Eric Cesnik For District 5

Andrew Kling, Eric's Campaign Manager, who I met at my very first Democracy For New York City, DFNYC, MeetUp in the East Village, singled me out to take me to the after MeetUp MeetUp, where DFNYC MeetUp organizers from all over the city gather afterwards. More importantly, he singled me out saying, "I have just the campaign for you." He had Eric in mind. And I met Eric at a Mixer. And it all gelled for me.

Too bad Nepal has been taking all of my time: Democracy For Nepal (DFN). For the first time in 10 years, permanent peace feels possible in Nepal. And I am basically telecommuting into the peace process. There are Nepali democrats also in the city, as the country at large. And we all put in our efforts. Our recent success is the king cancelled his trip to the UN and it was partly because of the huge protest rally we were going to organize on September 16 near the UN building. The rally will still happen, but now the goal is to move and shake world opinion on behalf of Nepal. Andrew, Eric, I also have had to put my business ideas on the backburner for the same reason.

But then yesterday evening I got to watch an Eric Cesnik debate online. Andrew emailed me the clip. And I was reminded all over again why I so strongly support Eric. He is just the man for the job. Google's Blogger was temporarily down at the time. So I have had to wait to post my blog entry. The paragraph below is culled from a comment I left at the campaign blog.

Eric comes across as a sensible candidate, someone who will really look into problems from many angles and work towards common sense, well thought out solutions. That is not your run of the mill, soundbite politician. The other gentleman running, he looks a little too rehearsed, a little too soundbitey. And Jessica gave a wrong, long answer to a yes no question that really matters. A million and a half gone for mail fraud! Taxpayer subsidized snail mail spam, campaign literature? Has her boss heard of email? But then that would qualify for spam, right? Whatever happened to just going out to meet people, like Eric is shown doing on the video? I just want the world, especially my fellow bloggers in the district, to know Eric is a candidate who really excited me and does today.

It is between Jessica and Eric. I think Jessica comes across as personable, and I value her experiences as Chief of Staff to the current officeholder. But I think Eric is more qualified and deserves to get elected: his is the more in-touch approach, he has the vision and the style. Perhaps Eric should rehire Jessica to be his Chief of Staff. I think that would be a great combo. Jessica is qualified, but she is qualified to be Chief of Staff.

Some Suggestions To The Cesnik Campaign (August 19)
Eric Cesnik For City Council (August 19)

Below is a press release I got in an email from Andrew.

For Immediate Release:
Citizens for Cesnik 2005
September 9, 2005

Competitive District 5 Race Takes a Turn
Eric Cesnik Confronts Jessica Lappin on Resume Omission and Miller’s Mailings

The District 5 City Council candidates vying to replace Speaker Gifford Miller sat down Wednesday night for an intense televised debate on NY1’s Road to City Hall.

The eleven-minute discussion turned heated after candidate Eric Cesnik confronted rival Jessica Lappin regarding her misrepresentation of her prior work experience. Lappin’s official campaign website states that she “first began working as an aide to Councilman Miller in 1998, and†served until April 2005” and in the debate she referred to her “seven years” of work in Miller’s office. After listening to Lappin describe her work in Miller’s council office, Cesnik stepped in to “set the record straight” noting that “in 2001, [Lappin] was actually working for Gifford Miller’s...political action committee” where she was “doling out checks to politicians.” Lappin’s campaign literature makes no mention of her experience working for Miller’s PAC.

Questions about Miller’s PAC, Council 2001, have dogged Miller and Lappin since 2002 when The Village Voice published an exposÈ on Miller and the PAC.

Further controversy erupted in the debate when Cesnik asked Lappin if she would join him in calling on Miller to repay New York City for the $1.6 million in taxpayer funds that the Speaker used to mail out thinly veiled campaign literature in June. Lappin conceded that the mailers were “a mistake” but refused to give a yes or no answer despite repeated requests by Cesnik and the NY1 moderator, Dominic Carter, for her to clarify her response.

Today, Cesnik noted, “Jessica should offer us a clear answer regarding whether or not she will join me in calling on Miller to return the taxpayer money. If she won’t call on Miller to return the $1.6 million, how can we expect her to act more ethically than he has acted?”

The full video of the debate is available at www.cesnik2005.com/video.html.