Sue Kelly

Other Republicans are picking up the argument Roger Stone made to me when he refuted Democratic claim that the investigations into Eliot Spitzer are just like Whitewater.

Democratic members of congress Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney have been the latest to push the analogy, scolding the Republicans for being political and urging them to “get back to work.”

Here, Michael Brady, who used to work for the Assembly Republicans, and Michael Giuliani (no relation to Rudy), the former chief of staff to former Rep. Sue Kelly, have an article making the case that there's a certain hypocrisy in the Democrats demanding more disclosure from the White House in Washington but blocking for Spitzer in Albany. From the piece:

With House and Senate Democrats holding more than 600 oversight hearings into the Bush Administration since assuming control of Congress in January, one might assume the two veteran lawmakers were urging an end to the relentless partisan attacks on President George W. Bush.

They weren’t.

[skip]

That Nadler and Maloney were the first Democrats to come to Spitzer’s defense is rife with irony. Maloney, once dubbed a “lightweight…devoting herself to symbolic causes that have little chance of passage,” opined that “four investigations equal a four-ring political circus.” But the Manhattan Democrat is a sponsor of exactly four different House resolutions targeting the Bush Administration, including three separate bills to censure the President.

UPDATE: An aide to Carolyn Maloney sent over the following statement: "The Congresswoman issued her statement because she believes that the time and energies of the Governor and his staff should not be tied up in multiple political investigations. The State Ethics Commission has the power and independence to investigate this matter thoroughly."

UPDATE: And here's a response from Nadler's office: "The notion that one can draw a direct comparison between congress's investigations into the Bush administration and the partisan witch hunt into Governor Sptizer is laughable and absurd. It's not even apples and oranges. It's apples and automobiles.

"The so called 'investigation' led by state majority leader Bruno is redundant. The Albany District Attorney has already determined that no criminal activity occurred. More importantly, congress is acting now because for six years, the Republican-led congress failed to carry out their constitutionally mandated oversight role and a politicized Justice Department ignored and possibly helped evade the rule of law.

"In Washington, I'm working to restore checks and balances; in Albany, Mr. Bruno is engaging in a partisan sideshow."

The Forward has a nice piece this week on how U.S. Rep. John Hall, rocker-turned-Congressman in the Hudson Valley, anchored his narrow victory over Republican Sue Kelly last year by winning the burgeoning Kiryas Joel compound of Orthodox Jews to his side, over a water-rights issue.

Good reporting. The Forward notes that the Israel issue doesn't matter that much to the Satmars, and I would add that Neturei Karta, the anti-Zionist Jews who actually care about atrocities against Arabs (and yes, went to Tehran recently for Ahmedinejad's anti-Holocaust show), is based in Monsey—in Hall's district, I believe. I hope Walt and Mearsheimer write about them; maybe that way the mainstream media would finally do the story.

So about that scintillating rumor - the one picked up and held firmly at arm's length last week by super-sub Andrew Rice -- about Westchester native and former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer running for the Sue Kelly seat in 2008...

Fleischer wishes to put the speculation to rest once and for all.

For the record, he said in an impressively Shermanesque email, "I do want you to know that I am NOT running. Now that I have children, I would never do anything that could risk making them into Redskin fans."

-- Josh Benson

A fun rumor that's been bouncing around for the last day or so says that Ari Fleischer, the former White House Press Secretary, is considering a run for Congress. Fleischer comes from the Westchester County district long represented by Republican Sue Kelly. But Kelly went down in November, narrowly losing to Democrat John Hall, a liberal activist best known as the lead singer of the '70s neo-doo-wop band Orleans. A race between Fleischer and Hall would make for all sorts of interesting contrasts, such as: Does Fleischer possess as many hairs on his head as Hall sports on his chest on this famous album cover?

(In Fleischer's defense, Hall seems to be a bit of a cue-ball now, too.)

Let's add the caveat here that Fleischer hasn't actually said anything publicly about running. The rumor seems have originated from a story on the conservative magazine Human Events' webpage, in which "friends" of Fleischer note that he "has done just about everything congressional" except run for Congress. But the speculation that Fleischer might make a run has followed him ever since he announced he was quitting his White House job and planning a move back home. All of which leads us to this story from April 2001, from the New York Times' Westchester Weekly, "Native Son: Pound Ridge Still Beckons." It's behind the TimesSelect wall now, so let's summarize a few key details:

--Fleischer hung framed prints of Bedford Village on the wall of his White House office.

--The Westchester County Republican Committee named him its 2001 "Man of the Year." (Come on--Al Pirro can't win every year!)

--Fleischer's parents are avid Democrats. Of her son's Republicanism, his mother says: "He'll grow out of it."

--During his years as a Washington up-and-comer, he often "brought 20 of his Washington friends up [to Westchester County] for a July 4th party at his parents' house and fireworks in the town park."

