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2012
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.
What A Difference Five Years Makes
Feb 1st - 2:44 pm
Reports that the Senate Republicans have their collective heart set on keeping the state primary date of Sept. 11 rather than on June 26 in conjuction with the federal contests (as determined last week by US District Court Judge Gary Sharpe) set off the hypocrisy alarm for longtime political consultant Jerry Skurnik.
Skurnik emailed earlier today to remind me that in 2007, the governor and legislative leaders – at the time that meant Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and Gov. Eliot Spitzer – delayed the Sept. 11 primaries by one week, pushing them back to Sept. 18 to avoid having them fall on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
NYT columnist Clyde Haberman wasn’t a fan of this decision, arguing that it was a disruption of democracy and therefore a victory for the terrorists. He reported:
“Lawmakers reached this conclusion in virtual lock step, some no doubt fearing the potential wrath of 9/11 families. The State Senate voted for the delay unanimously. In the Assembly, the vote was 136 to 9, the tiny minority consisting of 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans.
“Joseph L. Bruno, the Senate majority leader, called it ‘critically important that we reserve Sept. 11 as a day when the world looks back and remembers the many heroes who lost their lives.’ But couldn’t we remember and vote at the same time? Some might even say that democracy’s normal processes would honor those heroes while telling the terrorists in a powerful way where they can go.”
“‘Yes, you can make the case for that,” said John E. McArdle, a spokesman for Mr. Bruno. “But I think there was a consensus all the way around that it was preferable to go this route.’”
“Much the same was said by Dan Weiler, a spokesman for Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker. He was asked for Mr. Silver’s reasons for seeking the postponement. As relayed by Mr. Weiler, the speaker’s response was, ‘We felt it was the appropriate thing to do.’”
Apparently, Sen. Dean Skelos, who voted in favor of the change along with the rest of his conference back then, is no longer concerned about the possibility of having the primary coincide with what has become a day of remembrance now that he’s majority leader.
Skelos said he’ll be discussing the primary problem with the Assembly, and insisting that having three contests is “not my druthers.”
Silver said he’d prefer to avoid the three-primary route. Ditto for Gov. Andrew Cuomo. But no far, neither Democrat has said which date they’d prefer.
The primary cannot be moved until all sides agree.
Cuomo: Compressed Political Calendar ‘Unhealthy’
Feb 1st - 1:23 pm
Gov. Andrew Cuomo wouldn’t take a position what date the state’s primary should fall, but said the short elections season is a potentially “unhealthy” development for democracy.
Cuomo said he had not had any discussions with the Legislature after a federal judge moved the Congressional primary date to June 26. The state’s primary is still Sept. 11 and the presidential GOP primary is on April 24.
“I have not had any conversations beyond what I’ve read,” the governor said at gaggle following his speech to the New York State Association of Counties. “Obviously this is less than an ideal situation for the state.”
Asked if he thought June 26 should be the date for the Congressional and state elections, he demurred.
“I don’t know what the date is, but I don’t think three primaries helps anyone,” he said.
Senate Republicans continue to insist on an August date, saying that the June primary injects too much chaos into the end of the legislative session. The Assembly wants a June primary, arguing that too many people are out of town in August.
The deadlock could lead to the three primary scenario, a costly option for local governments.
“I don’t think the taxpayers want to pay for three elections,” Cuomo said.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are yet to complete the redistricting process for state lines. Congressional districts are yet to be drawn.
The governor said that with the new primary date, plus the uncertainty over redistricting, has helped incumbents at the expense of potential challengers.
“That is another problem, which is compounding this problem which is the deadline when the judge moved the election up to June, you now have a very short window for the election. And if you’re interested in democracy, short election periods are highly problematic because they favor the incumbent. It’s such a short period of time, the challenger doesn’t have the money, can’t raise resources in a short campaign.”
He added: “That’s also I think really unhealthy for the body politic and for the election process.”
