In response to Gordon Johnson’s use of hidden money in the District 37 primary race, Councilwomen Gervonn Romney Rice and Lauren Kohn Dayton issued the following statement:

“We join Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle in denouncing the Johnson campaign’s use of undisclosed money in the primary election. We are running to expand transparency and accountability in our political system while our opponents are working behind closed doors with dark money groups to buy this election.

The Johnson, Haider, Park ticket is being propped up by Stronger Foundations Inc., a Republican supporting Super PAC. Let’s be clear, Republican-funded hidden money has no place in a Democratic primary, hidden money in any form has no place in our politics.

And, in the aftermath of the destructive Trump Administration, no self-proclaimed progressive candidate running in a Democratic primary would sell out to Republicans funding their campaign.

While the Johnson, Haider, Park ticket is comfortable with GOP-funds propping up their campaign, we are running on a progressive platform dedicated to un-doing the damage of the Trump Administration, working to protect a women’s right to choose, advance LGBTQ rights and protect workers. We are proud to be running a campaign that truly speaks to the values of the Democratic Party.

We are calling on Shama Haider and Ellen Park to formally denounce the involvement of Stronger Foundations Inc. and to call on them to stop trying to buy a Democratic Primary with Republican hidden money.”