Politics | The New York Observer

Our New Lieutenant Governor, Our Old Senate

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:13:22 -0400

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City Launching Plan to Turn Unfinished Condos Into Subsidized Housing

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:51:07 -0400

Will the dangling of city money be enough to get stalled condo projects moving again?

Perhaps.

The city is launching a $20 million initiative to restart stalled condo projects, turning some of the unfinished developments into below-market-rate housing. Details are still hazy, but Council Speaker Christine Quinn and the commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Rafael Cestero, said Wednesday that the city would solicit proposals from developers and lenders by the end of...

The Coney Island Odyssey

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:04:07 -0400

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Times Sues Council, Gets Reduced Rate for Information That Will Soon Be Free

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:44:57 -0400

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The Malaise-Proofing of Michael Bloomberg

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:56:55 -0400

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Palin to Punditry? Probably Not

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:40:53 -0400

Long before Charles Gibson asked her about the Bush Doctrine, before Katie Couric asked her about what publications she liked to read and before her subsequent recriminations about gotcha journalism, Sarah Palin studied communications in college and spent the early days of her career as a local TV sports reporter in Alaska.

“The Iditarod is the biggie, but it’s not the only mushing going on …”

In short, Ms....

Party of Franken Rises, Party of Palin Falls

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:54:06 -0400

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Carolyn Maloney and the Lure of the Senate

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:03:30 -0400

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North Brooklyn Now a Little Bit Optimistic About Promised Parks

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:12:38 -0400

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Meghan McCain Visits New Museum Party

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:40:11 -0400

On Tuesday, June 30, a young woman in what looked like an off-the-shoulder slinky black jumpsuit and tall patent leather heels drifted into a party at the New Museum celebrating "The Generation: Younger Than Jesus," the triennial exhibit featuring 50 international artists under the age of 33 that ended on Sunday, July 5.

Other guests thought she was "nice" and "pretty" and "friendly." Then someone pointed out that the peroxide blonde in question, who was...

The Grande Dame of New York City Land Use

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:52:35 -0400

The way Doris Diether tells it, she was the last holdout in her Waverly Place building a few years back, when the landlord moved in someone new to intimidate her.

“Every time he’d go by me, he growled. Then one night he banged on my door and said, ‘If you think you’re getting any money, forget it,’” recalled Ms. Diether, 80, who moved into her basement apartment in 1958 and, thanks to rent control,...

Palin's Exit Prompts Really Bad Punditry About Palin's Future

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:47:00 -0400

Sarah Palin is a living, breathing Rorschach test. It doesn’t really matter what she says or does: her fans and critics will see whatever they want to see. So when she suddenly quit as Alaska’s governor on Friday, the analyses about what it all meant were decisive, predictable and mostly wrong. The critics, when they weren’t speculating that a massive scandal would soon be unearthed to explain Palin’s hasty exit, proclaimed Palin’s move an...

Albany. Bananas.

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:57:08 -0400

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Bike Community Goes After John Liu Over Yassky's Bill

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:41:42 -0400

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Moonbeam's Final Adventure

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:51:37 -0400

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To Boost Its Coney Island Plan, Bloomberg Administration Buses in Supporters for City Council Hearing

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:07:00 -0400

There’s a common tactic that accompanies most development fights: packing a public hearing.

Usually this is carried out by a variety of groups fighting or supporting a given project—advocates, unions, angry neighbors, wary businesses—who enlist (ideally) scores of people to testify at a hearing in favor of their position, filling a room with sign-holding supporters and making it seem like their argument has more support than the opposition's.

But for a City Council...

The Attorney General Isn't Doing Politics

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:20:35 -0400

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The Gay Movement, After Marriage

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:08:44 -0400

On the night of June 26, two days before the gay pride parade would overtake Manhattan in honor of the 40th birthday of the Stonewall riots that are popularly imagined as the birth of the gay rights movement, a group numbering a couple of dozen mostly gay men and women found themselves crammed into the parlor floor of the West Village townhouse of John Connor, a former banker who lives with his companion, the...

Suddenly, a Trillion Is Too Much?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:25:12 -0400

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NBC News Unveils Plans For New Series on War Crimes

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:10:19 -0400

At NBC News in recent months, there's been a lot of chatter among staffers about what was happening to a network series, apparently in development, about catching real-life war criminals.

The project first surfaced back in February when The New York Times reported on a series of controversies surrounding the project long before it had neared completion.

Back then, The Times compared the project to the NBC Dateline series To Catch a Predator—only targeting war criminals...

Vivek Kundra at PDF: Help Us Build the Future of Federal Technology

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:49:38 -0400

Earlier today, Vivek Kundra, the country's first federal chief information officer, debuted a federal "IT dashboard" on USAspending.gov that gives citizens and officials easy access to the government's technology spending, with project descriptions, status updates, evaluation reports and contact information for managers. Mr. Kundra, displaying the new site at Personal Democracy Forum at Jazz at Lincoln Center, called it the "golden source" of IT spending information.

