100 PERCENT
By Robert Press
Dirty Tactics in Politics
First, with the Bronx Voice on vacation this week I did not want you the reader to miss this column as the Bronx Democratic primary draws near. A few key races are heating up, and you need to know more about them.
First up is the 33rd State Senate race. Here incumbent Gustavo Rivera is facing the toughest challenge of his short political tenure. Now he beat his opponent two years ago, but this is a different Fernando Cabrera from two years ago. The big difference is that candidate Fernando Cabrera is being funded by a pro Charter School PAC to the tune of up to Two-Hundred Thousand dollars according to Candidate Gustavo Rivera. So why would this worry the incumbent if he defeated his opponent before?
When Gustavo defeated the incumbent years ago he had a PAC give him Two-Hundred Fifty Thousand dollars, and he knows that money talks and BS walks. I am not saying that Senator Rivera is not a good elected official, but just look at his district. Has the district improved since he took office, and how? Also remember that his opponent is the city councilman who covers a good part of the state senate district, and that while there are no more state discretionary funds, a city councilman gets Five Million New York City dollars in Discretionary funding to dole out.
Senator Rivera is trying hard for his constituents, but when you have an informational session on SNAP (the old food stamp program) with fellow State Senator Liz Krueger, do it in your district in the Bronx (where your constituents need it), and not in the posh Manhattan district of your mentor. To be fair, there was the Kingsbridge Armory story about Councilman Cabrera holding out his endorsement, but it appears that the Ice Center proposal is all but dead.
On to the 78th Assembly District race. This race is getting nasty now, as incumbent Jose Rivera's minions are now not only going after his opponent, but also me. Comments have gone up on facebook by two of his supporters that I am on the payroll of candidate Ischia Bravo, that I am a crook, that I am a racist, and that I hold power over elected officials. I showed these comments to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. last night at the Chubby Checker Concert, and he said to ignore them. He added that he pays no attention to facebook chatter.
Well Assemblyman Jose Rivera we have known each other for over twenty years, and it is you who is trying to be bully here as you have in the past. I will let everyone know the reasons why you should not be re-elected. Be a man Assemblyman Jose Rivera, since you have no record to run on just hang it up. I expect more of what has been going on from you towards me, and keep doing what you are so you can lose the election.
