A black Republican leader in Westchester County is accusing Gov. Cuomo and the state Democratic Party of falsely portraying GOP gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino as a racist for his handling of a long-simmering federal housing dispute.
"Shame on you, Andrew Cuomo, for accusing Rob Astorino of discrimination," Pearl Quarles, Westchester's first black female county legislator, said in a hard-hitting Web attack ad released by the Astorino campaign.
"Mr. Cuomo, your use of the race card disgusts me," added Quarles, from New Rochelle, who was raised in segregated Virginia.
"Obviously you don't know what racism is. So don't disrespect those of us who do.''
Quarles, 83, was responding to recent TV ads released by the New York Democratic Party blasting Astorino, the Westchester County executive, for saying he would forfeit $5.2 million in federal grants rather than comply with a 2009 affordable housing settlement.
"New York has a proud history of fighting discrimination. That's why it's so shocking that Rob Astorino has repeatedly violated federal anti-discrimination laws for years," the Democratic ad says.
"He's the only county executive in the nation that refuses to comply . . . Rob Astorino, so far right, he's wrong for New York."
But in the counter-ad, Quarles said she agreed with Astorino about not wanting the federal government dictating local housing decisions and called the Cuomo-backed Democratic attack "unforgivable."
"Rob Astorino opposes that scheme you back to hand local zoning decisions over to Washington. That crazy plan would lower our home values, raises our taxes and overcrowd our schools. That's why most respected community leaders oppose it, too," Quarles said.
Other black leaders, including some Democrats, agreed.
The debate in the governor's race should focus on job creation and economic development and education, said Bishop C. Nathan Edwers, president of the United Black Clergy of Westchester and a Mount Vernon resident.
"It's terrible that race has entered the campaign at this early stage. It's very unfortunate that Cuomo would bring this issue up," said Edwers, adding, "And I'm a Democrat."
Edwers said Democrats have actually made things worse in Mount Vernon by "oversaturating" his community with an influx of government subsidized housing complexes without providing services to accommodate the new residents.
"Rob Astorino is not a racist. I will stand by him," he said.
The Democratic Party and the Cuomo campaign declined to comment.
Cuomo strategists, with a $33 million campaign war chest, are trying to define Astorino, who opposes abortions rights and gun control, as out of step with the mainstream.
Astorino is trying to show that he's a conservative with broad appeal, noting that was re-elected county executive in Westchester with considerable support from minority voters.
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