Cynthia Nixon’s campaign is asking the New York State Democratic Party to make amends for sending out a mailer to Jewish households that falsely linked her to anti-Semitism just days before the Sept. 13 primary for governor.
The Nixon campaign’s modest proposal: use the same estimated $11,000 that was spent on the mailer to help re-elect Democratic incumbent Deborah Glick to the state Assembly on Nov. 6.
“An apology would be nice too,” Nixon campaign strategist Rebecca Katz said in the letter to state Democratic Party executive director Geoff Berman.
After Gov. Andrew Cuomo defeated Nixon in the Democratic Party, she agreed to relinquish the Working Families Party line so Cuomo could get it.
But because of New York’s archaic election laws, the WFP had to run Nixon for another office and she landed in the 66th Assembly race in Greenwich Village, where she lives.
But that pits her against Glick, an ally and the first openly LGBT candidate elected in the state Legislature in 1990. Nixon said it’s just a quirk that she’s on the ballot and supports Glick.
Following the mailer controversy last month, Berman tweeted, “The state Party sent out a wrong and inappropriate mailer — we will work with the Nixon campaign to send out a mailing of their choosing to the same universe of people.”
Nixon now wants Berman to make good on the offer.
“After the Democratic Party sent out a mailer to thousands of New Yorkers falsely implying that Democratic Challenger Cynthia Nixon is anti-Semitic, you said the Party would somehow pay back the $11,000 you suggested the mailer cost,” Katz wrote.
“Cynthia is now on the ballot against Assemblywoman Deborah Glick. Cynthia has enormous respect for Assemblywoman Glick’s three decades of service and her trailblazing legacy as the first openly LGBT member of the New York state legislature. Cynthia believes that Deborah Glick has been a strong advocate for LGBT equality, reproductive freedom, and tenants’ rights. That is why Cynthia is determined to do everything she can to support Assemblywoman Glick’s reelection – a goal that the state party no doubt shares,” continued Katz.
“We are hereby asking that you spend the $11,000 you used to smear Cynthia’s name to help us support Deborah Glick’s reelection to the State Assembly. While we have not yet received an apology, a repudiation, or even an adequate explanation for how the mailer was approved and sent, you indicated in numerous press reports that you would compensate our campaign. After what the New York State Democratic Party did to smear Cynthia Nixon and her family, we believe spending the money to help re-elect Assemblywoman Glick would be a needed show of good will — though an apology would be nice too. “
The Post reported that the Cuomo campaign was intimately involved in creating the mailer, which was approved by longtime Cuomo confidante Larry Schwartz.
Berman, the Democratic Party chief, said he had contacted the Glick campaign and she urged that the $11,000 be spent instead on helping other Democrats in competitive races.
“I spoke to Assemblywoman Glick’s team about this idea and she told us she’d prefer the party use all available resources to fight Republicans in competitive races to turn the state Senate blue, so that the progressive legislation we all support can become law,” Berman told Katz.
“She also conveyed that she’d be grateful for any efforts Ms. Nixon can make in the district to help clarify that she supports Ms. Glick’s re-election,” he added.