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Blogs
January 5, 2011
Democratic Rebels Stage New State Senate Breakaway
The new Albany legislative session opens this morning with yet another rebellion in the ranks. This one comes from a quartet of Democratic state senators who announced this morning, with plenty of tough words, that they're moving away from their party's minority to form an "independent caucu ... More >>
Blogs
December 4, 2010
Carl Paladino Blames the Media in Slightly Batshit, Sore Loser Letter
Carl Paladino was pretty much crushed by Andrew Cuomo in the race for governor of New York, and if you thought he was going to be a gracious failed candidate then you weren't paying attention to any of the campaign. Yesterday, he sounded off about the media in a letter to political journalist ... More >>
Blogs
October 29, 2010
Carl Paladino Can't Catch a Break, Even From GOP-Loving Murdoch
Nixon's Checkers speech: Paladino needs oneThe Greater Murdoch Empire may be pumping millions into national Republican races, but it's working overtime to drive the GOP's Carl Paladino bananas. Today, the Post gives a rare tip of the Murdoch hat to Sir Rupert's much-loathed rival, the Times, ... More >>
Blogs
September 13, 2010
Eric Schneiderman Hoodwinks the New York Times (UPDATED)
Campaigns test and reveal character, and we've learned a lot about Eric Schneiderman's character that we didn't know when he launched his "reform" candidacy for attorney general. The lessons of the last few days include: --Hoodwinking the New York Times into thinking he was the anti-Cuomo ca ... More >>
Blogs
August 4, 2010
Pediatric Nurse Suspended in Connection with Paterson/Johnson Case
The NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation has suspended a pediatric nurse in connection with the investigation of the domestic violence case involving Governor Paterson and his onetime top aide, David Johnson. The aide, whose name is not being released, was suspended without pay last week, when former ... More >>
Blogs
July 7, 2010
Pedro Espada Blames Cuomo for Party Eviction Push
Ex-boxer Pedro Espada Jr. jabbed back yesterday at the push by state Democratic party officials to strip the much-investigated state senator of his party affiliation, and he aimed his toughest punches at state Democrat Number One, Andrew Cuomo. "Every aspect of this is Cuomo," the Bronx battl ... More >>
Blogs
June 8, 2010
Carl Paladino and Tom Ognibene: The All-Italian GOP Ticket
Carl Paladino, the mega-millionaire rebel from Buffalo who wants to be governor, kicks off his petition drive today to force his way into a uno-a-uno primary against official Republican party candidate Rick Lazio. And he's running on an all-Paisan Party ticket, he announced last night. In a s ... More >>
Blogs
May 20, 2010
Grand Jury Probe of Mike's Indy Party Bucks Spells a Cuomo Conundrum
The Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Capitol Tonight are all reporting -- without apparent fear of contradiction -- that a criminal grand jury has been convened to consider charges involving an Independence Party payment of $750,000 last fall to a Queens political operative. The grand jury ... More >>
Blogs
April 19, 2010
Andrew Cuomo Campaign Getting Lots of (Bad) Free Advice
When Fred Dicker of the New York Post talks, Albany listens. The tabloid's hard-punching state editor has as much or more impact on state politics these days - between his newspaper blasts and his daily radio show - as any capitol powerbroker. But Dicker's prediction in his "Inside Albany" c ... More >>
Blogs
April 19, 2010
Adolfo Carrion Reminds Us Why He's Not the Latino NY Needs for Statewide Office
No, graciasThe wrong Carrion nominated himself for lieutenant governor in this morning's Daily News. Think of Gladys Carrion, the celebrated commissioner of the New York State Office of Children & Family Services, or a host of other prominent Latinos before Adolfo Carrion, the ex-Bronx boro ... More >>
Blogs
February 19, 2010
Rudy Giuliani Cancels City Hall Appearance; Kerikphobia Suspected
Rudolph Giuliani was supposed to come to City Hall to endorse conservative Republican Michael Grimm in his race for the Staten Island Congressional nomination, but one day after announcing it, he's canceled. No reason is given, but we suspect he did not wish to be questioned by the press tha ... More >>
Blogs
January 13, 2010
Andrew Cuomo's Office: "Evidence" Espada Companies Broke Tax, Campaign Finance Laws
Attorney general Andrew Cuomo's investigation of Soundview, the medical business run by state senator Pedro Espada Jr., is getting bigger. His office released an "affirmation" by Mitra Hormozi, one of Cuomo's lawyers, which Liz Benjamin calls a "bombshell," as it alleges "extensive evidence" of va ... More >>
Blogs
January 12, 2010
Son of Governor Paterson Arrested, Later Released; Suspicious Card Said to Be Cause
Never rains but it pours: Alex Paterson (far left), 15-year-old son of our beleaguered Governor Paterson, has been questioned by police. Liz Benjamin says the boy was found shooting dice (!) near Beacon High on the Upper West Side, where he goes to school. Cops asked him about a credit or ... More >>
Blogs
January 7, 2010
Paterson Speech Reax: Papers Exult, GOP Mixed, Democrats Praise Selves
Governor Paterson follows up his program-rich State of the State speech with a round of radio interviews, which Liz Benjamin patiently follows. She finds Paterson expecting the public will respond better to his message than have Albany legislators ("So what I did, what I decided to do, is put out ... More >>
Blogs
January 4, 2010
Barrett: Harlem's Gang of Four Handicaps the Governor's Race on NY1
If you're a New York political junkie, the best entertainment of the holiday season was the sitdown Michael Scotto had last week on NY1 with the remaining members of Harlem's Gang of Four, David Dinkins, Basil Paterson and Congressman Charlie Rangel. They went on the show to laud gang leader and b ... More >>
Blogs
December 24, 2009
Holiday Greetings from Our Elected Representatives!
