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Archive for April, 2010
Schroeder Goes After Silver
Apr 29th - 9:01 pm
Assemblyman Mark Schroeder, a Western New York Democrat, is criticizing his conference leader, Speaker Sheldon Silver, for his decision to not support a plan that would help the University at Buffalo and other SUNY schools expand.
The Significance of the Straw Poll
Apr 29th - 9:00 pm
This weekend, members of the Democratic Rural Conference will gather in Niagara Falls to conduct a straw poll of the candidates running for statewide office. The results of the secret vote are non-binding, but significant. The DRC has been compared to the New Hampshire primary in the presidential race. Candidates who receive the most votes enjoy some valuable momentum heading into the state nominating convention.
Greene County Democratic Chair Tom Poelker joined Liz Benjamin to discuss the importance of this weekend’s straw poll.
Townsend Eyes Schumer’s Senate Seat
Apr 29th - 9:00 pm
It’s the statewide race getting the least amount of attention this year. Mainly because Senior Senator Chuck Schumer continues to hold a job approval rating of 60 percent. And until now, no Republican has been willing to run against the popular Democrat.
But, that will change on Saturday when Jay Townsend launches his campaign to unseat the veteran Senator. He joined Liz Benjamin from Middletown to talk more about who he is, and why he is running.
Extras
Apr 29th - 6:47 pm
Prosecutors are planning a trial this summer for Sen. Kevin Parker.
Do “New YAWK” and “HAWK” rhyme? Mayor Bloomberg thinks so.
City Room tried to make the best of its technical difficulties in honor of the 8th annual Poem in Your Pocket Day.
EMILY’s List is skewing younger in hopes of maintaining its relevance.
Manhattan BP Scott Stringer sided with NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio against NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
Would-be AG Dan Donovan hired Brad Tusk.
Former Eliot Spitzer advisor Paul Francis is now advising AG Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo might be unannounced, but he’s still way out ahead of the competition.
And no, he didn’t announce at a high-dollar fundraiser last night.
Cuomo’s ex, Kerry Kennedy, thinks he’ll win the governor’s race, but won’t say if she’ll be helping him do that.
The NYC Council is pushing to limit class size.
Rush Limbaugh called Bloomberg a hypocrite.
The Cattaraugus County Legislature passed a resolution calling on Gov. David Paterson to call a special election in NY-29.
The TU is ducking a FOIL request.
Rick Lazio rolled out his policy team.
Congressional hopeful Mike Allegretti (NY-13) endorsed New York Uprising’s Albany reform effort.
UFT President Michael Mulgrew isn’t worried about Education Reform Now’s anti-union, pro-charter campaign.
Volker Not Seeking Re-Election
Apr 29th - 5:46 pm
Republican Senator Dale Volker
Veteran Sen. Dale Volker, who weathered primary challenges in 2006 and 2008, has decided not to seek re-election this fall, a Senate source confirmed.
The senator will be making this “major announcement” at 11 a.m. tomorrow at his district office in Depew.
Volker, a plain-spoken law-and-order Republican (he’s a former cop) who has long chaired the Codes Committee, was first elected to the Assembly in 1972. Three years later, he won a special election to the Senate, filling a seat vacated by Supreme Court Justice Thomas McGowan.
Senate Republicans aren’t sounding terribly worried about holding Volker’s seat, and my source said Minority Leader Dean Skelos didn’t try to convince him to stick around, despite the fact that the GOP is engaged in a last-ditch attempt to win back the majority. (If they fail this time, they’ll likely be redistricted into extinction).
“This was his call,” my source said. “The (former Senate Majority Leader Joe) Bruno way was to try to keep everybody running; this year it’s all or nothing. If there’s ever going to be a good year for us, it’s this year.”
Ravitch Warns: NY Has No ‘Fairy Godmother’
Apr 29th - 4:41 pm
LG Richard Ravitch was the featured speaker at this morning’s ABNY breakfast, and he gave his usual grim assessment of the state’s perilous fiscal situation, NY1′s Bobby Cuza reports.
