The day is not yet done, but so far in the race to replace Anthony Weiner in the U.S. Congress the subject of Israel has yet to come up! Mazel tov to the both Bob Turner and David Weprin!

But just because today was a Netanyahu-free zone in the Ninth doesn’t mean that it was without its dramas.

First, in something of a reprise from yesterday, when the Turner camp tried to tie Weprin to the Council slush fund scandal.

Wrote the Turner campaign:

Yesterday, Mr. Weprin tried to duck the issue again – having a campaign staffer preposterously claim that lies were being told about Mr. Weprin’s record – when only questions about his knowledge of the scandal were being asked.

“David Weprin continues to hide behind staff members to duck responsibility for a financial scandal that occurred right under his nose,” Mr. Turner said. “Mr. Weprin was Council Finance Chairman; does he really expect the public to believe he knew nothing about Council finances? Mr. Weprin needs to stop hiding behind staff members and make himself accountable for what occurred on his watch.”

The Weprin campaign meanwhile had a bit of deja vu as well, visiting a senior center to talk about Medicare and social security with a fellow elected official.

Quote the campaign:

“Under no circumstances will I support the Republican plan to end Medicare as we know it,” said Weprin. “The men and women I visited today have worked hard all their lives to earn these benefits, and they deserve to live with dignity and enjoy their senior years without fear of losing their health care or home.”

The legislation signed into law yesterday to end the nation’s debt limit stand-off established a committee charged with finding $1.5 trillion in additional saving in the federal budget, and many seniors at today’s event expressed concerns that their Medicare or Social Security benefits could be cut. While some in Congress have suggested drastic cuts that would decimate Medicare and Social Security, Weprin opposes any effort that could threaten these programs, which are vital to senior citizens’ health and financial security.

Moving on to fresher attacks, the Turner campaign then knocked Weprin for his 2006 vote when he was in the City Council to raise lawmakers salaries.

The campaign of businessman Bob Turner (R)… today called upon opponent and career politician David Weprin (D-WFP) to reveal what his outside income was at the time he voted himself a 25% salary increase in the New York City Council. Mr. Weprin voted to raise his own salary in 2006 from $90,000 to $112,000 – for a part-time job.

“David Weprin preposterously suggests he knew nothing about the City Council Slush Fund Scandal while City Council Finance Chairman, so we wonder if he also suffers amnesia on the 25% pay hike he gave himself while in the City Council,” Turner campaign spokesman William O’Reilly said. “Mr. Weprin voted to pay himself $112,000 a year for a part-time job, while also working on Wall Street. Brooklyn and Queens residents deserve full transparency in that transaction; they deserve to know what Mr. Weprin was making while giving himself a 25% pay raise.”

Finally, this afternoon, the Weprin campaign sent out word that the Assemblyman is planning to join hospital workers for a rally about the possible closure of Peninsula Hospital in Far Rockaway.

Stay on this station for further updates…

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