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Liz Benjamin
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Posts by Liz Benjamin
Extras
Feb 3rd - 5:38 pm
The Democratic field for 2016 is shaping up to be quite crowded – unless Hillary Clinton decides to make a go of it.
US Sen. Chuck Schumer endorsed “worker bee” NYC Councilman Lew Fidler for ex-Sen. Carl Kruger’s seat.
Filder said he “never, ever, ever did, or would have, called David Storobin a neo-Nazi.”
Sen. Velmanette Montgomery says the Senate GOP redidstricting plan that drew her into a potential primary with Sen. Eric Adams “borders on harassment.”
A coalition of 118 groups sent a letter to Cuomo in support of his call for campaign finance reform, urging the governor to push for lower contribution limits and better enforcement of campaign laws.
Sen. Liz Krueger’s office reminds us that she has legislation to do away with so-called “ghost” campaign committees.
Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer had a role in the Komen/Planned Parenthood mess.
There’s still some uncertainty about the relationship between Komen and Planned Parenthood going forward.
The timing of the Komen foundation’s pink handgun campaign is a little unfortunate.
GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum visited a sweater vest factory. No word on whether he expanded his existing collection.
Students from an East Harlem charter school share their thoughts on cyberbullying after a visit from Sen. Jeff Klein, who’s promoting a NY Cyberbullying Census.
Roseanne Barr is seeking the Green Party nomination for president.
Cuomo reiterated his love for the North Country during a brief stop in Plattburgh, calling it “a special place on the planet.”
More oncracking, kidnapping, diluting, dividing and decoying.
A group of 33 American Muslim, Arab and South Asian civic groups want AG Eric Schneiderman to investigate how the NYPD investigates Muslim communities in NYC.
Adam Lisberg took advantage of a slow Friday to tour the Brooklyn Detention Complex. (What? Isn’t that how you would have chosen to spend a slow Friday?)
First Lady Michelle Obama had a push-up contest with Ellen.
Sean Maloney Eyes House Run
Feb 3rd - 4:58 pm
A reader emailed a tip earlier today that Sean Patrick Maloney, a former top aide in the Spitzer and Paterson administrations, is mulling a potential House run in whatever becomes of NY-22 – the district currently held by retiring Rep. Maurice Hinchey – when LATFOR gets done drawing the congressional lines.
Maloney is a New York City resident, but he and his partner, Randy Florke, have owned property in Sullivan County since the mid-1990s and Florke’s real estate business, The Rural Connection, is based there.
I spoke briefly to Maloney earlier today, and he confirmed that he had received encouragement to consider running following Hinchey’s announcement last month that he would not seek re-election this fall. Maloney then emailed the following statement:
“Hinchey’s retirement is a big loss to all of us who love the area. I’m flattered to be encouraged. Obviously, we need to know where the lines fall – but I’m very interested.”
This would not be Maloney’s first foray into realm of electoral politics. Back in 2006, he ran in the Democratic primary for state attorney general and finished third. (The winner of that race was Andrew Cuomo).
Maloney subsequently was hired by Gov. Eliot Spitzer, serving as first deputy secretary to the governor. He ended up playing a key role in the administration’s management of the Troopergate scandal, and then held the same position in Gov. David Paterson’s cabinet when the former LG was elevated to replace Spitzer after he was forced to resign following a prostitution scandal.
Maloney left the state payroll at the end of 2008 to join Kirkland & Ellis, the law firm that hired Michael Garcia, the U.S. Attorney who brought down Spitzer.
Prior to his 2006 run, Maloney was an associate at the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, which is also home to former Gov. Mario Cuomo. Before that, he was a senior West Wing adviser to President Bill Clinton. According to Wikipedia, Maloney was the youngest person ever to serve as the President’s White House staff secretary, and was also the highest-ranking openly gay man ever to serve on the White House staff.
Nightmare Scenarios Spawned By Prospect Of 3 Primaries
Feb 3rd - 4:33 pm
A reader with a lot of knowledge of the state of play in various New York House districts emailed to note that the possibility of three separate primary dates in New York – April 24 (presidential), June 26 (House and US Senate) and Sept. 11 (state Legislature) – raises “some interesting, theoretical, maybe far-fetched but not impossible scenarios” that would give not a few elected officials and party leaders heartburn.
