NY Observer > Wayne Barrett http://www.observer.com/taxonomy/term/24250/feed Articles from Observer.com en Wayne Barrett Defends Quinn http://www.observer.com/2008/barrett-sides-quinn Here’s Village Voice investigative reporter Wayne Barrett in City Hall today, saying that Christine Quinn shouldn’t necessarily be held responsible for the City Council's recent troubles.
 read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/barrett-sides-quinn#comments Politics Brian McLaughlin David Paterson Efrain Gonzalez Pedro Espada Sheldon Silver Wayne Barrett Tue, 13 May 2008 15:26:12 -0400 Azi Paybarah 69165 at http://www.observer.com Village Voice's Wayne Barrett Mulling a Book on Spitzer http://www.observer.com/2008/village-voices-wayne-barrett-mulling-book-spitzer

Over on the Politicker, The Observer's Azi Paybarah reports:

Investigative reporter Wayne Barrett of the Village Voice confirmed to me just now that he is considering writing a biography about the former governor, and has been contacted by at least two publishers about such a project.

“I haven’t made up my mind one way or the other,” Barrett said in a brief telephone interview.

Read the rest of Mr. Barrett's thoughts on this potential project here.

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/village-voices-wayne-barrett-mulling-book-spitzer#comments Media Eliot Spitzer Wayne Barrett Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:39:17 -0400 Leon Neyfakh 66937 at http://www.observer.com After Spitzer, a Biography? http://www.observer.com/2008/wayne-barrett-considers-writing-spitzer-book

Eliot Spitzer’s career in public service may be over, but the race to tell the story is just getting under way.

Investigative reporter Wayne Barrett of The Village Voice confirmed to me just now that he is considering writing a biography about the former governor, and has been contacted by at least two publishers about such a project.

“I haven’t made up my mind one way or the other,” Barrett said in a brief telephone interview.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/wayne-barrett-considers-writing-spitzer-book#comments Politics Eliot Spitzer Wayne Barrett Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:16:24 -0400 Azi Paybarah 66919 at http://www.observer.com At the New School, Special-Election Theories and Spitzer Memories http://www.observer.com/2008/new-school-special-election-theories-and-spitzer-memories

This morning, the New School hosted a panel discussion on whether Eliot Spitzer can regain his political capital. (The answer is already looking quite different in light of yesterday's special election.)

Some highlights:

Panelist Wayne Barrett of the Village Voice said "hallelujah!" about yesterday's results and said Democrats should be given a chance to control the entirety of state government.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/new-school-special-election-theories-and-spitzer-memories#comments Politics Bill Hammond Eliot Spitzer George Arzt Jacob Gershman Sheldon Silver The New School Wayne Barrett Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:04:40 -0500 Azi Paybarah 65697 at http://www.observer.com Newsweek's Isikoff: I Had Story on Rudy's Terror Money Before Voice's Barrett http://www.observer.com/2007/newsweeks-isikoff-i-had-story-rudys-terror-money-voices-barrett

This week's issue of Newsweek contains a story by DC investigative reporter Michael Isikoff on Rudy Giuliani's ties to terror-financing outfits in the Middle East. The piece treads much of the same ground as a Village Voice story by Wayne Barrett published last week. Today, in a blog post that drew attention to the two pieces under the heading "Giving Credit Where It's Due," The Voice appeared to argue that its reporting should have been credited by Newsweek.

Media Mob asked Mr. Isikoff about the decision not to credit The Voice. His emailed response after the jump...  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2007/newsweeks-isikoff-i-had-story-rudys-terror-money-voices-barrett#comments Media Mickael Isikoff Newsweek Rudolph Giuliani The Village Voice Wayne Barrett Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:30:19 -0500 Zachary Roth 61345 at http://www.observer.com Barrett: Giuliani Not as Bad as Romney http://www.observer.com/2007/barrett-prefers-giuliani-over-romney

Wayne Barrett has long been a leading critic of Rudy Giuliani. Since Sept. 11, even more so. Apparently, though, Barrett believes that there are worse presidential candidates out there. Specifically, Mitt Romney, who, according to Barrett, is a "vacuum" with "plastic beliefs."

]]> http://www.observer.com/2007/barrett-prefers-giuliani-over-romney#comments Politics Mitt Romney Rudolph Giuliani Wayne Barrett Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:12:26 -0400 Azi Paybarah 57698 at http://www.observer.com When Giuliani Courted the Gay Vote http://www.observer.com/node/31436 Sorry for the delay in posting -- I'm trying to straighten out a couple of minor technical issues.

