The NYPD is not required to release roughly 1,800 pages of documents detailing their surveillance of individuals around the world in the months leading up to the 2004 Republican National Convention, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled yesterday. The 43 page decision [pdf], which overturned a federal judge's ruling last December, was written by José Cabranes, a Clinton nominee. In the ruling, Cabranes wrote that the NYPD field reports were protected by "law enforcement privilege." more ›

Yesterday, the NY State Republican Party nominated Rick Lazio to face off against Andrew Cuomo in this fall's race for the governor. However, it seems the process has caused problems for the GOP, vs. the Democrats. The Post reports one consultant as saying, "This whole thing was a disaster. Politically, it was a disaster. Organizationally, it was a disaster. It was a train wreck." more ›

The Republican National Convention may have ended last week, but lost in the haze of John McCain's acceptance of the nomination was how the final day of the St. Paul protests was marked by a spike in arrests. Police rounded up nearly 400 demonstrators during and after a major protest march, and at least 19 journalists were also arrested--including two from the Associated Press and even a New York-based reporter with the GOP-friendly Fox News. He's just published an outraged account of the experience, and says police misled protesters by telling them to disperse over a bridge, only to block the other side and then arrest hundreds of them en masse. more ›

The Post has a funny editorial today about how St. Paul police could have avoided all "the ugliness that's marred the GOP convention this week" by taking some tips from the NYPD's "effective" management of the 2004 RNC protests. Of course, St. Paul officials did consult with the NYPD before the convention, and their raids on protesters' homes seem partly inspired by the NYPD's pre-convention spying in 2004. But according to the Post, demonstrators in St. Paul are now "pining for the apparently gentler tactics of the NYPD." more ›

No surprises here; more reports of heavy-handed police tactics are filtering in from the Twin Cities, where the NYPD has been consulting with local law enforcement on how to handle demonstrations during the Republican convention. Salon has a long story on police and federal officers ("in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn") raiding houses where protest organizers are suspected of staying, in some cases seizing computers, journals, and political pamphlets. more ›

Around 3:45 a.m., a device exploded outside the military recruiting center in Times Square. No one was injured, but a glass entryway was shattered. more ›

The Parks Dept. decided to throw in the towel on litigation that's been going on for three years and conceded to reevaluate its requirement that no more than 50,000 people could gather on Central Park's Great Lawn at one time. more ›

That just happened! Senator Barack Obama won the Democratic Iowa Caucus with at least 37% of the vote (projections are changing). Former Senator John Edwards got 30% of the vote while Senator Hillary Clinton got 29%. The media is playing this as a huge failure for the Senator from New York, given how powerful the Clinton machine has seemed. Also stunning: There were 82% more Democratic voters in this year's caucus compared with 2004, which pundits suggest means Iowa, which President Bush won in 2004, is certainly in play for the Democrats. more ›

This morning, WNBC 4 aired Gabe Pressman's News Forum interview with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. Pressman asked Kelly about topics such as attacks on the police given the city's record low crime, stop-and-frisks, the recent arrest of a man who intimidated a witness in the Sean Bell case, the NYPD's eal Time Crime Center, terrorism, Rudy Giuliani and police conduct during the Republican National Convention. This is a small bit of Pressman and Kelly's exchange:

PRESSMAN: Civil libertarians go--hark back to the Republican Convention in '04 and the many people who were arrested or detained and then released. Thousands in all were involved in these demonstrations. Do you think that they have a legitimate complaint, that too many were detained, considering the results? more ›

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani visited South Carolina and said, "There's a real good chance" he'll run for President. While this doesn't sound like new news, it's apparently his "most succinct" comments (per the Times) to date about his 2008 ambitions. more ›

NYC is a two time loser now! After the Republican party decided to have its 2008 convention in the Twin Cities, the city hoped to win the Democratic convention. But now the Democratic National Committee has announced the 2008 convention will be in Denver. Here's DNC Chairman Howard Dean's statement:

The recent Democratic gains in the West exemplify the principle that when we show up and ask for people's votes and talk about what we stand for, we can win in any part of the country. We have a number of strong Democratic leaders in the West who will be a part of showcasing the vision of Democratic leadership for America as we introduce the next Democratic President in the Rocky Mountains.

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spot for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The NY Sun reports that Bloomberg and Quinn will have Lorraine Bracco as celebrity back-up at a cocktail reception at Millennium Park - and "Cosmopolitans, Manhattans, and 'Big Apple' Martinis" will be served. That's the way to a politician's heart - make 'em realize the bar scene in NYC will be better than in Denver or Minneapolis, the two other cities in contention. In June, the city tried to woo the Democrats - here's their itinerary. more ›

Nice: Court papers have been released showing how the city successfully blocked protests in Central Park, most notably protests during the Republican Convention. You might remember from two years ago that the some of the city's excuses for not having the protests on the Great Lawn were to protect the lawn (which had been renovated) and that the police might not be able to secure the lawn. But it turns out everyone's conspiracy theories were true: It seems that some police officials actually supported havng rallies at the lawn and that the city just wanted to tamp down politicial rallies during the convention and so close to Bloomberg's re-election. Last week, the NY Sun raised the issue in a story about a John Lennon tribute concert being rejected by the Parks Department, and today the NY Times looks at court papers; both papers find that the mayor was more involved with the permit-blocking that he previously admitted and that the Parks Department did everything possible to prevent events at the Great Lawn. From the NY Sun:

