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Azi Paybarah

By Reid Pillifant and Azi Paybarah 8/23/11 2:22pm

when the earth moves

Brooklyn Shakes, Midtown Evacuates During Virginia Quake

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s midtown office was evacuated, an aide said, after this afternoon’s earthquake, whose epicenter is reportedly near Richmond, Virginia. So far, no injuries were reported.

Reports about the quake came in immediately, from a number of sources.

“Of course, Isaac called to gossip about the earthquake,” a colleague said just now.

Of course, Isaac is Isaac Weinberer, the NYC Dept. of Transportation Commissioner and consummate political chatter box.

“Did anyone else feel their office shake just now? Or just me?” Jesse Derris, a Senior V.P. at Sunshine Sachs, wrote on Facebook. “BUILDING WAS SHAKING” wrote Katharine Herrup, a Brooklyn resident (who once wrote for the New York Sun).

Capital New York reporter Dana Rubinstein Tweeted, calmly, “totally just felt my building shake.”

A breaking news alert on the New York Times homepage says the epicenter is near Richmond, Virginia.

By Azi Paybarah 8/23/11 9:10am

suggested reading

Part of the Daily News front page (via newseum.org)

Morning Read: Cy Vance's Prosecution, Christine Quinn's Speakership

2013: A critical look at Quinn’s stewardship of the City Council. [Michael Powell / New York Times]

2013: Ray Kelly parties with a newspaper publisher. [Page Six / NY Post]

NY-9: “Turner pointed at his rival and told the packed auditorium, ‘Want to hide from the problem – there’s your man.’ ” [Alison Gendar / Daily News]

NY-9: ” ‘He used his orthodoxy to say gay marriage is kosher. That crossed the line,’ Hikind said.” [Carl Campanile / NY Post]

NY-20: “At least for now” Rep. Gibson shifts focus away supporting nuclear plant in district. [Maury Thompson / PostStar.com]

DSK: “Vance and his team knew there was only one person’s rights they had to protect — and it was Strauss-Kahn.” [Murray Weiss / DNAinfo]

DSK: “[Accuser] has not been truthful, on matters great and small, many pertaining to her background and some relating to the circumstances of the incident itself” prosecutors wrote. [Laura Italiano and Helen Freund]

DSK: “[P]rosecutors characterized her ability to recount a fictionalized sexual assault with complete conviction as being ‘fatal’ to her credibility.” [William Rashbaum and John Eligon / New York Times]

DSK: “If we do not believe her beyond a reasonable doubt, we cannot ask a jury to do so” prosecutor wrote. [Tim Herrera / amNewYork]

DSK: “Prosecutors didn’t identify maid Nafissatou Diallo by name, but they flat-out called her a liar.” [Melissa Grace and Corky Siemaszko / Daily News]

DSK: “it was a matter of she said-she said-and-she said something different and something conflicting, seemingly whenever a question came up.” [Daily News]

DSK: Praise from a columnist. [Joanna Molloy / Daily News]

Probe: Editors want Schneiderman to resist pressure from Obama aides to settle mortgage investigation. [New York Times]

Bloomberg: “We can put red-light cameras on every single intersection — you just can’t use them,” without Albany’s approval, the mayor said. [Erik Ortiz / amNewYork]

Arrested Cop: Robert Jackson and Guillermo Linares criticize excuse offered by cop accused of rape. [Joe Kemp / Daily News]

Printer Error: Attack mailer sent by Conservatives, not GOP. [Mark Sheer / Niagara Gazette]

By Azi Paybarah 8/22/11 5:03pm

suggested reading

The Mayor kicked off this year’s television season at Steiner Studios at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on the set of Sony Pictures Television’s new series Pan Am, one of 8 new primetime episodic series being filmed in New York City. August 22, 2011 (Photo Credit: Edward Reed)

Roundup: Fighting for Weiner's Seat, Not Fighting DSK Charges

NY-9: “He’s starting to lose races in which he’s not even a candidate,” Comedy Central says of Barack Obama and his impact on the race. [Dennis DiClaudio / IndecisionForever.com]

NY-9: “The protest announced yesterday drew just three attendees.” [Colby Hamilton / WNYC]

NY-9: Turner gets endorsed by a newspaper that no longer publishes; “[W]hat we can imagine being the start of a revival of the Republican Party.” [NY Sun]

NY-9: “In a grand tradition that dates back to 2009, every special House election has become a referendum on the president and national politics.” [Noah Rothman / Ology]

NY-9: “Weprin has been going after Turner with the same game plan employed by national Democrats, pinning the Republican to the Tea Party movement and claiming that he intends to cut Medicare and Social Security.” [Caitlin Huey-Burns / Real Clear Politics]

NY-23: NRCC ties Rep. Owens to Obama. [Liz Benjamin / Capital Tonight]

Same-Sex Marriage: Alesi, O’Donnell lead October 13 discussion in Albany. [Nick Reisman / Capital Tonight]

Red Lights Cameras: “I think we should have them on every corner,” Bloomberg. said. [Rich Lamb / CBS]

