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Yellen at the Top of My Lungs
At the request of Daily Gotham’s Mole333, I’ve come out of retirement for the rare cause on which we both agree. The race between Noach Dear and Karen Yellen in Brooklyn’s 5th Municipal Court District is the most unambiguous choice available in this year's Brooklyn judicial elections, and it has been ignored for far too long in favor of a forest of dead trees written about the far more ambiguous Surrogate's race (I’m voting for Simpson, but to explain why would require more of my time than the race merits). Residents of Bay Ridge, Kensington, Sunset Park, Windsor Terrace, Dyker Heights, Borough Park and portions of adjoining communities should run, not walk, and vote early and often for Karen Yellen. Yellen has ten years experience as a Civil Court Judge, and currently tries cases in Family Court as a Referee. One must also not forget her heroic role as chief witness in the most important Clarence Norman trial. Let’s not overstate it; Yellen is no Louis Brandeis, but she’s miles more qualified than Dear. Is there a reason to vote for Dear? Borough President Marty Markowitz has raised the spectre of Yellen’s “questionable residency.” But, there's no question about Yellen's residency; she lives in Manhattan, and if she were running against a qualified Brooklyn resident, it would certainly be a legitimate issue. But she's running against someone with a questionable ethical history, malicious temperment, and limited legal experience; someone who's been found unqualified by every bar panel (except the one's he's ignored completely). As such, Yellen's less than desirable, but perfectly legal, residence is eclipsed by the frightening concerns about her wretched opposition. People have also focussed on Dear’s anti-gay record, which is a bit of a mistake. If Yellen got the vote of every gay-sympathetic voter in the 5th, she’d still lose. More importantly, even if Noach Dear was 100% pro-gay, and his opponent a sincere but misguided opponent of that community's positions, Dear would still be unqualified and a sleaze bag. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that Dear's anti-gay record is not merely a matter of quietly voting his conscience (as if he had one); it is possible to be wrong on the issue without exploiting hatred; Peter Vallone voted against gay rights without ever using it to make cheap points. It would have been one thing if Dear merely voted wrong on the issues. But, Dear's record is not merely one of bad votes; it is one of stoking the fires of hatred for his own poltical benefit (as when he taped Anthony Weiner's Q & A Before the Lambda Independent Democrats, and then shopped the video all around Orthodox Brookyln). Dear's bad votes should not necessarily disqualify him from this position (although they would still require explanation and discussion), but his bad behavior exploiting hatred should be a permanent bar to his holding judicial office (as should some of his non-social issue related bad conduct). To put the best face on this, Markowitz says he has Dear’s word that Dear can be fair to people he’s previously used as strawmen and scapegoats. Markowitz may actually believe that he can take Noach Dear at his word (as if the conversation where he received Dear's assurances actually took place!), an assertion NO ONE in Brooklyn's Orthodox community would greet with anything but laughter. The failure of the right wing, ultra Orthodox, “Jewish Press” to endorse in this race speaks volumes about how the leadership of the Orthodox community really feels about Noach Dear. Unfortunately, their silence is all he requires. In the alternative, perhaps Markowitz actually believes that a sleazebag from Brooklyn is preferable to a qualified and experienced jurist from Manhattan (sadly, it is credible that Markowitz actually does believe this). To be fair, Markowitz has also cited Dear’s impressive endorsements from such experts on the Judiciary as Councilman Kendall Stewart, who is, after all, a licensed podiatrist. Not that anyone else has come up with a better reason for supporting Dear. Dear’s longtime enemy, Dov Hikind’s explanation is essentially “Since many qualified judges have been criminals, the solution is to elect the unqualified.” Then there is our County Leader, who, once his own indisputably qualified candidate dropped out, saw Dear (not unreasonably) as the prohibitive favorite and decided to join the parade by appearing to lead it. I suspect there are many reason for the endorsement. Part of it is to bring out votes for Shawndya Simpson for Surrogate. However, there