Katharine Jose | The New York Observer

Yassky's Bargain: A Departing Councilman in Search of a Quo for His Quid

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:58:55 -0500

Though he has only a few weeks left in office, City Councilman David Yassky has lost none of his enthusiasm. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, he parked a blue minivan on Kent Street in Williamsburg and bounded out, wearing a black suit and a black tie with green flowers, and no coat, although it was cold and damp and the suit jacket flapped in the unyielding wind.

Yassky,...

A Visit to Williamsburg's Church of New York

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:10:59 -0500

I stood outside the City Reliquary and waited for the president and founder to arrive.

There's a vaudeville streak in the appearance of the reliquary, a not-for-profit "museum and civic organization" on Metropolitan and Grand in Williamsburg. The front door is red and painted with an ominous, snakey design in gold and black. On either side there are showcase windows containing a collection of copper jelly molds, and opposite them, blue plastic flowers wrapped around...

Inside the Smelly, Beautiful Eggs of Greenpoint

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:01:56 -0400

By 12 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, all the free tours of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant were full. The tall chain-link fence gate was open, and there were families and couples and single people standing around. Many of them had different-color neon stars stuck on their jackets or tshirts, which indicated both that they had secured a place in an Open House New York tour, and what time the tour departed.

It was...

Park Avenue Recession Art, by Lalanne

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:33:34 -0400

There is now a large bronze apple on the median of Park Avenue at 52nd Street, just west of the Seagrams building. The apple is large enough to notice, but not so large that someone giving directions to the apple would say, “You can’t miss it.”

This is the Pomme de New York, which means the Apple of New York, but also sounds a little like the French for potato.

...

Pretty Green, Real Green

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:17:40 -0400

Last month, the Mother Nature Network Web site released a list of the "10 Greenest Cities in America," which included Austin, Chicago, Seattle, Berkeley, Cambridge (Mass.), Eugene (Ore.), Oakland, Boston and San Franscisco. It did not include New York.

Reflecting on this list on the Huffington Post, Dennis Markatos, the founder of Sustainable Energy Transition (SET), wrote, "It's up to all of us in NYC to work hard to get our green...

Weekend in Review: Albany Stagnates

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:03:00 -0400

Some things happened in Albany this weekend, but not much has changed. Pedro Espada Jr. finally filed campaign-finance forms, but they don't really add up at all. Gatemouth wants more choice. So does this radio host who interviewed Carolyn Maloney. The two groups Steve Pigeon runs have defied campaign-finance laws, according to the Erie County elections commissioners. The Daily News goes to hear a motivational speech from a gentler Rudy Giuliani. A blog for...

Weekend in Review: Albany, Afghanistan, Iran

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:48:00 -0400

A video from the community group FROGG about the Gowanus Canal. Paterson ordered a special session of the legislature in an effort to get the State Senate to agree on a plan. He might even sic the police on them! But he can't force them to vote. Paterson chose two mediators, so far not much has changed. At one point yesterday, Pedro Espada Jr. said there would be a deal soon. Over the weekend, Espada unloaded numerous bags at his...

Weekend in Review: Land Use, Landmarks

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:08:00 -0400

The D&C thinks Albany has failed this school year. David Paterson struck a deal with unions that will help save in the long run, but not necessarily in the near future. Marisa Lago stepped down as executive of the ESDC, reportedly over conflicts with the chairman. Federal prosecutors are investigating whether a major contractor working on the Sept. 11 memorial and the new Mets Stadium overbilled the city. Queens Crap recaps the history of...

Elsewhere: Sharpton, Gillibrand

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:45:00 -0400

Ben says that Al Sharpton's endorsement of Kirsten Gillibrand—and attendant fuss—show that he's as relevant as ever. Patricia Murphy says Sharpton’s endorsement means he’s on board with the White House strategy of clearing the field of Gillibrand challengers. The Working Families Party is backing Sheldon Silver's ethics plan. There’s no “systematic political opposition expressing a credible counterweight to the mayor,” said David Birdsell. Reading deep into a statement by Larry Schwartz, Janison senses a bubble within a bubble. The...

