A few months aback, when I first wrote about the vacancy in the 40th city council district, I had never in my wildest imaginations expected so much drama to a simple special election; but drama we had, and maybe the best is yet to come. No sense rehashing all the funky stuff of the past few months, but let me bring some of you up to date as to where we are, with just three days to the election (part two).

About 48 hours ago, a federal judge put candidate Wellington Sharpe back on the ballot, after he was removed by the NYC Board of Elections, who had upheld a challenge on Sharpe’s petitions from the Mathieu Eugene camp. Then yesterday, an appellate court held that despite the fact that Eugene had created the present vacancy in this district- by failing to take up his duly elected post- he should be still placed on the ballot, since his deceptive behavior didn’t reach the level of a felony. They arrived at this position despite the fact that the law is clear: once you create a vacancy, you cannot run for said office. The law is also clear that failing to swear in to office meant that “you” created the vacancy. So on Tuesday (4-24-07), there will be a special election in Brooklyn again, with Mathieu Eugene, Wellington Sharpe and Harry Schiffman as the candidates. So much for the law, its variations and violations; and on we go, and on we go, and we go on.

In the first round of this race Eugene won handily, with Sharpe coming in third and Schiffman fourth, in a race where ten candidates made the ballot, and where two others were write-ins. Most pundits expect the order to remain the same, especially now that Sharpe has been unable to mount a real campaign, after being tied-up in legalities for the past few weeks. Apparently, Sharpe has spent more time in court than he has on the campaign stump for this race. And yet many in the district want Eugene gone. Even some in his demographic base (Haitian-Americans) feel that he is an “embarrassment” (their words, not mine).

Last Thursday, the judge in the case stated that Eugene had “no credibility with this court”. This came after Eugene’s incredulous testimony in the case. He seemed to have forgotten more things than the average elephant remembers. He couldn’t even remember the few people who were sitting in a car with him discussing his post-election strategy. We are talking about a motor car folks, not a van or a bus. What was even more profound was the testimony of one witness (Dr. Kendall Stewart/ councilmember of the 45th district). Under oath, Stewart stated that Eugene verbally gave him that the reason why he (Eugene) never swore in to his duly elected seat (by not adhering to the council’s requests for affidavits on residency). Eugene said that if he had sent in those affidavits he would have had to perjure himself. All this after he had publicly proclaimed to have had a lease for his new apartment, had publicly proclaimed to have moved in before the last election, and had gone to great lengths to set up a NY1 interview on said premises. So now we know that Eugene (like his mentor Yvette Clarke) is another bold-faced liar. And his people wonder why folks at the New York Daily News want to see his medical diploma, and also want to find out which medical-school did he graduate from; after all, he was posited by his mentors (Yvette and Una Clarke) as a doctor.

Now, before the assorted sycophants and ass-kissers of the Clarkes start abusing me here on this blog, I simply request that they go get or see the court transcripts, and/ or read the various/assorted court decisions. I am not just arbitrarily calling this man a liar; the record is clear now. But maybe that’s what we expect of our elected officials; maybe, as a voting public we get what we deserve. Didn’t we not let the first George Bush off the hook when he told us with straight face that out of over 250 million citizens, Clarence Thomas was the most qualified to fill the Supreme Court vacancy? Didn’t we not do the same with Bill Clinton, when he wagged his finger at us and said that he had had no sexual relations with “that” woman (Monica Lewinsky)? And, oh yes, democrats- who love to claim the moral high ground- went to bat for him over and over again, by saying that it’s just his personal life/ behavior, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were surrendering the moral high ground that they pretentiously claim in perpetual political superciliousness. High standards for our electeds are just that: high standards. When we keep lowering the bar, all sorts of rodents climb over. So is it any wonder that we have ineffective legislative bodies all through this state and country.

I am told that the Clarkes are up to heir old tricks again: they attacked Wellington Sharpe as having done nothing in the community. What a shame! Sharpe has been politically active for over thirty years in Brooklyn. He is an individual who is committed to public service and one who has been involved in his community since he landed off the plane from Jamaica 34 years ago. I know this as a fact because I have served on many boards with him. I have also held membership in many organizations (political, social and civic) where he too held membership, including the Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce where he chaired a political action committee.

