The New York Observer » Scott Murphy

Rep-elect Chris Gibson Named to Agriculture, Armed Services Committees

Congressman-elect Chris Gibson was assigned to the House Agriculture and Armed Services committees, his spokesman confirmed today.

According to Gibson's office, these were his top two committee picks, though it was reported that he had been angling for a seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Energy and Commerce Committee will be the Read More

GOP Knocks Clinton On Last-Minute Upstate Swing

Republican National Committee representatives are doing their best to paint former President Bill Clinton's latest campaign stops as last-ditch efforts for flaling Democratic candidates.

"Bill Clinton's visit doesn't change the fact that New York Democrats have a record of failure on the economy after blindly supporting misguided and reckless policies that have killed jobs and stunted Read More

After That Tough Vote, a Plea for Money

Upstate freshman Democratic Rep. Scott Murphy voted in favor of the health care reform bill yesterday, and today, he's out with a fund-raising emailing noting he's being attacked for that vote.From Murphy's email to supporters:

By taking a stand against the status quo, I have already come under attack. Glenn Beck and Dick Morris of Read More

W.F.P. Demands Democrats Vote for Health Care Bill

Dan Cantor is throwing down the gauntlet, threatening to withhold the W.F.P.'s support for Democrats who don't support the health care bill in Washington.In announcing the move, the party noted "Votes on the WFP ballot line have been the margin of victory for Democratic Congressional candidates in New York five times since 2002: Tim Read More

Critical Congressman at Paterson Speech

ALBANY—Several members of New York's Congressional delegation who have expressed displeasure with David Paterson are here at the Capitol on the day of his speech.

I saw Representatives Scott Murphy and Paul Tonko of the Capital Region, Mike McMahon of Staten Island, Mike Arcuri of Utica, Eric Massa of the Southern Tier and Steve Israel Read More

Scott Murphy and Republicans Spar on Stimulus, Still

Scott Murphy still supports economic stimuli. Republicans are still attacking him for it.

Murphy voted last night to spend $150 billion in, as Murphy said in a release, "immediate investments to improve our crumbling infrastructure and create good-paying jobs right here at home."

Democrats call the bill the Jobs for Main Street Act; as Read More

Reshma Saujani, Challenger to Carolyn Maloney, Hires a Campaign Manager

Reshma Saujani, who plans to challenge Rep. Carolyn Maloney in the 2010 Democratic primary, has hired Kevin Lawler as her campaign manager, a campaign source confirmed.Lawler was a regional field director for Scott Murphy's successful congressional race upstate, and was most recently the campaign manager for City Council candidate Evan Read More

Murphy Explains His No

ALBANY—Three New York Democrats voted against the health care bill that narrowly passed the House of Representatives Saturday, and labor groups have already iterated their disappointment with the vote.

Scott Murphy, Eric Massa and Mike McMahon all voted no; Massa was clear about his intentions but Murphy was on the fence until the Read More

Owens, Now, Comes Out for the Health Care Bill

ALBANY—Bill Owens, who is being sworn in as a member of Congress today, has announced his intention to vote for the health care restructuring bill backed by Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. He resisted taking a specific position on the issue throughout his campaign.

Owens announced the vote in a press release and Read More

Massa: I’m a No, No Matter What

ALBANY—Representative Eric Massa is voting no on the health care bill, damn it, no matter what the outside consequences or what Barack Obama says.

"The president of the United States is coming to Capitol Hill tomorrow morning on a Saturday, to meet in groups and individually with members of Congress. I anticipate that I Read More

Paterson: ‘There’s No Seat Safe’

SARANAC LAKE—David Paterson said this is the lesson from Bill Owens' win last night: Democrats can win anything.

"I thought it demonstrates a new way that the entire state is looking at candidates, and that the Democratic Party is demonstrating the type of responsibility I think both parties aspire to, but right now I Read More

All-In for Owens?

ALBANY—It's nearing the end of the race to replace John McHugh in Congress. A leading Democrat just told the party is "not going to leave anything on the table" to help Bill Owens.

My mind is returning to the special election in the 20th District this spring, where the final poll showed long-shot Scott Read More

NY-20 Stimulus, by Party

ALBANY—The special election between Scott Murphy and Jim Tedisco last spring was, in many ways, a referendum on the federal stimulus package. So how's it working out in the 20th District?

"Is there any?" asked Tory Mazzola, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which attacked Murphy during the campaign. NRCC has been Read More

Tedisco to Scozzafava: Stick to Your Record

ALBANY—Assemblyman Jim Tedisco had some advice for his colleague Dede Scozzafava, who like he did last spring, is running in a special Congressional election: stay the course.

"Just keep working hard," Tedisco told me by phone. "It's always a battle when somebody tries to distort your record. The Democrats are very good at that. Read More

Tedisco Made a $110,000 Correction to His April Fund-Raising Report

ALBANY—Assemblyman Jim Tedisco's Congressional campaign committee—which was just terminated after his failed bid against Scott Murphy this spring—failed to report more than $110,000 worth of contributions in its quarterly filing just before after the special election. The filings have since been amended.

Officials at the Federal Elections Commission sent two letters to Tedisco's Read More