VIN News – Brooklyn, NY – Gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino came out swinging this afternoon, blasting religious leaders who do not forcefully support anti gay candidates.
Paladino met this afternoon with a group of rabbis in Rabbi Yechezkel Roth’s 53rd Street synagogue in Borough Park, where he presented himself as the candidate with values, proudly proclaiming that both he and the religious community share the same “values, hopes and aspirations.”
In an effort to demonstrate his commitment to moral values, Paladino blasted two respected Brooklyn Rabbis for their September 2009 endorsement in the city council race of John Heyer , Rabbi Moshe Wolfson, Mashgiach Ruchani of Mesivta Torah V’daath and Rov of Bais Medrash Emunas Yisroel and Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rabbi also the head of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (“Council of Torah Sages”) of Agudath Israel of America.
“Although many of the same guys who called me an Anti Semite on steps of city hall, without ever calling me or talking to me directly or researching the facts urged you to vote for someone else for State Council. You voted for John Heyer, because some other power brokers and power seekers fooled you and your distinguished Rabbis Moshe Wolfson and Yaakov Perlow into thinking Heyer opposed all forms of same gender marriage. They lied to you and the Rabbis because he didn’t oppose the same gender marriage but I do. That is why I pledge to you today. If you bless me and you tell all your people that I am the religious values candidate and that my opponent is the ultra liberal Social extremist that he is.”
In an effort to establish common ground with the Orthodox community, Paladino portrayed himself as someone who shares the same values with the religious community, promising to veto any bills on same sex marriage, coming out against abortion and pledging to obtain government funding for private school education.
Paladino was scheduled to meet with the Karlsburg Rav, Rabbi Yechezkel Roth this afternoon, but according to insiders at the Shul Rabbi Roth inexplicably canceled at the last minute for unknown reasons, Paladino elected to meet with some of the junior Rabbis instead in a room off the main hall.
One political observer who refused to go on record stated his opinion that while Rabbi Roth was not able to attend today’s meeting, the fact that he allowed the meeting to take place in his synagogue was in and of itself a show of indirect support for Palidono.
According to capital tonight news site Paladino’s campaign manager Michael Caputo downplayed Rabbi Roth’s absence stating that Paladino’s intent was not to meet only with leaders but to meet with the “grassroots” of the Chasidic community. Caputo also suggested that the Cuomo campaign had used “threats and intimidation” to prevent Rabbis from meeting with Paladino, even hinting that meeting with Paladino might put public funding in jeopardy.
Rabbi Yehuda Levin, who says he represents the Rabbinical Alliance of America, introduced Paladino saying that the Orthodox community is forced to deal with the problem of children at risk today “because of the immoral climate that has been fostered in Albany and the city of New York.” Levin also excused Paladino’s sometimes controversial and inflammatory remarks by saying, “For the first time in three and a half decades, we have a gentleman who is a little coarse. He’s not so dignified, but he tells it like it is.”
