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Robert Jackson 'Disgusted' By His Outreach Worker's Pro-Trump Facebook Post

By Jeff Mays | September 7, 2016 3:57pm
 An outreach worker for state Senate candidate and former Harlem Councilman  Robert Jackson  posted support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on his Facebook page along with a post criticizing the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Robert Jackson 'Disgusted' By Outreach Worker's Trump, BLM Facebook Posts
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HARLEM — An outreach worker for state Senate candidate and former Harlem Councilman Robert Jackson posted support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on his Facebook page along with a post criticizing Black Lives Matter.

Benny Toribio posted a video Tuesday from the "Trump Fan Network" calling Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton a liar because of the positions she has taken on various issues over the years.

"This lying criminal can NOT get elected!!!!!!" the post read.

Jackson, a Democrat, supports Clinton and is facing off in Tuesday's primary against community activist Luis Tejada, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's Chief of Staff Micah Lasher, and Marisol Alcantara, state Sen. Adriano Espaillat’s handpicked successor.

The district Jackson wants to represent has high numbers of both Latino and immigrant residents. The 31st District stretches along the West Side of Manhattan from Chelsea up to Washington Heights and Inwood to parts of The Bronx.

Trump has faced criticism for racist remarks about Latinos and other immigrants. Trump has said in public speeches that immigrants from Mexico bring crime, drugs and are rapists, and has proposed building a wall along the border.

Trump has also flip-flopped on whether he would try to have all undocumented residents deported back to their home countries before they can apply for citizenship.

Another Aug. 23 post from Toribio, who is a registered Republican, was highly critical of the Black Lives Matter movement which has focused on ending police killings of blacks and people of color in this country.

The photo shows a police officer from Slidell, Louisiana, carrying a black child during recent floods there.

"Police are working 24/7 to rescue people in Louisiana. Still waiting on BLM and New Black Panthers to show up," the post read.

The two posts appear before and after posts from Toribio boosting Jackson in Spanish.

"Okay, well, we are left with 6 days to the "Victoria" remember that Sept 13 vote for Robert Jackson for State Senator!" reads a translation of Toribio's post.

Jackson campaign spokesman Richard Fife denounced the postings.

"Robert and the campaign were unaware of these posts and are disgusted by them," said Fife. "They obviously don't reflect our views or values."

Jackson has many posts in Spanish on his campaign's Facebook page. He also supports passage of a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, the DREAM Act, and expedited citizenship for undocumented individuals who entered the country as minors.

A recent Latino Decisions poll found Trump support among Latinos at 19 percent, but 74 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him.

Toribio will remain with the campaign, but Fife says he has "been reprimanded and asked to take the posts down."

A spokesman for Alcantara declined comment and representatives for Lasher and Tejada were not immediately available for comment.