The New York Observer » John Sampson

Sampson Raises Money By Laughing at Sampson

State Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson is going to raise money by having freshman Democratic colleagues make fun of him at an April 11 fundraiser in Albany, according to two sources.

The format, as I understand it, will be lawmakers getting on stage and acting as stand-up comedians. The theme will, of course, be political jokes, Read More

On Teachers, Senate Democrats Back Cuomo

Despite objections from Bloomberg, the Democrats' leader in the State Senate, John Sampson, sides with Cuomo:

"We need a fair and objective evaluation system that takes into account the needs of children, parents, and educators. Governor Cuomo’s legislation on teacher seniority meets that goal, and is consistent with the development of evaluation standards required by Read More

Cuomo’s Independent Redistricting Plan Gets Mixed Response From Lawmakers

State legislators from across the aisle and both ends of the statehouse are responding to Andrew Cuomo's proposed plans for independent redistricting legislation and their reactions should surprise no one: enthusiastic cheers from those in the minority, and wait-and-see from those who have the power to redraw the lines.

Democratic Leader John L. Sampson has released Read More

State Senate Democrats Push for a Debate on Ethics Package

State Senate Democrats unveiled a comprehensive ethics package today and called on it to pass quickly in order to reinsure voters that an election season promise is being honored.

Minority leader John Sampson said that the Democrats' six-part bill that will cover a variety of ethically-dubious areas including client disclosure requirements, proper use of campaign Read More

OTB Goes AWOL

New York City's Off-Track Betting Parlors are slated to close by midnight tonight after the New York state Senate failed to approve a bailout package this afternoon.

The vote fell three short of passage after Republicans held firm in opposition and not enough Democrats showed up at the chamber to vote.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader John Read More

Senate Dems Stand Behind John Sampson On Marriage Vote Delay

Senate Democrats stood behind Majority Leader John Sampson's unwillingness to pledge to bring gay marriage up for a vote in 2011 in a series of interviews today.

Many State Senate Dems gathered on the steps of City Hall for a press conference on hydro-fracking and they agreed with Sampson that it may make Read More

Sampson Set To Brunch With Stonewall

New York State Senate Democratic leader John Sampson will be brunching with the Stonewall Democratic Club at Junior's Cheesecake on Saturday. The meeting comes as a re-energized LGBT community has grown increasingly disenchanted with the Senate majority and several anti-marriage equality state Senators are facing primaries from challengers backed by gay rights groups.

Earlier this week, Read More

Paterson: There Was Consensus on Aqueduct; AEG Has the Money

Facing increasing criticism for selecting a politically-connected bidder to develop slot machines at the Aqueduct race track, Governor Paterson released a statement Thursday afternoon stressing that legislative leaders had agreed on the choice.

The statement appeared to be a riposte at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who Friday stated a list of conditions (and sent a letter Read More

After Second Lunch, Lopez Smitten With Ford

Addressing the press after a long lunch that saw 41 of Brooklyn's political leaders turn out to meet potential Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr., Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez sounded like a man who had already made up his mind.

"If you want to know how I feel about him, I would find it personally, Read More

Bloomberg’s Busy Day

On the first day of his third term, Michael Bloomberg traveled the city doing volunteer work. In Long Island City, he told reporters, "You think it's a busy day. This is a normal mayor's day, actually."

Schneiderman Raises, With DiNapoli

ALBANY—State Senator Eric Schneiderman will kick off the start of the legislative session with a fund-raiser at the house of Meredith Kane, his law school classmate.

The event will take place on January 7, the day after David Paterson delivers his State of the State address. Democratic Senate Leader John Sampson is also launching Read More

Sampson Envisions New Look, Same Leaders

ALBANY—John Sampson thinks, not unreasonably, that the State Senate needs a new look.

"We need to come out of the box in January and start to really pass some progressive and positive legislation because people have one characterization of us," Sampson, the leader of the chamber's Democratic conference, told reporters during an informal chat in Read More

‘Cocktails and Conversation’ With John Sampson, For $5,000

ALBANY—The day after David Paterson gives his State of the State address, Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson will be in Manhattan for "cocktails and conversation" at a $5,000-a-head event.

That's a pretty high dollar figure; for context, David Paterson and Andrew Cuomo each asked for $1,000 a head at their December events and Read More

Lots of Electeds At Cuomo’s Fund-Raiser

There were 1,000 people in attendance at Andrew Cuomo's birthday fund-raiser last night--even David Paterson, a prospective political adversary, dropped in--mingling with the attorney general and enjoying a dinner of cucumber salad, beef and vegetables.

Like David Paterson's holiday fund-raiser last week, the stalwarts of Albany's lobbying community showed up--Paul Tokasz, Brian Meara, Read More

Skelos: Let’s Not Rush Into Anything

ALBANY—Dean Skelos, the Republican leader in the State Senate, is putting the brakes on a Democratic proposal to give members of his conference committee chairmanships.

"Senator [John] Sampson's proposal to appoint new chairs should be considered along with these other recommendations, by the bipartisan committee, before any action is taken," Skelos said in a Read More