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Army veteran, Republican/Conservative challenger, takes on Van Bramer for Council District 26

Marvin Jeffcoat (photo courtesy of Marvin Jeffcoat)

Oct. 26, 2017 by Nathaly Pesantez

An Army veteran and former Community Board 2 member is running on the Republican and Conservative tickets to represent Council District 26, taking on incumbent council member Jimmy Van Bramer who has been in office since 2010.

Marvin Jeffcoat, a Woodside resident for 13 years who retired from the Army in 2004 after a 22-year-career, which included combat operations during Desert Storm, took a deep breath in when asked why he is running for city council.

“I’m running because I’m tired,” he said. “I’m tired of people with little life experience and common sense telling me what to do with my life.”

Jeffcoat, 52, takes issue with the overall way the city has been run, and says the mayor and city council are incompetent and fail to implement “common sense” laws.

Jeffcoat claims that lawmakers fail to think ahead when passing legislation. For example, new buildings and developments should only go up after factors like infrastructure and affordability are analyzed first. The candidate believes this is not being done.

The government spends money frivolously, according to Jeffcoat. For example, the MTA is investing in Wi-Fi and countdown clocks despite a crumbling subway system . “Before they pick up the perks, they should look at what is needed,” Jeffcoat said. “Don’t tell me that you’re giving me free Wi-Fi while I’m getting late to work.” The candidate also says the city holds more sway over the MTA than what it conveys to the public.

Jeffcoat has a litany of complaints against Van Bramer, and argues that he runs the district “like a fiefdom” and that he’s forgotten about Woodside. Jeffcoat is particularly angered by what he calls Van Bramer’s “fear mongering” and divisiveness.“One big thing that really upsets me is his fear mongering—Hitler, Stalin, and Mao used the same technique,” Jeffcoat said.

Jeffcoat has blasted Van Bramer in the past, taking up issue with a post-election holiday card that showed the council member’s staff holding signs with messages like “I am Muslim & Catholic,” and “I am a feminist,” a move that Jeffcoat said was divisive.

Jeffcoat also claims Van Bramer is associated with “nefarious organizations like Black Lives Matter”, and argues that the movement has been used by Van Bramer for political gain. “Black Lives Matter is a false narrative to stoke up the Black vote because he has four major housing projects,” Jeffcoat said.

The Republican/Conservative candidate is focusing on three core issues for his campaign—education, job creation, and safer streets.

Jeffcoat supports school vouchers and charter schools, which he says will create competition and bring a better quality of education to students. “We spend so much money to graduate illiterate children,” Jeffcoat said, adding that teachers are currently taught to evaluate rather than teach.

The District 26 challenger is also calling for safer streets, and thinks existing policies prevent the NYPD from doing their job. “I want to free the police up to do their job by supporting them with stop-and-frisk,” Jeffcoat said.

Job growth and economic prosperity will also be a focus for the candidate, which he says will be promoted by freeing up regulations that he says have “strangled the life out of our economy.”

Jeffcoat and his core staff of eight volunteers have been campaigning through the district, but have had difficulties in getting people to look past labels. “They say we like you and we want to vote for you—but they just don’t want to…because I’m Republican,” Jeffcoat said.

Jeffcoat voted for President Trump in the Nov. election, and continues to support him, which has put off some constituents. “You have some people that once Trump’s name is interjected, they’ve been programmed to have a vehement response,” Jeffcoat said. “I’m not going to argue with those people.”

The Council District 26 candidate, currently a facility manager at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and who lost a 2016 State Assembly run against incumbent Michael Gianaris after getting 14 percent of the vote, ultimately wants residents to know that he’s for the people, and wants to be part of the solution.

“I’m all about fairness,” Jeffcoat said. “if you have fairness in the process, you’ll have cooperation from citizens.”

Van Bramer has received $515,563 in campaign contributions for his 2017 run so far, according to filings from the Campaign Finance Board. Jeffcoat has received $8,685.

The general election is set for Nov. 7.

