Jay Jacobs under attack again

                                                                                       

Jay Jacobs on News 12

A group called "Replace Jay Jacobs" promised to protest outside the state Democratic semi-annual meeting tonight in Albany, demanding Gov. Kathy Hochul replace longtime state and Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs.

The 1,700 party delegates and activists calling for Jacob's ouster don't suggest a successor but a seven- page report issued this week includes a long list of qualifications for a new chairman.

For example, it specifies that the next chairman be dedicated to Democratic values, including but not limited to:

       • diversity, equity and inclusion in terms of age, color, disability, gender, gender
         identity, marital status/partnership status, national origin, pregnancy and lactation
         accommodation, race, religion/creed, sexual orientation, and status as a veteran
         or active military service member.

Not listed is one of Jacobs' arguably most important attributes: Independent wealth.

Jacobs, who owns both day and overnight camps across the state, finances most party functions out of his own ample pockets.

So when the Replace group calls for more paid organizers and professional staff, it doesn't say who will pay their salaries. 

They mention the need for fundraising a few times. But the most common complaint -- at least in Nassau -- is the lack of Democrat volunteers to knock on doors and distribute literature. 

The Replace group complains about party losses last year, particularly for Congress. They called for Jacobs' removal back then.

They don't mention that under Jacobs, Democrats won the entire top of the state ticket: governor, lieutenant governor,  attorney general and state comptroller.

Democrats also won super majorities in the state Assembly and State Senate.

Jacobs also made some canny moves:

He endorsed Kathy Hochul for governor as soon as the former lieutenant governor inherited the office from Andrew Cuomo. That endorsement angered activists, who also called for Jacobs to be removed.

Jacobs spurned U.S. Rep Tom Suozzi, who helped Jacobs win the Nassau chairmanship in 2001 when Suozzi ran- and won--for Nassau county executive. Suozzi had decided against seeking re-election to Congress in favor of running for governor, but Suozzi lost badly in the Democratic primary.

So Hochul owes Jacobs some loyalty.

And remember when Democrats were fawning over then crypto-currency king Sam Bankman Fried as he poured $70 million into mostly Democratic campaigns? Jacobs warned against putting too much trust in Bankman Fried, who was later charged with bilking billions of dollars from investors.

So we'll see if Jacobs' critics make headway tonight.

Here is a link to the group and its report: https://replacejayjacobs.com