Cenedella Not Running For US Senate
Jan 31st - 5:29 pm
A week after a Times story highlighting his now-defunct blog’s racy content, businessman Marc Cenedella says he won’t seek the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
In a statement, Cenedella, the founder of the jobs website theladders.com, says the “accelerated election calendar” has made it too difficult for him to begin a campaign of the seat. Given the primary for Congressional races is now due to be held on June 26 and candidates would have to start gathering petitions by the end of next month.
But he still considers Gillibrand beatable this year.
The news is sure to buoy not only declared candidate Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, possible candidate Wendy Long, but also Gillibrand herself.
The senator has lagged in polls, despite some high-profile legislative victories.
His candidacy was no doubt hurt after The New York Times reported his former blog linked to sites with largely frat-boy humor posts on sex, women and drugs.
Gillibrand’s surrogates quickly pounced on the news, including State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs calling him “Carl Paladino, Jr.”
In an exclusive interview after the story ran, Cenedella told me that he accepted responsbility for the posts, but said he had written only half of the blog’s content. He also blamed Gillibrand’s campaign for feeding the Times the story and said she was conducting a smear campaign against a “private citizen.” The Times story included the unusual attribution that it was made aware of the posts by an opponent of Cenedella.
Here’s the full statement:
“I will not be running for the United States Senate in 2012. I have given a run careful consideration, and I believe Senator Gillibrand is beatable. Her early and unfounded attacks on me, her weak poll numbers, and her lethargic quarterly fundraising results all point to a politician in trouble — and encourage me to challenge her.
“But running for the Senate this year, under this accelerated election calendar, is untenable for me from a business perspective. The calendar is too tight for me to do what I need to do politically and professionally to win this seat in 2012. I promised to make a quick decision on whether to run for the Senate out of respect for the Republican and Conservative Parties and the other candidates pursuing this race, and I fulfill that promise today. I look forward to doing everything in my power to help the candidate ultimately selected defeat Ms. Gillibrand and her errant policies for the sake of economic growth in this state.”
Pataki: Anyone But Obama
Jan 30th - 3:17 pm
Former Gov. George Pataki boiled down the ideal candidate to run for president: a fiscally conservative, small-government Republican who can make America feel proud again.
He just won’t say who that Republican is.
Pataki told Conservative Party Political Action Conference that he wanted anyone but Obama to win later this year. But, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, he’s keeping his opinions on the specific candidates to himself.
“I think the weakest Republican candidate would be an improvement on this president,” Pataki said.
Pataki briefly considered running for president himself last summer and former aides went as far as putting together a mock website.
Pataki ultimately decided not to run, but urged New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to start a white knight campaign. Christie did not run, but endorsed Romney.
Pataki wouldn’t say if he wants Christie to appear as the second man on the ticket, but said he hopes the firebrand governor would be part of a GOP administration.
Like Florida’s Bush, Pataki not picking a side may have something to do with 2016. Neither of the former governors have ruled out running for president in 2016.
“That’s so far off,” Pataki said. “I hope we have a new administration coming 2013 that I can be supportive of.”
Lazio: Once-Married Romney Offers ‘Better Profile’ For GOP Than Thrice-Married Newt
Jan 30th - 1:01 pm
Prominent Mitt Romney-supporting New York Republicans are engaged in some full-throated Newt Gingrich bashing today, labeling the former House speaker as everything from “dangerous” and a “little psycho” (former Staten Island BP Guy Molinari) to a “disaster” (former US Sen. Alfonse D’Amato).
This wave of criticism was actually kicked off by former Rep. Rick Lazio when he spoke at the state Conservative Party’s annual political action conference in Colonie last night.
Lazio, a longtime Romney supporter (he even raised cash for the former Massachusetts governor in 2008 when almost every other NY Republican backed hometown favorite Rudy Giuliani), raised a few eyebrows by going right for the Gingrich jugular – at least where some family-values conservatives are concerned – and bringing up his tumultuous personal life.
