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  • Laskow and Berman defeat Silver’s political club on Lower East Side

    Lee Berman and Caroline Laskow, Democratic District Leaders, Assembly District 65 Part A (Photo credit: Larry Bercow)

    Caroline Laskow and Lee Berman scored a major upset Tuesday over the Harry S. Truman Democratic Club, a longtime base of support for disgraced former Assemblymember Sheldon Silver.

    Their Grand Street Democrats running mates also won 16 out of 22 Democratic County Committee seats. These victories give this new political organization immediate relevance in the selection of a new State Senator, following Daniel Squadron’s abrupt resignation.

    In the six months since its founding, Grand Street Democrats has earned a wide base of grassroots support from Lower East Siders looking for an active, inclusive, progressive political community.

    Caroline Laskow said, “Trump’s win last year was a call to action for anyone with a political ethical conscience. The Truman Club’s silence in the face of Trump’s campaign and administration signalled not only their apathy but complicity. Our community deserves better, and voters today made clear they are looking for new local leadership ready to organize resistance to Trump’s radical agenda.”

    Lee Berman said, “Locally, this is big news. Silver and his allies have acted as gatekeepers to local officials for decades. We are determined to celebrate the diversity of our neighborhood and make sure that everyone has equal access to their elected officials, from City Hall to Albany to Washington DC.”

    Grand Street Democrats plans to hold regular open meetings, neighborhood events, and forums with elected officials for the entire community.

    For more information follow @grandstreetdems on social media.

  • Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club endorses Caroline Laskow and Lee Berman for District Leaders

    New York’s premier citywide LGBT political club has endorsed Caroline Laskow and Lee Berman for Democratic District Leaders in Assembly District 65 Part A representing the neighborhoods of Grand Street and the Lower East Side.

    The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, named for the legendary gay rights pioneer Jim Owles, was formed in 2004 as a citywide political activist club with a mission to secure human rights, dignity, and freedom for all people.

    Laskow and Berman earned their endorsement because of their strong commitment to LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, immigrants’ rights, and social justice causes.

    Caroline Laskow said, “Our local Democratic Party should be organizing local progressives to join the fight for social justice everywhere. We can hold our elected officials accountable to make your progressive voices heard in City Hall, Albany, and Washington. I’m so proud to be on the same side as the great Jim Owles.”

    Lee Berman said, “Our incumbent District Leaders have been invisible, controlling access to our elected officials and forfeiting any leadership in the resistance to Trump. We need to elect new District Leaders who are committed to protecting civil rights.”

    Caroline Laskow is a documentary filmmaker and author who has lived in Seward Park Co-op since 2003. Her two children attend NYC public schools. Lee Berman is a lifelong resident of East River Co-op, current member of Community Board 3, and has been a member of school leadership teams and PTAs for nine years at his daughters’ public schools.

    Laskow and Berman are challenging incumbent District Leaders from the Truman Club, the “base of operations for former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.” (link)

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  • One week to go … five ways to help

    For our final campaign push, can you lend a hand again? Here are 5 ways you can help:

    1. Volunteer to distribute flyers this week. We have three rounds of distribution to cover today through Sunday. One tower takes 20-30 minute. Just email us so our volunteer coordinator can set you up with material and an apartment list.
    2. Volunteer for election day. We’ll need volunteers on the street all day — 6:00 am to 9:00 pm — to make sure Democrats remember to vote. Again, just email us if you are available on Tuesday, September 12. (Bonus: you’ll get a t-shirt!)
    3. Email your neighbors. Many of your friends may be tuning in this week for the first time and may not even know about our campaign for District Leaders. Please take a minute to tell them why you are supporting us, and ask them to take a look at our website to learn more: grandstreetdems.nyc.
    4. Pledge your vote. Visit grandstreetdems.nyc/pledge to pledge your vote and then use the share buttons on that page to ask friends on Facebook and Twitter to join you.
    5. Chip in $25 or $50. We have a few last-minute expenses this week — additional flyers, advertising — and could use a little more cushion in our campaign account to make sure we don’t leave any stone unturned. If you can, please make a final donation of $25 or $50.

