Monday, March 20, 2017

Is the political landscape in Bay Ridge changing forever --- even if it’s not for good


Rev.  El-Yateem’s fundraising numbers shows a very big footprint  ---  Well, at least among a lot of Arabs,  who look like they have addresses inside the 43rd Council District


Usually, a newcomer to local politics,  like Nader El-Yateem,  makes a lot of “rookie” mistakes  ---  but, this time, this rookie looks like he’s doing many things right



The Reverend Nader Al-Yateem’s top showing in the candidate fund raising sweepstakes, thus far, has earned him some of that campaign Milk and Honey that I often talk about,  “Earned Media”…..  
Here’s some of that earned media from the Brooklyn Eagle and Paula Katinas:   “Rev. Khader El-Yateem may be a political newcomer, but he is proving to be a prodigious fundraiser, according to figures released by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB), which showed that he has garnered more financial support than any other candidate running for the City Council seat representing the Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights area….  Figures released by CFB showed that El-Yateem, the pastor of Salaam Arabic Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge and a first-time candidate for public office, has raised an impressive $81,611….   El-Yateem, a Democrat, said the CFB figures demonstrate that there is widespread, grass-roots support for his candidacy….”   (See  “Rev. El-Yateem leads council field in campaign fundraising”  by Pala Katinas, 3/20/17, The Brooklyn Eagle   [http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2017/3/20/rev-el-yateem-leads-council-field-campaign-fundraising]).
Here's how Nader Al Yateem described his financial supporters:   “We raised this money without the support of PACs, special interest groups or big corporations. My donors are deli owners, cab drivers, health professionals, teachers, parents and students, who are investing in a new political reality where all people in our district can thrive and live with dignity….”
When Nader El-Yateem says  “…  that there is widespread, grass-roots support for [my] candidacy…”  ---   he must mean widespread, grass-roots support for his candidacy from Arabs,  because that’s what his numbers to the NYCCFB actually show.


Nonetheless,  if that Arab grass-roots support translates into equivalently impressive signatures on petitions and votes on Primary Day, then the Reverend Yader El-Yateem phenomenon will mean that there has been real political change in Bay Ridge  ---  and everybody needs to hope for the best.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would love to see Al Nateem vs. McCabe in the General Election. McCabe would cream him

Maybe we do have a shot at winning back this seat after all

Anonymous said...

Justin we hardly knew ya

Anonymous said...

It seems like yesterday the signs said "Irish need not apply"

Anonymous said...


His name isn't nader.

Are you hiding from linda salsor?

Anonymous said...

This guy cannot win and it doesn't matter how much money he raises.
Bob Capano will be the next Council member for the 43rd Councilmanic DIstrict

Anonymous said...

After Liam's speech at the community board tonight, I think it's clear that John Quaglione will be the Republican nominee in September.

Anonymous said...

I was at the community board tonight and it was clear the whole room was with mccabe

Anonymous said...

Gale the logic you put forward is flawed and obsolete.

Did Obama win because only African Americans voted for him?

Did John Liu win for comproller just with Asians? Was it Jews that made Bernie Sanders a factor?

The answer to all of these is no. El-Yateem will win with progressive grass roots support from all communities. He has a church filled with activists who champion a new vision. Political hacks like Justin & Carroll are only in it for a higher city paycheck.

Anonymous said...

8:24 has a point. If El-Yateem raises 3 times more money than Carroll then why is Carroll even a factor?

Galewyn Massey said...

RESPONSE: THE "WHATEVER ! ! !" EDITION

TO: ANONYMOUS SAID... AT 6:45 PM"

NEITHER "NADER" NOR "KHADER" SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR TO ME --- WHAT ARE THOSE NAMES; ARE THEY SOME KIND OF CHRISTIAN ARAB NAMES ? OR MAYBE THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF SECRET MOSLEM DERIVATION.....

Back when I used to hang out at the Stars and Stripes Club in the old 49th A.D., some of the people there had problems keeping names like Carroll, McCarthy, McMahon, Monahan, Flanagan and even Carey straight --- and they were all fellow Brooklyn Democrats. Whenever anybody tried to correct any of those mix-ups, there was always this same dismissive reply --- "Whatever !"

So when it comes to a little mix-up over some REALLY FOREIGN SOUNDING NAMES like "Khader" or "Nader"; all I can say by way of amelioration is --- W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R ! ! !

Galewyn Massey said...

ANOTHER RESPONSE: THE "BARACK OBAMA & JOHN LIU DIDN'T HAVE ONLY ARAB CONTRIBUTORS" EDITION

TO: "ANONYMOUS SAID... AT 8:24 PM"

REVEREND EL-YATEEM'S NYCCFB FILING SHOWS ALMOST ALL OF HIS FUNDRAISING WAS FROM ARAB-NAMED CONTRIBUTORS --- HE HASN'T BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE ANY PROGRESSIVE FOLLOWING NOR ANY GRASS-ROOTS SUPPORT FROM ALL COMMUNITIES --- HIS "CHURCH" WAS SET UP FOR POLITICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL PURPOSES AIMED AT PALESTINIANS --- AND HE HAS SOME KIND OF DEALS GOING WITH THE RADICAL ISLAMIST DRUM-BEATER, LINDA SARSOUR, AS WELL AS SOME KIND OF DEAL WITH THE TREE-FALLING-IN-THE-FOREST-WITH-NOBODY-AROUND-TO-HEAR-IT REPUBLICAN, JOHN QUAGLIONE

So far, I ain't seen anything that would lead me to buy anything that this "Democrat" candidate with a clerical collar is peddling; nor ANY of what the anonymous commenter above, to whom this response is addressed, seems to be asserting.