Elsewhere: McHugh

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:30:00 -0400

Obama nominated Representative John McHugh to be Secretary of the Army, a job that two people have been fired from in the last four years. Thousands of troops have been deployed from McHugh's district, which includes Fort Drum. "In tapping McHugh, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, Obama sidelines yet another senior GOP lawmaker," writes Jonathan Martin. It's a victory for Democrats, writes The Hill, because they haven't been able to come close to...

Elsewhere: Test Scores

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:19:00 -0400

Embedded video from CNN Video Math test scores across the state went up, but the state commissioner doesn't want people too make a huge deal out of it. Michael Bloomberg, on the other hand, thinks it's a big deal. Probably because city students are catching up! It's still a "political football" writes the News. At least one Conservative backs Andrew Cuomo's bill. Bill Thompson said Bloomberg’s budget will saddle New York City with “unprecedented” debt. Chuck Schumer toured a prison upstate. Celebrating...

Elsewhere: Sotomayor

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:46:00 -0400

Sonia Sotomayor, who grew up in the Bronx, was at the top of Obama's list of potential Supreme Court nominees from the beginning. She grew up in the Bronxdale Houses, liked Nancy Drew, and worked for Robert Morgenthau after Yale Law, reports the Times. Here's the text of her speech at the press conference. Chuck Schumer has preemptively warned lawmakers who might oppose her confirmation. The G.O.P. accidentally sent its talking points on Sotomayor to the media, so...

Elsewhere: Memorial Day Edition

Mon, 25 May 2009 15:30:00 -0400

Liz notes that David Paterson has very quietly produced another nominee to chair the state parole board. At Rochester Turning, Mayor Robert Duffy earns praise for a "brave" essay in support of gay marriage. As if things weren't bad enough for the M.T.A., advertising revenues are way down. At least we're not California. There are 121 military veterans in Congress, which is fewer than there used to be but...

Elsewhere: the I.N.D. Event, the Meeting With Rahm

Fri, 22 May 2009 17:55:00 -0400

Rick Lazio opened a campaign committee, may run for governor. The showdown at I.N.D. last night that ended in an endorsement for a non-liberal candidate continues to reverberate. Greg Ball, who may challenge Representative John Hall, opposes Don't Ask Don't Tell, in the right-wing way. The Democrat & Chronicle editorial board opposes gay marriage. (via R.T., which does not agree.) If you hadn't already heard, Meghan McCain supports gay marriage.City Hall News has a harrowing account of Steve...

Elsewhere: Bloomberg's New Hire, Considering Golisano

Thu, 21 May 2009 16:30:00 -0400

Anthony Como, who Michael Bloomberg just awarded a high-paying job in the housing department, has previously run afoul of the Buildings Department while trying to build his own house. In addition to most of the local campaign talent, Bloomberg is getting the prominent Democratic fund-raisers. The Board of Elections Campaign Finance Board issued a fine of about $70,000 to Scott Stringer. It also denied Eric Gioia's petition about carbon offsets and campaign money. Apparently the M.T.A. is...

Elsewhere: Flyover Warning, Streetcar Study

Wed, 20 May 2009 19:00:00 -0400

Consider yourself warned: a government plane will fly over the harbor tomorrow and then a bunch of army paratroopers will land in the grass around the Statue of Liberty, but it's just a celebration. It turns out New York has $300,000 for a streetcar study. The Bronx Democratic Party is looking, without much success, for somebody to run against Councilwoman Maria Baez. Chris Lee has turned out not to be the "Republican robot" Buffalo Pundit thought he...

Elsewhere: Spitzer Unstifled, Drivers Unleashed

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:46:00 -0400

Eliot Spitzer was rude to the Spitzer-investigating I.G. and, by extension, rude about the way David Paterson is running things. In protest, a number of Staten Islanders paid their $10 tolls in pennies today. Here, for posterity, is what Scott Stringer had to say about Kirsten Gillibrand's vulnerabilities before he stopped being a potential Senate candidate. Bill Thompson would like Andrew Cuomo's rules to be adopted by all the city pension funds. Chris Lee gets a long, flattering profile...

Elsewhere: The Next Ethics Commission, Maloney's Plans

Mon, 18 May 2009 17:30:00 -0400

The main problem with David Paterson's new ethics committee is that he will need Sheldon Silver and Malcolm Smith to join him, writes Liz, and neither of them have asked their nominees to step down from the original ethics committee. Of Tom Golisano's defection to Florida, Paterson said, "[W]e upset a number of other people who probably can’t afford to leave the state right now.” Carolyn Maloney says plans for the future are not affected by...

