Richard Ravitch

David Paterson: A Lame Duck, Sure, But Why the Lame Media Coverage?

The governor and David Johnson​It's a week since Judge Judith Kaye issued her 54-page report exonerating and damning Governor Paterson for his handling of a domestic violence case, and nothing has happened. That's news. Clemmie Harris, who admitted to Kaye that he tried to kill the complaint, ... More >>

David Paterson Vetoes His Way to Tabloid Glory

​David Paterson would have you believe that he did the only responsible thing by vetoing almost 7,000 appropriation bills passed by his former Democratic colleagues in the Legislature. He is even taking a veto victory tour, sustained by the fact that the Republican minority in the State Senate ... More >>

David Paterson Shadow-Boxes Himself; Press Awards Him TKO

​The biggest joke in Albany these days is the supposed rehabilitation of David Paterson. The New York Post kicked it off with an editorial salute on Thursday, June 17. By Monday, the Associated Press was posting a profile-in-courage hurrah, calling him "a bit of a hero in a time that despera ... More >>

Ed Koch, Richard Ravitch, Judith Kaye -- It's the Day of the Geezers!

Disgusted with boomer pols who have their thumbs up their asses, New York's old-timers are stepping up and trying to get it done. As you may have noticed, former MTA head and current Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch, 73, was given the job of announcing the new state budget plan while Governor P ... More >>

David Paterson's Poll Numbers Still Ridiculously Low

It's just due diligence at this point, but Governor Paterson's latest Quinnipiac poll numbers are as bad as ever: 21 percent job approval, 61 percent disapproval. But voters still don't want him to quit -- in fact, that number went up a little, from 46 to 50 percent in favor of Paterson toughing it ... More >>

Who's Already Benefitting from the Paterson Scandal?

​ This morning we woke up with the news that our governor might soon be having his picture taken with Terry Richardson in the near future no thanks to a New York Times story essentially explaining the various ways he's not only demonstrated his own piss-poor intimidation skills, but the piss- ... More >>

Governor Paterson Still Disinclined to Quit; Opponents Start Fluffing Richard Ravitch

Once the political establishment has gotten David Paterson not to run again, they turned their attention (as we noticed on Saturday) to getting him to quit. Paterson this morning reiterated: Nothing doing. The Andrew Cuomo probe of Paterson's alleged girl-abusing aide David Johnson doesn't affect ... More >>

Sheldon Silver Finds the Acceptable-Insults Limit for Still-Governor Paterson

It may seem these days as if our leaders may visit upon David Paterson any insult and get away with it, but apparently Sheldon Silver has tested the limits of such behavior. Today in the Daily News, the assembly speaker suggested that maybe Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch -- the governor-presump ... More >>

Hiram Monserrate to Be Expelled from the State Senate, Say Reports

​He was found guilty of attacking his girlfriend in December of 2008, and held to account by a state senate panel. Now the full senate is preparing to expel Hiram Monserrate from the chamber. Democratic members of the state senate are said by several sources to have two options in mind for ... More >>

Hiram Monserrate Expelled, 53-8

​The State Senate just voted 53-8 to expel Hiram Monserrate immediately. Eric Adams, Ruben Diaz Sr., Martin Malave Dilan, Carl Kruger, Pedro Espada Jr., Kevin Parker, John Sampson, and Monserrate himself were the only no votes; Thomas Morahan was excused. Monserrate gave the final vote and t ... More >>

Paterson Says New York's Broke, Stops Payments; Nobody Cares

​We know nobody cares, but New York State is out of money. Or so the Governor says. Governor Paterson and his budget director warned over a week ago that we were about to go into the deep red, but the legislature continued to dick around, and now the Governor announces we will end the month w ... More >>

Paterson Sets World Series Record for Dumb Cover-ups

The way it was supposed to work was that David Paterson would ride out his last days in office with something resembling statesmanlike respectability. At some point early next year, he'd take that sweet post at Columbia University, or maybe an ambassadorship in a sunny clime. The baton would pass to ... More >>

Court Rules Ravitch Not Lieutenant Governor

Yesterday's hard day of grilling for Governor Paterson's legal team gave us a feeling this was coming: A four-judge Appellate Division panel has ruled that Paterson had no right to install Richard Ravitch as Lieutenant Governor. The court's ruling agrees with Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's readin ... More >>

Paterson's Lawyers Grilled on Ravitch Appointment

Last month Governor Paterson's team of lawyers were confident that, despite Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's cavils, Public Officers Law 43 made it perfectly Constitutional for the Governor to install Richard Ravitch as Lieutenant Governor. But Paterson's team had rough sledding at a hearing yesterd ... More >>

Court: Ravitch is Lt. Gov.! (But Can't Run Senate, Pending More Hearings)

We figured the courts, which last week temporarily allowed Richard Ravitch to be Lieutenant Governor pending further lawyering, would either give him a permanent thumbs-up or thumbs-down this week. After all, the Republican case against Ravitch's appointment to LG is Constitutional; either he can b ... More >>

Cheek, in Review: 7 Days of Runnin' Scared

  Twitpic by tedsink. Last weekend's Siren Festival left many of us groggy, and a good thing too, as the week that followed was best seen in soft focus. President Obama and Henry Louis Gates were the comedy team of the week. Mayor Bloomberg, angry about the way mayoral school control ... More >>

