Perry: We’d never give out the mailing list.
Apparently sagging in support among Jewish voters, Toni Harp’s mayoral campaign mass-mailed a last-ditch appeal — and may have stirred up more tsuris for itself in the process.
The mass mailing went to members of the Greater New Haven Jewish Federation.
Now the federation wants to know how the campaign got all the addresses and the mailing labels.
“It does appear to be our labels,” Federation President Sydney Perry said Monday afternoon.
Only three staff members have access to the mailing list and label-printing operation, according to Perry. She reported that all three said they had no idea how the labels may have ended up in the Harp campaign’s possession.
“I don’t know how it happened,” Perry said. “I know for sure that no one from the campaign ever approached us.”
She said that the federation received complaints Monday from members about the mailing. In some cases recipients’ names appeared on the labels in a way they appear only on Jewish federation mailings.
“We don’t sell our labels. We don’t give them out,” Perry said. “We are a non-profit. We never take a political position for one candidate or another. Our nonprofit status is a central part of what we hold dear.”
Harp, a Democrat, faces petitioning candidate Justin Elicker Tuesday in the election to succeed retiring 20-year incumbent Mayor John DeStefano.
In a conversation with the Independent Monday afternoon, Harp campaign manager Jason Bartlett apologized for the mailing, which Jewish voters received Saturday.
“They just wanted to reach out on behalf of Toni and express their support for Toni,” Bartlett said of the signatories to the letter. “We apologize if there was miscommunication or if one of our volunteers did something in error. It’s a long campaign. People didn’t intentionally try to put anyone’s 501(c)3 [status at risk]. They may have made a mistake. For that we apologize on their behalf and on behalf of campaign.”
Click here and here to read the letter. (Apologies for the water stains. It was raining Saturday.)
While Harp has been the apparent frontrunner citywide during the current mayoral campaign, her campaign has visibly lacked support among Jewish voters in Westville, based on ward vote totals, the placement of lawn signs, and general word-of-mouth, along with extensive anecdotal observation. Harp, who is African-American and running to become the city’s first female mayor, enjoys broad African-American support, especially among black women.
Paul Bass Photo
This weekend’s letter was signed by some high-profile New Haven Jews who do support Harp. Signatories include Matthew Nemerson (pictured), a leading candidate to serve as Harp’s development administrator if she wins Tuesday’s general election; attorney Mark Sklarz, a member of her development advisory team; city schools official Susan Weisselberg; Diaper Bank founder Joanne Goldblum; former Ward 25 Democratic Co-Chair Barbara Segaloff and her husband, attorney Jimmy Segaloff; arts promoter Thea Buxbaum; and former city tourism chief Jane Snaider.
“I wrote the letter,” said Nemerson. “The campaign sent out the letter. How did they get [the list]? I don’t know.”
The letter, dated Nov. 1 and addressed “Dear Friend,” appears on Harp campaign letterhead.
“We have seen polls about the probable results [of Tuesday’s election] and know that Toni Harp is far ahead, yet we are surprised at how few of our own friends and neighbors seem to be considering a vote for Toni,” the letter reads in part.
“Yes the other fellow is earnest and clearly estimable in his own right but we think you ought to seriously consider a vote for Toni Harp.”
The letter discusses her extensive experience and “her humility.” It dismisses the argument that she lacks “the fire in her belly”: “She’s been prepping for this job for 30 years — she just did not go around telling people about it.”
The letter also takes on the insider argument cited by some Harp opponents:
“Some tell us that to have so many prominent political endorsements from elected officials is somehow an ‘issue.’ Really? Gov. Malloy, US Sen. Murphy, US Sen. Blumenthal, Rep. DeLauro, Majority Leader Looney, Senate President Williams, and other leaders of the Connecticut General Assembly and almost the entire board of aldermen have endorsed her. This is unprecedented. Can you really think of a better situation than to have the respect and admiration of your peers, especially when these people control access to billions of dollars that might be able to help cities like New Haven? Having a candidate with no enemies and so many powerful friends who actually WANT her to succeed is so rare — why would we pass up this opportunity?”