New York Green Party Denounces Green Candidate Hassig

Ronald Hardy at Green Party Watch:

As reported by the Capital Confidential, the Green Party of New York has denounced congressional candidate Don Hassig, running on the Green Party ticket in the 21st District.

At a candidates forum Thursday night, Hassig blasted immigrant farm workers in very harsh terms. From North Country Public Radio:

“I do not want Mexicans on the farms of St. Lawrence County, or the farms of Clinton County, or the farms of Washington County — any of these farms,” Hassig said.

Hassig blasted migrant workers for not speaking English and, he alleged, mistreating livestock.

“I would like to see them get their asses kicked out of here,” Hassig concluded, and he accused foreign workers of taking jobs away from North Country residents.

The Green Party of New York issued the following statement:

The Green Party of NY State denounced Donald Hassig, GP Congressional candidate in District 21, for his comments regarding immigration and farm workers at a forum in Wanakena, NY on Thursday night. Green Party officers said Hassig’s comments have nothing to do with the Green platform or the 4 Pillars of the international Green movement: Grassroots Democracy, Social Justice, Ecological Wisdom, and Nonviolence.

“Donald Hassig’s statements are disturbing and reprehensible, and have nothing to do with Green Party values. Contrary to Mr. Hassig’s statements, the party has long been a champion of immigrant rights and a just immigration policy. With his statements, Mr. Hassig has placed himself outside the Green Party’s platform and its values. Hassig petitioned to be on the Green ballot line, but we do not consider him a Green candidate,” said party co-chair Gloria Mattera.

“The Green Party has long supported the rights of migrant farm workers, including fights to help them win increased wages, union rights, and citizenship. We want to build a New York that welcomes diversity and tolerance, and the first step towards that is protecting and helping the most disadvantaged, especially immigrant workers, from persecution and abuse. We stand by those values, and not the hateful words spoken by candidate Hassig,” said party secretary Peter LaVenia.

“We need a Green New Deal, not the persecution of migrant workers, to address unemployment in New York and across the country. Don Hassig’s views are completely against the principles of Green Politics and the Green Party of New York State. We call on Greens to condemn the suggestion of violence against migrant workers and instead work in solidarity to confront the global trade policies that induce so many to travel far from their families under dangerous circumstances for such precarious employment,” said party co-chair Michael O’Neil.