PRESS ADVISORY
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sean Sweeney 212-460-9896
Gerson/Quinn lose important DID endorsements. Passions run high.
In an amazing rejection by the club that many say propelled him to his narrow victory in 2001, Downtown Independent Democrats (DID) has endorsed challenger Pete Gleason over Councilmember Alan Gerson by a substantial 64-52 margin. Following an overwhelming loss last week at Rosie Mendez' CODA and his barely squeaking out a victory at his home club VRDC, Gerson is clearly in trouble.
Making last minute calls to supporters who rushed up in taxis just as voting was closing was not enough to give the incumbent the victory he so desperately needed. Like his eight years in office, it was too little, too late.
Tensions ran very high throughout the evening. In one instance, Luke Henry, a ringer from Gerson's VRDC Executive Board, attempted to vote, only to be discovered and have his ballot shredded as he attempted to place it in the ballot box.
Tensions came to a violent head when Gerson shoved 72-year-old DID member Gil Horowitz who made the error of having the temerity of arguing with Alan's mother, Sophie. When Horowitz threatened to call the police to report the assault, Gerson obliged his victim and handed over his cell phone. Horowitz pulled Gerson's bluff, took the cell phone and then hurled it against the wall!
To make matters worse, lawyers in the room noted that Gerson was distributing constituent informational newsletters paid for by the taxpayers at this political endorsement meeting. Such actions are illegal and unethical, and a complaint is being filed with the City Council (which pays for it), the NYC Campaign Finance Board and the Board of Elections.
Even normally staid District Leader endorsements took on an urgency this year at DID because Gerson foolishly decided to run challengers to any of DID District Leaders who would not support him, specifically Jean Grillo and Adam Silvera. Some feel this affront was the final straw that cost Gerson the club's endorsement.
In an astonishing development, a DID District Leader and Gerson supporter, David Reck, running unopposed, not only surprisingly failed to support his fellow Leaders, but actively participated in a cabal attempting to defeat them. Reck went so far as organizing the opposition and providing internal DID documents to assist them.
However, this strategy backfired because although Grillo and Silvera sailed to victory, Reck - running unopposed and facing no opposition campaign within the club - surprisingly came close to not getting his own club's endorsement with 41 "No Endorsements" to 58 votes. Insiders believe that if there had actually been an organized effort to get a 'No Endorsement' for Reck, he would have lost the backing of the club.
In another upset, Yetta Kurland was endorsed over Speaker Christine Quinn in a run-off vote. Quinn squeaked past Kurland 41-40 on the first ballot with two other candidates, Jim Fouratt and Maria Derr, accumulating 31 votes. However, the Speaker did not achieve the required majority vote. During the second voting, in dramatic manner, both Fouratt and Derr withdrew and instructed their supporters to cast their vote for Kurland. This move gave the challenger an impressive 42-19 victory.
In other races, Thompson garnered 56 to Avella's 24, and DA candidate Richard Aborn coasted in with a clear majority vote over his two competitors.
There were two run-offs. In the Public Advocate contest, a run-off between Bill de Blasio and Norman Siegel saw de Blasio taking it. For Comptroller, although John Liu had a few more votes on the first ballot, it did not provide a majority. In the subsequent run-off, Yassky pulled ahead to claim the coveted endorsement.
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