Remember earlier this year when pressure from union leaders caused State Senate Democrats to return $15k that Walmart had donated? Here we go again. The News looked into the big box retailer's donations in Albany and found that in the past two years it has given $63,500 to state politicians and committees as well as an additional $74,500 to congressional candidates and their PACs. That is a nice jump up from the $43,355 they gave in the previous two-year period. Coincidentally, did you know that the store was trying to invade New York City again? more ›

Forty-one Republican Senators voted against the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which would have provided $7.4 billion in health care and compensation to 9/11 responders and their survivors. According to the AP, "The bill failed on a test vote, 57-42. Fifty-seven Democrats voted for the bill and 41 Republicans opposed it. Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, switched his vote to 'no' at the last moment, a parliamentary move that allows him to bring the measure up again for a vote." And the GOP refused because they want the Bush tax cuts extension passed first. Now we know: Money for millionaires > 9/11 first responders. more ›

The House of Representatives passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act by a vote of 268 to 160 two months after failing to pass the bill in a rancorous session. The act will "exposed to toxins released by the collapse of the World Trade Center towers" and also reopens the federal Victim Compensation Fund, according to Rep. Carolyn Maloney's office. Maloney, the Democrat who co-sponsored the bill with Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and Michael McMahon (D-NY), said, "To the living victims of 9/11, we have good news: help is on the way. Today, the House answered the emergency calls of thousands of ailing 9/11 first responders and survivors. Our bill provides proper care to those who lost their health because of the 9/11 attacks and demonstrates that we will not abandon those who come to aid of our nation in times of crisis." more ›

Over the weekend, Rep. Carolyn Maloney handed down her second annual report card on the Second Avenue subway project, giving it a "B" grade, which is a slight improvement from last year's B-minus. At a press conference over the weekend, Rep. Carolyn Maloney held up a $275 million federal check for the project and told the press, "Real progress has been made on the Second Avenue Subway this year—with the subway’s tunnel boring machine literally moving closer to the finish line with each passing hour." But the Sisyphean project continues to go over-budget and make a mockery of target dates. more ›

If you're a registered Democrat or Republican, you can vote in tomorrow's primary. Besides getting a chance to participate in the democratic (small d) process, you'll also get a chance to come face-to-face with one of the new voting machines—no more old-fashioned lever machines, it's now time for newfangled scanners (time for our own Lizard People vote?). more ›

The primary is just over a week away and one of the heated battles in for the 14th District, which overs much of Manhattan's East Side as well as Roosevelt Island and Queens' Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside neighborhoods. Rep. Carolyn Maloney has been in office since 1993, but Reshma Saujani, an attorney (she recently worked as general counsel for a hedge fund), has been mounting a challenge. Yesterday, the NY Times endorsed Maloney while the Daily News announced its backing of Saujani today. more ›

When does the Republican party abandon 9/11? When it's time to provide $7.4 billion in medical treatment and compensation to first responders and residents sickened by the toxic dust after the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center. Yesterday, the House's 255-159 vote (243 Democrats and 12 Republicans supported the measure; 155 Republicans and 4 Democrats voted nay) fell short of the majority needed to pass the long-debated James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009. Republicans called it a "slush fund" and an "entitlement program." Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) slammed the partisanship in this rousing (and LOUD) speech. more ›

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is in the midst of the difficult process of getting her late husband Clifford's body back to New York after he passed away in Tibet Saturday. Thus far Clifford Maloney has been carried 5,000 feet below the base camp where he died in his sleep after having climbed the 27,000 foot Himalayan peak of Cho Oyu. A friend of Maloney's called the negotiations with the Chinese government to allow a helicopter to be flown in "a complicated effort." more ›

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is said to be "numb but heartbroken" after learning yesterday that her husband Clifton Maloney died on his way down from a mountain hiking expedition in Tibet. Reports are that 71-year-old Clifton Maloney's final words were "I’m the happiest man in the world. I’ve just summited a beautiful mountain." The couple have been married for 33 years and have two daughters, ages 28 and 21. Friends describe he and the congresswoman, who represents parts of Manhattan and Queens, as "unbelievably intertwined" and "one of the happiest couples" they know. more ›

