Trash Talk Dominates Christine Quinn's Upper East Side Campaign Stop
Weiner Defends Huma's Honor in Face of Iowa Senator's Inquiry
Mayoral Candidates Sound Pretty Skeptical of Regulation-Skirting ‘Disruptors’
As New York City considers its options for mayor, Silicon Alley is biting its nails at the prospect of a post-Bloomberg world. And last night, four candidates–former councilman Sal Albanese, former Congressman Anthony Weiner, comptroller John Liu and former Bronx president Adolfo Carrión–appeared at the Museum of the Moving Image to pitch themselves to the tech industry. (Front-runner Christine Quinn declined to show.)
And, well, they gave it the old college try. Read More
State Legislature Moves to Ban Novelty Lighters
New Yorkers may no longer be able to buy lighters that look like the Statue of Liberty or that cute cow in the photograph to the left.
The New York State Assembly approved a ban on novelty lighters today, joining the State Senate, which did so last week, and leaving the bill just a gubernatorial signature away from becoming law. Read More
Rubén Díaz Thinks Jeff Klein Is ‘Eating All the Candies’
Albany is apparently a sweet place to be.
In his latest “What You Should Know” missive, State Senator Rubén Díaz Sr. wrote that the Independent Democratic Conference, a group of breakaway Democrats governing the State Senate with Republicans, is dominating Albany and gobbling up all of the “candies” that Democrats can’t feast upon any more. Read More
Weiner Slams Bloomberg on Business Fines But Falls Flat With Audience
Anthony Weiner slammed Mayor Michael Bloomberg for slapping small businesses with too many fines–but what was touted as the ex-Congressman’s first major policy speech fell flat with some in the Upper West Side audience, who walked away unimpressed earlier today.
Mr. Weiner’s address focused on complaints about the uptick in fines and summonses levied by the Bloomberg administration against small businesses, arguing the city should be making it easier–not harder–for small businesses to thrive. The issue of fines has been frequently touted by other candidates, including Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who has made the issue a signature piece of his campaign. Read More
Principals’ Union Endorses Bill Thompson
The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators endorsed Bill Thompson today, adding a major education union to his labor tally one day before the influential United Federation of Teachers is set to make its pick.
The union, representing nearly 16,000 public school principals and education administrators, said Mr. Thompson’s commitment to appointing an educator as schools chancellor, as well as his belief that New York City should be a more affordable place for the middle class, led members of the executive committee to vote to back him. Read More
New York Post Editor Defends Weiner Puns on Australian TV
Both at the time of his scandal and now during his political comeback attempt, the New York Post has simply reveled in making pun after pun with Anthony Weiner’s last name. But don’t expect any apologies.
Asked what he’d say to critics who have accused his publication of being immature, Post editor in chief Col Allan bluntly told the Australian news program Lateline, “I don’t know. They got to develop a sense of humor, I guess.” Read More
Morning Read: ‘Addiction Runs Deep’
Headline of the Day: “Christine Quinn acknowledges she has opponents, in a speech attacking them.”
Brooklyn Council candidate Igor Oberman has another labor endorsement to add onto his growing pile: the Hotel Trades Council, a relatively small union touted for its effective organizing abilities. In announcing his support for Mr. Oberman today, HTC’s political director Josh Gold said, “Igor has shown that he has a plan to grow the economy in his community, ensuring that our members thrive in his district and throughout New York. That’s why we are excited to not only endorse Igor, but work hard on his campaign this summer.” Read More
U.S. Attorney Says New Yorkers ‘Can Expect More’ Corruption Cases
The string of corruption arrests in New York State is far from over, according to the man who has issued many of the indictments.
In a rare televised interview with Capital Tonight, Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said even more public corruption cases can be expected to emerge due to the “pervasive” nature of the problem in the state. Read More
What’s Behind Christine Quinn’s Negative Turn?
Christine Quinn’s speech on Monday morning marked a turning point for the City Council Speaker as she struggles to maintain her status as the mayoral race’s decisive front-runner in the face of lagging poll numbers and former Congressman Anthony Weiner’s headline-hogging jump into the race. Read More
Mayor Bloomberg Says UFT’s Endorsement Is a ‘Kiss of Death’
The battle between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the powerful teachers’ union entered a ghoulish new phase on Monday, as the mayor equated the union’s coveted endorsement to the “kiss of death,” and the union slammed a nod from Mr. Bloomberg as worse than a zombie attack.
The Democratic candidates for mayor have been courting the United Federation of Teachers and the union’s president, Michael Mulgrew, for months, but Mr. Bloomberg said this afternoon he thinks they’re making a grave electoral mistake.
“It’s almost a kiss of death,” the mayor said of the union’s coveted endorsement, which Mr. Mulgrew believes will be decisive in the race. “I don’t know what goes through voters’ minds, but maybe they understand if the UFT wants it, it ain’t good and you don’t want that person.” Read More
