January 3, 2020,

OPEN LETTER FROM US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE JOHN FLORA (NJ-10)

“Dear Reader:

The media has put a spin on my words and has framed me as an anti-Semite. That is simply not true. My name is John Flora. I am a teacher and resident of Jersey City.

I hear what goes on and I see what goes on. I also know about distractions to progress.

This allegation and gas-lighting from a radio “personality” has distracted everyone from my words. I was not speaking against the Jewish community. I was speaking for them. I was also speaking for the Black community. I was speaking for the entire community. Why is that being framed as anti-Semitic?

I am being accused of supporting actions against Jews by someone who obviously doesn’t even know my life path. I already released a statement on the massacre that occurred in my neighborhood, attended interfaith vigils, visited the shooting site, and was on the news discussing the tragic events as a concerned parent. But 101.5 radio personality Judi Franco must have missed all of that.

I never condoned hateful words at an inappropriate time. I also do not agree with the actions taken by the media to twist my press release and say I was holding a vigil for the accused. My message was that we still need to talk as a city, as a nation. The radio station responded by email stating “Our initial reporting mischaracterized what your news release said. We have corrected the body of the article”.

The discovery of this radio host’s op-ed of my alleged racism comes to a surprise to my friends and family who know me. My record of helping my environment and teaching children of all faiths and backgrounds is certainly not reflected in her opinion of me. I have done nothing but celebrate the diversity of Jersey City and will continue that work for NJ-10. I refuse to let a radio personality, especially one suspended from her job for referring to the Attorney General of New Jersey as “Turban Man”, to smear my reputation. She is simply lying to all of you about me.

To be very clear, there is a problem in Jersey City and elsewhere that is causing anti-Semitic feelings. I do not validate these feelings. I just know they still exist and need to be repaired. Everyone involved should be searching for more tolerance, not more division spurred by misleading headlines.

I am running as a progressive Democratic Primary Candidate in New Jersey’s 10

th

Congressional District. Our campaign is spreading a message of hope, tolerance, and love for all, and I will always demand that for my constituency. But I will not sit back and become someone taken down for sheer lies and mistruths.

In Solidarity,

John Flora

(January 4, 2020)–US Democratic Primary Congressional Candidate John Flora (NJ-10) has a clear message for leadership in Essex County.

“We are a sanctuary state, not a detention state,” said Flora. This comment comes in response to the Essex County Freeholders’ recent decision to approve the creation of a civilian task force to oversee the Essex County Correctional Facility. “We need to stop housing ICE detainees in Newark. It has succeeded more in tearing families apart than in finding criminals or making our neighborhoods safer.”

Flora is well aware that Essex County has received over $2 million dollars from ICE for their facilities to hold ICE captives. ICE has the power to hold people without proper justification simply due to immigration status or allegations.

“This issue shouldn’t be decided by revenue,” said Flora. “Our country touts the idea of family values on one hand, and then destroys them with the other. As a new father and teacher of immigrant children, I find this practice abhorrent.”

The Jersey City teacher has experienced the result of broken families in his daily work. Flora believes this panel is a waste of time and resources. He directly challenges the County Executive Joey DiVincenzo’s recent comments: “Creating the Civilian Task Force is an example of what we can accomplish when people with different perspectives work together.” But Flora believes that “Families aren’t separated when different perspectives work together.” DiVincenzo’s statement that “My goal…is to operate a safe and professionally run jail” was also challenged. Flora had the following to say: “I can’t see anything ‘safe’ and ‘professional’ about keeping children from their parents?”

Local protestors have responded that creating a citizen board is really just a distraction. “The real issue at hand is whether or not we even want an ICE center in our district,” said Flora.

Flora is set to run in the Democratic Primary as a replacement for long time incumbent Donald Payne Jr in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District. Before being elected to Congress, while serving as an Essex County Freeholder, Donald Payne voted in favor of a new contract with ICE that constituted a massive expansion of immigration detention in Essex County and in NJ.  The new contract meant that 1250 immigrants would be held in the Essex County Jail and the neighboring privately run Delaney Hall as a favor for ICE.

“We need to protect families,” said Flora, “regardless of where they came from.”