Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Winsome Pendergrass, Member of New York Communities for Change (NYCC), against open primaries
0:34:17
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3 min
Winsome Pendergrass, a member of New York Communities for Change (NYCC) and other tenant and worker advocacy groups, testifies against proposed changes to NYC elections, specifically open primaries. She argues that organized money, like that from landlords' associations, can be combated by organized people through political parties.
Pendergrass asserts that open primary proposals are an attack on people's organizations by billionaires, making it easier for them to buy elections, and that tenants would suffer as a result. She references attempts to implement similar systems in other states and by Michael Bloomberg in New York City twenty years ago.
Winsome Pendergrass
0:34:17
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
0:34:20
My name is Vinson Pendergrass.
0:34:22
I am a resident of the Brownsville community.
0:34:26
I am a member of NYCC New York Communities for Change, WFP, workers' family party, HJ for all, housing justice for all, and the New York tenants block.
0:34:39
Today, I am testifying for the tenants who are disabled.
0:34:45
I am testifying for the tenants who are at work during the third second and third shift and can't be here to stand or sit in front of you.
0:34:55
We have seen firsthand what organized money, dark money looks like.
0:35:05
It's can be seen in the landlord's association called Rebli.
0:35:13
Due to our elections yes.
0:35:21
We have seen firsthand what organized money, dark money, does in places like in in our election.
0:35:31
The only thing stands up to them is organized tenant in joining people's organization and fighting back.
0:35:40
Our power comes from working together under a common banner, making collective decision, and fighting as one for our values, ideals, and policies.
0:35:54
That is why the changes being considered to the NYC elections are so dangerous.
0:36:01
The only way to fight back against organized money in our country, in our state is through organized people.
0:36:12
Political party stands for something and communicate that, but it's up to the members of that party to make the collective decision about what candidates are going to represent the party.
0:36:30
What is being proposed is an attack on people's organization by the billionaires.
0:36:38
They have tried it in Colorado, in Arizona, and New Mexico last year.
0:36:48
Bloomberg tried it here in New York City Twenty Years ago.
0:36:53
They want to do this because it's so much easier for them to buy the election.
0:36:59
When people's organization, like political parties, don't get to elect their own candidates.
0:37:07
When Republicans get to vote in this election, the billionaire's money will prevail, but it will be the tenants across New York City who will suffer.
0:37:18
We need to protect our tenants in New York City, our tenants organization, and ensure and ensure that we don't make it easy too easy for people like Elon Musk, Mike Bloomberg, and others like Rebne to buy our election.
0:37:34
The commission should reject, must reject this jungle primary proposal and the open primary proposal that allows Republican to select Democrat candidates.
0:37:45
How can we forget the IDC?