Anonymous said...

Gale, Gale, Gale

You have got to jive it up a little. Living in the past is not so bad, if, you've had a good past. Anyway lots has happened since Buddy Holly died in that plane crash. You cant blame the problems in new york on Lindsay anymore.

Start slow. Consider some Soul Train re runs.

Anonymous said...

where is Father French when you need him

Anonymous said...

I hear deblasio in endorsing Brannen on Thursday.

Anonymous said...

GM you need to reach out to more sources. El Yateem terrifies the Brannans and Carrolls because he is popular. He is actually more of a pragmatic Democrat, the reason some people identify him as a liberal progressive is because Linda and her people are influencing his campaign. While that is probably not a good idea, it is only natural for him to be influenced by her since he worked with her at the Arab American Association. While Brannan and Carroll have spent the last several years throwing press conferences and trying to take credit for things with which they never had any real involvement, El Yateem has helped a lot of people outside of the Arab community and his candidacy is a breath of fresh air in the otherwise toxic chrony hack filled lineup of Democrat candidates.

Galewyn Massey said...

UPDATE: THE “CAPANO GOES BACK ON THE OFFENSIVE” EDITION

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE SENDS LETTER TO NYS A.G. AND NYC COMPTROLLER TO GO AFTER DEMOCRAT COUNCIL CANDIDATE KHADER EL-YATEEM FOR HIS RADICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND POSSIBLE ILLEGAL USE OF TAXPAYER $$$$

CAPANO: “KHADER EL-YATEEM NEEDS TO EXPLAIN HIS ACTIONS…”


Yesterday, Bob Capano sent a letter to the New York State Attorney General with a “cc” to New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer complaining about certain activities that involve a potential Democratic nominee for the City Council, who would also be a potential opponent of Mr. Capano.

Here’s what Capano told the NYAG Schneiderman (with "Cc" to NYC Comptroller Stringer):
“… I am writing to ask your office to investigate recent reports that the Arab-American Association of New York, based in Brooklyn, may have violated non-profit ethics laws…. Specifically, public information shows this non-profit organization, which has received over $200,000 in city taxpayer funds, hosted events for the Muslim Democratic Club of New York City, and political activities on behalf of Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign for President in 2016. Significantly, the treasurer of this organization, Khader El-Yateem, is a candidate for New York City Council in Brooklyn's 43rd district, and the voters have a right to know if he and the organization violated any laws, as well as his fiduciary responsibility to those who donated to the Arab-American Association of New York. Under New York State law, your office is responsible for oversight of all non-profits, and therefore, I am requesting that you immediately initiate an investigation of the activities of the Arab-American Association of New York and the roles of Mr. El Yateem and its former Executive Director Linda Sarsour….”

Anonymous said...

I'd much rather discuss Liam's common sense proposal to hold the MTA accountable and perhaps have the MTA Board selected via election, since this affects our lives much more than Bob's fake crusade of the week.

Anonymous said...

Bob thinks the AG is going to target the Arabs for an investigation based on a complaint from a two time republican loser from staten island?

What a fool

Anonymous said...

Liam's copy of Vinny Gentile's MTA petittion was a real breath of fresh air in the otherwise toxic chrony hack filled lineup of Democrat candidates.

Anonymous said...

The MTA is an important matter for Bay Ridgites as it is clearly out of control and completely uninterested in comsidering our interests fairly. The more attention to the MTA the better, Bob grandstanding again and still fighting with Linda Sarsour a non entity to any Informed Bay Ridgite serves no real purpose. Maybe he does still live on Staten Island.

Anonymous said...

How long did Liam work for Rep. Donovan? Rep. Donovan didn't say anything about the VZ Bridge that whole time. Now you expect us to believe Liam cares? Quaglione has worked for Sen. Golden for how long? He did nothing about the MTA, too! Now you want me to believe Q cares?

The only person in this race who will be clean break from the Grimm-Golden-Donovan-Kassar regime is Bob Capano. You know it, I know it, and we may not want to admit but we all know it

As an old dear friend used to shout from the back of the room, "Hear! Hear!"

Anonymous said...

But Capano has worked for Catsimatides for a decade, and Cats' supermarkets still rip shoppers off, and Capano never said a word. Why should we think Bob cares about consumers?

Anonymous said...

The Bob Capano regime would be controlled by Brooklyn GOP outcasts like Gallo and Berardelli. No thank you, the three of you go back to Staten Island and try to win a spot on County Committee.

Anonymous said...

Bob Capano regime?

I'm not sure if you are an optimist or a pessimist, but there won't be any regime.

And the public gallery in the mezzanine is the closest Bob will get to the City Council in the next few years.

Anonymous said...

A vote him is vote for Linda don't do it show me the names and addresses