By Colin Campbell 2/20/12 4:41pm

suggested reading

Michael Grimm on Good Day New York (Photo: MyFoxNY)

Roundup: More On Grimm; Pols at the Minority Caucus

Understatement of the day: “Grimm recently made headlines after The Post broke the story about a mailbox being stolen from in front of his New Springville home sometime between Feb. 6 and 7.”

Michael Grimm said the Times has an anti-Catholic agenda against him.

On the Times, Guy Molinari said, “[D]on’t let these shit-ass newspapers tell you what to do.”

He said he’s still an unofficial surrogate for Mitt Romney.

George Maragos said the contraception debate has “nothing to do with the health and well-being of women.”

Charles Barron would have liked to see Governor Cuomo address the minority caucus this weekend.

Cuomo did honor Denny Farrell at a separate reception. Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/20/12 2:47pm

off the list

Rabbi Aryeh Katzin, one of Lew Fidler's backers, and his GOP opponent David Storobin (Photo: Facebook)

Lew Fidler Loses Some Endorsements

Councilman Lew Fidler, the Democratic candidate in the special election for former State Senator Carl Kruger’s seat, put out a long list of 266 endorsements when his campaign began. Now, it seems at least a handful of these backers, mostly rabbis, are no longer on board with Mr. Fidler as he campaigns in the heavily Jewish, southern Brooklyn district.

One of these original endorsers, Rabbi Chaim Benoliel, even signed a letter saying a vote for Mr. Fidler is contrary to Torah law due to his socially liberal positions. “It is therefore considered to be a great Chilul Hashem and Assur [forbidden according to Torah law] to vote for or to provide funding, campaign assistance, public recognition or any type of support to Councilman Lewis Fidler,” the letter reads. “To do so would amount to being mesiy’ayah ovrei aveirah (abetting transgression of the Torah’s commandments).”

Rabbi Shlomo Churba Cohen, listed on Mr. Fidler’s announcement as “Shurba Cohen,” is another backer that has withdrawn his support. Earlier this afternoon, Rabbi Cohen’s son Dovid confirmed his father wanted his name taken off Mr. Fidler’s endorsement list. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/20/12 11:51am

Fighting Words

Chuck Schumer

Chuck Schumer Vows To Defeat ‘These Hard Right, Nasty People’

Senator Chuck Schumer predicted Democrats at all levels of government will emerge victorious against Republicans in this year’s elections during his speech last night at the gala scholarship dinner that closed out the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend in Albany.

“The tide is beginning to turn, these hard right, nasty people who only care about the people at the very top, well, we peeled back the curtain and the American people are seeing who they really are,” Mr. Schumer said.  Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/20/12 11:50am

explanations

Southern Brooklyn's current state senate map

Jack McEneny: ‘Tradition’ Dictates Slow Congressional Redistricting

New York is one of the only states in the entire country to not even have its Congressional lines drafted, let alone passed. On Fred Dicker’s radio show this morning, the host asked Assemblyman Jack McEneny, one of the heads of the redistricting taskforce in Albany, why they have not presented congressional lines or held hearings on them like they’ve done for the state legislative lines.

“Because traditionally, we have always done the Senate and Assembly first. Didn’t do it the last couple times either,” Mr. McEneny responded.

Mr. Dicker then asked why Albany doesn’t just ignore tradition and draft a congressional map so that the public can comment. Mr. McEneny blamed Judge Sharpe for ordering the congressional primary sooner than its normal date to comply with a federal law aiming to provide military voters absentee ballots in time to actually vote. Read More

By David Freedlander 2/20/12 11:45am

stockpiling

money-bag

White Shoe Law Firm Named Top Donor To NY Delegation

A report out today from MapLight, a research organization that studies the influence of money on politics, came out with a report today detailing which companies give the most to each state’s congressional delegation.

In New York, that distinction goes to the law firm of Boies, Schiller and Flexner who gave close to $700,000 to current members of the House and Senate from New York.

That firm was founded by David Boies, the super-lawyer who represented Al Gore during the 2000 recount and who has since been one of the lead lawyers attempting to over California’s anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a frequent target of the firms’ largesse, was also a partner there earlier in her career. Read More

By Matt Chaban 2/20/12 10:02am

Road Rage

With all that money, maybe they could afford a new coat of paint. (Getty)

Entitlements: City Spent $140,000 Defending PPW Bike Lane

If brownstone neighbors thought challenges to the Prospect Park West bike lane were a nuisance—they point to community board votes and supportive surveys—it has turned out to be an expensive one at that. According to documents obtained by The Brooklyn Paper, the riotously named Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes has so far cost the city $140,000 in legal fees defending the lane, a price that will no doubt rise now that the suit has been appealed. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/20/12 8:31am

Old School

Senator Chuck Schumer (Photo: Facebook)

Chuck Schumer Needs To Brush Up On His Hip Hop History

Senator Chuck Schumer mixed up the names of hip-hop icons L.L. Cool J and D.J. Kool Herc, in his speech at the gala scholarship dinner that was the finale of the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend. Mr. Schumer’s musical mixup came when he told the audience about his efforts to preserve the Bronx apartment building where Kool Herc is said to have first mixed records and rapped over the beat.

“I have kept my promises to you that, while I have clout in Washington, I will do everything I can for our dear State of New York,” Mr. Schumer said. “So, when greedy landlords in the Bronx wanted to close the home on Sedgwick Avenue where L.L. Kool Herc invented hip hop and lots of hardworking people lived, we stopped them.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/20/12 7:54am

shocker

Councilman Jimmy Oddo

Jimmy Oddo Addresses The Big Controversy

At a Saturday afternoon rally largely dedicated to defending Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm in the face of criminal fundraising allegations, Councilman Jimmy Oddo, who’s also a candidate for Borough President, decided to start his speech with a bang.

“It’s my style to take things heads on, so I want to start by addressing the controversy of the day,” Mr. Oddo began, taking off his jacket to reveal a sweater vest underneath. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/20/12 7:36am

City Hall

John Liu

John Liu Doesn’t Want To Announce a Run For Mayor (On The Politicker)

On Saturday night, New York City Comptroller John Liu held a reception honoring labor leaders at the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend and I asked him whether he’s ready to announce a run for mayor.

“Everybody has their way of making announcements,” Mr. Liu said. “You’re a great guy, I’m not necessarily sure that you’re the perfect venue for making the announcement O.K.? No offense.” Read More