is evidence that indicates that Diane Johnson's campaign attempted to forge an alliance with Dear themselves. My sources are some prominent Brooklyn left/progressive types. Moreover, no one should be surprised if today, there are Dear/Johnson palm cards being given out by men in Orthodox garb in the appropriate areas of Brooklyn. Yes, in Windsor Terrace, there will be some joint Yellen/Johnson action, but that is the work of a local club, not Johnson's campaign. There is no doubt that Johnson aides Gary Tilzer and Mitch Alter are capable of such treachery; they threw another candidate into the 6th District race against reformer Kathy Levine only minutes after taking the endorsements of the reform clubs. The only question concerning whether they will do joint Johnson/Dear palm cards is whether they have the ways and means to do so. Johnson's campaign was actually the source of false and ugly lies about Yellen earlier in the summer, trying to link her to a non-existent plot to help former candidate Leo Beitner. Johnson's hands here are as dirty as Vito's; behold some excerpts from the literary genius of a blogger who is surely Johnson campaign manger Gary Tilzer: “karen Yellen is running against Dear to help Vito pull out the Jewish vote for Beitner. Tan boy Scott Levenson is getting Yellen on the ballot against Dear, a race she has no chance to win. If Yellen does not run Dear wins the primary and is not on the ballot and the Jewish vote stays home. Only a jerk who does not understand politics would not understand that Vito and Catcher are urging Yellen to run in a race that she has no chance to win. Maybe Vito has offed Yellen the Supreme Court seat. He has already pomised Simpson, Miller, Wooten and Feldman for the one Supreme Court seat open this year…. Both Yellen and Simpson are not running to win. Everyone knows it! Attention Vito cult posters on blogs. Nobody believes your twisted posts which always seem to make make Vito look dumb and uninformed. His supporters should give him credit for his work. THEY SHOULD SAY YEA I DID IT AND YOU WHO LIVE IN MY KINGDOM CAN NOT DO A THING ABOUT IT. YOUR LEADERS ARE WEAK AND AFRAID OF ME. I RULE THE WORLD – VITO… Yellen will get less than 20% of the vote in that district. Yellen paid Norman people 9,000 after the primary because she was looking for the Supreme Court Judgeship. After she did not get it she went after Norman. She has a history of playing up to the organization. Thanks for nothing.” But Vito has a half decent reason for supporting Dear, as well. Next year, there will be a hotly contested race for State Senate between Kevin Parker (the male Ada Smith) and Kendall Stewart. Given the district's make-up, if Dear enters the race, he has a good shot of winning. If he wins, he will join Carl Kruger as one more State Senate Democrat who is in the pocket of Joe Bruno, preventing Democratic control, even should Dems actually win a majority. This is of major importance. Dear must not be allowed to go to the Senate!!!! But, as much as I think Dear's Senate ambitions must not be allowed to come to fruition, the price of putting him on the bench is way too high. He is the Garson family with a yarmulke, or as one Orthodox Jewish member of our bench once told me, an indictment waiting to happen. And let's not forget his lovely temperment! Even without his reactionary social views, Dear would be a blot on our judiciary. Vote for Yellen. Interesting post.
 GATEY: this is a rather interesting post; however my question is: why did you wait so long to put it up?
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And while you are at it, feel free to join my wife, some of my friends, and a guy collecting signatures at the Philhamonic concert in Prospect Park last summer and mock me for not joining the bastards (if not the other bastards) so I could vote on critical issues like this one. Sure felt left out today. Not. I don't think we should be voting for judges anyway. If the candidates are as weak as you say (and what would I know, which is why I don't think judges should be elected) than why is that the choice? Seems like half the people I know are lawyers, so there isn't a shortage. The request came near the last minute, and by the time I threw it (almost literally) together, it was just about time to get the little ones off to reform school. Actually, a prior request did come from Mole earlier, but I was a little camera shy, because Domestic Partner is really tired of the crank calls (and replays the tape of them everytime I think of posting) something. Gate: I like your title. I could see you haven't lost "it" as yet kid.