“I’m saying I think if you compare Mitt Romney, who married his high-school sweetheart – they have an incredibly stable marriage – he’s a strong family man, I think he’s a great role model. That’s a better profile for Republicans to have,” Lazio said.
“…Nobody is absolutely perfect. The American people are not looking for perfection. They’re looking for good judgement, though, and they’re looking for consistent judgement, and I think that’s what we’re speaking about right now.”
Lazio stressed that Romney’s management experience in the private sector – something that has become a bit of a sore topic in some GOP circles – is another plus, particularly at a time of national economic instability.
The former congressman said he has exchanged several emails with Gingrich. When I asked him about that later, he said the former speaker has sought his input on housing issues – a topic on which Lazio has some expertise, thanks to his position as chair of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity.
Lazio was asked about Gingrich vs. Romney by a CPPAC participant. Ironically, Lazio’s 2010 GOP primary foe, Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino, was seated in the front row throughout the event.
Paladino is a staunch supporter of Gingrch. As we were watching this mini melodrama play out last night, Nick Reisman remarked to me that the current Romney vs. Gingrich battle is almost like a do-over of Lazio vs. Paladino in 2010.
As you’ll recall, Paladino came under fire for his unconventional personal life, too. Lazio, on the other hand, met his first – and only – wife, Patricia, while he was studying at American University School of Law in Washington. (She was the sister of a fellow student and was working at George Washington University Hospital while pursuing a nursing degree). The couple has two grown daughters.
Like Romney, Lazio was the steady candidate the GOP rank-and-file was trying hard to fall in love with, while Paladino, like Gingrich, was the firey outsider often apt to put his foot in his mouth. Of course, these are some extremely broad comparisons, and we’re certainly not saying this is an apples-to-apples situation. It’s interesting, nevertheless.
Gillibrand Uses ‘Right-Wing,’ ‘Anti-Woman’ Cenedella As Fundraising Foil
Jan 30th - 11:17 am
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s finance director, Ross Offinger, sent out a fundraising appeal this morning urging supporters of Democratic junior senator to send campaign contributions ASAP to help her fend off ” far-right, well-financed challengers” like Internet entrepreneur Marc Cenedella – even though he hasn’t yet formally announced his candidacy.
“These guys can pull out their checkbooks at any moment and barrage Kirsten with attack ads, so we can’t let down our guard for a second,” Offinger wrote.
“Take Marc Cenedella, an out-of-touch millionaire who writes sexist blog posts, thinks our high unemployment rate isn’t a problem, and sits on the leadership council of Club for Growth, an ultra-conservative organization that supports the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, and trashes Medicare and Social Security. We can’t let guys like this get the upper hand.
“The end-of-month deadline is tomorrow at midnight – just 37 hours away. If we don’t meet this goal, we’ll be exposing ourselves to extremist candidates like Cenedella. That’s why it’s so important for you to give to Kirsten’s campaign right now.”
“…(Cenedella) dismisses the high unemployment rate and has an agenda to privatize Social Security and Medicare. He’s even donated to Tea Party favorites like Jim DeMint and Ron Paul. Not only that, but several news outlets have recently reported on his blog posts that demean and objectify women. He’s come up with an array of excuses for his shocking words, but New Yorkers are tired of hearing phony explanations from powerful people.”
“…Who do you want representing you in the Senate? An out-of-touch Tea Party crusader or a progressive fighter devoted to solving the real problems New Yorkers face?”
Team Gillibrand is certainly getting a lot of mileage out of last week’s NYT story about the blog Cenedella co-wrote in the 1990s with a number of collaborators that commented on and linked to all manner of un-PC stories about procuring drugs and objectifying women.
After a lot of confusing responses – ranging from hacking to distancing (by Cenedella’s company, TheLadders.com) – Cenedella finally took full responsibility for the blog, and then tried to turn the negative into a positive by saying story – leaked to the Times by an unidentified Cenedella “opponent” – proved just how nervous the idea of his candidacy makes the senator. (He’s got a point there).
