Wednesday, July 29, 2009

District 20 debate turns into Royal Rumble

From the Queens Campaigner:

It was billed as a debate, but it turned into an airing of dirty laundry.

The six Democratic candidates running for the seat of City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) participated in a candidates’ forum in Flushing Monday night, but what started as a cordial discourse on issues affecting District 20 quickly devolved into a fracas replete with allegations of everything from racism to planted questions.

During the course of the forum, held at Korea Village by Terence Park’s Our Political Coalition, candidates Yen Chou and Isaac Sasson were openly called racists, John Choe was criticized for calling the United States imperialist in a 2006 speech, S.J. Jung was accused of living in another state and Constantine Kavadas erupted against forum panelists whom he accused of asking questions planted by opposing campaigns.


Tomorrow night is round 2 at the Flushing Library! Don't miss it!

12 comments:

Taxpayer said...

Why call it dirty laundry? No candidate is ENTITLED to get past voters without answering questions - planted or smearing - to demonstrate some honesty and intelligence and toughness.

If a candidate EXPECTS some kind of refined, sweet decorum, he or she should campaign for the church choir!

These people say they want to represent the voters. Well, that job itself is tough and dirty. Does a candidate expect the media and other elected politicians will treat other office holders with sweet decorum and perfumed hanky-carrying delicacy?

Then they need to apply for a job elsewhere! We don't need delicate, sensitive flowers in public office! We want and demand honest, intelligent and strong representatives of OUR will. We need representatives honest and tough enough to stand up to any more Commissar Wannabes who try to succeed the current Commissar!

Anonymous said...

But you see with the machine its so tidy and mind numbing that it turns off voters and you get this guy or that guy without a dime's worth of difference betwixt them.

Anony2 said...

Can't I just vote for Julia Harrison again? This place has to hell without her!!!

Anonymous said...

Kavadas' petitions were challenged because they were full of fraud. If he gets bumped off the ballot it's because he had more forged signatures than valid ones.

It would serve him right. This is the guy who challenged Tony Avella's petitions for Mayor. Who can call themselves a progressive while trying to knock the only real reformer we have in this city off the ballow?

Flushing Matters said...

In the interest of our community, this debate was an absolute train wreck. John Choe continues to ooze anti-American rhetoric. Yen Chou remains disconnected from our diverse neighborhoods. Isaac Sasson has spent his energy on past endeavors- we need someone who can simply knock on more doors. Peter Koo is a Republican, we are a strong Democratic district. And S.J Young only represents one part of the Asian community. This leaves dark horse Constantine Kavadas the safest bet. Talented, empathetic, and a certified lifelong Flushing resident, Kavadas remains a bright light in a murky, lackluster field of candidates for District 20.

Queens Crapper said...

You forgot James Wu who would have my vote if I lived in the district.

Anonymous said...

Kavadas is 24 years old has no community experience and works for his father. a kid playing politics

Anonymous said...

So much effort just to gain control of a little filthy fiefdom...F-Liu-xhing...now that the Liu dynasty is being term limited out.

Glad I moved out of the district to a better part of Queens some 30 years ago!

And don't let Tommy Huang's cousin John Liu grab the NYC comptroller's seat. Vote for Weprin...our best bet!

Vote for James Wu if you live in the 20th district.

P.S.
At the height of Julia Harrison's racial lynching by the New York Times (at the Staviskys behest no doubt) she still won by 65% of the vote and would have gotten a third term!

Anonymous said...

Choe, Chou, Wu.

Sounds like a new Chinese dish to replace char shu ding!

Let those bitchy war lords battle it out for the coveted downtown province.

May the rice queen with the biggest egg roll win.

Anonymous said...

Flushing Matters-

Kavadas' youth is a plus, he doesn't carry any baggage. He can be the Democratic answer to Eric Ulrich.

Sasson's past is also a plus- he's a military veteran, cancer researcher, and Queens College professor.

Anonymous said...

If this is an indication of how these candidates will conduct themselves at the City Council – God help the people of Flushing! This cat fighting and these hissy fits are all bullshit, political or otherwise.

The constituency is waiting for one of these candidates to step forward and address the issues of the Town of Flushing in the City and State of New York, USA.

Maybe they don’t know what the local issues are?

I know for a fact that at least two of these candidates (James Wu and Issac Sasson) ARE residents of Flushing. Come on guys, show some moxie! Stay focused.

Anonymous said...

Choe, Chou, Choe, Chou, Choe, Chou, Choe, Chou, Choe, Chou, ..

Sounds like we are on the Nanking Railroad.