The potentially contentious 1998 campaign season got under way at L.I.D.'s January meeting when gubernatorial candidate James Larocca and congressional candidate Anthony Weiner made appearances before the club.
Larocca, state Energy Commissioner under Gov.. Hugh Carey and Transportation Commissioner under Gov. Mario Cuomo, made his appearance just days after formally announcing his candidacy. His presentation was thoughtful and touched on many issues. He noted that there was an unfinished social agenda in Albany that included passage of a lesbian and gay nondiscrimination bill and a bias bill. He attacked Governor Pataki's tax policy which he contends have been corporate give aways that have not resulted in the retention of jobs in the state.
On the dynamics of the race, he pointed to his strong support from upstate and Long Island Democratic leaders (he has been endorsed by 13 county leaders statewide) and alluded to the potential impact of Lt. Governor Betsy McCaughey Ross's ability to finance her campaign from personal wealth by quipping, "I wish I'd have married Wilbur Ross."
City Councilman Anthony Weiner, serving his second term from a Sheepshead Bay centered district, made his first appearance before L.I.D. by announcing that his self described "mentor," Congressman Charles Schumer, was wrong to support the Defense of Marriage Act and that Weiner would have voted against it. Weiner is seeking the congressional seat being vacated by Schumer, who is running for U.S. Senate.
Weiner also claimed to have strongly sided with Councilman Tom Duane in his efforts to pass a strong domestic partnership bill in the City Council last year and that these efforts earned him a primary last September from the Orthodox Jewish community. (In fact, Weiner was a sponsor of a much weaker, registry only bill introduced by then Councilman Anthony Pagan and strongly opposed by Duane).
Over the coming months, L.I.D. hopes to host many of the leading contenders for the Democratic gubernatorial, senatorial, attorney general and congressional primaries. Keep watching your L.I.D. mailings for dates and guests and take advantage of these forums to ask the hard questions these candidates must answer to earn the support of the Brooklyn lesbian and gay community.
Cohen Wins in Assembly Bid
"Good things come to those who wait," or so they say. That statement could not have been truer for Democratic district leader Adele Cohen, who breezed to victory in a February 3rd special election for the state Assembly seat left vacant by the resignation of Jules Polonetsky. L.I.D. had endorsed Cohen's candidacy at its January meeting.
Cohen, who had run unsuccessfully for the City Council three times (each with L.I.D. backing) and once for the state Senate, was sworn in the next day to represent the district covering Brighton Beach, Coney Island, Bay Ridge and Sea Gate. Cohen, who defeated her Republican opponent Joseph A. Kovac by a 3-1 margin, is a labor union attorney and former President of the New York State Women's Political Caucus.
We are delighted with Cohen's victory and look forward to her support for lesbian and gay nondiscrimination legislation, which was also supported by her predecessor, Assemblyman Polonetsky.
DNC Includes Lesbians & Gays in 2000 Delegate Selection Rules
The Democratic National Committee's bodies governing delegate selection rules of the 2000 National Democratic Convention, voted unanimously in January to include the first-ever language requiring state parties to specifically include lesbian and gay representation as part of the delegate selection process.
The vote took place on an amendment to delegate selection rules and requires state parties to submit to the DNC outreach plans for delegate selection that include those "historically underrepresented" in the Democratic Party because of "race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation and disability." The new rules also require state parties to give "priority of consideration" to these underrepresented groups in a state's delegate selection process "in order to assist in the achievement of full participation by these groups."
Of the 4,925 delegates and alternates to the 1996 National Democratic Convention in Chicago, at least 146 were openly gay including L.I.D.'s Alan Fleishman and Lola Simmons. We welcome the new rules and hope they will offer even more opportunities for lesbian and gay representation from our borough.
Brooklyn Pride Slated for June 13th
Brooklyn Pride will hold its 2nd Annual Multi-Cultural Parade and Festival on Saturday, June 13th.
The success of last year's festival was so great that organizers needed a larger area, and the Parks Department has approved the use of Nethermeade Field in Prospect Park, near last year's site.
