Update #1:

“Tonight, the people of the Bronx have spoken”

!@#$ YES

Update #2: Statement from Bill @ NRI:

I wrote about the race on Monday. Here’s a statement from Bill Samuels of the New Roosevelt Initiative, who worked to defeat Espada:

Today Bronx voters sent a clear message to Albany lawmakers with the defeat of disgraced incumbent State Senator Pedro Espada. Voters are fed up with the corrupt practices of Albany and want lawmakers to fundamentally change the way they conduct business on behalf of the people. That is why they elected New Roosevelt Initiative-endorsed candidate Gustavo Rivera. New Yorkers want to see real reform enacted immediately and are willing to send young, bright progressive-minded candidates to Albany who will get the job done.

Many said defeating Pedro Esapda, the incumbent State Senator, would be an uphill battle. New Roosevelt was the first organization to endorse Rivera, in a crowded primary field, more than two months ago and saw him as the best shot to beat Espada and bring reform to Albany. New Roosevelt built from scratch a field organization totally devoted to Albany reform and executed a targeted field and mail operation directed at Bronx primary voters as well as polling and get out the vote efforts. We are proud to help make the defeat of Espada a reality.

With this victory we are sending a message to both Republicans and Democrats that if major reform measures are not in enacted soon, they may face the same fate as Espada in 2012.

The Democratic Primary is on September 14th.

That’s why MYD is headed up to the 33rd District on Sep 12th to make one final push to get disgraced State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. out of office!

Join us at 10:30AM at Herald Square (corner of 32nd Street and Broadway) to hop the train up there for the most important part of the campaign season: GOTV. In a district with historically low voting rates, every single door we knock on to remind people to vote WILL make a difference.

And the best part: lunch is on us. So come on out!

RSVP here: http://bit.ly/btuYAy

Contact Emmy at vp@goMYD.com or 203 444 9465 if you have any questions.

En Espanol Para reservar su puesto por favor de contactar Heather – 610-864-1194 | secretary@goMYD.com

For state races, the best advice for New York voters is to vote against anybody who has done time in Albany. That is especially true in the State Senate, where a few Democrats have used their slim majority to hold up the Legislature, usually for petty and personal reasons. There are a very few good senators like Liz Krueger, an independent voice from Manhattan. But most legislators need to find work elsewhere.

At the top of that list should be Pedro Espada Jr., a Democrat running for re-election in the Bronx even though he mostly lives in the suburbs. Here are just a few reasons for voting against him: He owes more than $10,000 in fines for campaign finance violations (the maximum fine is $500 each); he is accused of milking his medical clinics for personal and political expenses including $20,000 worth of sushi delivered to his home in Westchester; he forced fellow senators to give him a fancy title and padded his office with a fawning entourage.

Mr. Espada has run a sleazy campaign, even threatening voters who signed petitions for his strongest and best opponent, Gustavo Rivera. Mr. Rivera, an educator and political activist, has promised to vote for the kind of real reforms the state needs. A third candidate in the race, Daniel Padernacht, is a real estate lawyer with little understanding of state issues. He is a distraction for voters whose goal should be to oust Mr. Espada.

In State Senate District 33 in the Bronx, we endorse Gustavo Rivera.

Endorsements for New York

Both candidates are running against powerful incumbents: Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. and Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., respectively.  With a daily readership of over 290,000 people, the El Diario endorsement could potentially reach thousands of Bronx voters.

Of Gustavo Rivera, the endorsement reads:

The time has come to close the door on the politics of “me” and for the politics of “we” to reign. District 33 has a chance to do this on Sept. 14 by supporting Rivera.

To help elect pro-marriage equality candidates, visit the MYD 2010 Campaign Page.

To quote one resident, whose door we knocked upon in the 97-degree heat on Sunday afternoon:

Pedro Espada can go to hell.

In that spirit, we’re passing along info on another anti-Espada event taking place this coming Saturday. Our friends at the New Roosevelt Initiative will be leading the charge. Email vp [at] goMYD [dot] com back to get connected with the organizers. Details here:

Mr. Espada is giving away free food and school supplies at two locations on Saturday morning, and we are trying to get 40 people to go out to make his life miserable.  We’re meeting at 9:30, and will hit both of their giveaway sites.  Details are below if anyone can make it!

PROTEST AGAINST PEDRO ESPADA
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2010
9:30 am – c. 11:30 am

Vladeck Hall (9.45-10.30)
74 Van Cortlandt Park South (corner Hillman Avenue)

Moshulu Library
285 East 205th Street(10.30-11.15)

Of course, converting anti-Espada sentiment to actual votes on Sep 14 are two very different things. That’s why we need you to mark your calendars for canvassing on Sunday, Sep 12, for GOTV! In a district where only 10-15% of the base gets out to vote, every single vote will count. Again, email me if you want in on the fun: vp [at] goMYD [dot] com.