Weekend in Review: Israel's Capitulation, a New Health Commissioner

Sun, 17 May 2009 21:45:00 -0400

Democrats were reportedly surprised that Barack Obama, in addition to Robert Menendez and Chuck Schumer, personally intervened and asked Steve Israel not to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand. He was "days away" from announcing he would run, reports the Times Union. In Rochester this weekend to speak at the ESPA fund-raiser, Gillibrand visited a supermarket. The Post reports that our new health commissioner will be Dr. Thomas Farley, who has been serving an adviser to Tom Frieden. He is a...

Elsewhere: Manhattan U.S. Attorney Nomination, Bloomberg's Stimulus Plan

Fri, 15 May 2009 17:00:00 -0400

Barack Obama nominated Chuck Schumer's chief counsel, Preet Bharara, as U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York Michael Bloomberg has spent $18.7 million on his campaign, which is a truly remarkable sum. Ben discovered a little part of Cindy Adams' column that reported Rudy Giuliani lost Tony Carbonetti, but Carbonetti says he's not totally ditching Rudy. (via P.W.] Bloomberg's committee recommended there be one amusement operator in Coney Island, but that looks like it will...

Elsewhere: Paterson's Shock, the Odds on Gay Marriage

Thu, 14 May 2009 17:00:00 -0400

David Paterson is "surprised and shocked" that the people from the Commission on Public Integrity that he asked to resign are not resigning. Capitol Confidential is trying to name the scandal, which is hard, but maybe Integritygate will catch on. Nate Silver looks at same-sex marriage in the State Senate, and gives the bill odds of "one in three." Tom Golisano is changing his residency to Florida because the taxes here are too high, he announced during...

Elsewhere: Paterson Empties C.P.I., State Failed to Count Military Ballots

Wed, 13 May 2009 17:00:00 -0400

David Paterson is firing (or trying to fire) all 12 members of the Commission on Public Integrity. Michael Bloomberg's former communications director, Bill Cunningham, has a lot to to say about Anthony Weiner, and none of it good. As for how Bloomberg spends his money, "voters themselves are responding to the 'level playing field' argument with a collective 'Meh.'" The mayor has an artsy new campaign mailer. Four in ten overseas military ballots were not counted in last...

Elsewhere: Bloomberg's Robocalls, the City's Gowanus Plan

Tue, 12 May 2009 17:00:00 -0400

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy The Bloomberg campaign is harassing George Packer. (via Ben) Tom DiNapoli hired John Del Cecato and Joel Benenson for his re-election campaign. City officials presented an alternative plan for the Gowanus Canal, but PMFA doesn't see much difference, except the city would ask polluters to pay voluntarily. The Brooklyn Paper notes that the E.P.A. would do nothing for the sewage overflow problem; the city has a...

Elsewhere: The Canceled Flight, the Helicopter Project

Mon, 11 May 2009 16:20:00 -0400

The M.T.A. officially approved lower fare hikes, which go into effect next month. Benjamin Kabak supports the Senate in opposing Marc Shaw, but for different reasons. Michael Bloomberg made some calls when he heard there was another military flyover planned for this morning. Maurice Hinchey is still trying to keep the Lockheed Martin helicopter project alive. Giuliani Partners, which was reportedly having trouble maintaining a client base, is forming a "strategic partnership" with a corporate-security company. Reporters' eyes glazed...

Weekend in Review: Thompson Questioned, Parker Arrested, Gillibrand Challenged

Sun, 10 May 2009 18:21:00 -0400

David Seifman reports rumors that Bill Thompson will drop out of the mayoral race. The Daily News editorial board thinks it was wrong of David Paterson to make Lee Sander the "fall guy" for the M.T.A.'s problems, because he's not to blame. A new director has not been named—candidates other than Marc Shaw reportedly include, the former director of the London Underground and the current head of the San Francisco M.T.A. The M.T.A. meets tomorrow to vote...

Elsewhere: Flake Backs Bloomberg, Caldera Resigns Over Flyover

Fri, 08 May 2009 18:33:00 -0400

Rev. Floyd Flake, one of the most influential black ministers in the city, endorsed Michael Bloomberg. So did Representative Barbara Clark, the leader of the state Black, Puerto Rican and Latino caucus. Louis Caldera, head of the White House Military Office, has taken the fall for the downtown flyover. Peter Drago, an operative who worked for Mario Cuomo, Sheldon Silver, Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson, and others in the Capitol, died today. Sheldon Silver does not completely oppose...

