August 14, 2022

Dear Sir:

In the past I have looked to the NYT endorsement of candidates as a guide to selecting the brightest, most ethical and best prepared person for a public office.  That is clearly no longer the case.

Sean Patrick Maloney’s use of his power as head of the Democratic National Campaign Committee to fund two radical far right Republican candidates who are pro gun and anti choice in the Texas and Michican Republican primary only gave you  “pause.”  Why was such a severe breach of ethics and misuse of Democratic funds not a reason to totally disqualify this candidate for Congress?

Nor is it the first or only such breach of common morals by Malony. His move to the 17th district was a selfish one to more easily secure his own seat while derailing the career of a rising and promising young progressive who was well liked and effective  in his job, thus leaving an opening  for a possible Republican take over in the newly purple District 18 which he left behind.

Malony has refused to decry the flood of attack ads by super PAC’s that are sending out vile smears against his opponent, Alessandra Biaggi. In your editorial you called Biaggi , “a rising star in New York politics who has championed proper ethics, women’s rights and abortion rights” and more.

From all of this you jump to the inscrutable and unsupported conclusion that Maloney is the better choice. 

I suggest that the editorial board look to its own ethics in regard to prejudice against young progressives instead of headlessly supporting the male status quo.

Marilyn Elie
Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition
United 4 Clean Energy