Robert E. Jackson

City Can (But Won't) Play Its Part in Bus Strike

We're damn-near a month into the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181's bus-driver and matron strike, and the city is still pretending like it doesn't have everything to do with why this mess continues to drag-on. The union, politicians and parents are begging the city to at least come to the table ... More >>

City Council Drills Mayor's Lawyer On NYPD Reform

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly didn't attend Wednesday's City Council hearing to discuss a raft of bills aimed at reining his department. In fact, no one from the NYPD showed up to the meeting. The only person the Bloomberg administration did send to testify on the bills was mayoral counsel Michael ... More >>

Maria Montealegre Finds Shelter (Sort of), Public Advocate, Councilmember Robert Jackson Say Help Is On Its Way (Update)

"The whole marshal encounter was surreal," Andres Mares Muro said about Maria Montealegre's eviction that went down late afternoon this past Monday. "She vomited afterwards, her kids wept lots." Muro, a former staff member of the Mirabal Sisters Cultural and Community Center in Hamilton Heights, h ... More >>

Maria Montealegre Evicted Today, a Lot of "Community," But Little Help

Maria Montealegre, the tenant at 1985 Amsterdam Avenue who was assaulted by her landlord and evicted after helping organize neighbors, has been evicted today. A marshal showed up roughly around 4 p.m. this afternoon, leaving 95 percent of her, and her family's, belongings on the sidewalk. A bevy o ... More >>

City Council Presses Dept. of Education Officials on Controversial Co-Location Policy

After fielding criticisms earlier this week about the city's policy of shutting down failing schools, Mayor Mike Bloomberg and the Department of Education took heat yesterday for the city's frequent practice of co-locating multiple schools in the same building. At an Education Committee hearing yes ... More >>

City Council: Dept. of Education Has Failed To Secure Needed Medicaid Revenue

Members of the City Council grilled officials from the Department of Education for nearly three hours this morning about its failure to secure tens of millions of dollars in Medicaid revenue owed to the city. The joint hearing of the council's finance and education committees today was sparked by r ... More >>

Stop-and-Frisk Critics Unite Under One Police Reform Campaign

​Criticism of the New York Police Department's stop-and-frisk practices have come from a wide range of elected officials and advocacy groups across the city. Now, in an effort to bolster the campaign for increased police accountability, dozens of organizations are joining forces under the umbr ... More >>

Public School Students Take Break From Winter Break to Criticize Mayor

Public school students from across the city rallied this afternoon inside a room in a New York University building -- calling on the mayor and the Department of Education to do a better job of preparing minority and low-income students for college. When Runnin' Scared first showed up to the rally, ... More >>

Scott Stringer's State of the Borough Address: Reclaim City For Middle and Working Class

In the land of politics, it's that wonderful time of the year when we opine about the state of things. Last month, President Obama talked about the state of the country, Governor Cuomo discussed the state of New York state, and Mayor Bloomberg chatted about the state of the Big Apple. Last night, ... More >>

Mayor's Budget: No Tax Increases and No Layoffs of Teachers, Police Officers, or Firefighters

Announcing the city's annual budget today, Mayor Mike Bloomberg said he would not be increasing taxes and he would not be laying off teachers, police officers, or firefighters. He said it multiple times. Runnin' Scared, watching a live feed of his announcement, counted at least three times. Can you ... More >>

Report Gives Mike Bloomberg's Polemic School Closure Policy an 'F'

​A new report released last week comes down hard on the mayor's record of shutting down schools that aren't performing well. Mike Bloomberg and the Deptartment of Education can add it to the list of grievances and criticisms that have been thrown at them so far this year (He demonizes teachers ... More >>

Preparing Students for College Is Kind of a New Thing, Education Officials Say

A City Council hearing today brought together key players in city education policy to discuss how to improve the college-readiness of public students. If only everyone could fit in the room. Runnin' Scared begged as crowds of hopeful attendees were shepherded into an additional viewing room. Eve ... More >>

Parading While Black

After the arrest of a City Councilman, isn't it time to question the NYPD's crooked math?

