NEW YORK – The Working Families Party announced today its endorsement of Gustavo Rivera , vowing to make his campaign to unseat notorious pro-landlord State Senator Pedro Espada one of its top priorities this year.
“Pedro Espada favors landlord interests over tenants every time. He cast our government into chaos for his own political gain,” said Dan Cantor, Working Families Party Executive Director. “No Albany politician makes a better case for early retirement.”
“Gustavo Rivera is a reformer with the smarts, the leadership, and the heart to clean up Albany and stand up for the tens of thousands of tenants in the Bronx,” said Cantor. “Pedro Espada has bundles of landlord cash, but Gustavo will have a grassroots army and the support of a community that is sick and tired of the status quo.”
Cantor added: “We have helped progressive challengers before, but never has there been as much at stake for the people of New York.”
“No one fights harder for tenants and working people than the Working Families Party,” said Gustavo Rivera. “The WFP endorsement means a lot to this campaign and I am enormously proud to have their support. This part of the Bronx consists of many working-class families that thrive because of the strong support that union membership provides them. The WFP knows this community because the WFP is this community. The WFP and the people of the Bronx together are demanding change, and we have the momentum and the community support we need to defeat Sen. Espada this fall.”
The WFP also today sent the following message to its 130,000 supporters announcing its endorsement of Rivera and raising funds for its campaign to build a progressive Senate Majority:
Dear Working Families supporter,
New York's state government is a mess, and we're all paying the price.
But as today's New York Times reports, the Working Families Party is launching a major push to change that this election year -- by kicking out the worst politician in Albany.1
State Senator Pedro Espada has repeatedly blocked progress for working New Yorkers. He's used taxpayer money for his own enrichment and switched political parties to kill pro-tenant legislation, shut down the state government, and increase his own power.
Working Families just endorsed a great progressive challenger to Espada, Gustavo Rivera. To get politicians like Espada out and real leaders like Rivera in, we're planning to "knock on thousands of doors and recruit leaders of religious, tenants' and civic groups," as the Times reports in today's story.
To kick off our campaign, we're launching a major grassroots fundraising drive. We're asking 1,000 New Yorkers who want change in Albany to donate just $5 each. Can you chip in right now and ask your friends to help, too?
https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1306/t/4418/shop/custom.jsp?donate_pa...
Espada's not going down without a fight. He's funded by Albany lobbyists and big real estate interests, and they'll spend serious cash to keep him in power.
But Espada's constituents in the Bronx are sick of him siding with landlords over tenants and diverting their tax dollars to fund his personal schemes. Espada doesn't even live in his own district, preferring a mansion in the suburbs.
Our candidate, Gustavo Rivera, is a true community leader. He's spent years as an educator, organizer and progressive political leader. Putting him in office will be a huge step toward making Albany work for us.
There's no doubt about it: if we want living wage jobs, stronger hospitals and schools, more affordable rents, lower property taxes, a cleaner environment, and a state government that actually gets things done, politicians like Pedro Espada have got to go.
Just $5 will help us make that happen. Can you take a moment to contribute right here?
https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1306/t/4418/shop/custom.jsp?donate_pa...
Thanks,
Dan Cantor
WFP Executive Director
Sources:
1) "Espada, Under Investigation, Faces a Well-Financed Opponent" - New York Times, 7/17/10