We were unable to send Kirsten Gillibrand a birthday card because we wouldn't put any money in it, which may explain why we didn't get her Christmas card -- 'scuse us, holiday card; these are politicians we're talking about. But the Observer reproduces it, so we're going to magnet it to our ... More >>
Blogs
November 9, 2009
Paterson Speaks: No "Gimmicks," Make the Cuts, Pass Gay Marriage
Governor Paterson spoke apocalyptically to the legislature today -- at least in terms of his own future -- and pushed for the spending cuts he expects them to start work on tomorrow. "I will mortgage my political career on this [budget deficit reduction] plan," Paterson said. "But I will not mortgag ... More >>
Blogs
November 3, 2009
12 Points Up in Monday Polls, Bloomberg Wins by 5. Was It All Just a Con?
Hang on a second. Five points? A week ago Quinnipiac had Bloomberg up 18 points. Yesterday they had him up 12 points. If the polls were anywhere near right, and the shift in their numbers reflected the rate of Thompson's gain, he should have lost by about 10 points. What happened?...
Blogs
October 27, 2009
Anti-WFP Suit Charges Debi Rose Didn't Pay Enough for Services (or At Least Not Fast Enough) [Updated]
(Update: Dan Levitan of WFP has something to say about the "discounts," below the fold.) We've mentioned Data and Field Services, the election support outfit that was criticized by the Campaign Finance Board for giving discounts -- essentially in-kind contributions -- to Working Families Party candi ... More >>
Blogs
September 2, 2009
Follow the Pedro Espada Odyssey (in Five Parts)!
Liz Benjamin finds that in 2000 Pedro Espada Jr. -- now state senate majority leader -- issued a five-part video series about himself (also available here) called "The Pedro Espada Odyssey," scored with heroic music from Superman and Chariots of Fire and advertised as "a profile of courage, c ... More >>
Blogs
August 31, 2009
Giuliani Fighting for His GOP Chairman, But To What End?
The backstage drama of the New York State GOP chairmanship battle continues! The short version is, Rudolph Giuliani is backing Henry Wojtaszek -- loyal to Giuliani, who is thought to have eyes on the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010. The front-runner is Ed Cox -- yes, Tricia Nixon's husba ... More >>
Blogs
August 24, 2009
Giuliani All Up In State GOP Power Struggle
Republicans were spreading the word today that Rudolph Giuliani was going to support state Republican chairman Joe Mondello for another term in charge of the GOP, against the challenges of Ed Cox and Henry Wojtaszek. But Liz Benjamin had heard things differently: Giuliani, she'd been told, was goin ... More >>
Blogs
August 19, 2009
Rich, Self-Financed Candidate Proposes Campaign Finance Reform
The Mike Bloomberg for Mayor campaign today unveils a proposed "CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM PLAN" and Liz Benjamin is there fast to point out that none of its strictures would apply to the Mayor, who is richer than 100 yacht clubs and whose campaign is self-financed. Also, the proposed two-year b ... More >>
Blogs
August 10, 2009
Thompson Said to Be DC 37's Choice
Looks like Bill Thompson's getting a break in his race of mayor: Liz Benjamin says he's rumored to have the DC 37 endorsement locked up. That's the city's largest municipal workers union, whose name came up last week when the city council, like the Mayor's office, followed their example by raising ... More >>
Blogs
August 4, 2009
On the Stump: Citywide Candidates' Latest Doings
Damn, August already -- and we haven't paid our rent or looked at the local candidates much besides the mayoral prospects. Here's a fast look at what contenders for three big spots have been up to lately: Manhattan D.A.: Richard Aborn appeared with former NYPD Commissioner and current LAPD C ... More >>
Blogs
July 28, 2009
Petition Probs: Jackson Back On, Gerson Still Off
Earlier today public advocate contender Bill de Blasio got the Board of Elections to overlook his misnumbered petition volumes and clear him for the Democratic primary ballot. Later in the day, we learn from Liz Benjamin, Councilmember Robert Jackson got a similar dispensation, but councilmember Ala ... More >>
Blogs
July 27, 2009
Barrett: Sharpton Scolds Maloney, and Naturally There's an Ulterior Motive