A new congressional report card judging the progress of the Second Avenue Subway has given the project a B-minus, possibly the highest ratings ever handed out to the mythical subway line. The MTA immediately snatched the report card out Congress's hands and tried to get a signature on it before anyone noticed further problems, the agency expressing gratitude that Congress recognized the elements of the project that they are handling well. That "praise" includes the MTA being diligent in meeting with affected businesses, including the dozen that have closed along the route. Nonetheless Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who headed the study said, "Up until now, the project has been marred by missed deadlines, cost overruns and a harsh impact on local businesses." more ›

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney met with the NYC postmaster to discuss the possibility of closing the Pitt Station post office as part of much-needed budget cuts. The USPS points out that Knickerbocker Station is only three-tenths of a mile away. But LES seniors point out that that can be really far for some people, as well as the fact that Knickerbocker has stairs. And old people hate stairs. [The Lo-Down] more ›

And then there were none left to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand in a Democratic primary. There must be some fierce, behind-the-scenes fangs hiding under that Tracy Flick smile of Gillibrand's because it seems like every Democrat poised to step in her way eventually bows out. Yesterday Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney became the last to wave the white flag, leaving Gilly the path of least resistance previously paved by Stringer, Israel, McCarthy and even Caroline Kennedy, whose initial withdrawal from consideration for the seat first opened the door for Gillibrand. Politicker says that Maloney recognized how much of a long-shot she was to beat the well-connected, upstate fundraising powerhouse and feared losing her entire political career, which could eventually see her as chair of the Financial Services Committee she currently sits on. Both Maloney and Gillibrand passed along praise of one another after the announcement and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, "We've got a fabulous candidate now keeping her House seat and a fabulous candidate we hope keeping her Senate seat." more ›

Looks like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand won't face a primary challenge next year: Rep. Carolyn Maloney released a statement indicating she's dropping a bid to challenge the newly anointed junior Senator. You can read the full statement here; here's an excerpt: "These are unique times with unparalleled challenges and running for the Senate is a full time job. Giving up for a critical period of time, the things I do best-passing legislation, working on the issues, serving New Yorkers would put politics before policy for the next year and a half... I may not be entering the race - but I will never leave the fight." The NY Times reports, "A person close to Ms. Maloney, who represents parts of Manhattan and Queens, said she reached the decision after days of consideration that running would mean leaving her current job at a point when she had significant seniority in Congress. " more ›

Congresswoman and likely Senate candidate Carolyn Maloney may have stepped in some serious S-word. While giving an interview to the publication City Hall, Maloney was discussing Kirsten Gillibrand's stances being all over the map and relayed a story from a voter on the issue of language in the schools: "I got a call from someone from Puerto Rico, said [Gillibrand] went to Puerto Rico and came out for English-only [education]. And he said, ‘It was like saying n—r to a Puerto Rican.’” City Hall emphasizes that Maloney used the "full racial slur." Talk about bad PR! Well, if Jesse Jackson wasn't going to let Nas use the N-word, you knew Al Sharpton would waste no time in having words for Maloney. The Reverend, who has already endorsed Gillibrand, said the utterance was "alarming and disturbing at best" and wants her to out the person who said this "so we know that in fact this conversation did occur and the way in which it occurred." Maloney was quick to back away from the comment, saying, "I apologize for having repeated a word I find disgusting. It's no excuse but I was so caught up in relaying the story exactly as it was told to me that, in doing so, I repeated a word that should never be repeated." more ›

With Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) looking to challenge Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in the 2010 Democratic Senate primary, much is being made of Maloney is doing so much to the dismay of the Obama administration. But Rep. Charles Rangel thinks President Obama should stay out of race—and the NY Times says the same in an editorial! more ›

