By Victoria Hurely-Schubert, Staff Writer
The gloves came off in the borough mayoral race on Sunday night when Democratic candidate Yina Moore sang a parody of “I Will Survive” that was critical of Republican challenger Jill Jachera at a Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) candidate’s night.
The song, which Ms. Moore said was all in fun for entertainment, portrayed Ms. Jachera as someone from outer space with a drab look on her face who does wrong by children and tries to hurt her neighbors.
Ms. Moore was asked about her performance at an editorial board meeting of the staff of the Princeton Packet on Tuesday afternoon by Packet editor Calhoun J. Killeen Jr.
”It was the words of the song,” said Ms. Moore. “I read them in (Monday’s) paper and they weren’t quite that … this was in a moment of jest that was to be part of our candidates night to bring some form of entertainment to our gathering.”
She insists the performance was not meant to be public and the event was a meeting of the membership.
”That was the only intended ear for any of this,” said Ms. Moore.
The PCDO website lists the event as a membership meeting, but does invite the public. “The general public is invited and encouraged to attend,” was posted on the listing.
”I am disappointed, I am not surprised, especially given the previous letter (to the editor from Borough Council member Jenny Crumiller) and the attitude that has been taken about my candidacy,” said Ms. Jachera, after reading the lyrics for the first time in Packet offices Tuesday afternoon. “I’m not surprised in the sense that its not uncommon in politics when someone doesn’t have a legitimate criticism against your candidacy. They often resort to this type of cruel, petty, divisive and inaccurate tactic.”
When pressed about specific verses, such as “I spent so many nights thinking how you did my children wrong” and “back from outer space,” Ms Moore justified them as the “absolute words to the song ‘I Will Survive.’”
Calling it an “insider song,” Mr. Killeen said “it sounded negative.”
Ms. Moore went on to explain that the “how you did my children wrong” phrase was based on a recounting of a neighbor issue her stepson had playing golf in the backyard. There was no further explanation.
The “you tried to hurt your neighbors section” stems from neighbors who Ms. Moore said talked to her about a suit that was pending from the Jachera household regarding a historic designation.
”I have never filed a lawsuit against any of my neighbors,” said Ms. Jachera, who asked Ms. Moore where she got the information. “I never planned to sue anyone.”
Ms. Moore did not divulge her source, attributing “their organizational structure. I’m not sure who that is, but they have a group that was pursuing historic designation that’s the hurt that they reported or told me about.”
”This is extremely unbecoming in what I would think a leader in our community would be,” said Ms. Jachera. “Our community right now has serious issues … we need someone who is going to build consensus and I have been working hard to do that in my candidacy. I take this very seriously. For someone to do this and make a mockery of this process and call it a joke; there are laws we have in this state against bullying because kids think it’s funny to joke with other kids and say mean things.”
”It’s always easier to be mean and that’s the tactic Ms. Moore has chosen to take,” said Ms. Jachera.
Ms. Jachera demanded an apology, which Ms. Moore did not provide.
”I do regret it has come to light to seem to be critical of you as a whole,” said Ms. Moore. “It was meant as pure fun in a setting as I understood it was not a public meeting, it was internal candidates to PCDO membership, but I understand your perspective.”
Ms. Moore said she did have a serious component at the candidates night and that she spoke about the book “The Speech” by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Further defending herself, Ms. Jachera asked Ms. Moore if her thinking that it was a private event made her actions acceptible.
”There were state-elected officials, county elected officials and candidates that were there and the other candidates chose to pick serious books or songs that spoke about what it meant to them to be running for public office,” she said. “There’s nothing funny about this and the fact that it was done in private doesn’t make it any better. It’s really inexcusable”
The following are the lyrics of the song as taken from an audio recording. Some words were not discernable.
”First I was afraid, I was petrified kept thinking I could never live in this town with you next door, but I spent so many nights thinking how you did my children wrong, I grew strong, I learned how to carry on.
And so Jill, you’re back from outer space. You just walked up here with that drab look on your face; I should have changed the stupid lock to the castle gates. I should have made you leave your key to the other Hodge Road house you lived on anyway if I had known for just one second you’d be back to bother us.
Go on now, go on walk out the door, just turn around and leave town now because you’re not welcome anymore.
Weren’t you the one who tried to hurt all your neighbors and … you’d think they’d lay down and die, oh no, not the Western section, the folks on Hodge, Library … as long as we know how to love Princeton will stay alive, we’ve got all of time to live, all our love to give and we’ll survive. We’ll survive.”