Hmmm... Sounds like someone's been laying the groundwork for a while.

--Andrew Rice

Recently, Isabel Rose—writer, singer, actress, all-around extrovert—bought a copy of Dyn  read more »

It's freshman orientation week in Washington, when all the newly elected Representatives get to meet the party leaders and get intensive training on how to put a staff and congressional office together.

The freshman get to bring along one person -- a sort of chief-of-staff-in-training, to help out and learn the ropes. John Hall has tapped Darren Rigger, who he faced in a Democratic primary before going on to defeat Sue Kelly, as his orientation aide.

Rigger just told me that Hall hasn't officially hired anyone just yet but that he's "honored and flattered" to be a part of the orientation. "He's learning, I'm learning. We're learning how to staff your office, and then how you put together a transition team. People are stunned here when they find out we were in the primary."

But, according to Rigger, people are more stunned to see singer songwriter Hall "a celebrity -people recognize him from his music." Rigger said that Hall's only competition for star of the freshman class is Heath Schuler, a former quarterback for the Washington Redskins who was elected to represent a district in Western North Carolina.

"They are the ones that the staffers get excited about meeting," he said before cutting the call short. "Nancy Pelosi is coming to the room - cool."  read more »

--Jason Horowitz

Here is one of the graphs MoveOn.org just sent out.

On the left is the number of phone calls their supporters made to voters on behalf of Democratic challenger John Hall in his race against Rep. Sue Kelly.

On the right is the margin by which Hall won.

Message: MoveOn put Hall and other Democrats over the edge.

In an email to supporters, the group goes on to say:

"It's not an overstatement to say that MoveOn members may have turned out the extra votes that put the Senate over the top."

Maybe. But Kiryas Joel would probably say the same thing.  read more »

UPDATE: Here's what they sent out. (pdf)

-- Azi Paybarah

Ed Bradley of 60 minutes died.

Tuesday's congressional elections were a major coup for "those who pushed for a fearless, genuinely oppositional Dem posture on national security issues early in the cycle," says Greg Sargent.

Taking credit for Republican Rep. Sue Kelly's loss: Richard French and Stephen Colbert.

Ben finds George Pataki's presidential campaign office.

The son of Albany's longtime mayor is joining a politically connected firm in Albany, a sign of the power shift in that city, says Liz.

Urban Elephants has a message for some of Tuesday's winners:

"although you may have fooled some of the people this year by bleating some conservative mantras and because the people were angry with their shepherds, your wolfen fangs will surely be revealed over the next 2 years."

Early & Often expands on our brief analysis of how well the anti-tax message worked here.

Here is how some court cases affected the elections.

And above is Adam Green with his John Murtha hand puppet.

Belated Update: The mayor's Deputy Press Secretary Jennifer Falk is leaving to become the Executive Director of the Union Square Partnership. -- Azi Paybarah

The village of Kiryas Joel is claiming credit for John Hall's victory in the 19th Congressional District over Sue Kelly .

From Ari Felberman, the government relations coordinator for the village:

"Numbers don't lie. The numbers are very clear, there was a chunk of votes taken out of one column and put into the other. It was basically a doubling of the votes, and John Hall won within that margin."

The Hall campaign doesn't disagree. As spokesman Tom Staudter told me, "Obviously it was an important block for us."

The reason for their endorsement of Hall, Felberman said, was a call from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

"Shelly Silver asked that we give him every consideration possible," Felberman said. "Democrats will be able to do more if they have a united ticket, this will be a clean sweep."

Then there was the little matter of water pipelines.

In March 2004, Kelly withdrew from a Congressional bill a $20 million federal funding authorization for the building of a water pipeline from New York City's reservoir to Kiryas Joel. The town had aggressively lobbied for the aqueduct to meet the needs of its fast growing Satmar community. At the time, Kelly said the authorization was contingent on the pipeline serving more than one municipality, and withdrew her support at the time because, according to a spokesperson, "it's becoming more and more clear that there's not a regional consensus for this project."

There was, in fact, sharp opposition to the project, including an anti-pipeline Web site - www.stopthekjpipeline.org. and an online petition protesting the aqueduct.

After Kiryas Joel shifted their support from Kelly to Hall right before this year's election -- they were initially considered to have been behind Kelly becuase TK -- voters began receiving robo-calls suggesting that John Hall must have agreed to a secret deal on the pipeline.

Hall's office denies it. "John made no deals, made no promises," Staudter said. "She courted their votes as avidly as John did." Kelly's office didn't return calls for comment.

Felberman, for his part, said that the calls put out by the Kelly campaign bordered on anti-Semitism and played on the county's fear of a growing Jewish community.

Asked what the community expected, pipeline-wise, to get from Hall, he offered this somewhat vague response:

"Put it this way, just to be treated fairly, as equal citizens."