    • We know you’re busy. School starts this week. We’ve all got a lot on our plates. But we’ve got only one more week to create a more open, honest, active, progressive Democratic party on Grand Street — and that’s not going to happen without you. Please do what you can to help!

  • Trump supporters endorse Blatt & Goldman

    Jewish Press 2016:

    “We urge readers to come out on November 8 and vote for Donald Trump for president of the United States. He represents America’s best hope for reversing the calamitous course on which elected officials from both the Republican and Democratic parties have led us.”

    Jewish Press 2017:

    “We strongly support the reelection of Karen Blatt and Jacob Goldman as Democratic district leaders on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.”

    Given that The Jewish Press endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2016, we’re not surprised or disappointed that they have given their blessing to Karen Blatt and Jacob Goldman in our local election for District Leaders this year.

    But we strongly reject their attempt to smear our campaign with outright lies along the way.

    They don’t even name us in their editorial, yet pretend to know so much about us. What they claim could not be further from the truth.

    We are Jews, and we are Zionists. We strongly support Israel’s profound place in the world, and are raising our children to do the same. We are also American progressives who are pro-immigrant, pro-religious freedom, pro-LGBTQ, pro-women’s rights, pro-choice, pro-public schools, pro-environment … and anti-Trump. Contrary to these lies, we think those are excellent credentials for a Democratic Party position on the Lower East Side!

    It’s time for Democratic District Leaders who tell the truth and attack Trump, not support him. It’s time for real progressives who will work for you.

    PLEDGE TO VOTE

  • Truman Club and its candidates continue to violate campaign finance laws

    Candidates for Democratic District Leaders with ties to Sheldon Silver continue to violate campaign finance laws by failing to disclose political contributions and expenses as required by state law.

    Last month the New York Post reported that the Truman Democratic Club and its candidates had not filed financial disclosure forms for at least 18 years, despite clear legal requirements to do so. Disclosures of expenses from other candidates who have attended Truman Club fundraisers show evidence of more than $91,000 amassed by the Truman Club. But since private donors and corporations do not disclose their donations, the Truman Club is likely hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    Subsequent to that report, District Leader Karen Blatt registered a re-election committee with the Board of Elections. This week Committee to Re-elect Blatt disclosed a single in-kind contribution from the Truman Club for $1,689.25, which is above the $1,000 legal limit for contributions in this race. Blatt, who was appointed by Sheldon Silver to her position as co-executive director of the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Appointment, also ran for office in 2015 without making any financial disclosures.

    Jacob Goldman, a local real estate agent also running for District Leader with support from the Truman Club, waited until after financial disclosures were due to register with the New York State Board of Elections, despite participating publicly in fundraising activities and distributing printed campaign material during the past three months.

    NY1 reported this month that Judy Rapfogel, Sheldon Silver’s former chief of staff, who was “considered Silver’s enforcer and gatekeeper in Albany,” “has been very active and is currently involved in the race for district leader.”

    An official complaint has been filed with the New York State Board of Elections Division of Election Law Enforcement, asking that an investigation of the Truman Club’s finances commence immediately. The complaint said, “Voters have the right to know who is supporting political activity in our neighborhood, and how that money is being spent.”

    District Leader candidate Lee Berman said, “When you ask your neighbors for their votes, you have to start by following the law. You’d think after Silver’s convictions, even the Truman Club would get that. Instead, their candidates continue to act as though the law does not apply to them.”

    Caroline Laskow, also running for District Leader, added, “As a first-time candidate, I made sure to register with the state and file proper financial disclosures. Why wouldn’t the incumbents do the same? What are they spending all that money on?”

  • Downtown Democrats deserve a voice in the selection of a new State Senator

    Daniel Squadron

    State Senator Daniel Squadron resigned abruptly last week. The process for selecting his successor is still unclear. A special election will probably happen on November 7, along with other city-wide races like for Mayor and City Council. But since it’s too late to get names on the September 12 primary ballot, there are a couple options for how the Democratic candidate will be selected. The Lo-Down had a good summary of these options last week.

    Caroline and Lee are sending the following letter to Chairman Wright, co-signed by all 22 Grand Street Democrats candidates for county committee, urging him to convene the county committee after September 12 so Democratic voters — you! — have a chance to select new county committee members who will participate in the nominating convention.