Our canvass team outside of Pedro's fake home in the 33rd District. A resident who walked by told us: "You'll have better luck finding him in Mamaroneck!"

Email Emmy at vp [at] goMYD [dot] com if you want to help us defeat Pedro Espada Jr! We still have some t-shirts left…

Like we've been saying: Don't Vote for Pedro

Reason #1:

He’s accused by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo of siphoning $14million from his Bronx-based Soundview health clinics.

Reason #2:

A high-end Manhattan tailor is suing Espada for walking out on a $7,200 tab for six custom suits.

And this just out, Reason #3:

The Bronx Democrat still owes the state Board of Elections $10,310 for failing to turn over timely financial disclosure forms, board spokesman John Conklin told the Daily News on Tuesday.

Agreed:

“It’s a disgrace,” said Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group. “After repeated promises to do otherwise, the majority leader is still in violation of the state election law.”

Want to help us oust Pedro Espada Jr? We’re canvassing this weekend in the 33rd District. Free transport, 10-3PM on Saturday, and likely back up there on Sunday.

Email vp [at] goMYD [dot] to get this deadbeat out of office!

Daily  News

“I cannot participate in a legislative process that still has not addressed basic and important needs of our most vulnerable citizens. Working in the district today and tending to the needs of my constituents will be far more productive.”

Check it out the full article here.

Joint Statement from State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr. (D-Bronx) and Reverend Diego Delgado, Pastor of the Church of the Mediator”

For the safety of the congregation and community residents who signed up to ask questions about job creation and economic development, affordable housing and rent relief for tenants, education, senior services and a number of other issues important to poor and working families in the 33rd district, we are postponing the town hall meeting that had been scheduled for 6 p.m. today at the Church of the Mediator. The meeting will be rescheduled for those who registered to attend so their questions can be answered and their concerns addressed in the civil environment that was intended. This was never a closed meeting, but space limitations required that participants register in advance.

Really? Space limitations? Isn’t the whole point of a town hall to allow open dialogue and communication between concerned residents and their electeds?

It is despicable that political rabble-rousers who are outsiders — and we emphasize ‘outsiders’ — would come into our community under the guise of democracy and tenant advocacy and vow to disrupt a town hall meeting in a House of Worship.

Yeah, housing groups and other advocates who operate on the ground in your district REALLY constitute a bunch of “outsiders”. Or do you just define everyone who disagrees with your conduct as a State Senator an outsider?

We have seen this group in action before — the same people who are paid a small stipend and a food voucher to some cheap restaurant to appear at events to disrupt, spit on people, use obscene language, intimidate and push people around. These people are not from our community, they know nothing of the struggles of our community, and they show up to do the bidding of a political party, which operates under the guise of representing working families and whose days are numbered, and a billionaire who never stepped foot in our neighborhoods until now.

Mr. Espada, we have seen you in action before, and we watched you give free food to residents and then ask them to “sign here”, a signature which was conveniently located on one of your petitions.  No wonder you fear that every New Yorker is being paid off by a billionaire to express certain views. It has nothing to do with a desire for good governance and pushing for better leadership in Albany. I suppose you also think that your actions as a State Senator and Majority Leader and Housing Committee Chair–like the ones we celebrated at our State Senate Coup Anniversary Party, which was co-sponsored by nine grassroots organizations, including two from the Bronx–have had no ramifications either in or beyond your own district? New Yorkers should just stand by and take it when their legislature ceases to function for two months.

Oh, by the way, speaking of intimidation and disruption–maybe you should rein in your son before preaching to others about treating people with respect.

Where were these outsiders when we stopped the Mayor from closing senior centers in our community, when we restored the free MetroCard for thousands of students in our local schools, and when we stopped the Governor from making deep cuts to classrooms in our school districts? Why aren’t these people supporting a five-year rent freeze for struggling families in our community? We know the answers. They are phonies with no ties to our community. We are not going to allow them to desecrate a House of Worship and a community event, or place the safety and well-being of the good parishioners and citizens of the 33rd district at risk.”

You’re totally right, Mr. Espada. These “phonies” are only in for themselves. That’s why they’re protesting a closed-door “community” event to which you only invite people who agree with you.

Tell us–does allegedly stealing $14 million dollars from a local, taxpayer-funded healthcare clinic in the 33rd district put your constituents at risk?

Daily News: In face of unrest, Sen. Pedro Espada scratched Town Hall