Rally Held In Support Of John Liu As He Looks To Return To Politics
QUEENS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Former city Comptroller and onetime mayoral candidate John Liu is taking on fellow Democrat Tony Avello for the 11th state Senate District, which includes his old council district of Flushing.
As WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola reported, supporters crowded into the parking lot at the Bayside Long Island Rail Road station to cheer on Liu's return to politics.
"In the state Senate I will fight tirelessly for a real minimum wage, for the rights of working people, for true women's equality and for public schools, transportation and health care," Liu said.
Mohammed Tohin is one of those supporters.
"John Liu is like someone like us -- a minority, someone who struggled," the Jamaica, Queens resident said.
Liu served as city comptroller during Mayor Michael Bloomberg's third term. He served eight years in the City Council before that.
He finished fourth in the Democratic mayoral primary last year, behind Mayor Bill de Blasio, Bill Thompson and Christine Quinn.
During the campaign, two of Liu's former aides were accused in a campaign finance scheme. Liu campaign treasurer Jia "Jenny" Hou and fundraiser Xing "Oliver" Wu Pan were later convicted for illegally raising funds.
Addressing those allegations, "of course everybody understood that was politics," Tohin said in Liu's defense.
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