Dietl Change On Wilson-Pakula



Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl has had an about-face on the prospect of taking a Wilson-Pakula and running on the Republican line.

Under New York election law candidates may seek to run on the line of a party that they’re not registered in only with the permission of the party, granted via a “Wilson-Pakula” waiver.  Dietl, who initially wanted to challenge Mayor de Blasio in the Democratic primary, ended up as a man without a party after the Board of Elections rejected the form he submitted seeking to change his registration from Republican to Democratic as improperly completed.  Dietl now plans to run on a self-created ballot line, “NYC Cares.”

When I asked Dietl on Tuesday about running on the Republican line via a Wilson-Pakula he declared that “if I was to do that I would be a hypocrite” as he’s evolved politically into a “moderate conservative Democrat.”  A report in today’s New York Times quoted Dietl as saying, contrary to his statement Tuesday, that “if the Republicans want to give me the line, I’ll take it.”  Today during a press conference at Dietl’s midtown office I asked him directly about his seemingly contradictory statements.

He began by saying that “since the other day, I’ve been contacted a lot” and then stating that “if the Republican Party feels as though they want to use this Wilson-Pakula or whatever its called and wants to give me the Republican line I will take it.”  His lengthy response included saying that he’s scheduled to meet Monday with two Republican county leaders to discuss the prospect of a Wilson-Pakula.  Dietl declined to say which County leaders he’s meeting with, saying that “maybe they’ll get slapped around by the Republican Party.”  He also invited a Democratic Wilson-Pakula, saying “maybe the Democrats want to come and Wilson-Pakula me too, I’ll take their Wilson-Pakula too, I’ll take everybody’s Wilson-Pakula.”

Dietl on a Wilson-Pakula:

 

Expanded Response:

Here’s Dietl’s full response to my question, which includes a lengthy criticism of Mayor de Blasio: