In a letter to the editor, three Democrats from Hoboken express why they were disappointed by the local Democratic committee’s recent “attempt to gaslight voters.”
Dear Editor,
The Hoboken Democrat Executive Committee’s recent attempt to gaslight voters regarding the upcoming November 8th Board of Education (BOE) election necessitates a response by the full progressive spectrum.
As Democrats, we were disappointed by the attempts from the Committee to politicize this election.
In their op-ed they state that they are not entering the non-partisan BOE race, yet they literally bring up an entire host of straw man issues that not one single slate, nor candidate, is discussing.
The leadership of the Hoboken Democrat Committee unleashed a common political tactic, the dog whistle, in a decidedly partisan way and followed by mentioning the one slate of candidates managed by someone affiliated with GOP.
We, the undersigned, span the politically left side of the spectrum from supporters of Bernie Sanders to more traditional democrats like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, and everything in between.
We are past members of the Hoboken BOE, advocates for rent control and fair housing, former and current rank and file elected members of the Hoboken Democrat Committee, a former Teamster and shop steward and more.
We are active members of the Hoboken community and proud progressives of all stripes, and we condemn the underhanded and cynical partisan attack by the Hoboken Democrat Executive Committee.
Moreover, we are voting for Kids First (6,7,8) – Pavel Sokolov, Cindy Wiegand and Donna Magen – because we know the candidates that the leadership (but not rank and file) of the Hoboken Democrat Committee and Councilmembers Jabbour, Quintero, and Cohen (members of Team Bhalla) support are not only about below the belt attacks, but closed-door decision making.
Whether one was for or against the recent failed BOE bond referendum, like too much in Hoboken, it was concocted in a veil of secrecy until it was required by State law to be made public in the referendum process.
Everything for the education of Hoboken’s children, and everything paid for by the taxpayer, should be done in the open. Kids First is dedicated to that proposition, can anyone say that about the other slate or their backers?
Sincerely,
Cheryl Fallick
Leon Gold
Kevin Davis