Mark Murphy's latest ad "asks" what we know about Michael Grimm. (Photo: YouTube)

Might the Queens Borough President race get another Italian-American lawmaker known for speaking his mind and cutting against the grain? State Senator Tony Avella confirmed rumors that he's looking at the position, which he would not have to leave his current job to campaign for. Mr. Avella did mount a quixotic campaign for mayor in 2009, so his intentions probably cannot be figured out with polls and electoral analysis.

Council Member Tish James said her office was “pleasantly surprised that we did not receive as many complaints as I had anticipated” during the opening of the new Barclays Center in Prospect Heights.

The much-maligned developer of the project, Bruce Ratner, went on Inside City Hall  last night to discuss, among other things, whether he will deliver on his promises of affordable housing. "People of course have their doubts. But the housing is going to start, it's going to be architecturally beautiful, we're going to make sure it's a community," he argued. "Look I've been doing this for twenty-five years in New York City, ... it's what we do."

The opening also served as a test of the city's latest controversial policy--Mayor Michael Bloomberg's new soda cup restrictions. Barclays Center had agreed to preemptively adjust their concession stands to sixteen ounces, provoking several amusing reactions. Asked one annoyed woman, “Is this the Bloomberg thing?”

George McDonald, apparently still running for mayor on the Republican line, plans to challenge the city's campaign finance limits on the basis that they're lower than New York State's restrictions, a case that may actually have some merits. To explain his move, Mr. McDonald said, "The city's campaign finance laws prohibit a businessman like myself from running [viably] for office."

Color the Daily News unimpressed with Councilman Dan Garodnick's attempt to water down the proposed paid sick leave legislation to make it more palatable to business leaders and Council Speaker Christine Quinn. "His proposal is all about that run, and not about the health of struggling entrepreneurs," the publication opined about Mr. Garodnick's 2013 campaign for comptroller.

Former Mayor Ed Koch not only endorsed congressional contender Mark Murphy, but he's helping the Democrat raise money too.

On a harder-edged front, Mr. Murphy's latest ad "goes there" against GOP Rep. Michael Grimm, headline-bombing the incumbent while using the word "porn" a couple times too. Quote one non sequitur referencing two different stories, "Campaign cash from porn distributors after approaching judge to spare fraudster."