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Michael Bloomberg
Paterson Questions Bloomberg’s Chancellor Pick
Nov 10th - 8:32 am
Gov. David Paterson this morning questioned Mayor Bloomberg’s decision to again select a media industry manager to run the New York City public school system, although he declined to criticize incoming Chancellor Cathie Black, saying she should be given a chance to prove herself.
During an interview on AM 1600 WWRL this morning Paterson said he’s “a little skeptical” of the mayor’s habit of picking chancellors from outside the education system who follow in his own pattern of moving from private sector media management to public service.
“Other than that, it would be a little bit unfair for me to criticze someone who hasn’t been given an opportunity to perform,” Paterson said.
Klein’s abrupt departure took many in the education and political spheres by surprise, despite the fact that he had promised to serve through only two mayoral terms when he accepted Bloomberg’s offer of the chancellorship back in 2002.
Bloomberg Continues Media-To-Chancellor Model (Updated)
Nov 9th - 3:42 pm
Mayor Bloomberg just formally announced the long-speculated departure of NYC’s longest-serving schools chancellors, Joel Klein, and introduced his replacement, Hearst Magazines Chair Cathie Black.
With his selection of Black, Bloomberg has followed the same model that led him to tap Klein back in 2002. Prior to joining the administration, Klein was chairman and chief executive officer of Bertelsmann, Inc. one of the world’s largest media companies.
Klein has been a controversial and sometimes polarizing figure, but Bloomberg today said “no one deserves more credit” for turning a public education system that was a “case study for dysfunction and turned it into one that the Obama administration has hailed as a national model.”
“I think it’s fair to say he leaves a legacy of achievement that makes him one of the most important and transformational figures of our time…his legacy will go on,” Bloomberg said.
Klein had initially agreed to serve just two terms, but stayed on, Bloomberg said, to help the mayor select a successor.
UPDATE: Klein is returning to the media sphere, heading to News Corp. to become an executive vice president in the chairman’s office.
Maggie Haberman notes that Klein has long had a strong relationship with News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch and the Post has long been supportive of Bloomberg, particularly when it came to his successful run for a third term. She also points out that News Corp. is, technically speaking, a competitor of Bloomberg News.
This is a big deal for Bloomberg, who has made turning around the city’s public school system a major focus of his mayoralty.
Bloomberg’s Sort-Of Apology To The Indians
Nov 5th - 2:11 pm
I’m playing a bit of catch-up on this one, but Mayor Bloomberg apparently offered a half-hearted apology for his cowboy hat and shotgun comment that so enraged upstate Native Americans several months ago.
“I don’t know that there were very many Indians offended,” the mayor said Monday during a Harvard panel discussion on the midterms. “If they were, I apologize to them. Nobody intended to do that.”
Indian Country Today reported:
“Bloomberg’s mea culpa came in response to a question from student Lise Balk King, who was in the audience at the event and asked a question during a session that was being taped by MSNBC. She has previously served as a journalist for Indian news outlets.”
“‘I asked the question of Bloomberg in an attempt to get an apology by giving him the opportunity to re-state his position, especially in light of his now famous remarks on the right of Muslim people to have a ‘community center’ near Ground Zero,’ Balk King said.
Bloomberg’s pseudo apology didn’t generate all that much press, perhaps because they came so close to the election and were overshadowed by his remark that a third party president “could run the government easier than a partisan political president because the partisan political president.”
This fed speculation that Bloomberg is again eyeing a White House run on a third party line, although the mayor has insisted he has no plans to do so. (He denied any interest in 2008, too, all while his supporters and aides were traveling the country to lay the groundwork for him to run).
Bloomberg’s initial comments came in response to the argument over collection of sales tax on cigarettes sold on Indian land to non-native customers. This has been the subject of several lawsuits, which have so far come down on the side of the Indians, although the battle is ongoing.
Bloomberg Urges You To Vote
Nov 2nd - 12:11 pm
Mayor Bloomberg has just emailed out this letter encouraging people to “get out and vote.” In it, he attached a link to the candidates he has endorsed in the race, but is careful to encourage all to head to the polls.
“But regardless of whether you agree with my choices or not, what really matters is that you get to the polling place and cast your vote.,” the email says.
Bloomberg has a lot of stake in today’s election. He has been backing moderate candidates across the country.
In the US Senate, he has backed a handful of Democrats, including Harry Reid, Joe Sestak, and Michael Bennett for the US Senate, probably to gain favor with Democratic leaders who will likely maintain control of the US Senate. But he also backed Republican Mark Kirk who is engaged in a tight race for Barack Obama’s former seat in Illinois.
Here in New York, Bloomberg has done the same. Backing Andrew Cuomo for governor, but Republican Harry Wilson for Comptroller, and Republican Dan Donovan for Attorney General.
The entire letter is after the jump.
More >
Giuliani Robos For Becker
Nov 1st - 3:15 pm
A reader forwarded this robocall from former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani on behalf of Fran Becker, the Republican who’s challenging Democratic Rep. Carolyn McCarthy in Long Island’s 4th CD.
Becker is a long-shot, but he’s been gaining steam, and the GOP has high hopes for him. The reader astutely noted the subtext of this race: Giuliani vs. Mayor Bloomberg, who endorsed McCarthy (a thank-you for her willingess to cross party lines and back his successful bid for a third term last fall).
Here’s the script:
“This is Mayor Rudy Giuliani with a short message reminding you that unless we act
now to change the direction of our country, future generations will never again have the standard of living, the opportunities, and the freedoms we have now.”“That’s why I’m asking you to vote Fran Becker for Congress this Tuesday. Because nothing is going to change in Washington until we change the people we send there. Thank you.”
