Incumbant State Sen. Martin Malavé Dilan (D-Bushwick, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Cypress Hills, City-Line, East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville) yesterday blasted U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Lower Manhattan) and City Councilmember Antonio Reynoso (D-Williamsburg, Bushwick Greenpoint) for making up fake news and besmirching his record.
The federal and city lawmakers claimed Dilan was missing in action when it came to several issues relating to the Hispanic community while endorsing Dilan’s Sept. 13 primary opponent, Democratic Socialist Julia Salazar.
Among the issues Velazquez and Reynoso alleged Dilan didn’t address was his support of farm workers and the separation of immigrant families.
“I understand campaigns become nasty and negative, but we have to draw the line at false claims, especially when it comes to matters of critical importance to the community,” said Dilan. “I have been a strong and vocal advocate in support of farm workers, and in opposing the separation of families by the Trump administration. I don’t understand why anyone would claim otherwise, when there is a clear record of me doing so.
Dilan’s office noted that not only did the senator respond to the separation of families, but the Senate Latino Caucus, which he chairs, took a position critical of the current and past administrations for not addressing the issue.
“No one supports separating children from families and shipping them on to their separate ways to detention facilities dotting the nation. If they do, that level of callousness has nothing to do with policy; that is hatred and intent and has little to do with the law of the land,” said Martin Malavé Dilan, in a statement that the Senate Latnio Caucaus put out on June 27.
Dilan also took umbrage at Velazquez saying, “The current Senate Member, Senator Dilan, who represents this district hasn’t done anything to pass legislation – a farm bill – that will protect workers in the state of New York.”
Dilan’s office noted not only has he been involved in farm worker legislation, he co-sponsored the Farmworkers fair labor practices act.
A Dilan spokesperson noted the senator has been concerned with this issue for years.
“He [Dilan] raised issues about the first version of the legislation, than sponsored by [former State Sen. Pedro] Espada. Commitments were made by both sides to address certain aspects of the bill. This wasn’t done until a new sponsor carried it,” said the spokesperson.
Senator Dilan was the only member to raise the issue of farm laborers having to pay into unemployment insurance to then have access to it. The laborers did not understand this at the time. Some, didn’t know they would be paying dues at all. In addition, as the bill was written, it exempted as much as 30 percent of farms statewide. The Senator asked how many seasonal workers would not be covered under the original bill, said the spokesperson.
Dilan said both the separation and farm worker issues have brought great pain and confusion to thousands of people in the communities all three lawmakers represent, and it is incredibly insensitive to them, and those that stand with them, to add to this suffering by politicizing the issues.
“I can’t understand why anyone who chose public service would think these false claims would be appropriate in any setting, political or policy-wise. What’s more concerning is that someone who wants to serve our community would condone such a thing, and worse, capitalize on it,” said Dilan.
