Bloomberg's Views Are The Same As Bloomberg View
Candidates Eye Astoria Council Seat
Turner Has Only $70K In The Bank
Recently elected GOP Congressman Bob Turner reported a relatively modest campaign haul today, showing just $76,000 raised with $71,000 cash on hand since the last reporting period. This is not an especially large pot of money to to proceed forward in what could be a tough reelection environment for him. For comparison, New York City's other Republican Congressman, Michael Grimm, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars this cycle and has over a million dollars in the bank.
Mr. Turner won a special election last summer in a fairly Democratic district that former Congressman Anthony Weiner left behind when a tweet scandal infamously imploded his career. The Democratic-leaning nature of the district alone could present a challenge for the freshman Congressman, but his district additionally faces perhaps more uncertainty in the redistricting process than any other seat.
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David Storobin Says Lew Fidler Sides With Gay Community, Not Jewish Community
Republican State Senate candidate David Storobin accused his Democratic opponent, City Councilman Lew Fidler, of favoring LGBT groups over Jewish groups in their home district.
In an interview last night with Zev Brenner on his Talkline radio show, Mr. Storobin listed his accomplishments, including starting a Jewish club at Rutgers Law School, organizing a rally for Israel and speaking out and writing about Israel, and contrasted that with the record of Mr. Fidler.
"While I was doing that my opponent was organizing rallies not for the Jewish community but for the gay community," he said. Read More
Roundup: Redistricting Fallout
Peter Vallone comments on his redistricting comments.
Gatemouth analyzes the redistricting situation.
Governor Cuomo's criticism of the latest maps: "Undue Political Influence"
He also says redistricting is a "complicated topic."
Don't expect independent redistricting reform this cycle.
Some are looking forward to the next decade's redistricting process.
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Your New York Primary Date: June 26th
After some confusion, it's finally been decided when Republican and Democratic candidates will be voting for their nominees in 2012.
A judge's ruling set the primary date for June 26th, but only for federal offices: U.S. House and Senate races. There will be pressure for the other 2012 primaries, outside of the April 24th presidential primary, will follow suit.
It is still possible for Albany to keep a later primary date for state legislative races, but that would cost money and such a plan could face opposition from a governor that prides himself in fiscal restraint.
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Bill de Blasio Joins Push For NYU’s Downtown Brooklyn Tech Campus
Public Advocate and likely 2013 mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio is the latest city politician joining the push to establish an NYU and Polytech applied sciences campus at an empty building owned by the MTA in Brooklyn. The Politicker obtained letters Mr. de Blasio sent to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and MTA Chairman Joe Lhota last Friday urging them to support the project.
"The proposed repurposing of the MTA’s unused building at 370 Jay Street to house the NYU Applied Science Center would be an integral part of the continuing revitalization of Downtown Brooklyn and would also help a New York City educational institutional increase its contribute to education and in technology in our city," Mr. de Blasio wrote in his letter to the Mayor. Read More
Robert Jackson Really Wants You to Know He’s Running for Manhattan Borough President
After a press conference on improving college readiness for black and Latino students this afternoon, The Politicker caught up to Councilman Robert Jackson to ask him how about the likelihood he'll fully enter the Manhattan Borough President race. The current Borough President, Scott Stringer, is expected to run for Mayor.
Mr. Jackson jogged in place as a response. "Look at me, what I am I doing now? What am I doing? What am I doing?" he repeatedly asked. "I'm running. I'm running."
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Video
Greg Kelly’s Greatest Hits: Five of the Rape-Accused Fox News Anchor’s Best TV Moments
If you weren't familiar with the inarguable charms of Greg Kelly—the former White House correspondent, NY1 anchor, son of police commissioner Ray Kelly, and Good Day New York host—you should be. He's recently been in the news for having run into the law. Before he was a New York Post headline, he was a regular punchline on The Soup, E! Television's weekly rundown of the most ridiculous things on TV. Read More
5 Reasons Mayor Bloomberg is a Teenage Girl
Yesterday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a press conference for the 100th episode of Gossip Girl.
"I just don't see how Blair could marry Prince Louis when she's clearly in love with Chuck," said the New York mayor, who has nothing bigger on his plate to worry about right now. "I just wish that Nate and Vanessa had been able to work things out... But again I'm just a casual fan."
By itself, this might have been an irreverent, fun comment, written by one of his younger staffers. But look more closely, and it becomes clear that Mayor Bloomberg is, in fact, a 16-year-old teenager on the verge of womanhood.
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Bill de Blasio: Bloomberg Has ‘Re-Declared War on the UFT’
Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, a likely mayoral candidate in 2013, didn't mince words when Roberto Perez recently asked him about Mayor Michael Bloomberg and teacher evaluations. The Mayor specifically referred to the United Federation of Teachers in his recent State of the City speech while calling for various education reforms.
"I was very disappointed in the Mayor's speech, I have to tell you that," Mr. de Blasio began. "I think the Mayor, after 10 years, has sort of re-declared war on the UFT. And I could not understand why that was productive."
Mr. de Blasio contrasted Mayor Bloomberg's style with that of Governor Andrew Cuomo.
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Dov Hikind Praises Proposed ‘Super Jewish’ Senate District
Many local politicians were unhappy with the proposed legislative lines released yesterday by Albany's redistricting task force, but Assemblyman Dov Hikind said the plans for the "Super Jewish" Senate District 17 are "absolutely wonderful."
"If all this ends up being the case and this district stands I think it will be absolutely wonderful," Mr. Hikind told The Politicker. Read More
