As NY Primary Approaches, LI’s Zimmerman Gets Blasted for GOP Biz Ties

By: Ilana Siyance

As the Democratic primary approaches, the race for the 3rd Congressional District is getting ugly.

As reported by the NY Post, Robert Zimmerman, who is among the Democrats running to replace Rep. Tom Suozzi in the Aug. 23rd primary, is getting barraged for his ties with GOP members.  Zimmerman’s Public Relations firm, Zimmerman-Edelson, is being called out for working with Nassau County Republican Party chairman Joe Cairo, who is president of the Nassau Off-Track Betting Corporation.  Zimmerman’s company is on a retainer with Nassau OTB, and has also done work with the Republican-run Town of Hempstead, as per records. Further, critics say Zimmerman has been a longtime member of the Democratic National Committee, but his PR firm has also donated $1,000 to the Nassau County Republican Committee in 2007, gave $500 to former GOP Rep. Peter King in 2014 and made three donations totaling $1,750 to Citizens For Anthony Santino, supporters of the longtime Hempstead councilman.

Robert’s key issues include advocating for Planned Parenthood, LGBTQ+ rights, Medicare for All, preventing gun violence, addressing the climate crisis, restoring the SALT deduction, standing up against hate, and supporting a safe Israel as well as a two state solution in the Middle East.

As per the Post, some Democrats also pointed at Zimmerman’s investment portfolio.  Despite touting his support for climate control, his financial disclosure form shows he has mutual fund investments of between $1,000 and $15,000 in multiple oil companies, including ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron, BP.  He also owns between $1,000 and $15,000 of Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR), a fund which holds shares in gun manufacturer Sturm Ruger, despite his stance on gun control.  Zimmerman’s rep said the candidate does not pick his stocks and the investments are part of a diversified mutual fund portfolio.

Still, his opponent Nassau County legislator Joshua Lafazan says Zimmerman’s platform is ripe with hypocrisy. “Zimmerman has spent the last few weeks lobbing desperate and hypocritical attacks at Josh while his own campaign is flailing,” Lafazan campaign advisor Kim Devlin said. “He is a classic old school politician who cozies up to anyone who can pad his pockets while Josh has actually led on Democratic values like abortion access, gun reform and affordable healthcare.”

To be sure, Zimmerman has done his own best to knock Lafazan.  “From helping to fund the anti-abortion Conservative Party, to being widely criticized by the NAACP and LGBTQ groups for backing right-wing priorities, to refusing to come clean about whether he voted for Donald Trump in 2016 — there’s good reason why Democrats don’t trust Josh Lafazan,” said Zimmerman campaign spokesman Jason Kaplan. “That’s why Democratic leaders like Hillary Clinton, Rep. Grace Meng, and Rep. Greg Meeks all endorsed Robert Zimmerman.”  Lafazan was also called out for getting over $50,000 in tuition assistance from a billionaire couple, possibly boosting his campaign funds by then funneling some of his own money there.

The 3rd Congressional District includes parts of Nassau, Suffolk and a bit of Queens. Other candidates in the race include Jon Kaiman, who has served as a Town of North Hempstead supervisor and county judge; health care advocate Melanie D’Arrigo and Reema Rasool.