The Advocate
Richard Blassberg

Catherine Lederer-Plaskett: A Woman Of Principle

Some individuals will momentarily turn your head with an unexpected act of generosity or kindness. Others may impress with their bravery or skill. However, I believe it is those who live their lives daily faithful to their professed principles that make the greatest imprint in the lives of others. Such a principled person is Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, President of WCLA-Choice Matters.

I first became acquainted with Catherine five years ago, when I had the distinct honor to serve as campaign director for Tony Castro, former Assistant Bronx District Attorney, who had the character, and gumption to
actually run against Jeanine Pirro, at the peak of her power and imperiousness, for Westchester District Attorney.

Against all odds, with a budget 1/10th of the war chest Pirro would pour into the effort, Tony Castro, unknown three months before Election Day 2001, would come within six points of defeating her.

Though a political novice, Castro was only too well aware of the importance of winning the endorsement of the most influential, and politically active, women’s organization in all of Westchester, the WCLA. He had met with Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, and, was not only impressed by her determination to protect the rights of women to choose their own reproductive options, but also her very principled and unwavering dedication to fair play.

I too came to know Catherine at that time, perhaps not as well as Tony, but well enough to sense her inner strength and personal conviction. Then last year, when the Right To Life Party candidate for DA was being threatened by the Republican supporters of Janet DiFiore, and their entire slate of candidates was being challenged and threatened with removal from the ballot, Catherine stepped forward publicly to support Anthony DiCintio’s right to run for public office. Many political observers were taken by surprise, unwilling to imagine such a high-minded and selfless gesture from someone as dedicated to a woman’s right to choose. But, having come to know and understand her dedication to fair play it seemed altogether proper to me.

Catherine, who had the courage and truthfulness to stand up to Mrs. Pirro in 2001, knowing full well that she would incur her evil wrath, selected Tony Castro who scored a perfect questionnaire, even as Pirro failed to answer several questions.

Catherine, true to her principles, and perceptive regarding the former DA’s calculated deceitfulness, has endorsed Andrew Cuomo for Attorney General. Once again she has stepped forward to fully acknowledge
and define the deception worked over the years by Jeanine Pirro, unafraid to admit that she too, on three separate occasions, was deceived and used.

It is for that kind of selfless, principle and heroic conduct that I commend Catherine Lederer-Plaskett to the people of Westchester.