To: Bill Lipton, New York State Director and Dan Cantor, National Director
NY Working Families Party: Revoke New Paltz Endorsement of Dan Torres and Neil Bettez and Fire P...
The endorsement by the Working Families Party of candidates who aggressively pursue non-violent drug arrests, particularly marijuana, was misleading to New Paltz voters and should be revoked. Fire Philip Leber from WFP for wrongfully refusing to interview valid criminal justice reform candidates and giving the WFP endorsement (by default) to Neil Bettez and Daniel Torres despite their aggressive pursuit of Marijuana, Underage Drinking, and non-violent drug arrests. Revoke the endorsement of these candidates due to their policy of 36% of all arrests in New Paltz being for marijuana and underage drinking, which is directly against the Working Family Party platform of the legalization of marijuana and the reduction of marijuana arrests.
Why is this important?
The WFP Platform endorses legalizing marijuana and solicits voters and donations on this platform. The Working Families Party official website states, "Marijuana arrests unfairly hold back prospective job applicants and unjustly target communities of color across the district." WFP Hudson Valley coordinator Phillip Leber refused to interview candidates seeking an endorsement that was against marijuana arrests and instead awarded the endorsement to Daniel Torres and Neil Bettez of New Paltz.
Both have directed New Paltz Police Department to aggressively pursue marijuana arrests, accounting for 36% of all arrests. Their WFP endorsement was prominently featured in their political advertising and led to their winning a major party platform. They both refuse to address or reform marijuana or other drug arrests, while their opposition ran with criminal justice reform as their main goal.
Both have directed New Paltz Police Department to aggressively pursue marijuana arrests, accounting for 36% of all arrests. Their WFP endorsement was prominently featured in their political advertising and led to their winning a major party platform. They both refuse to address or reform marijuana or other drug arrests, while their opposition ran with criminal justice reform as their main goal.