Vacancy: Upstate Assembly Republican leaves for job at a Goldman Sachs-owned firm. [Casey Seiler / Times Union]

DSK: A history of bombshells. [Adam Martin / Atlantic]

DSK: Investigate leaks, urges Perkins. Dropping charges may deter future victims from coming forward. [Celeste Katz / Daily News]

DSK: “No one with half a brain would ever put her on the stand” lawyer in Vance’s office reportedly said of accuser. [John Eligon / New York Times]

Defamation: Spitzer sued for $60 million over his Slate column. [NY Post]

By Azi Paybarah 8/22/11 2:06pm

ny-13

Source: DCCC Meets with a Likely Grimm Challenger, Mark Murphy

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee quietly met in New York City last weekend with Mark Murphy, a Democrat likely to challenge New York City’s only Republican congressman in next year’s elections, according to a source.

Murphy is an aide to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, and is looking to run against freshman Rep. Michael Grimm. So far, Grimm has more than $400,000 on hand in his campaign account, making him a formidable target to unseat.

Grimm is a former FBI agent and military veteran who ran an insurgent campaign, relying on a mix of support from Tea Party activists and high-profile endorsements from Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin. After a contentious primary, Grimm went on to knock off freshman Rep. Mike McMahon in 2010. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 8/22/11 8:43am

suggested reading

The race to replace Rep. Anthony Weiner makes the front page of the New York Times. (via newseum.org)

Morning Read: The Obama Factor in NY-9, Cy Vance's DSK Shift

Libya: Rebels take Tripoli, greeted as heros. Qaddafi’s two sons reportedly captured. [Kareem Fahim and David Kirkpatrick / New York Times]

2012: “Perry-Giuliani ticket would absolutely defeat the Obama-Biden,” predicts former NY GOP Chairman Powers. [Fred Dicker / NY Post]

2012: “He didn’t look presidential at all” former Staten Island borough president Molinari said of T-Paw. [Tom Wrobleski / SI Advance]

2012: “The federal debt runup was rivaled only by what we did in New York under George Pataki,” said GOP Assemblyman Kirwan. [Ken Lovett and Alison Gendar / Daily News]

NY-9: The race is “a referendum on the president and his party that is highlighting the surprisingly raw emotions of the electorate.” [Michael Barbaro / New York Times]

NY-9: Firemen endorse Weprin. [Alison Gendar / Daily News]

NY-9: “Five-figure sums” coming in from national GOP to help Turner. [Carl Campanile and Sally Goldenberg / NY Post]

Pressure: Schneiderman resisting Obama aide’s push for settlement with banks over mortgage crisis. [Gretchen Morgenson / New York Times]

Same-Sex Marriage: “One in four New York newlyweds is gay.” [Jeremy Olshan / NY Post]

Cop Arrested: “The DA is arresting cops, indicting cops,” said officer accused of raping teacher. [Jennifer Cunningham / Daily News]

DSK: “Every time she was confronted with her lies, she would blame someone else” law enforcement official said of accuser. [Rashbaum, Eligon and Dwyer / New York Times]

DSK: “Sometimes you wonder if even they [DSK and accuser] know” what really happened. [Mike Lupica / Daily News]

DSK: Accuser “repeatedly deceived prosecutors,” and will be outlined in new details to be revealed by Vance’s office shortly. [Laura Italiano / NY Post]

DSK: Accuser’s lawyer will seek special prosecutor to replace Vance. [John Eligon / New York Times]

Monserrate: Now, a bribery charge? [Mitchell Maddux / NY Post]

Labor: Cuomo’s CSEA contract “go[es] far beyond anything Bloomberg ever achieved with city unions.” [Michael Goodwin / NY Post]

Strike: Transport Workers Union Local 100 contract renewal won’t be easy. [Pete Donohue / Daily News]

Audits: DiNapoli’s report on MTA “failed to show any actual waste” and didn’t look at what really drove toll hikes. [Daily News]

Buffalo: Dem chairman’s departure and moving Assemblyman Hoyt to non-elected post clears way for Mayor Byron Brown “can act as a statesman.” [Buffalo News]

Books: One-time Paterson aide Judy Smith writing about communication industry. [Page Six / NY Post]

Sex Offenders: City of North Tonawanda’s law is stricter than state’s, lawyer representing three-time child molester suing. [Thomas Prohaska / Buffalo News]

By Azi Paybarah 8/21/11 5:32pm

suggested reading

Democrat David Weprin speaks to a supporter after getting endorsed by Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA) and United Firefighters Association (UFA) in Forest Hills. (photo provided by Weprin campaign)

Sunday Reading: Watching Jeb as Pressure Mounts on a Rep. Meek's Ally

2012: Perry appointees make a lot of Perry donations. [Nicholas Confessore and Michael Luo / New York Times]

2012: Jeb Bush keeping Florida GOP neutral, for now. [William March / Tampa Tribune]

Detroit: Former Mayor Kilpatrick — released from jail but facing 38 counts of corruption next year — said he could win mayor’s race. “I’m serious.” [Andrew Goldman / New York Times]

Alternate History: If Hillary won, would there be a Tea Party? [Rebecca Traister / New York Times]

