The New York Observer » Jimmy Vielkind

In State of the State, Paterson Goes All-In, Again

ALBANY—It's David Paterson against the world.

The unelected governor—whose poll standing remains low, whose ability to raise campaign cash has been hampered and who has called legislators "liars" as some of them have brought up his prior drug use—used the greatest platform he is afforded to bludgeon legislators, lobbyists and in Read More

Silver Likes Some Reforms, Not Others, Will Work on His Own Bill

ALBANY—Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is split on David Paterson's government reform proposals: he likes public campaign financing but thinks forcing lawyers to disclose their clients treads into a "complicated area of ethics."

"I and my Assembly majority colleagues have long supported, long passed and I personally offered the first publicly financed campaign finance bill Read More

Republicans Claim Paterson, Kind Of

ALBANY—David Paterson--Republican hero?

"It seems to me that there's a question of conscience that's bothering him, and that's whether all of the taxes and fees that he's supported not just in last year's budget, but also when he was a senator in the minority," Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos said in a press conference after Read More

Cuomo: Good Outline, But How do We Get There?

ALBANY—Andrew Cuomo had a reception outside his Capitol office right after the State of the State speech, which was packed with lobbyists, and legislators of both parties saying hello.

Eventually, reporters cornered the attorney general, who began by kibitzing with the now-bearded Danny Hakim.

"You're shaggy," Cuomo said, pointing to Hakim's jaw, captured on Read More

Pataki: It Was ‘Exactly the Right Message’

ALBANY—The only other governor present for David Paterson's State of the State speech was George Pataki, a Republican who told me David Paterson was spot on.

"I thought it was exactly the right message," Pataki told me after the speech before saying hello to some of his former legislative colleagues. "These are times when Read More

The Republican Response

ALBANY—Here's the Republican response to David Paterson's State of the State address, as delivered by Senator Dean Skelos.

Skelos lauded Paterson's focus on fiscal issues, but blamed him and Democrats for "an opportunity that was squandered" to use stimulus funds for investment.

Here's the text, and YouTube clip, of the response.

In his State of Read More

Nope, No Hiram

ALBANY—Senator Hiram Monserrate is not, in fact, here.

His appearance was scheduled, as his spokesman told the Daily News this morning, but his other (less official) spokesman and colleague Ruben Diaz Sr. just toe me ta he will not be attending. I didn't see him anywhere in the chamber.

"You will not have the Read More

The State of the State, With Slaps

ALBANY—In his State of the State Address, David Paterson dispensed with all pleasantries and attacked the past actions of the legislators and other prominent New Yorkers sitting before him.

"My colleagues, the times are measured. I would ask for your understanding that we dispense with the flourishes and formalities," he said, and launched immediately into Read More

Critical Congressman at Paterson Speech

ALBANY—Several members of New York's Congressional delegation who have expressed displeasure with David Paterson are here at the Capitol on the day of his speech.

I saw Representatives Scott Murphy and Paul Tonko of the Capital Region, Mike McMahon of Staten Island, Mike Arcuri of Utica, Eric Massa of the Southern Tier and Steve Israel Read More

Two Events, Two Cities, One Day

ALBANY—Percy Sutton's funeral, or State of the State?

That is the question, which officials have answered with either their presence or absence at the Capitol today--David Paterson, who will give the speech, is managing to do both by miracle of a State Police helicopter.

Michael Bloomberg is not here, but I ran into Kevin Read More

Rivera and Ramos Call for Levy Boycott, Levy Says Rivera and Ramos Are Part of ‘Cesspool’

ALBANY—At an anti-endorsement of Steve Levy, the Suffolk County executive who announced this weekend he is exploring a run for governor, several Hispanic elected officials threatened to boycott anyone who supports him.

"We will be monitoring those campaign contributions," Assemblyman Peter Rivera, a Bronx Democrat said at the press conference. "We will be putting Read More

Morning Read, Upstate: The State of Our State Is…

In his State of the State speech today, David Paterson will focus on ethics and re-doing the Empire Zone program.

Paterson will strike a hopeful tone, he said.

The ethical component will force disclosure of outside income (and clients) by lawmakers.

"It's pretty clever," Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Read More

Elsewhere: Felder.

Joe Lazar tells Courntey Gross he's running for Felder's seat.

And below, Chuck Schumer talked about airport security in Buffalo:

Elsewhere: Felder.

Joe Lazar tells Courntey Gross he's running for Felder's seat.

And below, Chuck Schumer talked about airport security in Buffalo:

Latinos Against Levy

ALBANY—Steve Levy's potential gubernatorial candidacy is a "wake up call" for members of the Latino community, who have sparred with him many times in his tenure as Suffolk County executive, some representatives said.

"I think that Democrats are well aware that our president, Obama, has set a new tone in this country of Read More