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A thread of everything that's wrong with Steve Lee, the ex-NYPD cop who is running against @rontkim for NYS Assembly in AD40.
Starting this thread since I haven't seen a compilation anywhere else, but in any case the choice for voters should be clear. Vote for Ron on 6/23.
Starting this thread since I haven't seen a compilation anywhere else, but in any case the choice for voters should be clear. Vote for Ron on 6/23.
Before I start, a note about @rontkim: Ron has been a leaders on key progressive issues and has stood up for AAPI folks through crucial initiatives like the @ApaTaskforce. Can you afford to chip in $10? 
https://www.ronkimnewyork.com/
https://www.ronkimnewyork.com/
First of all, Steve Lee was a cop. Period.
In fact, he earned 6 figures in his last year as a cop (as recently as 2018). https://www.capstat.nyc/officer/p56411/
In fact, he earned 6 figures in his last year as a cop (as recently as 2018). https://www.capstat.nyc/officer/p56411/
Correction, last tweet should say the last year as a cop that I found public records for
His rhetoric on the campaign trail has clearly reflected that background. Steve has opposed bail reform and the decriminalization of sex work, in a way that's clearly paternalistic, sexist, and damaging to bodily autonomy https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-steven-lee-ron-kim-assembly-20200211-mp26mhghpnen5altiqxahree3m-story.html
He's also, unsurprisingly, pro-cop and told NYDN: âYou have to keep in mind, the majority of the cops are doing their job. Theyâre good cops.â (source: see last tweet)
I think we all know by now how wrong that is.
I think we all know by now how wrong that is.
2. His entire campaign has been shady af. Just today, @Grace4NY had to publicly denounce a mailer that Lee has been sending out implying an endorsement from the Congressmember.
To be clear, Meng has not endorsed Steve Lee. https://twitter.com/Grace4NY/status/1272978284456837121?s=20
To be clear, Meng has not endorsed Steve Lee. https://twitter.com/Grace4NY/status/1272978284456837121?s=20
Apparently, his supporters include a real estate developer who has created fake social media accounts to spread disinformation and lies about @rontkim. Unclear if Lee is directly involved, but haven't heard a denunciation of this from the campaign either https://twitter.com/alison4nyc/status/1273036139377680384?s=20
Using a photo of Kim Jong-Un as a stand-in for Ron Kim, an *elected official*, is also reprehensible, racist, and inexcusable. Any other campaign would have denounced this by now, but to my knowledge, Steve Lee hasn't.
That's unacceptable.
That's unacceptable.
By the way, Steve Lee has also been endorsed by...an anti-vaxxer group? Surprised I haven't seen anyone pick this one up yet... https://thefedupdemocrat.home.blog/2020/02/16/the-vaccine-choice-voting-bloc/
Third, Steve Lee pretends to be an activist who cares about black lives matter (and likely other issues), but who is entirely concerned with propping up his own candidacy for office.
Just last week, Steve Lee organized an "Asians for Black Lives" march. Instead of centering black voices and black lives, the protest didn't mention defunding NYPD, abolition, et at all!
We have documentation from *first-hand observers* at the march https://twitter.com/whitney_hu/status/1271765089784418305?s=20
We have documentation from *first-hand observers* at the march https://twitter.com/whitney_hu/status/1271765089784418305?s=20
By the way, another instance of claiming endorsements that never happened: listing co-organizers on the event who hadn't agreed to sign onto the event
4. I'm just going to leave this here. I've heard details that indicate that Steve Lee has done far, far worse than what is stated here but don't want to publicly comment without permission. https://twitter.com/RedCanarySong/status/1269990426863435776?s=20
âYou canât have cops watching cops" -Steve Lee
5. Re: defunding the police, here's what Steve Lee thinks that means https://twitter.com/SteveForNewYork/status/1271271564642844672?s=20
Sorry this isn't the most organized thread in the world, folks. I am ANGRY and there are just SO MANY terrible things about this candidate. Keep finding more and more the deeper I dig.
And here's Steve Lee on 'looting and rioting,' and calling protestors outside agitators https://twitter.com/WillLexHam/status/1268639897432264704?s=20
Anddddd...here's Steven Lee on abortion https://twitter.com/aaronnarraph/status/1272521435622379521?s=20
7. Steve Lee's attorney was a *Republican* candidate for Queens DA in 11/2019. That's the kind of company he keeps, apparently. https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/queens-gop-looks-for-da-candidate/article_7fe42249-6b1a-5df9-bb91-6c94b9fd4f57.html
8. Alright, time for the real fun. I'm going to spend a bit of time digging through Steve Lee's filings now...resuming this thread in a bit!
*bat signal* @aaronnarraph
*bat signal* @aaronnarraph
One more thing before we get into that...guess who else supports Steve Lee? Wall Street-backed primary candidate Grace Lee, who is challenging @yuhline in next week's primary.
Found in Steve Lee's 32-day pre-primary filing, a $4700 donation (the max) from the Rent Stabilization Association, a landlord industry group. That's 18% of his raise during that period.
Key context here: the RSA sued New York last year, claiming that 2019's landmark rent reforms / tenant protections were a 'violation of the US constitution' https://ny.curbed.com/2019/7/16/20696109/nyc-rent-stabilization-laws-federal-lawsuit-rent-guidelines-board
In the same filing, a $1000 donation from an Albert Tai, a lawyer based in Flushing. Guess what he specializes in? "Commercial and Residential Real Estate Transactions and Commercial Eviction Proceedings"
Source: https://www.tailaw.com/about.html
Source: https://www.tailaw.com/about.html
