Mark Green yesterday dismissed rival Fernando Ferrer’s proposal to ban racial profiling as “symbolic” and said it will “go nowhere,” as Ferrer touted his plan on the campaign trail.
The latest spat between the front-running candidates – who are fiercely competing for support in the black community – was started by Ferrer when he pressed Green to back an anti-racial-profiling bill he unveiled in July.
“Racial profiling is abhorrent to our values as a city,” said Ferrer, the Bronx borough president. “Talking it out of existence won’t make it go away. Legislating it out of existence will.”
He added, “I encourage Mark and everyone else to support my legislation.”
Ferrer’s new challenge to Green comes after Ferrer earlier this week blasted Green supporter Bill Bratton, the former police commissioner, for allegedly condoning racial profiling. Bratton has denied the charge.
Green quickly branded Ferrer’s bill “symbolic.”
“Any candidate is free to propose legislation in the last month of an election that obviously won’t go anywhere,” Green said during a press conference at City Hall.
“I don’t begrudge anybody making late proposals in an election year, but over the years, the record is undeniably clear that I was the most effective and outspoken public official in the city to expose and reduce police misconduct,” said Green.
Pressed on his own beliefs about racial profiling by the NYPD, Green said: “Racial profiling exists, is wrong, is illegal, and I’ll stop it when as mayor I pick a commissioner and issue an executive order banning it.”
Green also strengthened his criticism of black radical Sonny Carson, who endorsed Ferrer in a newspaper interview this week.
“No candidate can obviously accept the endorsement of an open, admitted, unrepentant bigot,” Green said.
Ferrer has said he rejects Carson’s backing if it’s for racial reasons, but he has not flatly disavowed Carson’s endorsement.