Helmin and Wendy Caba

The following is from a news release sent by Councilman Helmin Caba to the Amboy Guardian:

STATEMENT FROM FERNANDO IRIZARRY, PERTH AMBOY COUNCILMAN & MAYORAL CANDIDATE:

A mass email (E-blast) was sent to Perth Amboy voters on Wednesday, Sept. 30th containing derogatory remarks about my fellow Councilman and mayoral candidate Helmin J. Caba. My name and photographs were misused in that E-blast, without my knowledge, to damage Mr. Caba’s reputation. I categorically deny that I, or anyone involved in my campaign wrote, approved, or sent that email. I would never use such disgraceful and deceitful smear tactics. Anonymous persons are also using email and social media to harm me and my reputation, and to persuade voters against voting for me. To these fraudulent individuals I say, “May God remember you for what you are doing.”

— Fernando Irizarry, Councilman & Mayoral Candidate (732) 841-2448

Hardships Will Make Helmin J. Caba a Better Perth Amboy Mayor

PERTH AMBOY – (Oct. 9, 2020) – Mayoral candidate Helmin J. Caba issued the following statement today, responding to an anonymous “email blast” to voters about his old business debts. Councilman Caba says:

“I struggled with debt for a few years due to disappointing investments in a restaurant and in my then-fiance’s small business. Together, we worked very hard to rebound. Today, my wife Wendy and I are debt-free. We now own a home; we have good jobs and excellent credit; and are proud parents of two beautiful children.”

“My past challenges are a strength. They make me a better City Councilman and, with God’s grace, will make me a better Mayor. I know, firsthand, how people, business owners and families can fall on hard times and must struggle to bounce back.”

“As Mayor, I will work diligently to minimize City Hall’s costs and ease the tax burden on all property owners. I realize anyone, at one time or another, can face unexpected financial setbacks. I sympathize with their hardships and I pray they find strength, as I did, to overcome their stressful challenges.”

“It is an outrage for my opponent Joseph B. Vas to smear me, or any struggling person, as ‘a deadbeat’ on social media simply to gain a few votes. It is a shameful way for Mr. Vas to campaign considering his disgraced father’s notorious history of corruption as this city’s mayor and state lawmaker.”

“Equally outrageous: The attacks against me began when an anonymous supporter of Mr. Vas or Mayor Diaz disguised themselves as Councilman Fernando Irizzary to fire off a malicious Sept. 30th email-blast, misusing Mr. Irizzary’s name and photo. This was clearly a desperate act to discredit me as the leading candidate for Mayor.”