UPDATE AT BOTTOM

Thursday May 31st is the endorsement meeting for this year's Judicial elections at the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND). Last week was the endorsement meeting of Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) and in preparation for it I discussed my own feelings on the various races and afterwards I discussed what happened at the meeting.

This week, in preparation for the IND meeting, I want to mention a few endorsements, including presenting a letter my wife helped write, but signed by several people, endorsing Devin Cohen for Civil Court Judge, 6th Judicial District. I will start with my wife's letter, quoted in full:

As you know, CBID will be voting tonight to endorse a candidate in the election for Civil Court Judge, 6th Judicial District. We would like to ask you to support Devin Cohen for that position.

Some of us have known Devin as long as 26 years, and we have come to know his integrity, dedication and commitment to the community. Devin has been a resident of Park Slope for 30 years, and before that lived in Boerum Hill and Prospect Heights beginning in 1969. Through his long history of community service, Devin has shown that he shares CBID's progressive principles and ideals.

Devin is a practicing lawyer, with a private civil litigation practice. Devin almost exclusively represents individuals, often against corporations. Additionally, Devin has provided pro bono mediation and arbitration services to a number of Court-related and non-profit programs, including: Safe Horizon’s Brooklyn Mediation Center, where he has served for 14 years and has trained and evaluated new and apprentice mediators, as a Small Claims Court (NYC Civil Court) Mediator and Arbitrator, and on other, Court-appointed, Court-related panels as a Mediator and Arbitrator. Devin provides pro bono legal services to a number of other non-profits, including community and amateur sports organizations.

Devin has served on Community Board 6 since 2003 and is currently its First Vice Chair. He co-chairs the Public Safety/Environmental Protection Committee, and serves on the Waterfront/Economic Development and Executive Committees. Most recently, Devin served as the Board’s representative to the Mayor’s Community Steering Committee where, alongside our local elected officials, he helped lead the fight to save the Engine 204 firehouse from the City’s auction block. As committee chair, Devin has also advocated for the community in pressing City and State agencies, as well as developers, on such issues as pollution in the Gowanus Canal, recycling, and safe construction and environmental compliance in various development projects. Devin has drawn attention to such programs as the District Attorney’s internet predator program and local development of “green” alternative fuels.

A lifelong reform Democrat, Devin was called upon to organize the DNC’s Brooklyn response to the 2004 Republican National Convention, planning and leading the “1000 Points of Hope” rally and march in Prospect Park. Devin is the immediate past president of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats. He has been a member of Brooklyn’s Democratic County Committee, as well as a reform-voting delegate to the Democratic County Judicial Convention since 2002.

In addition to Devin's service to the community through his legal training, civic and political involvement, he is an Emergency Medical Technician, serving with the Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps since 1996.

Devin has devoted himself, both professionally and through community service, to improving the lives of the people of Brooklyn. His is the kind of lifelong dedication and service to progressive values that we need most in our public servants. We ask you to join us in supporting Devin Cohen in CBID's endorsement for Civil Court Judge, 6th District.

This letter was signed by my wife and myself, and, much more importantly, by Matthew Chachere, Assemblywoman Joan Millman, District Leader Alan Fleishman, District Leader JoAnne Simon, and, perhaps most prominently, by State Senator Eric Adams. I am glad that Millman, Fleishman, Simon and Adams are helping out Devin since these are all politicians I respect and I know Devin has done a great deal for them. It is great when good people stick together. I reiterate this endorsement letter (originally aimed at CBID) because I think it applies equally well to IND. In fairness I should note that Devin's opponent, Kathy Levine, is also a good candidate and has been endorsed by Jim Brennan and Jake Gold and, ultimately, CBID.

Moving on to the Surrogate race, I have so far heard of endorsements for Diana Johnson from Chris Owens, Velmanette Montgomery, Alan Fleishman and, honestly, a large number of CBID members including my wife and myself. Diana Johnson was clearly the favorite at IND. I have heard that Marty Markowitz is endorsing Bernie Graham, but that is unconfirmed. I also have heard from a few sources that Graham is not running. I have to say, though, that rumors of people dropping out are commonly FALSELY floated by people to discredit other candidates. This is a standard tactic. Sometimes it is true. Very often it is not. So, until I hear otherwise, I assume Graham is still in. Originally I heard that the uber-corrupt Vito Lopez was backing Bob Miller. This was easy to believe given the service that Miller has given to the machine in the past, but since then I have not been able to confirm that Vito is backing Miller. I want to reiterate that I like Graham, Miller AND Johnson, but overall find Johnson the best of the candidates. None of them are really as independent of political entanglements as I would like, but all are reasonably qualified, unlike the person they are replacing.

Finally, I want to reiterate the fact that for countywide Civil Court seats, Robin Sheares, Debra Silber, Fred Arriaga, and Carolyn Wade all got CBID's endorsement and seemed widely backed by most CBID members.

I hope this will help any IND members who are attending the IND endorsement meeting tomorrow (May 31st) at 7 PM at 489 Court Street in Carroll Gardens.

UPDATE: Got an email claiming that Graham himself is claiming he isn't running. But, Brooklyn politics being what it is, I still assume he is running until I either HEAR it from him, or see the ballot without his name. Though, I will add, that my source for this is insisting he is 100% relaible And I think he probably has it right this time.

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