Here’s the trouble: If legislators don’t agree on a bill to move their own primary date to correspond with the one that US District Court Judge Gary Sharpe ordered for the federal races, then Assembly members and senators could theoretically challenge sitting House members and then, if that doesn’t work out, fall back to run for their own seats.
The reader came up with the following examples; feel free to weigh in if you think of any others:
1) CHAOS IN NORTHERN MANHATTAN?
Sen. Adriano Espaillat announces he will run for the new Latino seat in Upper Manhattan that is widely expected to be created in the next round of LATFOR maps. Local Democrats like Assemblyman Guillermo Linares and Mark Levine, who lost to Espaillat in the September 2010 primary for AG Eric Schneiderman’s old seat, would then scramble for Adriano’s Senate seat and start circulating petitions.
But Espaillat unexpectedly loses the congressional primary. Not wanting to be out of a job, he collects petitions to run for the Senate, files them on July 8, and runs on Sept. 11. Or, perhaps he doesn’t have to run in a primary at all because Linares, Levine and whoever else had entered the race for his seat drop their bids once he returns to the race.
2) MAYHEM IN NORTH BROOKLYN?
Sen. Martin Dilan announces he will challenge Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-12) in the June primary. Democrats like his son, NYC Councilman Erik Dilan, and Jesus Gonzalez, (the WFP-backed candidate who lost a heated three-way battle for former Assemblyman Darryl Towns’ seat to Erik Dilan’s chief of staff, Rafael Espinal, in 2010), quickly scramble for Martin Dilan’s Senate seat and start circulating petitions.
But Dilan loses the congressional primary, so he then collects petitions to run for his Senate seat – unless he doesn’t have to run because his son and Espinal back off. Or maybe Erik Dilan gets the line, but then declines the designation of his petitions – and the petition’s committee on vacancies replaces Erik with his father.
3) TWO BITES AT THE APPLE IN QUEENS?
- Queens Assemblyman Rory Lancman runs in a primary for the House seat currently occupied by Rep. Bob Turner, (assuming NY-9 still exists after redistricting and Turner doesn’t end up in a general election head-to-head with Rep. Joe Crowley or Rep. Gary Ackerman), loses and then goes back to run for his Assembly seat.
4) SECOND THOUGHTS IN THE HUDSON VALLEY?
- Sen. Greg Ball reconsiders his decision not to primary Rep. Nan Hayworth in NY-19 because he has little to lose, given his ability to run for his Senate seat if the House race doesn’t go his way.
Of course, this whole theory could just as easily apply to a congressional candidate running in a contested primary who loses and then decides to run for state Legislature. So, for example, one of the five Democrats now vying for the right to take on Hayworth in November could then run for the Senate in retiring Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer’s district, challeging the likely Democratic candidate, Assemblyman George Latimer, in the Sept. 11 primary.
Again, this is all completely speculative. The political calendar is in flux due to Sharpe’s decision. LATFOR hasn’t released the congressional lines yet. There might be some technicalities here that I’m overlooking. Perhaps one of the Jerrys – Skurnik? Goldfeder? – will set me straight.
But stranger things have happened. Not a bad deal for all these Albany incumbents who – other than special elections – usually need to give up their seats to run for Congress.
Team Of Rivals (Updated)
Feb 3rd - 1:05 pm
Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: A sneak peak of the anti-illegal guns ad recorded by Mayor Bloomberg and his Boston counterpart, Mayor Menino, that will air during the big game this Sunday. (H/T to City&State’s Chris Bragg).
The two mayors are rocking the necktie-football jersey look and showing some love for their respective home team quarterbacks – Tom Brady for Menino, Eli Manning for Bloomberg. The spot, made by Bloomberg’s go-to firm, KnickerbockerSKD, will cost several thousand dollars to air instead of the usual millions for Super Bowl ad time, because it will be shown regionally.
The ad is an outgrowth of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns organization that Bloomberg funds and also co-chairs along with Menino. It should be noted that not everyone thinks this ad is such a hot idea.
Like many of their fellow Massachusetts and New York elected officials, the two mayors also placed a friendly wager on the outcome of the game. Blomoberg is jetting to Indianapolis for the big day. No word (or at least none that I could find) on where Menino will be watching.
