The following is an Op-Ed from the Daily News:
New Yorkers in the congressional district once represented by Anthony Weiner, meet your new man in D.C.: David Weprin. He’s a special kind of guy.
The Democratic bosses of Brooklyn and Queens, who each have part of the district, chose Weprin as the sole person on the Democratic line in September.
Joe Crowley of Queens and Vito Lopez of Brooklyn made the pick because Gov. Cuomo wrongheadedly gave them the power under New York’s special elections rules.
In a special election, voters are denied the chance to choose nominees, as they would in an open primary. And, because the district is overwhelmingly Democratic, hand-picked candidates like Weprin romp in a special election without true public scrutiny or competition.
He and his family are masters at getting themselves appointed to office. Consider:
Weprin’s father, Saul Weprin, was a product of the Queens machine who rose to be Assembly speaker. When he died in 1994, the party anointed David’s brother Mark in a special election.
In 2001, David ran for City Council. He faced opposition in a primary, but the machine made his only real rival a judge. David won in a walk.
In 2009, David entered the only competitive election of his career, running for city controller. He finished fourth out of four in the primary.
A campaign highlight: Asked by this page what the controller’s budget was, he said: “What office? The controller’s office? Ummm. Good question. The controller’s office budget. Ummm . . .”
Since David’s Council seat was then open and he was jobless, brother Mark came to the rescue by running for Council. Mark won, creating an Assembly vacancy, which the party boss filled, you guessed it, by making David the candidate in a special election.
And now, barring a GOP miracle, he will be off to Congress, never having won a true election in his entire career.
By the way, Crowley – who won his own seat in Congress by bypassing a primary – will then fill Weprin’s vacated Assembly seat in yet another uncompetitive special election.
The voters be damned.
(Source: NY Daily News)
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3 Responses
It is unfortunate that “Yeshiva World” News reprints Lashon HaRa regarding a Shomer Torah UMitzvos, Mr. Weprin, from the Daily Shmutz newspaper (or, as my Chaveirim in Yeshiva called it: the Daily Znus).
I respectfully request that this article be removed. Thank you.
It isn’t Weprin’s fault that there is no primary! And the local bosses just selected the Republican opponent.
It’s hardly Lashon Hora. New York decided quite legally to skip primaries for unscheduled elections. If people don’t like the candidate, they can vote for someone else. It is, after all, a free election. And, New York has more parties than almost any other state so there is certain to be opposition.
But who cares what the Daily News thinks.