New York’s Socialist Politicians 3: Christine C. (for Communist?) Quinn

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While under pressure from disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, is still favored to win the Democratic nomination for NYC Mayor.

Incredibly, of the main Democratic contenders, Quinn is regarded as furthest to the “right.” Even the Communist Party USA has been pushing that line.

According to the Communist Party member Danny Rubin, writing in the People’s World:

It is widely agreed that the politics of the four range from Christine Quinn, toward the right, to Bill DeBlasio, to William Thompson, to John Liu on the left. Council Speaker Quinn’s politics are similar to Michael Bloomberg’s but still better than any of the non-Democrats. Yet her election would hardly change the direction of the city. While appealing to some because she would be the first woman and first openly gay mayor, her positions on issues go against their interests. She continually slows down and compromises all pro-working families legislation, such as holding up a vote on sick leave. She joins the Republicans in pledging to reappoint Ray Kelly as police commissioner, despite his stop-and-frisk policy. She has strong real estate developer financing.

Well the Communists should know all about Christine Quinn – she’s been hanging around with them long enough.

Quinn entered politics to manage the City Council campaign of Tom Duane in 1991, after which she was Duane’s Chief of Staff for five years. Quinn’s former partner, Laura Morrison, was Chief of Staff to Duane when he became a New York State Senator. Duane was, and is, a long-time Communist Party affiliate.

On November 4, 1999, New York State Assemblyman Richard Gottfried presented State Assembly citations to Elizabeth Hall, a member of the National Committee of the Communist Party and her comrade Bobbie Rabinowitz, at the People’s Weekly World 75th Anniversary celebrations at the Henry Winston Unity Auditorium in New York. Event co-chairs were communists Maria Ramos, of the United Federation of Teachers and Carolyn Rummel, Managing Editor of the People’s Weekly World.

Chelsea area Council member Christine Quinn, sent a citation from the City Council listing the accomplishments of the honorees.

On October 22, 2000, the People’s Weekly World held its 4th annual celebration luncheon in New York, at the Henry Winston Auditorium.

Speakers included City Council members Bill Perkins and Christine Quinn, Assembly member Richard Gottfried, State Senator Tom Duane, Larry Moskowitz of the Communist Party and Working Families Party and Elena Mora for the Communist Party.

When Estelle Katz, a member of both the Communist Party and the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club, died in November 2012, fellow club member and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said this of her:

“Without Estelle’s light, Chelsea and New York City will be a little darker.” “Katz was a leader,” said Quinn, “in the true sense of the word. She thought about others before she thought about herself, and was always working to make our community a better place. She was not shy about sharing her thoughts and feelings with me or other elected officials. I couldn’t be where I am, without Estelle’s work and support.”

Quinn also has ties to other Marxist groups, including Asian Americans for Equality, a creation of the notoriously violent Communist Workers Party.

Back in 1990, Quinn represented the Housing Justice Campaign at one of Democratic Socialists of America‘s annual Socialist Scholars Conferences. Her panel was entitled “Homelessness and the Right to Housing in New York.” The question “at whose expense?” probably was not addressed.

More recently, on May 31, 2012, Christine Quinn was an Honorary Chair at far left “non profit” Demos‘ “Transforming America Awards.”

Demos is a partner organization of the far left Institute of Policy Studies and is led by former Students for a Democratic Society radical and long-time Democratic Socialists of America supporter, Miles Rapoport, and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren‘s daughter, Amelia Warren Tyagi.

Notable Demos Board members have included well known radical extremists Barack Obama and Van Jones.

Is the Communist Party trying to portray Christine Quinn as “to the right” merely to obscure her Marxist background?

Surely the communists would never do such a thing?

Let’s hope New Yorkers never have to take that risk.