Katz Accuses Caban Team of ‘Reckless Campaign Tactics’

Borough President Melinda Katz announcing her run for Queens District Attorney on Dec. 4 (via Katz for DA)

July 10, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan

The Melinda Katz campaign team says that their candidate has received a raft of angry attacks on social media and are alleging that it is the result of Tiffany Cabán’s “reckless campaign tactics.”

Katz’ criticism comes as the second day of the manual ballot recount is underway in the highly combative Queens District Attorney race. Going into the recount, Katz held a mere 16 vote lead against political newcomer and insurgent candidate Cabán. The two candidates are vying neck-and-neck to replace long-serving District Attorney Richard A Brown who died in May of this year.

The Katz campaign sent out an email to supporters earlier today displaying several tweets sent to the Borough President, ranging from expletive-riddled put downs to accusations of election fraud.

Katz campaign spokesperson Matthew Rey called the tweets, which were not sent by anyone affiliated with the Cabán team, the result of “the Cabán campaign’s persistent efforts to portray a rigged electoral system.”

“The increasing recklessness of the Cabán campaign is deeply troubling for a candidate running for the borough’s top law enforcement job,” Rey said. “Tiffany Cabán’s supporters have been issuing veiled threats of violence and invoking Melinda Katz’ children in a continuing tide of menacing online attacks. This, as the campaign itself continues to try to undermine confidence in the electoral process and manipulate the recount.”

Rey asked Cabán to publicly condemn the behavior and “get her campaign under control.”

None of the tweets shared in the Katz Campaign email, however, make any reference to Cabán.

Sampling of a Twitter attack on Katz Source: Katz campaign

The Cabán campaign, who say they have also been on the receiving end of hateful tweets, argue that the attention being placed on the social media backlash is a distraction from the ongoing recount and pending court case concerning the validity of 114 affidavit ballots.

“We condemn these hateful comments that have nothing to do with our campaign and have no place in political debate,” said a spokesperson for the Cabán campaign. “While we condemn these nasty tweets, the fact remains that the Katz campaign refuses to join us in making sure Queens voters are not disenfranchised. Our campaign will be at the Board of Elections every day and in court to make sure the outcome of this election is fair, and we welcome the Katz campaign to log off Twitter and join us.”

Sampling of a Twitter attack on Katz
Source: Katz campaign