Tensions Flare Between Mittman and Lancman Supporters

Standing outside the bustling public library in Kew Gardens Hills this afternoon were three volunteers passing out flyers touting Queens congressional candidate Robert Mittman’s opposition to gay marriage.

One of them, a man named Avi from the Orthodox Jewish anti gay-marriage group Jews For Morality, who declined to give his last name, said he had a pretty heated verbal altercation earlier in the day with supporters of Assemblyman Rory Lancman, the other Jewish candidate in the NY-6 race.

“I don’t understand why I was attacked by several members of the Lancman campaign,” he said. “They felt somehow that we were being disingenuous.”

“I don’t understand why we can’t be more understanding of each other,” he added.

In recent days, members of Jews For Morality have papered Kew Gardens Hills, a heavily Orthodox Jewish area, with flyers and posters supporting Mittman and opposing gay marriage. The flyers’ presence apparently didn’t go over especially well on Sunday, when the gay pride parade was held.

Earlier in the campaign, Lancman tried to have Mittman thrown off the ballot — although support for Mittman from some socially conservative Orthodox Jews only began to materialize late last week.