Chris Bragg of City & State reports:
Pinny Ringel, a well-known figure in Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish community who worked as an aide to Democratic ex-Councilman Simcha Felder, is joining the opposing team.
A well-connected Orthodox Jewish source told me this morning that Ringel has been hired as newly minted Republican Sen. David Storobin’s community liaison. The hiring decision was confirmed by Republican operative Michael Fragin, who himself just joined Storobin’s re-election campaign as a top adviser.
The hiring is a coup for Storobin, and a bit surprising, since Ringel had worked in Felder’s office from 2002 to 2010 – until Felder joined the New York City comptroller’s office. Storobin is now running for Senate against Felder, Ringel’s former boss.
“I don’t want to speculate on the reasons for it,” Fragin said.
Reached by phone, Ringel, who currently works as a liason to the Jewish community for Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, declined to comment on his future plans.
“As of now, I am working in the New York public advocate’s office, so I cannot comment,” Ringel said.
Ringel himself at one point considered running for Felder’s Council seat, but ultimately passed. The seat was instead won in a special election by Councilman David Greenfield.
(Source: City & State)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
6 Responses
Here goes another election where the Community gets fooled. This is how it works. Nachman Caller runs for Senate knowing all along Storobin will jump in. Now that Storobin comes into the picture Caller steps out and endorses Storobin. A candidates support is always stronger. Then you have Ringel going with Storobin and against his former boss Simcha Felder who put all his trust in Ringel while he was working for him. This whole plan all worked out by Dean Skelos who let the Tovea Bill pass in the Senate floor and the same Skelos that was behind the Storobon/Fidler campaign. Bottom line is that Fidlers election was not about the Tovea Bill but about making a Republican win. This new Super Jewish Senate district will be about the same. Don’t believe everything you hear.
Nothing personal against Ringel, but this move will not win one more vote for them. He is an uneducated person (yet a good ehrlicher Yid) and has no clue what he is doing and wont bring anything to the party
Pinny is a nice guy, but I’m voting for the candidate who is shomer Torah umitzvos and has provided years of honorable service as an elected official.
For the record, Pinny Ringel is educated. He has a bachelors degree from Touro which is where he first me Felder as a student in his class.
For a community that believes in Hakaros Hatov, we should be voting for Felder, but unfortunately he’s from a party that really doesn’t support our values.
I think Felder made a mistake by not running on the Republican line. For a super jewish district to be represented by someone only marginally Jewish is rather sad. Bottom line, we don’t really have a good choice of options.
Anyone who votes for Simcha Felder supports taking away our right to vote because when the bill to extend term limits in the City Council about four years ago not only did he vote on it but he sponsored it. This was despite the NYC City voters who not once but twice voted against it. If we let people like Simcha Felder get away with this who is to say they won’t bring a vote up in the City Council sometime in the future that frum Jews can’t vote & pay the Judges off to rule it constitutional.
Reply to Yossi K
So if someone works for someone he is not allowed to join a competition?
Mr. Ringel is not employed by Felder since Felder left to the Comptroller’s office, so I don’t get your point why Ringel is not allowed to make his own decision and join Storobin. I don’t think he owes Felder anything that he must support and work for him for life.