Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Suraj Patel for US Congress NY-12
Candidate Name: Suraj Patel
Office Seeking Election for: US Congress, Congressional District 12 (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Roosevelt Island)
Campaign Address: 137 Ave. A, New York, NY, 10009
Campaign Website: https://surajpatel.nyc
Campaign Telephone: 929.497.9000
Campaign Social Media Handles (Facebook/Twitter): @surajpatelnyc
Campaign Contact (name/phone/email): Tania Arrayales | 310.920.2756 | tania@surajpatel.nyc
Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district
I am an attorney, activist, business leader, and lecturer on business ethics at New York University. I worked on both Obama campaigns and worked in the Obama white house. I ran for congress in 2018, before it was popular to be a primary challenger, alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Adem Bunkeddeko. During my 2018 run, I was one of the first candidates to call for the repealing of SESTA/FOSTA and the decriminalization of sex work. I was the first candidate in New York to call for the defunding of ICE. Our District saw the highest turnout ever for a June Primary in the State of New York, increasing by over 270% from 2016. Our election saw a 797% (not a typo) increase in Millennial participation compared with 2016 10,296 Millennials voted in our election, compared to only 1,292 in 2016. Millennials comprised 23% of our electorate, compared to only 8% of the 2016 electorate, nearly a threefold increase. Participation among people of color increased 300% 47% of voters (21,270) in our election hadn’t voted in a Congressional primary ever or at least in the last decade.
I’ve worked for Democrats my whole life, in high school, in college, and I even left law school to work for the Obama campaigns and then for the Obama Administration … it is exhilarating to be a Democrat to when we are bold, not incremental, not scared... leading for working people and the middle class. And it’s heartbreaking to be a Democrat when we’re afraid to lose; when we’re constantly playing defense. I felt that at the Javits center in 2016 working for Secretary Clinton. I felt it when I volunteered as an attorney at JFK during Trump’s Muslim ban... I felt it at the women’s march and climate march… and then I did something about it. I grabbed a broom. I co-founded The Arena, an organization responsible for recruiting thousands of young people to run for office or support campaigns around the country. And then I ran for office myself, because that excitement and responsibility, hope and obligation, has only grown. I’m running again because, now more than ever, it’s important that we have Democrats who are firmly committed to ending mass incarceration, tackling climate change, and getting corporate money out of politics and I believe that having candidates with the energy to push those issues without hypocrisy is the only way forward for Democrats.
Do you now support or have you ever supported openly LGBTQ candidates for public office?
I have supported many LGBTQ candidates and was one of the earliest endorsers of Tiffany Cabán.
If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBT community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly).
I was the first candidate ever to hold a townhall for sex workers and then only to run squarely focused on repealing SESTA/FOSTA, a bill that has caused untold harm disproportionately to trans women of color who are engaged in sex work for survival.
What LGBT organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I’ve been involved with Human Rights Campaign since college and I’ve been a proud supporter of Jim Owles since I learned about the organization.
If applicable, what LGBT organizations have you allocated funds to?
I’ve given to HRC and Jim Owles over the years.
Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBT community?
Though I am not a member of the LGBT community, I consider myself a strong ally.
Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
I have marched in pride many times over the years including both Queens Pride and Manhattan.
I’ve marched continuously for the last 4 years.
Have you employed openly LGBT individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?
I had multiple LGBT individuals on my campaign staff in 2018 in outward facing roles including trans women activists. I currently employ two openly LGBT staffers and will be hiring more as we grow our team.
If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements? Yes
What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBT issues, pro choice legislation, criminal justice issues and the Resist Trump Movement have you attended?
I’ve marched in the women’s march, participated in international sex worker day rallies in public, held a sex worker town hall, marched for science, fought Trump at the ballot box, volunteered as an attorney for the ACLU in mass movements against things like the Muslim ban. Criminal Justice issues were centered on my campaign because as a lawyer and a first-generation American and man of color, I’ve faced both invidious and outward racism from people and authorities multiple times in my life. I know our systems are not fair nor just and I can’t abide that our country holds 25% of the world’s prison population while only being 5% of the world’s population and still having some of the highest crime rates in the developed world. We’re jailing people and it’s not working and it’s costing us dearly in terms of money and our morals. We need a new direction.