I agree with Rock that your thoughts would have been even more valuable earlier on in the campaign.
To Chris: Thanks; I'll pass the word on that I'm now writing with your express approval. To Chris and Rock: Well guys, you are right, but as you know I've been shy; every time i write a "gentleman" who was your comrade in arms this year, posts long, one sided, not totally accurate, but very annoying screeds about my personal history(which beats the harassing phone calls he used to make. Domestic Partner nearly called the police). I then have to get them zapped. As such, I've been a bit shy. Is it now OK to post when I'm saying something anti-County, but dangerous otherwise? I really need to know. Anyway, there was nothing stopping either of you from posting about Dear. Mole and I did not need to be the only ones. Rock was downright soft in his last post, for reasons which probably resembled Vito's and Kendall's. And those reasons are good reasons, just not good enough, considering the damage Dear can now do. And Chris, how you missed any opportunity to bash Vito is beyond me. Remember it's OK, in the cause of reform, to help people Mitch Alter screwed, as well as those he's nurtured. Hi all. This is an example of a fight we all should have gone all out in a united front to fight. We didn't. There's a big lesson there and that lesson is for all of us. If the four of us all agree on something, it is an issue that is probably pretty damned worth getting together over.
Too late now, of course, but perhaps something to be kept in mind. I put in 18 hour days working against Noah "Noach" Dear in and 2004, when he ran for the 21st Senatorial District. I worked pro-bono. I always put my money where my mouth is. I do significant and tangible things besides talking and writing stinging articles. I don't need to just bash people for bashing sake; I leave that for you/lol. In 2002 I withdrew from the same race (21SD) so that there would be a better chance to defeat him; I was one of about 9 original candidates and the first one (of 3)selected during the concensus process; I sacrificed political ambition for the cause. So you see I have already given blood at the office so to speak. And it was done; he lost; despite the fact I supported someone else and not the winner. If I had stayed in the race (with the backing of Charles Barron, James Davis, Maurice Gumbs, Ed Roberts and many others), Noach would have won that race; I have no doubt. And yet you must acknowledge that he has a constituency of support in parts of Brooklyn, and no matter what you say, that fact must be respected and acknowledged; that's democracy. I can only hope that Noach is a changed man from just the last 6 years alone; people can change. Don't be so venemous Gatey. All I said was that I expected him to win; and he did. I didn't endorse him. When he went to South Africa during apartheid, he lost me. Plus over the years he took some positions on the city council that were in opposition to where I stood. Undoubtedly, he is not one of the (very few) favorite politicans I have, but he is still a human being.
Rock, Are you saying that in 2002 you ran in the same race that Kevin Parker eventually won and that in 2004 you aided someone else...not Parker ...who then lost against Kevin Parker? Just asking...if this is the case, this certainly sheds some light on some of your recent comments about Mr. Parker. Rock, now matter how you slice it, you took a dive on Dear/Yellen; sort of reminds my of my disgraceful dive on Gordon/Evans. Not that an endorsement by either of us would have made much difference, but the act of diving was not one of our shining moments.
(A)In 2002 Kevin Parker was one of at least 9 blacks running for the 21SD; he gave his word when he entered a concensus process, that he will support the winner of the processs-aimed at getting the field down to one candidate. This was in order to stop Noach Dear from winning because of a split black and Caribbean-American vote. Kevin was the first person eliminated; he then reneged on his word by still entering the race and refusing to support the winner of the process which involved many community leaders and elected officials. This showed a lack of integrity on his part. He further went out and spread vicious and malicious lies about me, by saying that I rigged the process in order for a Caribbean-American to emerge as the candidate. He has never apologised for his dispicable behavior in this matter. Although he eventually won a close finish over Dear, it showed his selfishness in that he was willing to risk this seat to someone who most activists didn't want in it. He has no scruples.
