Editor’s Note: As part of KCP’s mission of keeping you in touch with your community, the following is a weekly update of the candidates running for City Council in District 43 covering Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and parts of Bath Beach and Bensonhurst.
GOP Candidates Condemn PR Parade Organizers For Honroing Rivera
All three Republican candidates running for City Council in District 43 Liam McCabe, Bob Capano and John Quaglione condemned Democratic officials for supporting the Puerto Rican Day parade organizers’ decision to honor militant nationalist Oscar Lopez Rivera of Puerto Rico.
Rivera, a former member of FALN, was released last Wednesday after serving 35 years of his 70-year sentence, which was commuted by former President Barack Obama. Rivera was convicted of seditious conspiracy, the use of force to commit robbery and several other non-violent felonies in association with FALN.
Sponsors Jet Blue and Goya have abandoned this year’s parade in protest of Rivera’s participation. The PBA, Rafael Ramos Foundation and the NYPD Hispanic Society have also said they plan to boycott the parade.
“I am holding my Councilman, and prospective District Attorney, Vincent Gentile, accountable, by calling on him to cut the politics and stand up to Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s celebration of a known terrorist, and to boycott the parade unless Lopez Rivera is removed from it,” said McCabe.
“New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito is a radical leftist hell-bent on celebrating and defending criminals over law-abiding citizens, said Capano. It would also be nice if one of the several Democrats running for City Council in the 43rd district would demonstrate some courage and independence and stand up to one of their leaders.”
Quaglione also commented on the controversy surrounding the parade, “Saluting terrorists or their helpers could not be more wrong. I support the Puerto Rican people, but I cannot support an event, especially after recent incidents, that extols violence and praises those who’ve killed civilians and injured police. By supporting this terrorist, Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Mark-Viverito are turning their backs on the families of the New Yorkers who were killed and the police who were maimed as a result of his actions. It’s a sad day.”
Carroll’s Nabs Two Endorsements
Democrat Kevin Peter Carroll secured up two endorsements this week from Brooklyn Democrats for Change and Victory Fund.
“I know Victory Fund would not endorse me unless they had the utmost confidence in my chance of winning,” said Carroll. “They have an amazing track record of electing LGBTQ candidates from Tammy Baldwin to the U.S. Senate to Sean Patrick Maloney and Kyrsten Sinema to the House and, in turn, making this nation a more open and tolerant place to live.
Brannan Nabs Bay Ridge Dems, WFP Endorsements
The Bay Ridge Democrats endorsed Justin Brannan for City Council of District 43.
Club President Chris McCreight said: “Justin was endorsed for his track record of getting things done for people in Bay Ridge and beyond. Justin is the rare candidate who knows how the city council works but is driven not by politics, but a true desire to help our community. The bottom line is that we know where Justin stands on the issues because he’s been actively fighting for them even before he got involved in electoral politics.”
The Working Families Party also reportedly endorsed Brannan.
Capano Continues Support Of President Trump
Republican Bob Capano this week applauded former congressman Michael Grimm’s call for President Trump to exercise “bold leadership” in face of media creating “scandal after scandal.”
“Republicans I speak to going door to door are proud of President Trump’s accomplishment so far including the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, cutting government regulations to spur job creation, steadfast support of law enforcement, and ending the Obama administration’s doctrine of treating our enemies with more respect than our allies,” said Capano.
El-Yateem Snares Two Endorsements
Democrat Rev. Khader El-Yateem picked up two endorsements this week –– League of Independent Theatre and the New Kings Democrats (NKD).
El-Yateem’s endorsement questionnaire for NKD spoke to the underrepresented residents in the community.
“I am running to be the megaphone for the unheard voices in my district – immigrants, people of color, people living in poverty, artists, and those struggling to afford rent in my neighborhood, said El-Yateem. “I am running to put the marginalized residents first. I am running to be a bold, progressive, and inclusive voice in City Council. I am the only candidate in this race who is not a career politician.”
Brooklyn Teen Republicans Give McCabe Thumbs Up
Republican Liam McCabe secured an endorsement from the Brooklyn Teen Republican Club this week following the May 4 debate featuring all the Republican candidates running for City Council.
“Liam really articulated a positive vision and real, practical, common sense solutions for South Brooklyn in terms of City-Level government. Liam is a fresh face for the party who will lead the charge in my Club’s mission of expanding Republicanism to the younger generation,” says Brooklyn Teen Republican Club President Batya Goldberg.
McCabe announced his candidacy on Groundhog’s Day and has since racked up the endorsements of Congressman Dan Donovan, and former Sen. David Storobin.
Quaglione Proposes Ticketing Reform
Republican John Quaglione proposed ticketing reform as a way to reduce the excessive auto ticketing within the District.
The candidate proposes re-introducing night court open once a week for residents to fight parking violations during evening hours. Quaglione also suggests allowing commercial vehicle operators to fight their tickets, regardless of the amount of tickets they receive, in their borough’s Parking Violations Bureau.
“The current system for fighting tickets hurts businesses, residents, and workers in our district. A commercial vehicle operator can get up to 10 tickets in a single day. Taking time off work and traveling long distances to dispute them, is an unnecessary added cost,” said Quaglione. “It’s discriminatory towards the outer-boroughs.”
Brannan Proposes City Control Of Mass Transit Within City Lines
With chronic commuting delays plaguing the city, Democrat Justin Brannan has proposed New York State return Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Bus Company and New York City Transit (NYCT) services in the five boroughs back over to city control.
“Fifty years of state control of the MTA has given us nothing but poor service, political pet projects and upstate lawmakers making decision about a transportation network they’ve never even set foot in,” said Brannan. “New York lives and dies by its transportation network, and yet we don’t have the power to make significant decisions about how funds are allocated or where new train lines are built.
