For decades, Brooke Astor's duplex at 778 Park was the pinnacle of New York City living. This had much to do with the society queen and her courtiers, who hosted lavish parties there, but also with the 16-room home, boasting six terraces and a renowned red-lacquered library. That was before the wallpaper began to peel Read More
Over the last decade in the City Council, Lew Fidler has been one of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's chief antagonists, tangling with the city's chief executive over everything from his cuts to homeless youth to his bike lanes to his tax policy, calling the mayor an emblem of arrogance and insensitivity.
Well, apparently, bygones are bygones Read More
Brooklyn State Senator Carl Kruger surrendered to authorities only this morning, but already the talk in political circles is over who will replace him.
In several conversations with Brooklyn pols and political insiders the names that emerge most frequently are City Council member Lew Fidler and Igor Oberman, an administrative law judge who works part time Read More
Take it away, Charles Barron [and note the praise for "Lou" Fidler!]:
CHARLES BARRON
The Council
of
The City of New York
COUNCIL MEMBER, 42nd DISTRICT
718 PENNSYLVANIA AVE * BROOKLYN NY 11207 * 718-649-9495
________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2011
Open Letter to Public Advocate Bill De Blasio
I am writing to express my outrage over your blatant act of disrespect, extreme opportunism and Read More
Janette Sadik-Khan is probably the only transportation commissioner, or city commissioner of any sort, really, with honest-to-god fans. Not just supporters or boosters, but groupies who adore her. A few were spotted today, poking their cellphones past reporters who were buttonholing Sadik-Khan outside a City Council hearing room this afternoon.
A tall blonde woman, clutching her Read More
Lew Fidler, who's in his third term as a councilman in Brooklyn, had a pretty impressive fund-raiser last Thursday, stirring some speculation about what he's is planning to do next.The event was packed. Money poured in. Oh, and it happened on the same night as a fund-raiser held by Democratic County Leader Vito Lopez, whom Read More
Two City Council members told me that Michael Bloomberg is getting directly involved committee-chairmanship assignments, and making personal appeals pushing Domenic Recchia as finance chair. It could mean that the mayor is concerned that the Council he'll be negotiating with for the next four years won't be as friendly as the previous one.
Last week, Crain's put out the names of two people from Brooklyn vying for the Finance Committee Chairmanship: Lew Fidler and Domenic Recchia.
There's apparently another name to add to the mix: Simcha Felder, who I'm told has sent word to the speaker that he's interested in the position.
The current Finance chairman is David Weprin, of Read More
Michael Bloomberg hasn’t had an event on his public schedule since 8 a.m. this morning.
There are some theories--David Seifman said the mayor is already calling to thank supporters and practice his victory speech (no lack of confidence over there).
One person on Twitter said Bloomberg “set up a table” on 135th and Lennox.
And in Read More
Here’s the letter filed by one such incumbent, Lew Fidler. His opponent is a little-known and under-funded Republican who will not beat him.
Fidler Read More
Here's another note from Councilman Lew Fidler, a Bill Thompson supporter who has made it his mission to remind everyone of Michael Bloomberg's Republican affiliation in light of a Quinnipiac poll showing the mayor's shrinking when he's identified with that party.
Bloomberg spokesman Howard Wolfson said the poll results hinge more on semantics than Read More
The City Council just held a moment of silence for Michael Jackson.
Apparently in protest, several council members quietly walked out of the room just before it began.
Republicans Jimmy Oddo and Eric Ulrich, along with Democrats Peter Vallone Jr. and Lew Fidler all left the Council chambers just before Inez Dickens and Helen Diane Read More
In case you're wondering who Lew Fidler is endorsing, he emailed reporters to say:
Not that even my already inflated ego believes that you need to write about this and that it is newsworthy, but i wanted to let you all know that today I am endorsing the following candidates in this years election and Read More
Eric Gioia said he wants a moratorium on new fast-food restaurants opening up within 500 feet of public schools.
“This has a direct impact on our children’s health” and represent “a clear and present danger” to their health, Gioia told reporters on Sunday.
Like his publicity-savvy friend, Morgan Spurlock, who built a career on Read More
Lew Fidler was the subject of much praise this morning at a breakfast for the New York Building Congress, a construction industry group, because he's asked Michael Bloomberg for more infrastructure money.
Fidler, as Building Congress President Dick Anderson explained, has been the leading voice in the Council to protest the Read More
