Statement from NAN NE Regional Director Regarding Comments About Jersey City Shootings

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Dec 20, 2019

Statement from Pastor Steffie Bartley, the Northeast Regional Director of National Action Network (NAN), Regarding Comments Made About the Jersey City Shootings

NEWARK, N.J. — Pastor Steffie Bartley, Northeast Regional Director for National Action Network (NAN), issued the following statement this evening.

“In light of published reports that a representative of NAN came to the defense of an official that is under fire for insensitive and anti-Semitic comments about the Jersey City, NJ, shootings, we at NAN unequivocally denounce the reported comments and would like to clarify that the person named in reports does not hold a formal role with NAN.

“Carolyn Oliver Fair does not speak on behalf of NAN nor is she the Executive Director of the North Jersey NAN chapter. She is not a staff member or hold any salaried position. Her comments do not represent the views of Rev. Al Sharpton or any affiliated NAN leader.

“When the Jersey City shootings happened, NAN immediately condemned them and Rev. Sharpton hosted Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, on his nationally broadcast MSNBC show, along with Howard Teich, a NAN board member and former regional head of the American Jewish Congress. Rev. Sharpton strongly denounced the incident.

“I myself went to Jersey City with Governor Phil Murphy and an ecumenical group of faith leaders to stand against the horrific hate crime that took place and we stand in solidarity and prayer with all those that were impacted. We will continue to stand with our brothers and sisters from different faiths and ecumenical denominations as New Jersey continues to heal.”