In the meantime, here's something to keep you busy: it's that famous Chris Lyon-authored, self-commissioned oppo research report on Rudy Giuliani, posted by The Smoking Gun. (It's the same report that Wayne Barrett got a hold of and wrote about in his Rudy biography.)

The report was commissioned in 1993 when Giuliani was running for mayor, so some of the stated negatives now seem shockingly out-of-date. Like, for example, the section about Giuliani being insufficiently sensitive to "the concerns and needs of the gay community."

Needless to say, when he finds himself in the middle of a bruising Republican presidential primary next year, that's going to be the least of his problems.

-- Azi Payabarah]]> http://www.observer.com/node/31436#comments Politics Rudolph Giuliani TheSmokingGun.com Wayne Barrett Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:07:36 -0500 Observer Staff 31436 at http://www.observer.com Barrett's Top Ten List for Hevesi http://www.observer.com/node/30926 Here's something that should be a pleasant change for Alan Hevesi from his recent press coverage: it's Wayne Barrett's Top Ten reasons not to oust the state comptroller.

1. Hevesi is not a recidivist abuser

2.Hevesi cannot be removed based on speculation about his intent.

3.The commission ignored indications that Hevesi intended to reimburse the state.

4.Removal is inexcusably disproportionate to Hevesi's wrongdoing.

5. The commission's findings are politically selective.

6. The two other Pataki-appointed commissioners are as ethically challenged as Shechtman [NYS Lobbying Commission member]

7. Spitzer isn't transcending personal and political ties in the war on Hevesi; he's bowing to them.

8. Singling out Hevesi on the basis of commonplace car abuse would be a hypocritical high.

9. Spitzer is allowing campaign damage control to frame critical government policy.

10. Going forward with a senate trial and replacement will be a colossal mess.

Barrett, no softy on public corruption, argues that it's not too late for Spitzer to back away from his stance on Hevesi without losing face. Spitzer "could say now that he will await the result of the ongoing grand jury probe by Albany District Attorney David Soares and be bound by it; if no criminal charges are brought, he could conclude that no further action would be necessary."

-- Azi Paybarah]]> http://www.observer.com/node/30926#comments Politics Alan Hevesi David Soares NYS Lobbying Commission Wayne Barrett Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:49:30 -0500 Observer Staff 30926 at http://www.observer.com The Morning Read: September 6, 2006 http://www.observer.com/node/30015 Andrew Cuomo may not have read that Village Voice article about his relationship with Andrew Farkas, but he did have a suggestion for the article's author:

"The author of The Voice's article, Wayne Barrett, said in an interview yesterday that Mr. Cuomo had suggested delaying its publication until after the primary. Mr. Cuomo said in an interview that he had suggested delaying publication so there was more time for Mr. Barrett and Mr. Farkas to exchange information."

And a letter from Farkas's lawyer to the Village Voice warning of possible libel was also sent.

The New York Post endorsed Cuomo, noting "Cuomo's greatest asset may be his chief opponent in the primary race, perennial candidate for high office Mark Green." A preview of the Rev. Al Sharpton's endorsement today of Cuomo is discussed here.

George Pataki hailed the opening of the Tribute Center, which honors people lost on 9/11. The Times noted "This will be a long interim" since the permanent memorial is not scheduled to open until 2009.

The Post and Daily News give their front pages to the newly released health study of 9/11 rescue workers.

Democrats and some Republicans, like CT Rep. Christopher Shays, want Donald Rumsfeld to resign.

And the city's Campaign Finance Board wants to slash contribution limits for people doing business with the city. -- Azi Paybarah]]> http://www.observer.com/node/30015#comments Politics Andrew Cuomo Andrew Farkas Village Voice Media Inc. Wayne Barrett Wed, 06 Sep 2006 04:45:00 -0400 Observer Staff 30015 at http://www.observer.com Barrett on Barrett http://www.observer.com/node/29938
grand illusion.jpg

I interviewed Wayne Barrett, whose new book, Grand Illusion, tries to strip Rudy Giuliani of his post-9/11 mythic stature. Barrett interviewed people in the Giuliani administration who said the '93 World Trade Center bombing and terrorism in general never came up.

Terrorism is also missing from Barrett's 2000 biography on Giuliani. "If somebody wants to say I wasn't sensitive to the terrorist threat when I wrote the first Rudy book, I think that's fair comment. I think the question is 'Why wasn't he?' "

As for whether Grand Illusion is opposition research for Hillary Clinton and John McCain, Barrett said, "Rudy has a long way to go before he faces Hillary Clinton."  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah ]]> http://www.observer.com/node/29938#comments Politics Hillary Clinton Rudolph Giuliani Wayne Barrett WB Rudy Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:32:19 -0400 Observer Staff 29938 at http://www.observer.com