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Jewish leaders slammed Queens County Democratic Party boss Rep. Gregory Meeks Thursday for forming an alliance with newly elected anti-Israel socialists to block Mayor-elect Eric Adams from installing Francisco Moya as the next City Council speaker.
“It’s just wrong. It’s indefensible. It’s the reason why people don’t respect some politicians because they’re willing to cut a deal and allow the ends to justify the means,” fumed Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis and an FDNY chaplain.
Potasnik was referring to Meeks seeking votes from the five Democratic Socialists of America aligned members in the Council to support his preferred candidate for Council speaker, Adrienne Adams.
The most notable DSA member in New York is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The DSA supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the State of Israel, which Potasnik equates to discrimination against the Jewish people.
“I don’t know why anybody would cut a deal with them. To me, conscience matters. What other group would it be OK to negotiate with that discriminates against other people?,” he said.
Democratic Party insiders said Meeks fielded calls from pro-Israel activists — including those from his home turf — who complained about the courtship with the DSA.
The controversy also raised eyebrows with the influential American Israel Political Action Committee, or AIPAC, sources said.
Meeks is chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee and has been a strong supporter of Israel.
Meeks declined requests for comment.
But sources said he told people who spoke with him that his wheeling-and-dealing for votes from council members aligned with the DSA won’t change his backing of Israel one bit.
Still, conservative Queens Democratic Councilman Robert Holden said Meeks was making a mistake by negotiating for votes with “the far, far left” DSA members.
“You’re selling your soul for votes. The DSA crowd opposes the State of Israel. Some of them are anti-semitic,” Holden said.
“Look at their platform. They want to defund the police. They don’t want people who commit crimes to go to jail.”
The DSA members include Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Caban, who narrowly lost a primary election for Queens DA two years ago.
Some Queens Democrats privately told The Post they don’t like the DSA outreach. But they’re wary of wading publicly into a tug-of-war between the next mayor and their county party leader. Both of the final candidates for speaker are also from Queens.
Mayor-elect Eric Adams, meanwhile, sought to defuse the controversy Thursday. He said he could live with either Moya or Adrienne Adams — no relation –as speaker.
“I’m clear I want a partner [as council speaker] who is pro public safety, that’s pro business and that’s going to help our city recover. whoever it is our city council must pick. I can only share my opinion. And I shared my opinion in private to those who asked me for it,” Adams said.
Adams noted Adrienne Adams, who represents southeast Queens, was an early supporter of his mayoral campaign and they both attended Bayside HS.
“Not only did Adrienne Adams endorse me, she voted against `defund the police,’” the mayor-elect said .
“She is also something very unique, she shares my last name. and we were high school classmates. We both went to Bayside HS high school.
“So from what I’m hearing…that both Adrienne and Moya seem to be the two candidates that people are looking at. I can work with both candidates. They believe we need to keep our city safe and that’s important to me.”
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