By Jill Colvin 5/07 6:40pm

Takes

Congresswoman Grace Meng (Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Women's Campaign Fund)

Grace Meng’s First Policy Letter Critiques Chuck Schumer’s Immigration Bill

It’s not just conservatives who are critiquing Sen. Chuck Schumer and the rest of the so-called “Gang of Eight” for their immigration bill.

Freshman Congresswoman Grace Meng, a steady liberal hand, is also urging to re-assess the latest version of the proposed federal immigration overhaul. But her warnings come with a unique twist: potential damage to Asian-American immigrant families.

In her first such letter to lawmakers on a major piece of legislation, Ms. Meng, New York’s first Asian-American Congresswoman, told Mr. Schumer, New York’s most politically powerful voice in Washington, that she has concerns about certain provisions of the sweeping reform bill, which is set to be taken up by the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. Read More

By Colin Campbell 3/20 9:33am

Land of Rand

Rand Paul. (Photo: Getty)

Chuck Schumer Says Rand Paul Is ‘Really Helpful’ on Immigration

Earlier this week, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul reportedly endorsed a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. And although Mr. Paul disputes that exact phrasing to describe his speech, it was a notable announcement from the Tea Party conservative as the U.S. Congress debates the issue. Indeed, New York’s own Senator Chuck Schumer, part of a bipartisan octet negotiating a comprehensive immigration bill, praised the move last night.

“I think the bottom line is having Rand Paul come out for something not that far away from our group of eight is really helpful,” Mr. Schumer said on Inside City Hall. “After all, he’s the hard right. He’s the Tea Party. And if he can be for it, so can most Republicans. And that gives me a lot of hope we can pass a bill in both the Senate and the House. And the House will be even tougher than the Senate.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/20 6:26pm

Humor

405px-Osmia_ribifloris_bee

Chuck Schumer Releases Most Pun-Filled Press Statement of All Time

Senator Chuck Schumer may have broken the record for most puns crammed into a political press release with his response to the news five people and two companies were busted by federal officials for illegally smuggling honey from China. Though his statement was quite brief, Mr. Schumer managed to fill it with an un-bee-lievably high number of honey-themed puns.

“This successful sting operation is sure to be a buzz kill for would-be honey smugglers,” Mr. Schumer said. “For too long, foreign smuggling of this product has created a sticky situation for domestic honey producers. We need a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to honey laundering.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/24 12:02pm

Bullet Points

(Photo: C-Span.org)

Carolyn McCarthy Makes Impassioned Plea for New Assault Weapons Ban

Earlier this morning, Democratic lawmakers gathered in Washington D.C. to unveil the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013, which is legislation that would ban “military-style” assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips. The press conference announcing the bill featured New York Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, the legislation’s House sponsor, as its first speaker. Needless to say, Ms. McCarthy–whose husband was killed in a 1993 shooting spree on the Long Island Rail Road–made it clear it wasn’t going to be a speech that stuck to the script.

“This battle has been a very lonely battle for many, many years,” Ms. McCarthy began. “You know, a lot of words can be said. I’ve got a great speech here and my staff worked on it a long time and I’m probably going to do what they always tell me not to do. That means just talk from my heart.”

Ms. McCarthy expressed particular frustration that gun control legislation has stalled in Congress but argued that the recent massacre at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school would be the catalyst for change. Read More

By Hunter Walker 1/21 6:32pm

Party Fowl

Chuck Schumer speaking at the Inauguration. (Photo: Getty)

Angry Chef Attacks Chuck Schumer for Ditching Long Island Duck

WASHINGTON D.C. — Long Island chef Butch Yamali is telling Senator Chuck Schumer to go duck himself after the Inauguration.

Senator Schumer was able to put his own New York-centric spin on today’s festivities in his capacity as chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. However, Mr. Yamali doesn’t feel Mr. Schumer went far enough to honor his home state and is holding a press conference tomorrow to “formally rebuke” the senator for not having Long Island duck at the inaugural meal at the Capitol Building.   Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/21 3:07pm

Cup of Joe

(Photo: Getty)

Joe Biden Offers Chuck Schumer a Surprise Toast

At the inaugural reception earlier this afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden proved he still has the ability to go off script.

