State Housing Commissioner Darryl Towns was arrested on July 3 in Westchester for driving while intoxicated, according to a report in The New York Times.
Towns crashed his car in Westchester County and failed a subsequent field sobriety test. The former Assemblyman was appointed housing commissioner in February by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was notified of the accident by Towns on the day it occurred, according to The Times. Read More
The first round of campaign filings for the 54th Assembly District gives a glimpse into the proxy battle between three of Brooklyn’s power brokers.
Deidra Towns, raised $93,915, the most of any candidate, and also had the most corporate donations with $20,650.
Her father, Congressman Ed Towns, gave $1,000 from his personal account and $3,000 from his reelection fund, and appears to have leaned on some friends in the Congressional Black Caucus. Read More
On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Jesus Gonzalez finished a Newport outside his Bushwick office, then ducked to the back with a comb and some gel. He emerged with his close-cropped hair slicked down, and picked up a stack of campaign literature before setting out to knock on some doors.
“It is one of the oldest community organizing tactics,” said Mr. Gonzalez, in an untucked beige polo shirt, an oversized blazer, baggy jeans and shiny patent leather kicks. “Even Jesus’ disciples did it to spread the word.”
Mr. Gonzalez, who goes by the English pronunciation of his first name, Jesus – though some supporters have quietly tried to push the Spanish pronunciation for the campaign – will need some new converts to win the upcoming special election in New York’s 54th Assembly District. Read More
In a rare contested vote for a district leader seat in the Kings County Democratic Party, Council Member Erik Dilan defeated Congressman Ed Towns by a 36-10 margin.
The Dilan victory is a show of strength for the Bushwick council member and an embarrassing defeat for the longtime congressman, whose son, Darryl Towns held the Read More
More news out of the 54th Assembly district–a seat left vacant when Darryl Towns was named Andrew Cuomo’s housing commissioner.
According to several sources, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez is backing Jesus Gonzalez, a community organizer with Make the Road New York who also has the support of the Working Families Party. Velazquez has a longtime rivalry with Brooklyn Democratic leader Vito Lopez. Rafael Espinal, who is the chief-of-staff to Council member Erik Dilan–a longtime Lopez ally–is also in the race. Read More
