NY's only statewide political program
Carl Paladino
Cuomo’s Attack Dog
Apr 13th - 3:53 pm
Newly-minted state Democratic Party Executive Director Charlie King said today the organization will act as a “truth squad” for the 2010 ticket, pushing back on the Republicans when they “distort, micharacterize or talk in code.”
King settled quickly into his new role, unleashing on Rick Lazio (for accepting a Wall Street bonus), Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy (for “pay-to-play”), Carl Paladino (’nuff said), and even state GOP Chairman Ed Cox (for giving Levy “a pass” for jokes about black people and “anchor babies,” while taking Paladino to task).
In a brief interview this afternoon, I asked King if he is going to be serving as presumptive Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Cuomo’s attack dog, essentially buying the AG more time before he has to announce his candidacy and start throwing bombs himself.
” What I’m going to do is when Republicans decide to distort, mischaracterize or talk in code, I’m not going to be shy about pointing that out or having the state party point that out,” King responded. “The party gets to take on the attack dog position, OK you can say that.”
While stressing that his arrival at the party does not herald the imminent departure of Chairman Jay Jacobs, who was installed by Gov. David Paterson, King did say more changes are in the offing. He plans to establish a “full-fledged coordinated campaign,” which will entail hiring a party spokesperson, political director and field operation manager, among others.
Threat Called into Paladino’s Office Building (Updated)
Apr 13th - 2:17 pm
Buffalo police say a threat was called into the Ellicott Square building, which is owned by embattled millionaire candidate for Governor Carl Paladino. The caller identified himself as a member of a black militant group, saying there was a bomb in the building. The complex was evacuated and bomb-sniffing dogs searched the building, coming up empty. Employees have been allowed back in. We’re told Paladino was in the building when the treat was called in and has not returned.
Cop Car Outside Paladino Office Building in Buffalo
Paladino is embroiled in an embarrassing e-mail scandal. Yesterday, the website WNY Media released several graphic emails forwarded from the Republican candidate’s account containing sexually explicit and racist emails. Paladino responded yesterday by apologizing to any women he offended and asking other men who have viewed graphic emails for their vote.
UPDATE: We just received this comment from Paladino spokesman Michael Caputo:
At 12:35pm today an unidentified male called the Paladino campaign headquarters. In a 50 second conversation with our receptionist the man identified himself as a representative of a “black militant group” and said his group would “bomb all of you.” After our receptionist asked for the name of his group, he terminated the telephone call.
Our security team advised an immediate evacuation of the entire building. Campaign security moved Carl Paladino to a safe offsite location. After forty minutes, emergency responders cleared the building and tenants returned to their offices. Carl remains in an undisclosed location.
The campaign does not have incoming caller identification. The Buffalo Police Department is investigating the matter.
IG Bracing For Silly Season
Apr 13th - 11:29 am
Yes, state Inspector General Joseph Fisch received the Paladino campaign’s letter calling on him to investigate alleged violations of the Public Officers Law by AG Andrew Cuomo’s aide, Joe Precoco, and no, there will be no such probe.
“The letter greeted me when I arrived at 8 o’clock this morning,” Fisch told reporters earlier today. “And someone in my office suggested – and I was shocked to hear this suggestion – that there may be some political motive.”
“…The easy answer is that we have no jurisdiction over the Department of Law…This season, which I would not be surprised to find other letters of that nature.”
In other words, if you’re a political operative working on a campaign and are hoping to enlist Fisch’s assistance in lambasting your opposition, don’t bother.
Paladino Makes Olbermann’s ‘Worst Person’ List
Apr 13th - 10:05 am
MSNBC’s Keith Olberman tapped gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino as the ”Worst Person in the World” yesterday in the wake of the Buffalo businessman’s e-mail scandal.
Olberman billed Paladino as the Tea Party candidate for the “clearly jinxed office of governor of New York State.”
He then proceeded to (probably not by accident) refer to the candidate as Carl “Palomino” (recall that one of the sexually explicit e-mails Paladino forwarded depicted a woman engaged in a sex act with a horse).
Q Poll: Lazio Leads GOP Field, Cuomo Beats Everyone
Apr 13th - 7:45 am
Today’s Q poll finds Rick Lazio with a double-digit lead over both his GOP primary opponents, but yet-unannounced Democratic contender, AG Andrew Cuomo, handily defeats all three of his would-be Republican opponents.
Among registered Republicans, of whom 411 were questioned for this poll, Lazio leads Suffolk County Steve Levy and Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino 34, 11, 11, respectively. The only trouble for Lazio is the fact that 40 percent of respondents said they don’t know who they support, which means there’s considerable room for movement here.
Cuomo’s behind-the-curtain approach to the media, as detailed in today’s Times, isn’t hurting his standing with New York voters. His job approval rating is 74-14, and this is the ninth month in a row the AG has enjoyed popularity scores of 70 or above.
Cuomo leads all three of the GOP hopefuls by at least 2-1; (55-26 over Lazio, 60-24 over Paladino, and 57-24 over Levy). That hasn’t changed much since the last Q poll in February, although neither Levy (who was still a Democat at the time) nor Paladino (who hadn’t announced yet) were included in that line-up.
Cuomo has lost a little ground to Lazio since December 2009, when the Q poll showed the hypothetical head-to-head match-up at 62-22.
But, as Q pollster Mickey Carroll wisely noted, the campaign has only just begun. Things could change considerably once Cuomo formally enters the fray and starts engaging (assuming he bothers to) his Republican opponents.
