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Betrayal! Boro’s two top Dems are supporting non-Democrats

By Ben Muessig
The Brooklyn Paper
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The Brooklyn Paper / Ben Muessig
Betrayal? Borough President Markowitz — a Democrat — endorsed Republican Mayor Bloomberg (above) while the county's party boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, has endorsed a non-Democrat in a race to unseat his former protege.
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Community Newspaper Group / Aaron Short

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Are they Democrats in name only?

The head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party and the party’s highest-ranking elected official both turned against their party’s nominees for the Nov. 3 general election when they lent their endorsements to non-Democratic candidates.

Democratic Party boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D–Bushwick), endorsed Working Families Party candidate Maritza Davila in her race against incumbent Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D–Bushwick) — and given Reyna’s razor-thin margin over Davila in the Democratic primary last month, Lopez’s support for Davila in the rematch could tip the scale.

BoroDeal

That news came just one day after Borough President Marty Markowitz passed up his chance to endorse Democrat — and Brooklyn native — Bill Thompson and backed Republican Mayor Bloomberg.

Unsurprisingly, Dems across the borough were aghast at both pols.

Councilmember Letitia James (D–Fort Greene) accused Markowitz of making the decision for the financial “benefit of his office” while her colleague Charles Barron (D–East New York) called Markowitz “a traitor” for backing Bloomberg.

“How on God’s Earth does Marty Markowitz endorse the Mayor,” rhetorically asked Barron.

Democratic voters were equally dismayed.

“I feel really, really disappointed with Marty,” said former Independent Neighborhood Democrats President Kenn Lowy. “Everybody assumes that Bloomberg is going to win, so no one wants to piss him off.”

Markowitz told a Brooklyn Paper reporter that his decision to endorse Bloomberg wasn’t the easy thing to do — but the right thing to do.

“If I was doing this for my political career, I wouldn’t think of supporting anyone but Billy Thompson,” said the Beep, who also endorsed Bloomberg four years ago. “But I think [Bloomberg] merits a third term in office.”

Meanwhile in Bushwick, Dems claim that Lopez’s feud with his one-time protégé Reyna over the city’s controversial, Lopez-backed plan to allow residential development in the so-called Broadway Triangle played a role in his decision to endorse Davila on the Working Families line.

“He’s not acting as the official head of the Democratic Party,” said Democratic District Leader Alan Fleishman. “It’s not the way it should be. We had a Democratic primary [and] he ran a candidate against the councilmember. His candidate lost. Now we have a Democratic nominee. He’s the head of the Democratic Party. He should be supporting that nominee.”

Calls to Lopez’s office were not returned by The Brooklyn Paper’s stringent deadlines.

©2009 Community Newspaper Group

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Reader Feedback

iNsIdEr from Bushwick says:
Last time I checked Bloomberg is a chameleon--whatever suits him he's with. He isn't party-prone; smart man. As much as I dislike him. =D

Moreover, last time i checked Davila was a Democrats. She voted for Obama in the Electoral College, as a Democrat, she ran in the Democratic Primary, she is the Democratic Female District Leader for the 53rd AD, therefore making her still a Democrat. Unfortunately, the city decrepit rules are impeding on her run for Council. She will definetly win the race; the people decided to they want Davila and they are going to prove just that on November 3.
Oct. 8, 2009, 1:33 am
iNsIdEr from Bushwick says:
I want to make a correction... "Moreover, last time I checked Davila was a Democrat".
Oct. 8, 2009, 1:35 am
Bushwick from iNsIdEr says:
I want to make a correction... "Moreover, last time I checked Davila was a Democrat".
Oct. 8, 2009, 1:36 am
Sloper from Park Slope says:
This is stupid. Maritza Davila is a Democratic District Leader, or State Committee member, just like Alan Fleishman. There are no rules against running on a minor party line during the general election. Why would Fleishman have an interest in a City Council election outside of his Assembly District? Could it have something to do with the recent loss of his co-district leader?
Oct. 8, 2009, 6:51 am
Dem Voter from Brooklyn says:
Markowitz and Lopez are worse than Republicans. And they're both also full of s--t.
Oct. 8, 2009, 10:18 am
Mike Curatore from Columbia Street says:
This last Primary, and run-off, have demonstrated that the WFP is running City politics filling the voter apathy void and the total lack of democratic cohesion with self-interested paid workers who shill for the unions and the povery pimps of the City like ACORN.

