Last night, the Manhattan Surrogate's Courthouse--Tammany Hall's glorious Beaux Arts folly--played host to the City Council's annual Christmas party. The highlight, by unanimous consent, was a duet rendition of "Silent Night" by Council member Melinda Katz and former Council Speaker Gifford Miller.

Council members are said to have paid $35 a head for their staffers to attend the party, while lobbyists had to shell out $50.

There were a number of other parties as well, including one for Jerry Skurnik's political consulting firm, Prime New York. Efrain Gonzalez, the state senator from the Bronx recently indicted for embezzling more than $400,000 from charities in his district, was spotted at that one, according to one person who was there.

If anyone has pictures of the festivities--lampshade shots would be great--please forward them on.

UPDATE: The Politicker has been corrected--rather amusingly--by several anonymous commenters from City Hall. It seems some (all?) council members made their staffers pay their own way to the holiday party. Sheesh--you'd think there'd be room in the city budget for a couple free longnecks and a bowl of Fritos. Jimmy Walker would never have stood for this! Keep the outrage coming...

-- Azi Paybarah