Hempstead assemblywoman again under fire for comments made at church

<p>Weeks after comparing her party's chairman to a plantation owner and her primary opponent a slave, Hempstead Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper was caught on camera making remarks that some consider to be racist.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 18, 2018, 9:52 PM

Updated 2,297 days ago

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Weeks after comparing her party's chairman to a plantation owner and her primary opponent a slave, Hempstead Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper was caught on camera making remarks that some consider to be racist.
Hooper, who is the deputy speaker of the New York State Assembly, was seen on video obtained by News 12 speaking earlier this week at Calvary Tabernacle Church in Hempstead.
She told the largely African American church "we are the strongest race of people on the face of this earth."
The speech comes on the heels of comments Hooper made last month where she compared Nassau County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs to a plantation owner and primary opponent Taylor Raynor to a slave.
During the speech, Hooper also attempted to clarify her past controversial comments, saying "I had no intention of uttering that name, so obviously, something spiritual told me to say that name. And that name was Jay Jacobs."
In response to the new comments, Jacobs says "Earlene Hooper has, through her own words and actions, demonstrated that she is no longer fit to serve in elected office.  Racism and corrupt behavior can have no refuge in any party, least of all the Democratic Party." 
Meanwhile Raynor, who is also an African-American woman, says Hooper's "us versus them" comments are an attempt to distract from her own record.
Hooper told the audience that she secured $1 million in fund and two crossing guards to help the Hempstead School District after a fire at an elementary school last week.
The district confirmed that it is set to receive those funds from the state.