Jeffrey Klein

Yesterday I got the chance to ask a number of Democratic elected officials about the $500,000 Michael Bloomberg quietly donated to the Republican Senate campaign committee recently.

Their reactions, which I gathered at the Riverdale Jewish Community Council legislative breakfast, seemed to be collective shrug of the shoulders (and in some cases, a touch of promotion for the party).

City Comptroller Bill Thompson: “I think I was a little surprised, but then again, Mike has been very supportive of the Republican Party on the state level before, and has had a good working relationship with Joe Bruno. A little surprised, but it wasn’t a huge surprise. He’s been a strong contributor and supporter before, of him [Bruno] and it was kind of a continuation. Mike still has to get things done in New York State and I think that was indicative that he still has a good working relationship with Joe Bruno.”

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn: “Mayor Bloomberg has long supported lots of different candidates in all different parties. This doesn’t seem like any change from anything Mayor Bloomberg has done throughout his whole life. Certainly not at all different from what he’s done since he became the mayor."

More after the jump.  read more »

Here are state Senators Jeff Klein and Marty Dilan at Federal Hall yesterday, announcing results of a study Klein conducted showing that 90 percent of public colleges “failed to send students voter registration materials in the mail.”

In a public statement about the report, Klein‘s office said, “Of private schools, only 50% made voter registration materials available on campus, and 0% offered information by mail. In addition, over 100,000 students enrolled in the 2004-2005 academic year could not obtain voter registration materials on campus. This number represents only a sampling of schools from across the state, but if all schools were included the number would skyrocket.”

I haven’t read the report, which surveyed 60 schools across the state, but it seems to correspond with an in-depth investigation I conducted with the help of my younger brother. He turned 18 on June 1 and the only thing he got in the mail were birthday cards.

Vito Lopez holds a Williamsburg Community Truck Stop to protest illegal truck traffic on the corner of Metropolitan and Bushwick Avenues.

Senator Jeffrey Klein and Assemblyman George Latimer call for the passage of legislation that would increase criminal penalties for vandalizing houses of worship at St. Frances De Chantal Church in the Bronx.

Planned Parenthood endorses Andrew Cuomo at their headquarters and then endorses Hillary Clinton at the Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury.

Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter rings the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

The Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce hosts a Small Business Awards and Legislative Breakfast at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.