Op-Ed: Why I’m supporting Geoffrey Davis (ad)

New York State Assemblyman in 48th District Dov Hikind penned the following op-ed detailing the reasons why he is supporting Geoffrey Davis in tomorrows special elections for the 43rd District.

by Dov Hikind – NY State Assemblyman

Giving an endorsement is not something I take lightly. When I support a candidate for office, it’s only after taking into consideration numerous factors. Those factors never include a candidate’s religion or even their party affiliation.  I support people who I believe will make a difference. That’s why Geoffrey Davis has my enthusiastic endorsement for NY State Assembly.

My connection to the Crown Heights community goes back to my boyhood. I grew up in Crown Heights and my father had a fruit and vegetable store in the neighborhood. While I currently reside in Midwood, I’ve remained connected with the community all these years, visiting the Rebbe and working with the community’s leaders whenever called upon for help. Regardless of where people reside, I see the Jewish community as one large community and do my best to be helpful.

Geoffrey Davis has always been a dedicated community activist and lifelong Brooklynite. I’ve watched him stand up for the Jewish community whenever needed. He’s fair. He’s honest. I’ve had a relationship with him, as I did with his late brother, New York City Councilman James E. Davis, who was a great friend to the Jewish community.

From working to improve local schools, to running neighborhood anti-violence programs, Geoffrey has spent his career fighting for families in Central Brooklyn. Outraged by the senseless gun violence plaguing the community, Geoffrey formed the Love Yourself & Stop the Violence Organization with his brother 20 years ago, to offer young people alternatives to drugs, crime and incarceration. After his brother was shot and killed in 2003, Geoffrey renamed the organization in his brother’s honor and successfully pushed for legislation restricting gun ownership.

Geoffrey is someone the Crown Heights Jewish Community will be proud to have representing them. In addition to his genuine dedication to anti-violence programs, his stance on education is precisely what we need in Albany right now. It’s easy to make blue-sky promises: The real challenge is getting legislation passed that will make a difference. Education Investment Tax Credits (EITC) are precisely that. The passage of these tax credits will create State-funded scholarship opportunities for all families in need allowing parents with children in private and parochial schools (including our yeshivas) financial relief.

Geoffrey will not be just another vote for EITC but an outspoken voice; he will be someone who fights for EITC in Albany, as well as for everything he believes in throughout the community.

Safer streets in Crown Heights, Education Tax Credits in New York State, and decades of proving his commitment to make a difference: That’s why Geoffrey Davis has my support and I hope he has yours, too.

This post has been paid for by Geoffrey Davis for Assembly.

12 Comments

  • CH Activist

    I agree with Hikind! VOTE GEOFFREY DAVIS!!! He’s the best candidate that will fight for our community, history repeats, he have done in the past, no one of the other candidates committed himself to work for our community and for our Yeshivas and private schools like GEOFFREY DAVIS, he’s the ONLY candidate who committed himself to fight for Education Investment Tax Credit for private schools. The Jewish candidate doesn’t stand a chance, so let’s not waste our vote, let’s vote in a friend for our community. VOTE GEOFFREY DAVIS MAY 5.

  • SEREL MANESS

    nope,don’t want himmendy raitport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Sruly Clapman.

    Next time Hikind supports a local Hispanic or Irish politiian in his area, I will go there with my cronies and support the opposition. A really low thing to do!!!

    He comes for a quick photo op to mess around with my people. The Chutzpa …… And to ad insult to injury he says he’s entitled to a opinion cause his father sold vegetables here 70 years ago.
    I lost all respect for him.

  • thanks Dov Hikind - NOT!

    Another self absorbed blow- hard heard from. We care absolutely not an iota for his opinion. This has nothing to do with what is good for Crown Hts, rather it is all about what Hikind was promised in exchange for his endorsement.

  • CHLEAKS.COM

    Who elected [red in the face] Dov Hikind to represent Crown Heights? Who keeps bringing him to Crown Heights and why?

    Dov Hikind represents the people from Assembly District 48, not the people of Crown Heights.

    Dov Hikind is a lair and hypocrite and a friend to the corrupt cabal of Mossrim from the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, Inc.

    Dov Hikind go home, we do not need nor want you in Crown Heights!!!.

    Hikind has used Crown Heights his entire career He should be banned

    Dov Hikind has taken advantage of the Crown Heights community his entire political career. He has selfishly come to our neighborhood to benefit his own political stance. If the community Council is backing him it should be made clear to him that coming to our community and promoting another candidate is NOT acceptable

  • Sruli

    You are right in mark. Himind is a user and we don’t want him in Criwn Heights.

  • WHAT A CHUTZPA!

    Forget the possible/potential big-picture, which is a maybe, at best. Hikind just showed his true colors, as just another sleazy politician with this stunt. How blatantly disrespectful, arrogant and self-righteous/serving is it, for a frum yid politician, from outside a community, to come into that same community, just to endorse someone over a local frum community member (Mendy Raitport) running for the same seat in that election.
    Shame on you Hikind, and pretend somewhere else. You’re just another politico hack, and have exposed your hand. This was a huge slap in the face, to every Jewish community.
    And BTW I’m from NJ, so I have no vested interest either way.

  • And some people are going to be dump and listen to this chutspaniak?

    Shame

  • DISGRACE!

    How dare he do this! Just imagine someone went to BP and supported someone other then their on yid running from their community! This is a new low!

  • Don't bite the hand that fed you

    How do you think Heikin got his foot in Albany, How quickly and mercilessly, he forgets, If not for his community and our community recognizing how vital important and critical it is to have a frum upstanding citizen ,who walks our walk and talks our talk,representing us in Albany How dare he bite the very hands that FED HIM!!. If you are that short sighted and that ungrateful …STAY OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!

  • Ben rav

    To come out with advertising with Jeffrey Davis he certainly didn’t check with our pack political activist of Crown Heights he certainly didn’t check with the community Council even those youngsters who are doing what they want went with Patterson nobody in our community endorsed Jeffrey Davis so clearly he’s playing His own game is not concerned with anybody else’s views especially people in Crown Heights who should have a say in their community or at least an insight to come and take a picture and run away and put ads simple is wrong this time. Dov hikind I think overstepped his boundaries

  • Dov Get Lost

    What a shameless act of self promotion. bli neder, im yirtze Hashem the next time this Dope (dov) runs for reelection i will visit BP and campaign against him.
    Mendy Raitport is our candidate in this election. Please go out and vote and bring your friends and relatives. We have a great chance now to get our rep into office. Let’s show Hinkind he ain’t got no say in Crown Heights.