Runners participating in the 2011 NYC Marathon. (Photo: Getty)

An anonymous person claiming to be a New York City Marathon worker who represents "a handful" of other race staffers has distributed a letter asking for the event to be cancelled in light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy. In the letter, which was given to David Segal of the Long Island Progressive Coalition in the hopes they would distribute it, the author says the New York Road Runners club, which hosts the race, is sitting on a vast amount of supplies that could be used to help aid storm victims. The letter also claims police and first responders will be "pulled away from their jobs to staff the marathon."

"Who could provide more assistance in this time of need than an organization like the New York Road Runners, who, in preparing for the marathon have amassed tens of thousands of bottles of water, apples, bags of nuts, pounds of pasta, medical blankets, and ponchos. Not to mention the scores of staff and volunteers, the trucks, the generators, etc," the letter says. "Except for maybe the police and first responders who will be pulled away from their jobs to staff the marathon."

Update (5:15 p.m.): NBC News is reporting the race will be cancelled. 

Update (5:33 p.m.): And it's confirmed, Mayor Michael Bloomberg released a statement announcing his decision to cancel the race.

The author of the letter, who said they wish to remain anonymous to protect their job, provided Mr. Segal with copies of internal documents that appear to be legitimate and a picture of their staff ID with their name and photo covered to prove they work for the race. They said they are being supported by several co-workers. This evidence was shown to Politicker though we have not been able to independently verify this author of the letter works for the race.

"I work for the New York City Marathon and have for the better part of a decade. I believe that the marathon should be cancelled," the letter begins. "I originally started writing this on my own, but have since been supported by a handful of colleagues, and many more of my colleagues and support staff have privately confided their sentiment that the marathon should be cancelled. You can see it in their downtrodden faces and hear it in their back room grumblings."

A growing number of local elected officials have asked for the race to be cancelled or postponed due to the storm. Reuters just reported city officials are meeting this evening to discuss whether to go on with the race.

However, thus far, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has remained steadfast in his position the marathon will not divert needed resources and will bring revenue and charitable donations to the city. In a press conference this afternoon, the mayor said the Road Runners Club has promised to make a $1 million donation to the relief effort and could give up to $2 million if the race goes on because runners who participate have been asked to contribute one dollar for each mile they run. In the letter, the author blasts Road Runners CEO Mary Wittenberg and the race sponsors asking why they're not willing to make donations and cancel the race as well.

In the morning when I wake up, I fight my guilt at going to work, but know that I have to to pay the rent. I turn on the TV and there is our CEO, Mary Wittenberg touting the determination of the New York Road Runners and the 2 million dollars being donated to the relief effort on behalf of the marathon," the letter says. "Are canceling the marathon and donating to the relief effort mutually exclusive? If the NYC Marathon were not run, would NYRR, ING and the Rudin family not donate to relief efforts? If so, they are not New Yorkers. They are not even human."

The author of the letter also addressed the concerns of runners who have spend months preparing for the race.

"We are told to think of the runners, and the months that they spent training. Or the months of effort that we all put in to putting the marathon together," the letter says. "What about the people in Staten Island, or Breezy Point, who spent a lifetime putting together a home for themselves and their families who now have nothing? What about those with dead and missing loved ones, friends, and neighbors? Don't they deserve to be thought of? Isn't the pain that they are feeling worse than the disappointment that will be felt by runners and staff if the marathon is cancelled?"

The letter concludes with the author saying they believe continuing with the race as planned is simply "wrong."

"I feel bad writing this. I have seen friends and coworkers work incredibly hard this year and in years past to put this event together," the letter says. "But for me, that is all gone. This is wrong. As an employee of New York Road Runners, a New Yorker, a runner, and a person I firmly believe that holding this race is wrong."

We have reached out to New York Road Runners for comment, but they were not immediately available to comment.

Read the full text of the letter below:

Ydanis Rodriguez

David Segal, the controversial Council aide who was abruptly fired and then rehired after it was revealed he spent six months in prison for torching an army recruitment facility has been fired once again. Mr. Segal said he heard the news via a letter delivered to him as he was at work in Councilman Rodriguez's legislative office in the Council building on 250 Broadway.

"Six hours after I reported to work, after Councilman Rodriguez re-hired me, I was then re-fired by a letter from Councilman Rodriguez delivered to me by the chief of staff," Mr. Segal said. "I will be coming out with a public statement on Monday which will bring a number of facts to light that haven't been made public up to this point."

According to sources in Mr. Rodriguez's office, the councilman reversed his decision to re-hire Mr. Segal because he became "spooked" after seeing a Tweet from NY1 contributor Gerson Borrero. The Tweet in question criticized Mr. Rodriguez for giving Mr. Segal his job back.

Mr. Rodriguez confirmed he fired Mr. Segal with a letter this afternoon.

"Today, I gave a letter to David Segal where I thanked him for the hard work and dedication during the months of services in my office and in my community," Mr. Rodriguez said. "I also let him know in that letter that his services were no longer needed in my office."

Some legal experts have suggested it may have been a violation of employment discrimination laws to fire Mr. Segal in the first place. Mr. Rodriguez defended his right to fire his former spokesman.

