Independence Party Shakeup Leaves Lenora Fulani Out In The Cold

NY 1/February 6, 2006
By Rita Nissan

For the 90,000 registered Independence Party voters in the city, a big shift in power came Saturday, leaving the controversial Lenora Fulani and her followers out in the cold. NY1’s Rita Nissan filed this report.

It was a major shakeup in a minor political party.

“Now they control just about nothing. It's the beginning of the end,” says Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay, talking about Lenora Fulani and Fred Newman.

They used to control the Independence Party in New York City, but Saturday in Albany, the state committee voted overwhelmingly to disband the Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens organizations. Their power in Manhattan and Staten Island was also severely curtailed.

“I think certainly the public officials that have dealt with them in those counties know now not to deal with them, to stay away from them,” says MacKay. “It really is the kiss of death.”

But Fulani and Newman are fighting back, pledging to sue.

This is all the result of a NY1 investigation into Newman last year. His former supporters say he leads a cult which takes advantage of vulnerable people.

Also in April on NY1, Fulani refused to denounce inflammatory comments she made about Jews a decade ago. Fulani denies she's anti-Semitic.

The uproar left many politicians refusing to deal with Fulani. Senator Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eliot Spitzer have both said they won't seek the Independence Party's backing this year if Fulani is in power. Their reps did not return calls for comment.

In September, the state committee voted to oust Fulani and five allies from the executive committee. But Saturday's action goes much further.

“We are in a little flux, but I think we are in the right direction and I think we are going to come out of this very strong and powerful,” says party member Michael Niebauer.

But if history serves as an indicator, Fulani and Newman will use every resource possible to retain their power. So this story is likely far from over.