Keith Wright
Assemblyman: We're All Still 100 Percent Behind Paterson
Earlier this week, Assemblyman Keith Wright was quoted in the Times Union saying that David Paterson "has been vetted 10 times as much as anybody."
But when I asked if he knew about Paterson's affair, Wright said, "No. No. Not at all."
"It was a personal situation," Wright told me over the phone. "When I was talking about vetting, it was in terms of his public life." read more »
Keith Wright Gets His Way on Harlem's Victoria Theater
The fight for Harlem’s Victoria Theater began back in December of 2005, when 11 developers submitted bids to convert the shuttered vaudeville house into a mixed-use cultural building. The board of the Harlem Community Development Corporation, which was chaired at the time by Democratic Assemblyman Keith Wright, narrowed the choices down to two firms.
But, according to The New York Times, the Pataki administration resisted, favoring another developer, Apollo Real Estate Advisers, which offered more money for the development rights and also happened to have strong ties to the Republican governor.
Mr. Wright lost his chairmanship a little while later—because of the dispute, according to an aide--but he ended up getting his way today. The Empire State Development Corporation, now controlled by appointees of the Democratic Governor Eliot Spitzer, announced that one of the two firms selected by the Harlem Community Development Corporation, Danforth Development Partners LLC, had won the conditional right to redevelop the 1917 theater on 125th Street into a complex containing a hotel, 91 condominiums, and space for four arts organizations: the Classical Theatre of Harlem, the Harlem Arts Alliance, the Jazz Museum of Harlem, and the Apollo Theater Foundation. (The complex will, at 317,570 square feet, require a pretty large tower on top of the current building.) read more »
Hillary's Designated Harlem Allies
Continuing with our marginally useful compilation of Hillary Clinton-designated Democratic National Convention delegates for next year, here's who the campaign picked in the Harlem-based 15th congressional district, according to a reader in the district and confirmed by a knowledgeable Democrat.
The delegates are: Assemblyman Keith Wright, City Councilwoman and Charlie Rangel ally Inez Dickens, Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat (who championed the original driver's license policy that tripped up Clinton during the last debate), City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito (who has close ties to 1199), City Councilman Miguel Martinez, and disabled activist Pamela Bates.
The alternate is City Councilman Robert Jackson.
Wright Won't Change Schedule for Spitzer
A key element of Eliot Spitzer’s tour throughout the state in recent weeks has been to visit the Assembly districts of officials he rubbed the wrong way. One of his first stops was to Syracuse, home of Bill Magnerelli.
This morning, Spitzer is visiting the Manhattan Assembly District of Keith Wright to speak at the Upper Manhattan Workforce Career Center. Wright had been critical of Spitzer way before the scandal with the troopers, and he told me that Spitzer's people called him to invite him to the event.
But Wright isn’t ready to make nice yet. Or at least, not ready enough to to clear out his schedule to accommodate the governor.
“I just had other plans," he told me, when I asked him about the visit. "Other things to do.”
The Padavan and Wright Show
Here's a photo of WNBC's Jay DeDapper interviewing state Senator Frank Padavan and Assemblyman Keith Wright about congestion pricing and all the wheeling and dealing up in Albany.
Which should be fun to hear about since Padavan, as a Republican, won't have had much nice to say about the Eliot Spitzer's handling of things, and Wright has begun trashing the governor too.
The interview was taped earlier today and will air on Sunday.
Keith Wright on Telling the Truth
One of the legislators to file out of the members' lounge a few minutes ago was Keith Wright of Harlem, who I thought would be walking around with a bullseye on his back after publicly lashing out against Eliot Spitzer. (He said, among other things, that the governor is acting like Rudy Giuliani.)
But Wright didn't seem concerned that his comments would come back to haunt him.
"My father told me you don't get in trouble telling the truth," he said.
Wright, not incidentally, has made a habit recently of going against the grain when it comes to some of the most powerful members of his party. This, I suppose, is just more of the same.
Ed Ott Gets Going on Affordable Housing
Practically every major Democrat in the city was at the corner of 14th Street and First Avenue yesterday afternoon to announce the formation of a what they say is the largest housing coalition in the city’s history.
The group, New York Is Our Home, includes labor and tenant groups, the Working Families Party and others.
The most heated rhetoric (video here) came from the Central Labor Council's Ed Ott, who said, “The price of housing in this city is effectively theft” and that affordable housing units, like the ones in Stuyvesant Town behind him, “are being stolen by the greed of developers and the market.”
Which drew applause and energetic head nods from the crowd of elected officials behind him.
In attendance at the rally were Christine Quinn, Bill Thompson, Betsy Gotbaum, Tom Duane, John Sabini, Ruben Diaz, Jr., Keith Wright, Jonathan Bing, Linda Rosenthal, Dan Garodnick, Eric Gioia and Charles Barron, among others. Most of them spoke but none matched Ott’s directness.
After the speeches, the group formed a human chain around Stuy Town, which is several blocks long, and marched down to Union Square.
Practically every major Democrat in the city was at the corner of 14th Street and First Avenue yesterday afternoon to announce the formation of a what they say is the largest housing coalition in the city’s history.
The group, New York Is Our Home, includes labor and tenant groups, the Working Families Party and others.
The most heated rhetoric (video here) came from the Central Labor Council's Ed Ott, who said, “The price of housing in this city is effectively theft” and that affordable housing units, like the ones in Stuyvesant Town behind him, “are being stolen by the greed of developers and the market.”
Which drew applause and energetic head nods from the crowd of elected officials behind him.
In attendance at the rally were Christine Quinn, Bill Thompson, Betsy Gotbaum, Tom Duane, John Sabini, Ruben Diaz, Jr., Keith Wright, Jonathan Bing, Linda Rosenthal, Dan Garodnick, Eric Gioia and Charles Barron, among others. Most of them spoke but none matched Ott’s directness.
After the speeches, the group formed a human chain around Stuy Town, which is several blocks long, and marched down to Union Square.
UPDATE: Adolfo Carrion, Brian Kavanagh and Adam Clayton Powell IV also attended.
The Important Endorsements of Wright and Jeffries
I'm up in Albany for the New York State Democratic Committee Spring Business Meeting at the Desmond Hotel, a few miles away from the capitol.
Since the first meeting I was hoping to attend--the Council of Black Elected Democrats-- is closed to the press, I figured I'd post notes from chat with two Assembly members I spoke with yesterday.
The two officials, Assemblyman Keith Wright of Harlem and Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn, have something in common. Unlike some Democrats -- Eliot Spitzer, Sheldon Silver, Andrew Cuomo, David Paterson and Malcolm Smith, among others -- they won't be endorsing Hillary Clinton on Monday.
Jeffries said he would probably make his decision sometime in June, along with Brooklyn lawmakers Rep. Yvette Clarke, State Senator Eric Adams and Assemblyman Karim Camara.
Wright, by contrast, doesn't seem to be on any timetable at all.
“So far, I don’t have any plans,” Wright told me. “I haven’t had my chat with Hillary. I know she’s busy. And lord knows I haven’t had any talks with Barack.”
I asked Wright if he was more disappointed in not getting a call from Clinton or from Obama.
“I’m not disappointed in either,” he said, laughing.
“I remember in ‘92, Clinton was calling people left and right. I just haven’t heard from any of them, if you will,” he said, referring to the 2008 candidates. “I’m not making anything of it.”
And, based on the line of questioning about black officials in New York still holding out on their endorsements, he also offered me the following:
"It sounds like you’re going to write a story. I love it. I love it. Make us important with our unimportance.”
Yes, sir!
Events for Thursday, January 25, 2007
At 8:30 a.m., the Crain's New York Business economic forecast breakfast takes place at the Sheraton New York.
At 8:45 a.m., Hillary Clinton delivers the keynote address at the Mayors & Business Leaders Plenary Breakfast at the Capital Hilton Hotel in DC.
At 9:30 a.m., transportation advocates rally in support of the Traffic Information and Relief Bill on the City Hall Steps.
At 10 a.m., the City Council's Transportation Committee convenes in City Hall.
11 a.m., Assemblyman Keith Wright and Assemblyman Herman Farrell discuss the man accused of being Harlem's worst landlord, on 146th Street.
At 11:30 a.m., Eric Gioia, Marty Markowitz, David Yassky and others announce additional claims in a suit against ExxonMobil for an oil spill in Newtown Creek.
At Noon, Assemblyman Jose Peralta distributes winters coats in Corona.
At Noon, Bloomberg presents his budget at City Hall [added].
At 12:30 p.m., NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson delivers the keynote speech at a New York Building Congress forum at the Mandarin Oriental New York.
At 5:30 p.m., the Center for Court Innovation celebrates 10th anniversary, on West 44th Street.
At 6 p.m., Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan discusses public safety issues at Stuyvesant Place.
Also at 6 p.m., Assemblyman Keith Wright hosts "A Community Dialogue with Law Enforcement" on West 125th St.
At 6:30 p.m., Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. and Rep. Joseph Crowley host town hall meeting on East Tremont Ave. Update: Crowley can't make tonight's event.
At 7 p.m., Sen. Charles Schumer signs copies of his book, "Positively American: Winning Back the Middle-Class Majority One Family at a Time"; at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Broadway and 82nd Street.
Also at 7 p.m., NYS Millions More Movement discuss police violence at the First Baptist Church in East Elmhurst. -- Azi PaybarahHarlem Dem Loses Development Post as Pataki Prepares Exit
Pataki: Who you calling lame-duck?
Would a lame duck Governor oust a Democratic Assembly member as chairman of the Harlem Community Development Corporation just because he would not support the Governor's favored bidder on a local theater? read more »
Keith Wright says yes, the Columbia Spectator reports, even though he also predicts that the next Governor would reinstate him.
- Matthew SchuermanEvents for July 13, 2006
Norman Siegel will hold a news conference concerning filing of legal challenge to public school cell phone ban at 60 Centre Street.
Robert "Bud" McFarlane, national security adviser in the Reagan administration, will join K.T. McFarland at a kitchen talk in Brooklyn.
—Nicole BrydsonAn Open Seat
The Politicker is told that the executive director of the State Democratic Party, Rodney Capel -- also the son of Charlie Rangel's chief of staff -- is bein encouraged to run. read more »
Reached yesterday, Capel said he was too caught up in Eliot's Lieutenant Governor choice to think about his own plans.
