Adams still eyes job for anti-LGBTQ pol
An ex-pol who has become a lightning rod for his anti-gay views may be getting a job in the Adams administration after all. Fernando Cabrera has been showing up at a municipal building across the street from City Hall while he awaits a specific job assignment, our Sally Goldenberg reports.
POLITICO first reported last week that Cabrera, a Christian pastor and former City Council member from the Bronx, was in line to lead the Office of Community Mental Health, the replacement for the de Blasio-era ThriveNYC. Outrage followed from the LGBTQ community and others, who pointed to Cabrera’s conservative views on gay rights — particularly a trip to Uganda where he praised the country’s government after it enacted a law harshly punishing homosexuality. Within hours, a City Hall spokesperson issued a statement saying in no uncertain terms that Cabrera would not get the gig.
The disavowal, though, apparently extended only to that specific post. Cabrera is now in contention for another appointment, according to people familiar with the situation. He was spotted at City Hall Thursday afternoon, where he cooled his heels for nearly an hour on a bench outside a suite of mayoral offices. It’s unclear if he’s already getting paid by the city.
Adams has insisted he has the prerogative to choose his own hires because “I’m the mayor.” But he has also backed away from some nominees embroiled in drama, like would-have-been Economic Development Corporation head Carlo Scissura, who announced this week he would stay in the private sector.
Is Cabrera worth the trouble? Former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and staffers within his own administration have urged Adams to reconsider the pick. And Allen Roskoff, a gay rights activist and president of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, said it should nixed. “Why is it okay to hire a well-known homophobe to be part of your administration anywhere, anywhere in this city? No matter what the job is, you shouldn’t be hiring bigots — I don't care if he's going to work in a stock room,” he said.