Back To The Wall (Running Scared 3)

It’s no secret that Mr Feiner campaigns 24-7-365. It’s also no secret that Mr Feiner uses Town resources as though they were his personal campaign tools. And while he may legally be able to get away with this, it is morally dishonest and contemptible. Undaunted nevertheless, Mr Feiner instructed the Town videographer to begin playing his campaign commercials immediately following Thursday night’s “forum” at Town Hall that he did not attend. The Town Clerk didn’t attend either. Mr Feiner chose to campaign at a local supermarket rather than attend the forum. Perhaps he’s learned they might be closing based on his policies and wanted to get his last campaign licks while he could?

The forum held at Town Hall was disappointing from the perspective of not having all the candidates present to discuss what it going on in the Town and ideas that can help the Town. A staffer called our office immediately after the forum to make the comment that the event was really a non-event because Mr Feiner and Ms Beville failed to attend. A resident mentioned he and his wife had seen Mr Feiner at the supermarket campaigning and didn’t actually expect him to show up. The League of Women Voters’ moderator for the evening’s forum, Ms Weisfeld, waited a half an hour past the original start time to allow Mr Feiner an opportunity to arrive. It was wasted time.

Underneath his well-cultivated, disheveled, “woe-is-me” facade, is a shrewd and calculating politician. Mr Feiner knows that he his not a great public speaker. He also knows that Mr Bernstein is quite an accomplished public speaker, having been on the receiving end of numerous visits from Mr Bernstein at Town Board meetings, blog posts and letters to the editor. As such, ABG is of the belief that Mr Feiner took a calculated risk with his decision to not show up at the forum, knowing he could not compete with an issue savvy, seasoned trial lawyer, saving himself from being a verbally trounced again and unable to defend his record. In his mind, it would be better to pass and just give any reason for not being there and hope for the best at the next forum in Hastings-On-Hudson’s James Harmon Community Center, in a democratic leaning, Feiner-friendly Village.

ABG’s guess is that Mr Feiner will not have a strong performance in Hastings or in any other public venue with other candidates present. He does do reasonably well going one-on-one with promising residents anything they want to hear – and then doing what he wants anyway. It’s common knowledge at Town Board meetings, Mr Sheehan usually controls Mr Feiner’s outbursts and off the wall ideas. But since Mr Feiner recently threw Mr Sheehan and his family “under the bus” with a lawsuit and accusations of lying on ballot petition signatures, it remains to be seen how “helpful” Mr Sheehan will now be? Ms Juettner, along with Mr Feiner were recently found guilty of violating the Fortress Bible Church’s Constitutional rights and then losing their appeal of the guilty verdict. Why haven’t they been disbarred and removed from office? Mr Feiner’s lawsuit against Mr Sheehan also accused a group of nuns (Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament) of lying on their ballot petition signatures as well. Is there no one Mr Feiner will go after to run unopposed? Apparently not.

In the end, it seems Mr Feiner is more concerned with maintaining the corrupt status quo. The airing of his own campaign commercials in a non-stop loop as informational videos is reprehensible. He has chosen to avoid public scrutiny and to play “scripted” pieces instead. Again, he is shrewd if nothing else. His yard signs have magically begun to appear next to Mr Bernstein’s yard signs. That’s normal in a contested race. Although sadly, Mr Feiner’s supporters have already started to remove Bernstein signs in many locations, thinking this will help Mr Feiner’s campaign.

Removing yard signs. Not participating in forums. Running campaign videos on the Town cable access channel. Suing fellow Board members. Slandering nuns. Violating the civil rights of churches. The list, while seemingly endless, all amount to lying to the public. And for what? To maintain a power base and remain in office? The reality is Mr Feiner is running scared! His lawn signs say “Paul and Judith” with the slogan, “Keep Paul on Call”, even giving his home phone number. His slogan should be, “Keep Paul’s Back to the Wall”. This is nothing but campaign schtick to the willfully ignorant, headline reading public and party-faithful who vote the party-line regardless. While some may believe this past Thursday night’s forum might be considered a non-event, the choices were made clear. We want and deserve representatives who aren’t afraid to show up and face the music, even if the music isn’t a song anyone can dance to.

ABG urges the Town’s registered democrats to vote in the upcoming Democratic Primary on September 10 and help to make A Better Greenburgh.