Al Sharpton's rush to issue a statement this week denouncing Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's use of the n-word in a magazine interview has once again made him a potential kingmaker. Thanks to Sharpton, Maloney may not stay in the 2010 senate race, making things easier for incumbent Kirsten Gillib ... More >>
Blogs
July 24, 2009
Bloomberg Gets Another Out-of-Town Endorsement
Mayor Bloomberg has been endorsed for reelection by the president of the New Jersey state senate and former governor, Richard Codey. While he was governor, Codey said, Bloomberg "blew me away with his intellect and his ability to cut right through the red tape, identify a solution, and go aft ... More >>
Blogs
July 14, 2009
Councilmember Martinez Resigns in Slush-Fund Scandal
The city council's slush fund -- money earmarked for no purpose but the discretionary use of its members -- has gone largely under the radar since its discovery last year, and its desultory investigation has had many targets. Now councilmember Miguel Martinez has resigned over it. Liz Benjamin repo ... More >>
Blogs
July 3, 2009
Quotes of the Week
"Jerry Brown's career serves as a four-decade testament to the idea that politics is a means to a means. " -- Steve Kornacki, "Moonbeam's Final Adventure." "If the governor had any class, he'd invite us all to the mansion for a barbecue. Failing that, I'm going to the laundromat," -- Republica ... More >>
Blogs
June 30, 2009
Coup in Review: Dems Declare Quorum Because Republican Walked Though Senate; Dems' Pledge of Allegiance Treason Unmasked!
Democrats, minus Pedro Espada, returned to the state senate chamber and called another quorum, enabling them to do business. But there are only 31 of them. How'd they work it? Liz Benjamin reports that Republican Frank Padavan walked through the chamber after the gavel, and was recorded as the 32 ... More >>
Blogs
June 23, 2009
Coup in Review: Dueling Majorities! GOP, Dem Senators Ignore Each Other in Chamber
The Republicans have joined the Democrats in the state senate chamber, where senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins has been standing at the podium since the Dems barricaded themselves in around 12:30 p.m. Liz Benjamin reports that GOP senator George Winner tried to take the podium but "one of the sergeant ... More >>
Blogs
June 18, 2009
Coup in Review: "Bipartisan" Meeting in Albany (UPDATE: Meeting Fails, Dems Go to Court)
The state senate Republicans, having rejected an earlier Democratic power-sharing proposal, have offered a plan of their own, laid out like a contract with spaces for signatures, which doesn't seem to change much of anything. Putative president pro tempore Pedro Espada is doing his bit for comity by ... More >>
Blogs
June 12, 2009
Coup in Review: Judge to Rule Monday, Dems Haggle with Monserrate, Espada Burglarized
We have to wait till Monday to see what John Law has to say about the Albany coup: in state supreme court this morning, Judge Thomas McNamara said the legal dispute between insurgent Republicans, who say they took power legally, and displaced Democrats, who contend otherwise and wish to block them, ... More >>
Blogs
June 11, 2009
Judge Blocks Espada: Court Considers Dueling Majorities Tomorrow
State senate Democrats got Appellate Division Justice Karen Peters to give them a temporary restraining order against Pedro Espada and the new state senate Republican majority. The Republicans are enjoined from doing senate business (not that they've been doing any so far), and Espada from acting as ... More >>
Blogs
June 9, 2009
Coup Update: Weird Scenes Outside the Senate Chamber
The defenestrated Dems of Albany are fighting back against the Skelos-Espada-Golisano coup -- not in the state senate chamber, which remains locked and where they were pretty useless anyhow, but with picket signs and press conferences. The Albany Times-Union reports protesters outside new senate pr ... More >>
Blogs
April 23, 2009
Wayne Barrett Channels the Mayor
Our illustrious colleague Wayne Barrett was at the New School's Center for New York City Affairs yesterday and, in the course of a Q&A, took on the personality of one of his great subjects, Mayor Bloomberg. "I just want to see if there is anybody in the audience who has a disability and a tape recor ... More >>
Blogs
April 6, 2009
Bloomberg Gets Independence, Staten Island GOP Committee Endorsements