Parade Coordinators are also working on a new parade route to begin at Grand Army Plaza and proceed up 7th Avenue. The President of the 7th Avenue Merchants Association has given his blessings and the 78th Precinct has approved the parade permit.
This year's projected budget is $50,000, so watch for the many events that benefit Brooklyn Pride in the coming months. You can also help out by joining the Brooklyn Pride organizing committee which meets the first Monday of the month at Park Slope United Methodist Church. For more information, call 670-3337.
Noach Dear Starts Year With Half Million Congressional War Chest
In a frightening turn of events, Councilman Noach Dear -- the city's most rabidly homophobic elected official -- collected $502,495 in contributions in the last six months of 1997 for his campaign to gain the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Charles Schumer. Dear claims that his is more than any other congressional candidate raised in the entire country in that period.
You will recall we reported some months back about our outrage at House Minority Leader Dick Gephart's sponsorship of a Dear fundraiser. We are also disturbed by the silence of the Human Rights Campaign in this race.
The other three candidates in the race are City Councilman Anthony Weiner, who raised $119,279, Queens Assemblywoman Melinda Katz, who raised $104,359 and Brooklyn Assemblyman Dan Feldman, who raised $101,816. Of the three, Feldman has the most money on hand -- $175,065. As Lambda Line went to press, we had yet to obtain copies of Dear's campaign filings. We hope to report more fully on his contributors in the future.
In other campaign developments, it appears that if Rev. Al Sharpton decides to forego a challenge to Rep. Edolphus Towns, Councilwoman Annette Robinson may be interested in making the race. Some Democrats are reported to be urging Robinson -- who has run with L.I.D. backing in the past -- to enter the primary fray. She is barred by term limits from seeking reelection in 2001.
In the newly drawn congressional seat currently held by Rep. Nydia Velasquez, Assemblyman Vito Lopez is said to be seriously considering making the race. Lopez has a strong base of support in north Brooklyn and has been a consistent supporter of lesbian and gay issues in Albany.
LID Elects New Board
At its January meeting, L.I.D. elected officers and board members for 1998. This years officers are: Rodrick Dial, President; Beth Robinson, 1st Vice President; Monica Barret, 2nd Vice President; Seth Slade, Treasurer; and Renee Cafiero, Corresponding Secretary.
Newly elected to the board was Daniel Tietez. Re-elected to the Board were Alan Fleishman, Peter Fleming, Tom Flood, Lisa King, Kay Mackey, Derrick Mapp, Steve Robles, Liz Schalet, David Shanton, Stacia Thompson, George Waffle and Adam Weinstein.
District 15 Vacancy to be Filled by April
The vacancy on the District 15 School Board caused by the recent resignation of Jill Harris will be filled no later than April 1st.
In a timetable approved by the board, resumes and cover letters from those interested in serving on the board will be accepted through February 24th. Interviews by the board will take place on March 4th with a decision reached by March 31st.
By law, the board must fill the vacancy within 60 days of its occurance.
Clergy Address Anti-Gay Violence
Nearly 100 people attended a forum entitled "Response and Responsibilities: Communities of Faith Respond to Anti-GLBT Violence," in Park Slope in late January in a meeting designed to develop strategies for confronting hate crimes in the church.
Participating in the panel, organized by the Anti-Violence Project and cosponsored by L.I.D., were Rev. Elizabeth Braddon of Park Slope United Methodist Church, Rabbi Samuel Barths of the Park Slope Jewish Center, Elder Zachary Jones of Unity Fellowship Church and Rabbi Linda Goodman of the Union Temple. Each offered their own stories about their work to include lesbian, gay and transgendered people in the life of their church.
Pastor Jones proclaimed that "homophobia is an act of violence." He went on to say that "for many years I have been called upon to speak out against the violence by the church itself. Many people have cut their wrists or overdosed on pills because of what the church did to them."
Rev. Braddon said the church should be a "safe and affirming place for all people, the true meaning of sanctuary," while Rabbi Boodman expressed pride in her congregation's vote to "change the bylaws so that a gay or lesbian couple can join as a family."