Jim Owles Letter to NYS Democratic Committee
Jay Jacobns, Executive Director of the NYS Democratic Party
Democrats around NY state are outraged over an email sent by the NYS Democratic Committee chair, Jay Jacobs, entitled “Setting the Record Straight.”
[Ed. - scroll down for Jacobs’ letter]
Below is the statement made by the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, a greatly respected founding affiliate of NYPAN, which takes issue with the highly offensive, divisive and inappropriate statement recently sent by Jay Jacobs, the Executive Director of the NYS Democratic Party (scroll down to see letter). The Jim Owles letter brilliantly lays out the many objections to Jacobs’ statement, and the feelings of outrage which many loyal NYS Democrats had upon receiving it. It also questions whether Jacobs can continue in his position. NYPAN and many of our members share that outrage, and therefore have decided to post and share the Jim Owles letter.
JIM OWLES LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC CLUB DEMANDS RESIGNATION
OF STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR JAY JACOBS
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
April 30, 2021
Contact: Allen Roskoff - 917-553-7180, aroskoff@mac.com
NEW YORK - The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, New York City’s progressive LGBTQ Democratic club, today demanded the immediate resignation of NY State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs. The club made the demand after Mr. Jacobs became involved in several controversial and divisive issues in recent days. Club President Mr. Roskoff stated, “Mr. Jacobs has become a divisive and reactionary figure in New York State politics. The time has come for him to immediately step down.”
Roskoff listed several instances in which Mr. Jacobs’ conduct has been deeply reprehensible. Most recently, Mr. Jacobs inserted himself into intra-party Democratic politics by strongly criticizing progressive organizations that have backed the candidacy of Rana Abdelhamid, who recently announced that she intends to challenge long-time incumbent Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. Jacobs denigrates progressive insurgents and attacks their right to run and to give the voters the right to choose, which is reprehensible.
Roskoff commented on statements to the press by Mr. Jacobs questioning whether the challenge by Ms. Abdelhamid would further progressive causes. “It is laughable for Mr. Jacobs to appoint himself an authority on what is best for progressives. Mr. Jacobs has never been a progressive.”
Roskoff also pointed to Mr. Jacobs’ recent involvement in the controversy over whether to extend benefits to undocumented workers excluded from the federal unemployment system. “Mr. Jacobs intervened inappropriately on behalf of upstate legislators trying to prevent efforts by progressive Black and Brown State Senators, representing Black and Latino districts, to enable undocumented workers to receive benefits. In this instance Jacobs told Black and Brown legislators what they should and shouldn’t view as racist, which is of itself racist.”
Roskoff also pointed to questionable ethical practices at the state Democratic Party, whose Executive Committee Chair, Christine Quinn, brings home nine million dollars in state contracts for an organization for which she is reportedly paid $350,000 per year.
“It is clearly a conflict of interest. Maybe the State Democratic Party should stop worrying about the Republican's lapses of ethics until they look at their own,” Mr. Roskoff noted. “It is wrong to have officers of the State Democratic Party with financial business before the state, be it with organizations they head or as registered state lobbyists since it is in their financial interest to support the state party and curry favor rather than arrive at independent decisions that are in the best interest of party members and New Yorkers throughout the state. This must be rectified. Officers are not permitted to gain financially by serving as a party officer. It is in clear violation of the New York State Democratic Party’s own Ethic's Code, Article 7, Section 4.”
Roskoff concluded, “Jacobs has been subservient to Governor Cuomo and uses the party solely to advance the governor’s career. Jacobs is not the strong, ethical and independent voice needed by increasingly progressive, diverse and forward-thinking party members. That is why the State party is stagnant. It is in the party’s best interest for him to step down immediately.”
JAY JACOB’S LETTER:
Post-election polling makes crystal clear why even though Joe Biden won the Presidency by more than 7 million votes nationwide, Democrats lost House seats and failed to win a clear, outright majority in the Senate. In New York, we lost two great members. We lost because Trump and the Republicans were way too successful at falsely accusing DEMOCRATS of being SOCIALISTS. Let me be clear: we are not. And, if we are to win, as Democrats, we need to fight to make that clear.
Yesterday, I came to the defense of yet another incumbent Democratic member of Congress who is being challenged by another member of the “Democratic Socialists of America” and backed by the “Justice Democrats.” My defense of a longstanding, respected incumbent who has supported and advanced a progressive agenda since before entering the Congress, seemed to have set the Extreme Left’s hair on fire. What’s clear now: while they have no problem throwing punches, they sure can’t take one!
There wasn’t one personal attack in what I had to say, but you have to enjoy the way the Socialists always resort to the same playbook: ignore the merits and strike with ad hominem, personal attacks. Hide what you stand for, and only speak to the popular talking points that you know will resonate more broadly. Best of all, their strategy is to cherry-pick those races, in primary-winnable districts that have, as they perceive it, weaker incumbents. It never matters to them that those incumbents have spent a lifetime fighting for – and often delivering – the very progressive changes these Socialist challengers now promote – as if THEY discovered them.
And, when they win, they shout it from the rooftops. But, when they lose – and they sure do – you don’t hear a peep from them. The history of their support for losing challenges is washed away.
What these Socialists won’t tell you – now or in their campaign – is what they really stand for. Here is just the PREAMBLE to their SOCIALIST PLATFORM:
“Our goal is not to reform the US capitalist economy, but to dismantle and move beyond it and — arm-in-arm with movements and working people across the world — to build a socialist world free of the domination of US imperialism.”
Everyone should read their platform. It’s what they AND THEIR CANDIDATES stand for: https://www.socialists.nyc/platform-preamble
As Democrats, we believe in the Black Lives Matter movement, substantive, meaningful police reform and equal justice under law. We don’t believe in “defunding the police.” We believe in directing more money to needed social programs and ending “forever wars.” We don’t believe in unilaterally giving up our nuclear weapons deterrent and disarming this country. We believe in criminal justice reform. We don’t believe in discontinuing the use of gang data bases or treating 26 year-old violent felons as “youthful offenders.” We DO support peace in the Middle East and the “Two-State Solution” but we do not support the anti-Israeli BDS movement or forbidding elected officials from even visiting the State of Israel. There is so much more in their platform that would shock many who have been persuaded to vote for them in the past.
I believe that it is well past time for practical progressives to stand up and be counted and for us to fight back and defend the true values and principles of the Democratic Party.
Different than the Socialists who run around with their hair on fire every time someone dares to confront them over the merits of what they believe, we will not make this personal. We will engage them openly, clearly and honestly, in the arena where ideas and values all deserve to be heard. We need your help and your support. Stand up for true progressive values and for the future of the Democratic Party.
Sincerely,
Jay S. Jacobs
Chairman