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41 Comments

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Grow Up

If he’s not voted in, then this district is a racist and bigoted district. Let’s play the left card ; if a minority or female loses, let’s blame racism and misogyny.

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Elmo for Councilperson

Sadly, this guy doesn’t have a chance. Not because his opinions aren’t valid, but because he hasn’t lined his pockets with campaign contributions, and made friends with people under the table to secure his political position with little regard for the people in the community he represents. Let’s do a write in candidate – I nominate…. Elmo.

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Anonymous visitor

What exactly does “I’m tired of people with little life experience and common sense telling me what to do with my life.” mean? Sounds like an arrogant game of superior knowledge and superior experience.

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Anonymous visitor

He Injects black lives matter into the conversation to instill fear in white voters. African Americans in the projects are going to go for a democrat anyway no matter who the Republican is. JVB doesn’t need to placate to the people in the projects here.

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Anonymous visitor

Jeffcoat spews the typical Reublican lies and talking points. Charter schools are nothing more then Republican anti- union low wage agenda. Just look at the Right to work for less legislation they keep on passing. The regulation cry is just another free pass to shield business from accountability. Businesses are sitting on the biggest pile of cash in history even with these so called “strangling regulations”. The buzzwords “common sense legislation” even makes an appearance in his routine. Most issues are much more complex than a quick “common sense” fix.

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Anonymous

Sure, we Dems all are “programmed,” says the ex-Army yes-man of the party mind-controlled by Fox News. Nice try, anyway. Can’t wait to watch you lose.

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Independent, who isn't an extremist for either side.

Wow – do you all just skim the article and pick out words to take out of context, put into your own context and then complain about? I did not vote for Trump, and given a do-over, still wouldn’t vote for him – but the man in the article is talking about people’s inability to listen to facts, reason, or anything, once Trump’s name is uttered. He says nothing of humanity, sex assault, or any specific context, just the orange man’s name. It makes it very difficult to have an educated convo with anyone who mentally shuts down before the convo even begins. I am looking at all of you extreme, absurd lefties who dilute your causes through childish behavior that sometimes pales in comparison to he who shall not be named!

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MRLIC

I guess you want JVB to ruin what is left of LIC with the money he and DumBlasio are getting from developers. You Dems still can’t get over Hillary LOSING. When will you stop crying about that.

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TRUMPPATRIOT

Apparently, lefties are going to scream at the sky on November 8th on the anniversary of Trump winning … and they wonder why they lost….

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WallStreet69

What is wrong with Developers? How can you be against gentrification? Let’s keep areas old, rundown and sh*tty. Sounds like a super idea.

Are people really going to be Screaming at the Sky because they cannot deal with the results of an election?

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TRUMPPATRIOT

Trumps words hurt you. I love how liberals still triggered by Trump. So Fun to Watch. Trump, May not be your president, but Hillary is No One’s President.

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Grab em by the subpoena

Why are Trumpeters so obsessed with Hillary? Sad! She lost, get over it.

How about the worst terror attack since 9/11 in NYC that happened under our Groper-in-chief yesterday?

MRLIC

JVB is causing divisiveness I agree with him. I voted for Trump also and he may not be perfect but he is not getting a FAIR CHANCE. Remember he is not a genuine Politician. He knows Political Correctness is wrong. He knows there needs to be Borders, He knows you need a strong military that has been weakened from 8 years of Obama cuts. He knows what this country needs, JVB also is partly responsible for the monstrous Development without planning that has RUINED LIC. DumBlasio is the other culprit and the anti American Melissa Mark-Viverito.

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MRLOGIC

Trump may be a sexual predator with more than 15 accusers, currently under subpoena in a sexual assault lawsuit, someone that called murderous neo-nazis “very fine people,” but to your credit at least he’s not a real estate developer. Oh wait…

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sex.

There are democratic sexual predators with more than 15 accusers too. A lot of them are currently under subpoena too. Can’t we all just agree that sexual assault is an EVERYBODY problem, work together to fix it, and move on? OR no, cause then you couldn’t argue about why your side is better. right?

