A retired city firefighter who wants to lead his union has posted a slew of racist, sexist and anti-Semitic rants on his Facebook page – including one in which he calls an Orthodox couple who lost seven children in a Brooklyn fire “dirty bastards.”
“7 kids dead and mom and dad alive? Dirty bastards,” Kenny Specht wrote of Gayle and Gabriel Sassoon on March 21, 2015, just hours after a blaze spread through their Midwood home, killing all but one of their eight children.
Specht, a 9/11 respondent who was a major proponent of the Zadroga Act and a Jon Stewart favorite – also routinely jeers African-Americans.
“I’ll see your black power sign and raise you one proud white power unapologetic male! Power on!” he spews in one rant.
He also raged against Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro, writing in July 2015, “Amazing the level of reverse discrimination against white males currently taking place in Nigro’s fire dept.”
Brooklyn community leader Isaac Abraham, who helped the Sassoons after their family was wiped out, said he is appalled at Specht’s postings.
“I really don’t know how such an idiotic and racist man could run for dog-catcher, let alone to represent firefighters,” he said.
Specht, 47, announced his intention to run for the Uniformed Firefighters Association’s top job in a flier posted on Facebook in January – but it remains to be determined if his name will be allowed to be written on the ballot this week for the March 1 election.
In a statement to The Post on Monday, the UFA said it was “disturbing” that any member of the brotherhood would publicly post racist and anti-Semitic statements.
“The commentary that appears to be attributed to a retired firefighter is disturbing and shameful. We condemn this language, and by no means do these viewpoints represent the culture and mindset of the Uniformed Firefighters Association,” the union said.
But Specht indicated to The Post that he is trying to keep his hat in the race.
“I am prohibited from speaking to the media,” he said in a text message. “No member running for any position may use the media to further a campaign.”
Specht retired about eight years ago and said he was subsequently diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
TV comedian Stewart hosted Specht when he starred on “The Daily Show” and then featured him again in December at a roundtable about first-responder health insurance.
Specht, a resident of Long Island, posted most of the offensive rants in 2015 but never removed them. He has been relatively quiet on social media for the past year.
A cousin of Gayle Sassoon, who continues to live in Brooklyn with her remaining daughter, vowed to crush Specht’s candidacy.
“Shame on you, Kenny,” Heather Sallas told The Post. “You will never, ever be in a position of power, I will make sure of that.”
Additional reporting by Melkorka Licea
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