Rahman ‘gay-baiting,’ Dromm charges

BY CLAUDIA CRUZ

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 2:52 PM EDT

In a county where the recent hate crimes against the transgender community have sparked protests and unified peoples across the city, City Council Candidate for District 25 Daniel Dromm accused his Republican opponent Mujib Rahman of ‘gay-baiting.’

“If he says that he’s not religious, then he’s gay-baiting and only playing to an audience that would vote for him,” Dromm said to describe someone who incites anti-gay sentiments to rile up their base. Dromm responded to a comment Rahman gave The Queens Courier about how he was “not a religious candidate.” “He’s dividing a community instead of uniting it.”

According to Dromm, Rahman and his supporters had been putting fliers underneath apartment doors in LeFrak City that read “Say no to Daniel Dromm. Say no to a gay agenda.”

“I find the attacks against the gay community to be bigotry,” said Dromm.

On the other hand, Rahman has gone on the record saying that he “was not anti a gay agenda” and that “he has gay friends.” He simply has different family values.

Rahman, 51, a Bangladeshi businessman who lives in Jackson Heights, needs to have a strategy if he’s to stand a chance against the deep coffers of Dromm. Rahman said his campaign has no money.

“Money is one of the big issues, but it’s still the voter’s choice if they decide to go along with the family values I believe in,” said Rahman, who told The Queens Courier that he’s not running as a religious candidate but believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Rahman also said he believed that people who go to churches or places of prayer will vote for him. “I’m with them and I think they’ll support me,” he said.

A registered Democrat but running under the Republican, Independent and Conservative tickets, Rahman gained the support of the Queens County Republic Party.

“Hardworking residents in this Queens council district may be more comfortable with pulling the lever for Mr. Rahman than leftist activist Danny Dromm and they can do so on the same ballots lines as the Mayor,” said Vincent Tabone, executive vice chair of the County GOP. “Mr. Rahman should do well.”

Dromm has a significant monetary advantage over him – close to $250,000 in combined public and private funds by mid-October. Another advantage? Dromm, 53, the openly gay son of Irish immigrants, speaks Spanish and Council District 25 has New York City’s second largest gay population.

But with Rahman unable to purchase television, newspaper or radio advertising and not granted any matching public funds, he must stick to old campaigning tricks.

“I knock on doors and hand out business cards in corners and in the Subway,” said Rahman, a real estate and construction consultant. “I’m doing things the old fashion way.”

Photo Courtesy of the Daniel Dromm for City Council campaign
City Council Democratic Candidate for District 25 Daniel Dromm, seen here campaigning during the Primary Elections, hopes to defeat Republican Candidate Mujib Rahman on Election Day.