B.J. Fletcher: I will run for a third term on the commission
File Photo: Carlton Fletcher
By Carlton Fletcher
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ALBANY — Social media attacks and boycotts spearheaded by a fellow Albany city commissioner just may have had the opposite of the apparent desired impact on Ward III Commissioner B.J. Fletcher.
Spurred by what she said was Ward VI Commissioner Demetrius Young’s social media posts that he was “targeting” the Ward II, III and V seats that are up for re-election this election cycle — seats held, respectively, by Matt Fuller, Fletcher and Bob Langstaff — Fletcher said during an extended conversation Friday that if Young had intended to drive her out of the Ward III race, his tactics did not work.
“I was praying about (seeking reelection), and to be honest I wasn’t sure that I would go for another term,” Fletcher said. “But after people sent me screen shots of posts that Commissioner Young was making, and after I saw him with my own eyes taking part in a boycott against my business, well, you can just tell him that B.J. will run for a third term.”
Fletcher said she still cannot fathom one elected board member trying to hurt another commissioner’s reputation and business.
“That he’s tried to hurt my business — and the 20-plus families who are a part of this business, 85% of whom are African American — is just a shame,” Fletcher said of her fellow commissioner. “I had decided to really take a long while to think about and pray about the decision to seek re-election, but I don’t mind telling you that my mind is now made up.
“The person who represents Ward III is going to be decided by the constituents of the ward, not by one commissioner or ex-commissioners who no longer have much influence in the community.”
Fletcher said Young’s efforts to attack her and her businesses have done little but reinvigorate her campaign.
“He — and others — have attacked me and my businesses, and if they thought that was going to scare me off, they are wrong,” she said. “In fact, it’s had the opposite effect. I am getting it out there now that these people aren’t going to run me off. And you can let them know that I think I’ll be pretty hard to beat.”
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