Results tagged “johnfaso”

The polls in New York close in a half hour, so the media won't be reporting returns until then. But it's still exciting and heartbreaking to watch the other states' elections returns. For starters, Bob Casey ousting Rick Santorum for a Senate seat in Pennsylvania? That's exciting. Heartbreaking would be reports of bugs and intimidation at the polls.

Yesterday, Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer spent the day at a rally in Harlem with Attorney General candidate Andrew Cuomo, Manhattan Beep Scott Stringer, Fernando Ferrer and other politicians. But the presumptive future Governor had to answer questions about his campaign manager's DWI incident from a few weeks ago in upstate. Apparently Spitzer's 31 year old campaign manager (and Manhattan resident) Ryan Toohey was speeding and rear-ended another car. His car "rolled over several times" and he was charged with DWI and other violations.

Siena College released poll numbers for various NY election races yesterday. In the wackiest race of all - the Attorney General race between Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Republican Jeanine Pirro - it looks like the embattled Pirro is gaining slightly on Cuomo. Cuomo now leads by 13 points, 50 to Pirro's 37, but a month ago, Cuomo led by 17 points. But it's not like voters are suddenly switching sides - Cuomo's numbers went down as more people joined the undecided voters. So, it still doesn't seem like the scandal has hurt Pirro very much, but it's still unclear if it's helped her. We're curious about a post-debate poll, after Sunday's wild ride. Cuomo and Pirro are debating for the last time (awww) this morning in Rochester - we hope that Room Eight's LunchBox tackles that debate too, because yesterday's LunchBox on Sunday's debate was perfect.

Republican gubernatorial candidate John Faso was relentless when he went up against Attorney General, Democratic candidate and gubernatorial frontrunner Eliot Spitzer. Faso said that Spitzer doesn't "get" that New Yorkers pay too much in taxes and added, "Maybe it's because he doesn't pay any school taxes himself," because Spitzer comes from a rich family, lives in an apartment owned by his father and rents an house in Columbia County. Snap! Spitzer, though, said that 50% of Faso's proposed tax cuts would go to the wealthiest 1% of New Yorkers; Spitzer even called Faso' plans "voodoo economics"!!

Today, the Campaign for Fiscal Equity will be making its argument in front of the State Court of Appeals on why NY State needs to fork over billions to the NYC public school system that lower courts said the state owes the city. Back in 2004, the NYC public schools were awarded $5.6 billion, though last year, the figure has been changed to almost $5 billion over four years for operating costs - plus a further $11.2 billion for construction. Since the state only put the construction costs in its budget for this year, the CFE filed its lawsuit (the CFE has been working towards getting NYC public schools money for 13 years). And the Court of Appeals will broadcast the oral arguments online at 2PM.

One day is all it took. After it was revealed Republican Attorney General candidate and former Westchester DA Jeanine Pirro was under federal investigation for possibly wiretapping her husband - because she was worried he was cheating on her - it's revealed who the possible "other lady" in Al Pirro's life was: The 35 year old wife of the lawyer who represented Al Pirro in his 2000 tax evasion case. The Post calls Lisa Santangelo "a stunning brunette 20 years [Jeanine's] junior" while the Daily News calls her "elegant". Either way Santangelo is painted as a family friend (plus the Pirros and Santangelos live near each other) but Satangelo wasn't wearing a wedding band when the photogs descended. However, Santangelo's husband told reporters, "I stand by my wife. Due to the fact that there is an ongoing federal investigation, neither my wife or myself can comment. However, we have been friends with the Pirros for many years." And then his law partner issued a statement saying, "We emphatically deny that there was any affair."

Last night, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and former State Assembly Republican minority leader John Faso had their first gubernatorial debate. Both promised not to tax New York residents, though Faso wonder how Spitzer would be able to do that, with Spitzer's ambitious plans to cut taxes, give people more health coverage, and help school financing. Faso pointed out that Spitzer uses the private plane of a developer interested in bringing a casino to NY State, so Spitzer came back with Faso' rides on a state contractor's plane while in the Assembly. Note to all politicians: Book your own air travel.

After yesterday's announcement that federal and state agencies will lease 1 million of Freedom Tower's 2.6 million square feet, the candidates for NY Governor have backed the plan as well. The NY Times reports that Democratic nominee Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Republican nominee John Faso both threw their support behind the plan, which now "signals that whoever wins the general election in November is likely to continue Gov. George E. Pataki’s plans for the skyscraper." While it was expected Faso would support the plan, Spitzer's been more vocal in criticizing the project, which is one of the biggest symbols of Pataki's failure as a leader. But now, with the NY Governor's office moving to Freedom Tower, as well as other federal agencies, it seems Spitzer is on board. When the Times asked Mayor Bloomberg's office if the city would move any of its offices to Freedom Tower, his spokesman simply said, "When we have an announcement to make, we’ll make it.” Well, it's not like Mayor Bloomberg's administration would even see the agencies move there, since the tower won't be completed (if it actually gets built) until well after his term is up.

