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Army veteran, Republican/Conservative challenger, takes on Van Bramer for Council District 26

Marvin Jeffcoat (photo courtesy of Marvin Jeffcoat)

Oct. 26, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez

An Army veteran and former Community Board 2 member is running on the Republican and Conservative tickets to represent Council District 26, taking on incumbent council member Jimmy Van Bramer who has been in office since 2010.

Marvin Jeffcoat, a Woodside resident for 13 years who retired from the Army in 2004 after a 22-year-career, which included combat operations during Desert Storm, took a deep breath in when asked why he is running for city council.

“I’m running because I’m tired,” he said. “I’m tired of people with little life experience and common sense telling me what to do with my life.”

Jeffcoat, 52, takes issue with the overall way the city has been run, and says the mayor and city council are incompetent and fail to implement “common sense” laws.

Jeffcoat claims that lawmakers fail to think ahead when passing legislation. For example, he says new buildings and developments should only go up after factors like infrastructure and affordability are analyzed first, which the candidate believes is not being done.

The government spends money frivolously, according to Jeffcoat. The MTA, for example, is investing in Wi-Fi and countdown clocks despite a crumbling subway system. “Before they pick up the perks, they should look at what is needed,” Jeffcoat said. “Don’t tell me that you’re giving me free Wi-Fi while I’m getting late to work.” The candidate also says the city holds more sway over the MTA than what it conveys to the public.

Jeffcoat has a litany of complaints against Van Bramer, and argues that he runs the district “like a fiefdom” and that he’s forgotten about Woodside. Jeffcoat is particularly angered by what he calls Van Bramer’s “fear mongering” and divisiveness.“One big thing that really upsets me is his fear mongering—Hitler, Stalin, and Mao used the same technique,” Jeffcoat said.

Jeffcoat has blasted Van Bramer in the past, taking up issue with a post-election holiday card that showed the council member’s staff holding signs with messages like “I am Muslim & Catholic,” and “I am a feminist,” a move that Jeffcoat said was divisive.

Jeffcoat also claims Van Bramer is associated with “nefarious organizations like Black Lives Matter”, and argues that the movement has been used by Van Bramer for political gain. “Black Lives Matter is a false narrative to stoke up the Black vote because he has four major housing projects,” Jeffcoat said.

The Republican/Conservative candidate is focusing on three core issues for his campaign—education, job creation, and safer streets.

Jeffcoat supports school vouchers and charter schools, which he says will create competition and bring a better quality of education to students. “We spend so much money to graduate illiterate children,” Jeffcoat said, adding that teachers are currently taught to evaluate rather than teach.

The District 26 challenger is also calling for safer streets, and thinks existing policies prevent the NYPD from doing their job. “I want to free the police up to do their job by supporting them with stop-and-frisk,” Jeffcoat said.

Job growth and economic prosperity would also be a focus for the candidate, which he says will be promoted by freeing up regulations that he says have “strangled the life out of our economy.”

Jeffcoat and his core staff of eight volunteers have been campaigning through the district, but have had difficulties in getting people to look past labels. “They say we like you and we want to vote for you—but they just don’t want to…because I’m Republican,” Jeffcoat said.

Jeffcoat voted for President Trump in the Nov. election, and continues to support him, which has put off some constituents. “You have some people that once Trump’s name is interjected, they’ve been programmed to have a vehement response,” Jeffcoat said. “I’m not going to argue with those people.”

The Council District 26 candidate, currently a facility manager at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and who lost a 2016 State Assembly run against incumbent Michael Gianaris after getting 14 percent of the vote, ultimately wants residents to know that he’s for the people, and wants to be part of the solution.

“I’m all about fairness,” Jeffcoat said. “if you have fairness in the process, you’ll have cooperation from citizens.”

Van Bramer has received $515,563 in campaign contributions for his 2017 run so far, according to filings from the Campaign Finance Board. Jeffcoat has received $8,685.

The general election is set for Nov. 7.

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124 Comments

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Joe Jitsu

I see Van bramer electioneering in front of PS 199 today at 1045 am. Try to give me his pamphlet. He crooked crook.

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Sir Walter Raliegh

This buffoon is dead in the water you have no chance Marvin old chum. Stop running for office you will never win……

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Sir Walter D-bag

At least he served this country with honor. That’s a lot more than you pumpkin latte drinking d/bags living off your parents money can say.