I first met Wellington Sharpe when the “People’s Alliance” were fighting their battles over King’s County hospital- and this was way back in the eighties. If memory serves me right, it was at some type of public demonstration. I have marched with him on issues like AIDS/HIV, police brutality, health, economic-development, education, you name it. I worked with him in the Flatbush-Crown Heights Political Education Committee, the Marcus Garvey Organization, the Harriet Tubman Political Club, and also on the Flatbush East Community Development’s board of directors. I have also worked with him on many political campaigns. Like me, he supported Charles Barron when it wasn’t fashionable; like me he also supported James Davis when most people were afraid to challenge the ‘county’ machine.

I have also known him to have been on various community hospital boards. If memory serves me right, Interfaith Hospital was one of at least three. Prior to going into business many moons ago, the man worked as an administrator in the health industry. He also serves on the community planning board (#17). He is more than just a successful businessman. The man has been involved in both public education and public health policy. He also has experience in early childhood development, youth affairs and economic development. He has also worked with seniors.

Apart from all this, Sharpe has found the time to stay attached to his Caribbean-American cultural roots, supporting many organizations involved in cricket, carnivals, steel-bands, all-fours, dominoes and the like. For the Clarkes to slanderously attack this man as doing nothing in the community is shameful, especially since they know better. Supporting a dud like Eugene is one thing, mendaciously attacking Sharpe is another. Wellington Sharpe is a man who has gone into his pocket to support many an issue or cause. Sharpe has paid his friggin dues in terms of time, blood, sweat, tears, brain-power, energy and sacrifice. As far as I know, he has also found time to graduate with Associates, Bachelors and Masters Degrees, unlike some of those who question his community roots and abilities.

One of the knocks on Sharpe–coming from some pundits- is that he has trouble articulating his vision for the community; this is fair game. Coming from a Jamaican background (remember he came here as an adult /almost thirty years of age), there are times when he has a tendency to go into what I call “Jamaican-Ebonics”. This is where he passionately gets into speech patterns that are not clearly discernible to the non-Caribbean; however he is understandable almost one hundred percent of the time once you pay attention; unlike Mathieu Eugene, who is understandable maybe 33% of the time. Mathieu Eugene couldn’t articulate his way out of a paper bag; there is no comparison.

Today, I publicly endorse Sharpe for this race. I am totally convinced that he is the best candidate in this field to represent this district. I say this despite the fact that I know that Eugene clearly won the first time around. However, Eugene’s subsequent post-election behavior has disqualified him in my book. His shenanigans have left him without credibility in my estimation, and he has the political potential of a frog. The district will not be better off with Eugene at the helm. For the Clarkes to have supposedly gone through some sort of sham consensus process, in order (they say) to have yielded the person best fit to represent this district, is more embarrassing than even Eugene himself could ever be.

When Yvette Clarke was first elected, all we could find was one community organization in which she had worked: Erasmus Neighborhood. She won by hitching on to her mother’s coat-tail. She won by claiming experience in jobs that we now know that she wasn’t qualified for, since she lied about her credentials. She never graduated from college but had it down on her resume; thus she was awarded jobs that others were qualified for. What an example for an elected official to set. Yvette needs to tell us a few things; like, where are all the places that she has resided in since returning from her failed college attempt at Oberling. You see, it’s fine to claim groundings in a community, but it’s also fair to say that at various times you have lived outside the community whilst maintaining your attachments. She also needs to answer some of the questions dogging her in the community about her proclivities. People also want to know if she is using steroids, and if so why? They complain that she is bloated up over and again; they say it’s a sign of something bigger. They talk about skin-coloration and texture; they also talk about their fears and suspicions. They ask if she is on some type of medication; they also ask if she is healthy enough to undertake the rigors of congressional duty.

Look, don’t be mad at me: I am just telling it as I am getting it. Yvette and Una Clarke are public people; they have both been feeding at the public trough for some time now, and if the public demands answers, then maybe they should provide the explanations.

Have you peeps ever observed that the attacks I get on these blogs are never over facts? It’s like my attackers ignore the truths and go straight for me personally. For example, you are not going to see in the comment sections of this column where anyone will dispute what I have said here with factual evidence to the contrary; what you will see however are the venomous attacks on me personally. But as I have said many times here: I call it as I see it, and then I duck.

Stay tuned-in folks. And remember to vote; for this race you need to vote long, hard and often/lol. Hopefully, I will do one more column on this race after it is done; I still have some surprises for you.

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