Cathie Black, Schools Chancellor: Liked by Nobody. (Updated)

​Mayor Bloomberg's announcement last week appointing Hearst executive Cathie Black as the city's new schools chancellor drew a lot of skepticism -- and ire -- from critics who think the magazine publisher isn't qualified enough (or...at all) for running the city's public schools. Last week, a stat ... More >>

They All Look Alike: Daily News, Minority Politicians Division

​ "Throw the Bums Out!" is the lead battle cry of the front page of the Daily News' Web site this morning, and it has pix of those rascals we should all be voting against today -- a quartet of black and Hispanic politicians: state senators Pedro Espada, Kevin Parker, Assemblyman Adriano Espail ... More >>

NYC Media Stonewalls Council on Hiring Questions

Jumaane Williams​Part of the ritual of every City Council hearing is the "we'll get back to you" response by city officials on the hot seat who are stuck for an answer. That was the steady refrain more than two months ago when the two top officials of NYC Media, the city's TV station (yes, the ... More >>

With Thompson Done, Union People Consider Their Options

Photo (cc) eliotwb. By Steve Patrick Ercolani. As a crowded elevator car ascended to the third floor of the Hilton on Sixth Avenue Tuesday night, a campaign aide informed former Democratic mayoral nominee Fernando Ferrer that WCBS wanted an interview. "It seems like just yesterday I was at the W ... More >>

de Blasio Petition Crisis Settled; Gerson (and now Jackson!) Still Waiting

The petition problems of Bill de Blasio (pictured) have been settled with the Board of Elections and he's back on the Democratic primary ballot for the public advocate nomination. No word yet about councilmember Alan Gerson, whose petition rejection we announced earlier and whose case is supposed to ... More >>

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 >>

Pols Stand With Sikhs Against MTA's Forced Branding of Turbans

On Tuesday several city councilmembers signed a letter of protest against an MTA policy that requires Sikh workers to have the MTA logo sewn into their turbans. In 2005 the council filed but never enacted a bill that would prevent city agencies from making employees "comply with a uniform code tha ... More >>

Bloomberg and the Teachers' Union

It's (almost) summertime, and the Mayor's campaigning is easy. So easy, he can roll over the union this time—and should.

Candidates for Council, Comptroller, DA Pitch at VID

Democratic candidates for city council seats in districts 1, 2, and 3, district attorney, and comptroller came to the Village Independent Democrats last night to make their cases, under strict time limits and with screened questioning, for the venerable club's endorsement. In District 1: Pete Gle ... More >>

Bloomberg's Term-Limits Coup: Heroes, Villains, and Wimps

Brutal brawling in the first throwdown of the 2009 elections

Liveblogging the Term Limits Vote Part II (Referendumania! Amendment Defeated)

Considering the War-Crimes Trial of the Bush Administration

Who will lead Bush's defense team—Rudy Giuliani?

Back to School With Ray Kelly's Bullies on Patrol

Another fall begins with the Police Commissioner's henchmen in control

Harlem Residents Blast 125th Street Rezoning 'Sellout'

Michael Mukasey and the Ghost of Alberto Gonzales

Hermann Göring got a fair trial at Nuremberg. But not Gitmo prisoners.

Robert Jackson to Audience: "Shut Up"

Manhattan DA: Sub-prime Double Standard is 'Un-American'

Columbia Expansion Gets Uglier

Three board members resigned last week in a sign the fight is only getting nastier

Shooting Rally: Public Enemy No. 1?

Contract Killer: Laughs & Legal Threats

Pricing the Pols: How Much for a Beep?

The 2005 Wacko Awards

With everyone chasing a Bloombucks bonus, only the most craven can win

Bill Thompson Wins!!

FBI Turned Loose

Privacy rights may disappear if a new Senate Intelligence Committee bill passes

East Flatbush Dustup

Asbestos-Infested School is Exhibit A in Maintenance Battle Between Union and Educrats

Domestic Disturbance

Rally Pushes City Hall to Pass Equal Benefits Bill

Close-Up on Hudson Heights

Bush's Vanished Prisoner

He Wonders Whether He Will See the Light of Day Again

A Paucity of Choices

Few Challengers, and Fewer Issues, in Council Races

Purple-Shirt Politics

Passage of Displaced-Workers Bill Is Victory for 32B-J

God Is Not in the Constitution

The Government Cannot Endorse Any or All Religions

Close-Up On: Sugar Hill

The Patriotism Enforcers

Miseducating the Young on Freedom

Getting Back Our Rights

Don’t Brood and Despair. Organize!

The Council Votes for Chaos

Shown the Door, Term-Limited Pols Slap City in the Face

Human Shields For Clinton

Interventionist Liberals Sanction a Jingoistic War

Rehnquist's Glass House

The man who will preside over Clinton's trial has veracity issues of his own