Emily Giske

Since the story about her aides channeling money into fake organizations broke, Christine Quinn has stressed that said aides were under direct orders for her not to do so. (She also says she knew about the practice of putting money aside, but not about the phantom organizations).  read more »

Emily Giske may be facing an uprising in the State Democratic Committee's Reform Caucus.

An email sent over from a reader shows Bob Ginsberg, a member of the committee, trying to pressure Giske out of the party's leadership. Giske is a well-connected lobbyist with Bolton St. John.

(This is not the first time Giske's lobbying and political work have been a point of concern. I interviewed Giske at the Democratic state convention in Buffalo, where she said she was "amazed" that anybody thought could have any political influence.)

Here's the Ginsberg email:

Subj: Re: [ReformCaucus] Our new, improved, updated and official Reform Caucus List... Date: 10/16/2006 9:52:16 P.M. Eastern Standard Time From: AnnGinsBob@aol.com Reply-to: ReformCaucus@yahoogroups.com To: ReformCaucus@yahoogroups.com Sent from the Internet (Details)

Lori or Peter - whomever is elected chair at the next meeting: I request that at the next meeting the reform caucus demand that Emile Giske resign from her office on the State Committee or give up her lobbying . Bob Ginsberg

It should be noted that Ginsberg is known in some Democratic circles as the guy who tried to recruit what he once called "prominent women politicians to get into the race against Hillary - but regrettably I could not convince any of them to run."

Not sure how this latest Ginsberg campaign will be either.

Update: A reader sends along this message from a member of the Reform Caucus:

"There is nothing in the by-laws about this. I do not see any conflict. Do not understand why Bob is turning this into a major issue but he has always turned minutia into mountains."

-- Azi Paybarah

Here are two (contradictory) things we've just heard about the scramble for the Attorney General designation in Buffalo:

1) The Cuomo campaign is in negotiations to cut a deal with Denise O'Donnell to keep Mark Green from getting on the ballot. (This, based on an earlier sighting of her son Jack - one of the nicest people in state politics - deep in conversation with Emily Giske.)

2) The Cuomo campaign is in negotiations to cut a deal with Mark Green to keep Denise O'Donnell from getting on the ballot.

And now Ben is reporting that Green's aides have given up hope of getting to 25 percent.

What does it all mean? If Cuomo is the only candidate to get to 25, which of the other candidates will see the race through to the end? And if the field narrows, will any of them be able to compete with Cuomo's money and institutional support?

Help us.

Not since the days when George Washington Plunkitt represented the West Side in the State Senate has  read more »