Elsewhere: Paterson on Mayoral Control, Obama on Mayoral Race

Thu, 07 May 2009 16:41:00 -0400

"My general feeling is that I like mayoral control," said David Paterson, which will, among other things, endear him to Michael Bloomberg. The M.T.A. board scheduled a meeting for Monday to vote on the new fare structures. Barack Obama will not make an endorsement in the New York City mayoral race. Like many things associated with the project, the dismantling of a tower at the World Trade Center will be delayed. Orrin Hatch, the conservative senator from Utah...

Elsewhere: Schumer's Birds, Gowanus Fliers

Wed, 06 May 2009 16:30:00 -0400

"Something had to be done," Michael Bloomberg said of the M.T.A. plan. David Yassky thinks the Williamsburg-Greenpoint rezoning has done more good than bad. The P.B.A. is not opposed to endorsing Bloomberg. Laying the groundwork for a possible run for statewide office, Tom Suozzi performed "Born to Be Wild" in a tie. Chuck Schumer is planning to make it mandatory to report a bird flying into a plane. The arrest of a Nassau County legislator...

Elsewhere: the Scourge of Bottled Water, More on Sotomayor

Tue, 05 May 2009 17:20:00 -0400

Assemblyman Greg Ball now officially may challenge John Hall. David Weprin is on a roll. David Paterson joins Eric Gioia in the fight against plastic water bottles. Political IV is proud of John McHugh's bipartisan-ness. And very disapproving of Nancy Pelosi's lack thereof. Bloomberg appointee Betsy Perry resigned over her Huffington post. In case you missed Bill Thompson's reaction ( and Bloomberg did not), his campaign twittered it. Megan Taylor talks to people in the neighborhood of the last N.Y.P.D....

Elsewhere: Theile Will Back Gay Marriage, Things Fall Apart in Willets Point

Mon, 04 May 2009 17:07:00 -0400

Assemblyman Fred Thiele is the fifth Republican in the chamber to support gay marriage. A Marist poll shows Kirsten Gillibrand trailing lots of opponents, but it also appears many voters don't know she is, which will probably change. The latest in David Paterson's comeback is a proposal to cap state spending. He says if there had been one, New York would have little to no deficit. Jay Gallagher thinks it was oversold. Jeffrey Rosen, having spoken to legal-types,...

Morning Read: Weiner the Candidate, Dancing With Judith

Mon, 04 May 2009 08:49:00 -0400

Anthony Weiner tells New York, “[S]ometimes there are walls even your ambition and skill can’t push through.” The article goes on to refer to Weiner as “the candidate.” “I danced at his wedding with Judith [Nathan], and it would have been nice if he'd danced at mine,” said Howard Koeppel, one-half of the gay couple whose wedding Rudy Giuliani did not attend. The Columbia Spectator looks at water rates. The Epoch Times gets into Bloomberg’s budget. The Bond...

Weekend in Review: Divisions Over M.T.A. Plan, Reaction to Bloomberg's Budget

Sun, 03 May 2009 17:11:00 -0400

The quick-fix M.T.A. bailout, which has swayed wayward Democrats, is now being criticized by Sheldon Silver. David Paterson demands a vote Tuesday. It is no longer possible to fund the capital plan. Irene Liu looks at the corruption that has been exposed by the investigation of the state pension fund, and reports that numerous warnings were ignored. The Times editorial board is concerned about the things in Michael Bloomberg's budget that have to be approved by Albany. One...

Elsewhere: The Price of an Election, a Deluge at Indian Point

Fri, 01 May 2009 17:00:00 -0400

Scott Murphy and Jim Tedisco together spent a total of $6 million on their campaigns—which were pretty short, C.Q. points out. A rusted hole in an underground pipe at Indian Point let out 100,000 gallons of pretty crucial water. This will not do much for the nuclear renaissance. Pork sales are down all over the country, but New Yorkers have not been deterred. St. Francis Prep will reopen Monday. Malcolm Smith, Tom Duane, and Toby Ann Stavisky met...

