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Carl Paladino
Lazio Bullish On Obama’s Business Tax Write-Off
Sep 7th - 3:21 pm
Here’s a surprise: Heading into a tough primary against right-of-center Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino, GOP/Conservative gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio is saying nice things about Democratic President Barack Obama.
While campaigning on Paladino’s home turf (he was at the Niagara Blower Company in Erie County), Lazio was asked about the Obama administration’s new focus on the economy – specifically the president’s plan to let businesses deduct the full value of new equipment purchases through 2011 to increase the demand for goods and create jobs.
“I think you’ve got to like some of those things, honestly,” Lazio replied.
“I think the package is too modest, but I think the idea of accelerating depreciation to encourage businesses to buy more equipment and to effectively accelerate some of those purchases at a time when we really need to see that economic activity has merit.”
Air Paladino, Slamming ‘Liberal’ Lazio
Sep 7th - 12:19 pm
GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino is out with a new radio ad that brands his primary opponent, Rick Lazio, as a liberal and a career politician.
The ad starts out like several of Paladino’s previous spots, with an anonymous male announcer saying: “New Yorker’s pay the highest taxes, we get the wildest liberal spending, but we are still losing jobs.”
And then (this part is new and part of Paladino’s pre-primary media blitz), the focus turns to the “former liberal Congressman Rick Lazio,” who “voted for higher taxes and increased federal spending” and “took a $1.6 million bonus from a huge Wall Street bank getting a $25 billion-dollar taxpayer-financed bailout.
And then Paladino himself comes on and says:
“Career politicians always promise us tax cuts. Spending cuts. And new jobs. They never deliver. I am Carl Paladino. As your governor, I’ll really cut taxes by 10 percent. I’ll really cut spending by 20 percent. And if you want someone with a proven track record creating jobs, I’m your man.
‘He’s Not Carl Paladino’
Sep 7th - 8:42 am
GOP/Conservative gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio has received another rather tepid pre-primary endorsement from a major daily newspaper, which is really more of an dis-endorsement of his opponent, Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino, than a ringing expression of support for the former Long Island congressman.
From today’s Albany Times Union:
“Mr. Lazio’s proposals to reduce spending, limit taxes and reorganize government are more reasoned ones. They show an understanding of an office that, as he says, requires more than being a ‘shock jock.’ It demands an able leader, a competent administrator, a skilled politician and, at times, a statesman.”
“Between now and the November election, Mr. Lazio will need to prove that he can be all those things. But he’s not Carl Paladino, and that’s enough to win our endorsement for the Republican nomination.”
“The party needs to be warned that rejecting Mr. Lazio will come at its own peril. A once powerful and still serious party is in danger of reducing itself to fringe status.”
Recall that the Times said much the same thing in its recent endorsement of Lazio, going so far as to warn it would be a “national embarrassment” for the GOP if Paladino wins next Tuesday.
Not surprisingly, the Paladino campaign took the Times swipe as a badge of honor instead of a slight, immediately slamming (via Twitter) “liberal lobbyist” Lazio for receiving the support of the “ultra-liberal” newspaper.
Consv Party’s $190K Ad Buy For Lazio
Sep 6th - 12:38 pm
The state Conservative Party has so far spent $190,000 on TV ads that oppose the mosque/Islamic center and boost Republican gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio, according to its 11-day pre-primary filing.
That’s just $10,000 less than the candidate himself spent on his first – and so far only – statewide ad buy in advance of his Sept. 14 face-off with Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino. (That’s according to Lazio’s campaign; his filing still hasn’t shown up on the state Board of Elections Website).
It also pales in comparison to the up to $2 million Carl Paladino’s campaign says he’s going to drop for a last-minute pre-primary media blitz that’s already well underway.
Of the $190,000, $15,000 went to Chris Mottola, a GOP media consultant whose client list has included the likes of President George W. Bush and Sen. Arlen Specter (the Pennsylvania Republican-turned-Democrat who was defeated by Rep. Joe Sestak in a May primary). The other $175,000 went to Virginia-based media buying firm Multi Media Services Inc.
