Dear Citizens of Ulster County:
As County Executive, I am appalled and deeply disappointed by the disingenuous and false claims made by three Human Rights Commission members in their resignation letter. Their letter is fundamentally dishonest and contains a number of falsehoods that are easily disproved.
In what I believe is the crux of the matter, these individuals claim that former Commissioner Tyrone Wilson was dismissed for “trivial comments,” and that his firing was a “political assassination.” In fact, former Commissioner Wilson’s insensitive comments about Asians, Jews, LGBTQIA+ people, single mothers, and other groups are a matter of public record and clearly disqualified him from serving as Human Rights Commissioner. It is my view that the authors of this letter are more invested in exacting retribution for former Commissioner Wilson’s dismissal than faithfully fulfilling their duties as members of the Human Rights Commission.
The letter alleges that the Commission has been recently “padded” with those “loyal” to me. In fact, I have made zero appointments to this Commission. All existing Commission members were appointed by the prior Administration or by the Legislature. The letter claims that Alice Cook was removed from the Commission by me. In fact, Ms. Cook’s term expired last year, and former County Executive Pat Ryan appointed Reverend Gary Fuller as her replacement.
The individuals claim that I appointed Reverend Fuller as Chair using a “legal loophole.” In fact, the County Charter clearly grants the County Executive the authority to appoint the chair of the commission, and Reverend Fuller’s appointment strengthens the Commission’s ability to fulfill its mission. Reverend Fuller has significant prior Board leadership experience as the former Chair of the City of Mount Vernon Board of Ethics. His long history of civic engagement and advocacy work focusing on housing rights is critical at a time when housing rights violations constitute the top category of complaint received by the Human Rights Commission.
The letter’s characterization of Acting Commissioner Esi Lewis as having “no qualifications nor passion for human rights” is outrageous. Acting Commissioner Lewis has deep experience working on behalf of marginalized communities, including serving on the New Paltz Police Reform and Reinvention Commission, working for almost a decade as an Assistant District Attorney in the Sex Crimes Bureau of the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, and serving as a Staff Attorney at Legal Services of the Hudson Valley on behalf of domestic violence survivors. Acting Commissioner Lewis also founded the Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis Black History and Cultural Center in New Paltz.
Finally, the letter baselessly accuses Acting Commissioner Lewis of improperly handling a complaint by a County employee due to her “allegiance” to the County Executive. I cannot comment on the specifics of the case while it is under investigation, but I have full faith in Commissioner Lewis to handle this sensitive situation properly, with professionalism, care, and discretion.
Under the County Charter, the Commission’s mission is to “amicably resolve complaints, reduce tensions, build consensus, and foster harmony between the various and diverse communities within Ulster County.” In order to do so, Commission members should endeavor to serve as models for how to handle sensitive matters with integrity, professionalism, and respect. The work of this Commission is too important to politicize or derail with personal conflict.
I urge the citizens of Ulster County not to be deterred by the baseless accusations of these individuals. The Human Rights Commission stands ready to help members of the public address discrimination and promote a more just and inclusive Ulster County.
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