Former Senator Jesse E. Hamilton III took to Facebook with two videos of his own this week to “set the record straight” after his opponent, Assemblymember Diana Richardson (Crown Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Wingate, Flatbush), in the 43rd Assembly District race called him out last weekend.
In the much shorter and succinct videos, Hamilton addresses Richardson directly, saying he is reluctant to have to respond to her but can no longer abide by her “lies.” He completely disapproved of her resorting to “childish” “bullying tactics,” calling him a demeaning name throughout her tirade, and attacking other Black elected officials during a period of immense divisiveness and racism in the city and all over the country.
As a member of the community for over 26 years and a family man, he said, he was confused as to why she didn’t act respectfully towards other people.
“Where are your receipts? You were not there,” said Hamilton, speaking about Richardson’s lack of proof for her claims.
He then goes “tit-for-tat” to counterpoint each claim that Hamilton made in her video.
He claims that during his time in the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) that Richardson accepted funds from him, contrary to what she said about him only being interested in money.
Other bills mentioned in his videos were the African American History and Achievement bill to increase Black education as part of New York’s curriculum, which Hamilton claims Richardson was “negligent” about.
He seemed particularly hurt that Richardson would bring up The José Peralta New York State DREAM Act in her video considering how close he was to the late Senator Peralta before his passing.
“You want to disparage his name,” said Hamilton about Peralta’s work to ensure immigrant children had a path to higher education, “Don’t ever, ever, ever say that I blocked the DREAM act when I helped write it. When the brother and I fought together, outside the box, and he lost his life.”
During this year’s protests, he said, he headed back to Albany to get his 911 Anti-Discrimination Bill, originally introduced in 2018, passed. Hamilton introduced the bill to combat the misuse of 911 calls and many “living while Black incidents” that he personally has had to endure.
“I’m running for the community to affect change in Albany,” said Hamilton as to why he is in the race. “I’m not in this for the title, I’m in this for unity and to continue to fight for my community.”
He also said for the official record his campaign manager is Vivia Morgan of the Wingate Alliance, not former County Chair Frank Seddio.
The only point he actually agreed with Richardson on was her call for voters to go to the polls or turn in mail-in ballots this election season and to do their own research.