An e-mail from the Parks and Recreation Department's head marketing officer, Elizabeth Smith, said, "This [music of John Lennon] event does look great but we had to admit that it was going to be difficult, right after all our problems with the rally requests for the park, and right before Mike's re-election (this is for Oct 05) that this is likely to happen on the Great Lawn." more ›

The NY State Democratic Convention is taking place in Buffalo today and tomorrow (the NY State Republican Convention is in Long Island on Wednesday and Thursday), and the gloves are coming off as the Democrats are looking to grab the Governor's house. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the Democratic frontrunner for the gubernatorial nomination, called the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation "an abject failure". Well, of course he would say that - didn't recently resigned LMDC chairman John Whitehead claim Spitzer had threatened him on the phone? Spitzer didn't mince any words: He called what's happening downtown an "Enron-style debacle." The LMDC said that Spitzer was continuing his vendetta against Whitehead, and Governor Pataki's spokesperson also used the word "vendetta" when criticizing Spitzer's words about a World War II veteran on Memorial Day, no less. Whitehead might be a WWII veteran, but a better question would be, what got done at Ground Zero? more ›

Yesterday, the NY Times revealed that the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board, the agency that investigates complaints against the NYPD, criticized two deputy chiefs for prompting "unnecessary arrests" of protesters during the Republican Convention. Needless to say, Police Commissioner Kelly had to respond, saying that they acted properly as demonstrators didn't have a permit to protest and that the NYPD allowed thousands of people to protest without incident. The NYCCCRB letter found that deputy chiefs did not use bullhorns when shouting orders, offering that some marchers might have obeyed if they heard orders. Kelly says that some bullhorns had been used, but the NYCLU points out to the Times that there have been many complaints about unclear orders from the police (in fact, the NYCLU has two lawsuits against the city for RNC/NYPD-related incidents). more ›

It's become an expected refrian: Crime in the city is still dropping, down 6% from last year. The NY Post reports that murders are down 16% versus the same first-five-months-of-the-year period last year, while rape is down 8.8% and bank robberies have declined by almost 50% (except at Commerce Banks, probably). Also: 20% more DWI arrests, leading to 13% less DWI-related accidents and 25% less DWI-related deaths, and crime in "impact zones," the targeted neighborhoods, is down by almost a quarter. more ›

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Yesterday, the Mayor was talking campaign finance and how new regulations, to allow opponents spend more, are bogus. His opponents are saying "Cry me a river," given that Mayor Bloomberg spent $75 million of his own money for his 2001 run. And Gothamist on the Mayor's approval ratings. more ›

The NY Times reported that protesters were illegally fingerprinted. Gothamist's posts from the week of the Republican National Convention. more ›

Websites for Senator Charles Schumer and Assembly Howard Mills. Clyde Haberman on the Senate race. And New Yorkers, you have until this Friday to register to vote. Do it! more ›

Here's the text of the ruling (PDF) and a schedule of some protests happening. The two protest groups, National Council of Arab Americans and Act Now Stop War & End Racism (ANSWER), would have had 75,000 total protesters; the big kahuna, United for Peace and Justice, with an estimated 250,000 protesters, will hear the judge's decision about their suit to protest on the Great Lawn today. Also, more about Kentucky bluegrass, the kind of grass in the Great Lawn, and Gothamist's previous Great Lawn posts.
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Kraft made Republican and Democratic Macaroni & Cheese in 1996, as well as 2000 (there was also a Convention Barbie handed out in 2000). And what was in this year's Democratic delegate goodie bag.
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The New York arts and theatre scene could never be accused of political ambivalence – especially with an election on the way, and a Republican Convention soon to hit town. So if political theatre is your bag, or if you’re just looking for something to constructively raise your blood pressure, Gothamist suggests that you check out some of the following: more ›

Mayor Bloomberg and other city officials have repeatedly said that the convention will cause little disruption, but with all the proposed closings, Gothamist isn't sure how that's possible. While some businesses look to experience an economic boon, some may go closer to bust. One store owner, who pays $5000 in rent doesn't know how will be able to sell purses and shoes to his customers when security is so tight. Gothamist thinks it could be a money making opportunity - sell comfortable shoes and slap an American flag on anything, and they will sell like hotcakes to the convention-goers. more ›

Check out our interview with Warren St. John, whose new book Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer makes following the University of Alabama football by RV seem like heaven. Plus the week in full. more ›

- And the GOP and Democrats are trying to use NYC symbolism to their advantage for the election this fall. Brother, Gothamist would rather they deal with our terror funding now and stop using NYC as a pawn. When NYC gets used, we want to have a little fun, at least.
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">feature on the director of entertainment, Frank Breeden, who promises "the convention to be heavy with gospel, country and Broadway music, and with patriotic music." Speaking of Broadway, the Daily News' Howard Kissel examined the Broadway shows that Republican Convention delegates are seeing - basically, they are all fine, just big budget spectacles, and the "one gem" is Wonderful Town. This got Gothamist thinking about the Fringe Festival, which starts this Friday and goes through August 29. As a counterpoint to the expensive Broadway tickets (excellent buys, but sometimes the wallet has more flies than you like), the Fringe Festival offers a ton of different plays and musicals for your enjoyment for just $15, and we hear that this is the first year that all the venues are air-conditioned - woo-hoo! Go check it out. more ›