Jennifer Cunningham

Crain's published its list yesterday of the 100 most influential women in New York City business.

Topping the list in the Power 25 category were the head of the teacher’s union, Randi Weingarten, and powerhouse lobbyist Jennifer Cunningham.

Also honored were lobbyist Suri Kasirer and fund-raiser andimmigrants' rights advocate Chung-Wha Hong.

UPDATE: I just noticed that in her little profile, Cunningham manages to get in a little dig at Spitzer’s persona: “It was an odd assumption that because there was this new 'tough guy,' we would have any other response than to do right by health care workers and patients.”

Echoing a tactic employed by Eliot Spitzer's opponents during the primary and general campaigns for governor, 1199 SEIU consultant Jennifer Cunningham has just put out a statement challenging him to offer specifics about his plan to expand coverage of uninsured New Yorkers.

"A month after the Governor proposed his Executive Budget, we're still waiting for details of his mystery plan to provide health coverage for uninsured 2.6 million New Yorkers. It is starting to seem that the Governor has no plan, just a proposal to enact drastic cuts and try and pass them off as reform."

-- Azi Paybarah

Hillary Clinton spoke privately to a gay political organization today.

Hillary is ahead in Joe Biden's home state.

Michael Cooper has more details about Eliot Spitzer's fight over health care spending and notes 1199 consultant Jennifer Cunningham's response: "We're not crybabies."

There's a small residency question about Eliot Spitzer's upstate economic czar.

Henry Stern liked Spitzer's presentation this morning, and thinks Spitzer has the potential for excellence.

The federal government will pay 75 percent of the cost to clean up areas buried in the record-breaking snowstorm.

Rock Hackshaw sort of quit blogging on Room 8, and complains that some people have no blog etiquette.

"It wouldn't be Philadelphia without one candidate throwing racial slurs at an opponent," notes Harry Siegel.

And above is Eliot Spitzer explaining how health care money ought to be spent.

-- Azi Paybarah

After getting blasted by Eliot Spitzer this morning, 1199 consultant Jennifer Cunningham and Greater New York Hospital Association President Ken Raske defended claims they made in television commercials opposing the governor's proposed health care spending cuts.

-- Azi Paybarah

Jennifer Cunningham, the influential executive vice president from 1199 SEIU who was an integral part of Andrew Cuomo's attorney general campaign, has just joined the Knickerbocker SKD consulting firm.

Cunningham will be working alongside Josh Isay, who worked on Cuomo's 2002 gubernatorial race, as well as Micah Lasher and Stefan Friedman, among others.

The firm doesn't include lobbying among the services it offers, which may limit the extent to which Cunningham can deal directly with state officials to affect the upcoming cuts in health care spending. In a press release, she said she was thrilled to "be able to continue to assist 1199 in a strategic consulting capacity."

The full statement from Knickerbocker is after the jump.  read more »

UPDATE: Cunningham will still be lobbying lawmakers on 1199's behalf, since she'll also be working with another firm, Featherstonhaugh, Wiley, Clyne & Cordo.

-- Azi Paybarah

Jason and I have arrived! We were greeted on the second floor by a cash bar. "Premium brands" are 13 dollars. "Name brand drinks" are 11.75. Apparently it gets free-er later, which is good: Glenn Thrush is thirsty! The Bloomberg inauguration (also held here!) was the watermark in political parties. Sad. Also of note: the press room wifi is down. NY1 is replaying shamelessly Pirro's Page Ten moment. Jerry Nadler just sashayed by. It's just like Christmas up in the Sheraton! And Jason just spotted someone he wanted me to blog about but I forgot and he's looking for a free drink. Oh here he is! Jennifer Cunningham, political director of 1199, was wearing a white button that said Cara Kennedy Cuomo Something Something 2006. Like part of the family now. Also we think we spotted Vernon Jordan! To the bar! Hi-o! -- Choire Sicha

After a primary election almost entirely devoid of suspense, Eliot Spitzer crushed Nassau County Exe  read more »

Jennifer Cunningham, 1199's resident policy wonk and mover-shaker, has said that the union is prepared to file a lawsuit against Governor Pataki should he block spending increases written into the State Legislature's budget. We guess this means the long, tortured, tit-for-tat love affair between 1199 and Mr. Pataki is officially over. Call it the final glove-slap in the face. - Lizzy Ratner

Since his early withdrawal from the 2002 gubernatorial campaign, Andrew Cuomo has been reaching out  read more »

Since his early withdrawal from the 2002 gubernatorial campaign, Andrew Cuomo has been reaching out  read more »