With it being all but official that Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney will be taking on Kirsten Gillibrand in the Democratic primary for Senate next year, now comes the tough part for Maloney—finding a base of voters while getting little to no support from Democratic big wigs up top. The Times accounts just what a mountain she's up against: receiving an Obama/Steve Israel-like call from Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer scaring away a potential campaign manager and now watching Gillibrand take credit for her WTC workers bill. Maloney said, “Here she takes my bill and introduces it." Maloney's nascent campaign is trying to build some momentum off of the presence of Bill Clinton at an upcoming fundraiser of hers, but it seems that she can't even get any love there. A Clinton spokesperson made it clear the former president was strictly attending to thank Hillary '08 supporters like Maloney and added, "The former president believes that Senator Gillibrand is doing a good job as senator and this type of thank-you event, and any other he may do, should not be read as an endorsement or un-endorsement." more ›

Kirsten Gillibrand may have creeped her way under the radar as Governor Paterson's surprise choice to replace Hillary Clinton as senator in January, but her path towards winning the election to keep the seat won't be as smooth. After much speculation, it appears that Manhattan Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney will throw her hat into the ring to challenge Gillibrand in the Democratic primary next year. Maloney, along with Long Island Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, have been critical of Gillibrand's former pro-gun stances and rapid "evolution" since she was named to the Senate. Recently Maloney said, "Some people run to get elected. I spend my time doing things. I've never lost an election. I don't intend to start now." The 61-year-old former city councilwoman faces an uphill battle against Gillibrand's quickly amassed war chest and the endorsements she's been racking up, most recently from powerful pro-choice group NARAL. An early Quinnipiac poll shows Maloney with a slight lead, but most voters undecided at this early stage. more ›

Local politicians gathered in Washington today to introduce the James Zagroda 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, legislation that would provide $12 million for the medical expenses of Ground Zero workers. Zagroda was an NYPD detective and 9/11 first responder who died of lung disease in 2006 at 34. Mayor Bloomberg joined both pairs of senators from NY and NJ and Zagroda's father Joseph in announcing the bill that will attempt to circumvent a missed a 2003 deadline missed by workers looking to receive assistance in illnesses stemming from being exposed to toxic dust and debris at the site of the 9/11 attacks. more ›

If a strongly-worded recommendation from Chuck Schumer wasn't enough to discourage Congressman Steve Israel from challenging Kirsten Gillibrand in next year's Democratic primary for Senate, party brass brought in the big boss to make sure he knew how serious the sentiment was. Israel announced that he had decided not to run yesterday shortly after receiving a call from President Obama. Israel said, "When (the president) asked me to take a leadership role in fighting for his agenda, I wasn't about to say no. He believes that at this critical time...that party unity is important." Carolyn Maloney may be next potential challenger pushed to the side, but it doesn't appear that there is any sign of retreat from Gillibrand's most visible foe since entering the Senate, Carolyn McCarthy. She may also have to face labor activist Jonathan Tasini, who told Politico, "Had the party leadership sought to “clear the field” in 2008 and control a vigorous debate about the direction of our party and our country, Barack Obama would not be president today." more ›

New York Congressional Democrats are warning the state chairwoman not to anoint Kirsten Gillibrand as the party's candidate for Senate in 2010 just yet. Ten representatives signed a letter sent to the party's chair, June O'Neill, telling her not to use party resources to back the incumbent senator. The letter said, "The members of the Democratic State Committee deserve to make a [Senate] choice without being impaired or prejudiced in any way...Some of the cosigners of this letter may support Senator Gillibrand. Some are considering running for the seat." Those who signed and are considering a run include Carolyn McCarthy, Carolyn Maloney and Steve Israel. Gillibrand's reception from many state Dems since being named to the Senate in January has been chilly to say the least. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer was the most recent Democrat to make it clear that he'd like to see another Democrat representing New York in the Senate—even if he has to run to do it. more ›

Late Thursday, right before the long July 4th weekend, it was announced the Bush administration had declined to keep on the World Trade Center health czar. Dr. John Howard was the director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health within the Center for Disease Control and had much support--last Wednesday, Governor David Paterson asked President Bush to extend Howard's term, noting his "pivotal role" in 9/11 health efforts. more ›

On the steps of the Capitol, Representative Charles Rangel and other members of the New York Congressional delegation thew their support behind Barack Obama. The delegation had been supporting Hillary Clinton, but yesterday Clinton aides revealed she would formally concede on Saturday at a rally and endorse Obama. more ›