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Monday, August 30, 2010

Espada Hands Out School Supplies, Gets in Ugly Confrontation

Espada's staff give out school
supplies (Photos by David Greene)

By DAVID GREENE

Last Wednesday evening, State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. and several of his staffers gave out free school supplies to local residents outside PS 94 in Norwood.

"The need is great," said Espada, who's held several giveaways in recent weeks. Last month he antagonized a local pastor when he tried to hand out free groceries by St. Brendan's Church.

Outside PS 94, though, much of the response was positive.

"He's going to get our vote because he's been there for us," said local resident Sedella Harvin. "He supports us in ways that he can."

One man, however, began heckling Espada, accusing him of living in Mamaroneck, not his Bronx district, and of being a thief. (Espada is being sued for allegedly stealing $14 million from the non-profit healthcare company he runs.)

A furious Espada suggested the men settle the dispute with their fists. "Go and meet me there, over there on the corner," he said, pointing to East Gun Hill Road. The man, who refused to give his name, declined the invitation.

After the confrontation, Nancy Brown, another local resident, said, "I won't vote for Espada, but I took the school supplies, because I needed it."

Only folks who'd received a letter in the mail from Espada, and bought it with them, received a bag, which contained a notebook, a folder, a ruler, and pencils. About 100 bags were given out. They were paid for with campaign funds, said Espada, who's running for reelection.

Photobucket
Espada (right) is held back by his staff as he argues with an unidentified man

9 comments:

  1. On Sunday he was out on the streets invoking the memory of Dr. King in a march for "unity and peace".

    http://www.nysenate.gov/event/2010/aug/29/espada-and-community-commemorate-dr-king-s-historic-march-washington

    What a hypocrite. Does he think his modeling the sort of leadership King inspired by threatening to beat up a truth-telling constituent?

    We can not vote this guy out soon enough.

    Nancy Brown has it right -- take his free school supplies and food, but don't vote for this thug.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dont blame him , he comes from a blood-line of the same level of politicians..

    ReplyDelete
  3. Seriously? He threatened to assault somebody in public? (One of his own constituents?!)

    What doesn't this guy ever get arrested???

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Constituent should have taken this midget up on his offer. This charlatan wants to challenge his constituents to fist fights but is unwilling to debate candidates vying for his job. In some parts of the 33rd they'd call that a certain anatomical part of a female.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This event is puro pan y circo.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Listen Up Anonymous A hole If you think you can do better PUT UP or as we real New Yorkers say,
    STFU.... Its A-hole's like you that give NY a Bad name. Politics is a dirty buisness and we need real clever people to deal with the grimmyness thats NY politics today. Thanks to all who play a role in our political system, someone's got to do it, and it ain't me or the A-holes that critique.

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  7. Of course, Espada lives in Mamaroneck. Otherwise how did his kids graduate from Mamaroneck High School without paying non-resident tuition???

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kind of reminds me of how Hezbollah hands out things in Lebanon.

    ReplyDelete
  9. J.R Roman,

    I do not understand your comment at all. You sound ignorant and misinformed. What Espada did had NOTHING to do with politics. He publicly threatened a constituent, period. That is not engaging in dirty politics, that's being a violent, stupid, ignoramus. But apparently Espada is not alone given the nature of your post.

    ReplyDelete

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