Elsewhere: Dinkins Endorses, Boyle Is Out

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:21:00 -0400

David Dinkins is backing Bill Thompson, but thinks Michael Bloomberg has been pretty good. David Paterson is asking Ken Salazar to approve off-reservation Indian casinos in the Catskills. The city, which opposes the Superfund-ing of the Gowanus Canal, does not have the money to clean it up. In what's become a little bit too routine, another building collapsed, this one in Tribeca. But! Due to a "railing at the cusp of the Newtown Creek that wasn’t up to...

Elsewhere: Senators Scatter, Flu Goes Upstate

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:30:00 -0400

The State Senate does not appear to be working all that hard for you. A few Senate Democrats are off to Puerto Rico, although Jimmy is not. Senate Republicans have been spending their time working on a web site: http://www.iwantmystarcheck.com/. The state health commission said there are 75 possible cases of swine flu being investigated. New regions with possibly swine flu include Orange, Suffolk, Cortland, and Monroe counties. Three schools in New York City are closed. At West...

Elsewhere: M.T.A. Inertia, Golden Pacifier, More Flu

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:11:00 -0400

Martha Stark resigned. The M.T.A. saga lumbers along: Liz says the bill that passed committee today may or may not reset the clock. There could be another fare hike soon, because the M.T.A. deficit is growing. Meanwhile, in addition to angry taxi drivers, there were same-sex marriage advocates protesting in Albany. Here are highlights of the enacted budget. Kirsten Gillibrand was awarded the Golden Pacifier. Another court upheld Michael Bloomberg's term-limits extension, which officially makes it almost official. A writer at...

Martha Stark Out

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:36:00 -0400

Martha Stark, the city finance commissioner, has resigned, according to a release from the mayor's office that arrived a few minutes ago. The statement from Michael Bloomberg reads in part: "On behalf of the nearly 8.4 million New Yorkers, I want to thank Martha for her years of service, and I want to recognize the many reforms that Finance developed and implemented under her leadership." Stark has been under scrutiny for possible misconduct. Her personal life has...

Elsewhere: Flu Madness, Labor Unrest

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:01:00 -0400

Michael Bloomberg wants everyone to stay calm over this flu stuff. About 20 more cases have been confirmed. Malcolm Smith's wife and Peter Vallone's daughter may have swine flu. We do not have to wear masks, says a C.D.C. official. Although 14 people were shot yesterday, and there were 13 shootings in the Bronx this weekend, crime is apparently still falling. The M.T.A. probably can't give raises, which raises the prospect of labor unrest. State agencies are starting to...

Weekend in Review: Carrion Pays the Architect, Golisano Gains Ground

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:07:00 -0400

The state is on "high alert" due to confirmed cases of swine flu, although that doesn't appear to require much action by regular people. Wash your hands. Al Sharpton said yesterday of the 2010 governor's race: "This is not about David and Andrew. This is about David and Rudy Giuliani." David Paterson is getting ready for battle, writes the Times. Three former aides to Bill Thompson went on to work at firms that then invested a ton...

Elsewhere: Armenian Memorial Day, Layoffs at the Zoo

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:30:00 -0400

Liz: "You know things are really bad in Albany when even a one-house bill that has zero chance of going anywhere is hailed as a 'good first step.'" The Awl notices the launch of David Paterson's new campaign web site, and wonders who it's supposed to appeal to. At least the new drug legislation is officially signed. A Staten Island City Council candidate went to Washington to talk to the district's new congressman, Mike McMahon, about the...

Elsewhere: Supermarket Surge, Rail to Binghamton

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:00:00 -0400

Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand and the senators of Pennsylvania are lobbying the federal government to help get passenger rail between Binghamton and Scranton, with service continuing to New York City. The Brooklyn Paper thinks Michael Bloomberg might oppose making the Gowanus a Superfund because he's afraid that the city, as a polluter, might be stuck paying for part. The Times gets into the politics of it. City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden is creating incentives for developers to...

Elsewhere: Reynolds on the 20th, Diaz's Dollars Per Vote

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:18:00 -0400

Our great editor is leaving. Even Tom Reynolds thinks Scott Murphy has won the 20th congressional district. In case there was ever any doubt, Ruben Diaz Jr. is the new Bronx borough president, but! He spent more money per vote that the Republican in the race. Benjamin Kabak thinks the new Senate plan for the M.T.A. is full of big problems. Representative Chris Lee is seeking $3 million in earmarks for the company that bought his family's...