“Who are those guys? Steve Levy and Carl Paladino don’t register at this stage,” Carroll said. “But neither of them is a shrinking violet. As they start to make noise, we’ll see if they can cut into Rick Lazio’s lead – for the questionable reward of facing Cuomo.”
Upping The Ante
Apr 12th - 5:16 pm
Remember how I discussed in my last post the Roger Stone subterfuge strategy of dealing with political crisis? Well, Stone protege Michael Caputo has just proved my point.
Seeking to further muddy the waters in the wake of his candidate’s dirty e-mail scandal, Caputo just dashed off a letter to state Inspector General Joseph Fisch demanding an investigation into the potential violation of the Public Officers Law by AG Andrew Cuomo aide Joe Percoco.
Caputo cites a recent Times profile of Percoco, in which he is described as Cuomo’s “most pugnacious aide” who is routinely dispatched to “marshal his supporters, undercut his rivals and clear a path for him to become the prohibitive favorite in the race for governor of New York.”
In Caputospeak, Percoco is ”a political bully who intimidates perceived adversaries of the attorney general.” Caputo also says he is “incredulous that Mr. Percoco is separating his state duties from his political activities,” adding: “Am I to believe that Mr. Percoco waits until 5 p.m. to begin organizing fundraisers and twisting arms for Cuomo.”
Paladino Spokesman: Cuomo Behind Dirty E-mail Leak
Apr 12th - 5:00 pm
On the heels of GOP gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino’s claim that someone “hacked” his computer, stole hundreds of sexually and racially explicit e-mails and released them to the media comes a charge by the candidate’s spokesman that presumptive Democratic gubernatorial nominee AG Andrew Cuomo is behind the leak.
Michael Caputo alleged the Western NY Web site where Paladino’s e-mails first appeared this morning is run by a “hardcore Democrat” who has written a number of critical posts about the Buffalo businessman – including the fact that he not only used to be a Democrat himself, but also contributed campaign cash to the very Democrats he’s now attacking.
Caputo alleged that this blogger is in fact in receipt of “in depth research conducted by somebody’s oppo research team.” Asked whose team that might be, Caputo responded:
“We think it’s Cuomo and we think this is an indication of how the attorney general is going to go (in the general election). There’s no reason to think it’s (Rick) Lazio or (Suffolk County Executive Steve) Levy.”
“I mean, it’s not lost on me that a story came out on Levy today,” Caputo continued. “The people who are talking most about reform in Albany are getting attacked on smear levels today. We’re talking about reform, and they want to talk about sex with horses and S&M clubs.”
Men! If You’ve Opened Graphic E-Mail, Paladino Wants Your Vote! (Updated)
Apr 12th - 4:28 pm
Embattled GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino is not shrinking from his e-mail scandal. He held a press conference in Buffalo this afternoon at which he sought to explain the situation to reporters in his usual plainspoken way.
Standing outside the Ellicott Square Building – where, exactly one week ago today, he launched his outsider campaign for governor – Paladino did not denounce the content of the e-mails, many of which were sexually or racially explicit.
He did, however, apologize to any of the “ladies” he might have offended, and accept responsibility for his actions. He also said he would welcome the votes of any men – just men, mind you – who, like him, opened inappropriate e-mails.
I confess to being human and imperfect as are all God’s children,” Paladino said. “I’m not a racist, and I say that even in some of the e-mails that they hacked from my computer. ”
“I am proud that I’ve created hundreds of jobs and opportunity for people of every ethnicity, color and sexual preference. It’s my extended family in Western New York.”
“To any of the ladies I’ve offended, I apologize. I say this to the men out there who have never opened a graphic image on the Internet: Don’t vote for me. For those who have, I welcome your vote.”
“This is not about my personal life this is about returning honest and leadership to Albany.”
Paladino would not say he should not have sent the e-mails, but did say that he regrets “having been somewhat careless in the way that I re-sent e-mails I received.
“I didn’t orginated any of these e-mails….I sent it to a very specific bunch of friends who somewhat enjoy that.”
UPDATE: Video of Paladino’s comments appears after the jump.
Jacobs: Paladino ‘Completely’ Disqualified By ‘Disgusting’ E-mails
Apr 12th - 4:16 pm
State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs just blasted GOP gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino, saying the racially and sexually explicit e-mails he forwarded disqualify him from leading the state.
“New Yorkers need a true leader to be our next Governor,” Jacobs said in a press release.
“The times are serious and only someone who represents our values and principles can marshal the resources to meet our State’s great challenges. Carl Paladino’s emails offer us a clear insight into the man, his vision, his contempt for so many of our citizens, and his extreme agenda. Unquestionably, his disgusting emails disqualify him completely from public service.”
Paladino has been taking fire from all sides today since a Western NY Web site posted e-mails forwarded by the Buffalo businessman - some of which are so X-rated (think beastiality) it’s difficult to even describe them here.
Paladino spokesman Michael Caputo has not denied outright that his candidate forwarded the e-mails, but did question the veracity of some of them, adding: “We don’t know which ones are real and which ones are fake.”
Caputo did say that the content of some of the e-mails is “not the kind of content that Carl subscribes to,” and insisted that Paladino didn’t even read some of the e-mails before forwarding them on to a select group of friends.
Take Capital Tonight and the State of Politics blog with you everywhere you go with our iPhone app! The mobile application features our blog posts, interviews, and a report news tool to send us your political news tips.