Gillibrand is no slouch in the fundraising department. She had $7.1 million on hand as of the end of September. Cenedella has suggested he would be willing to drop a considerable – and yet undefined – amount of his own cash into his yet-to-be-announced campaign. (He’s going to have to move soon, given Judge Gary Sharpe’s decision to move New York’s federal primaries up to June 26).
Cenedella may have to sqaure off in a GOP primary against Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, who has already declared his candidacy and says he’ll spend up to $5 million of his own cash on his campaign. Gillibrand’s email makes no mention of Maragos.
Both Cenedella and Maragos were at the Holiday Inn on Wolf Road in Colonie last night for the state Conservative Party’s annual political action conference. Maragos sponsored a cookies-and-coffee break yesterday afternoon, while Cenedella and his wife, Angela, who wasn’t with him yesterday, sponsored a breakfast this morning.
I spotted Cenedella meeting with John Faso, the 2006 GOP/Conservative gubernatorial nominee. Faso has a lot to teach the would-be candidate about working the GOP grassroots to get onto the ballot at the state convention.
As you’ll recall, Faso was the underdog going up against former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld that year. Weld had the support of party leaders, but Faso worked the rank-and-file and out-polled Weld at the convention. The former governor ended up bowing out of the race rather than go forward with a bruising primary. Faso lost the general election in a landslide to Democrat Eliot Spitzer.
Ex-Indy Activist Urges Ethics Investigation Of Grimm (Updated)
Jan 30th - 8:17 am
FORMER Independence Party activist Frank Morano (a fellow early riser) forwarded a complaint he sent to the leaders of the house Ethics Committee urging an investigation into what he called Rep. Michael Grimm’s “pattern of unethical behavior.”
UPDATE: Morano reminds me he’s no longer a member of any party. I forgot that he had a falling out with state Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay in the summer 2010 and departed the fold.
Topping Morano’s list of concerns about the Staten Island Republican are allegations in this weekend’s NYT that the congressman engaged in illegal fundraising activities with the assistance of a top aide to Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto.
The aide, Israeli citizen Ofer Biton, is under investigation by the FBI and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn over accusations that he embezzled millions of dollars from the rabbi’s congregation.
Grimm has strongly rejected the NYT report, calling it “completely false,” “disappointing,” and full of “unsubstantiated accusations.”
Grimm’s fundraising is not all that bothers Morano.
He also accused the congressman of misusing official resources, noting he closed his district office and gave staffers off on Black Friday, which is not a federal holiday, and citing anecdotal reports of Grimm’s use of government staffers to do his political work and personal errands.
Morano offered no proof of those allegations, and much of what he’s asking the committee to look into seems pretty thin.
But he did back up suggestions that Grimm is violating a prohibition on giving gifts to lobbyists by citing a Staten Island Advance story about the congressman giving a Cartier watch to former Staten Island BP Guy Molinari, a retired lobbyist who is closely related to two currently registered lobbyists.
Molinari and Grimm are very close, and the former BP served as the congressman’s chief political strategist during his successful 2010 campaign.
“A Cartier watch could be valued anywhere between $5,000 and $25,000,” Morano wrote. “How did Grimm have the means to procure this watch when he didn’t have a job for a year before the election? This question merits new examination in light of all the cash Grimm is alleged to have been soliciting and receiving.”
“I’m not trying to nitpick. I understand that Molinari and Grimm are particularly close personally and politically and they have a pre-existing relationship, but many of the lobbyists that are prohibited from giving gifts to House members are no doubt close to them as well.”
After Democrat Mark Murphy announced his campaign to challenge Grimm this fall, Morano reached out to Republican-turned-Democrat John Gangemi, a former at-large NYC councilman and attorney who hails from the Brooklyn portion of the largely Staten Island district, and asked him to consider a run in NY-13, too.
