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Powell Makes The Obama Argument
Aug 2nd - 10:08 am
During an interview with me on “Capital Tonight” last Friday, Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV floated an argument in favor of his candidacy to replace embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel in the 15th CD that I hadn’t heard him make before, insiting he’ll work better with President Obama than the congressman has.
“This race is in many ways about the incumbent, as it is many times when you challenge an incumbent,” Powell said. “And if voters are ready to turn the page, and I do believe that they were…then I would hope that they would consider me as an alternative.”
“I am ready, willing and certainly able to go to the United States Congress, to work with president, Barack Obama, and not insult him as Congressman Rangel did very recently, comparing President Obama to Dick Cheney. That is an insult and that’s not the type of politics that I will engage in.”
The Mosque Debate Comes To NY-1 Race
Aug 2nd - 8:21 am
Randy Altschuler, the Conservative contender in NY-1 and one of three Republicans vying to take on Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop on Row B in November, is the latest GOP candidate to try to make political hay from the mosque proposed for construction near Ground Zero.
Last Friday, Altschuler launched an on-line petition and Web video calling on New Yorkers to “stop this travesty and stand-up for the memory of the victims of September 11th.”
In the video, the full script of which appears after the jump, Altschuler makes the Pearl Harbor argument (the US would never let the Japanese government erect a “shrine” to its WW II emperor there – not that such a thing was ever actually suggested) that I’ve also heard another GOP candidate who has seized on this issue, gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino, make on several occasions – including during a recent interview on “Capital Tonight”.
As the WSJ’s Jacob Gershman reported this morning, the mosque is poised to clear its final regulatory hurdle this week, which means the fight to block it will now be taking place enitrely in the court of public opinion.
Family Matters In NY-1
Aug 1st - 3:26 pm
George Demos, one of the three Republicans vying for the right to take on Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop in November, is engaged in war of words with the future father-in-law of one of his primary rivals, Chris Cox.
Maggie Haberman reported earlier that the man in question, Democrat-turned-Republican supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, whose daughter, Andrea, is engaged to Cox, the son of state GOP Chairman Ed Cox, fired off a strongly-worded letter to Demos and called on his to drop out of the race.
Catsimatidis called Demos “a person lacking in integrity” and cited SEC allegations of which Demos insists he has been cleared. Here’s Demos’ response, in which he avoids taking on Catsimatidis directly and instead hits Cox for “using” his future relative to “engage in dirty tricks”:
Obama Hopes Rangel Can ‘End His Career With Dignity’
Jul 30th - 7:32 pm
President Obama has weighed in on the ethics charges against Rep. Charlie Rangel, calling them “very troubling” and not too subtly hinting that it might be time for the veteran congressman to stop fighting and pack it in.
During an interview on the “CBS Evening News” with Katie Couric, Obama stopped short of joining the call from several House Democrats and Rangel’s primary challengers for the congressman to resign, but did say:
“He’s somebody who’s at the end of his career. I’m sure that what he wants is to be able to end his career with dignity. And my hope is that it happens.”
Obama and Rangel haven’t always seen eye-to-eye. In June, the congressman criticized the president over the Iraq War, saying his “lack of an honest explanation is consistent with Bush and Cheney.”
One of Rangel’s primary challengers, Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV told me during a “Capital Tonight” interview that’s airing this evening that he would never “insult” Obama in the way he feels Rangel did.
In other news on the Rangel front, the congressman who headed the ethics subcommittee that accused the Harlem lawmaker of multiple violations of the House rules said efforts were made to negotiate a settlement that would have resulted in a formal reprimand instead of censure or expulsion.
“If we could have reached a settlement we would have recommended that to the full committee,” said Rep. Gene Green, a Texas Democrat. “But that didn’t happen.”
Jacobs On McMahon’s ‘Dumb Move’
Jul 30th - 3:53 pm
State Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs told me this afternoon there’s “no question” the characterization by Rep. Mike McMahon’s campaign of Michael Grimm’s donations from “Jewish” donors was “offensive”, but he insisted the congressman took swift and appropriate action to address the incident.
Jacobs also lambasted the Republicans for trying to capitalize on the gaffe, but agreed that if more staffers than just the now-fired communications director were involved, they too should be dealt with in a similar fashion.
“I would tell you this: The voters know a dumb move when they see it and they accept an apology when it’s genuinely made,” said the chairman, who weighed in on the NY-13 race earlier this week, calling for Grimm to apologize for comments he had made to The Hill newspaper.
“They can also smell political opportunism from a mile away. I think Mike McMahon, as soon as he found out, terminated the staff member responsible and apologized for the offense, which was appropriate. For the Republicans to make more of this is just political opportunism.”
State GOP: ‘Jewish Donor’ Mess Makes McMahon ‘Unfit’
Jul 30th - 2:36 pm
The state GOP is weighing in on Rep. Mike McMahon’s “Jewish donor controversy,” saying the Staten Island congressman’s firing of his communications director is “entirely insufficient” and calling on him to resign if he was aware of – and condoned – the release of information about Republican Michael Grimm’s contributors.
