Last night as I was getting ready to go to a candidates debate sponsored by the New Kings Democrats at the Harry Van Arsdale High School Auditorium in Williamsburg I got this weird email from John Heyer's campaign about the debate in the 39th district also scheduled for last night.
Alert: Council Candidate john Heyer Won't Attend Rigged Debate
My reaction: Huh? Wha? Rigged?
When I saw the word "rigged" I knew that things were a little out of whack. This is a City Council candidates forum sponsored by the credible and reputable Park Slope Neighbors and CBID.
Sure, I know that the politics of attack have permeated all aspects of political life. But was the forum really rigged? Maybe there was just going to be a little more fireworks than one has come to expect at these usually staid and convivial forums of the 39th. What the harm? It's fascinating to see politicians on the hot seat.
So what was Heyer's beef and why was he refusing to participate in this candidates forum?
Jesse Adelman, Heyer's campaign manager, wrote in a statement emailed to press and bloggers, that Heyer was "responding to an article
published online by The Brooklyn Paper which quoted debate moderator
and current president of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND)
Ken Lowy mischaracterizing Heyer’s views and singling the candidate out
for a grilling."
By grilling I think he meant that Lowy planned to ask Heyer some tough questions about his conservative viewpoints on same sex marriage and choice. I mean, like, isn't that what a candidates forum is all about?
Adelman begged to differ:
"This
is not a stunt for the sake of a stunt," Adelman told me in a quick phone interview. "We felt it was necessary
for John to get his true beliefs out there and not let others define
him."
Maybe so. But I think Heyer should have cut the drama and just joined the rest of the candidates on stage at the forum, a perfect place to clarify his ideas. Heyer has been quite good at staying cool during those debates even when antagonistic questions have come his way. That speaks volumes to voters who know that politics is about keeping your cool and staying on point.
So I'm surprised that Heyer didn't want to face the others at the debate if he believes, as it said in his statement, that he is being
attacked by "front men for opposing candidates for being a committed
Democrat and a person of faith."
Heyer should know that politics is always about pitting one set of views against another. It's the name of the game. So what exactly did it say in the Brooklyn Paper that got Heyer so hot and bothered?
Alan Fleishman called on club members to reject the 27-year-old
Heyer in favor of Bob Zuckerman, most recently the leader of the
Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation and the Gowanus Canal
Conservancy.
"Let me be clear: John Heyer is a nice guy and a decent fellow, but
when it comes to choice and same-sex marriage, his views are much more
conservative then those of most IND members,” Fleishman wrote in a
letter to club members that was leaked to the award-winning BrooklynPaper.com today. “John is clearly out of step with the progressive principles of IND (Independent Neighborhood Democraats) and our district.”
Indeed, Heyer is anti-abortion. And he has expressed his opposition to same sex marriage at two prior forums. But he says in a personal statement: "With regard to choice: the residents of this district are
overwhelmingly pro-choice, and I have pledged to represent them on this
issue as Councilman. It’s true that personally I consider myself to be
anti-abortion. That doesn’t mean I have any agenda to chip away at the
federally-guaranteed rights of women."
So all this drama was going on while I was getting ready to leave. I wondered if I should stick around and go to the Park Slope debate but I was set to meet an old friend at the K&M Bar on North 8th Street bar in Williamsburg and then walk over to the debate at the school. I was also eager to eyeball Steve Levin, the candidate for the 33rd who hasn't shown up to any of of the previous debates.
Needless to say, I was pulled in two directions at once but finally decided to go to Williambsurg and sent Hugh to the Park Slope church to get a shot of Heyer standing outside.
I'd love to hear from anyone who was there.