Gianaris Is Interested in Council Speakership, Farrell Is Interested in Inez Dickens

Assemblyman Michael Gianiaris, who is running for reelection to the Assembly in 2008, says in this week's City Hall News that he is "going to seriously consider" running for City Council in 2009 and seeking the speakership.

The same article also quotes an unnamed aide to Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell, the former chairman of the state Democratic Party, saying he won't run for speaker of the City Council if he gets elected to the Council next year.

I called Farrell just now, and he told me, “I never put myself in for the speakership so I couldn’t pull myself out for the speakership. I’ve always said I was supporting Inez Dickens.” He added, “If I were to become a City Council person, I would support Inez Dickens.“

Already in contention for the speaker's job are a number of current City Council members: Dan Garodnick, Jessica Lappin and Dickens of Manhattan, as well as Letitia James and Vinny Gentile of Brooklyn.