Beware ANY candidate who gets the endorsement of the WFP. They will destroy the fabric of the City, which was built by its rapidly evaporating middle class.
Oct. 8, 2009, 11:48 am
Jason from Bushwick says:
Its time to get Reyna out of office and elect someone who cares about the people of Bushwick.
let's vote for Maritza Davila!
Oct. 8, 2009, 12:38 pm
jerry from brighton beach says:
Either the electeds want to be puppets ( like Marty Markowitz in endorsing Bloomberg ) or they want newly electeds to be their puppets ( like Davila will be for Lopez). Either way there is no honesty among theives.
Oct. 8, 2009, 12:53 pm
Bill from Ridgewood says:
I storngly beleive that Davila will be our next Council Member. She is getting a lot of momentum here in Ridgewood.

Good luck Maritza
Oct. 8, 2009, 1:18 pm
al pankin from downtown says:
this is good news, anyone with half a brain could only vote for Bloomberg...Who could vote for a man like Thopmpson? he has never done a thing to create a job for this city...he drives the very taxpayers he needs (the ones who pay the taxes) out of new york...just look at the east coast of florioda, these folks used to live in new york but they escaped the high taxes and got out..now thompson says the "rich" aren't paying enough...he is a joke...that's why new york is broke...he is one if the main culprits. TAX TAX TAX TAX Bill Thompson is a looser..
Oct. 8, 2009, 3:14 pm
Brooklyn Native from Park Slope says:
A number of years ago, I saw a car pull up in front of Old First Church on Seventh Avenue, into an area clearly marked for No Parking. The person who got out was William Thompson, he looked at me, smirked, and continued on down the block to Citibank. He knew he was in the wrong, but with a city car, with a city plate being used for personal business, he obviously didn't give a damn. It's the small things that people do when they think no one is watching that indicates and proves character. He proved to me that he had none.

Not that Bloomberg is admirable, not by a long shot.

I'll vote for neither. I've reached the point in my life where I view anyone who covets elected office as someone who should be kept as far away from the decision making process as possible. This mayoral race is the microcosm of national politics where the Republicans scream against government but want to be the first and only ones elected to government, while the democrats feel that government is the answer, so they do their best to fractionalize and demolish it.

Bums they are, and bums they be; as the old adage says, "Throw the bums out!" - All of them.
Oct. 8, 2009, 3:57 pm
Fourth Estate from DUMBO says:
Um, Al you make a point for Thompson. People moved out do to high taxes on the middle class by Bloomberg. Yes, the rich need to pay their fair share, sorry, but GOP talking points are going the way of the dodo. The irony of your statement is Bloomberg's $115 parking ticket. So sure, vote for the 'man of the people' who just is like you, except, he has BILLIONS.

By he way, how can you vote for someone who pretends to help the environment by riding the subway (while having a gas guzzling SUV follow above)?
Oct. 10, 2009, 8:52 am
Brooklyn Native from Park Slope says:
I believe that Marty is term-limited, and it makes economic sense - that is, personal economic Marty sense - to endorse a multi-billionaire, in the same manner that he endorsed the Atlantic Yards construction for another billionaire, Bruce Ratner.

What has Marty ever done with his life but be a politician? He served in the State House, and served in NYC government. Granted he's been the Cheerleader-in-Chief for Brooklyn, but once his term is finished, he needs a job.

Odds are he will get some plush job through the influences of Ratner and/or Bloomberg. I know he will need the income to put food on his table, but he's doing this at the expense not only of his party affiliation, but most importantly, at the enduring expense of the citizens of Brooklyn who will have to endure the Atlantic Yards abomination, and yet another term of that Manhattan-centric definitely-not-one- of-the-common-folk Bloomberg.
Oct. 10, 2009, 2:13 pm
Fourth Estate from DUMBO says:
Brooklyn Native, Term extension was for all city offices, get ready for more Marty.
Oct. 10, 2009, 3:35 pm
Brooklyn Native from Park Slope says:
Hey, Fourth Estate. Thanks for the update. I guess we're still a few more years away from Marty having to get a real job.
Oct. 10, 2009, 6:04 pm
Pacholo from Red Hook says:
Vito Lopez/ Maritza Davila = Dirty BackStabing Politics. These two democrats lost a fair fight and now they are sore LOSERS.
Oct. 11, 2009, 8:40 pm

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