Democrat Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) has turned up the heat in her bitter primary battle with Rep. Jerry Nader (D-NY) by questioning the congressman’s mental state and his fitness for office.
“They call him senile,” Maloney said to reporters in Manhattan on Saturday.
“They cite his performance at the debate where he couldn’t even remember who he impeached,” she said referencing a New York Post editorial that called out Nadler.
“He said he impeached Bush,” Maloney noted in reference to Nadler’s confused comments during a recent debate.
The Post said: “In NY-12, combining Manhattan’s Upper East and West sides, Rep. Jerry Nadler exposed himself as this close to senile in that epic NY1 debate, though his bungling of Trump impeachment hearings (Speaker Nancy Pelosi eventually steered later proceedings away from his Judiciary Committee as a result) provided earlier signs.
“And don’t forget his Acela phone call where he got recorded discussing his secret-oops impeachment plans! Fact is, this is his first real race in decades: He may have been losing it for years.
“We routinely disagree with Rep. Carolyn Maloney, but she at least delivers, including for first-responders afflicted with post-9/11 illnesses.
“And the fact that she can work with the other party (she’s known for chatting with, gasp, GOP women in the House gym) means she can keep delivering in the likelihood that Republicans take the House.
“But if you just want change, you can try hotel magnate Suraj Patel, now on his third try for Congress,” the Post said.
New York Democrats screwed Nadler with redistricting by putting him in a tough primary race that he, after years of facing no opposition, seems to be struggling with.
As Slay News reported, he botched a critical debate with Maloney when he could least afford it.
Manhattan Democrat Reps. Maloney and Nadler have been in office since 1992 and are facing off in a primary.
Suraj Patel, who worked for Barack Obama, is the other challenger and he called out Nadler and Maloney for being swamp creatures.
Patel said: “Seniority and tenure does not inure effectiveness.
“Seniority didn’t stop the record storefront vacancies on Columbus Avenue or Second Avenue.”
“With seniority comes clout and the ability to get things done,” Nadler said.
“That’s the way Congress works.”
“It’s 2022. It’s time to turn the page on 1992,” Patel, 38, said hammering Nadler after he bumbled through a few answers.
“Nineteen-nineties Democrats have lost about every major battle to Mitch McConnell and the Republicans,” said Patel calling for a change.
Nadler tried to fend off his challenger at one point reminding voters that, “I’ve impeached Bush twice.”
He meant Trump and it went downhill from there for Nadler, who appeared tied and confused throughout the debate.
From The New York Post:
Nadler sat down during the entire 90 minute session while Maloney and Patel stood at their lecterns.
Nadler had many other verbal stumbles throughout the debate and at one point when the moderators offered him a chance to respond since his name had been brought up by an opponent, he seemed stunned and had nothing to say.
At one point, WNYC moderator Brigid Bergin asked Nadler about the importance of seniority and how he and Maloney differed on policies, two related but different questions.
Nadler answered that seniority is important if used effectively, but forget about the Maloney comparison.
“The second one, the second question, what was the second one?” Nadler asked.
And Nader says too early to say. https://t.co/CQwy6xGsQ6
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) August 3, 2022
