Borough President Melinda Katz announcing her run for Queens District Attorney on Dec. 4 (via Katz for DA)
July 10, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
The Melinda Katz campaign team says that their candidate has received a raft of angry attacks on social media and are alleging that it is the result of Tiffany Cabán’s “reckless campaign tactics.”
Katz’ criticism comes as the second day of the manual ballot recount is underway in the highly combative Queens District Attorney race. Going into the recount, Katz held a mere 16 vote lead against political newcomer and insurgent candidate Cabán. The two candidates are vying neck-and-neck to replace long-serving District Attorney Richard A Brown who died in May of this year.
The Katz campaign sent out an email to supporters earlier today displaying several tweets sent to the Borough President, ranging from expletive-riddled put downs to accusations of election fraud.
Katz campaign spokesperson Matthew Rey called the tweets, which were not sent by anyone affiliated with the Cabán team, the result of “the Cabán campaign’s persistent efforts to portray a rigged electoral system.”
“The increasing recklessness of the Cabán campaign is deeply troubling for a candidate running for the borough’s top law enforcement job,” Rey said. “Tiffany Cabán’s supporters have been issuing veiled threats of violence and invoking Melinda Katz’ children in a continuing tide of menacing online attacks. This, as the campaign itself continues to try to undermine confidence in the electoral process and manipulate the recount.”
Rey asked Cabán to publicly condemn the behavior and “get her campaign under control.”
None of the tweets shared in the Katz Campaign email, however, make any reference to Cabán.
Sampling of a Twitter attack on Katz Source: Katz campaign
The Cabán campaign, who say they have also been on the receiving end of hateful tweets, argue that the attention being placed on the social media backlash is a distraction from the ongoing recount and pending court case concerning the validity of 114 affidavit ballots.
“We condemn these hateful comments that have nothing to do with our campaign and have no place in political debate,” said a spokesperson for the Cabán campaign. “While we condemn these nasty tweets, the fact remains that the Katz campaign refuses to join us in making sure Queens voters are not disenfranchised. Our campaign will be at the Board of Elections every day and in court to make sure the outcome of this election is fair, and we welcome the Katz campaign to log off Twitter and join us.”
Sampling of a Twitter attack on Katz
Source: Katz campaign
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17 Comments
Cabán on PIX11 Monday 7/15: “Our communities want representatives who look like us…who fight for the same things we fight for.”
Guess it depends what the meaning of “our” is. But “look like us” is pretty clear. Imagine the backlash if Katz had said this.
the clueless white hipsters who actually voted and volunteered for katz in any significant number and stan for her online look absolutely nothing like her, just to be clear
Per article in The Nation: “The campaign has also added BerlinRosen, the powerhouse PR and consulting firm known for working with the very real estate developers Cabán and her allies repeatedly denounced.”
People-powered up.
Caban won fair and square, but the party machine wants Katz. It’s pretty simple really.
Keep it moving! You are Social-Democrat, and New York a progressive state.
Cabán was declared the winner a week ago. Get over it if people are lashing out because you are trying to take away her win!
Where have you been? Cabán declared herself the winner on election night, but Katz did not concede as the results were too close to call. The Board of Elections has NOT declared a winner, and currently Katz is ahead by 16 votes. Full manual recount is in progress. Catch up on the news.
Corporate Democrats will face a HUGE backlash. #TiffanyCaban WON, period.
I thought it was announced that Caban won?
I just got back from vacation and this looks like a situation where the establishment just really does not want Tiffany Caban to win, so decided to play dirty to keep her out by releasing “childish and dumb” statements from people on the internet that have nothing to do with Caban or her grass roots campaign.
It’s a new era and a new day, there’s new technologies and less crime. This is an opportunity for Caban to reinvent the DA office entirely and Katz is trying to prevent it.
I want winner to bring more jobs.
You dems a look ways cry FOUL
don’t be ashamed you can’t speak English, just take a class!
The aggressive/progressives -borderline thugs is what these faux Democrats are.
this is a disgrace you can thank AOC and JVB for doing this –
I know you think AOC is the cause of all your problems but maybe regurgitate that rant somewhere it makes sense?