Lora always backed IDC

To the editor:

(re: ”Lora never supported the IDC,” May 27)

I am responding to the letter of Rebecca Lish and Andrew Mutnick in which they take me to task for stating that, in addition to Eric Dinowitz — who campaigned for and strongly supported Jeff Klein — council candidate Mino Lora also supported Jeff Klein in his Independent Democratic Conference leadership.

This was that group of loathsome dissident Democratic senators who joined the Republicans to control the senate, keeping the minimum wage down, opposing tenant rights, and opposing the protection of women’s rights.

While Ms. Lora may not have voted for Jeff Klein, she contributed to the 2018 senate candidacy of then-state Sen. Marisol Alcantara, who had joined Klein and the IDC in the state senate.

In that 2018 campaign, Alcantara was defeated by Robert Jackson, an outspoken opponent of the IDC.

As a civic leader in Inwood, Mino Lora did nothing to help Jackson, but — as admitted by Ms. Lish and Mr. Mutnick — she appeared at public events with Alcantara in addition to the campaign event to which she contributed.

Ms. Lora may regret supporting the IDC, but the record indicates she did.

As a side note, the referenced letter also praises the Working Families Party for leading the fight against the IDC. Phony praise indeed as this is the same Working Families Party that endorsed me against Klein in 2014, and reversed course when Klein falsely promised to rejoin the Democrats.

No one who knew Klein believed that, and they were right. I don’t forget.

Anyone who supported the IDC — including Eric Dinowitz and Mino Lora — has no right to the support of true Democrats in the council primary.

G. Oliver Koppell

The author is a former councilman, Assemblyman and state attorney general.

Have an opinion? Share your thoughts as a letter to the editor. Make your submission to letters@riverdalepress.com. Please include your full name, phone number (for verification purposes only), and home address (which will not be published). The Riverdale Press maintains an open submission policy, and stated opinions do not necessarily represent the publication.