UPDATE: A (New York) reader reminds me that Bloomberg, who’s originally from Medford, MA, used to cheer for at least one Boston team – the Red Sox – and took a lot of heat for that during his first mayoral campaign in 2001. By 2003, the mayor had wised up and traded his Sox cap for Yankee pinstripes.
Also, in the interest of fairness, WNYC’s blog, The Empire, posted the ad before Bragg did. Sorry, Chris.
Tonko: ‘Gasland’ Director Treatment By GOP Was ‘Censorship’
Feb 3rd - 7:59 am
ICYMI: Rep. Paul Tonko told me during a CapTon interview last night that he considered the arrest of “Gasland” director Josh Fox by while he tried to film a House subcommittee hearing on drilling Wednesday morning was tantamount to censorship.
Tonko, who sits on the Science, Space & Technology subcommitteewe, said Democrats were encouraging the chair of the subcommittee, Rep. Andy Harris, a Maryland Republican, to allow Fox to film despite the fact that he didn’t have the proper media credentials.
“As it is, the filming was occurring; it was being released to the outside world by an in-house camera,” the congressman said. “So there was like no exchange of secret information that would occur here.”
“To me it was a classic example of censorship by viewpoint, and that concerns me because the tone or at least the purpose of the hearing was to provide transparency. And Liz, with that transparency, the overall effort here, I find it ironic that in the attempts to be transparent, in the attempt to share with the public, Josh was denied.”
Fox, who is perhaps best known for his controversial Oscar-nominated documentary on hydrofracking, has said he tried to get permission from Harris’ office to film the hearing long before its scheduled date, but never got a response.
After he was arrested, taken away in handcuffs and subsequently charged with unlawful entry, Fox said he believes he’s being “blacklisted off the Hill.”
The purpose of the hearing was to review the EPA’s investigation into groundwater contamination in Pavillion, Wyo., which was potentially caused by hydraulic fracturing.
Tonko has said the whole event seemed to be set up to attack the EPA, but this is the first time I’ve heard him use the “c” word to describe what happened to Fox.
Fox has been involved in the anti-fracking movement here in New York. He owns property in the Delaware River basin, which has been a focus in the fracking debate, and also maintains a residence in Brooklyn.
Fox testified at a fracking hearing held by Sen. Greg Ball and also toured northern Pennsylvania last summer with the Republican lawmaker as he filmed footage for the sequel to his first documentary, “Gasland 2.”
This morning, Fox is scheduled to be a guest on “The Capitol Pressroom” with Susan Arbetter. You can listen live here.
Here And Now
Feb 3rd - 7:21 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in Clinton County, where he’ll present his 2012-13 budget/reform address at SUNY Plattsburgh at 10:30 a.m.
LG Bob Duffy takes his DNA databank expansion tour to Watertown (noon) and Oswego (2 p.m.)
Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto called JCOPE’s new executive director, Ellen Biben, “the most successful public integrity prosecutor in modern political history.”
Not everyone agrees with that statement.
The fact that the Cuomo administration reportedly lobbied for Biben to be chosen caused some to question her ability to act independently of the executive.
Vlasto denied that the governor or his representatives reached out on Biben’s behalf.
Former Lobbying Commission Executive Director Dave Grandeau, who lauded Biben’s selection, will make $10,000 a month for up to a year advising the Port Authority on “updating and amending” its ethics code.
JCOPE commissioners voted to offer the job to Biben during a closed-door executive session Tuesday, but didn’t publicly acknowledge that until forced to do so by a New York Times report.
Bloomberg has been a supporter of both the Komen foundation and Planned Parenthood over the years, giving them $200,000 and $555,000 respectively.
The mayor used his sizable checkbook to rebuke Komen for pulling its $700,000 in grant funding from Planned Parenthood after it hired a pro-life executive, donating $250,000 to Planned Parenthood himself.
Bloomberg will take his private jet to Indianapolis on Super Bowl Sunday to do “Meet the Press” and take in the big game. Cuomo will host an invite-only party in NYC.
Extras
Feb 2nd - 5:07 pm
Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney, not Newt Gingrich as was originally reported.
Accepting Trump’s support is a gamble for Romney, as it gives Democrats fuel for their “he’s rich and out-of-touch” argument.
Case in point: “They both like firing people,” DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman said. “They both make millions doing it.”
Who cares which candidate The Donald supports, anyway?
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz wants your digital presence – from Facebook to Twitter and beyond – to die with you.
Cuomo’s plan to save taxpayers $113 billion over 30 years by overhauling the pension system is “extremely unlikely” to be in place by the April 1 deadline, according to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office.
More Preet Bhahara.
Rapper Ja Rule, who’s doing time on a gun possession charge, is buddies with former state Comptroller Alan Hevesi, whom he calls “Hevey D.” At a different facility, Ja Rule played cards and basketball with Hevesi’s former political guru, Hank Morris.
Mayor Bloomberg unveiled a $68.7 billion preliminary budget, closing a $2 billion gap without raising taxes or laying off teachers or uniformed workers.
Twenty-two Democratic US senators, including Kirsten Gillibrand, signed on to a toughly worded letter urging Komen to reverse its decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings for poor people.
Bloomberg plans to give $250,000 to Planned Parenthood and match another $250,000 raised by others dollar for dollar, saying “politics have no place in health care.”
Democratic NY-13 candidate Mark Murphy has raised close to $100,000 in the last week alone and brought on Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice’s fundraiser, Tucker Green, to help rake in even more.
Woah. The New York Times lost almost $40 million in 2011. And this didn’t help.
Democrats on the State Board of Elections are proposing to lower the number of signatures candidates would need to get on the primary election ballot, according to papers filed in federal court
Dave Grandeau is “shockingly” supportive of Ellen Biben’s appointment as JCOPE executive director, but he worries about having two prosecutors leading the commission.
Silda Spitzer gets personal about her finances. One of her all-time best buys: A Teddy bear cake pan.
In an apparent violation of Wikipedia’s ban on conflicts of interest, Gingrich’s communications has edited Callista Gingrich’s Wikipedia page 23 times since early 2008.
Rep Ann Marie Buerkle called US AG Eric Holder’s Fast and Furious testimony today “shameful.”
GOP Support For Rep. Israel’s Tea Party Opponent
Feb 2nd - 4:04 pm
A reader forwarded this invite for a fundraiser that took place in Washington, D.C. yesterday to support Stephen Labate, a Tea Party backed Republican who’s running against DCCC Chairman/Rep. Steve Israel in Long Island’s 2nd Congressional District.
The breakfast event at the Chamber of Commerce building was fairly modest, asking $500 from PACs and $250 from individuals to attend.
What surprised this (Democratic) reader was the names of the headliners: U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham, a South Carolina Republican; and three members of NY’s own GOP House delegation: Reps. Nan Hayworth, Michael Grimm and Bob Turner.
“Interesting that Steve LaBate is getting so much institutional support,” the reader wrote. “Last election Israel handily beat Sean Hannity protege John Gomez.”
Actually, Labate tried running in 2010, too, but ended up withdrawing from the race to make room for Gomez. Now, apparently, he wants to take another shot at Israel, whose profile has risen considerably since then, and this time around he has institutional support.
Labate had about $50,000 on hand at the end of December, 2001 and $3,000 worth of debt. Israel had $587,637 on hand and no debt, but his main focus has been on raising cash for the DCCC- a task at which he has excelled.
Biben, Officially
Feb 2nd - 1:55 pm
Here’s JCOPE’s press release officially announcing state IG Ellen Biben’s selection to serve as executive director of the new ethics watchdog, a position in which she will earn $148,000 a year.
JCOPE Chair Janet DiFiore says Biben was picked after a review of “many well-qualified candidates” and was “overwhelmingly” determined by commissioners to be the best woman for the job.
As I reported just a little while ago, the vote to offer Biben the job, which came behind closed doors on Tuesday, was not unanimous. Three of the 14 commissioners did not support her appointment; at least one of those, coming from an appointee of Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, was an abstention and not a flat-out “no,” according to a source briefed on the vote.
The release, which appears in full below, came after JCOPE Acting Director Theresa A. Schillaci told Nick Reisman she had “no information to report at this time.” It seems like this announcement was rushed, thanks to NYT scribe Danny Hakim’s scoop, because the quote in praise of Biben attributed former Chief Judge Judith Kaye mispells her name, leaving off the “e.”
The release provides Biben’s salary, but doesn’t mention when – or if – she’ll be resigning from her current job as state IG or when she’ll start at JCOPE. We still haven’t heard back from IG spokesman John Milgrim today. Michael Johnson notes Biben’s name still appears on the IG Website.
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