NY Observer > Tom White

Race and the Sean Bell Trial

Azi Paybarah — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:13:24 -0400

City Councilman Tom White said today he didn’t think the Sean Bell case is “black against white,” citing the racial diversity of two of the officers on trial (two were black, one was white).

Some, like State Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr., think otherwise.

When asked, State Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith seemed to disagree with White, and quickly moved on to the next question.

Electeds Speak About Bell Verdict

Azi Paybarah — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:52:31 -0400

I just got back from Michael Bloomberg's press conference at a job center in Jamaica, not far from where Sean Bell was killed in 2006.

Bloomberg said he doesn’t expect any violence in response to today's verdict, and added that there is room for peaceful dissent and possibly legal action.

Also there were Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Council members Leroy Comrie and Tom White, and State Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith. read more »

A Nussbaum for a Queens Council Seat

Azi Paybarah — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:21:35 -0400

Here’s an invitation for the March 24 campaign kick-off event for Dale Nussbaum, who is running for the City Council seat currently occupied by term-limited David Weprin.

Nussbaum doesn’t have a campaign committee registered with the city Campaign Finance Board, but her candidacy is interesting for a few reasons. read more »

Tom White's Late Abstention on Sonny Carson

Azi Paybarah — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 08:43:42 -0400

Yesterday at City Hall, I ran into Councilman Tom White of Queens, one of the Council members who was absent the day of the emotionally charged vote over whether to rename a stretch of street for black nationalist Sonny Carson.

I asked him how he would have voted if he was there.

"You don't want to ask me that," he responded.

He said he was at a doctor's appointment and hadn't taken a position on it yet.

Why, I asked?

"Because I don't live in Brooklyn," he said.

But after hearing all about it, how would he have voted?

"I don't know," he said, and walked away.

Councilman No. 2 ?

Observer Staff — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 11:45:07 -0400

Greg Smith had an interesting story the other day about one of the City Council members who got campaign funds funneled to him by indicted labor leader, Brian McLaughlin.

According to the massive indictment [pdf] against McLaughlin, here's how the plan worked: McLauglin got his friends and their wives to send $250 contributions which would qualify for the city's 4-to-1 matching fund program. Then, McLaughlin reimbursed the donors from a union-controlled back account.

One Council member who said they unknowingly got money from this scheme was Tony Avella of Queens, who came out of the McLaughlin's political club. But the indictment said there was a second Council member who - in all likelihood unknowingly - got contributions from this scheme too.

The contributions in question were made in the reporting period of 10/1/2005 and 01/12/2006. Thanks to the Campaign Finance Board's website, you can search for $250 contributions for 2005 Council candidates during that time period.

Councilman James Gennaro, whose district overlaps with McLaughlin's Assembly district, had 17 contributions that fit the search, but a lawyer for his campaign said Gennaro personally knows all those donors, and they're not connected to McLaughlin in any way.

Tom White, whose campaign advisor (and my old boss) worked closely with McLaughlin, got ten $250 contributions during that time. Including one from the Central Labor Council PAC. White's office said they would get back to me, and so far hasn't.

One person floated Dennis Gallagher's name, but he received 0 contributions that fit the description.

So, who is that other Council member?

-- Azi Paybarah

Investing in Freddy

Observer Staff — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 06:03:00 -0500

In a sign that some see Freddy or his aides as useful friends in future campaigns, the daily disclosure forms (you know, the ones Mike's avoided filing) show three transfers in on Friday: one from Andrew Cuomo's campaign for Attorney General; one from Lieutenant Governor candidate Tom DiNapoli (who must hope that his investment, one way or another, wins him the regard of Eliot Spitzer), and one from City Councilman David Weprin. A quick look at City Council candidates' disclosures, available on the same page, show that Weprin and his fellow Speaker hopeful Melinda Katz, have in recent days, been spreading money around among their future colleagues (Tom White in Weprin's case; Darlene Mealy in Katz's).

Nussbaum of Queens

Observer Staff — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:08:00 -0400

A footnote to today's Times story on Michael Nussbaum, a Bloomberg backer who, 20 years ago, had a damaging brush with the Manes scandal, though his conviction in it was tossed.

Nussbaum is now the associate publisher of the Queens Tribune. He's also the owner of a company, Multi-Media Advertising, which does work for political candidates.

Among those candidates was City Councilman-elect (yes, I know, it was only a primary) Tom White, best known during his previous run in elected office for not showing up to meetings before being ousted by term limits. Nussbaum's company took $31,195 in fees from White this year, the bulk for "campaign consulting." And the Tribune endorsed White in the bizarre local race:

"The only viable alternative - the only serious opponent not arrested during a campaign that has shamed the district - is former Councilman Thomas White who has delivered in the past for his community. "

The close relationship between Nussbaum and White raised eyebrows in Queens, though Tribune publisher Michael Shenkler tells The Politicker there's nothing to it:

"There's nothing unusual about it," he said. "It's no different from a newspaper taking advertisements from companies it covers. It doesn't effect our coverage."

It does seem likely that the paper would have endorsed White in any case. Who else? But the apparent conflict is, if nothing else, a glimpse into the small, overlapping worlds that are local politics and community newspapers, particularly in parts of the city where the Manhattan-based media seldom ventures.

Coming White Back

Observer Staff — Fri, 18 Feb 2005 12:12:00 -0500

City Councilman Allan Jennings has a problem that the new bulletproof vest won't take care of. We're told that his predecessor, Tom White, is preparing to challenge him for White's old City Council seat.

White is the longtime head of a drug treatment program in Jamaica, and was forced out by term limits. But back in his City Council days, White earned a bit of reputation. Namely, for not showing up.

Jennings attendance has been an issue as well, though we haven't heard his colleagues complaining about his absences.