Gottlieb Announces Bid for NY-6, Responds to Lancman

Sixth Congressional District candidate Jeff Gottlieb has fired back to state Assemblyman Rory Lancman’s claims that his bid to replace U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-Bayside, is a “sham.”

Lancman, D-Fresh Meadows, is currently running against state Assemblywoman Grace Meng, D-Flushing, for the newly created congressional seat.

Earlier this week, he accused the Queens Democratic Party, which has , of .

But Gottlieb, a member of the JFK Regular Democratic Club, said he was entering the race to be a “true voice of the people.”

“I am saddened that Assemblyman Lancman has decided to issue vicious political attacks upon learning of my candidacy,” Gottlieb said. “People are tired of elected officials who forget that representing the people is an honor and responsibility. Rory apparently believes he has become bigger than those he seeks to represent. Why does he proclaim he should be the only Jewish candidate to seek this office?”

Gottlieb worked in Queens as a teacher for 35 years and has worked for City Councilman Morton Povman and as an assistant in Alan Hevesi’s Assembly office.

On Tuesday, City & State reported that Michael Nussbaum, an adviser to Meng’s campaign and an associate publisher at the Queens Tribune, urged Democratic State Committeeman Matthew Silverstein to jump into the race in an effort to split the district’s Jewish voters.

But Meng spokesman Michael Tobman said the suggestion was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.

Silverstein has declined to run in the race, but Gottlieb decided to jump in.

But Lancman blasted Meng’s campaign, accusing the candidate of being “caught red handed in one of the most malicious schemes any of us has ever seen: an outrageous ploy to deceive Jewish voters with a fraudulent candidate designed to manipulate the electoral process in her favor.”

The Queens Democratic Party has denied involvement in Gottlieb’s candidacy.

Meng, Lancman and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, D-Middle Village, throw their hats into the race following U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman’s, D-Bayside, .

Councilman Dan Halloran, R-Whitestone, is .