Vincent Gentile | The New York Observer

Brooklyn's Claim to the Fossella Seat

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:34:26 -0400

The jockeying to run for Republican Vito Fossella’s suddenly winnable congressional seat has opened a bit of a rift between Brooklyn and Staten Island Democrats.

The seat is mostly in Staten Island, but for years, Democratic elected officials there have taken a pass at challenging Fossella since that would have meant giving up their own safe re-elections in order to run (and probably lose). The result was a string of unmemorable...

Green Gioia's Gift From Gore

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:49:05 -0400

Councilman and candidate for public advocate Eric Gioia, of Queens, held his 35th birthday celebration and “green” campaign kick off at the W Hotel’s Whiskey Bar in Times Square last night. His guest list included Morgan Spurlock, writer and director of Super Size Me (who appeared in an ad recently), and Karenna Gore Schiff, daughter of Al.

Gore Schiff was in charge of the birthday introduction, while Gioia spent most of the evening...

Gianaris Is Interested in Council Speakership, Farrell Is Interested in Inez Dickens

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:02:08 -0400

Assemblyman Michael Gianiaris, who is running for reelection to the Assembly in 2008, says in this week's City Hall News that he is "going to seriously consider" running for City Council in 2009 and seeking the speakership.

The same article also quotes an unnamed aide to Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell, the former chairman of the state Democratic Party, saying he won't run for speaker of the City Council if he gets elected to the Council...

The Outer Boroughs, the Council Speakership and Old Lollipops

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:11:40 -0400

The Brooklyn Courier ran an article earlier this week on the race to succeed City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who will be term-limited in 2009. I didn’t see the article online, but a reader faxed me a copy of it, which gives (of course) special prominence to the Brooklyn candidates for the job, including Sara Gonzalez, Vincent Gentile and Leticia James.

But there are other candidates worth acknowledging, like Dan Garodnick and likely...

Surprise! It's an E-Waste Press Conference

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:27:11 -0400

Here’s Bill Alatriste's shot of a press conference on the steps of City Hall earlier today where City Council members Bill de Blasio, Vincent Gentile and Mike McMahon rallied in support of a bill that would require “e waste,” like old computers and cell phones, to be collected by the dealers who sell them.

The bill was introduced last year and is still being negotiated, but a spokesman for de...

Always Election Season for Consultants

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:27:29 -0400

This may be a quiet time when it comes to campaigning, but may also be the best time to get a new political company off the ground.

Earlier this month, 26-year-old lobbyist George Fontas founded New Gotham Strategies, LLC. Fontas said his campaign consulting gig will be completely separate from his current job at the lobbying firm, Capalino + Company.

Fontas managed Vinny Gentile’s...

Clarke Staffs Up

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 08:44:13 -0500

[Nicole will largely be the one covering Brooklyn's 11th district congressional race this year. For those of you watching closely, you can email tidbits, releases, literature or anything else to the address at right. Also, full disclosure: she worked for a time for Carl Andrews.] Roll Call reports that Council Member Yvette Clarke has hired Chris Lanier to head up her campaign for Brooklyn's 11th congressional seat. Lanier most recently worked on Vincent...