James Sanders

The wife of City Councilman James Sanders of Queens declined to say whether her husband can walk at the moment, or when he’s expected to return to work after he was hospitalized following a major car accident on Saturday,  read more »

City Councilman James Sanders of Queens was hospitalized after a car accident this Saturday, according to his office.  read more »

DENVER—Hanging out on the 16th Street Mall earlier today I saw City Councilman James Sanders of Queens, an early Obama supporter.

When I asked if he was boasting to his New York colleagues about backing the winner in the primary, Sanders laughed heartily and said no. He added, jokingly, that the official word from the Obama campaign to supporters like him is: "No smugness."

Last night at an event in Jamaica I spoke with City Councilman James Sanders, a former Marine and early Barack Obama supporter, who is in favor of Obama's plan to send more troops to Afghanistan. (John McCain has also said he will increase troop numbers in Afghaistan).

"The battle in Afghanistan, we have to win," Sanders said. "There, I justify putting in more troops."

State Senator John Sabini is reportedly on the verge of losing the backing of the Queens Democratic County organization, which may endorse his likely 2008 challenger, City Councilman Hiram Monserrate.  read more »

Here's a message from

City Councilman James Sanders of Queens, who has endorsed Barack Obama, for Hillary Clinton and her supporters.

At a Barack Obama rally on Gold Street last night, City Councilman James Sanders and former congressional candidate Chris Owens told me, “The work begins now.”

I asked Owens if he thought the public nature of the caucus had any effect on Obama's win.

“If folks, particularly white folks, are willing to stand up under a black man’s banner and say, ‘I am standing with this man,’ that’s even stronger support," he told me. "It would have been much easier for them to do it in private, OK? Or to abandon him in private.”

Councilman James Sanders of Queens was fined $1000 today by the Conflict of Interest Board, according to a report the agency published today.

Sanders ran into trouble for having his wife on his legislative staff.

Here's one unusual perspective on the argument for naming a small piece of New York City after black nationalist Sonny Carson:

“My quandary is made easier because I actually knew Sonny Carson and knew that in his last days and knew that he rued some of the stuff that he did,” Councilman James Sanders of Queens told me.

In the clip above, Sanders says that Carson privately repudiated the controversial comments he made.

Queens County Republicans held a seminar on Saturday for prospective candidates looking to run for office.

And, according to the organization's director Daniel Eger, there were two surprise guests.

"Unexpectedly, also there were two Democratic office-holders who have at times been at odds with the Queens Democratic organization, Council Member James Sanders (D-Laurelton) and former Senator Ada Smith (D-Jamaica)," Egers wrote in an email to supporters.
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The man in blue pictured here standing next to Councilman James Sanders yesterday is new mayoral spokesman (and former Jeanine Pirro aide) John Gallagher.

What a day start a new job.

-- Azi Paybarah

The City Council's Democratic Caucus is meeting right now in the member's lounge.

According to one staffer who almost got attend the members-only meeting, the agenda includes:

The police shooting; the new attendance policy; and upcoming land-use issues and bills for consideration.

The ever-outspoken Charles Barron has called for Ray Kelly's resignation. James Sanders, whose constituent was killed, said Kelly should resign if the police are found to have acted inappropriately.

Hiram Monserrate, a former cop, said it was a "questionable shooting and very problematic."

Speaker Quinn said in a public statement that "appropriate actions will be taken" after a full investigation.

-- Azi Paybarah

My favorite still from a movie made in New York is not in this book.  read more »

My favorite still from a movie made in New York is not in this book.  read more »

Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies , by James Sanders. Alfred A. Knopf, 496 pages, $45.  read more »

The guilty verdicts at U.S.  read more »