Betsy Gotbaum

Daniel Squadron Is The Loneliest Candidate

He's running for public advocate (it's the race without a sex scandal)

Election Day 2009: 6 Losers to Watch!

It's Election Day and, this being New York, no surprises are expected. As Runnin' Scared has no influence to peddle, we can afford to be brutally honest about this. The Mayor's reelection is treated as a foregone conclusion and, down-ticket, the Democrats are expected to romp (except in Staten Islan ... More >>

De Blasio, Zablocki, Socialist Debate for Dozens

​No one else seems to be doing it, so let's see what 26-year-old Alex Zablocki (pictured) -- Tea Party person and Republican candidate for Public Advocate -- has been up to. He debated Democrat Bill de Blasio and Socialist Maura Deluca Monday, which didn't get much attention: In fact, Downtown ... More >>

Bloomie's Batting Average Called Into Question by Thompson

​By Lucy Jordan and Grace Smith City Comptroller Bill Thompson yesterday released an audit criticizing the Department of Small Business Services for its lousy record of awarding contracts to businesses owned by women and minorities. At a press conference outside City Hall, Thompson said tha ... More >>

Primary Culler: Green Leads in Public Advocate Race, But Can He Dodge a Runoff?

​Mark Green was the first New York City public advocate -- a sort of Mayoral VP and public busybody -- and, after a two-term interregnum by Betsy Gotbaum, he looks good to become the third. But it's not such a sure thing as it once looked. When Green announced for the race he actually scared ... More >>

Stung for His $1.5M, Thompson Wants Investigation of $1.5M (and More) Bloomberg Gave to Non-Profits

Bill Thompson, the Democratic mayoral front-runner, needed to raise a quarter mil to qualify for federal matching funds at a six-to-one ratio. He didn't make it, says the New York City Campaign Finance Board. So he missed out on around $1.5 million. (His people are confident he'll qualify at the nex ... More >>

Gotbaum Hits Cuts to Her Office As "Payback from Speaker Quinn"

Because the Mayor talks about "belt tightening" and "sacrifice" when he cuts the budget, and you never hear from the civil servants who get those cuts in the neck, you might get the impression that they heroically and uncomplainingly shoulder their burden like good soldiers. Therefore it is both r ... More >>

Manhattan D.A. Endorsements: McCall for Vance, Koch for Snyder

In endorsements for the Manhattan D.A.'s race, as we noted before, it's been all about Richard Aborn. But the other candidates are starting to grab some big names, too. Cyrus Vance Jr. has just added former state comptroller and gubernatorial candidate Carl McCall to his roster, which includes David ... More >>

Free Burgers for Cabbies at Ben & Jack's Today

We didn't know Taxi Appreciation Day was a Thing -- we never see cards for it at the Hallmark store -- but it apparently is celebrated yearly on various days in various jurisdictions. For example, the Mayor of Toronto declared one on June 9, 2003; Syracuse had one by mayoral proclamation last June 1 ... More >>

Early D.A. Endorsements: Cops, Clubs, Pols, and Judge Judy

At PolitickerNY, Azi Paybarah sees Manhattan D.A. candidate Richard Aborn pursuing an "Early-Endorsement Strategy." His office certainly sends out plenty such notices: in the past few weeks we've been alerted to his endorsements by the Broadway Democrats and the Gramercy Stuyvesant Independent Democ ... More >>

Quick Hits

Well, it is a nice shot, but $329,000 is a little over our standard freelance rate. Best of luck, Luis Caldera. Great medical PR headline of the day: "Overeating to blame for U.S. obesity epidemic." The face transplant lady still loves her husband, who shot her face off. Brownsville Recreation C ... More >>

Cheek, in Review: 7 Days of Runnin' Scared

President Obama came down on the credit card companies. They're still trying to hang the socialist and elitist raps on him, but they don't seem to be sticking. Mayor Bloomberg got mad as hell about the MTA fare hike -- but didn't bother to tell his friends in Albany. His "Puppets for Educational ... More >>

DA Candidates Debate; Vance Has Gotbaum, Edge

We're getting close enough to elections that local political clubs are sizing up candidates. We covered a VID club meet-and-grill earlier, at which Manhattan DA candidate Leslie Crocker Snyder defended her evolution on the death penalty. The subject came up again at last night's debate among the can ... More >>

Most Public Advocate Candidates Not Sweating Mark Green

Mark Green is getting a surprisingly friendly reception to the Public Advocate's race. The current PA, Betsy Gotbaum, who will not compete in this year's race, responds, "It doesn't surprise me that the field of strong candidates for the Public Advocate's race continues to grow. I believe that is a ... More >>

Staten Island's Molinari to Sue Over Term Limits

Stringer Won't Run for Advocate, Seeks Re-Election as Beep

Gotbaum Rates the STD Clinics: Chelsea's the Worst

Willets Plan Approved But Opponents Hang In

Bill Opening Workplaces to Bikes is a Lock, Says Sponsor

Midday Mashup: Shooting, Stabbing, Suing, Etc.

Carrión to Run for Comptroller in 2009

Death Takes a Holiday

On Thanksgiving eve, a community mourns alone for yet another victim of a police shooting

Phoenix Police Release New Gotbaum Video and Husband's Calls

Phoenix Cops Release Gotbaum Airport Footage

Analyzing the Gotbaum Police Report

Mystery Surrounds Gotbaum Airport Death

Public Advocate Gotbaum Calls For Phoenix Death Probe

Tenants and Landlord Hit Pinnacle of a Dispute

Norm on the Verdict

It's Raining Endorsements

Campaigns Get Clubbed

Joe Hynes & the Crash Family Cash

Save This Office

If Betsy Gotbaum wins another term, we may lose our only advocate

Is Gotbaum Master of Her Domain?

Mayor's Death Is Debatable

Letters

Finding Your Voice

Candidates for Public Advocate clash over job description

Stopping a Stadium

Heroes had different motives, but they shared scorn for the Jets deal

School's Out. Food's Where?

Law and Order

Will a constitutional challenge finally end the cabaret law?

Letters

The Puppet Chancellor

Joel Klein claimed that the axed 'social promotion' dissenters resigned. This was a lie.

Vote Yes for Nonpartisan Elections

Bloomberg's Proposal Is Better Than Our Sham System

For the Children—Klein Should Resign

Where Was the UFT? And the Principals’ Union?

Merit Mike Makes Hard Choices

Bloomy Champions Services, Rejects No-Tax-Hike Orthodoxy

Who’ll Advocate for the Public?

A Dramatic Contrast in Candidates

Landlords Vote With Bucks

Where the Real Estate Dollars Are Going

Imagining the Public Advocate

Five Visions for a Young Office

Letters

The Curse

Why No Woman Is Running for Mayor