DON’T RANK HANKS: OUR PICK
Kamillah Hanks Has Lost the Public Trust
NOTE: This ENDORSEMENT first appeared on NYNewsPress.com.
By NYNewsPress.com Editorial Staff
In every election, there comes a moment when voters must draw a line. That line has arrived in Staten Island’s 49th Council District.
Kamillah Hanks should not receive your vote. In fact, she shouldn’t receive your rank.
We endorse this message without hesitation: DON’T RANK HANKS.
We urge voters across the North Shore to rank every other candidate.
Also, write in Jozette Carter-Williams.
Leave Hanks off your ballot—just as she’s left off aid, compassion, and accountability from her public office. She told her staff to let CHILDREN go without BABY FORMULA and CLOTHES.
DON’T RANK HANKS: A Record of Retaliation, Hate, and Hypocrisy
Three whistleblowers from Hanks’s office have stepped forward. Their stories are credible, recorded, and corroborated. They allege:
Religious discrimination against Muslim staffers
Retaliation for observing Eid
Slurs like the N-word used casually in the workplace
Baby formula, clothing, and city services denied to Park Hill and NYCHA residents because “they weren’t OUR voters”
A toxic, retaliatory culture where staff were ridiculed, smeared, and blocked from seeking help
These are not partisan accusations. They are detailed complaints supported by audio recordings, and they are under investigation.
Council Member Hanks and her Chief of Staff, Marci Bishop, allegedly ran their office like a dictatorship. Critics were punished, resources were politicized, and constituents were labeled undeserving.
One whistleblower said it best: “They think this office belongs to them. Not the people.”
DON’T RANK HANKS: The Islamophobia Is Unforgivable
The Islamic Leadership Council of New York, representing more than 90 Muslim institutions, publicly demanded an apology from Hanks. The reason?
Her documented Islamophobic behavior.
Mocking prayer. Denying religious leave. Traveling to Israel during the Gaza genocide. Smearing a Muslim challenger. Retaliating against a Muslim staffer.
“Islamophobia has no place abroad, no place in our city, and absolutely no place in our City Council,” the Council wrote.
They’re right.
A vote for Kamillah Hanks is a vote against religious inclusion.
DON’T RANK HANKS: The Machine’s Candidate, Not Yours
Let’s be clear: Kamillah Hanks has only one thing keeping her afloat—the corrupt political machine.
The Staten Island Advance/SILive.com endorsed her. Why?
Because it’s a failing rag run by Brian Laline, who rubber-stamps whoever DA Mike McMahon tells him to.
McMahon has long protected Hanks. He even sent disgraced former judge Carmen Cognetta to help Hanks disqualify her primary opponent, Jozette Carter-Williams.
And yet McMahon is currently prosecuting Drug Lord Ettore Mazzei, a reputed drug lord closely tied to both Kamillah Hanks and her husband, Kevin Barry Love.
This is hypocrisy. This is corruption. This is everything wrong with Staten Island politics.
And it’s why the public trust is broken.
DON’T RANK HANKS: The Real Democratic Party Won’t Even Touch Her
You don’t have to take our word for it. Look at the endorsements Kamillah Hanks didn’t get.
The Staten Island Democratic Committee refused to endorse her.
Chairwoman Laura Sword stayed silent.
Assemblyman Charles Fall stayed silent.
NYC Council Member Emeritus and Former Deputy Speaker Debi Rose has given money to everyone else running but her.
Andrew Cuomo, her once-political idol, has run for the hills.
When your own party won’t back you, that says everything.
DON’T RANK HANKS: The Alternatives Deserve Your Vote
Even if you don’t know their names yet, the other candidates aren’t part of the scandal.
Here are your options:
Sarah Blas – A grassroots progressive with real community ties.
Abou Sy Diakhate – A proven leader standing up for inclusion and equity.
Telee N. Brown – A reformer who’s earned respect across the district.
Jozette Carter-Williams – NYPD Widow barred from the ballot by Hanks and McMahon, but still eligible as a write-in candidate.
You have choices. Don’t be bullied into thinking Hanks is the only one.
DON’T RANK HANKS: A Special Election Is Coming Anyway
Let’s be honest: Even if Hanks ekes out a win in this primary, it won’t last.
Several city and federal investigations are underway. Sources close to City Hall and the Council say her resignation is inevitable.
One elected official told us: “She may win the primary, but she’ll be forced to resign. A special election is coming.”
If you want your vote to count for something real, skip Hanks now.
Our Endorsement: DON’T RANK HANKS
This election is about more than politics. It’s about morality. It’s about dignity. It’s about who deserves the public trust.
Kamillah Hanks has lost it.
Let your vote say loud and clear: “We see through the corruption. We reject the hate. We demand better.”
Rank every other candidate.
Write in Jozette Carter-Williams.
Don’t Rank Hanks.