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MRLIC

Why is Trump not indicted for sexual harassment as you say. Did you hear FAKE news from CNN (Cartoon News Network)again? He called all involved in Charlottesville to blame.

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Bobby T

Fox News is the original and first Fake (Faux) News. Fact! In Fox News’ defense they’re an entertainment company ( News Corp) so they need to be truthful as they have stated time and time again.

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LICPatriot

Yes. Only real new sources are CNN, Huffpo, Vox, Salon, Slate, MSNBC, NYT, Wapo … they are the only objective ones … except when they all cried on November 8th 2016 when Hitlary lost …. TYT 2016 Meltdown is a must watch HILARIOUS

Disgusted

LIC Patriot – Fox News is forbidden to broadcast and identify itself as a news outlet in Canada for a reason. Your logic is also warped, other news outlets “May” be less than credible but it’s alright with you to use a network that has been caught and has admitted to being biased and less than credible as your source of news. I guess ignorance is truly bliss.

LICPatriot

Maybe you should move to Canada then. Odd .. DJT was rich and famous for decades, decades. Nothing comes out until October 2016. Hmmm, Interesting. One woman was paid 500k by Gloria Aldred to make up the claims.

AND HE STILL BEAT HRC, shows you what a horrible candidate she was. Still amazed people voted for her.

Hector1

A Bunch of those accusations have been debunked. Some are just nonsense and easily refuted. And he wasn’t referring to neo-nazis as fine people … you see what you want to see …

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Joe at the Berkley

Hector- Maybe on Fox News they told you they were debunked but in the real world they were verified.

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TRUMPPATRIOT

They were not verified. I Like how liberals go “Fox News ! Fox News! Fox News! REEEEEE!

“but you also had people that were very fine people on both sides. You had people in that group — excuse me, excuse me — I saw the same pictures as you did. YOU HAD PEOPLE IN THAT GROUP THAT WERE THERE TO PROTEST THE TAKING DOWN, TO THEM, a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name.

NOT EVERYONE THERE WAS A WHITE NATIONALIST OR VIOLENT OR ANTIFA.

Agree with Hector1 – you see what you want.

I am awaiting your “FOX NEWS!?!?!?” responses … “Oh Yeah” … FOX NEWS ?!?!?”

MRLIC

Anonymous,I hope it happens to you if you want it to keep happening to me.Why do you use Anonymous anyway????

Reply
Bruno

Jeffcoat spews the typical Republican lies and talking points. Charter schools are nothing more then Republican anti- union low wage agenda. Just look at the Right to work for less legislation they keep on passing. The regulation cry is just another free pass to shield business from accountability. Businesses are sitting on the biggest pile of cash in history even with these so called “strangling regulations”. The buzzwords “common sense legislation” even makes an appearance in his routine. Most issues are much more complex than a quick “common sense” fix. What exactly does “I’m tired of people with little life experience and common sense telling me what to do with my life.” mean? Sounds like an arrogant game of superior knowledge and superior experience. He Injects black lives matter into the conversation to instill fear in white voters. African Americans in the projects are going to go for a democrat anyway, no matter who the Republican is, JVB doesn’t need to placate to people in projects here.

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Ro

Thank you for your service but calling people that have a visceral reaction Trump’s lack of humanity as “programmed” is pretty insulting. Try again.

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Education is NEEDED

I find it insulting that you do not know the difference in definition of Vehement (passionate, and what is quoted above) and VIsceral (passionate with disregard of intellect, as you posted). You basically can’t read, and insulted yourself.

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YOU try again.

It’s pretty insulting that you do not know that Vehement (quoted above) and Visceral (your post) have different meanings. Had he said Visceral, I might be insulted too, but saying that extremist, anti-trumpers have a vehement reaction only confirms that they are passionate about their beliefs, not passionate despite intellect (Visceral). Excited for another voting option given JVB’s consistent fails as of late.

Reply

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