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Pedro Espada, Jr. outside the Bronx Board of Elections (Photo: Jeanmarie Evelly)
At a press conference outside the Bronx Board of Elections on July 12, State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. showed reporters a backpack containing, he said, the signatures of 10,000 registered voters in his west Bronx district. His message to the State Democratic Party and others who him ousted from the Democrat Party: back off, my constituents are behind me.
So how has Espada managed to drum up this level of support? Senate candidates need just a thousand signatures to get on the ballot. Presumably, even if many of Espada's are invalid, he'd still be left with an impressive number.
Could it be that he's more popular than his critics like to admit? Perhaps. But Espada and his campaign team also have also been accused (here and here) of bumping up their count by giving out free food in return for signatures. His spokesman denied the allegations. Recently we heard about another suspect signature-gathering technique, which went as follows:
On June 8 - which just so happened to be the first day of petitioning - Espada hosted his annual "Senior Appreciation Luncheon Day" at Eastwood Manor on Eastchester Road. The press weren't informed but according to two seniors we spoke with, local seniors received invites in the mail and senior centers in the 33rd Senate district were also contacted.
Eastwood Manor is in the East Bronx and so most of the seniors took advantage of the free ride Espada was offering. His office chartered a number of school buses - about 15 by one count - and they picked people up outside senior centers and at other locations.
Approximately 800 people turned out (Eastwood Manor is huge) and a nice time was had by all, the two seniors said. There was food and dancing and Espada gave a speech and handed out dozens of certificates to seniors who have made a difference in the community.
