Dear Friends:

Thank you for all of the support and confidence you have given me over the past year.  It has been quite a journey.  Unfortunately, and to my great disappointment, I have decided to suspend my campaign for City Council.

As you are undoubtedly aware, the City Council passed and the Mayor signed, a law that will provide the current incumbent City elected officials completing their second term with the opportunity to run for a third term.  While I never have been a supporter of term limits, I disagreed with amending the current term limits law which was passed via referendum, through legislation.  That being said,  I will remain on the sidelines for this election cycle.

The reason I cannot stay in the race is because my political mentor, Council Member Oliver Koppell, is running.  I know a thing or two about loyalty.  I will not take advantage of the relationships and experience I have gained from serving as Oliver’s counsel for the past four years to run against him.  Oliver has a very accomplished record and I believing he is, at this time, best prepared to represent the district.

Many of you are aware of the grave concerns I have regarding the fitness of the other candidates.  I encourage you to review the public disclosure of campaign contributions found at the NYC Campaign Finance Board website: www.nyccfb.info and see for yourself why.

With regard to your generous contributions, the Campaign Finance Board has issued a ruling allowing candidates who decide to withdraw in the wake of the extension of term limits, the option to  keep the contributions for a future political race.  There will be no penalties if such candidates decide to run for the same seat in 2013.  While I have not made any firm decisions, I would like the option to do so.  As an aside, although I only raised around $20,000, because the vast majority of my contributions were within the Campaign Finance rules, I would have received matching funds of $80,000.  I am extremely proud of that fact, which shows that I had significant grassroots support.

It is your support that has put me in this position.  I am also mindful that your contribution was intended for this year’s primary.  Too many politicians and those aspiring to be elected, fall into the trap of believing that a campaign is about them personally and not about the people they hope to represent.  Therefore, I want you to decide whether you would like my campaign committee to keep your donation for future political action or if you would prefer for me to return your donation.  You may contact my campaign treasurer, Mark Taub, via e-mail at marktaub@gmail.com to indicate how you would like us to treat your donation.

Like many of us, I spent much of the weeks preceding the Presidential Election working to help get Barack Obama elected.  In fact, I went to Columbus, Ohio with the Democratic Lawyers Council to make sure every person who was entitled to vote was able to do so.  The election was a completely inspiring experience and I feel very much reinvigorated to build the political change we desire.

I will keep in touch with you and I hope to work with you to achieve the progressive reforms we have been fighting for, both on national and local level.  Please contact me with your ideas on what we should be doing going forward.

Best wishes,

Jamin