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D-Bag Cooper

D Bag Cooper. I served few tours of duty in PJ Horgans and Sidetracks back in the day. It was an easy deployment back then. It was way before all the D-Bag sensitive Snowflake crybabies, like yourself, moved here from Arkansas and other points unknown.

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D B Cooper

I served my tour of duty at the White House and Gildeas (aka 3 brothers cozy bar, McGloughlins now McGuiniss). Mine was not an easy deployment. These were watering holes not cushy bar restaurants made for timid snowflakes like yourself.

oil beef hooked

just remember the sad trumpkins that post in the comments here are very few in real live. sunnyside had less than 15% for Don the hat salesman with the cancelled reality show

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Native of Blissville

Glad the Sunnyside Snowflakesiders haven’t made it to Blissville yet. We serve Chock full o’ Nuts coffee on this side of Newtown Creek. It’s like Kryptonite to them. No fair trade beans, or gluten free cry baby stuff over here.

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Just Another Street Bum

Oh forgot to give a shout out to Debozo…keep up the good work. Maybe you could get us some funding for free squeegees in your next budget.

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Just Another Street Bum

Windmuller Park Street Bum here…just checking in! All good in my neck of the woods. Want to give a shout out with thanks and gratitude to Mike T for dropping off the stale bagels and four day old lox spread cream cheese the other day. Thank you buddy! I shared them with the Roosevelt Ave and 58 Street Bum. We then went to Donavan’s for a few pints while we watched the game.

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Bruno

Is it possible the “Street Bum” comments are being made by the Russians? They might be colluding with the Oran Juice Jones campaign.

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Bingo has a mansion and a yacht

FYI – Bingo likes his cappuccino with one sugar in the raw and extra foam.

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Mike T

So far this jerk posting tales of a street bum has shown us he doesn’t know the difference between “of” and “have” and how each is used in a sentence. He thinks he could add words and omit words from a persons statement and still call and treat the statement as a quote. He believes “bums” is a race of people, doesn’t know the difference between a condo and a coop. He is too lazy to look up the correct spelling of words he can’t spell like “capachino” and proudly peppering his misspelled, poorly worded and poorly structured posts with words made up by an obese drug addicted gas bag. This is the new face of the Republican party, “the party of stupid” as quoted by Bobby Jindal the Republican Governor of Louisiana.

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WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Why did this guy vote for a Neo-nazi?

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Anonymous

This jerk posting to this comment stream masquerading as “a street bum” is a great example of ” little life experience ” the Republican candidate is speaking of in the above article.

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RIP Ernie Roth

Irwin J. Roth (June 7, 1929 – October 12, 1983), known by the ring name The Grand Wizard of Wrestling.
“Spelling Bee Champ” is correct in his comments. If you’re a real Sunnysider you would of met this man. “Disgusted” aka Bruno, aka JVB, aka Comfy, aka Mac (all the same person) need to get out of the cafe, put down the carrot cake and start working.

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Bingo the Street Bum from Skillman Avenue and 48

Hey Disgusted; as a career Democrat Street Bum I take offense to your comments in this thread about street bums being mentally ill. Isn’t that stereotyping or profiling all of us bums? Don’t I have the freedom to live as I wish? Wow. I would say “Disgusted aka Bruno aka JVB is racist against bums.

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Spelling Bee Champs

Lily and Oran Juice Jones attended LaGuardia College together. Both of them can outspell Mr Disgusted aka: Bruno any day of the week. Both of them competed in the Sunnyside Spelling Bee Competition in 1980 which was held at the Center Movie Theater. Lily and OJJ tied for first place. They then went next door to PJ Horgans and threw back a few Jameson’s Special Reserve. How about that Mr Disgusted? You think you’re the true Native? Did you ever get to see the Grand Wizard of Wrestling manage Rowdy Rodney Piper at Sunnyside Gardens before it turned into Wendy’s? Where’s the beef now Mr Disgusted. Stick to your fair trade coffee and Gluten free muffins.

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Anonymous

@Spelling Bee LaGuardia is a Community College, LaGuardia Community College. If you were a native you would have known this.

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Fan of Big and Little Bush Parks

Selective news. “You’re lucky this site allows you to remain”. That’s how you like it Mr. Disgusted aka Bruno aka JVB. You must of been educated at Berkeley University.

