Democratic Chair Lafayette Disconnected on Poverty , Fair Housing, Income Inequality and Police Oversight

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We would like every Democrat to watch this interview of the Westchester Democratic Chairman Reginald LaFayette. When many Democrats are fighting for social justice our own chairman is the invisible hand, keeping us from our goals. 

When Blacks are shot and killed and families ask for an Independent Investigator, Lafayette is against it. Is this why Mr. Lafayette has been a no show at rallies and forums on police and community relations throughout Westchester? Since the killing of Mt. Vernon Detective Christopher Ridley, Mr. Lafayette has defended the actions of Democratic District Attorney Janet Difiore buffoonery and selective prosecution of black, brown and poor people of Westchester County. 

When families rally to address the ills of poverty, Lafayette has no answer , he took no position,   he rather pass the responsibility off to elected officials that he has endorsed as Democratic Chairman to carry the burden. 

His position is far from the chair of the Democratic National Committee, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Being a leader of the national Democratic Committee she showed her leadership by addressing poverty head on in a statement in the Huffington Post.

" Right now there are people in this nation who don't know how they're going to pay for tomorrow's dinner, let alone next month's rent , she said,  A raise of the federal minimum wage is one of those common-sense proposals that is both good for the economy and good for the country. Considering there has not been an increase since July 2009, workers who depend on these wages have been losing income to inflation for over four years. A raise is long overdue ." 

After  the highly publicized federal desegregation case against the county government and a federal judges ruled that Westchester was segregated, when Lafayette is asked is Westchester segregated he responds, 'No people segregate themselves.  When question about the homeless in Westchester, Lafayette does not believe its that high. When questioned on addressing the injustices in Westchester, Mr. Lafayette claims he has been around. Where has Mr. Lafayette been? What injustices has he stood up for? 

As Democrats we have witnessed the Wizard from behind the curtain and those that actually believed our Chairman believed in the same values that we have been marching, rallying and meeting for; if you believe it now, you are clearly living in his manufactured Oz!

Westchester County is guilty of Selective Prosecution many times in our so-called Justice System.

Westchester County is guilty of Selective Prosecution many times in our so-called Justice System.

The "Jim Crow" Shadow

In jurisprudence, selective prosecution is a procedural defense in which a defendant argues that he should not be held criminally liable for breaking the law, as the criminal justice system discriminated against him by choosing to prosecute.  Such a claim might, for example, entail an argument that persons of different age, race, religion, or gender, were engaged in the same illegal actions for which the defendant is being tried and were not prosecuted, and that the defendant is only being prosecuted because of a bias. In the US, this defense is based upon the 14th Amendment, which stipulates, "nor shall any state deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

Unfortunately in the 21st century residents of Westchester County are living beings sacrificed and victims of Selective Prosecution. We are reminded of the murdering of Detective Christopher Ridely, Danroy Henry, and Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. In addition to the violent physical attack on White Plains Police Officer Michael Hannon. Family members of these victims and the victim have asked Janet Difiore to investigate these cases.  Time after time she had referred the investigation "back" to the same police department in question of breaking the law.

Despite everything a reported "FIFTY" thousand dollars was used to investigate the name "Elmo Wesly" on a petition for Damon K. Jones a candidate running as City Councilman.  A local blogger found out that Elmo Wesly III does exist and that Janet DiFiore's office harasses, disrespects, and intimidate residents of Mount Vernon. Residents of Mount Vernon encountered being approached and asked if they signed a petition, why did they sign the petition, and were told that they will take down Damon K. Jones the candidate who is running as City Councilman. The energy placed on signatures is alarming. 

The Jim Crow Shadow has been long gone but today in Mount Vernon a, more subtitle, cynical, and creative tactics have taken place. One is preventing an African-American from becoming a candidate or obtaining office and the second is diluting the African-American votes by intimidation.  As Independent Democrats, we ask would they do this in Scarsdale or Briarcliff Manor? And why hasn't these "Bull Connor" style tactics been denounced by our Black leaders in the Mt. Vernon community?

Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for DiFiore, said  his office is looking into a complaint filed by Maria Caraballo who is accusing the candidate who is running as City Councilman Damon K. Jones of petition fraud. Caraballo never went through the challenge process that was afforded her by the Board of Elections according to New York State Election Law. But, they have yet committed the same resources in the deaths of innocent men by police in Westchester County. We have yet to see the same zeal in investigation tactics for the cases mentioned above.