NY Observer > Working Families Party

Working Families for Crowley

Azi Paybarah — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:59:41 -0400

The Working Families Party endorsed Democratic City Council candidate Elizabeth Crowley for the special election in Queens on June 3. It’s not an entirely surprising move, considering Crowley is the leading Democratic candidate, and a united Democratic front will be needed to claim that seat, which has been held by Republicans for years. read more »

Silver Declares ‘Hard Fights Ahead' on Budget

Eliot Brown — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:08:39 -0500

Sheldon Silver today told a luncheon for the newly formed Center for Working Families (an offshoot of the Working Families Party) that the upcoming budget season might not be all that cheery.

“Historically, economic downturns are the impetus for major policy disagreements—we expect some hard fights ahead next year,” he told the crowd of more than 100, which included a handful of Democratic electeds.

He also opened the door for raising taxes on the wealthy, and in the process, seemed to take a jab at Governor Spitzer’s vow to never raise taxes while he is in office.

More after the jump.

Tedisco: Capitol Strike

Observer Staff — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 10:53:55 -0400

This doesn't bode well for an on-time budget in Albany.

Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco has the answer:

"There's a strike going on here at the capitol," he said at a Republican-led budget hearing right now in Albany that is being boycotted by Democrats like the governor, Assembly Speaker and others.

"Speaker Silver is on strike against openness and transparency," said Tedisco.

Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, who is leading the meeting, said his conference was willing to work through the weekend to settle the budget.

In other budget news, the labor-backed Working Families Party is bucking the governor's proposals to reduce Medicaid spending.

-- Azi Paybarah

Edwards' New York Crew

Observer Staff — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 08:30:00 -0400

Alex Navarro, the communication director of the Working Families Party, is returning to Team Edwards, where he worked in 2004. This time around, Navarro will be doing policy, communications and voter contact. (More info here. [pdf])

Edwards also hired a former aide to City Councilman Jim Gennaro, Brittany Mariotti. Starting April 2, she'll be the Iowa Advance Director for Edwards.

UPDATE: No more comments on this thread. -- Azi Paybarah

Breaking Down the Johnson Win

Observer Staff — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 04:30:00 -0500

Here's a map showing where Democrat Craig Johnson got his votes from in his election to the state Senate from Nassau County, courtesy of number-crunchers at the Working Families Party. The darker the area on the map, the more heavily it went for Johnson.

Port Washington, apparently, is Johnson Country. -- Azi Paybarah

Robo Spitzer

Observer Staff — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 04:07:55 -0500

On my voice mail this morning was a message from none other than Eliot Spitzer.

"Progressive values. This is Eliot Spitzer and that's what the Working Families Party is all about - progressive values."

Spitzer's robo call for himself, on the Working Parties line, emphasizes his usual reform messge.

"The party knows what it stands for and fights for what it believes," Spitzer continues. "This passion and commitment can help change the direction of our state. Please consider voting for me, Eliot Spitzer, on the Working Families line this Tuesday. "

--Jason Horowitz

Elsewhere: Clinton, Sheen, Green

Observer Staff — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 13:39:52 -0400

A video of Bill Clinton's appearance on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart is here. In discussing Hillary, Bill said, "If she ran and won, it'd be good for America."

The Working Families Party sent word that "Like Jonathan Tasini, the Working Families Party opposes the war in Iraq...[but] The WFP also enthusiastically supports Hillary Clinton for U.S. Senate."

Liz Benjamin interviewed Jonathan Tasini, who said he is not endorsing the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate.

Martin Sheen, the television president, will raise money for Eliot Spitzer.

Jeanine Pirro had a press conference today on, what else?, sex offenders.

Tom Robbins writes the obituary of Mark Green's career. "Of all the offices Mark Green sought during his political career, the one he lost last week was probably the one he was born to hold."

Jerry Skurnik digs up results in below-the-radar primary races.

Joe Lieberman leads Ned Lamont 45% to 43%, according to a new poll, thanks in part to a 47% to 34% edge Lieberman has with unaffiliated voters.

The Hotline notes John McCain and Mitt Romney are going after each other with less subtlety than they used to.

In the New York Times's new weekly political column, Political Action, Adam Nagourney says there's an upside to the Republican infighting over how to interrogate terrorism suspects.

It has knocked Iraq out of the news and kept the campaign story line precisely where President Bush and Karl Rove want it.

Rupert Murdoch will launch a Christian film production company called FoxFaith.

TNR covered "the first-ever press conference of the super-low-key commission on what to do in Iraq, chaired by James Baker and Lee Hamilton." News: Baker said the panel will likely meet with "a representative at a high level of the Iranian government" during this week's big UN meeting.

Panelists Errol Louis, Chris Owens, and others discussed corporate welfare at a forum hosted by the Drum Major Institute. One novel idea already underway in Minnesota is a new law that says "business that receives state or local government assistance for economic development or job growth purposes must create a net increase in jobs in Minnesota within two years..."

And pictured above is part of the New York Times 24-page supplement about their reporters. -- Azi Paybarah

Signals from the WFP

Observer Staff — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:57:45 -0400

The Brooklyn chapter of the Working Families Party voted last night to "send an expression of support" to Yvette Clarke, a spokesman for the state party, Alex Navaro, confirmed.

Which is weird since the WFP already has a candidate in that race.

Anyway, Navaro explained it wasn't a formal endorsement because "that can only be made at the party's state committee or executive committee."

In one sense, it shows Clarke reaching outside her base of Caribbean women. But critics could see this as contingency plan.

-- Azi Paybarah

Brooklyn's Third Party Line

Observer Staff — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 11:45:07 -0400

Using a third party line to get into the general election after losing a primary may be effective, but it does annoy party activists (as Joe Lieberman can tell you).

How would voters in Brooklyn's 11th congressional district react? We may soon find out.

At the CBS debate this morning (airing in a few weeks), Yvette Clarke said she would run in the general election on another party's line if she lost the four-way Democratic Primary.

A spokeswoman for Carl Andrews, who missed the debate, said they're focusing on the primary, but left open the possibility.

Chris Owens, through his spokeswoman, said if offered another party's line, he would consider it.

The only candidate to rule it out was David Yassky.

One line that could open up is the Working Families Party. They endorsed their own candidate in the race, but as the mayor's race proved, WFP candidates have a knack for leaving the line at convenient times. -- Azi Paybarah

Diamondstone's Riches, Connor's Scraps

Observer Staff — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:50:01 -0400

While we're waiting for the verdict in the Connor v. Diamondstone case -- and in the interests of making the most of this spirited Senate primary contest while we're still sure that there are two candidates -- here are some highlights from their campaign filings:

Ken Diamondstone has loaned his committee $233,550 and contributed $52,742.35 (reimbursements are not distinguished). Individual contributions total $76,575.35 and expenses were $102,691.23. Some of his expenditures include printing, postage office supplies and consulting fees for a number of different people.

Marty Connor's filing shows the senator with an opening balance of negative $22,833.42 -- an amount he disputes -- with $39,000 contributed and $20,554.15 in expenses. He also lent his campaign $2,050 in January and February. Connor's expenditures include car insurance and maintenance, contributions to Democratic clubs including the county committee and to the Working Families Party, office expenses in Brea, CA, and consulting from the Parkside Group.

And now back to our verdict vigil.

—Nicole Brydson