"I acted with the rights that I have as a Council member," he said. "It's at the discretion of the Council member to hire or to stop the services of their staff."

Mr. Rodriguez declined to discuss the matter further.

Update (5:16 pm): Here's a photo of the letter Mr. Segal received from Mr. Rodriguez.

Update (6:01 pm): Mr. Rodriguez contacted us with an additional statement.

"Besides giving him the letter, I terminated David because he betrayed my trust by not telling me the circumstances of his arrest in 2005," he said.

Peter Vallone Jr.

Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. is not happy that he and controversial Council aide David Segal will be working in the same building again. Mr. Segal is back in the office of Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez after he was initially fired when the news broke that he served time in federal prison for attempting to torch an Army recruitment center in the Bronx in 2005.

"I didn't think it was possible for this episode to get more embarassing, but it just did," Mr. Vallone told The Politicker.

Mr. Segal was contrite when the news of his old arrest first resurfaced.

"I had and continue to have a firm belief that the war in Iraq is unjust. I have a strong set of values based on social justice," he said. "I apologize to anyone I might have disappointed and to those who might not agree with my past."

However, that answer hasn't satisfied Mr. Vallone, because Mr. Segal did not specifically say he was sorry for his actions or whether he was willing to renounce violence.

"I understand redemption and forgiveness, but he hasn't even started the process," he said. "He needs to beg forgiveness of our soldiers and police force, none of which he's done yet, and then the Council could consider rehiring him."

Some legal experts have suggested Mr. Segal's firing may have been a violation of job discrimination laws because he initially he had committed a felony when he got the job as Mr. Rodriguez's spokesman last year. Mr. Vallone doesn't believe that's the case because Mr. Segal reportedly called the officers who arrested him "pigs" in an online rant posted after the incident.

"You don't have to hire someone if the conviction has a direct connection to their job," Mr. Vallone said. "In case people don't notice, we have direct oversight on the NYPD and he called the officers 'pigs' when he was arrested. So, that's a direct enough connection for me."

Mr. Rodriguez has not responded to multiple requests for comment on this story.

Ydanis Rodriguez

David Segal, who was abruptly fired as Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez's spokesman following the revelation he served time in federal prison for attempting to torch an Army recruitment center in the Bronx seven years ago, has been re-hired. Sources tell The Politicker Mr. Segal's precise duties are still being determined, but he is back at a desk in the Council building at 250 Broadway. 

Mr. Segal served six months in federal prison after he was arrested for making a pre-dawn attempt to throw a burning rag into the recruiting office, which was closed at the time. The doors on the building were jammed with glue and he was reportedly clad in rubber gloves and carrying maps of the recruitment center and a note vowing a "wave of violence" directed at the "military industrial complex" would occur throughout the Northeast as a response to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The New York Post revealed the details of Mr. Segal's old conviction in a story published last Friday that branded Mr. Segal "terrorist in City Hall." Within a few hours, Mr. Rodriguez said Mr. Segal had been "relieved from my staff." The Fortune Society, a group that focuses on rehabilitating prison inmates suggested his dismissal "may violate state law" against discriminatory hiring practices.

As of this writing, Mr. Rodriguez has not responded to a request for comment on this story. Mr. Segal also declined to comment.

Ydanis Rodriguez (Photo: New York City Council)

Ydanis Rodriguez told The Politicker he is getting rid of his spokesman, David Segal, after the New York Post published a story revealing Mr. Segal spent six months in federal prison and four months on house arrest after attempting to burn down an army recruitment center in The Bronx.

"He is a very hardworking person during the time that he's been in my office," Mr. Rodriguez said. "I didn't know about any crime that he did or that he spent time in jail in the past and he's being relieved from my staff."

Mr. Segal, 26, was 19-years-old at the time of his crime. The New York Times published an account of his arrest when it first occurred. According to the Times, Mr. Segal was arrested "before dawn" after he "threw a burning rag into an Army recruiting station that was closed for the night in the Parkchester section of the Bronx, and jammed the door locks with powerful glue." At the time of his arrest, the police said Mr. Segal was  "wearing rubber gloves ... carrying a backpack with glue and maps locating the recruiting station" and "a handwritten note declaring that a 'wave of violence' would occur throughout the Northeast ... aimed at the 'military industrial complex' in response to American military actions."

Mr. Segal, who began working for Mr. Rodriguez last March, told us he noted he had been convicted of a crime on his job application, but did not provide additional specifics.

"I checked off that I was convicted of a crime," he said.

Mr. Segal told us the incident came out of his opposition to the Iraq War and that he believes he's since found "other ways" to express his "committiment to social justice."

"I've always had a strong commitment to social justice and, in 2005, I disagreed with the Iraq War and I continue to disagree with the Iraq War today," he said. 'I've found other ways that I think I can give back to society and advocate for working and middle class people, specifically when it comes to housing or jobs and education in the city."

Mr. Segal told us he believes he made a positive contirbution to the City through his work with Mr. Rodriguez.

"I think I've added something positive to the city while I've been doing that," he said. "I apologize to anybody who is disappointed in me in light of all this and to anyone who disagrees with my past."