Results tagged “thepoliticker”

After successful (if not decisive enough overall for the nomination) Super Tuesday primary results, Hillary Clinton is thinking about the immediate future of her campaign, by considering loaning $5 million to the effort. And this comes as her campaign spokesman Howard Wolgson revealed she already loaned the campaign $5 million last month! From the Post, here's Wolfson's quote:

Late last month Sen. Clinton loaned her campaign $5 million. The loan illustrates Sen. Clinton's commitment to this effort and to ensuring that our campaign has the resources it needs to compete and win across this nation. We have had one of our best fundraising efforts ever on the web stoday and our Super Tuesday victories will only help in bringing more support for her candidacy.

It was an exciting night of Super Tuesday primary returns. In the Democratic contest, Hillary Clinton won eight states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California, but Obama won twelve - Illinois, Connecticut, Alabama, and Missouri - among them (New Mexico is still undecided as the two candidates are in a tie). The NY Times notes that since there were no decisive victories, "an electoral fight...will unfold for weeks to come." Or, as the Post puts it in more visceral terms, "Neither Clinton nor Obama was able to deliver a knockout punch on a night that had once been expected to crown a winner."

The Politicker has this hilarious photograph outside the East 60th Street location of strip club Scores touting a Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama ticket, as well as John McCain-Michael Bloomberg one. Nice to know that even though manager Harvey Osher and owner Richard Goldring failed to pay $3.1 million in taxes, they still believe in the democratic process. (Osher is serving weekend stints in prison; Goldring is getting probation.)

Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff, who was in charge of Economic Development and Rebuilding in the Bloomberg administration, announced he would resign by the end of the year. The Post called the news "stunning," but we'd like to call it "classic," because his new job will be president of a little company called Bloomberg LP. At a City Hall press conference, Mayor Bloomberg said, "As a result of Dan's efforts, we've allowed for the creation of...

Today is a citywide "Day Out Against Hate." City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and the Reverend Al Sharpton have spearheaded the event, which was prompted by a number of disturbing hate crime incidents, from swastikas in Brooklyn Heights to a noose found at the Columbia University campus. The Politicker was at one of the events this morning, where Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz "suggested, rather strongly, that city public school students be required to make...

Governor Eliot Spitzer had a busy week. Not only was he working himself up to admit his driver's license plan would not pass, Spitzer suggested instituting the state's 8.375% sales tax on Internet goods - just in time for holiday shopping! But only hours after the NY Sun reported on the plan, Spitzer changed his mind, deciding to wait until the new year to implement taxes on Internet purchases. Currently, online retailers who don't have...

Just when we thought Roger Stone, the GOP operative accused of leaving a menacing voicemail for Governor Spitzer's father, couldn't be more amusing, he outdoes himself. Stone's assistant sent The Politicker's Azi Paybarah some photographs of Stone, supposedly "taken at The Ink Monkey tattoo shop in Venice Beach, California" where he was "getting a tattoo on his back of Richard Nixon’s face." Really.

Mayor Bloomberg, Schools Chancellor Klein, City Council Speaker Quinn, and other city and school officials celebrated the first day of school yesterday with an appearance at P.S. 53 in the Bronx. P.S. 53 was selected because it will be receiving almost a half million dollars more in funding, due to Bloomberg's "fair student funding reforms."

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: A hostage situation at Rockaway Boulevard and 147th Street in Queens, a train job at East 180 St in the Bronx and a pedestrian was struck at West 66th and Amsterdam in Manhattan
• The disgruntled former employee who shot and killed a former supervisors and injured two others at Co-op City is claiming self-defense.
• The Politicker finds out that Lieutenant Governor David Paterson supports non-citizen voting (but Paterson is quick to point out he didn't speak to the Spitzer administration about his views)
• The city sold less Snapple, the official drink of the city, than projected because of too much vandalism at vending machines, which perhaps proves it really is a NYC drink.
• The driver of a Volvo died during an accident on the Staten Island Expressway this morning; a drunk driver who was driving on the wrong side of the road hit the Volvo and a Cadillac Escalade.
• The Bouwerie Lane Theatre will house a residence, a retailer on the bottom floor and perhaps a hotel, according to Lost City.
• How one Hollywood couple with child likes to personalize their hotel room whenever they vist NYC (last item).
• In addition to Oprah's Book Club, Jonathan Franzen also hates the Broadway adaptation of Spring Awakening.

