100
PERCENT
By
Robert Press
Klein
Wins Big at Ben Franklin Dem Club
Before
I get into what happened at the Ben Franklin Democratic Club
endorsement for the 34th
State Senate district, Congratulations go out to Mr. William Rivera
the new Chairman of Community Board 9. William has worked hard on CB
9 as the chair of the Public Safety/Housing Committee, and was
rewarded by being voted in as the youngest Community Board Chair in
New York City.
Just
a few days after Riverdale Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Councilman
Andrew Cohen, both Democratic district leaders, and several other
prominent Riverdalians endorsed incumbent state senator Jeff Klein
for re-election the Ben Franklin Democratic Club met for the purpose
of a club endorsement vote for the Democratic Primary. Former
Councilman Oliver Koppell had finally announced his candidacy for the
34th
state senate seat so this club vote had three options. Option one, a
club endorsement for incumbent State Senator Jeff Klein. Option two,
an endorsement of challenger Oliver Koppell. Option three, a vote of
no endorsement of either candidate in the race.
It
seemed that the Koppell strategy at the Ben Franklin Club was to have
the club not endorse any candidate in the 34th
district. This would seem to be a victory for Koppell as the club as
a whole would not carry petitions for Klein. It became evident that
during the floor fight of how to vote on the matter of the club
endorsing or not that Oliver Koppell was not going to have the club
behind him. The vote to endorse a candidate turned out to be 84 Ayes,
23 Nays, and 0 abstentions.
BFDC
President Ellen Feld then went over the rules of how the candidates
would speak, answer questions, and then have surrogates speak on
their behalf, something she had done many times before. She mentioned
that the club usually goes by alphabetical order but that both
candidates have agreed to let Oliver Koppell go first.
Oliver
Koppell went over his vast experience in public office. He continued
that he had endorsed Jeff Klein in the past against Steve Kaufman,
When Kaufman said if he was elected that he would work with the
Republicans in the state senate. Koppell then attacked Klein for
betraying the Senate Democratic Conference majority by empowering
Republican Leader Dean Skellows to stay in power, and ended by saying
“Have you no decency Mr. Klein.” Questions were next, and Koppell
was drilled on having overturned the will of the people of the city
by extending term limits for himself and allowing Republican Mayor
Bloomberg to serve four more years. Other questions included just
what did you do besides overturning term limits? Koppell answered by
saying that in the state assembly he created the “Bottle Bill”,
was chair of the City Council Mental Health Committee, opposed term
limits when June Eisland was the Councilwoman before Mayor Bloomberg,
and ended by saying that Klein has been in office for 20 years now.
Jeff
Klein spoke of growing up in the Bronx. At age 12 his grandfather
told him that Democrats are people like us, and that he is the first
Democrat to represent the 34th
State Senate district in 100 years. Klein told of traveling the state
to help get a Democratic majority a few years ago with many promises
made by the Democrats who took over that were never fulfilled. He
added that the Democratic majority only created dysfunction and bred
corruption throwing out a few names of the De State Senators who have
gone to jail after the Democratic takeover. He said that was the
reason for the creation of the Independent Democratic Conference
(IDC). He said that items such as the money for Pre-K and many other
Democratic ideals never came to the senate floor under Republican or
even Democratic leadership that have under the IDC co-leadership.
Klein was then asked several questions that included how much money
he had received from charter school advocates, his pro death penalty
stance, failure of the Dream Act, and where he stands on
hydrofracking. Klein said he did not know how much or just who
donated to his campaign from the charter school advocates, that he is
in favor of the death penalty being brought back,.Klein added that it
was him who brought the Dream Act to the senate floor, that all IDC
members voted for it, but not all Senate Democrats did. Klein closed
by saying that he is opposed to hydrofracking adding that the Sierra
Club and NCLV have endorsed him. Oliver Koppel;ls wife Lorraine tried
to take a shot at Senator Klein by asking him why there were no
minority members of the IDC.
The
surrogate speakers were next, and Koppell's wife called Klein a
racist for not having a minority member of the IDC. Several Koppell
supporters said that Klein is not a real Democrat and has let the
Republicans stay in power in the state senate. 33rd
State Senator Gustavo Rivera who has been at odds with Klein in the
state senate gave a lukewarm speech at times praising Klein, but
ended asking the club to endorse Oliver Koppell in the 34th
district.
On
the Klein side Councilman Cohen spoke of how Senator Klein has helped
him in dealing with some problems in his council district. Others who
spoke for Senator Klein spoke of his experience and compared Klein to
getting rid of the gridlock that had been holding things up in
Albany, including having an on time state budget for the past four
years. The clincher was the last speaker Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz
who answered the calls of his disloyalty to Koppell by saying “Where
was Oliver Koppell at the Paradise Theater when all but two of the
Ben Franklin Club members were supporting him to become the new Bronx
Democratic County Committee Chair?' Dinowitz then said as he was
being assaulted in the back Oliver Koppell and his wife were on stage
with Jose Rivera, Maria Baez, and Larry Seabrook trying to keep them
in power over me and the eventual winners that night. As Dinowitz
continued and one could hear by his voice that he did not want to say
what he was, but it was Oliver Koppell who wanted Loyalty and
Democratic values over a very effective legislator. Dinowitz
continued that in the 2009 mayors race Oliver Koppell did not endorse
the Democratic candidate Bill Thompson. That Koppell choose to
sponsor legislation to extend his term and the term of Republican
Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and then endorsed the Republican candidate
Bloomberg over the Democratic candidate. Dinowits ended by saying if
it was an open seat things would be different, but Senator Jeff Klein
is doing an excellent job and deserves to be re-elected.
The
final vote was Klein – 96, Koppell – 38, with 11 votes for no
endorsement. Senator Klein said that he now has the endorsement of
all the Democratic clubs in his district. Lorraine Coyle Koppell said
“It is a sad day for the Ben Franklin Club, it has lost its reason
for its existence.” Check my blog for photos of the endorsement
meeting.
Former
Governor David Patterson has taken over as New York State Democratic
Party chair, and has said that taking over control of the state
senate is not his number one priority, party unity is.
Lastly
Saturday June 7th
is Family Day 2014 at Vidalia Park from 12 – 5 PM. The park is
located on East 187th
Street between Daly & Vyse Avenues. There will be food, fun,
games, and musical entertainment by toby Rivera.
If
you have any comments about this column or would like to have an
event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail
us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail
.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
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