Miami, FL – A round of political mailers and newspaper ads, targeting Jewish voters in South Florida, is attacking Democratic attorney general nominee Dan Gelber’s criticism of the state’s school voucher program.
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The mailer labeled Gelber as “toxic to Jewish education” in Halloween horror-style lettering and was sent to homes in heavily Jewish neighborhoods in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
Sent out by a group called the Committee for Florida’s Education Inc., the mailer accused Gelber of fighting “scholarships to help our needy children attend Jewish private schools.”
The Gelber campaign blasted the mailer as insulting, inaccurate and “in-the-gutter political hate mail.” Gelber is Jewish, and his three children attend public school as well as private religious education programs.
Gelber’s campaign manager, Christian Ulvert, said the mailer portrays Gelber as opposing vouchers for Jewish education when in fact he opposes all school voucher programs. “Programs that rob our public education system, which is already severely underfunded, will not meet with Dan’s approval,” Ulvert said.
State records show the Committee for Florida’s Education was founded as an “electioneering communications organization,” or ECO, this month and is funded solely by $255,000 from the American Federation for Children, a Washington, D.C.-based group that lobbies for school vouchers. The committee has spent $114,000 on printing and mailing so far.
Elnatan Rudolph, chairman of the committee, said the group is getting its message out in direct mailings and running ads in Jewish newspapers in several races, including the attorney general and gubernatorial campaigns.
“Gelber has made repeated statements against school choice and vouchers,” said Rudolph. His group supports the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program that he said gives $3,500 per year to low-income families who want to send their children to private school.
Among the Gelber quotes on the mailing is one from 2003 when Gelber said: “This program needs major reformation. It’s an embarrassment.”
The attack mailer misrepresents Gelber’s position and quotes out of context statements that he made about tightening accountability for various state voucher programs, said Ulvert.
The most inflammatory statements quoted in the mailing dealt with Gelber’s call to investigate how taxpayers’ voucher money was being spent, Ulvert said, including concerns that one school, the Islamic Academy of Florida, sent $350,000 overseas to fund terrorist activity. The Tampa school was linked to Sami Al-Arian, a former University of South Florida professor who pleaded guilty in 2006 to conspiring to aid Palestinian terrorists.
A spokeswoman for Gelber’s opponent, Republican Pam Bondi, said she “had absolutely no knowledge of this flyer.”
Added Sandi Copes, “Pam made a promise to campaign positively.”
Rudolph rejected the Gelber campaign’s charge that the committee is acting on behalf of Bondi’s “special interest allies.”
“This is more against people who do not support school choice,” said Rudolph.
This is all pretty irrelevant as the Florida Supreme Court ruled that vouchers for religious schools violate the Florida Constitution. Some of Gelber’s criticism is taken right from that ruling.
so whats the problem he doesnt deny he is against vouchers he’s angry because he gat caught
Gelber’s campaign manager, Christian Ulvert, said the mailer portrays Gelber as opposing vouchers for Jewish education when in fact he opposes all school voucher programs. “Programs that rob our public education system, which is already severely underfunded, will not meet with Dan’s approval,” Ulvert said.
How funny is that, Gelber, your district is a disgrace, the schools here are atrocious… The school system has plenty of funds but they waste it.
Sorry but reform time has come, abolish the union’s grip, create free market education competition.
Dan gelber is a friend not a foe. He is being painted as an evil person against vouchers. By the way the program is a 150 million dollar program state wide. The jewish schools in the entire south fl from miami to west pal get only about 2 million. He has never said he will over turn that. Its one big lie. In fact no legislator will. Its political suicide.
just know who you are voting for. Pam Bondi supports the Death Penalty and is in fact proud of how many people she put to death. she also supports extreme punishments like in Iowa is Sholom mordechai rubashkin. Its very nice that we can fight over 2 million however putting someone in jail for a term like sholom mordechai and executing others is not what we need right now. We need normal prosecutors not right wing wackos.
This campaign is being supported by the Agudas representative in South FL. The republicans have been in control of the florida legislature for years they still haven’t voted for vouchers. Why support another one in this case. Trust me she will not support it either. With Gelber at least we know where he stands with her we realy know nothing.
Dan is a yid and understands jewish causes. There are far more important issues that we need in FL. Kosher Food in the prisons somthing Dan has supported. In cases where rural Sheriffs wanted to do autopsies he has helped. Every jewish Rabbi and organization has gone to him for help and he has always been there for them. He has done whatever he can and when he cant he says so.
The organizers of this campaign against him should be ashamed of themselves how they have walked hand in hand with priests of the church. We dont need to walk with the tummah to get a few dollars. Its an embarrasement. we should hold ourselves higher than that. throughout the generations we have survived the goyim (church) has sought our destruction. (omad oleinu l’chaloteinu) Walking together in Tallahassee with a bunch of priests is a shanda. We have to remember who we are as jews. I think the representatives of this campaign have forgotten. Dan is pro isreal 100% and will support jewish causes 100%. dont forget that when you vote. Just remember not to be fooled by the guy who holds hands with priests who when they are in the confines of their own rooms wish our demise.