If elected or re-elected will you become a member of the “Squad?"
Yes, I’ll caucus or otherwise spend time with anyone who helps me in drafting and passing a bold progressive legislative agenda. I campaigned with AOC before anyone thought she could win and before it was the popular thing to do. In fact, we marched in Queens Pride together.
Have you ever been arrested? If so please explain why and outcome of arrest. No
Will you advocate for legislation to mandate the review of sentences of incarcerated individuals over the age of 55 who have served in excess of 15 years to determine if they warrant release?
Yes
Do you commit to visit constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons such as Bedford Correctional Facility? Yes
Do you believe sincere remorse, risk of reoffending and actions taken while incarcerated should be considered over the original crime in determinations of parole? Yes
Have you participated in any demonstrations or protests in relation to the issues of clemency and parole?
I have not, but I have been a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform and pushed ending cash bail and solitary confinement with many of my former staff, team, volunteers, and to our over 10,000 person email list.
Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
Yes and I have done that as a priority in my former private sector work.
Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work?
Yes, I was one of the first candidate to call for the repealing of SESTA/FOSTA and the decrimialization of sex work in 2018. I held a sex workers town hall and many sex workers worked and voluinteered on my campaign in 2018.
If an incumbent, did you vote for HR 1865 in 2018? Will you introduce and or support legislation to amend HR 1865 so that sex between consenting adults, with monetary exchange, is legalized? This would include the use of ads and on-line contact.
I was not in Congress in 2018 but I would have voted Yes for HR 1865. I support decrim.
Do you support a national law legalizing gestational surrogacy? Wii you introduce such legislation?
Yes and yes.
What proposals will you advocate for the protection of immigrants and to further New York as a Sanctuary City?
I believe in defunding ICE, creatining a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, increasing legal immigration, and any propsal to strengthen New York City’s status as a sanctuary city. After law school, I helped build and have been on the Board of Atlas DIY, a legal services organization for immigrant youth. We helped over 300 Dreamers apply for and attain deferred action for their residential status in our country. This is a personal issue for me.
Will you advocate, including introducing legislation, to remove public funding from religious schools?
Yes
Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Please elaborate.
I support medicare for all: https://medium.com/@surajpatelnyc/to-build-a-better-healthcare-system-we-must-focus-on-outcomes-not-profits-fbb6831334a7
Discuss your stance on reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services.
I am 100% pro-choice.
Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate?
I refuse to take PAC money and am only taking contributions from individual humans.
Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations complicit in the Trump agenda?
Yes
What additional information would you like Jim Owles to consider when we are making our endorsements decisions?
This is the most important election of our lifetimes. And Democrats agree: 98% percent of us believe the country is on the wrong track. If we’re demanding real change, in the White House and beyond, I’m of the mind that 26-year incumbent is part of the reason we need change… not the antidote to it.
I’m running for Congress because those 26 years stopped reflecting progress a long time ago. They stopped representing this district a long time ago. I’m running because we can’t lead the country to change in November if we don’t acknowledge, and act on, the change we need here first. This June primary is the canary in the coal mine - we as progressives can’t fight for change in November and do the same thing that’s failed us in June … I’ve said it before, but it remains true: simply holding a job does not entitle you to keep it. You’ve got to deliver firmly on the side of social justice and economic progress for the working and middle class of this City and of this country. Staying the course on Maloney is more dangerous than change because you know what you’re getting and it’s getting a Rep. who has taken more corporate PAC money than Mitt Romney, fought sex workers rather than include them, voted for a border wall before Trump and cheered on the Bush Administration and Trump on Iraq and Iran. The stakes couldn’t be higher - I’m aksing you to take a chance on me because if not Jim Owles than who? You’re the
vanguard of progressive thought, on LGBT issues and social justice, you have been right while the world has been all too often wrong. Please be right again, take a chance on me because you deserve better.