With the primary settling who's running in November, candidates came out swinging. And the best cage match might be the Attorney General's race. The NY Times had this first line:

Kicking off their general-election battle for New York State attorney general yesterday, Andrew M. Cuomo and Jeanine F. Pirro could not have smiled more, sounded nicer, or done a poorer job of concealing their true feelings: they want to shred each other.

In fact, Democrats in NY State spent yesterday calling her Pataki's lackey (not in those words, sadly, more like "royal lieutenant," but "Pataki's lackey" rhymes!). In the gubernatorial race, Republican John Faso said the Wall Street prosecution cases of Attorney General - and frontrunner - Eliot Spitzer were "phony" while Spitzer called Faso a "lobbyist." Really, men, settle down! And Republican candidate for Senate John Spencer challenged Senator Hillary Clinton to a debate; the Post reports her people said she will, but they need to work out details. Details like will this come before or after some swings into the Midwest to raise more money.

With just 55 days left, the dance cards are set for the general election. As expected, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Senator Hillary Clinton won their respectives primaries for governor and Senate. The NY Times noted that Clinton's reosounding win showed that her support of the Iraq war did not affect voter sentiment:

“Clinton’s work ethic, her lack of enemies, and her fund-raising help for other Democrats have insulated her from party criticism, including on Iraq,” said Ken Sherrill, a political scientist at Hunter College. “I got a taped phone call from Susan Sarandon urging support for Tasini, but that’s all I really heard about him.”

On the Republican side of the Senate race, former Yonkers mayor John Spencer won the nomination. Given the mess the Republican Senate nominees are in, it's safe to say Clinton has it in the bag. Next up for Spitzer, though, is facing a campaign from Republican John Faso, who Spitzer leads 67% to Faso's 21% in a Marist poll.

Yesterday, the Department of Energy listed places that need more power lines, possibly paving the way for the federal government to force states to upgrade or build power lines. The study, the National Electric Transmissin Congestion Study, broke out three kinds of power congestion areas:

The first are categorized as the most severely congested areas - “Critical Congestion Areas,” of which the study identified two critical areas: Southern California and the Atlantic coastal area from the New York City area to northern Virginia.

Continue reading "Power Struggles Ahead"

Hundreds of thousands of revelers enjoyed the beautiful weather and celebrated during yesterday's Puerto Rican Day Parade. And this year's theme was, "Boricuas...We count, We Vote!" Though Marc Anthony was the Grand Marshal, the real attraction was his wife, Jennifer Lopez. Mayor Bloomberg, who marched with the couple, said, "In the pictures tomorrow, I will be lucky if I am noticed at all." Anthony and Lopez ultimately needed the help of Guardian Angels to keep the paparazzi off them and keep moving along the parade route. And the couple was also there to promote their upcoming film, El Cantante, but the El Cantante float broke down towards the end of the route.

Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld dropped out of the Republican race, officially letting the much lesser known John Faso take the Republican nomination worry-free. The maneuvering seemed to come after various state GOP bigwigs asked Weld to step down after Weld, who was initially supported by Governor Pataki and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, made a poor, but viable-enough-to-force-a-primary showing during the GOP convention. Faso is conservative, while Weld was much more moderate, and the GOP is setting up this fall's election to be much more black and white for voters. However, a poll says that Spitzer is leading candidates by 50 points. While it's still early and the public needs to know who exactly Faso is, Newsday reports that one person polled said, "I hate Democrats," yet will be voting for Spitzer anyway. GOP, this is what you get for giving us a third term of Pataki.

Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, who lost the NY State Republican party's support to be the Republican nominee for the governor's race this fall, is being pressured to drop out of the race. Weld, who can still force a primary after earning more than a third of the NYS Republican party's votes, has lost support from both the current and former NY State Republican Party chairmen, who are urging him to quit, probably in order for John Faso to focus his efforts on defeating the looming favorite, Democratic nominee and current Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.

Assemblyman John Faso of Columbia Country beat former Massachusettes governor William Weld for the GOP nomination for NY State governor yesterday. However, Weld did have enough support to stay on the ballot and force a primary this fall. The split between the two candidates represents many problems in the Republican party: On one side, you've got moderate, socially progressive members (Weld is pro-choice), on the other side, it's the conservatives (Faso is anti-abortion and the Conservation party nominee). Weld's people are playing it tough and tell the Times, "There's also a stature gap: Weld's big-time, a tough prosecutor, a former governor. Faso is an Albany insider and former lobbyist." At any rate, there are problems in the NY Republican party, and it's pretty clear that Spitzer will be our next governor.