Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin’s campaign was accused Monday of using images of the mentally ill man, shot and killed by Brooklyn police officers four years ago, in an ad alleging advocates That it was racist and misleading.
Thirty-four-year-old Marty Wassel was shot dead by retaliatory officers in Crown Heights on April 4, 2018. 71st Campus At that time, to hold what they believed in, as a shotgun. After the shooting, police learned that the object Vassel was branding was actually a metal pipe that looked similar to a handgun.
Attorney General Letitia James’ Special Investigation and Prosecution Unit released its report a year later, saying none of the charges were “legally justified” but also recommended that officers undergo further training. However, the story did not end here.
Supporters and elected officials did not mince words as they attended Marty Wassel’s family members outside Brooklyn Borough Hall on November 7. The group rallied against Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, which they cite as a false campaign ad. As reported by the Brooklyn Paper in September, Family members are demanding the withdrawal of the ad, which featured security footage of Wessel pointing to the pipe, with a voice-over by Zeldin: “On November 8th, vote like your life depends on it.” Yes. Just maybe.”
But in a tight contest between Zeldin and incumbent Democratic Governor Cathy Hochul, the ad remains active less than 36 hours after the election. Wassel’s family members on Monday condemned the ad and demanded that Zeldin eventually shut it down.
Marty Wassel’s father, Eric Wassel, requested Zeldin to remove the video, saying that his son had not physically harmed anyone, so it was wrong to frame him as an assailant.
“Mr. Zeldin put an advert showing him as a violent criminal. Doing so brought sadness and pain back to my family. My wife cannot be here today because she is deeply saddened by the loss of her son. Today “I’m asking Mr. Lee Zeldin to remove that racist ad,” said Eric Wassell.
Council member Lincoln Restler furiously called out the Republican nominee, accusing Zeldin of being a racist.
“I want to say this as clearly as possible: Lee Zeldin is a racist. Lee Zeldin is a racist. Lee Zeldin is a racist,” Wrestler reiterated. “I am very upset; I am angry with the drama that he is imposing on the family of the martyr Wasel.”
The family’s lawyer MK Cashian, who is seeking legal action on behalf of the Wessels, said the action was not politically motivated, despite speaking a day before the mid-term elections. Instead, Cashian insists that the only person politicizing the issue is Zeldin himself running the ad.
Public advocate Jumane Williams also admitted that with the election on the horizon, the ad would soon stop syndicating. However, he also feels that it shows that Zeldin doesn’t care about who his constituents will be if chosen.
“This ad is about to close automatically as the campaign is almost over. But why didn’t you take it down before that? Just to show the people you want to be your constituents that you really care. Real people, real families, real trauma, they want some real solutions, not just campaign ads meant to allay fear,” Williams said.
M New York Metro reached out to Lee Zeldin’s campaign for comment and is awaiting a response.
Additional reporting by Ben Brachfeld