As various speakers–including President Barack Obama–stood behind the room’s podium to offer toasts, Mr. Biden offered a heap of praise on Mr. Obama before quickly announcing his toast would instead go to one of his former colleagues in the U.S. Senate, New York’s Chuck Schumer. Read More

By Ross Barkan & Hunter Walker 1/08 1:52pm

Desperately Seeking Schumer

Christine Quinn (Photo: Getty)

Christine Quinn Dismisses Reports Bloomberg Tried to Draft Another Mayoral Candidate

Council Speaker Christine Quinn appeared at a Greenwich Village library this morning to unveil a 9/11 tile memorial, but the question that was clearly on everyone’s mind was a New York Times story about Mayor Michael Bloomberg trying to recruit a host of political heavyweights to enter this year’s mayoral race. Ms. Quinn, who has all-but-officially announced her campaign and has enjoyed a close relationship with the mayor, deemed the reports he has tried to woo other potential successors as “just silly.”
“I’m not going to comment on silly political parlor games, it’s just silly,” Ms. Quinn said. “When the mayor’s race starts, what New Yorkers are going to be focused on in is who has the best record…trust me I’m happy to put my record up against anybody.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/08 8:10am

2013

(Photo: Getty)

Bloomberg Dismisses ‘Erroneous’ Report on His Mayoral Search

Late last night, the New York Times reported Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his advisers have reached out to at least a small slew of big-name candidates to run for Mayor of New York City, ranging from Senator Chuck Schumer to New York Daily News publisher Mort Zuckerman. The news was reported as a slight to Council Speaker Christine Quinn, widely thought to be Mr. Bloomberg’s preferred candidate in the race. However, Mr. Bloomberg denied the report on MSNBC’s Morning Joe earlier today.

“The article was so erroneous,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “It goes after one of the people who’s really made a difference in this city, Chris Quinn, our speaker in the City Council, who really has done a great job. Without her, it would have been a lot tougher, let me tell you.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/29/12 10:24am

Weatherproofing

Senator Chuck Schumer discussing post-Sandy federal aid at the Capitol Building yesterday with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Kirsten Gillibrand. (Photo: Getty)

Chuck Schumer Promises Push for Sandy Aid Will Include Storm Protection Projects

Most of the discussion surrounding the request New York is making for billions in Sandy recovery aid has focused on repairing the damage caused by the storm. However, at yesterday’s press conference where he discussed the push for federal aid, Senator Chuck Schumer said the efforts of elected officials will also include securing funds for storm protection projects.

“There is money for mitigation,” Mr. Schumer said in response to a question from Politicker. “I don’t know New Jersey’s division yet, but New York’s is 32 billion for the actual damage that occurred, for recovery from that, and 9 billion for mitigation.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/28/12 4:51pm

Cash Money

Mayor Bloomberg (Photo: Getty)

Mayor Bloomberg Is ‘as Optimistic as You Could Be’ New York Will Get Enough Federal Sandy Aid

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg sounded quite skeptical the city would get the billions of dollars in federal aid he is requesting after Hurricane Sandy when he sarcastically joked that he was as “optimistic” about the prospect of getting the funds as he had been about getting the West Side stadium he unsuccessfully pushed for. At the press conference after his series of meetings with lawmakers and officials in Washington today he sounded far more confident, so Politicker asked whether he was now more genuinely optimistic his request for aid would be fulfilled

“I’m always genuinely optimistic, although I will say we’re unlikely to get the stadium on the West Side,” Mr. Bloomberg said with a laugh. “I walked away this morning as optimistic as you could be. Nothing is ever done until it’s done. There is always a possibility of other things occurring during the process…but from both Republicans and Democrats in both houses, we got very optimistic buzz, if you will.” Read More