NY-9: Turner and wife ID themselves as couple who adopted child at center of high-profile AIDS case later made into a movie. [Mark Morales / Daily News]

NY-9: “The State Democratic Committee declined comment on how much it spent on the anti-Turner mailings.” [Erik Kriss / NY Post]

9/11: Christie suggested Bloomberg “get over his stubbornness.” [Josh Margolin / NY Post]

Ballot Access: Former Democratic elections commissioner kicked off ballot for failing to meet residency requirement for local council seat. [Patrick Lakamp / Buffalo News]

Redistricting: Long-time California congressmen drawn into the same district. [Ben Goad / Press-Enterprise]

DSK: Source says Manhattan DA will seek to drop charges. [Laura Italiano / NY Post]

DSK: Vance’s re-election likely impacted, but not necessary derailed, from this case. [John Eligon / New York Times]

Probe: Manhattan DA investigating whether St. Vincent’s operators drove hospital to bankruptcy so they could sell to a developer. [Brad Hamilton / NY Post]

Investigations: “[T]hreat of a lengthy sentence could give the feds leverage to question [Edul] Ahmad about [Rep. Gregory] Meeks and other Queens pols.” [Isabel Vincent / NY Post]

Compensation: Six battalion chiefs earn thousands more than fire chief, in Niagara Falls. [Charlie Specht / Buffalo News]

Payouts: “Last year alone, the city shelled out $520.6 million in claims.” [Haddon, Buiso and Vincent / NY Post]

Food Stamps: “[T]oo large and complex” Obama officials say in rejecting Bloomberg for preventing recipients from using food stamps to buy soda and sugary drinks. [Michael Saul / WSJ]

Reputations: Fred Siegel says take another look at Paterson.[Candice Giove / NY Post]

Fracking: Local bans may not stand up in court. [Glenn Coin / Post-Standard]

Military: Rep. Slaughter concerned about body armor quality. [Jerry Zremski / Buffalo News]

Vigilante: Journo helps Sliwa’s Guardian Angels disrupt brawl in Coney Island. [Mark Morales / Daily News]

Bikes: ” ‘What’re you doing in the pedestrian path?’ the jogger called out, dodging aside. The biker responded with his middle finger.” [Daily News]

Bikes: “Many cyclists are confused about their rights, which is where the new breed of bike lawyers comes in.” [J. David Goodman / New York Times]

Animals: State officials didn’t alert locals of “wild mountain lion” presence. [Brian Nearing / Times Union]

Surgery: Bloomberg’s daughter Georgina hopes to be “pain-free for the first time in my life” after surgery. [Page Six / NY Post]

By Azi Paybarah 8/19/11 4:54pm

suggested reading

NFL - NYCHA Football Officiating Academy - August 17, 2011 (Photo by Leticia Barboza)

Roundup: The Future of 9/11 Tributes

9/11: Reading names of victims may not happen after this year. [NY1]

9/11: Bloomberg predicts “the papers will make a big deal” out of whatever happens with the ceremony. [Michael Saul / WSJ]

Liu vs Bloomberg: “The mayor is welcome to conduct his own thorough research and publish it as my office has,” Liu said. [Melissa Russo / NBC]

Greenpoint: Councilman Levin thinks hotel developers bought property in order to open a homeless shelter. Spokesman Stefan Friedman defends the developer. [Linda Collins / Brooklyn Eagle]

Dept. of Corrections: They’re trying to turn things around. [Bob Hennelly / WNYC]

Unions: New one recognized by NYS today. [Rick Karlin / Times Union]

Unions: Formed after 100,000 members rejected “an unpopular contract agreement forged between Council’s 82′s leadership and Andrew Cuomo.” [Nick Reisman / Capital Tonight]

By Azi Paybarah 8/19/11 2:38pm

He Said / He Said

Liu: 'We See a Lot of Talk' But Not Reports From Mayor's Office

Mayor Blomberg’s shot at John Liu — unloaded during a meeting with the Daily News editorial board meeting Thursday Tuesday– got a swift response from the City Comptroller in a similar meeting with the Queens Chronicle yesterday.

“I know the mayor doesn’t think I know what the hell I’m talking about,” Liu laughed. “But I used to be a pension actuary. I did that for 14 years.”

[skip]

“It’s been validated by independent experts,” Liu said. “We don’t see any reports from the mayor’s office. We see a lot of talk and one liners, but where are the reports backing up those statements?”

By Azi Paybarah 8/19/11 2:29pm

big screen

Panning the Obama-McCain Love Movie

A New York political operative fired off this missive about the Obama-inspired movie whose trailer was posted on Hulu last night, which I grabbed this morning.

President Obama’s election was a profound moment of history being made in front of our eyes.  Some people got excited about it – many took time away from work to volunteer for a campaign and a cause that inspired them for the first time.  But then others saw that and decided to try and use this piece of history as an opportunity to make money from some really dumb ideas.  Any guesses about which category the people who made this movie fall into?

The only exception perhaps is that this film is coming out about two years too late. Seriously, what was the hold up on fast tracking this thing?