I always know when a column has touched some raw nerves: the phones start ringing almost as soon as the column is e-mailed; long before it even goes public/viral/lol. And that’s when I usually have to defend my thesis or ”splain” myself like the deceased Lucille Ball. My last column- primarily about the potential Ed Towns v. Hakeem Jeffries congressional primary next year- brought some strange calls and e-mails. So let me expound on some of the things I wrote there and even throw in some other kibbles and bits.
Political junkies who read my columns regularly, tend to like the juicy tidbits of political gossip that emanate from Brooklyn mainly. Some of them would just love to see me fall on my face with one of these columns; or better yet: get sued for libel or slander. They keep waiting and hoping and wishing for that day. I say this: keep waiting and wishing and hoping. My stuff is tighter than the deceased Jack Benny’s wallet.
One of the big contentions with my last column was the fact that redistricting (and reapportionment) lines haven’t been finalized as yet, thus it would be premature of Hakeem to assume that he will find himself in the 10th congressional district, and not the 11th congressional district next door. The word is that Congresswoman Yvette Clarke needs to find lots of people to fill out her number(s), and as such, she will be going deeper into downtown Brooklyn from her present lines. A longtime observer of this process expects that Ed Towns will draw Hakeem’s residence out of the 10th district, thereby leaving him susceptible to the “carpetbagger” label.
Now remember that in 2002 the residence of Hakeem Jeffries was drawn out of the 57thAD by then incumbent Roger Green, after Jeffries had mounted a spirited challenge two years earlier. This led to Hakeem having to eventually find a new residence in the 57th in order to run and finally win the seat (after Roger the Dodger left the assembly).
Another longtime observer, plus an elected official, both told me that they would prefer Hakeem challenging Congresswoman Yvette; and that they would openly support him (wow!) over her. I am still in shock from that revelation.
Then I realized that something I told you guys some time aback is still percolating in this area. Jewish interests in Brooklyn (and probably far wider) are angry at Yvette Clarke over some position she took relative to the Israeli v. Palestinian issue.
I have been informed that the speculation relative to Darlene Mealy challenging Yvette Clarke for the 11th congressional seat comes with all this as a backdrop. Some people are asking if Darlene being used as a pawn by Jewish interests wanting to take out Yvette Clarke? The analysis goes like this: Darlene and Yvette split up the black and female votes enough to let a person like David Yassky come through the middle and win.
Recall when there was a big rumor that given our state will be losing two congressional seats due to redistricting and reapportionment, there were those who wanted to eliminate (or compress) the 11th district (like they did to deceased Stephen Solarz twenty years ago). I know that any attempt to eliminate Yvette’s district has to go through the Justice Department for approval. I also know that many who were born in the Caribbean (myself included) will be putting on our marching shoes and will protest such a move no end.
Caribbean-Americans have an attachment to that seat that isn’t even tacit anymore. It goes way back before Shirley Chisholm’s days. Recent revelations in mainstream media, suggesting that Ms. Clarke may have over-billed for travelling expenses, could be an early move being made to publicly drum up a challenge for her. It also suggests that anti-Yvette forces will use the press to cause her some stress. Suddenly you can now see Darlene Mealy being the co-author (with speaker Christine Quinn) of a column in a prominent newspaper. The column deals with some local issues. My sources say they cannot recall such a thing happening anytime before: and she has been in the council since 2005.
That’s why I always admonish my readers to “stay tuned-in”. There are folks out there who want Yvette’s head on a platter. I am sure that her mother (Una) is paying attention; so don’t think for a minute that the Clarkes won’t be putting war-paint on their faces soon. No matter what happens let me tell you that Yvette isn’t an easy lay (politically speaking of course). She has an ethnic base of voters who wouldn’t take any perceived attacks on her by just lying down on their backs.
So all this Towns v. Jeffries stuff could be a smoke screen folks. The real target may just be Ms. Clarke. Depending on how this plays out, I may just endorse Yvette this time around. Let me sniff around a lil more and get deeper into this. I hate gang-banging; and if that’s about to happen then I may just have to write about it.
Let me get back to the Hakeem Jeffries v. Ed Towns race: in my last column, I held back lots of info at my disposal. Sometimes you have to adhere to your sources and their pleas to keep certain things under wraps. Don’t let anyone fool you: Hakeem has decided to run for congress. He has a hard-on for Washington, D.C. It’s what he spent all those years educating himself to be: a congressman.
I know Ed is reading my columns so let me tell him as plainly as I can: if the race goes down then I want to bet on Hakeem. I might even give odds if the Towns people want to talk shit. In such a race Ed is deader than an old man’s dick.
Some jackass recently went up on the blogs and said that I endorsed Ed’s daughter (for the 54thAD) because I want Darryl Towns to give me a job. How little do they know about me! Quelle dommage! What a pity! I endorsed Deidra Towns because I believe we need more females in elected office; and also because the other two candidates didn’t blow me away. Well; what are they going to say about my last two columns: some job application huh? How many times do I have to prove that I am independent of all this silly stuff? If someone wants to hire me it will be because of my credentials and professional experiences; not because of ass-kissing: I don’t go there. Any of my concubines will tell you I am a “missionary” kinda guy/lol.
