after marrying.
“Everyone has a right to run. This is America,” said Schwartz. “At the same time, I certainly question the motives of this last-ditch effort to undermine my candidacy.”