Yesterday Michael Bloomberg received the endorsement of the New York City Independence Party, which was part of the coalition that won Bloomberg his first narrow mayoral victory in 2001. As our own Tom Robbins has pointed out, the party has a lively history; the state party has endorsed such divers ... More >>
Blogs
March 31, 2009
Tedisco-Murphy Too Close to Call
The polls have been closed for almost two hours, and the race in New York's 20th Congressional District is too close to call. National Journal has "Murphy By 80 Votes...With 1 Precinct Remaining." That makes the overseas balloting, extended till April 13, important. So will be the Republican impound ... More >>
Blogs
March 23, 2009
Press Beats Up Gov on 2005 Report, "Secret" Tax Plan (Update: Poll Numbers Worst Yet)
Governor Paterson hasn't been faring well in the press. At the end of last week the Times reported his town meetings have "erupted into displays of distress over his leadership and the direction of the state"; the Buffalo News said "Paterson tries to rebuild support after a shaky year." This mornin ... More >>
Blogs
February 27, 2009
Au Revoir Morgenthau: D.A. to Retire
Manhattan D.A. Robert Morgenthau will not run for reelection this year, says the Times. That's too bad. Morgenthau has served in the office since 1975. His skills were forged in an altogether livelier era of New York criminality, and seem not to have declined with age, as was shown in Tom Robbins' r ... More >>
Blogs
February 20, 2009
Espada Won't Pay Rent to GOP Mayor Hopeful
It's a lovely thing when two of the Voice's favorite people lock horns. State senator Pedro Espada, whose political career both on the hustings and under investigation we have much covered, is complaining that he can hardly make a living in his job outside the political arena -- head of the Soundvie ... More >>
Blogs
February 12, 2009
Liveblogging Quinn's State of the City: Cuts, Tax the Rich, Not Sales
At her upcoming State of the City speech, which she is expected to bellow at any moment, Council Speaker Christine Quinn is expected to propose an income tax hike on richer New Yorkers, says Liz Benjamin. Citizens making between $297,000 and $532,000 would see their rate rise from 3.683 percent to ... More >>
Blogs
February 10, 2009
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 >>
Blogs
January 2, 2009
Still More Elections Coming Soon
We're not done with electoral politics yet. The last round of elections left a couple of positions vacant, and special elections are pending (uncalled yet, but expected in February). When Michael McMahon was elected to Congress, he left his city council seat open, and seven candidates -- -- or i ... More >>
Blogs
January 2, 2009
Espada Still Owes $61K for Violations, Says Court
Our hero Pedro Espada, incoming state senator and linchpin of the Gang of Three blocking Malcolm Smith's dream of power, said his unpaid campaign violation fines were a "clerical error" that would be cleared up in court. An appellate court has indeed cleared it up, but not in Espada's favor. The cou ... More >>
Blogs
December 19, 2008
Monserrate Arrested in Attack on Girlfriend
Our hero Pedro Espada, incoming state senator and linchpin of the Gang of Three blocking Malcolm Smith's dream of power, said his unpaid campaign violation fines were a "clerical error" that would be cleared up in court. An appellate court has indeed cleared it up, but not in Espada's favor. The cou ... More >>
Blogs
December 4, 2008
Dems Deal -- Espada to Majority Leader?
Our hero Pedro Espada, incoming state senator and linchpin of the Gang of Three blocking Malcolm Smith's dream of power, said his unpaid campaign violation fines were a "clerical error" that would be cleared up in court. An appellate court has indeed cleared it up, but not in Espada's favor. The cou ... More >>
Blogs
December 3, 2008
Paterson Joins Crowd, Denounces Non-Diverse Judge Picks
Our hero Pedro Espada, incoming state senator and linchpin of the Gang of Three blocking Malcolm Smith's dream of power, said his unpaid campaign violation fines were a "clerical error" that would be cleared up in court. An appellate court has indeed cleared it up, but not in Espada's favor. The cou ... More >>
Columns
September 3, 2008
Daniel Squadron, The Mouthy Candidate Who Won't Talk
The young dynamo wants to beat veteran state senator Martin Connor without answering too many questions
More >>

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