How much do our elected officials in Albany get by on their salaries as legislators and how much of their regular expenditures come from campaign money raised for nonexistent election battles? The Daily News has an extensive piece today investigating just what state senators and assemblymen are using their campaign funds for—all within the scope of the law. more ›

Yesterday Kirsten Gillibrand was sworn in as New York's newest senator by Vice President Joe Biden. The youngest member of the legislative body, Gillibrand has already been appointed to the Committees on Agriculture; Environment and Public Works; and Foreign Relations; and the Special Committee on Aging. Gillibrand spent much of yesterday meeting and greeting her new colleagues and enjoying the ceremonies with family members who made the trip to Washington. The Times reports that Biden "greeted her nieces and nephews with high fives and 'hey, man' and 'hi, cuz.'" more ›