Fenenbock Attacks Teacher's Union

I don't recall ever seeing an alleged Democratic candidate attack a labor union and a labor leaders, but it apparently has happened.

In a statement released on her campaign Facebook account Monday night, congressional candidate Dori Fenenbock attacked Ross Moore and the American Federation of Teachers following an email to AFT membership today from Moore indicating that Fenenbock was not competing for the endorsement of the labor union that represents teachers in EPISD.

This is more than just an attack on one union boss or one union. When a candidate attacks one union, they are attacking all of labor.

I'll get to the specifics in just a minute, but first I want to talk about two other things - people who should be embarrassed for supporting her and her hypocrisy.

First, lets talk about the support. If you're a member of a labor union and you're supporting Fenenbock, you need to be asking yourself why at this point. Basically, I'm talking to the boys in blue that are members of the law enforcement unions that endorsed Fenenbock. I get it, your leadership hates Escobar. But haven't you all learned your lesson by endorsing a Republican for Sheriff last time? Your candidate is openly attacking a labor union, and you're going to stick by your endorsement?

Do you people not know what the word solidarity means?

Next, all you Old Guard Democrats that hate Escobar. I get it, you don't like her. I get it, you're still not over the loss of Silvestre Reyes to Beto O'Rourke and you guys somehow believe defeating Escobar is going to erase that stinging loss from a few years ago.

Well it isn't.

Reyes was so unpopular he couldn't be saved even by two Democratic Presidents and Little Joe.

A lot of you old guard people came up in the Chicano movement. Our leaders in El Movimiento were labor leaders. Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta were union people. I've lost track of how many of you talk about Cesar's visit in SOLIDARITY with the Farah strike.

Have you forgotten where you come from supporting someone who shops in Beverly Hills and attacks labor? If you think that is being a Chavista or a Huertista, you've really lost your way.

That leads me to hypocrisy.

What kind of sin vergüenza has the audacity to make her profile picture one of her and LABOR LEADER Dolores Huerta, while she goes on the attack against a LABOR LEADER?

Dori Fenenbock 

She is not only taking pictures with labor leaders and then attacking other labor leaders, she's also trying to steal Dolores Huerta's chant for her own political gain as well. And quick sidebar, this video is awesome because Dori reminds me of Jackson Heights' own, Mr. Randy Watson, when she had to prompt the crowd to join her in the chant. The look on Enrique Garcia's face at the end is priceless. You can tell he's holding back a laugh..)




See what I mean? The only thing missing was her wearing a powder blue leisure suit, stomping her feet and yelling SEXUAL CHOCOLATE! while Chris Hernandez is sitting in the front row clapping saying, "that girl good!"

Click here if for some reason you don't know what I'm talking about.

Talk about pandering and talk about old guarders ENABLING a DEMOCRAT to attack labor!
Seriously, we all know your opposition isn't about issues.

We all know its just personal and largely about ego. But seriously, how can you people with a straight face continue to call yourselves hard core Democrats and say you believe in the values of our party and yet support someone who attacks labor?

And lets not forget what the central issue is here - Fenenbock and EPISD Superintendent Juan Cabrera are upset that a teachers' union is against efforts to bring charter schools into the area. Democrats are supposed to be protecting public education, not undermining it.

If you read Fenenbock's statement, it has many of the same talking points used a couple weeks ago by Cabrera. Coordination between Cabrera and Fenenbock has been alleged for months, and this statement appears to me to be another example of an employee of the district coordinating campaign activities with a candidate. I mean the only way it could be more blatantly obvious would be if there was some sort of paper trail showing some kind of documented coordinated campaign activity. But that would be really bad, right? I mean something like that would be something the trustees would probably have to act on, que no?

But lets walk through all the hypocrisy of this statement. First of all, Dori Fenenbock is calling a union boss unethical? This is the same trustee that voted on a contract that many have alleged is an example of bid-rigging. I'm not sure that pot should be saying anything to the kettle.

The next paragraph is why this is not just an attack on one union boss, but an attack on labor. Fenenbock is alleging that Moore is doing something wrong when he is just standing up for his membership. That is what union bosses are supposed to do, stand up for their members. You don't organize for weakness, you organize for power. Moore is doing basic things that are fundamental to the protection of worker rights.

Frankly, someone who is allegedly a Democrat shouldn't have to have that explained to them. That is the same kind of rhetoric that management always uses to undermine unions - which is why other unions should understand that this is an attack on all labor.

Firefighters, other teacher unions, SEIU, AFSCME, IBEW, Sheetmetal workers, Nurses union, etc should all rally and show solidarity with AFT.

Here's the part that should really piss off all teachers, administrators, janitors, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals, and bus drivers - Fenenbock says that Moore is doing nothing about helping the children of our community learn. She goes on later to talk about her "demonstrated commitment to our schools and our children".

This is the person who bailed out after less than half her term, on those very children and schools, in order to pursue higher office. Quitting for a better job is hardly a "demonstrated commitment". But in the wonderful world of Fenenbock, a union boss who spent most of his career serving his country in the military and teaching students, is somehow not helping children, but someone who served less than half of one term has a "demonstrated commitment".

That begs the question, what does she think about you front-line teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers that make the district run? You see, those folks are also represented by teachers' unions.

But hold on, I'm not done here. Fenenbock called the endorsement process of the AFT a "farce", "a clear bias" and an "example of the backdoor dealings and corruptive practices goin on in this community." This, coming from the candidate that very happily accepted the endorsement of the Northeast Democrats after receiving the questions in advance, and people were able to pay to become members that evening and vote on the endorsement.

Shame on Fenenbock.

Solidarity forever.