If I had kissed some asses along the way, then I guess I would have gone much further in this the only game in town: politics. I probably would have been elected to some office by now; or maybe I would be sitting in some job paying big bucks. Sorry! Not this kid! I have paid heavy tolls because of my political independence and integrity.
Yes; I did submit my resume to Darryl’s chief of staff. And yes, I am sure I will be more qualified than most of the people who will eventually get hired. Just because you send a resume to someone or some firm, it doesn’t mean that you expect a job to materialize. Often times it is done because you just want to go on record as doing it. To many black-electeds, I became “persona non gratis” long before Adam screwed Eve. They know it and I know it: it doesn’t stop me from circulating my resume. Hiring me is their call. So far only one elected ever made the call. And even that didn’t last too long.
Another piece of info I didn’t write about last column has to do with Tish James. Word is that Tish is running for Public Advocate in 2013 because Bill DiBlasio is running for mayor. Well; let me put it this way: Tish wants to make the race and she has put out some early “feelers” on the topic. Many are holding bated breaths relative to who she supports in the Jeffries v. Towns race.
Tish’s problem is that too many people have ambiguous feelings toward her. As competent as she is as an elected, she has turned off many with all the political games she has played over the years. If she runs for public advocate, one of her opponents will take a video of that dressing-down she got from Ray Kelly during the Sean Bell hearings, and use it to hurt her (politically speaking of course). Watch!
In that clip you will see one of Tish’s worst moments in politics ever. In that moment she was exposed as duplicitous relative to police brutality issues. It will not play in the hood if skillfully used. She has been forewarned; and it isn’t because I don’t think she will fail as public advocate: she just might excel in the position. I just don’t think she can win a race outside Brooklyn; that’s all. But then you know what they will ask you when you discuss this column and my position-take here: “what the fuck does Rock Hackshaw know about NY politics”? (Fess-up/they say this all the time/don’t they?).
Karim Camara has a lot of work to do as the new chairperson for the Black, Hispanic and Asian Caucus in the state legislature. You see, beneath the surface, Hispanic-electeds in this state don’t believe they have ever gotten a fair shake in the various arrangements seeking to build viable coalitions. The recent race for the 54thAD didn’t help. There are those who felt that Ed Towns should have never let his daughter run for this (perceived) “Hispanic seat”. Plus there are those who see the treatment of Kevin Parker vis-à-vis Hiram Monseratte as totally one-sided and unfair. Look; you can go all the way back to Adam Clayton Powell, Herman Badillo and Fernando Ferrer to realize that there are some serious issues of distrust on both sides of the Black-Hispanic divide. Keep your eyes on the next mayoral race when Hispanics demand that blacks support one of theirs. Don’t say Cousin Rocky didn’t warn you.
I also wrote about the 57th AD and the race to replace Hakeem Jeffries should things unfold as I expect. I tried to make a point about rumors and gossip which abound in the Brooklyn political theater. I may have used the wrong example (Walter Mosley) to get to the point, and I do apologize if anyone was offended by this. The reason why I would like to see an agreement between both rivals (Ola and Walter) and no contest is because I selfishly would love to not have to choose sides here. I consider both of them as friends. In general I think primaries are good for democracy though.
In this race the rumors have already started. There is one where Ola is supposed to have used her district leadership to get a good deal on a co-op or condo purchase some time aback. Then there are rumors about actual residency relative to where each one will be living after redistricting is completed. In that neck of the woods people are already choosing up sides in this contest. It may get steamy folks.
I hear Jamaican-born assemblyman Nick Perry is moving around East-Flatbush deathly scared of a primary challenge. Word is that he is running around the district like a chicken without a head. It’s coming Nick; and it’s not me. It was never coming from me. Nick has options. He can run for Brooklyn Borough president and give up his assembly seat. He has quietly done twenty years in Albany already.
Another Jamaican-born “potential” candidate (businessman Delroy Wright) is now said to be considering a run for the New York city council in 2013; although he hasn’t completely ruled out a run for the state legislature next year. Word is that Ricky Tulloch (another Jamaican-born politician) isn’t running for city council next year. In recent times, anti-Mathieu Eugene forces have been vocally recruiting a challenger for the council member (40th). It isn’t even a secret anymore. I am told Eugene is supremely confident that he is unbeatable in this district. Some of Eugene’s Haitian-American supporters say he can emerge as the first black speaker of the city council after all others have been term-limited out. They expect him to be around for at least two more full terms.
I finally found two or three people who thought I should run against Kevin Parker next year. It sure took a while. New York One’s erstwhile host of “Inside City Hall” (Errol Louis) wasn’t one of those who felt I should run. Most folks think that the unions and WFP will support Parker to the hilt: despite his criminal conviction. Folks think that would make him extremely hard to beat. They say I will be beaten like an egg being prepared for an omelet. What say you? ROFL.
Do stay tuned-in.