"Now, for the first time, the entire country can...

At 'Hacking the City,' Tech Crowd Welcomes Big Apps, Questions How Far Bloomberg Will Go

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:36:02 -0400

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What Happens If the Only Ones Who Can Save the Senate Are the Senators?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:13:46 -0400

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It's Time for Obama to Spend Some Political Capital

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:08:43 -0400

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Another Step on the Long March to Global Climate Policy

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:23:22 -0400

On June 26, 2009, the House of Representatives took the historic step of passing the first piece of U.S. legislation to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses. While the bill, like all legislation, is not perfect, it is a giant step in the right direction. The most important provisions of the bill require:

• Reductions in greenhouse gases by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a cap-and-trade program.
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At PdF, Bloomberg Announces 'Big Apps' Contest, Says He'll Dine With Winner

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:53:33 -0400

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Politics at the Pride Parade

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:51:08 -0400

Every year the political class pays homage to the gay community at the Pride Parade, and yesterday's was no...

The Clock Is Ticking: Can Anyone Break the Statemate in Albany?

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:26:02 -0400

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Obama Stays With Engagement, at a Cost To Be Determined

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:17:00 -0400

The White House made clear on Sunday that Barack Obama will proceed with his push for diplomatic engagement with Iran, no matter the outcome of the current upheaval in the Islamic Republic. Appearing on several Sunday morning talk shows, Susan Rice, Obama’s ambassador to the United Nations, and David Axelrod, one of the president’s top advisers, stressed the same basic theme: that this month’s election shouldn’t dissuade the U.S. from trying to resolve the...

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...

De Blasio Gets Custodians

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:15:00 -0400

The union representing school custodians has endorsed public-advocate candidate Bill de Blasio, his campaign will announce this afternoon. The president of the union, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 891, Robert Troeller, said, “Bill is unquestionably the candidate who represents the voice of the people and will make sure our government listens to everyone.” A campaign aide said the union has 930 members. The endorsement is part of long line of union...

Bloomberg on Michael Jackson

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

At the opening of a recreation center in Harlem this morning, Michael Bloomberg made his first comments about the death of Michael Jackson yesterday. Bloomberg, according to a transcript of his remarks sent by his office, said: "It is very sad. It’s very sad. He was idolized by many New Yorkers, both young and old, and like everyone, everywhere, we’re just stunned and saddened by his death. I think it’s fair to say he...

McCarthy's Bloomberg Ad

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:15:00 -0400

Carolyn McCarthy, the Democratic congresswoman from Long Island, appears in this ad the Bloomberg campaign just released. In the video, she talks about his work on gun control issues, saying it “saves lives.” She doesn’t make any direct appeal for votes, or reference the fact that he’s seeking reelection. When McCarthy's endorsement was announced earlier, the fact that she was crossing party lines was kind of a big deal. In the ad, it's barely mentioned. Neither...

Sides Agree to Produce Records, Keep Talking Out of Court

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:09:00 -0400

ALBANY—We'll have to wait until Monday, or even longer. Judge Thomas McNamara sent the dueling parties in State Senate leadership struggle back to the negotiating table—a move that has become something of a trademark for him. By my count, this is the sixth time legal action related to the case has been adjourned. After a closed, hour-long conference, the two sides also agreed to produce a transcript for the court showing the exact proceedings of June 8,...

Morning Read: Rangel's Probe, Maloney's Time, Mealy's Campaign

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:27:00 -0400

The House Ethics Committee is investigating whether Charlie Rangel and others took an inappropriate trip sponsored by Carib News. Rangel reportedly did not list the corporate sponsors of the trip, which include AT&T, HSBC, Sandals and Pfizer. The Post edit board wonders what took so long for this probe. Carolyn Maloney said, “I don’t have enough time in the day to take care of the responsibilities I have between work and family.” Chuck Schumer said Hillary Clinton “was...

Sources: Leadership Deal Has Smith and Skelos Splitting Top Jobs

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:17:00 -0400

ALBANY—Negotiations to resolve the State Senate leadership struggle include a deal that would make Malcolm Smith the chamber's president pro tempore and Dean Skelos the majority leader, sources familiar with the discussions said. Irene Liu at Capitol Confidential reported this earlier, and has more on the second level of leadership. I've heard that things are still fluid regarding the role of the much-maligned Senator Pedro Espada Jr., who currently claims the title of president pro tempore,...

Morning Read, Upstate: Senate Inches Toward Deal, Parker Blasts Away

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:56:00 -0400

Still in a leadership stalemate, state senators unite against David Paterson. Leaders on both sides insist they are edging toward an agreement. The rhetoric has softened. "You cannot have an honest dialogue with shields and swords raised and pointed at each other. We've gotten to the point where we're relaxed with each other to really start a negotiation in earnest," State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. said. And then State Senator Kevin Parker said they don't need a...