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: Is there a bank robber hitting up multiple banks on the Upper West Side? There were robberies at 2438 Broadway and 59 West 86th St; there were also two separate police vehicle MVAs in The Bronx and Brooklyn; and a fatality under a train in Jackson Heights (it says A, but we'll assume it's the E).
• If any Wall Street types you know were depressed yesterday after the Dow lost 280 points, they'll be happier today: The Dow gained almost 250 points in a rally and Nasdaq had its biggest rally in a year (thanks to speculation that Apple will introduce new iPods before Christmas).
• Just in time for the start of school, a federal judge upheld the city's ban on metal bats during high school games. The law hits the books Saturday and groups opposing the ban have yet to decide if they're going to appeal.
• Also in time for school: Almost half of NYC teens have had sex: More than two-thirds use condoms, while only 8% use birth control pills.
• Quinnipiac pollster Mickey Carroll talks to The Politicker about Spitzer's scandal ("It's crazy!").
• Stop dreaming about your home fix it's and make them happen: Brownstoner is having a Salvage Fest on September 8.
• The 12-year-old girl hit by a stray bullet in Crown Heights was back playing with her friends yesterday.
• Robert A.M. Stern Architects will be designing the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
• Finally, a note to all aspiring gangsta rap parody artists. Don't film the video at the grocery store you work in like a pair of brothers in New Jersey did. That will get you fired.

Something we did not realized happened on Sunday: Governor Eliot Spitzer attended a Nascar race in Watkins Glen, NY (the only NY State town that has a Nascar track, same town where the Farm Sanctuary is located) and was called "the best Jewish Nascar fan" by cable executive and race car driver Leo Hindery. The NY Times explains that his brother-in-law is an engineer at Hendrick Motorsports and that Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon is Spitzer's favorite.

Last Sunday, Mets pitcher Tom Glavine finally won his 300th career game with a victory over the Chicago Cubs. To honor Glavine, Mayor Bloomberg presented the 41-year old lefty the Key to the City on Wednesday. This was enough to upset at least one New Yorker.

Governor Spitzer's ethics woes went to the national stage yesterday when the Today show ran a segment (see it here) about the mess that included the on-screen caption "Spitzer Scandal." Sure, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office did not find any law-breaking by Spitzer's aides, just dirty tricks-ing by way of using the state police to discredit Spitzer's main Albany rival, State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

State Ethics Commission, long time no see! It's been about eight months since you found State Comptroller Alan Hevesi had violated state law, and now you're back on the radar with an investigation into Governor Spitzer's administration's conduct regarding use of the state police to track State Senate Majority Joseph Bruno.

Yesterday, The Politicker reported that Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver "quietly" met with Governor Spitzer and Senate Leader Bruno (separately) and that congestion pricing was one of the topics discussed. Silver has publicly doubted the feasibility of Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan, leading the Mayor to go on the offensive and try to shame Silver and other lawmakers for holding up the legislation - especially when there's $500 million in federal funds for the taking.

The Politicker posted this video of Mayor Mike going after both Republican and Democrats during a Crain's Business breakfast. Specifically, when questioned by WNYC's Brian Lehrer, Mayor Bloomberg said, "I don’t think I disagree with what any national party stands for because I don’t think either national party stands for anything." Cue the cheers!

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: A home invasion robbery in Queens, an attempted abduction on 4th Avenue & 17th Street in Brooklyn, and a possible electrical shock at Broad and Bridge Streets in Manhattan
• Trees rejoice: Phone books are getting thinner because so many people have cell phones nowadays - with 1,796 pages, the 2007 Verizon white pages for Manhattan are the smallest EVER.
• A-Rod lashes out at paparazzi following him in Chicago
• Those free Shakespeare in the Park tickets mean waiting in line at dawn...
• ...and getting first dibs on Sarah Jessica Parker's "affordable" (read: cheap) clothing line means waiting since 11PM last night, when they could have been watching Sex and the City re-runs
• If someone in Vermont can be arrested for making faces at a police dog, we're sure it'll happen in NYC at some point
• Architecture styles of Dallas and Hong Kong on the Upper West Side? Ugh.
• The Politicker asks City Council member Tom White how he would have voted on the Sonny Carson street naming, had he not conveniently had a doctor's appointment on the day of the vote.

A who's who of the Democratic party has been at the Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network conference in Midtown this past week. Opening day saw hopeful John Edwards and Democratic party chair Howard Dean, yesterday included former president Bill Clinton, Senator Joe Biden, Senator Christopher Dodd, and Governor Bill Richardson, today has Senator Hillary Clinton and tomorrow Senator Barack Obama and Representative Dennis Kucinich are appearing - which is why it's called the "Sharpton primary" by many. With his profile very high after the Don Imus-Rutgers women's basketball incident, the Sun notes that Sharpton is a political force.

At 7AM, the three detectives indicted in the shooting of Sean Bell last November turned themselves. WNBC reports that Michael Oliver, Gescard Isnora, and Marc Cooper will be fingerprinted and processed before their arraignment this afternoon.

