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Politics & Government

Hakeem Jeffries Says 'No, Thank You' to Bloomberg-Backed Charter School PAC

Assemblyman turns away money from StudentsFirstNY, an "independent expenditures" campaign in support of his run for U.S. Congress

StudentsFirstNY, an education reform group with ties to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has launched a six-figure 'independent expenditure campaign' in support of Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries’ race to Congress – but Jeffries’ camp wants nothing to do with the money, says the New York Daily News.

Jeffries campaign spokeswoman Lupe Todd told the Daily News today that their campaign doesn’t believe that groups like StudentsFirstNY, which is run by a former Albany lobbyist for Mayor Bloomberg, should be involved in the race at all. 

"The Jeffries campaign does not believe that independent expenditures have a place in this race. We did not seek it, do not want it and will win without it. Those involved with the proposed independent expenditure should refrain from involvement in this race and respect the candidate's strong belief that unregulated money has no place in the political discourse,” Todd told the Daily News

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One of Jeffries’ main opponents, City Councilman Charles Barron, D-East New York, has won the endorsement of and the , which represents 25,000 Department of Education employees.

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