--Jason Horowitz

Republican Rep. Sue Kelly's is sending out the attack-bots.

In an automated call that has been going out to Westchester voters today, an anonymous male speaker connects the support of Kiryas Joel for Democratic challenger John Hall to a commitment to a "mammoth, new 13-mile pipeline" they wanted.

"There's a reason why KJ is block-voting for John Hall today, and it isn't because he said 'no,'" the caller says. He goes on to give Hall's campaign phone number, and says Hall is "trading the votes of Kiryas Joel in return for a mammoth pipeline that will damage our quality of life in Orange County."

At the end of the message, a voice says that the call was authorized by the Sue Kelly campaign. I'm still waiting to hear back from them.

The call is here.

-- Azi Paybarah

Predictions this morning from George Arzt, former Post-man, current friend of Spitzer:

"I think Hevesi wins. I think that Spitzer wins overwhelmingly, giving the Working Family Party the 50,000 they need to stay on the ballot. I dunno if they move up from the "F" line*. Kirsten Gillibrand will upset Sweeney. I think Reynolds will eke out a win in Buffalo. Sue Kelly will win. Fossella will win. Walsh will lose."

The Senate for Democrats, he said, "is a real toss-up."

* The Working Families Party is currently on Row E.

-- Choire Sicha

Isac is getting us into trouble today.

The mayor's office says that the only time the Mayor met with the KJ leaders was at a governmental meeting where he in no way made or lobbied for a Congressional endorsement.

Stu Loeser sent us over this exchange from City Hall today.

Reporter: One of the tight congressional races in New York involves Sue Kelly. Have you campaigned for her?

Mayor: It involves who?

Reporter: Sue Kelly.

Mayor: Yes, I've campaigned for Sue Kelly. She's been there when we've needed her and I think she's been a good congressperson and deserves to get reelected. I thought she's done a good job. She'd been there a number of times when this city has had issues in Washington and she's tried to come through as much as she can. Yes, sir?

Some readers have had other interesting reactioins to the KJ item I posted earlier.

Here's one email:

"You report today from Isac that KJ has endorsed Hall is not 100% accurate, what KJ plans to do is let a rumor roll that they endorsed Hall, and on the day of election tell all there voters to vote for Sue Kelly. They are playing a trick here, to avoid embarrassment in case Hall wins."

And another:

"You have the wrong Eliot delivering the KJ vote to Hall. It was Congressman Eliot Engel. Check with your sources inside KJ."

If anybody has more information on what really happened, let us know.

--Jason Horowitz

According to Isac, the Jewish community in the town of Kiryas Joel has backed Democratic challenger John Hall over Republican Sue Kelly in the 19th Congressional District, despite the lobbying of Mayor Michael Bloomberg for Kelly.

Eliot Spitzer and Hillary Clinton, Isac says, lobbied the community for Hall.

--Jason Horowitz

Here's a clip of John Hall's appearance on last night's Colbert Report.

About half-way through the interview, host Stephen Colbert told the novice politician, "You have actually got a shot in this race. You might actually win. And I oppose everything you stand for. But you were willing to talk to me and your opponent, Sue Kelly, was not. So let's move your numbers right here. Let's smear your opponent."

That's when the "smear cards" come out.

Let that be a lesson. Even fake reporters need to get their interviews.

-- Azi Paybarah

The New York State Democratic Party is taking John Sweeney, Tom Reynolds, Sue Kelly, Jim Walsh, and Randy Kuhl to task for voting for what they call a "weaker ethics bill," in the House yesterday.

The bill was passed 217-213, to the dismay of the Washington Post editorial board, who wrote this about it yesterday.

—Nicole Brydson

Congressional Quarterly has a skeptical look at the challenges to Ed Towns in the 10th.

Daily Gotham rounds up the race to replace Major Owens in the 11th.

And if you're looking statewide, there's a Democrat-friendly blog, Take 19, devoted to the crowded primary in the 19th, where the winner faces Sue Kelly.

Suddenly, those deeply-conflicted-yet-somehow-fascinating Log Cabin Republicans are running for office all over the place. Patrick Murphy is campaigning for City Council on the East Side, and now Brian Lehrer's blog reports that Jeff Cook, a former national Log Cabin official, is considering a primary challenge to Sue Kelly in Westchester.

According to Alarming News, he would run against the House GOP's big-spending ways, making it a test of social conservatism against fiscal conservatism.  read more »

Now, Log Cabin candidacies make a certain kind of sense. A gay Republican can defuse some Democrats' instinctive dislike of the GOP.

Less clear is how this works among, er, Republicans. Particularly GOP primary voters. But we'll see.

New York's Democrats made a big show recently when House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer visited Albany, h  read more »

Trump!Representative Jerrold Nadler may or may not have snarled his archenemy's surname as he snappe  read more »