By Colin Campbell 2/15/12 11:02pm

bad words

Mark Grisanti (Photo: Facebook)

Guard: Mark Grisanti Didn’t Use a Racial Epithet Against Me

It seems that at least one of the harshest allegations against Buffalo State Senator Mark Grisanti since he got in a fight in a Seneca Nation casino has been resolved in Mr. Grisanti’s favor.

One account of the incident had accused Mr. Grisanti of using a racial epithet against an African-American security guard. However, according to Police Captain William Thompson, WGRZ reported this evening that “the guard was asked if he heard anything along those lines and the guard told police he did not.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/15/12 7:26pm

nydia's nemisis

erik dilan

Erik Dilan’s Congressional Campaign Moves Forward

Is Brooklyn Councilman Erik Dilan’s potential primary challenge against Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez starting to take off the ground?

From the latest fundraising invitation from Michael Olmeda, a political consultant who worked as the campaign manager for Councilman Erik Dilan’s Chief of Staff Rafael Espinal’s in an Assembly special election last summer, it sure looks like it.

“I am once again reaching out to you to help support another of our young and progressive candidates for election,” Mr. Olmeda wrote in an email to potential donors this evening, forwarded to The Politicker by a friendly reader. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/15/12 6:11pm

Plan of Attack

David Storobin at a recent rally. (Photo: Colin Campbell)

The Brooklyn GOP’s Strategy For a Storobin Victory

With the Democratic dominance politics in the five boroughs, a decade in the City Council, the support of Brooklyn’s powerful Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club and a huge fundraising advantage, conventional wisdom is that Lew Fidler is the “overwhelming favorite” against David Storobin in the special election to fill convicted former State Senator Carl Kruger’s seat in Brooklyn’s 27th District, but members of the Brooklyn GOP, who describe themselves as the “boots on the ground” in Mr. Storobin’s campaign think their man has a chance to win.

“It’s a horse race, it’s a definite horse race and whoever works the hardest is going to win, and I think we’re going to outwork the democrats,” Gene Berardelli, vice chairman of the Kings County Republican Committee told The Politicker. Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/15/12 6:03pm

suggested reading

Mayoral Candidate Tom Allon hosts a Stuyvesant Party (Photo: Facebook)

Roundup: Liu’s Fundraiser Goes Pop; Obama Looking Better

A John Liu fundraiser just got indicted on federal charges.

A possible primary challenge to Margaret Chin emerged, saying she’s “one Chinese opponent away from losing.” Hmm.

While the Queens GOP searches for Asian-American candidates.

The City Council unsuccessfully attempted to get the NYPD to talk about reckless drivers.

New Yorkers are souring on legalized gambling. Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/15/12 5:10pm

campaign announcements

John Mancuso (Photo: Facebook)

John Mancuso to Formally Announce Malliotakis Challenge Tomorrow

John Mancuso, an owner of a Staten Island catering business active in Democratic politics, will kick off his race against freshman GOP Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis tomorrow evening, his campaign announced. City & State had originally reported Mr. Mancuso was eyeing the race, but tomorrow marks the official firing off point for what will be one of the few competitive assembly races in New York City this year.

“I’m a fourth generation Staten Islander,” Mr. Mancuso told The Politicker this evening, professing his love for Staten Island and Brooklyn. “Right now the 60th Assembly District is not getting what it deserves.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/15/12 3:30pm

iran so far

Senator Chuck Schumer (Photo: Facebook)

Schumer: Iranian Diplomats to U.N. Should Face Increased Scrutiny

Senator Chuck Schumer wrote a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today calling for “increased scrutiny” of the Iranian Mission to the United Nations in light of potential terrorist attacks against New York City. Pointing to NYPD’s director of intelligence warning that Iran is “essentially” the number one threat, Mr. Schumer argued these diplomats must ”be vigorously monitored.”

“With Iran’s increasingly bellicose and threatening behavior, it’s imperative that agents of the Iranian government in the United States receive additional scrutiny to ensure that they pose no threat to New York or the rest of the country,” Mr. Schumer said in the statement. Read More

By David Freedlander 2/15/12 2:56pm

Congress

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Echoing Bloomberg, Lancman Calls For Congressional Actions On Guns

In the wake of another police shooting last night, Assemblyman Rory Lancman called on Congress to pass the “Gabby Giffords Bill,” which would close gun loopholes and reform the nation’s firearm background check system.

“Yesterday, an NYPD officer was shot with an illegal gun, while sitting in Congress there is a bill that would help stop the flow of illegal guns into New York City,” Assemblyman Lancman said. “Congress needs to do the math – close gun loopholes by passing the Gabby Giffords bill and get serious about protecting police officers and communities in New York and across the country.”

After last night’s shooting, Mayor Bloomberg reminded reporters that it was the third such incident in two months, and said “The three shooters have at least one thing in common and that is that they possessed their guns illegally, and that is true for nearly every shooting that occurs in our city. As long as federal laws allow guns to flow onto our streets, criminals will be able to get them and police officers will be in danger.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/15/12 1:35pm

the return of weprin

David Weprin (Photo: Facebook)

David Weprin: Not Ruling Out a Rematch Against Turner

Buried in a Jewish Week story on Israel potentially being a campaign issue during  Congressman Bob Turner’s reelection campaign, Mr. Turner’s former Democratic opponent from his special election last summer, Assemblyman David Weprin, said he might run again against Mr. Turner.

Mr. Weprin said in a Tuesday interview with the publication that he hadn’t “ruled anything in or out” regarding such a campaign. ”I do have the name recognition, although I would do certain things differently if I was going to run again.” Read More

By David Freedlander 2/15/12 1:26pm

9/11

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City Agrees To Disclose Names of 9/11 First Responders To Hospital

Last week, members of the police union called on Mayor Mike Bloomberg to release the medical records of 9/11 first responders  to a panel that is studying possible links between cancer andcontaminants unleashed by the destruction of the trade center.

The panel at Mt. Sinai Medical Center was trying to determine if the the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act should be expanded to cover cancer treatment. That bill, which was signed in 2010 and is designed to aid those injured in the attacks on the World Trade Center, currently only includes respiratory ailments. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/15/12 1:06pm

I Will Always Love You

Whitney Houston on stage in October, 1991. (Photo: Getty)

State Senate May Be Saving All Their Love For Whitney Houston After All

Today the Daily News reported State Senate Republicans blocked Senator Eric Adams’ request for a resolution honoring Whitney Houston, however, according to Mr. Adams and Senate GOP spokesman Mark Hansen, the resolution may live on.

“From what I understand, the Senate Republicans may have realized this was a big mistake. I’m going to give them a fact sheet in case they’ve spent the last twenty years on another planet and they didn’t realize what Ms. Houston meant to people and we’re going to revisit this immediately after the break,” Mr. Adams told The Politicker.

Mr. Hansen said the Senate Republicans “never sought to block the resolution” and merely had issues with its timing.

“We didn’t do it today, we felt the timing was inappropriate because we just had legislation and a public hearing that dealt with overdoses of prescription drugs that included parents who lost their children to overdoses of prescription drugs,” Mr. Hansen said. “But we never sought to block the resolution and it’s something that we’ll take up when we return.” Read More