Is the GOP in Brooklyn "A Home for Jews"? (2) The Characters

This is part 2 of a series. You can read part 1 of this article here. 

The Main Characters 

Craig Eaton was appointed as the Republican County Committee Chairman some five years ago. It didn't take long he should face opposition from the Brooklyn Young Republican Club. In 2011 Eaton established a separate Brooklyn Young Republicans, with Russel Gallo as its president. Russ is s hosting the Brooklyn GOP radio show, sponsored by the county committee, together with Gene Berardelli, the county committee law chair. 

Russ                                   Gene

Unlike the Democratic county committee, where the chairman Vito Lopez is the lightning rod for its critics, Gene and Russ are taking in the brunt of the complaints from my sources. Eaton has his detractors for sure, and they can be found at the Atlas Shrug in Brooklyn's comments sections, but my sources only blame him for entrusting too much to Gene and Russ.

"The chairman is a good guy. He's just not aware of the issues that concern us, and is being pushed off good advice given by Jewish operatives with influence of the two guy," my credible source is telling me. "I don't know Eaton... The real problem is Gene, the rest of the GOP is guilty of allowing him to remain," the anonymous complainer wrote me.

Joseph Hayon - a republican assembly candidate - told me that the Chairman, "is always asking me when a Jewish holidays is to make sure the Lincoln Dinner is not held during this time. He always asks me to bring more Jews to the GOP." Hayon refuses to see a rift along religious lines, but recognized that their is some friction with some in the GOP who are "childish."

I would be amiss not to add, that a bearded Jew, Jacob Kornbluh, is also part and parcel of the Brooklyn Young Republicans. He is the treasure for the Brooklyn Young Republicans and is a frequent contributor to their radio program.

Jacob Korbluh

Gene pointed to his work with Jacob, stating that "my personal life has been enriched by working with friends like Sen. Storobin and Jacob Kornbluh (especially Jacob who, aside from being so enthusiastic about the Brooklyn GOP, has taught me much about his culture and beliefs that I did not knew)...  I'm thankful that Republican politics brought us together." Chairman Eaton wrote me separately that, "I have also worked very closely with Jacob Kornbluth, and he is a hard working and devoted member of the Brooklyn GOP."

One Jewish Republican operative, Moishe Friedman, is admitting that "there is a lot of bad blood between the Jewish activists involved and the Brooklyn GOP." But instead of faulting the republican leadership, he's advising the critics to look in the mirror. From what he participated he believes that "it comes because the Jewish activist don't respect the Brooklyn GOP." Moishe added in Parentheses: " I am sure they told you that - because this was the first thing they informed me."

Moishe Friedman

No, Moishe, they actually haven't told me anything, but from what you are telling me it becomes clear that the distrust and blame goes in both directions.

"I am a person that I like to trust but verify people - I found them (Brooklyn GOP) as team players," Moishe, who is very active in the Storobin campaign, concluded.


While their critics use sectarian phrase - like the "Brooklyn GOP backstabs the Jews," "is not a home for Jews," or that "the hatred is too huge" - all added political motives to explain Gene-Russ' sidelining of the Jews. They "seek to rule the party as long it stays small, and that remain loyal to him (Eaton). They fear us taking over their party," explains my main source their motives. 
 

Gene - whose past statement about a zoning dispute was scrutinized as possibly anti-Jewish  - is understandably sensitive to the notion that he's hostile to the Jews. "As far as me being anti-Semitic - that is absolutely untrue and I resent the accusation," he wrote me in a lengthy response. "I am personally troubled when the antisemitism accusations is abused. It's shameful when some try to paint each dispute with a Jew as antisemitism. It hurts us, I believe," I replied.

So, let's move these sectarian and religion issue aside. But the political situation is certainly worth examining.

In the next part I will delve into the specifics complaints.

 
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