In the Chaos, Senate Dems May See One Last Opportunity to Wrest Schools From the Mayor

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:14:00 -0400

ALBANY—As both sides of the State Senate leadership struggle inch closer to an operating agreement, Democrats are positioning themselves to take one last crack at diluting mayoral control of city schools. Speaking to reporters after an extraordinary session that lasted just over three minutes, Senators Malcolm Smith and John Sampson, the leaders of the Democratic conference, insisted that they did not want to work out the problems and convene in a regular legislative session, which...

Last Southern Candidate Standing

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:20:00 -0400

Besides Andre Bauer, the South Carolina lieutenant governor who may soon luck into his state’s top job, the biggest beneficiary of Mark Sanford’s sudden fall from grace could actually be the governor of Mississippi. That would be 61-year-old Haley Barbour, who chaired the Republican National Committee in the mid-1990s and who is plainly interested in seeking the presidency in 2012—which explains why, as news of the Sanford scandal spread yesterday, Barbour was in New Hampshire...

Paterson: No Expenses for Senators

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:35:00 -0400

ALBANY—Noting that "today is the same as yesterday, yesterday is the same as the day before," David Paterson said he has directed the state treasurer not to pay senators per diem expenses and asked Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to review whether members of the still-hobbled State Senate should be paid. Paterson said he believes he has the power to withhold the per diems because they "relate to state travel, and there we feel we do have...

Oops! Sentinel's Spring Catalog, Featuring Book by Mark Sanford, Already at the Printer

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:23:39 -0400

Before his little problem came up recently, South Carolina governor Mark Sanford had a book scheduled for publication from Penguin's conservative Sentinel imprint in March of next year. He still might! As first reported this morning by Michael Cader of Publishers Lunch, Sentinel publisher Adrian Zackheim is trying to figure out what to do with Within Our Means, "a manifesto about fiscal conservatism--why the government needs to spend less and fix the deficit ASAP,"...

Open-Government Techies Get Giddy About a Council Bill; But Will Bloomberg Care?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:26:02 -0400

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Random House Pays North of $1 Million For Oren's Book on Israel, But Ambassadorship Means They Have to Wait

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:25:16 -0400

The historian Michael Oren didn’t know he would soon become Israel’s new ambassador to the United States when he and his literary agent at ICM, Jennifer Joel, started working on the proposal for his new book earlier this year. The book, according to editors who saw the proposal when Ms. Joel sent it out in early April, would tell the story of Israel’s founding. The project drew a lot of interest, thanks in part...

McCain Strikes a Pose, Recklessly

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:28:05 -0400

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M.T.A. Approves Less Lucrative Atlantic Yards Deal

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:43:20 -0400

Bruce Ratner can now cross a major task off his to-do list.

For months now, Mr. Ratner, the developer planning the $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards apartment and arena complex in Brooklyn, has been seeking financial relief from an agreement he struck with the M.T.A. in better times.

Lawsuits and other issues have pushed back the project, which involves selling the rights over an M.T.A.-owned rail storage yard, by years. The old deal from...

In Preparation for Possible Race Against Andrew, Rudy Echoes Mario

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:05:00 -0400

Rudy Giuliani's Op-Ed in today's Times is being read as a clear indication that he still has a run for governor on his mind. So it's interesting that the substance of his argument, that New York needs a constitutional convention to fix Albany, is also the favorite topic of Mario Cuomo, who Giuliani crossed party lines to endorse in 1994 and who is the father of the man Giuliani might very well face in...

Lucre-Addicted Senate Democrats Are Blowing It on Health Care

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:34:37 -0400

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Patrick Gaspard Writes Poems, Collects Comics, Kills for Obama

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:31:50 -0400

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The Bronx Is Kvetching

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:07:11 -0400

It’s probably safe to assume that the faculty dining room at the Bronx’s Lehman College will be packed the evening of June 24 with a lot of people wanting a lot of things from the Related Companies.

The prolific developer is coming before Community Board 7 to discuss its planned development of the behemoth Kingsbridge Armory, a whale of a 92-year-old, 588,000-square-foot building just beyond Manhattan. The city has been trying to develop the building...

Bloomberg On the Recovery; Business Owners On the Recession

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:41:46 -0400

“Put me down in the category of optimistic on the economy,” Mayor Bloomberg said at a sumptuous breakfast at Isabella’s Tuesday morning celebrating the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (BID)’s 10th anniversary. “But I don’t think we’re going to see a spur. I think you’re just going to see slow growth—but I do think we’re over the worst.”

Before darting off to speak at a fifth-grade graduation in the Bronx, Mr. Bloomberg pitched a...