While it is good to see Mickey Kearns raising important issues in the Mayoral race outside of his home turf in S Bflo, it is bittersweet to see him using the pulpit of a black church, perpetuating a longtime illegal tradition in Bflo.

Church & state must be separate . . but not in Bflo. Too often black preachers in Bflo use their amazing power over their poor congregants to enhance their own power & influence.

That is a dynamic that must be challenged, not embraced.

http://www.newwnypolitics.net/index....candal&catid=1

Kearns Vows To End "Pay For Play" At City Hall...Seeks FBI Probe Of BERC Scandal
Written by Glenn Gramigna, Editor

CHALLENGER PROMISES TO TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF CITY HALL

As South District Councilman Mickey Kearns looks at the recent "Pay for Play" scandal involving inner city economic development as revealed in the Buffalo News, he find himself appalled. In a city so starved for new business and jobs, how can anyone put politics ahead of employment for the needy, he wonders.

"The project talked about in the News story has been approved by the Planning Board," he points out. "It has been approved by other agencies and yet we hear that it has been held up because of political reasons to the point where a developer who was going to invest millions in the City of Buffalo has backed out! It is simply unconscionable for any Mayor to put politics ahead of the people of this community and when I'm Mayor it will stop. We will keep politics out of City Hall...Actually, I don't even care about politics. What I care about is good government."

The Councilman adds that he recently took his case to an appearance before the congregation of Rev. Robert Baines' inner city church, where he won a favorable response.

"We were received very well by this large group of African-Americans," he notes. "What they told me is: 'Don't forget the poor!'...And, I won't."

Meanwhile, Kearns reports that he and his ally and supporter, the North District's Mike LoCurto, will confer with federal officials on a conference call soon to find out where an FBI probe of possible abuses of Washington generated economic development money stands.

"In order to save taxpayer money,we will be talking with them through a conference call," he reports. "Though if it's necessary for us to go to Washington, we will. We have reached out to all of our federal representitives for help in finding out where this investigation stands and the only response we have gotten has been from a staff member in Senator Schumer's office and Congresswoman Slaughter, with whom I did speak."

Though the News and others have made a big deal out of the Mayor's significant financial advantages in the run up to their Sept. 15 primary showdown, Kearns believes this factor is being exaggerated.

"Right now, he has about a half a million and I have $83,000, so his advantage is only about 6 to 1," he declares. "I'm continuing to raise money and I know that the people of this city are hungry for change. This is a race I know we can win."