Out of 311,000 residents, less than 8,400 citizens voted in the Democratic primary for the 33rd Senate District. We must question the legitimacy of such an election by any democratic standards. Who, exactly, is represented by a candidate with so few supporters?

Further putting the legitimacy of this primary result into question is the issue of residency. It is clear that Espada’s primary residence is Mamaroneck despite a technical residency clearance by the Board of Elections. How could anyone believe Espada’s primary residence is in Bedford Park when he owns a house in Mamaroneck? Where is/are his car insurance, income taxes, kids’ schools, electric/gas bills, bank accounts and credit cards registered? Why, with his income, would he live in such a small apartment, when he has a sizable house well within reach of his “primary residence”? I challenge anyone to find someone who believes that his Bedford Park primary residence is authentic. It goes against anyone’s sense of socio-economic reality.

And why would he spend $100,000 on this campaign? And on what? One hardly saw a campaign poster. Maybe the money went to fund campaign “jobs” that will garner him influence to boost his medical businesses in the Bronx?

  Why should we trust someone whose workers were convicted for diverting $40,000 to his campaign from his own business? It is impossible to believe that he had not been aware of it.

And then there’s Espada’s amorphous party membership. It is clear that he will be an unreliable Democrat. According to the Norwood News, Espada has told “the New York Times that he doesn’t know what party he’ll align himself with when he takes office.” He was selected by the few primary voters who came out because of his Democratic membership.

Now we are stuck between voting for a Conservative party member totally out of touch with our community and a self-serving dishonest pseudo-Democrat.

We, as a protesting community, should come up with a write-in candidate who could run against Espada in order to give us a fighting chance for authentic representation.

Martin J. Olivieri

Norwood