(B). I did not take a dive on Yellen. What I knew about her was that she played footsee with Clarence Norman and the county machine, and then turned on them in the clutch. For my part these were not sterling credentials. I refused to endorse in this race and deliberately so. She was probably the better of the two, but I wasn't endeared by what she did no matter the final outcome. You see, you guys are refusing to see that at the end of the day and night only one person went down: a black man (Clarence Norman). The denial of racism by most of you guys still disturbs me tremendously.
Gee, and I thought you avoided endorsement because you preferred Dear not to be the Senator. Actually, that reason would have been preferable; it's a far better excuse than the one you offered. Remember, there's no nobilty in refusing to choose the clearly lesser evil. In an election between Hitler and Mussollini, I'm going to be out palm-carding for Il Duce! In 2002, Yellen, an incumbent judge, thought she was getting what every competent incumbent judge should expect to get from the party; unqualified support, no matter where they came from originally. Such a system minimizes the need for judges to be political, and facilitates judicial independence. This was the way it was for decades, and the way it should have been for the other judge up that year, Margarita Lopez-Torres. Instead, the party dumped Lopez-Torres. Yellen should have been so lucky. Instead she was set upon by vultures, including Mitch Alter and a charming rogue whose name i won't mention out of respect for the dead. She refused to hire them, and just like they did to Maxine Archer and Katherine Smith, they ran a candidate agaist her, in collaboration with Diane Gordon. The party's response was to take the opportunity to pick Yellen's pocket. She paid for an electon day operation. The money went straight into Bill Boone's pocket. If this is playing footsie with Clarence, she got toe-fucked. Seems to me her testimony was a public service. But, putting cuch cases together is hard. It does seem legit to tell a candidate that if they don't pay for their share of an palm carding operation, they won't be on a palm card, don't you think? The distinctions about what crosses the line are difficult ones. So, few cases have been brought. Despite investigation, no one was ever prosecuted for Maxine Archer, and one knows Joe Hynes has no reluctance about going after Alter. But we also know that at least two judges, both named Garson, have already been wired for sound. Slowly but surel,y there will be more cases, and some of the faces will be white. So, not good enough. And, it still reminds me of my dive on Gordon/Evans. Rock: Another thing. Your endorsment of Sharen Hudson was a disgrace. Not the endorsement, which was only misguided, but the words you used: "My first endorsement goes to Sharen Hudson running for a civil-court judgeship in the 6th district. Ms. Hudson is a black former court officer who went on to graduate from law school, and now hopes to end up on the bench. Word on the street is that her opponent (Catherine [sic] Levine) has run a dirty campaign, putting out nasty literature that fudged the truth and cast negative aspersions on a fine hardworking mother." The "Dirty" piece in question merely raised the fact that Ms. Hudson refused to put herself before the scrutiny of any of the Bar Association judicial screening panels evaluating the race. NOT THE PARTY PANEL (though she dissed that too), BUT THE BAR PANELS. Sorry, Rock, but that criticism is just as legitmate when raised against a person of color as when it's raised against Noach the Roach. Any judicial candidate who refused to submit themselves to the judgment of their peers must be presumed suspect and unqualified. Dirty campaign? Talk about an accusation that "fudged the truth"!!! And talk about carrying Gary Tilzer's water! Right right down to the patented Tilzer reference to "a fine hardworking mother" (last used for the looney tunes he ran for Assembly on the East Side). Rock, Tilzer falsely accused another "fine hardworking mother" of racism for raising legitmate issues, and you've acted as his mocrophone to broadcast his libels to the world! For shame! Anyway, it's been a pleasure, as always. Have a good new year and an easy fast. Well Gate, you are (as I am) entitled to your own unique analysis. Yours is merituous of course, and you are probably right to say that Yellen was definitely the lesser of the two evils. About Hudson I had various sources; some were people who actually knew her and had worked with her etc. They said that she would be a fine judge. And yes, they didn't like the campaign being waged against her. I do try to work more than one source when I get into these races etc. Sometimes it is not easy for me to get info (as you may know) given that so many of the electeds and their lackeys try to shut me out from the info flow. And also given that many others seem to be scared of what I may write. I was raised Anglican but I am presently without a formal religion; I appreciate them all, even though I am also aware of their downsides. I am no Muslim; but thanks for the kind sentiments anyway. Hope to see you back here writing at least once a month big guy. After all: whose "pro-county" positions do I have to trash now/lol? BTW: I asked you in a thread (don't know if you saw it) to name one county-backed candidate, who was knocked off the ballot based on a residency challenge (Brooklyn).
