Okay; so I have been keeping my readers up to date, as I move towards a run for city council later this year; so here is the latest. Last month, I secured an EIN number from the IRS, and on February 5th, 2009, I clocked and filed my campaign committee with the NYC Board of Elections in Manhattan; then I mailed notarized copies of said papers to the State Board of Elections in Albany the very same day. Next, I opened up my campaign account with a commercial bank, on Saturday 7th, February, 2009. This account is now close to one thousand dollars after 3 weeks (not good at all/LOL). I must admit that fundraising has been rather disappointing so far. I am assuming it is the current state of the economy. In fact, I am hoping that’s what it is and not that my candidacy is failing to attract money/rofl. If it continues at this rate I will have to start hitting up my rich white friends soon/lmao.
A couple weeks ago I got a registration number from the Board of Elections; this means my committee is now filed and registered. On the 18th of March, 2009, I intend to file my candidacy with the NYC Campaign Finance Board, in order to join their “matching-funds” program. I intend to do a ceremonial start off for my campaign on Sunday 15th March, with a church service in the district. On the 16th, I will formally launch the street operations, with a couple choice subway stops that morning; there I intend to launch an intense six month campaign. I hope some of you can volunteer to join me for this launch.
On March 29th (Sunday) I will hold a fundraising luncheon at Café Omar (Nostrand Avenue and Clarendon Road) from noon till 5pm. I intend to surprise many with the name of the keynote speaker. One other event is on the front-burner for April 26th, 2009.
In the meantime the threats (and some negativity) have been coming in slowly but steadily; despite the fact that there have been more calls, e-mails and messages of goodwill than I ever imagined. Very early in my deliberations I was told by a rather insipid supporter of the incumbent that the Haitian-Americans are going to assassinate me for trying to take away their little political power in this city. Since there was no specific threat here I have ignored it. Then a Trinidadian -who I assume is also supportive of the incumbent- suggested that I be fearful of voodoo/obeah/black magic activities against me. I have dismissed them both as ignoramuses. I hate to see aspersions cast on a whole group of people just because of their nationality; Haitian-Americans are fine hard-working immigrants like every other immigrant group. These types of negative aspersions have no place in a campaign of any sort: political or otherwise. I could only hope that it will be discouraged by the other candidates in this race; just as I have been doing.
So far it appears that I am one of four people running for the 40th councilmanic district. Apart from myself, there is the incumbent Mathieu Eugene -who is Haitian born- and the presumptive favorite; then there is Leithland Rickie Tulloch -who is Jamaican born- a former losing candidate against Eugene in 2007; and another person named John Grant, who has filed with CFB. Inquiries have so far failed to unmask exactly who the Mr. Grant is. I have gotten some initial contacts with his campaign through third parties, but I cannot say that I know this guy, despite my 35 plus years of political involvement in Brooklyn.
I have had a few spies infiltrate my camp, and a few others who inadvertently showed themselves for exactly how two-faced they were. Oh the games people play! I have been threatened with “a bloody nose” by another of Eugene’s misguided minions; and some of Ricky Tulloch’s supporters seem to not be as respectful of my campaign workers and followers, as I have been respectful of their candidate/candidacy. If all this reflects the type of campaign to come, then I expect the going to be a rough one. But in the immortal words of Lyndon B. Johnson: “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. Believe me when I tell you that I am tough. I can also be rough if I need to be.
I have had to shake up my campaign team a bit, and I have now hired a 22 year old Brooklyn College student (Mariya Yudkevich) to manage my campaign. I also intend to bring in a political consulting firm shortly. Maryia has worked on many campaigns over the past 5 years, and recently worked on the re-election team of Congressman Ed Towns. She also did an internship in the office of the congressman’s son -Assembly member Darryl Towns.
My former campaign manager (Wendy Washington) is now working on some media projects with other members of my team, and will also do fundraising for us. Darryl Smart (CVF mayoral campaign) remains as Director of Field Operations, and Horace Morancie has been retained as a senior advisor. Attorney Gerry Hopkins is now the Director of Media Operations. Attorney Kenneth Evans is another senior advisor to the campaign, along with James Archibald, Wellington Sharpe and Pam Miller (Marcus Garvey Organization). There are many others -including some district leaders- intent on supporting my candidacy. Please feel free to contact us if anyone of you out there is willing to volunteer on this campaign.
The campaign can be reached by e-mailing to “friendsofrockhackshaw”@gmail.com. It can be contacted by telephone (after 3/10/09) at 1-718-284-1023. By regular mail: The Friends of Rock Hackshaw; P.O. Box 250638; James E. Davis Station; Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225.
For those who are willing to contribute to this campaign: please make checks or money orders payable to: “The Friends of Rock Hackshaw”.
Stay tuned-in.