    County Leader Keith Wright
    New York County Democratic Committee
    108 West 39th Street, Suite 1201
    New York, NY 10018

    Dear Leader Wright,

    We write regarding the selection process of a Democratic nominee for the 26th State Senate district in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, following Daniel Squadron’s recent resignation.

    We want to make sure you are aware that there are contested races for County Committee in AD65 Part A covering eleven election districts on the Lower East Side. These party positions will be determined by Democratic voters only four weeks from now — that’s why we recommend you set a date after the September 12 primary for a nominating convention.

    As Sen. Squadron himself said in a letter to you last week, “It is important that the vacancy for this seat be filled in the most transparent and fair way possible.” Sen. Squadron also wrote, “I strongly urge you to make this process as democratic as possible.”

    In this spirit of fuller democratic participation, we urge you to hold a full vote of County Committee members after the upcoming primary. Any decision made before this time would deprive local rank and file Democrats of the chance to participate in the selection our next State Senator — and diminish that candidate’s credibility and support in the general election.

    As the members of Grand Street Democrats, a new political club seeking to bring fresh progressive engagement on the Lower East Side, one of our primary goals is to energize Democrats in our community to increase their participation in local politics. Our County Committee candidates, and more importantly the voters who will support them on September 12, deserve to be heard at this critical juncture.

    Sincerely,

    Lee Berman
    Democratic State Committee Member, AD65
    Democratic District Leader Candidate, AD65 Part A

    Caroline Laskow
    Democratic District Leader Candidate, AD65 Part A

    Candidates for Democratic County Committee:
    Joree Adilman
    Lisa Arbisser
    Moira Brennan
    Anthony Brownie
    Heather Cousens
    Allison Gordon
    Lauren Forsch
    Peter Herb
    Martha Hornthal
    Brett Leitner
    Tommy Loeb
    Mark Lynch
    Michael Marino
    David Pass
    Mathew Quezada
    William Rockwell
    Daria Segalini
    Melissa Shiffman
    Hariette Skidelsky
    Michelle Stern
    Wei-Li Tjong
    Kenneth Wind

  • NY1: “Silver’s enforcer and gatekeeper” campaigning for Truman Club candidates

    For those of you steeped in Grand Street politics, this will come as no surprise. For everyone else, here are two minutes from NY1 that might open your eyes:

    There are important local issues to fight for in this campaign: traffic mitigation, more reliable public transportation, and improved public schools. And local Democrats are looking for ways to engage directly local elected officials, so that we can impact decisions made in City Hall, Albany, and Washington.

    But part of this campaign is also about wiping the neighborhood clean of disgraced former assemblyman Sheldon Silver and his allies. As Lee Berman says in this report, “What we are trying to do is fight against the Truman Democratic Club, which is a machine that has been in power for 40-plus years. It is ostensibly controlled by Judy Rapfogel, Shelly’s former chief of staff.”

    Reporter Zack Fink rightly calls Rapfogel “Silver’s enforcer and gatekeeper in Albany” and reminds viewers that “her husband, Willie Rapfogel, was convicted of stealing millions of dollars from a Jewish charity, and served nearly three years in prison.”

    We’ll say it again: Grand Street needs new Democratic leadership.

    Here’s the original NY1 story.

  • Join us! Neighborhood Voter Outreach Marathon: Wednesday, August 9, 6pm to 9pm

    Next week we want to make sure everyone on Grand Street is talking about our campaign for new Democratic leadership. We’re having a neighborhood outreach marathon on Wednesday, August 9 from 6pm to 9pm, and we want to meet every single Grand Street Democrat in one night. Will you join us?

    We want all our neighbors to know what you know: that this hyper-local campaign for two Democratic District Leaders is our best chance to make local elected officials engage directly with Grand Street constituents on a regular basis. If we win on September 12, you and your neighbors can impact decisions made in City Hall, Albany, and Washington.

    But without your help, your neighbors might not even know they have a choice this year. Please volunteer for this one evening – Wednesday, August 9 from 6pm to 9pm – to help the campaign.