Rocky: If I had to guess, I think Gatey was referring to the Jewish New Year. But what do I know; I'm a pork eater myself. Rock, So the short answer is that you once ran against Kevin and then supported a candidate in the next election that also lost to him. Reading between the lines, it sounds to me as if Kevin felt that the process was in some way rigged to pick a Caribbean candidate and he decided to opt out. In terms of all of the nonsense that we have seen in Brooklyn politics as of late, I would hardly call that as a lack of scruples. It's just politics...of course...unless you are on the wrong end of the deal. BTW, I have no way of knowing what is truly in your heart Rock, but IMHO you certainly appear at times to have a bias against African-Americans. Almost every time you mention the potential Parker/Stewart race, you mention that Stewart is of West Indian descent and Kevin is not. You also have made some questionable statements about AA's on your blog. I enjoy your blogs with the exception of what I perceive as this particular bias. I'm not here to say that Kevin is an angel, but as usual, there are normally two sides and sometime three to any story.
To the last comment: over the years, I have supported (and worked with) Afros, many times more than I have supported/worked with Caribs in NY politics. Usually they are mainly black with just a few slight cultural differences to their political outlook. In many cases they seem to have carib roots to their ancestry anyway. The fact that I choose to highlight the ethnic differences in my political commentary leaves me susceptible to all sorts of inane charges; fact is however, the racists who discriminate aginst blacks never see these ethnic/cultural differences. I fight for freedom, justice and equal opportunity for ALL (black, white, red, brown, and caribbean or not).
I have left a body of writings here over the years, can you show me "specifically" where in my writngs you can conclude "that I appear at times to have a bias against African-Americans"? Do cite article, line and paragraph. TYVM. I endorsed Eric Adams over a fellow Trinidadian (Anthony Alexis) last year. I endorsed Chris Owens over Yvette Clarke. Weyman Carey over Kendall Stewart in 1992; Carl Andrews in 1991 and 1984, Joan Gill, James Davis, Reggie Bowman, Stan kinnard, Robert Hunter, David Miller, Ken Evans; and the list is so long it's not worth more ink. Saying silly things can be easily done, proving the silly tihngs said is quite difficult. Don't believe the stuff being said out there by those who have no reletionship with me; ask the afros who have worked with me politically over the years as to who I am.
Rock, Like I said, I have no idea where your heart is, but that has been my impression. I stand corrected however since it seems that you have endorsed non-Caribbeans. There was one blog in particular a few weeks back that seemed to pit Caribbeans vs. Afro-Americans. Whatever the case...your prior actions speak louder. Still....now I kno the history between you and Mr. Parker. Thanks for being a gentleman. Lazarus rises from the dead, but all I hear about is Rock Rock Rock.
Your bring up a name from the sordid Clarence days. William Boone. Where is he and also Jackie Ward, and why haven't they been tagged by Joe Hynes?
Where are Ward and Boone? I think I saw them at Diana Johnson's victory party. Jackie must have contributed big time. Remember she "earned" something like $190,000 of the dirty Mark Green money for a couple of days work. I always said i wouldn't have minded that kind of consultants' pay.
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