- The confusing question of elected-to-the-City-Council- but-not-sworn-in Mathieu Eugene's residency persists. Over a week ago, he told Brian Lehrer he hadn't moved into the 40th District, but now his people say he's been living since February 1. The Politicker spoke to a campaign consultant for Eugene who claims he's seen "a lease whose term began February 1 for 40-46 Argyle Road. I've seen a check written to the landlord dated February 1." Oh, like no one has ever backdated a check! Room Eight notes that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, backed by the 1199 union, is looking at the matter - and Eugene happens to be backed by the 1199, too.

Just after the victory of Mathieu Eugene’s 10-candidate run for Brooklyn’s 40th Council District on Tuesday, questions regarding his residency in the Flatbush district have now put his official claim to the seat on hold. Elected candidates must reside in the electing district during the time of the election, but not necessarily during the time of filing for nomination. There’s the rub. So today at City Hall, the expectations and celebrations of a political newcomer were met with a big halt as Dr. Eugene announced that he will not be sworn in until he has established residency.

Hours ago, former State Comptroller Alan Hevesi was fined $5,000 and sentenced to probation for "unlawful use of a state vehicle and driver" when he used his employees to drive his ill wife. The Times Union has an 18-minute video of the sentencing; reporter Rick Karlin noted that Albany County Court Judge Stephen Herrick said to the Queens Democrat, "Your fall from grace has been total and from a very great height…You are now the symbol, the icon, used by local and state reformers... Hopefully, your failure will serve as a deterrent." (See mugshot here)

- And New York magazine looks at why viewers OD'd on The O.C., but let's face it, we all wanted Marissa to die.

- The NY Times reports that the Democratic party will decide on where the 2008 convention will be held either tomorrow or Monday. New York and Denver are the finalist cities; while Denver is attractive for its swing-state quality, NYC can guarantee better "financing, hotel rooms, entertainment space, logistical support and labor union cooperation."

Staten Island, by f.trainer.

Hilarious: The NY Times' election blog, The Empire Zone, reports that Chelsea Clinton's name wasn't found in the book of registered voters at the West 20th Street polling place: "The book containing her name was apparently forwarded to the wrong district, denying her the ability to enter a polling booth." D'oh! So she - and probably the other people in that book - had to fill out an "affidavit vote," ensuring that she would be able to participate in the democratic process. The Daily Politics found out that some Manhattan voters got old 2005 affidavit ballots - one for last year's Mayoral race. There's nothing like voting day in NYC! But at least potential voters aren't being threatened with arrest.

A Halloween addendum: Mayor Bloomberg marched in the Jackson Heights Halloween Parade Tuesday night (it's hard to tell who looks more uncomfortable in this picture - the Mayor or the baby.) We like the Mayor's orange sash and we understand he wore a suit to still look mayorly. But an easy costume could have been a "Mike in 2008" pin on the label for "Bloomberg the Presidential Candidate." Or maybe he could have gone as mayor-who-answers-reporters'-questions (The Politicker writes about how he's a difficult subject to question). But there is one thing he won't disguise: How good a job he thinks he's doing.

A number of politicians are calling for State Comptroller Alan Hevesi's resignation in the wake of the State Ethics Commission's report that asserted Hevesi lied about using a state driver for his wife's personal use. Naturally the Republicans are leading the chorus for resignation, but Attorney General and gubernatorial frontrunner Eliot Spitzer said he was evaluating whether to continue his support for Hevesi (who is running for re-election in less than two weeks). And if Spitzer rescinds his support, that could open the floodgates for other Democrats to do that same. State Democrats have been trying to figure out if they can remove him from the ballot, but to no avail.

This past weekend saw a tradition that involves the Mayor dressing up in chainmail and belittling his various policies and efforts: The annual press corps spoofing of the city government. Last year, the Mayor skipped the follies because of Pope John Paul's death, but this year, he donned an outfit from Monty Python's Spamalot to sing "Spendalot," an ode to his super expensive campaign, and according to Newsday, he was "shimmying and kicking like a bad Rockette dancer." Boy, Gothamist isn't sure if we're glad or sad that we didn't see it! We do appreciate the fact that the Mayor didn't go in drag, because we still have nightmares from Rudy Giuliani's trowel-like application of foundation. The Politicker gives some extra details that weren't in the papers including how Bloomberg's girlfriend Diana Taylor and Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris sang Landslide and the Mayor made fun of NY1 and the NY Sun.

The FBI raided the offices of State Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin, suspecting him of helping electrical contractors to win city streetlight and traffic-signal bids. McLaughlin represents a part of Queens in the State Assembly and is also the president of the NYC Central Labor Council (that West 15th Street was also raided), and has been a supporter of Mayor Bloomberg. Right now, two electric companies have about $162 million of city contracts for street lights with the Department of Transportation. There is suspicion that McLaughlin received an American Express card from a contractor, as well as a home security system, so the feds took anything that could be a paper trail.