By Colin Campbell 4/25/12 8:36am

weirdness

Jeff Gottlieb (photo: gottliebforcongress.com)

Gottlieb’s Successor Also Declines to Run

Jeff Gottlieb made a number of headlines by quietly – then loudly – entering a Queens congressional race earlier this year, only to drop out and anoint a successor, attorney Stephen Green, to run in the Democratic primary instead. Now, via Gatemouth and the Board of Elections, we learn that Mr. Green himself has suddenly dropped out.

Mr. Green’s move perhaps closes the book on Mr. Gottlieb’s strange candidacy, accused by one of his opponents, Assemblyman Rory Lancman, of being a sham campaign that existed solely to get his name on the ballot and siphon of Jewish votes. At one point Mr. Lancman even memorably declared Mr. Gottlieb, a Board of Elections employee, was “the hackiest hack in all of hackdom.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/19/12 3:54pm

exits

Jeff Gottlieb

The ‘Hackiest Hack in All of Hackdom’ Is No More

It was a bumpy ride for former congressional candidate Jeff Gottlieb, a Board of Elections employee who quietly petitioned onto the ballot amid escalating accusations of a conspiracy to split the Jewish vote. One of his opponents, Assemblyman Rory Lancman, wasn’t especially subtle about his feelings towards Mr. Gottlieb and repeatedly referred to him as “the hackiest hack in all of hackdom.” 

However, the New York Daily News reported Mr. Gottlieb has used his campaign’s committee to fill vacancies to substitute in a new candidate, attorney Stephen Green, in his stead. Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/10/12 3:58pm

Weighing In

Joe Crowley (Photo: Facebook)

Joe Crowley: ‘Mr. Lancman Is Misinformed’

Congressman Joe Crowley, the head of the Queens County Democratic Party and a supporter of Assemblywoman Grace Meng’s congressional campaign, has only one thing to stay about Assemblyman Rory Lancman’s charges of a plot to split the Jewish vote in Ms. Meng’s favor: Mr. Lancman is misinformed.

So went the conversation following a Jackson Heights press conference earlier this afternoon on expanding visa access for tourists.

“He’s misinformed,” Mr. Crowley said bluntly when The Politicker first brought up Mr. Lancman’s argument. A long pause followed as both reporters questioning him waited for additional commentary. Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/10/12 3:16pm

rumble in queens

Jeff Gottlieb

Gottlieb Acknowledges Campaign; Blasts Lancman’s ‘Vicious’ Attacks

After previously insisting all future questions about his campaign would be answered at some future point, Jeff Gottlieb, a Board of Elections employee and a former staffer to various elected officials in Queens, is out with a wordy press release touting his biography and addressing allegations from opponent Rory Lancman that his congressional candidacy’s sole purpose is to split the Jewish vote.

“I am saddened that Assemblyman Lancman has decided to issue vicious political attacks upon learning of my candidacy,” Mr. Gottlieb said in the statement. “Is Rory really that afraid that his record on issues will be challenged here in the community? I think so and his actions clearly show his fear.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/10/12 9:45am

queens quest

Jeff Gottlieb (photo: jeffgottliebforcongress.com/)

Jeff Gottlieb’s Campaign Will Respond to These Allegations, in Due Time

Political operative Jay Golub is primarily handling the signature gathering operations for Jeff Gottlieb’s congressional campaign in Queens, but he also seems to be handling the press at this point, and earlier this morning, he repeatedly told The Politicker that the various allegations against the campaign will be responded to, just not now.

Notably one of Mr. Gottlieb’s rivals for the Democratic nomination, Assemblyman Rory Lancman, has argued not only that Mr. Gottlieb is part of a plot orchestrated to split the district’s Jewish vote, but is “one of the hackiest hacks in all of hackdom.” Read More