The Conservative Party paid for the ads through its campaign committee, which raised $265,067 between the 32-day and 11-day flings and has $566,265 on hand. The bulk of its cash came from three donors – all of whom share the same last name.
Diana Mercer (a financial consultant at Renaissance Tech., a Long Island-based hedge fund) gave $83,700; Rebekah Mercer gave $94,200 and Heather Mercer $83,716.
Berntsen/Paladino Split?
Sep 6th - 10:24 am
A reader flagged an interesting, yet overlooked, aspect of Jacob Gershman’s very interesting WSJ story about the lack of consensus among New York Tea Partiers on GOP gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino, who’s banking in no small part on the support of disaffected Republicans to fuel his hoped-for primary victory over Rick Lazio.
Gershman quotes Stephen Flanagan, identified as the founder of the Conservative Society for Action in Suffolk County, thusly in regards to Paladino:
“They’re not trusting of him…People ask, ‘Is the guy crazy?’ But the answer is, ‘How much worse could it get?’”
Flanagan also told Gershman Paladino’s pledge to use eminent domain to block the proposed mosque/Islamic center near Ground Zero was “an automatic disqualifier for a lot of people” in the Tea Party movement who don’t take kindly to the idea of government using its power to impound private property for a purported public good.
(The Paterson administration says Paladino’s plan isn’t legal anyway, but that hasn’t stopped the Buffalo businessman from pushing it, along with a proposal to create a “Ground Zero zone” that would prevent things like the Park51 project).
What is not mentioned in the piece is the fact that Flanagan is also the campaign director for US Senate hopeful Gary Berntsen, who is one of several Republicans running on Paladino’s independent Taxpayers Party line.
Paladino Attends Fossella’s Anti-Mosque Rally
Sep 5th - 3:51 pm
GOP gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino was on Staten Island today to attend – and speak – at a “peaceful gathering” organized by ex-Rep. Vito Fossella and other local Republicans against the mosque/Islamic center proposed for construction near Ground Zero.
(Recall that Staten Island is one of the two NYC boroughs Paladino actually likes. He’s also big on Queens, which, like Staten Island, has pockets of GOP voters. He’s not big on the overwhelmingly Democratic boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan).
Paladino’s campaign manager Michael Caputo confirmed the Buffalo businessman attended at Fossella’s invitation (apparently, the connection between the two is GOP consultant John Haggerty, who is working on Paladino’s campaign while fighting charges brought against him in connection with the Mayor Bloomberg/Indy Party scandal by the Manhattan DA’s office).
“It was great,” Caputo said. “I’ll tell you, Carl was really struck when Fossella was asked anyone who lost a loved one (on 9/11) to raise their hands and 90 percent of them did. Just, oh my God, it was just so tremendous to be in that kind of crowd.”
“(Paladino) spoke and talked about stopping the mosque on Day One of his administration. He received resounding applause. He also talked about creating a Ground Zero district where they would be able to restrict ths kind of development.”
Also present at the event were Rep. Peter King, Sen. Andrew Lanza, Assemblyman Louis Tobacco, NYC Council Minority Leader James Oddo and US Senate hopeful David Malpass (who is running on Paladino’s independent Taxpayers Party line, but says he’ll drop off that if he doesn’t win the GOP primary). Paladino’s primary opponent, Rick Lazio, wasn’t on hand.
Maggie Haberman reports that one of Paladino’s first mailers – he’s planning five before the primary, and two are out already, I’m told – mentions both the mosque and his opposition to it and Ronald Reagan. (Odd juxtaposition there).
Paladino Far From Broke
Sep 4th - 9:02 am
GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino’s campaign reported a negative balance of $567.50 in yesterday’s 11-day pre-primary financial report while at the same time letting leak that he planned to spend up to $2 million on a last-minute media blitz leading up to the Sept. 14 election.
While those two things might seem completely at odds, it turns out that Paladino’s report didn’t tell the full story of his spending.
An astute reader reminded me to check the 24-hour notice link on the state Board of Elections Website, where all contributions over $1,000 must be reported within a day of their receipt. This kicks in after the final reporting deadline prior to an election.
