Here’s a clip from Matt Stoler’s interview of Democratic Congressional candidate Kevin Powell (who is trying to unseat Representative Ed Towns of Brooklyn), where the two discuss the FISA bill that recently passed both houses on Congress, and which many on the left opposed. (Barack Obama faced criticism from progressives over the bill, which he voted for.)

About halfway through, Powell says, “We’ve lost our backbone.” He adds later, “A lot of us have become spineless Democrats.”

Towns voted against FISA.

In case you’re wondering, Democratic members of Congress from New York who supported FISA include Tim Bishop and Carolyn McCarthy of Long Island; Gary Ackerman, Greg Meeks and Joe Crowley of Queens; Eliot Engel of the Bronx; Nita Lowey of Westchester; Kirsten Gillibrand of Albany; and upstate's Mike Arcuri and Brian Higgins.  read more »

Citizens Against Government Waste published its annual list of congressional earmarks (they actually call it the Congressional Pig Book list).

Of course, what one person calls wasteful spending, another person calls bringing home the bacon, and now that Democrats are in the majority, New York was supposed to be getting more federal money.

The state made out with a good portion, particularly in the Catskills, where Maurice Hinchey brought in $43.7 million.

Here is a list of what some members from New York, and a few from elsewhere, brought their districts, according to the list. (It's in numbers of millions):  read more »

David Paterson was just sworn in as governor here in the Assembly chambers on the third floor of the Capitol building in Albany, to cheers of "David! David!"

Paterson acknowledged distinguished guests, including his "good friend" Joe Bruno.

It's worth noting that Hillary Clinton isn’t the only one trying to get squared away with Eliot Spitzer’s new license policy.

The governor’s (original) plan would have allowed illegal immigrants to obtain a driver's license, but now it's being linked to federal guidelines that will be outlined in the Real ID Act. Although Spitzer backed Real ID this week, a number of Democratic congress members from New York opposed it during a 2005 vote (which may explain why it hasn't been easy getting most of them to say anything about Spitzer's new plan).

One congressional aide was kind enough to refer me to the results of the 2005 vote on the Real ID Act.

Democrats Gary Ackerman (Queens/Nassau), Tim Bishop (Suffolk), Joe Crowley (Queens/Bronx), Eliot Engel (Bronx/Westchester), Carolyn Maloney (Manhattan/Queens), Greg Meeks (Queens), Jerry Nadler (Manhattan/Brooklyn), Charlie Rangel (Manhattan), Jose Serrano (Bronx), Ed Towns (Brooklyn), Nydia Velazquez (Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens) and Anthony Weiner (Queens/Brooklyn) all voted against it.

UPDATE: Another congressional staffer, putting this story in context, noted that every Democratic congress member in the state voted against Real ID, except for Mike McNulty, who voted for it, and Maurice Hinchey who was absent.

10:30 a.m. Asian Women in Business and Rep. Gary Ackerman will hold a free workshop for Asian American owned businesses in Queens and Nassau County at the Korea Village Open Center, 150-24 Northern Boulevard in Queens.  read more »

The board of directors of the City's Economic Development Corporation meet at 110 William Street.

Prisoner and AIDS advocates protest the closure of the HIV testing program at Rikers Island on the steps of City Hall.

Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro announces funding for the Staten Island Recreation Association's therapeutic horseback riding program. James Gennaro and John Liu host a Kristallnacht commemoration at the Free Synagogue of Flushing.

The International Rescue Committee honors Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirlief at their Freedom Award dinner at the Waldorf, which John Edwards is also scheduled to attend.

Bob Schieffer moderates a panel discussion on national security reporting with journalists Dana Priest, James Risen, Pierre Thomas and David Remnick at the Sheraton.