Why Did The Working Families Party Push Anti-Choice, Anti-LGBTQ, AIPAC-Supported Jumaane Williams On Progressives?

by Patty Murphy


Jumaane Williams, the NYC Councilman with a checkered progressive record is running for his third office this year and appears to have cut a deal with WFP to get there.

You may recall, no electeds were willing to challenge Gov. Cuomo, out of fear of retribution this year. After considerable pushback from its progressive base, some of whom felt the party betrayed them over the years, the Working Families Party split from Cuomo and lost almost all its union funding. WFP backed Cynthia Nixon and Jumaane Williams, even though pro-choice activist and self-described queer, Cynthia Nixon, resisted endorsing Williams until a few weeks before the election (which many speculate is because of his bad record on LGBTQ and choice issues, unaired personal issues, as well as conflicts between the campaigns).

While Cynthia Nixon was tirelessly campaigning across the state-- leaving no communities out of her strategy-- Jumaane Williams never made it to the 2nd largest African American region in NYC (South East Queens), and as a result lost it to a conservative white woman named Kathy Hochul, from Buffalo. Williams is touting his “success” in the LGs race-- a very different race-- as a qualifier for NYC Public Advocate. But the politics are different. Williams was a protest vote. The Public Advocate’s race is made up of at least 7 qualified candidates from NYC, many from his borough of Brooklyn and many who have a much more progressive record than Williams. Furthermore, Williams needs to reach a fundraising threshold in NYC to receive matching funds, and has shown to be a bad fundraiser and takes special interest and corporate money. With actual competition, this makes him a weak candidate. But let's discuss how he’s bad on issues.

Williams is known for showing up in photo opps and at protests when press arrives, but just how progressive is he? And why would WFP put its reputation on the line with a candidate who is verifiably not progressive?

The Deal: WFP cut a deal to support Jumaane Williams in Public Advocate's race in exchange for their own institutional interests. Williams would not get off the WFP line in November, but WFP had made a deal with Governor Cuomo to give him the line for the general election. The only way Williams would get off the line after losing the primary was to have WFPs support in the Public Advocate’s race just a couple weeks later. This is inherently corrupt and undemocratic.

Furthermore, WFP-- a membership organization-- had absolutely no process for candidates. WFP didn't send a questionnaire, they didn't interview, they never told candidates (many who they have worked closely with) when and how they were voting-- despite requests by candidates. They endorsed just over a week after the general election, all behind closed doors with political leadership who have separate motives. Given the issues with Jumaane’s record, it's pretty shocking that they would put themselves out there with such a vulnerable and non-progressive candidate who has a tough race. it is a crowded left field, with at least three African American candidates as of now, 2-3 from Brooklyn alone and unions will either stay out or will be split.

But, more importantly-- this is an Independent nonpartisan special election where parties cannot get involved. If progressives only follow the rules when it doesn’t serve their self interests then we will never be able to build a stronger democracy. It is very clearly against the rules stated in the charter for a political party to work with candidates in this race. And the Campaign Finance Board of NYC is very strict.

WFP has also latched onto progressive groups to use them for field and petitioning, as their funding and own field efforts have suffered severely in recent years. So forced affiliate groups like NYPAN to undemocratically endorse. These groups are being called out for bias and may lose other progressive support.

AIPAC: Just last week, Jumaane Williams went to an AIPAC event, taking pictures with its political director. When called out, Williams’ message was about meeting with everyone. In the photos, he wore a “stay woke” button with his AIPAC badge, against the AIPAC backdrop, with its leadership. At a recent DSA endorsement meeting, his response over AIPAC was stating he has debated Mort Zuckerman on TV.

REAL ESTATE MONEY: Despite promising to not take real estate money in his LGs race, to receive DSA endorsement, Williams not only took over $30,000 from a major real estate developer family, he won’t give it back. When pressed, he says “he doesn’t know who the donors are.” The Ratners are one of the most well known political donors in NYC and developed the Barclays center and pushed for rezoning for major development in the area of Brooklyn. Bruce Ranter is known as a paid-to-play real estate developer. This is a controversial issue-- and a family that has an entire political office devoted to giving donations to politicians in exchange for favors. It’s highly unlikely the Ratners gave money to an anti-Cuomo candidate without cutting a deal with him for something in advance. Which is probably why Jumaane has resisted giving the donations back.

CHOICE & LGBTQ issues: Williams’ personal opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion lost him his first run for City Council Speaker in 2013 and again this year when he ran for Speaker. Receiving LGBTQ groups push back, Williams abstained from a bill in 2014 to allow transgender people to change sex on their birth certificate. In progressive New York City, it is unheard of-- even with Republicans-- to be anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ (whether personal or not).

IRRESPONSIBLE-- 27 SCHOOL ZONE SPEEDING TICKETS IN 5 YEARS: Williams earned 27 speeding tickets in school zones in 5 years, 18 tickets of which were in the last 2 years. He was the only Democrat to vote AGAINST lowering the speed limit in NYC. (As a side note: this is one of the biggest reasons why Republican Sen. Marty Golden lost his Senate seat to Andrew Gounardes-- winning the Democrats control of the NYS Senate.)

CORRUPTION: Williams hired his friend, rapper, Kristofer Bain to work on his council campaign, then in his office. Soon after, Williams sent $60,000 in city funds to a nonprofit Bain left to work for. Bain and Williams also were investors in a restaurant that went under, where taxes are still owed.

BAD LANDLORD, BUT CLAIMS TO BE TENANTS RIGHTS ACTIVIST? Williams claims to be a tenants rights activist but also has evicted many of his tenants for being late on rent or short $300, further unleashing lawyers on the tenants demanding they also pay late fees and legal fees.

URGED AMAZON TO MAKE NYC DEAL: Williams signed a letter inviting Amazon to NYC, but now that he is being called out, he claims it was to "open a conversation” with Amazon. The letter’s language was very clear-- it urged Amazon to move to NYC. Furthermore, beyond his defense, any progressive would understand what Amazon represents and their history of these tax deals in other communities. They’ve driven up homelessness, exploited workers and killed small businesses. Progressives understand this, tax deal or not.

With a record like this, it's baffling why the WFP would line up for Jumaane Williams if it weren't for the political deal they made. If they indeed believed in Jumaane Williams, they wouldn't be lining up the political machine-- including the Brooklyn County Boss, Frank Seddio-- and would be open to having debates and sharing questionnaires.

We regret being duped by the WFP, who attempted to re-invent Jumaane Williams as a progressive when he is just another self-serving politician.

Independent progressives actually have a real choice in Nomiki Konst who has distinguished herself as an advocate for party reform and has taken on special interests and corporations as an investigative reporter. She has the intellectual capacity and the fierce independence from the political machines to truly use the office as a powerful vehicle for progressive change.