A progressive who touted the necessity for accountability as she vies for state Senate was a no-show for her Queens community, information reveal.
Democratic socialist Kristen Gonzalez, who’s working in a district that spans Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan — hardly ever attended Community Board 4 meetings throughout her 2018-2022 tenure.
Attendance information present Gonzalez missed 46% of CB 4’s meetings in that point, a determine which constitutes “substantial nonattendance,” in line with the board’s code of conduct.
During her time on the board, which covers a swath of struggling Queens neighborhoods together with Corona, Elmhurst, Newtown, and LeFrak City, Gonzalez missed:
- An April 2020 dialogue about securing pandemic aid by naming the CB4 space a “catastrophe zone” consequently of the coronavirus pandemic.
- A June 2019 assembly, which included a as soon as in half-century vote on rezoning in LeFrak City.
- In December 2018 a compulsory coaching from the town’s Conflict of Interest Board.
Community board votes are advisory in nature, however nonetheless carry weight amongst metropolis companies and officers.
The public tardiness flies within the face of Gonzalez’s personal marketing campaign rhetoric, during which she has extolled her dedication to public workplace.
“It is so necessary to elect somebody to Albany who shall be accountable to the communities they serve,” Gonzalez said during a main debate final month.
Gonzalez’s repeated absence from CB 4 didn’t shock Frank Seddio, a longtime take-no-prisoners Brooklyn powerbroker.
“They’re all full of s–t. ‘Oh I’m a progressive. I’m gonna be there,’ after which they don’t present up,” he stated. “It’s unhappy and regrettable. That’s one of the primary necessities, that you just attend the meetings. How a lot enter can you’ve got when you don’t take part.”
Seddio, the previous Brooklyn Democratic Party chairman, stated he was backing former councilwoman Liz Crowley, a reasonable, within the race.
Gonzalez — a product supervisor for American Express — is now locked in a ferocious main for New York’s 59th State Senate district which covers Astoria, Long Island City, Greenpoint, North Williamsburg, and a slice of jap Manhattan.
She faces Nomiki Konst, a fellow socialist and one-time candidate for Public Advocate, and Crowley, a former metropolis councilwoman.
Gonzalez has locked up the endorsements of most of the town’s blue-chip lefties, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, however her failures to attend community board meetings have stirred the ire of some progressives.
“I don’t belief that individuals who don’t present as much as community board meetings will present up for constituents and employees,” State Senator Jessica Ramos stated of Gonzalez in a heated text exchange with Astoria District Leader Shawna Morlock, that was later posted to Twitter.
Gonzalez has additionally been accused of siccing her followers on her opponents.
“Your ways towards us have inspired supporters of yours to threaten, harass & bodily intimidate me, our crew & supporters. We don’t really feel protected & it’s bought to finish, now. Nobody needs to be afraid to run, converse out or marketing campaign,” Konst tweeted final month.
Pundits say the presence of two socialists within the race provides a chance for Crowley, a relative reasonable.
“It is lifelike that two progressives might cut up the vote and guarantee a win for Elizabeth Crowley,” stated veteran New York Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf. “She is a former councilwoman, she has increased identify ID, she begins out with a bonus, and their presence maintains that benefit.”
There are not any public polls within the race. Konst and Crowley haven’t beforehand served on community boards.
“I’m proud of the work I did alongside fellow board members like City Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, who endorsed our marketing campaign, in addition to the mutual help work I used to be doing at the moment. But it’s clear our opponents would relatively discuss some month-to-month common meetings I missed whereas chairing different work on the board and attending Executive Committee meetings than what this election is definitely about: cash versus individuals,” Gonzalez stated.
