New Yorkers in the 16th Congressional District deserve better: Vote for Latimer

It's often in the face of imminent defeat that someone's character is tested. Unfortunately for residents of New York's 16th congressional district, Rep. Jamaal Bowman has failed in so many ways that it's been difficult to keep track. Bowman has resorted to a relentless campaign of brazen falsehoods in an effort to hold onto political power. It's disqualifying.

As the head of the 20,000 strong New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters, it is my responsibility to track what our elected representatives do in the halls of power. Job opportunities, the right to organize, and the benefits we fought so hard for are directly tied to decisions made in Washington D.C. It was in that spirit that I brought Bowman to tour our training center to learn about our union, its members and how we can work together to grow opportunities for any of his constituents who wanted to become a union trade worker. The congressman promised to always stand up for workers. His actions in Washington D.C. quickly made a liar out of him.

The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was one of President Joe Biden's biggest accomplishments and will create thousands of good jobs for those in a union and apprenticeship opportunities for those who want to join one. It is also part of a game-changing federal effort to combat climate change and create safe drinking water for all Americans. Bowman loudly led the charge against it. He voted against it. However, now that he's on the verge of electoral defeat for opposing the infrastructure bill, he’s suddenly found religion.

He has sent out text messages with false statements like "Jamaal helped pass the infrastructure bill" (the bill he voted against). He then further lies that his vote secured investments in "our infrastructure, housing, green jobs, and insulin price caps for seniors" and then follows that up by claiming, again falsely, that his opponent, County Executive George Latimer, "isn't on board" despite Latimer's well-known support for the infrastructure bill. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has pointedly slammed all MAGA-Republicans who voted against the bill but are claiming credit for it in their district. Bowman is no better.

In his questionnaire seeking our endorsement, the congressman also claimed to have voted for the bill. I'm not a congressman. Just a carpenter. Perhaps in Washington D.C., it's different, but on a job site we have a name for that: Liar.

The Ccongressman took it a step further, justifying his anti-worker vote against the infrastructure bill, Bowman falsely claimed that "90% of the jobs in the first infrastructure bill go to white men." Mr. Bowman visited our training center. He saw that our union members reflect what Mayor Dinkins called the "gorgeous mosaic" that is New York City and America. He commended us for it, then turned around and said something completely different to the media when it suited him.

Right now, the rights of workers are under attack, and we need to be building unity to preserve our middle class. We understand that because we live it every day. Without worker unity, there is no minimum wage, there is no prevailing wage, there literally is no weekend. Bowman's pathological ability to lie is a dagger to the neck of worker solidarity.

Opinion: In the battle for the Democratic nomination in NY-16, climate change is on the ballot

Because of Bowman's votes against working people and his dishonesty, our union proudly endorsed his opponent, Democrat George Latimer. We did this not only because Latimer knows what it means to grow up living paycheck to paycheck and has always stood for working people, but also because we know he will be honest with us about what he is doing and why.

Truth is in short supply in politics these days, and it's because people like Bowman realize that if they keep lying and can dupe their followers on social media to repeat the lie, it can become what former President Donald Trump's associates used to call "alternate facts." We've seen Trump do it in the White House; we don't need a congressman in New York to join him in tearing apart our country with lies all in a vain effort to win an election. That kind of politics is bad for our nation, bad for democracy, and bad for the future. Worst of all, Bowman's lies are bad for the people of the 16th Congressional District. Come Primary Day, June 25, we look forward to helping to change that.

Joseph Geiger is executive secretary-treasurer of the New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: George Latimer is the right choice in NY-16