Elsewhere: Bloomberg on Sports, Smith's 32 Votes

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:10:00 -0400

"Don't ever think sports is anything but a business," said Michael Bloomberg, in reference to very high ticket prices at the new stadiums. Our very own Chuck Schumer has been deemed one of the senators in Washington to work with. Kirsten Gillibrand, appropriately, was not judged. "[T]he huge, fiercely opposed power line," NYRI, is officially dead. At The Albany Project, devtob has some analysis of how Scott Murphy won his seat in Congress, although it's important...

Elsewhere: Tedisco's Race, Spitzer's Game, an Election That Isn't

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:27:00 -0400

A Republican congressman and former R.N.C. chair, Thomas Davis III, tells The Washington Times that. Jim Tedisco has lost the congressional race in the 20th Michael Wolff writes, "What Newsweek doesn’t say is that a major building block of Spitzer’s return to credibility and public life is to be featured on the cover of a major news magazine." "The approximately 1.4 million residents of the Bronx will get a new borough president tomorrow, but from the...

Morning Read: Gillibrand on Guns, the Pension Middlemen

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:37:00 -0400

Kirsten Gillibrand defends her change of heart on guns, saying,"In my previous district, we didn't have gang violence, and we didn't have the gun violence that we have throughout New York" Michael Bloomberg got the endorsement of another black church. A friend of Bill's earned millions as a middleman for investors in the state pension fund. A number of elected officials don't think think the middlemen should be allowed. "Why would a smart guy invest in a movie...

Weekend in Review: Spitzer Walks Dogs, Paterson Makes the Rounds

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:39:00 -0400

After he first resigned, Eliot Spitzer would only walk the wheaten terrier. Now, he also takes the bichon frisee. David Paterson is calling Republican state senators in another attempt to get enough votes to pass an M.T.A. bailout package. The New York Times has a helpful diagram for understanding what happened in the state comptroller's office under Alan Hevesi. Michael Bloomberg is still pushing unpopular proposals related to driving. Bloomberg says $105 million is all he's going to...

Elsewhere: Paterson's Threat, DiNapoli's Doom and Gloom

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:29:00 -0400

Having run out of other options, David Paterson threatens to "step outside" with opponents of the M.T.A. rescue. D.A. candidate Leslie Crocker Snyder, a Democrat, is going to speak at an exclusive event for conservatives. Looking sharp, Vito Fossella went to jail. Tom DiNapoli says the state has had an unprecedented drop in tax revenues; overall, New York has $3.6 billion less than it projected. Michael Bloomberg made amends with the disabled reporter. Of the the eviction of reporters...

Elsewhere: Doctoroff on PlaNYC, Fossella's Treasurer Trouble

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:00:00 -0400

Dan Doctoroff told a panel last night that despite setbacks, 93 percent of PlaNYC projects are "underway." A writer a Planet Albany thinks if Jim Tedisco loses, he should apologize to the district before he mounts a challenge in 2010. Christine Quinn wants opponents of same-sex marriage to look her “in the eye” and explain themselves. Michael Bloomberg, like David Paterson, does not approve of Albany's habit of only voting on bills that will pass, saying, “That...

Elsewhere: Calling the 20th, Seeing More Spitzer

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:56:00 -0400

The city's new archbishop, Timothy Dolan, said he will challenge efforts to make same-sex marriage legal. A former F.E.C. commissioner gets behind Jim Tedisco's plan to extend the deadline for military voters Nate Silver says the race in the 20th is going to Scott Murphy--and the new numbers seem to back that up. If Phil Anderson were a doctor, he'd call this one. Steve Israel hired a new fund-raiser. Seriously: Eliot Spitzer just doesn't think he's going to run...

Elsewhere: Baseball Stories, Stalled Developments

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:25:00 -0400

From a Wall Street Journal blog: “New York Gov. David Paterson and other politicians are getting a worse booing than the fans offered Padres reliever and former Met punching bag Duaner Sanchez. That’s saying something. Only politico to get a free pass? NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.” Daily Intel calls Paterson's gay marriage push a "gamble." Plans for development of the West Side are stalled, according to Deputy Mayor Robert Lieber, who would know that sort of...