    Sign up below:

  • Silver’s corruption still haunts Grand Street

    Yesterday’s news of Sheldon Silver’s appellate court reprieve is a tough reminder of Silver’s dark legacy in our neighborhood. Consider that the Truman Club — Silver’s “base of operations” where he “appears to still be pulling strings” — still controls political endorsements, judgeships, and access to local officials. Or consider that the Truman Club’s Democratic District Leaders have never condemned Silver’s behavior.

    We know that many Democrats on Grand Street are as appalled as we are by Silver’s history of corruption as a trusted elected official, and that’s why we are more determined than ever to campaign for new Democratic leadership on Grand Street.

    As Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner said, “Let us be clear, the facts are not in question. Mr. Silver used his position in government to direct state resources into a scheme that paid out $4 million into his pocket.” Not even Silver’s lawyers disputed the basic outline of the charges against him during trial, they just called it “business as usual.”

    We believe what Silver did was wrong, and that he will be convicted again when federal prosecutors retry the case. His conviction was overturned not on the evidence, but on a technicality (the exact wording of instructions to the jury, based on a Supreme Court decision seven months after his trial ended). As former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “The evidence was strong. The Supreme Court changed the law. I expect Sheldon Silver to be retried and re-convicted.”

    Personally, we wish no hardship on Sheldon Silver. We’re his neighbors too, and are glad for his family at their good news yesterday. But his legacy haunts Grand Street. It’s time to turn the page on Silver and his political allies in the Truman Club.

    — Caroline & Lee

  • Local Progressives Submit Challenge to Sheldon Silver’s L.E.S. Political Club

    July 10, 2017 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Caroline Laskow and Lee Berman are running for Democratic District Leaders against Silver’s political allies on Grand Street

    More than 1,200 Democrats signed petitions over the past four weeks to put two new progressive candidates on the ballot for Democratic District Leaders on the Lower East Side. This represents the first real challenge to former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s political club following his conviction on federal fraud, extortion, and money laundering charges.

    Caroline Laskow, a documentary filmmaker and author (she co-wrote The Soup Club Cookbook with three neighbors), has lived in Seward Park Cooperative since 2003 with her husband and two children who attend public school. Lee Berman, a lifelong East River Cooperative resident, has been an active public school parent in the district, serves on the board at East River, and was recently appointed to Community Board 3.

    They are challenging the incumbent District Leaders, Karen Blatt and Jacob Goldman, who are the candidates of the Truman Democratic Club, “a longtime base of support for Mr. [Sheldon] Silver” (WSJ, 4/12/16 link). The Daily News says that even after his conviction on federal corruption charges in 2015, “Disgraced former Assemblyman Sheldon Silver appears to still be pulling strings” (link).

    Said Laskow, “We want our elected officials to hear our community’s concerns about traffic on Grand Street, overcrowded schools, and excessive development. The Truman Club has done nothing to organize Democrats on Grand Street despite the many challenges facing our neighborhood.”

    The candidates also won’t shy from national party issues. “Ours is a strong Democratic district,” said Berman. “We should be joining with other Democrats to engage in meaningful action against Trump’s radical policies. The Truman Club didn’t even hang up a Hillary poster in its window last year. It’s time for new, progressive leadership on Grand Street.”

    Laskow and Berman also lead a full slate of challengers for the Democratic County Committee in Assembly District 65 Part A. Last year the Truman Club’s County Committee members were criticized for selecting a candidate to succeed Silver based on that person’s long, friendly ties to Silver; when Democratic voters weighed in a few months later, the Truman Club candidate came in fourth in a six-way primary.

    After this year’s election on September 12, these new County Committee candidates, along with Laskow and Berman, plan to form a new Democratic club called Grand Street Democrats in order to further reduce the influence of Silver’s Truman Club on local politics.

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    Lee Berman and Caroline Laskow, candidates for Democratic District Leaders, Assembly District 65 Part A (Photo credit: Larry Bercow)

    For more information, please contact:
    Jeremy Sherber, campaign manager, Grand Street Democrats
    jeremy@sherber.com | 917-543-3918 | grandstreetdems.nyc | @grandstreetdems