The event, billed as an opportunity to discuss "Partnerships, Priorities and Progress for Plainfield," had been scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m. at Washington Community School. It was announced last Sunday at an NAACP candidates' forum, but yesterday Plaintalker was told by Business Administrator Gary Ottmann the venue was moved "out of district."
Ottmann gave no reason, but the mayor and Councilman Adrian Mapp are contenders in the Democratic June 4 primary election and some perceived the event as part of the mayor's campaign to get re-elected to a third term. Campaign events are not permitted on school grounds.
The mayor and Mapp were rivals in 2009 and the rematch has created a buzz as the primary date looms. Mapp did not attend the NAACP candidates' forum Sunday due to a prior commitment and on Wednesday the mayor failed to appear at a candidates' forum co-sponsored by Friends of Sleepy Hollow and the Plainfield League of Women Voters. Mayoral aide Barbara James came by with a letter saying the mayor was ill, but the meeting had been closed after LWV Moderator Dawn Clarke and an audience of about 125 residents waited in vain for the mayor to show up.
Some alleged the no-show Wednesday was in retaliation for Mapp not appearing at the NAACP forum. Former PMUA Executive Director Eric Watson, who is backing the mayor, complained at the meeting Sunday that Mapp should have made the civil rights organization's event a priority. Much of the mayor's presentation Sunday was a refutation of a council investigation that found she had violated state law in using public funds to pay for a 2010 Town Meeting featuring Sharpton. On Wednesday, one of her supporters predicted Sharpton would definitively vindicate her tonight.
The event has had little publicity other than Plaintalker's blog coverage and a news article following the mayor's no-show Wednesday. It is unclear how the mayor's campaign can get the word out of the venue change on short notice. (Update - Dr. Yood reports it is in the Courier News. I saw the old version of the article online, a newer one has the changed location.)
--Bernice
Where are people supposed to park? The last time the mayor had an event at that night club her renegade police friends put illegal emergency parking signs on the meters! Hellwig and the captains know what time it is, they know there's a fork heading towards Sharon which will arrive on June 4. She's done! Are they going to serve alcohol as well? Does Sharpton know that he's going to be "appearing" at a bar? Too funny!
ReplyDeleteDoes Al Sharpton know he is appearing for someone who may back Christie?
ReplyDeleteOrganization is typical of the mayor's administration - lacks professionalism and any hint of the ability to lead.
Does this mean it is a campaign event?
People should start Tweeting to him to to let him know the pit of vipers he is about to walk into. @TheRevAl
ReplyDeletewell... I'm sure it'll be a night of pleasant victimization that I'm sorry I'll miss.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Rev.Al's gonna have a problem with the fact that most of the city council is black so he can't accuse the investigation as being racially motivated. Nor can he accuse the not backing of the Mayor for the Magic D spot as racially motivated as Adrian Mapp is not white so again, it's got to be about the money. That'll be the true thrust of any questions.. Who's paying for him to show up???
And why ???
Sharon is not exactly a victim of anything but her own lack of intelligence and inability to control her childlike outbursts.
There's no way Rev. Sharpton can "vindicate" Sharon's misuse of city funds and lying about it under oath. Her behavior had nothing to do with him--I think if he knew the truth he wouldn't want to get mixed up in this one!
ReplyDeleteAl Sharpton to the RESCUE
ReplyDeleteRob, your incessant villification of Rev Sharpton is amusing albeit obtuse. Void of facts and absurb accusations. Rev Al is a renowned civil rights leader and national television and syndicated radio talk show host as well as the President of a well admired organization, The National Action Network as a citizen of Plainfield who happens to be Black I find your remarks insulting and baseless.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more--as a citizen of Plainfield who happens to be white.
DeleteI'm sure Tawanna Brawley agrees with you both.
DeleteAnd civil rights extend to all people.. He's remarkably quiet when it's Black on Black issues or any color that isn't Black.
You can't have your cake and eat it too.
You think Martin Luther King marched and protested for Black only ?? No...no he didn't and was very vocal about Civil Rights for ALL PEOPLE. ALL PEOPLE BEING EQUAL.
He's a shyster, a bigot, a race baiter and a sham.
He never saw a fact he couldn't ignore or a camera he couldn't shove his face in.
If you consider this man a roll model for civil rights activism your check book must be the right size for him.
Because it's all about the cash for him.
I wonder how Eric Watson feels about how the mayor continues to treat the Queen City Baseball League. They are a group of Black men and women that have a baseball league with many Black and hispanic children and they are forced to play most of their games outside of Plainfield only because they can't get access to their own home field. Can the NAACP do anything about that? Oh that's right her husband is the president and I'm sure he is fully aware of it. So tell me why it was so vital that Mr. Mapp attend their forum????
ReplyDelete