Syracuse, NY -- Carl Paladino has e-mailed photos to his friends that depict, among other things, Barack and Michelle Obama as a pimp and a prostitute. The new Republican candidate for governor says he is done apologizing. African-American leaders in Syracuse say they have not heard any apology. Leaders of the NAACP, the Alliance Network and clergy held a...
View full sizeRepublican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino speaks Thursday at the Buffalo Yacht Club in Buffalo. He has come under fire for racist e-mails he has sent to friends.Syracuse, NY -- Carl Paladino has e-mailed photos to his friends that depict, among other things, Barack and Michelle Obama as a pimp and a prostitute.
The new Republican candidate for governor says he is done apologizing. African-American leaders in Syracuse say they have not heard any apology.
Leaders of the NAACP, the Alliance Network and clergy held a news conference Monday afternoon at the Chess Club, on South Avenue, to say that Paladino is unfit to be governor.
Preston Fagan, president of the Syracuse/Onondaga branch of the NAACP, said he has seen at least six different racist comments from Paladino that circulated after he won the Republican primary last week over the designated candidate, Rick Lazio. Fagan said some images were so offensive he deleted them from his computer. He thought it was time to say something.
“Mr. Paladino has effectively declared war on communities of color with a series of racially incendiary comments along the campaign trail,” the leaders wrote in a prepared statement. They said Paladino has sent a clear message to minority communities that “we are not welcome in his businesses nor would we be welcome in his administration.”
Paladino campaign manager Michael Caputo said the people who spoke out Monday were “magpies” sent out by the campaign of Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo. He said anyone who wants to accuse Paladino of being racist should talk to Thurman Thomas, the former Buffalo Bills running back who endorsed Paladino, or the people who use a Buffalo homeless shelter he supports.
“It’s patently ridiculous to think that Carl Paladino is racist, but even more ridiculous to think that these people speak for anyone but Andrew Cuomo,” Caputo said.
Gary Morris, a real estate broker, spoke at the news conference. He is a Democrat,
but said he has not supported a candidate in this election. “My stance is being a business owner and a registered voter in New York state. I believe that the Carl Paladino comments are very offensive to minorities,” he said. “And this type of rhetoric and this type of offensive statements, individuals need to be called on that and they need to address why they feel such a way.”
Earlier this year, e-mails that Paladino forwarded to his friends surfaced on the blog WNYmedia.net. One shows a video of a tribal dance in an African village with the headline “Obama inauguration rehearsal.” Another uses the “n” word. Others are pornographic, including a bestiality video.
The black community is also offended by Paladino’s suggestion that welfare recipients be sent to work camps, which could be housed in old prisons, where they would work, train and receive lessons in personal hygiene.
Paladino has been denounced by former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch and former State Comptroller H. Carl McCall, who wrote a letter together last week that said Paladino was a divisive leader not fit to lead the state.
Also Monday, a group of Jewish leaders held a news conference in New York City to speak out against Paladino.
Contact Michelle Breidenbach at mbreidenbach@syracuse.com or (315) 470-3186.