Report: ADA Says Haggerty Copped To Stealing Bloomberg Cash (Updated)
Oct 29th - 2:29 pm
City Hall news has the following scoop in the ongoing Manhattan DA’s case against GOP operative John Haggerty, who was indicted on charges of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cash Mayor Bloomberg contributed to the state Independence Party:
“In a sworn affidavit that is part of the paperwork, Assistant District Attorney Eric Seidel states that in an interview on March 12, Haggerty acknowledged that ‘he did not disclose to Mayor Bloomberg, his agents, and campaign employees that he was going to keep the money that was budgeted for election day ballot security operation for himself, because if he did, he would not have received the money.’”
“Seidel also said Haggerty admitted that he ‘lied and misled the Bloomberg campaign as to what he intended to do with the money budgeted for Election Day operation’ and that Haggerty acknowledged he created and sent three fake checks to purported poll watchers ‘to create the false impression that they were expenses connected to election day ballot security operation.’”
Haggerty is now working for GOP/Conservative gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino’s campaign and is being represented by former AG (and Paladino supporter) Dennis Vacco.
The Buffalo businessman has stuck by Haggerty, insisting he believes the consultant’s claim that he did nothing wrong and won’t think otherwise until – and if – he’s found guilty.
Haggerty was one of of three Paladino campaign staffers whose “tainted pasts” were the subject of an attack ad launched last weekend by Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Andrew Cuomo’s campaign.
UPDATE: Here’s the affirmation from the ADA, Eric Seidel. Other pertinent documentation can be found here, here, and here.
Bloomberg: There Oughtta Be A Comptroller Law
Oct 29th - 12:14 pm
Mayor Bloomberg this morning floated a proposal that seems tailor-made to assit his current state comptroller candidate of choice, Republican Harry Wilson, saying there should be a legal requirement that New York’s top auditor and its governor have different party affiliations.
“What we really need is more independence,” Bloomberg told WOR’s John Gambling during the duo’s weekly radio show this morning.
“And all this stuff about independent candidates notwithstanding, it’s – nothing is – when people who are being judged shouldn’t be running the contest.”
“…Eleven out of the last 13 New York state comptrollers were from a party different than the governor. There should be a state law requiring you to be a different party because the comptroller is the watchdog for the governor’s Office. And you know, it would be good for the City as well.”
Bloomberg has split his statewide endorsements this fall, backing two Republicans – Wilson and Staten Island DA Dan Donovan for AG – and a Democrat, Andrew Cuomo for governor.
Bloomberg Robos For McCarthy
Oct 28th - 1:49 pm
Mayor Bloomberg is going all-out to return the favor Rep. Carolyn McCarthy paid him when she crossed party lines to endorse his successful bid for a third term last fall, campaigning with the Democratic congresswoman this morning and also recoding a robocall on her behalf.
Here’s the script:
“Hi, this is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. I’m calling to ask you to vote for my friend, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy. I’ve known and worked with Carolyn for years. She’s a tireless advocate for Long Island families, and an effective bipartisan congresswoman with a long history of working to create jobs and protect jobs.”
“You can count on Carolyn to stand up for Long Islanders and the state of New York. Please vote on November 2nd and return Carolyn McCarthy for Congress so she can continue to do what’s right for us. Thank you.”
McCarthy is facing a tough challenge from Republican Fran Becker, who is getting a boost from House Minority Whip Eric Cantor tomorrow.
Bloomberg’s Bipartisan Morning
Oct 28th - 8:42 am
NY1′s Bobby Cuza is up early this morning to follow Mayor Bloomberg and sent this photo of the billionaire mayor stumping at a Mineola LIRR stop with two Democrats: Sen. Craig Johnson and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy.
McCarthy, who is facing an unusually spirited challenge this fall from Republican Fran Becker, crossed party lines to endorse Bloomberg’s successful bid for a third term last year (even though she’s not a NYC resident).
Johnson has received fundraising help and endorsements from the mayor in recent years, thanks largely to his support of charter schools – one of Bloomberg’s favorite causes.
The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent mayor has divided his endorsements this fall between Democrats and Republicans both in New York (he’s backing Andrew Cuomo for governor and Dan Donovan and Harry Wilson for AG and state comptroller, respectively) and nationally.
Generally speaking, Bloomberg has been backing moderates in hopes, he says, of pushing the political discourse back to the center (and perhaps laying the groundwork for a 2012 presidential run in the process).
After the Mineola stop, Bloomberg headed to a Bellerose LIRR station, where he was scheduled to stump with three GOP candidates: Donovan, Wilson and Queens state Sen. Frank Padavan.
Nader: Bloomberg For President Is ’50-50′
Oct 21st - 9:17 am
Perennial presidential candidate Ralph Nader added fuel to the Bloomberg-for-president speculation fire during a CapTon interview last night, saying he had spoken to the billionaire mayor and believes he is indeed considering an independent White House run in 2012 – no matter how much he publicly denies his ambitions.
“My conversations with him and his conversations with other people lead me to believe it’s 50-50 he’s going to run in 2012, and it will probably be on an independent ticket,” said Nader, who was on the show to promote the candidacy of Green Party gubernatorial contender Howie Hawkins.
“And if that happens, he writes himself a $600 million check. He doesn’t have to dial for dollars, and it’s a three-way race at the presidential level. I think if he thinks he’s got a chance to win, he’ll really run,” Nader continued.
“His problem is that he thinks too many voters are hereditary Republican, hereditary Democrat – no matter who the nominee is, they’ll go the party line, and that sort of handicaps an independent candidate.”
“…I would support him in the manner of more diversity of choice, just like I would want a Libertarian candidate. I’d want a Green candidate. I really believe in competitive democracy.”
Nader said he would be “very reluctant” to run again himself, but isn’t ruling out the possibility.
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