Albany has passed a budget on time for the second year in a row! Nothing bolsters the public's confidence in politicians like when they go above and beyond to, um, do they job they were supposed to do anyway. Governor Cuomo and the leaders of the Senate and the Assembly were all smiles at yesterday's press conference, but maybe these photos were taken before the pols saw that New York received a D grade on its corruption risk report card? more ›

It's the night of the Iowa Caucuses! Everyone run downstairs and look at the Caucus Bush and marvel at how resplendent it is with Super PAC money and tears! At 1,774 precinct stations across the state, registered Republicans will gather at 7 p.m. CST to argue whether Mitt's hair is sexier than Rick Santorum's sweatervests. Polls have Santorum neck-and-neck with Willard Romney, and the man who runs America's most Fair and Balanced resource for on-air errors wants you to "think" about Rick. "Can't resist this tweet, but all Iowans think about Rick Santorum. Only candidate with genuine big vision for country," Rupert Murdoch tweeted. Wow! It's almost as if Santorum once worked for FOX News. more ›

Whether it's refusing to use a national tragedy as a xenophobic soapbox, keeping their genitals out of the public eye, or nobly declining to have sex with prostitutes while wearing diapers, we can always count on our elected representatives to put aside petty differences and do what's right for America. But shocking new data shows that Congress has lost touch with average Americans and has grown richer over the last several decades, at a faster rate than even the richest 10% of the country. more ›

A freshman Republican NJ assemblyman said he resigned last month because of "family matters"—but it's now come to light that Pat Delany's "family matters" had to do with his wife sending a racially-charged email to Carl Lewis, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist and Democratic state Senate candidate. "Imagine getting a court ruling overturned so your name could get put on the ballot. Imagine having dark skin and name recognition and the nerve to think that equalled knowing something about politics," wrote Jennifer Delany in an email to Lewis' campaign. more ›

In an apparent attempt to join the Appalachian Trail via the Seventh Avenue Express, former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford was spotted on the 2 train around 2:45 this afternoon. A reader writes that Sanford was on the train sporting a preppy Palmetto State belt "through 42nd street," but she had to get off before she saw where Sanford exited. "I didn't try to talk to him, I was hoping to if he looked up but he was pretty buried in his Blackberry." Yes, it's annoying when Auto-Correct messes up "kissywissy dewdrop lips" for the eighth time. more ›

It appears that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. is gently reminding his constituency why they elected him. The timing—when his office is under scrutiny after the "Rape Cop" verdicts, the Deutsche Bank fire acquittals, the departure of the sex crimes unit chief, and the disintegrating rape charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn—is anyone's guess. But we received an email from Cyrus Vance Jr. earlier today with the subject line "Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance in the news." more ›

Two years after making the National Enquirer look respectable and breaking the hearts of inspired college students everywhere, we thought that John Edwards would just lay low in Chapel Hill. Maybe pick up an order of fried oysters every now and then, watch an old sex tape, just ride off into the sunset. That dream has died, as ABC is reporting that Edwards will soon be indicted for "using campaign cash to cover up an extramarital affair." Because this has never been done before in the history of American politics, ever. more ›

How much did it cost the State to oust abusive boyfriend and all-around-special-guy Hiram Monserrate from the State Senate? Would you believe $376,464? more ›

Maybe Hiram Monserrate just likes to cut things? From the looks of things, the disgraced political hack—who was infamously ousted by the State Senate after slashing his girlfriend's face with broken glass and dragging her through a building lobby—is financially ruined. Having lost his Senate comeback bid last March, Monserrate has reportedly been unemployed and living off his police pension of $26,000 a year. As a result, a judge might let him reduce the amount of child support he sends to his ex-wife and autistic son. more ›

When we first heard about several prominent former NY lawmakers still receiving their taxpayer-funded pensions, despite criminal convictions, we were shocked at how nonchalant and entitled everyone seemed about it. But yesterday, State Controller Thomas DiNapoli told the News that he plans to publicly push to put an end to these financial shenanigans. "We don't have anything now that's a deterrent. We need to do something to build in some kind of penalty to get people to think twice before they do some of those things," DiNapoli said a day-late and a dollar-short. more ›

We thought it was pretty darn bad that several notable convicted politicians, including Alan Hevesi, Joe Bruno, Guy Velella and Clarence Norman, continued to receive taxpayer-funded pensions worth tens of thousands of dollars a year even after they were convicted of criminal charges. But it turns out that even the ones who haven't been convicted yet are doing their own dirty dealings: at least 11 politicians are double-dipping, taking advantage of a loophole that allows entrenched elected officials to collect pension checks while still in office. And by the love of Costanza, it's just not right! more ›

By now you've surely solidified your Thanksgiving menu and are bracing for the onslaught of dishes you'll be faced with after the Jets game. But in case you're one of those people who just can't help planning next year, the state's politicians want to help out. WNYC blog It's A Free Country has compiled Thanksgiving recipes from some of the state's pols. Don't worry, Sandra Lee didn't contribute any of her wacky concoctions. (Kwanzaa Cake anyone?) more ›

After the constant mud-slinging Monday through Saturday, many churchgoers take solace in a day where politics can be left at the door, and the only thing to concentrate on is faith. But not so fast, Christians, because New York pols are coming for your sermons! W. Ruth Whitney, the political liaison at Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Brooklyn (churches have those?) told the Times, “When it’s really near an election, we could have [a politician] every week." Is nothing, ahem, sacred? more ›

Community organizer Edward Gibbs is one of many effervescent candidates running to replace Adam Clayton Powell IV for NY State Assembly. Unlike his fellow candidates though, Gibbs claims that if he is elected he can truly make history: "I would be the first ex-offender to serve in the New York State Assembly," said Gibbs. A convicted criminal in NY politics?! Where is the Victorian fainting couch? more ›

Sure, Harold Ford's having a hard time making friends in the Democratic Party, but who needs liberals when you've got buddies like Stephen Colbert. The Comedy Central host honored the former Tennessee lawmaker and Senate hopeful by dubbing him the "Alpha Dog of the Week" and praised him for his changing perspectives on same-sex marriage and abortion. "He believes that every American has the right to choose—when it is politically expedient to be pro life," said Colbert. more ›

The four city officials who are assigned a security detail no longer have to pay the expenses on their taxpayer-funded official cars and drivers when they use them for personal excursions, according to a ruling by the Conflicts of Interest Board. The lucky protected ones are Mayor Bloomberg, Comptroller William Thompson, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. more ›

(AINT WET, by Triborough at flickr) more ›