Ravitch, who is widely credited with helping to rescue NYC from the brink of bankruptcy in the 1970s, said what New York is facing right now is “even more serious,” but harder to solve.
“It lacks a precipitating event,” the LG explained. “And behavior has not changed even though consequences of the path we are on are as serious if not more serious than what the city faced in 1975.”
Ravitch said Gov. David Paterson’s controversial proposal to furlough state employees until there’s a budget deal is an effort to “get the attention of people,” adding:
“We are legally constrained because of our inability to file an insolvency petition. So we’re trying to get people to recognize that there’s no fairy godmother. And they better change their behavior.”
Malpass’ First County Chair
Apr 29th - 3:15 pm
Republican US Senate hopeful David Malpass had landed the endorsement of his first GOP county chair, his campaign announced.
Tioga County Chairman Dan Leonard, who is also one of the state party’s regional vice chairs, called Malpass a “serious leader for serious time,” adding:
“He has the exact right credentials to address the challenges facing this state and nation today. David’s understanding of the financial markets and foreign policy make him exceptionally qualified to get our country back on track. I’m proud to support him as the next U.S. Senator from New York.”
Tioga County accounts for 0.43 of the weighted convention vote. That doesn’t make a very big dent in Malpass’ quest for the 25 percent he’ll need to get onto the gop primary ballot, but a man’s got to start
More >
All In The Senate Family
Apr 29th - 3:02 pm
Senate Democrats were poised this week to axe yet another member of their central staff who had been hired during the Malcolm Smith era, but abruptly called off the firing when the aide’s politically-connected father intervened, sources confirmed.
Rodney Rivera, who works in the majority press office compiling media clips and doing other low-level communications tasks, splitting his time between 250 Broadway in Manhattan and a satellite office on Long Island, was on the chopping block as of yesterday morning.
By afternoon, however, his job, for which he has been paid $65,000 to date, according to SeeThroughNY.net, was safe, although he’s been relocated out of the press office and into conference services.
This likely had something to do with the ire expressed by Rivera’s father, Assemblyman Jose Rivera, sources said. Spokesmen for Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson refused to comment on Rodney Rivera or whether the assemblyman intervened on his behalf, but did confirm he is still working for the majority.
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Markowitz For Schneiderman
Apr 29th - 2:15 pm
On the heels of a reception last night at which Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Vito Lopez professed his support for Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice for AG, one of her primary opponents, Sen. Eric Schneiderman, is poised to announce he has landed the endorsement of the borough’s BP, Marty Markowitz.
“Eric Schneiderman will be an outstanding Attorney General for the residents of Brooklyn and all New Yorkers,” said Markowitz.
“He is a bona-fide reformer, and I know as Attorney General he’ll put equal and fair justice above all. I served in the Senate with Eric and was impressed with his integrity and intellect.”
“He’s just what we need and I’m excited to support him, and look forward to his work to standing up for economic justice, keeping our streets safe and ensuring state government is reformed to work more effectively for the residents of New York.”
Markowitz is a popular figure in Brooklyn. He was re-elected with some 86 percent of the vote last fall, although he didn’t really have a significant challenge.
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Donovan For AG
Apr 29th - 2:08 pm
Staten Island DA Dan Donovan is close to finally getting off the fence and declaring his intention to run for the AG office Andrew Cuomo is expected to vacate to run for governor, multiple sources confirm.
Over the past week or so, Donovan has called GOP leaders, including former Gov. George Pataki, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former Reps. Susan Molinari and Bill Paxon to inform them of his decision. He also touched base with state Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long.
“He made it very clear that he’s getting serious about making a decision,” said a recipient of one of Donovan’s calls. “I would think he’s leaning heavily that way.”
It’s unclear if Donovan has touched base yet with state GOP Chairman Ed Cox. “He’s not high on the call list,” a source close to the DA said. (The two Republicans had a bit of a tiff in the media recently; Cox was speculated to be interested in keeping the AG slot open in hopes of convincing gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio to switch races).
Donovan will not likely formally announce his campaign until Cuomo makes his announcement and officially indicates he won’t seek re-election, a source close to the DA said.
More >
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