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Mayoral candidate Ras Baraka, standing outside Weequahic High School in Newark at a recent rally came under fire Tuesday for writing letters in support of convicted gang members.

(Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger)

By James Queally and David Giambusso/The Star Ledger



NEWARK — As Newark grapples with one of its most violent years to date, The Star-Ledger story detailing mayoral candidate Ras Baraka's letters supporting a convicted gang lord prompted scorn and praise from city leaders yesterday, highlighting two competing approaches to fighting crime in the state's largest city.

“This gang leader was not a pillar of the community, he was a well-known murderous thug,” said mayoral candidate Anibal Ramos in a statement.

Baraka, the South Ward councilman since 2010 wrote letters on behalf of convicted gang leader Al-Tariq Gumbs at his sentencing in 2010, the same year Gumbs was accused of plotting murders from a federal prison cell in Arizona, court papers show.

Years later, he wrote another letter to get Gumbs’ sentence reduced after he pleaded guilty to some of the conspiracy charges from 2010, records show.

Baraka supporter and city union leader Rahaman Muhammad said the letters were part of Baraka’s long-time efforts to change gang culture.

“This has been his community work for over 20 years. This is not a secret. He’s been working with gangs, trying to change gangs,” Muhammad said.

Baraka, who became familiar with Gumbs after trying to broker a gang truce in 2004, has made reaching out to the gang community a key part of his strategy to fight crime.

But some say engaging chronic gang offenders is a fruitless endeavor.

“I will never negotiate with gang members,” said Ramos, the North Ward councilman, adding that his administration would “eradicate the gang leadership.”

Baraka said yesterday he disagreed with that tack.

“I think that Anibal is out of touch, and he completely has no idea what is happening in this community,” Baraka said yesterday. “We can’t make this a political event. What we have to do is tell the truth. These people are in our neighborhoods and they’re growing.”

Shavar Jeffries, another leading candidate for mayor, declined to comment on the Baraka letters. Newark Mayor Luis Quintana’s office also declined comment.

Police Director Samuel DeMaio echoed some of Ramos’ sentiments but said he understood Baraka’s approach.

“When the end that you’re trying to get to is something we all want to get to ... then that’s understandable,” DeMaio said, but added, “These are people that ... are driving forces in the violence that takes place in the city. And when somebody has proven that that’s what they are, me personally, I just can’t see anyone that has anything to do with the city showing support for individuals like that.”

Brigid Harrison, a professor of political science at Montclair State University, said the timing of the letters’ release would likely have a significant impact with voters.

“Given the pre-eminence of this issue all that really matters is the perception, and I think this is really an easy case to spin to Baraka’s disadvantage,” Harrison said. “The truth may be much more complex and there may even be rational explanations, but at the end of the day what matters is the perception.”

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