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David

Little bush park- You need to learn how quotes work. You’re suppose to site the quote ver batem, anything in quotes should match exactly. Your alleged quote ” You’re lucky this site allows you to remain”. Does not match the original authors real quote of “You’re lucky this site allows you to remain anonymous”. Was anonymous too big of a word for you to understand. You need to take a remedial writing class. You have the gall to attack Berkley university with your deficient level of education displayed on this blog.

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Anonymous

“Must of been educated”. Do you mean ‘must have been educated’? Are you a low performing grade school student?

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Hillary 45....NOT

Sound like you’re the loser, PHIL aka Bruno aka JVB, aka Dave, aka Comfy. Go play with the spell check on the computer mommy and daddy sent you from Nebraska.

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Phil

I literally have no idea what your’e talking about. Are you made because this guy is going to struggle to break 20% of the vote?

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The Street Bum is smarter than Bruno

I think the Street Bum actually collects all the Snowflakes donation money and then goes back to his condo at Big Six Towers at night. It’s a Snowflake Scam extraordinaire !

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Disgusted

Big six is not a condo if you were a native you would know this. Turn off Slob Limbaugh and do a little research. You’re lucky this site allows you to remain anonymous or people would know how uninformed you really are.

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Disgusted

The person who posted the Greenpoint Avenue street bum post should be ashamed of themselves. A person “happy to sleep on the street” is certainly suffering from mental illness and more than likely a veteran. Talk about kicking a person when they’re down. What a twisted and cowardly post.

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Mac

@GreenpointASB – Your post does nothing but show case the typical cruel Republican mentality and rhetoric of kicking people for being less fortunate than yourself. Thank god today it is someone else’s loved one who is the “Greenpoint Avenue Street Bum” and not you or yours. Oh and don’t be foolish enough to say or think it couldn’t happen to you or yours because mental illness can happen to anyone of us. Yours is the same mentality as the one that tries to take away healthcare from tens of millions of working Americans. The party who passes legislation cutting the salaries of tens of millions of fellow working Americans in the form of Right to work legislation. The party that prefers spending money on incarceration instead of education. A party whose supporters would rather mock a person with mental sickness who lives in a cardboard box then offer a way of helping this individual. This type of hateful rhetoric deserves nothing but scorn.

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Greenpoint Avenue Street Bum

I love JVB and Debozo. All of us bums in the city deserve them both. I am happy that I’m allowed to sleep on the street at 43 St and Greenpoint Ave w/o being moved. Also happy for my free dem cell phone so I can post on these websites that support us bums! Now i just wish some of you snowflakes would bring me a Double shot Capachino from Starbucks once and a while when you pass…just charge it on your parents Amex. Also if anyone gets a new frig, please drop off the box, I’m planning on putting a den onto my washing machine box living room. JVB said he’ll help me get the building permits approved. Thanks! Peace and Love to All.

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Sean O

Only a low life creep would make people who are obviously mentally Ill the butt of some feeble attempt at humor. Good work, I’m sure your parents are proud, Does that post empower you and make you feel superior? You’re such an inspiration, with your ability to hide behind the anonymity of the internet.

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Sean O’Dbag

Ok Sean aka Bruno. Your parents must be proud that you are still taking money from their Bank of Vermont at age 40! At least the Street Bums aren’t on their mommy and daddy’s Amex account anymore. You flakes better be good spellers by now, you sure spent a ton of of your parents dough on Ben and Jerry’s academia. Now go out and work. Because basically you’re all “Apartment Dwelling Bums”

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Anon

It took you over 3 days to put a post together in response to Sean’s post. Pathetic! We could see you were active and posting during this time to this very comment stream too.

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El Loco

Whats the big deal about his delay? Maybe the guy works unlike you sensitive cry babies who sit in a Starbucks all day for the free WiFi.

Lampin

Sorry my response was too slow for you. Leon Black and I were “lampin” the past few days.

Anonymous

People don’t stay or hit the same comment thread forever. Go back and re-read Anons post. The guy was posting but just not to Seans post. Please take a remedial reading and writing class. Having to step you through every post is annoying.

Bill

It is great we have Van Bramer in our neighborhood,
one of the most powerful members on city council.
He’s gotten so many great things done in sunnyside/ woodside- new schools, renovated library, paved roads, etc. One day last winter the streets weren’t
plowed and NY1 was there immediately with the Mayor. Do you think that happens in every neighborhood? For those that whine about Van Bramer or the 7 train, try living in Crown Heights, East New York, Sunset Park or Jamaica.