Ravitch is Lt. Gov.! (Till Monday, When The Case Resumes)

All hail Lt. Gov. Ravitch! The forces of Governor David Paterson went last night to an appellate court, where Judge L. Priscilla Hall "temporarily reinstated" Richard Ravitch at New York's Lieutenant Governor by stopping the restraining order Dean Skelos and Pedro Espada won from a Nassau County cou ... More >>

Judge Blocks "Lt. Gov." Ravitch From Doing Anything; Paterson Appeals

After deliberating since Wednesday, Judge William R. LaMarca thinks there's a "likelihood of success on the merits for their claim that neither the Constitution nor legislative enactment authorized the governor to make the appointment," and so has approved a request to bar Richard Ravitch from perfo ... More >>

Siena Poll: Everything Sucks

The new Siena Poll asks voters about the recent state senate coup and, understandably, very few of the respondents think it was great for New York. Despite the grand promises of the coupmasters, 55 percent of respondents doubted that reform would result from the exercise. The senate has a miserable ... More >>

Cheek, in Review: 7 Days of Runnin' Scared

The Sotomayor hearings commenced with protesters. Chuck Schumer did his bit. Lindsey Graham copped out, or so the rightwingers said -- so he hassled Sonia on her temperament. Jeff Sessions tried to get cute. A rightwing Representative and a "flaming liberal" discussed the case amicably. Finally ... More >>

Trump's Ravitch Attack: The Back Story

Anyone wondering about the real source of Donald Trump's venom for newly-minted lieutenant governor Richard Ravitch might want to take a peek in the city's back pages. Trump's blast at Ravitch made state-wide news Monday when he gave New York Post political editor Fred Dicker a copy of his two- ... More >>

Judge Postpones Decision on Legality of Ravitch's Lt. Gov Appointment

For those of you who were wondering how the judge would rule today on Governor Paterson's appointment of Richard Ravitch to Lieutenant Governor -- congratulations! You are an informed, aware citizen! Now to your news: the judge postponed his decision and did not say when he'd give it. State Supreme ... More >>

Times: Paterson Will Name a Lt. Governor in Tonight's Speech (UPDATE: Is It Ravitch?)

Fudge. The New York Times has a source that says Governor David Paterson is indeed going to name a Lieutenant Governor in his 5 p.m. speech. The move, as previously mentioned, is constitutionally controversial, at least to the state's attorney general, but we guess Paterson got sick of Andrew "How's ... More >>

Chief Exec Sander Leaving MTA

Less than 24 hours after Albany passed its MTA bailout package, MTA chief executive Elliot "Lee" Sander has resigned. In an interview with WPIX, he did not dispute the assertion that Governor Paterson requested his resignation. The Governor told WNYC earlier that the MTA is in need of a shakeup. ("D ... More >>

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Bloomberg Appointee Resigns After Slurring Mexicans

It's Cinco de Mayo, and while Mayor Mike Bloomberg is basking in (more!) endorsements from Mexican community leaders today, one of his appointees has just resigned over slurs she made against Mexicans. In response to the swine flu outbreak, Betsy Perry, a member of Bloomberg's prestigious Commissi ... More >>

Mike "Mad as Hell" Bloomberg Forgot to Phone Albany

Remember last month when Mayor Mike Bloomberg was really really angry over the state legislature's failure to deal with soaring MTA fare hikes? When he wanted us all to call up and, in our best Peter Finch "Network" imitation rant, tell those rascals in Albany that "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not goin ... More >>

Vanguard of the Senate Revolution

When no one else will, Kruger and Espada battle on behalf of the people

Tuesday's Headlines: Ruth Madoff fighting Bernie's victims for 'her' $62 million

[HARKAVY is now blogging at The Smart Asset]Your Tuesday New York headlines...Ruth Madoff fights her husband's victims to keep their hands off $62 million she stashed away.Ex-Islanders owners accused of mini-Madoff scheme, stealing $554 million, whine to judge they'll starve if assets are frozen.Rap ... More >>

Mayor, on Budget, Wants Labor Givebacks, Albany Ed Money

The Mayor gave a press conference on his budget, and talked about how he hopes to fill a $4 billion gap with concessions from labor on pensions, wages and health care, and a reversal of the Governor's proposed cuts to the city's education budget. Governor Paterson has asked that the state withhold ... More >>

MTA Plan: Corporate Tax, Bridge Tolls, "Automatic" But Lower Fare Hikes

Obama Conjures the Kennedys in Jersey City

Three points short in New Hampshire, Barack is still coming strong

Bloomberg: Some of Koch's Style, None of His Resolve

Stopping a Stadium

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

Stadium Fear Factor

Many builders dislike the West Side stadium. Only one says so out loud.

History Lesson

West Side stories

Blank Check for Hudson Yards

Hidden costs to the public of Bloomberg's West Side dreams

Terminal Solution

Doctoroff's Developer Pal Lands a Deal in The Bronx

Getting Better All the Time

Inside New York's Quiet Success Stories

Zero at Ground Zero

City Leaves Key Tribeca Project Unprotected Against Speculators

2000 Village Voice Sportswriters' Poll Results

The Century in Sports

The Eighth Annual Village Voice Sportswriters' Poll

Sports Journalist of the Year