MORE 'CLUB RED' POLS
THOUGHT CUBA TRIP LEGIT
By DAVID ANDREATTA and KENNETH LOVETT
JERROLD NADLERLetter of support.
April 18, 2007 --
Two more elected officials said yesterday they wrote letters of support on behalf of the Manhattan public high-school students who traveled to Cuba this month - but said they did so believing the trip was properly authorized.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler and City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who represent the Upper West Side district in which the Beacon School resides, penned letters prior to the April 1-10 trip applauding its educational merit.
A spokesman for Nadler cast his note as "a generic support letter" sent at the request of the chaperone teacher, Nathan Turner. He said it was along the same lines as any other letter Nadler might write on behalf of "a bona fide educational endeavor."
"However, it is possible that the trip may have been misrepresented to our staff as having been both school-sponsored, as it apparently had been in past years, and properly licensed," said the spokesman, Shin Inouye.
Meanwhile, Gov. Spitzer defended his lieutenant governor's letter of reference, reported exclusively in yesterday's Post, saying David Paterson acted appropriately "based on his understanding" of the situation.
Paterson wrote extolling the kids as "student ambassadors" before Turner and two parents led about a dozen of the high-schoolers to the communist nation. He has since said he was assured that all the required federal travel licenses had been obtained.
"I am persuaded that whatever David did was appropriate based on his understanding of where things were," Spitzer said, adding that he had no plans to investigate the matter.
At a press conference with the governor, Paterson expressed concern that the students violated a federal travel ban, but added that he believes educational trips to the communist country should be allowed.
david.andreatta@nypost.com
Rep. Jerrold Nadler and City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who represent the Upper West Side district in which the Beacon School resides, penned letters prior to the April 1-10 trip applauding its educational merit.
A spokesman for Nadler cast his note as "a generic support letter" sent at the request of the chaperone teacher, Nathan Turner. He said it was along the same lines as any other letter Nadler might write on behalf of "a bona fide educational endeavor."
"However, it is possible that the trip may have been misrepresented to our staff as having been both school-sponsored, as it apparently had been in past years, and properly licensed," said the spokesman, Shin Inouye.
Meanwhile, Gov. Spitzer defended his lieutenant governor's letter of reference, reported exclusively in yesterday's Post, saying David Paterson acted appropriately "based on his understanding" of the situation.
Paterson wrote extolling the kids as "student ambassadors" before Turner and two parents led about a dozen of the high-schoolers to the communist nation. He has since said he was assured that all the required federal travel licenses had been obtained.
"I am persuaded that whatever David did was appropriate based on his understanding of where things were," Spitzer said, adding that he had no plans to investigate the matter.
At a press conference with the governor, Paterson expressed concern that the students violated a federal travel ban, but added that he believes educational trips to the communist country should be allowed.
david.andreatta@nypost.com
