Letter from Brooklyn: NYC City Council Vote Tuesday May Reach As Far As Albany

Please don't vote for a crony of the man who helped block passage of the Child Victims Act, activist says.

Vito Lopez and his lackey Stephen Levin, who is running for City Council in district 33, both deserve scorn for opposing the NY Child
Victims Act. One fifth of all children in the USA are sexually abused, 80% by a family member. However, they are currently blocked from suing or going to the police if they wait until the age of 22 to do so. The CVA would change the law to allow criminal prosecution up to the age
of 27 of the victim, and lawsuits up to age 53. Such legislation is necessary because the abuse usually causes trauma, as well as shame or fear, which prevents coming forward. Therefore, there are thousands of
child molesters still teaching children today. The only way to combat this is through the CVA. However, Lopez (with Levin's help) is fighting the CVA for the support of Catholic and Jewish groups which fear lawsuits for repeatedly harboring serial pedophiles who abused
children in their care. In exchange for opposing the CVA, the Catholic Church and the United Jewish Organizations (UJO) are supporting Vito's Triangle housing development which will benefit him personally. It is all very disgusting.

With a group of survivors of childhood sexual abuse, I have occasionally protested outside Lopez Williamsburg Brooklyn office. Lopez bussed in hundreds of screaming people to shout obscenities and hurl handfulls of change at survivors of childhood sex abuse, while Vito, Levin, and several priests smiled and cheered! It was horrific. And several times since, Stephen Levin called the police to complain about our protesting, complaining about every tiny thing he could,
like hanging flyers in the neighborhood alerting his constituents to his corruption, cutting a deal with the "religious" groups to get their political support and support for his housing projects. Levin is a Lackey who must lose.

Please, be sure not to vote for Stephen Levin tomorrow. All the
children of NY state are at risk of sexual abuse and rape because of
Vito and Steve's cool, calculated political ways. Let us teach them
will not get away with this any more, and make sure Levin doesn't get
elected. Probably the best choice would be Jo Anne Simon, an attorney
and community organizer who has fought for Brooklyn's citizens,
especially the disabled, for decades. It's time to throw a wrench in
Vito's "machine" and protect NY's children!  Happy New Year!!

Frederic C. Schultz, Esq.
Brooklyn, NY

Comments

[MARK MAyer]

WELL SAID

[harold]

How about Isaac Abraham?

[harold]

NYC Council
District 33
Democratic Primary
146 of 147 precincts reporting (99%)

Stephen Levin 5,189 34%
Jo Anne Simon 3,093 20%
Isaac Abraham 1,937 13%
Evan Thies 1,906 12%
Ken Diamondstone 1,319 9%
Doug Biviano 1,112 7%
Kenneth Baer 808 5%

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Elections-Results-Page-59274827.html

[harold]

Williamsburg, NY - In the aftermath of a particularly hard-fought 33rd District City Council race, Democratic nominee Steve Levin spent much of the week visiting senior centers, Hasidic groups and community organizations, thanking them for their support while acknowledging those who enabled his dramatic victory.

“Vito Lopez was the architect of this campaign.I could not have won without his support,” said Levin, adding that he will be his own man in City Council.

High turnout in Williamsburg south of Grand Street propelled Levin to City Hall.Of the 5,200 votes recorded in several election districts in the area, almost 3,400 went to Levin, over 60 percent of Levin’s vote total.This included several thousand votes from members of the United Jewish Organizations, which endorsed Levin, and public housing buildings including Taylor Wythe Houses, where Levin spent most of Election Day canvassing.

“Rabbi David Niederman [executive director of the UJO] by far deserves credit for this victory,” said Evan Thies, who ran against Levin.“Vito’s strategic mind and political clout, plus Niederman, plus Steve’s hard work are why he won.Even though Steve would not have won without that huge increase in South Side votes, he still picked up votes everywhere.He really didn’t finish better than third in many election districts in the 52nd Assembly District, but still worked very hard and he earned all those votes.”

When asked what Levin’s victory meant to the Hasidic community, Niederman pivoted, listing a gamut of services important to UJO constituents.

“The most important issue that we have heard continuously from Steve Levin is affordable housing,” said Niederman.“In CB1 it is one of the greatest issues in trying to combat gentrification.It will mean that issues will be addressed the same as has been addressed by our beloved councilman David Yassky.”

Simon Weiser, a Community Board 1 member and Levin supporter, echoed Niederman’s remarks, explaining that the Hasidic community’s concern over a plan to rezone a 31-acre site called the Broadway Triangle in Williamsburg for residential use won the race for Levin.

“For lower income housing, it’s a win,” said Weiser.“For political reasons, other candidates had to say on record they were against the Broadway Triangle.It shows you that if you do what is right, and what it true, it pays off, and this paid off for Steve.He didn’t change course.”

Brooklyn Legal Services attorney Marty Needelman cautioned that Levin’s victory may not indicate the advancement of the entire Hasidic community, as the largest Hasidic sect remains split between two feuding brothers.Many of the Aronists supported a rival candidate, Isaac Abraham, while Zalmanists, with which the UJO is affiliated, backed Levin.

“Historically they have only served their friends and allies within the Jewish community and they have not benefited the Hasidic community,” said Needelman.“The Hasidic community is more diverse than people realize.”

Ken Fisher, a former councilmember for the 33rd District (Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill) and chapter chair of the New York League of Conservation Voters, believes that Levin’s victory will allow for a continuity of service, which may frustrate some Brownstone Brooklyn supporters who voted for candidates Jo Anne Simon, Ken Diamondstone, or Evan Thies.

“The fact remains that the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn still includes some of the poorest people in the city and they have a tremendous need for social services and affordable housing that require constant support from their elected officials,” said Fisher.

Though some resentment among Levin opponents may exist, several community leaders appeared ready to give Levin a chance and hoped to lobby him on behalf of their organization’s legislative priorities.

“People will give him the benefit of the doubt.He hasn’t done anything yet.We’ll wait to see what happens,” said Ken Lowy, president of Independent Neighborhood Democrats, which backed Simon.“I think people will accept it as fast as they did with Dan Squadron.I don’t expect any ill will to last very long.”