And there, about halfway through the list, is news of a $532,500 contribution from Carl Paladino to his campaign, Paladino for the People.
That brings the self-funder’s total to $1.52 million.
Times For Lazio, Paladino A GOP ‘National Embarrassment’
Sep 4th - 8:50 am
The Times, which has clashed sharply with GOP/Conservative gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio, managed to put aside its differences with the former Long Island congressman long enough to endorse him in advance of the Sept. 14 primary.
The Gray Lady’s decision is clearly driven not so much by a desire to support Lazio, but rather an intense dislike for his opponent, Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino, who the paper says would be a “national embarrassment” to the GOP if he wins this intra-party contest.
The Times called out Paladino for his racist/sexually explicit e-mail scandal and for his defense of Eric County Executive Chris Collins’ comments likening Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to Hitler and an Antichrist, calling it “appalling” that anyone would find that acceptable.
As for Paladino’s own policy proposals, including his so-called Dignity Corps. and threat to shut down the state government if the budget is late, the Times rejected those as “clownish.”
“Mr. Lazio, who also has focused on plans to create more jobs and clean up the ethical swamp in Albany, is a far better choice,” the editorial board opined.
“We don’t agree with him on numerous issues – especially his unseemly fulminating against an Islamic community center and mosque near ground zero. But he provides Republicans a far more reasonable option for the November election.”
“The party could avoid the national embarrassment of a Paladino candidacy and mount a substantive challenge to the Democratic nominee, Andrew Cuomo. In the Republican primary for governor, we endorse Rick Lazio.”
So, at first blush this might seem like a good thing for Lazio.
But I would argue that the Times’ seal of approval is exactly the sort of thing that the candidate needed to avoid, given the current mood of the electorate, and perhaps even plays directly into Paladino’s hands.
Paladino’s In The Red
Sep 3rd - 4:21 pm
GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino’s 11-day pre-primary filing shows his campaign committee has a negative balance of of $567.50.
The Buffalo businessman dumped another $220,000 of his own cash into his campaign since the 32-day filing, bringing his self-funding total to $520,000 to date.
While half a million dollars is nothing to sneeze at, but it’s a far cry from the $10 million he has pledged to spend on his first statewide run.
All told, Paladino’s campaign has $344,297 worth of debt, $300,000 of which is due to the candidate. There’s also just over $11,000 owed to Paladino’s real estate firm, Ellicot Square Court Corp., for “wages”.
Paladino has raised $113,155 – $22,675 from corporate interests and $80,373 from individuals. He spent $484,379 over the last over the last three weeks, including $82,000 on TV ads, $25,000 on polling and close to $200,000 on mail.
The candidate launched a statewide and TV ad campaign today. Paladino’s campaign manager Michael Caputo would not reveal the size of the buy.
Rick Lazio’s filing isn’t yet on-line. I was told earlier today by Lazio spokesman David James that his numbers would be released this afternoon.
Blitzkrieg Begins
Sep 3rd - 1:19 pm
GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino has released new TV and radio ads for a last-minute media blitz that will remain on the air through the Sept. 14 primary, according to his campaign.
Paladino’s campaign manager Michael Caputo wouldn’t reveal the size of the buy, but did say both are running statewide, and the TV spot is on broadcast and cable.
You can watch both of the ads on Paladino’s Web page. Here’s the radio script, just to give you a taste:
“(male voiceover): Are you mad as hell about the mess in Albany? New Yorkers pay the highest taxes. We get the wildest liberal spending, but we’re still losing jobs. One man has stepped forward to drive career politicians and their special interest buddies out of Albany. That’s outsider Carl Paladino for governor of New York.”
“He’s not a politician, he’s a successful Buffao CEO. Like many in the Tea Party movement, Carl’s under attack by the liberal elite because he’ll turn Albany upside down and take out the trash.”
The radio spot ends with Carl slamming “career politicians” to promise tax and spending cuts and don’t deliver.
His part cuts off at the very end, but I think you get the idea…it’s a not-so-subtle swipe at his primary opponent, Rick Lazio, a former Long Island congressman; and the Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner, AG Andrew Cuomo.
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