Even though Mayor Bloomberg doesn't belong to a political party, he has confirmed he will help NY State Republicans face re-election this year. Why? It boils down to his pet failed project, congestion pricing. The Daily News reports Mayor Bloomberg as saying, "I've said repeatedly, I'll help those who help this city. The Republicans in the state Senate were willing to vote for congestion pricing and the Democrats were not." Indeed, when Assembly Leader Sheldon......

A day after his stunning decision to leave the State Senate after 32 years, Majority Leader Joseph Bruno held a sentimental press conference. Capitol Confidential and Daily Politics has highlights from his remarks, like “Life decisions are never easy. And I’ve made a life decision. My life decision is to step back, and step out" and answering "I have news for you, we're all terminal here" when asked if he is terminally ill. Bruno was......

The highest ranking Republican in NY State, State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, announced he would not seek re-election this fall. The 79-year-old released a statement; here is an excerpt (the full statement is after the jump: "Today I met with my Republican colleagues in the Senate and informed them that I will not be running for re-election this November. After 32 years in office, I have decided that it is time to move on with my life and to give my constituents an opportunity for new representation and my colleagues in the Senate who have supported me an opportunity for new leadership."...

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani's name is being mentioned again as a possible candidate for governor in 2010. While the earlier speculation and rumors were due to the nuttiness of Eliot Spitzer's resignation and current Governor David Paterson's confessions (dames, drugs), this time it's because Rudy's strategist Anthony Carbonetti may be in line to head the state GOP. Current state GOP Chairman Joe Mondello has been under attack after the Republicans' dwindling representation both in the......

Photograph of soon-to-be-governor David Paterson speaking in Albany by Mike Groll/AP Lieutenant Governor David Paterson spoke to reporters for the first time since Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned yesterday. Paterson mentioned how it's been a sad and unexpected past few days, speaking fondly of Spitzer and his family. He also made sure to emphasize he's ready; from CityRoom:I made my commitment when I gave my word to Governor Spitzer in January 2006, when I left......

Top photograph of media outside of Spitzer's apartment building by Luna Park on Flickr; lower photograph of 985 Fifth Avenue from City Review After expectations/hopes that Governor Eliot Spitzer would step down today, one of his top aides, Lloyd Constantine, denied a resignation was happening any time soon, "I have seen press reports that the governor’s resignation is imminent, and that is not true." Well, as long as he's governor, Spitzer's still super -......

Governor Eliot Spitzer is expected to resign, according to top aides who spoke to the NY Times. It's unclear when the resignation will happen, but Lieutenant David Paterson is working on a transition. The State GOP is threatening to impeach Spitzer if he doesn't step down in 48 hours. A spokesman for Republican minority leader James Tedisco said, "The governor has 48 hours to resign or articles of impeachment would be introduced. There are many......

Just because Mayor Bloomberg has denied running for governor in 2010 doesn't mean it has to be true! The Sun's Davidson Goldin thinks that for Bloomberg, "Running for governor is likely, and becoming more so." Why? Well, though the mayor and Governor Spitzer have tried to be cooperative, Albany is involved in many plans the Mayor has a stake in, such as congestion pricing, OTB, and the Javits Center, not to mention Moynihan Station and......

Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey, who has spent many months (if not years) hinting about his boss's presidential ambitions, is still stirring the pot of rumors. Last night on NY1's Inside City Hall, Sheekey, "promoted the idea of an Obama-Bloomberg presidential ticket." Sheekey revealed that after Bloomberg's official announcement/NY Times op-ed about not running for president, Barack Obama had a chat with the billionaire mayor:"Certainly you could joke that Obama's call was a fundraising call yesterday.......

As if it were any question, the NY State GOP will endorse Rudy Giuliani for President. GOP chairman for NY State Joseph Mondello is endorsing Rudy today in Manhattan, and he'll go to Albany for an event with State Senate Majority leader Joseph Bruno. Last week, Governor Eliot Spitzer endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton, but how likely do you think it'll be an actual Hillary vs. Rudy matchup in 2008? At any rate, NY State republicans......

While former Mayor Rudy Giuliani is interested in running for President, what with visiting NH this past weekend, it's unclear how the GOP feels about him. The Post reports that the NY State GOP has Giuliani's big 2008 rival, Senator John McCain, to appear at a fund-raiser in Manhattan. One Giuliani supporter says, "It's a slight," but the NYS GOP claims that the party just needs a lot of money (it's broke) and all the......

Will the wackiness at Ground Zero never end? Granted, it's not exactly about Ground Zero, but given that Lower Manhattan Development Corporation chairman John Whitehead has claimed that Attorney General Eliot Spitzer threatened him, we still think it counts as Ground Zero hijinks. Whitehead wrote in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that Spitzer said to him earlier this year, "I will be coming after you. You will pay the price," after Whtiehead had defended......

It's times like these when the newspapers go into a frenzy and give their opinions about the transit strike today. Here's our take on them: Daily News: For sheer bravado, Gothamist gives points for the title, Throw Roger From the Train. As you'd expect, it's high on the melodrama ("Toussaint, meanwhile, betrayed his members and the city in an act of madness."), and there is an interesting take on what the negotiations were between the......

More trouble for Westchester DA Jeannine Pirro's four month bid to run against Hillary Clinton in 2006: She has to chat with Governor Pataki to "weigh her options." Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said Pirro should get out of hte race and run for Attorney General instead. Scuttlebutt is that Ed Cox, Richard Nixon's son-in-law, will return to the Senate race, after having been shushed out by Pataki earlier this year. What's......