Meet the Candidate: Walter Mosley

On Thursday, September 13, Brooklyn residents of the 57th A.D., which includes the neighborhoods of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights and parts of Bed-Stuy, will head to the polls to vote on a Democratic nominee for state assembly.

Walter T. Mosley is hoping to fill that seat.

Following Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries announcement in January that he would step down to run for Congress, by July, Mosley—the male Democratic district leader for the 57th A.D. and a close colleague of Jeffries—announced he would run as his replacement.

Mosley is facing two opponents in Thursday’s Democratic primary elections: Olanike Alabi, Mosley’s fellow male district leader, and former Department of Education official Martine Guerrier.

"Residents want to see more affordable housing, better healthcare, quality schools for their children, and additional job opportunities,” said Mosley in a statement announcing his campaign run. “In Albany, I will be a champion for our working families and fight in to make sure that all of the concerns of the district are heard."

Mosley, a resident of Clinton Hill, received his bachelor’s degree in Criminology, with a minor in African Studies and American History, from Pennsylvania State University. In 1998, he received his law degree from Howard University in Washington D.C.

He grew up in Central Brooklyn. Mosley says community service and political participation have always been a central part of their public and private lives.

"Public service is in my blood," Mosley told Patch. "My grandparents helped elect one of the first African-American Supreme court jurists in Kings County. That story was told to me growing up throughout my childhood.

"The 57th has changed a lot in the last 30 years, with new residents and businesses changing the demographics. However many of the problems that Brooklynites faced then are still the same now.  I want to go up to Albany and work with my fellow colleagues in government to bring the best results to Brooklyn."

Before his tenure as district leader, Mosley worked for Governor David A. Paterson and was assigned by the Democratic National Party to work on behalf of Senator John Kerry in 2004. Most recently, he served as Special Advisor and External Relations Specialist for the New York State Senate Democratic Minority Conference. Mosley also previously served as Chief of Staff and Senior Consultant to the New York State Assembly, and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Speaker of the New York State Assembly.

Now he’s banking heavily on his relationships with and treading in the footsteps of other public officials to help move his campaign forward.

So far, he has secured the endorsements of a number of political heavyweights, including Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, City Councilwoman Letitia James, Prospect Heights Democrats for Reform and the Parliament Democratic Club, amongst others.

His union endorsements include the United Federation of Teachers, the Metallic Lathers and Reinforcing Ironworkers Local 46 (Local 46), The Teamsters Joint Council 16 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).

"I look forward to going to Albany and introducing legislative measures to expand the SCRIE program so that more seniors are able to utilize this tax exemption, increase NYCHA accountability, and support school choice for parents," Mosley said.

"I will also monitor the negotiations between banks and the Department of Housing and Renewal (DHR) to ensure that the efforts made by Assemblyman Jeffries and his initiative were not in vain. This innovative approach meets the demands of the diverse neighborhoods of Central Brooklyn."

Most recently, in August, Mosley went head-to-head against her Assembly opponent Olanike Alabi during a spirited debate on NY1.

To read more about Walter Mosley visit his website.