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highfalutin'

There is no such thing as a good politician. Anyone who wants the job certainly doesn’t deserve it. We’d be better served pulling names out of a hat.

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WOODSIDER61ST

Sunnysiders/Woodsiders voted for trump so what now that makes us racist we voted for him because he is from queens and a new yorker sooooooo what !!!! SUPPORT LOCAL !! –

Sunnyside/Woodsiders

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Pearl cream

Van Bramer is a tool of the real estate industry and he takes a knee in front of commie Melissa Marx viverito

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Bruno

What exactly does “I’m tired of people with little life experience and common sense telling me what to do with my life.” mean? Sounds like an arrogant game of superior knowledge and superior experience.

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Bruno

Jeffcoat spews the typical Reublican lies and talking points. Charter schools are nothing more then Republican anti- union low wage agenda. Just look at the Right to work for less legislation they keep on passing. The regulation cry is just another free pass to shield business from accountability. Businesses are sitting on the biggest pile of cash in history even with these so called “strangling regulations”. The buzzwords “common sense legislation” even makes an appearance in his routine. Most issues are much more complex than a quick “common sense” fix.

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Neziah Bliss

Jeffcoat should maybe look up the fact that the city has almost no control over the MTA. If he wants to change it he should run for STATE senate.
Also – maybe he should read JVB’s spot-on article about how the city needs to get control of the MTA back and how he’s actively trying to do so.

It’s good he’s running, it’ll get the conversation started- but I expect someone running for an office to know what their office actually controls. His list of annoyances smell a bit like a half-assed arm chair throwing of his hat in the ring.

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Comfie

“One big thing that really upsets me is his fear mongering—Hitler, Stalin, and Mao used the same technique.”

See you next Tuesday!

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Mac

The only difference between JVB and Diblasio is that one guy is 6’5″ tall and the other 5’3″..When you’re in the voting booth remember JVB kneels during the Pledge of Allegiance and had nothing to say when Melissa Mark Vivertos endorsed a terrorist for Grand Marshall of the Puerto Rican day parade…Friends and neighbors send him back to the library!

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Mac

Real issues are issues that affect peoples lives health and lively hoods. JVB is on the right side of issues like healthcare, workers rights and education. Republicans want to take healthcare from tens of millions of working American, endangering and even killing tens of thousands. Republicans want to pass right to work legislation throwing tens of millions of working Americans into poverty. Republicans want to fill school cafeterias with junk food so their cronies could make millions. Republicans also want to cut education funding and teacher salaries. When you’re in the voting booth remember which action has actually resulted in physical harm to fellow Americans and even caused death, the stripping of access to healthcare or a silent protest.

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Billr

Wow- do we have a lot of whackos in our neighborhood
JVB is all about JVB- nobody else.
This candidate is a stand up guy who is not afraid to be honest and speak his mind.
Where can I send him a check?

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Anonymous

JVB is an arrogant self riteous typical politician – who is in the pocket of every big developer in queens

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WoodsidelovesJVB

This right wing Trump lover is nuts. Comparing JVB to Hitler? Really? The same guy who led the rallies against that Nazi building guy and got him arrested? Marvin is a fool. And a liar. Wait a minute. Sounds familiar… Trump=Jeffcoat

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Mark

I know Marvin. I served with him in combat. Something most of you might not know is Marvin led by example. He was a inspirational leader of paratroopers. He is true to values. Some of you are so blinded and misled by hate, you will always be miserable. Marvin is a good man who has shown more selflessness than most folks ever do. He is a man that you want influencing your political outcomes but you are too blind to know it.

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Bruno

Mark- If Marvin leads by example why does he so quickly fall in line with Republican talking points? Where are his words? A true leader has his own words and talking points not the words and talking points of others, especially that of a self serving political machine. This characteristic alone makes Marvin a follower and not a leader.

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vote out lil big ears

He’s probably a great guy, I just don’t want him as a community leader. But I don’t want jvb either he’s wore out his welcome.

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43rd@43rd

He supports taking money from public schools and giving it to businesses (charter schools). He claims it will bring better quality of education. Where’s the proof? Cheater schools don’t accept struggling/disadvantaged students; and kick out students not making their number. The Cheater School numbers are systematically forged lies.

On top of that he blames the teachers… blame the DOE and State for its test-crazy emphasis. The State, DOE, and administrators keep chanting #’s. Corporations are making big bucks creating these tests and test prep textbooks. Pile on to that, teachers’ evaluations & jobs on the line based on those numbers. So, who is really to blame for our students education becoming nothing more than test-prep instead of learning?