Paladino To Support Primaries Against Senate GOP (Video Added)
Jan 29th - 8:57 pm
Buffalo businessman and former gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino says he plans to support primary campaigns against Senate Republicans.
Paladino told me this afternoon at the annual Conservative Party Political Action Conference in Colonie that he was tired of watching the GOP in the upper chamber not be more of an opposition party in a state that is otherwise controlled by Democrats.
“We’re going to run some candidates against some key people, alright, and primary them,” Paladino said.
His comments came after a speech that criticized Senate Republicans and Majority Leader Dean Skelos. He would not tell me which lawmakers are being targeted.
Paladino’s base of support is in western New York and GOP voters there helped him achieve a blow out victory against gubernatorial primary foe Rick Lazio.
Buffalo Sen. Mark Grisanti, meanwhile, is in danger of losing the Conservative Party line for his vote in favor of same-sex marriage. Erie County Conservative Party Chairman Ralph Lorigo said in an interview that a lot is still in flux due to the ongoing redistricting process, but said local party leaders were upset with Grisanti’s yes vote.
Still, the party’s endorsement is not out of reach if Grisanti can demonstration “Conservative Party values,” Lorgio said.
Paladino, meanwhile, could hamper GOP efforts to stay in power for another 2-year term if his primary plan comes to fruition. Senate Republicans are sitting on a $4.8 million war chest, while Senate Democrats continue to pay off their debt.
“We have to clean house because we have people who are not loyal to the Republican rank and file,” Paladino said in the interview. “The Republican rank and file spoke in my primary last year and they sent a very clear message. Rick Lazio does not hold any real water for them. The rank and file are upset with the country and state leadership in the Republican Party. They want change. They know it’s the same old thing and that’s what we’re getting right now.”
Senate Republicans may face another primary on their hands should Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin take on Sen. Roy McDonald. McLaughlin told the crowd at the Conservative Party’s confab that he hadn’t ruled out running against McDonald, R-Saratoga, but said redistricting had a lot riding on the decision.
Upending the Republican Party isn’t anything new for Paladino, of course. He knocked of Lazio, the state party’s second choice for governor, in 2010.
And he’s backing New Gingrich in the GOP presidential primary over Mitt Romney. Coincidentally, Lazio, who served in the House while Gingrich was speaker, is backing Romney.
The similarities between the New York governor’s race in 2010 and today’s presidential campaign are stark and in a way, Paladino’s support for Gingrich is similar to his gubernatorial campaign. Gingrich is the rumpled bomb thrower, while Romney is the handsome, quasi-establishment moderate with good hair.
Paladino even uses similar criticism of Romney that he used for Lazio.
“The Washington establishment with its lobbyists and special interests will chew him up and spit him out,” Paladino said.
A New Challenger To Gillibrand?
Jan 29th - 1:54 pm
There’s a buzz at the state Conservative Party’s annual political action conference about the emergence of a potential new challenger to New York’s junior US senator, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.
The name I’ve been hearing is Wendy Long, (no relation to state Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long), a Manhattan attorney who serves as counsel to the Judicial Confirmation Network.
In that position, she led the right’s opposition to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor back in 2009 when the Bronx native was tapped by President Obama to be the first Latina to sit on the nation’s highest court.
According to a Republican source, Long has been talking quietly to several people about possibly taking on Gillibrand this fall.
Running a woman against another woman is something political leaders like to do. It would dilute Gillibrand’s whole working mother/more-women-in-politics approach – something she has been increasingly focused on over the past year with the creation of her Off the Sidelines campaign.
I’m told Long might show up here in Colonie to talk to CPPAC attendees.
Already here: Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, who is so far the only Republican who has formally announced a campaign against Gillibrand; and Marc Cenedella, the Internet entrepreneur who is also mulling a challenge to Gillibrand and has sustained some significant attacks from her camp in recent weeks.
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