Binghamton Mayoral Candidate Faces Backlash Over Past Remarks

After an old video resurfaced, showing him using a racial slur, a Democratic mayoral candidate in New York has come under intense scrutiny. Critics are declaring him “totally ineligible for public office.”

Miles Barnett, a former state senator and current staff member of the New York City Council, cited song lyrics in a video he posted to Facebook back in 2009, where he used the n-word. In the footage, a young Barnett remarked, “Now he’s using the word n ​​again. He’s black. That’s a personal word.”

Benji Federman, chairman of the Bloom County Republican Committee, expressed hope that the 33-year-old would pull out of the race. He said, “Myles Barnett’s hateful language and non-stop lies make him completely inappropriate for public office. His candidacy should end.” Federman criticized the Democratic Party and the Working Families Party for tolerating such behavior, questioning their integrity.

Incumbent Republican mayor Jared Kraham added that age shouldn’t excuse Barnett’s language, saying, “This language does not represent who we are as a community or what Binghamton is striving for.” Kraham, who is the same age as Barnett, noted that while everyone makes mistakes when they’re young, the racist remarks made in the video are absolutely out of line.

Barnett has since apologized, placing some emphasis on his age at the time. “When I was 14 years old, I analyzed the lyrics of the song and posted something stupid to social media. I apologize for the offensive language I used. I’m deeply sorry to all the people I hurt and disappointed.” He continued by affirming that his intentions are to fight for a better Binghamton for everyone.

However, records indicate that Barnett was around 17 years old when the video was made. The Binghamton city’s Democratic committee fired back at Kraham, accusing him of hypocrisy regarding racism. In the past, Kraham had written about disparities in standardized testing, asserting that “white, suburban children are smarter each year than black, urban children.”

A spokesperson for state Senator Lee Webb, a previous employer of Barnett, expressed disappointment over the video. “This was very offensive and disappointing. There are real needs in the city of Binghamton. It’s essential that anyone pursuing an elected office treats people with dignity and respect,” the spokesperson stated, noting that Barnett hadn’t worked for Webb for nearly a year.