Zeldin: College Student Was 'Assaulted' By Gershon Staffer

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — With Election Day almost a week away, the race is heating up between Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican who is running for his second term representing the 1st Congressional District, and his opponent, businessman and Democrat Perry Gershon.

Barbs are flying this week amidst allegations from Zeldin supporters that a college student with the New York Federation of College Republicans, "was assaulted" by a staffer working for Gershon.

A video posted on social media shows the student reportedly asking Gershon, "Hey, Perry Gershon, Why are you up here in New York City instead of District 1?" as the video abruptly comes to a halt.

A release from the New York Federation of College Republicans stated that, on Monday, Oct. 22, NY College Republicans Chairman Jonathan Libby attempted to ask a question to Gershon, who was attending a fundraiser at the Beekman Hotel in Manhattan.

Upon asking the question, the release said, "Libby was assaulted by the campaign staffer accompanying Gershon, who violently pushed Mr. Libby out of their way and struck his arm in an effort to escape the question. Mr. Gershon ignored Chairman Libby’s inquiry."

Tim Minton, communications director for the Gershon campaign, said, "Lee Zeldin has been shopping this bogus 'incident” to reporters for days," adding that it was an attempt to "change the subject," from developments such as editorials in the media supporting Gershon.

"Zeldin has been paying trackers with cameras, up to seven at a time, to follow around and harass Perry and his family," Minton said. "The sole purpose is to manufacture an internet moment" such as the one discussed, "which actually shows nothing other than the trackers' continuing harassment. The woman in the picture is not a 'staffer'. She is Perry’s wife, who, along with the candidate, has been repeatedly victimized by harassing trackers."

Libby commented after the incident: “I just wanted to ask Mr. Gershon why he decided to spend his night in the city rather than in the district he is running to represent,” Libby said. “Physical violence is never the answer. If you disagree with my opinions that’s fine, but there is never a need to resort to physical violence. I am calling for the staffer to come forward and apologize.”

Libby said he hoped the matter could be resolved with a simple apology, rather than getting the authorities involved.

"On Monday our Chairman of the NYFCRs was assaulted by a staffer working for Perry Gershon, candidate for Congress in NY-01. There is no place for violence in our political discourse. The staffer should come forward and apologize immediately," the NY Federation of College Republicans said.

Zeldin responded on social media: "This is completely unacceptable. Gershon should apologize to this college student and remove this staffer from his campaign immediately."

Gershon's campaign issued a statement about the video, even before the weekend's tragedy in Pittsburgh, Minton said: “Ultra-conservative Lee Zeldin should spend less time having his trackers follow Perry’s family around and more time condemning Donald Trump’s hateful rhetoric that actually incites violence. Now is not the time for cheap political stunts, but a willingness to speak out against those who divide us," said Alexandra Dakich, press secretary for the Gerson campaign.

Boyle responded to the comments from Gershon's campaign: "That entire spin . . . is loaded with blatant lies to avoid accountability for assaulting a college student. That college student was not sent there or paid for by us or anyone else for that matter. The video clearly shows the assault, and it’s abhorrent that he fails to condemn this act of political violence and apologize to the student."

Boyle added: "“Perry Gershon needs to offer a public apology to this college student, and the staffer must be let go from the campaign immediately. It blows my mind that the days keep passing with no statement about this violent incident. Physical assault doesn’t just blow over. Unless Gershon is an advocate for political violence, he needs to take action immediately.”

Patch photos by Lisa Finn.