This guy is clueless.

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rikki

90% of inmates have 2 things in common, they do not have a HS diploma, and their first language is Ebonics not English

the failure of public school is when you need to take remedial courses to get into college or a trade school, now who’s fault is that?

So he is right on a lot of issues.

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rikki

sorry my phone was hacked. i am not sure who made those racists comments above, but the editors can delete them (why approve in teh first place?)

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rikki

Its not racist if its TRUE so prove its not. Failure of the English language is a common theme among all colors of inmates

I would love it if there was no mandatory parole hearings, no time off for good behavior or for overcrowding, but instead read and discuss current events in the NY Times in front of a Parole board and then ask for early release or parole .

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debate moderator in training

“Its not racist if its TRUE so prove its not.”

I believe this is an example of the logical fallacy Onus Probandi (shifting the burden of proof): Making a claim that needs justification, then demanding that the opponent justifies the opposite of the claim.

This would definitely not hold up in debate club I am proposing for SSPs commentators…

Bruno

Rikki- The poor have traditionaly occupied the prisons in America. Poor can only go to public school in the majority of places in America so it’s only logical that the majority of people incarcerated in the penal system would have attended public school. There is absolutely no value added in your post pointing out the obvious.

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rikki

well does personal choice matter or only race? If race matters more then personal choice then lets end MLK day since content of character will not apply to black people.

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rikki

Sorry I didn’t take my pills when I wrote that! I wouldn’t really say to end MLK day … That would be something only a sick person would say. Very sorry.

Cut Education

The schools are ok… they should be cutting education…20K/child…with that money the students should be driven by a limousine to school. Its a culture thing of why they are not grtting educated. Just be like the asians and take 20 books out at the library eith 2 parents involved… must we forget asians are minority.

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Anonymous visitor

-cut- 180 school days a year x 2 trips a day @ $70.00 per hour minimum limo rental (cheapest rate I could find) = $25,200.00 a year. Where did you go to school?

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From Flushing Live In Woodside Trump sux

another republican that thinks the have easy answers to complicated questions. Hello, if problems were as simple as you present them, they’d already be solved.

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Victor

Republicans are the class enemies of the blacks and minorities. This guys is black and a Republican. May God not give him any other trouble.

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Humberto

Yeah ok keep pandering you racist. Keep the slaves in the plantation is what you globalists want. God is not on your side. He wont side with Pro abortionists for starts!

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JVB and Debozo running city into ground.

Unfortunately too many Snowflake whiners with no skin in the game. They would rather have Ben and Jerry’s running for office. They should all go back to Ohio and Wyoming to their mommies and daddy’s. I think JVB has the Russians on his side like Hillary. Oran Juice Jones is endorsing Marvin 100%.

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Anonymous

Not that I’m disagreeing with you but Wyoming natives are hardcore conservative and wouldn’t move to NYC anyway. Ohio on the other hand…. *Shudders*

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ghost of ed koch

You lost me at ‘trump’. This guy is another Regressivist Repugnican. The last thing we need is another fear mongering fool in office.

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Brian johnson

“Fear mongering fool” he is not,but an alternative to the current muppet Van Bramer he is.

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Bruno

-Brian -“A fear mongeriing fool” he is. He Injects black lives matter into the conversation to instill fear in white voters. African Americans in the projects are going to go for a democrat anyway no matter who the Republican is.

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Mrs garrett

Can Bramer is a pawn playing the sexual orientation card
He is a tool of the real estate developers and veveritos toy

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Eddie

Okay white privilege my ass . JVB is good but gentrification is the problem. And forgive me but isn’t the republican of mixed race as are my 2 children!! Enough throwing mud . Show me consideration and planning for all.

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Voter

Jeffcoat says Van Bramer is too decisive and then goes on to compare Van Bramer to Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. What a lunatic. Good thing the neighborhoods will go heavily Democratic this year.

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Divisive

Funny jeffcoat says jvb is looking for the vote from the 4projects, its divisive! what about him throwing out, “I’m for stop n frisk” or “I voted for trump” ? He’s looking for votes the same way. Divisive huh ?

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Billy

TK voted for Trump too. Hahaha Gullible TK voted for a Manchurian candidate. How’s that wall he tricked you into paying for coming along? His friends and supporters can’t keep their hands off of the illegal slave labor so you’ll have to pay. Hahaha Gullible TK

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