” The remarks themselves, delivered on McMahon’s behalf, represent a segregationist outlook that is not only wholly inappropriate, but also demonstrative of the Congressman being entirely out-of-touch with New York’s voters, and standards of decency,” a statement released by state GOP spokesman Alex Carey declares.
“…It appears that there is deep and systemic problem within the congressman’s campaign which has not been as yet addressed. ”
“Rep. McMahon has obviously shown terrible judgment in hiring a team of individuals, some of whom are apparently capable of such reprehensible views and deplorable political tactics. It’s the kind of politics New Yorkers can do without.”
“McMahon has shown he is not fit to serve and should resign if it is shown he was at all aware of this line-of-attack.”
Carey says McMahon campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Nelson has "taken the fall for her boss," but also notes Nelson herself told the New York Observer that the list of Grimm's "Jewish money" was complied by the congressman's chief fundraiser.
The Republicans are clearly not going to let this issue go, smelling blood in the water in a race that had previously not been heading in their direction due to an intra-party primary between Grimm (who is widely viewed as the frontrunner) and Michael Allegretti.
The NRCC weighed in on this earlier, as did the RJC.
Weiner vs. King, Take II
Jul 30th - 11:56 am
Here we have the definition of good TV: Reps. Anthony Weiner (D, Brooklyn/Queens) and Peter King (R, Long Island) continuing their verbal slugfest, which started on the floor of the House last night, over the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
My favorite line, which is so quintessentially Weiner: “One at a time, and it’s my turn.”
King gives as good as he gets later on in the segment, saying: “Anthony, be quiet for a second.” (Not unsurprisingly, much as he refused to yield during the debate, Weiner mostly just talks right over his GOP colleague, and belittles his whipping capabilities for good measure).
(H/T Fox News via TPM via NYO).
McMahon Fires Spokeswoman
Jul 29th - 7:06 pm
Rep. Mike McMahon’s campaign just announced it has fired Communications Director Jennifer Nelson following her release earlier today of a list of “Jewish money” received by one of his GOP challengers, Michael Grimm.
The Staten Island Democratic congressman’s campaign consultant Evan Stavisky released a statement with this headline (all caps AND boldface type): MCMAHON OFFERS APOLOGY FOR CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR’S INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS.
“These comments were entirely inappropriate and there is no place for this kind of behavior. I was outraged by these unfortunate remarks which were unauthorized and are in no way indicative of my beliefs or of my campaign,” said McMahon.
“I am proud to represent an incredibly diverse community and to enjoy an incredibly diverse base of support. Any comments that could serve to divide our community along religious or ethnic lines have no place in our community or my campaign. I sincerely apologize for her comments, and as she has since been terminated from our campaign, there will be no such incidents in the future.”
Republicans Call On Rangel To Resign
Jul 29th - 3:26 pm
Two GOP candidates are calling on embattled Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel to step down in the wake of today’s unveiling of the 13 ethics charges lodged against him by a bipartisan House committee.
Michael Allegretti, one of two Republicans vying for the right to take on Democratic Rep. Mike McMahon in NY-13 in November; and David Malpass, one of three Republicans fighting to challenge Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Row B; both issued statements following today’s ethics committee hearing that lambasted Rangel and the last-minute efforts to cut a deal that would spare him – and his party – the embarrassment of a public trial.
The situation with Charlie Rangel has turned into a circus, with media reports of constant backroom negotiating to see how Rep. Rangel can best save his career,” Allegretti said.
“It should be enough that he’s been charged with these 13 violations. Let’s set the bar higher here: Charlie Rangel should immediately resign, as it is clear that he has abused his office. Every single member of Congress should call on him to resign.”
“And every single member of Congress must return the dirty money they have received from Rep. Rangel in the form of campaign donations.”
State Dems Weigh In On NY-13 (Updated)
Jul 28th - 11:05 am
The state Democratic Party is branching out, adding some of the more hotly contested congressional contests to the list of races in which it is getting involved to protect incumbents potentially in trouble.
After jumping in to slam Randy Altschuler in NY-1 last week on behalf of Democraticn Rep. Tim Bishop, state Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs this morning slammed another GOP candidate, Michael Grimm, demanding that he apologize “to every man, woman and child who calls Brooklyn and Staten Island home” for comments he made to The Hill earlier this week.
Grimm said his Democratic target, Rep. Mike McMahon, would have been in physical danger had he voted “yes” on the health care reform bill – a move that cost the incumbent congressman the support of the labor-backed Working Families Party and SEIU/1199.
“Had he voted for the healthcare bill, Staten Island and Brooklyn, they would really have been marching like they were going for Frankenstein,” Grimm said.
Jacobs was outraged by this statement, saying:
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