By: Ilana Siyance
On Friday afternoon, Adrienne Adams from Queens secured an apparent victory for the position of City Council Speaker, with 33 pledged supporters. Though the appointment is not yet official, she has more than the needed majority of backers.
Queens County Democratic Party boss Rep. Gregory Meeks was criticized for teaming up with far-left Democrats to keep contender Francisco Moya from being installed into the position. As reported by the NY Post, Meeks, who is chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee and has a history of strong supporter of Israel, courted members of the Democratic Socialists of America to join him in voting out candidate Moya. The newly elected members of DSA, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Caban, are notorious for anti-Israel antics including support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the State of Israel.
On Thursday, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis and an FDNY chaplain, ripped Meeks for the alliance. “It’s just wrong. It’s indefensible. It’s the reason why people don’t respect some politicians because they’re willing to cut a deal and allow the ends to justify the means,” said Potasnik. The American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) was also displeased with the alliance. Queens Democratic Councilman Robert Holden also said Meeks was wrong to negotiate for votes with “the far, far left” DSA members. “You’re selling your soul for votes. The DSA crowd opposes the State of Israel. Some of them are anti-semitic,” Holden said.
Meeks declined to comment, but he has been accepting calls from pro-Israel activists, who are complaining about the team up. As per the Post, sources also said that Meeks told people that his negotiations with the DSA members for votes will not change his support for Israel.
Adams, who is tasked with installing the speaker with the most pledged supporters, said Thursday that he would be okay working with either of the two finalists- Moya or Adams (to whom he is not related). “I’m clear I want a partner [as council speaker] who is pro public safety, that’s pro business and that’s going to help our city recover. whoever it is our city council must pick. I can only share my opinion. And I shared my opinion in private to those who asked me for it,” Adams said. Though Adams has been pushing his support for Moya, he added in reference to the victor, saying, “Not only did Adrienne Adams endorse me, she voted against `defund the police’”.