Judy Rapfogel
Member Items Still About Who You Know
Even in these days of increased transparency when it comes to the City Council's appropriation of member items, the process remains, unavoidably, one that rewards people who know people.
For example, the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, a non-profit group whose executive director, William Rapfogel, is married to the Assembly Speaker's chief of staff, Judy Rapfogel, got $556,250 in member items this year.
The Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Center, a group founded and closely associated with Vito Lopez, an Assemblyman and Brooklyn Democratic County Leader, got $658,089 in member items.
In the comments section of my original post on these member items, Mendy points out that Leib Glantz, a politically active Satmar rabbi, is a big winner because his group, UJCare, got a $200,000 member item to fund "a variety of services. read more »
Exclusive: A Challenge for Shelly?
That speculation dissolved when nobody could name a serious challenger.
But now, The Politicker hears, Bloomberg's circle has a favorite: City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez.
Lopez is now running for Manhattan Borough President, but if she doesn't make it through that crowded field, it's easy to see Bloomberg would backing a woman he's long had a personal liking for. She's also shown her political strength against Shelly by beating his chief-of-staff, Judy Rapfogel, in a 1997 Council race.
In a quick interview this morning, Lopez said she returns the affection -- "He is truly, truly a gentleman," she said -- but called the suggestion she would run against Silver "ludicrous."
"If people would like to challenge the leadership of the State of New York, people should do it themselves," she said. read more »
Lopez added that she and Bloomberg never talk politics. They talk issues, and they talk about their personal lives.
"Sometimes we talk about Diana Taylor, his partner," she said.
