Velmanette Montgomery

Earlier this afternoon, a diverse cast of politicians gathered in front of the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue to protest the Bloomberg administration's plan to reopen and expand the downtown jail. (It was the Bloomberg administration that closed it back in 2003, due to high costs).

Councilman and city comptroller candidate David Yassky, comptroller and likely mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, State Senators Marty Connor and Velmanette Montgomery, Assemblywoman Joan Millman, and Randy Mastro, a deputy mayor under Rudy Giuliani, were among the rally participants. They all gave the current administration an earful for creating what they portray as a serious impediment to the goal of creating a financial hub in Brooklyn.  read more »

Here is a copy of the letter John Sampson, Liz Krueger and Velmanette Montgomery drafted with the aim of getting the IRS to investigate Joe Bruno.

It reads, in part:

“Both Attorney General Cuomo’s report and the recent disclosure by the Albany Times-Union suggests that Senator Bruno has repeatedly used the aircraft for travel that was not primarily for bona fide state business and as such, we believe that he should be reporting imputed income for unreimbursed travel as members of the New York State Senate, we urge you to conduct a review into Senator Bruno’s use of the aircraft and his obligation and his obligation to pay federal income taxes on the fair market value of the unreimbursed non-official portion of his travel.”

Malcolm Smith released a statement reaffirming the fact that he (and others) have suspicions about Bruno’s travel, but saying that he decided not to pursue the issue because “it would be a distraction from us getting back to the people's business.”

Smith's full statement is after the jump.  read more »

The Times rounds up the Spitzer-Suozzi debate, calling Suozzi a "bomb-thrower."

Velmanette Montgomery prepares for a challenge from Tracy Boyland.

The Village Voice reports that the Yankees have taken advantage of a loop hole that allows them to deduct lobbying costs from the annual rent they pay to the city.

—Nicole Brydson

Rumors are floating about that Tracy Boyland has started to petition in order to challenge Velmanette Montgomery for her Brooklyn-based senate seat. When reached by phone just now, Boyland would only say that she can't comfirm anything until Wednesday. Which, maybe, says it all.  read more »

Boyland challenged Major Owens for his congressional seat in 2004, declined to run again this year, and was term limited out of her city council seat last year. Her brother, William Boyland, Jr., currently holds an assembly seat in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, where their father, William Sr. has created a dynastic political family. Montgomery's senate seat reaches through Red Hook, Bedford Stuyvesant and Brownsville.

—Nicole Brydson

State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, an Atlantic Yards foe, is trying to pit the $100 million that Forest City Ratner wants in the next state budget against capital funds for schools. The Mayor, meanwhile, wants it all, basketball and schools. -Matthew Schuerman