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Challenger calls on congressman to discuss the campaign’s issues
The Democratic congressional hopeful in the 5th District, Ali Mirza, has challenged incumbent Gregory Meeks to a debate before the June 28 primary. Mirza addressed issues that he has with the congressman as well as issues facing the district at a press conference at his newly opened campaign headquarters in Jamaica on May 31.
According to Mirza, Meeks, who has been in Congress since 1998 and has represented the 5th District since 2013, is among the most corrupt elected officials in the House of Representatives.
“We are constantly reminded that our representatives, instead of working honestly, they have been breaching the trust that voters and the residents put on them,” Mirza said. “Even in our congressional district, the same thing is going on there as well.”
Mirza cited multiple articles in the New York Post and New York Times questioning the authenticity of Meeks’s values. Additionally, the group Citizens Responsibility and Ethics in Washington named Meeks one of the most corrupt members of Congress. Despite these claims, Meeks has never been charged with a crime.
“Ali Mirza can try to attack me with stale and disproven allegations from organizations that raise money by disparaging members of Congress,” Meeks said in a statement, “but that kind of negativity will not improve the quality of life and access to opportunities for the people of the 5th Congressional District.”
The issues
According to Mirza, he is running to not only combat corruption in the federal government, but also to make the process more open to minorities. Mirza, who was born in Pakistan, has aligned himself with other 5th District residents who come from South Asian communities in an effort to bring up issues that immigrants from that part of the world are facing.
Prejudice toward Muslim Americans has become a hot topic for not only Mirza, but many political pundits and hopefuls. Rhetoric by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has outraged many in the community who feel they are being unfairly judged by the actions of extremists.
“The number one victim of these terrorist attacks is always Muslims,” Mirza said. “There’s no religious group that has suffered more than the Muslims themselves at the hands of these terrorists.”
Mirza was quick to acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are peaceful people, and share the same desires for their families as everyone else.
“I’m sure that my presence in Congress will highlight the fact that Muslims are just like any other American,” Mirza said.
In addition to race relations, he also wants to address the criminal justice system. He feels that prisons are overcrowded and unfairly punish people of color for crimes that don’t necessarily warrant such long sentences. According to Mirza, private corporations have taken ownership of prisons throughout the country and focus on making a profit by way of imprisoning more people than necessary.
“Our criminal justice system right now is broken,” Mirza said. “The people who suffer the most are the diverse communities.”
“I promise that within 100 days of getting elected to the U.S. Congress, I will propose a bill that will end our jails being taken care of by private corporations who are running it for profit.”
Meeks, too, said he believes the criminal justice system needs to be reformed. People of race make up a disproportionate number of those who are incarcerated, he said.
“For my entire 18 years in Congress, I have worked to eliminate disparities that affect my constituents and far too many in American society, and I will continue to do so,” Meeks said. “These issues are too important to be used for political gamesmanship.”
The last day to register to vote in the Democratic primary is June 10.
