New York Post.

Headline of the Day: "Sheldon-come-lately"

Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver‘s late-night call to expel disgraced Assemblymen Vito Lopez from office hasn't helped to temper calls for his head. But most Democratic leaders seem unlikely to push for disciplinary action against the speaker. Gov. Andrew Cu0mo told reporters yesterday he didn't think it was his place "to say who the speaker is and who the speaker should be." He added: “I don’t see any comparison between what Vito Lopez and what Shelly Silver did ... There is a magnitude of difference.”

On an unrelated note, the governor seems to be raking in the green. His most recent finance disclosure statement, made public Thursday, shows he made between $1.75 million and $2 million. The bulk of his assets are reportedly managed by a blind trust at AMG National Trust Bank.

NBC 4 New York spotted Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin filming what appeared to be a campaign-style video yesterday on the stoop of Mr. Weiner’s childhood Park Slope home--the same place he kicked off his 2005 campaign. Sources told the Daily News Mr.Weiner is planning to launch his candidacy in a video instead of in person to avoid the potential embarrassment of hecklers. "A video is an easy, focused and safe option, opposed to an event rollout where not every single thing can be controlled," said one former aide.

Meanwhile, the Weiners' finances are coming under added scrutiny. Politico reported that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton created a special arrangement for Ms. Abedin that allowed her to do private consulting work for clients while serving as a top adviser to the State Department—an arrangement that Ms. Abedin failed to report in disclosure statements.

Endorsement season is underway, but some are choosing to sit out the game. Manhattan Democratic Party leaders decided last night not to endorse any candidate in the race to succeed Mayor Michael Bloomberg, according to the Daily News. Party Chair Keith Wright told the paper the move was not intended as a slight against either City Council Speaker Christie Quinn or former Comptroller Bill Thompson, who both live in the borough. "We thought it wise that we do not endorse as a county because a lot of our clubs throughout the borough have already decided to endorse candidates," he reportedly said. The group is also choosing to stay out of the public advocate and borough president races.

If you're one of those people still lamenting the mayoral choices: Take solace. It could be worse. Gawker reported last night that it had viewed a video allegedly showing Toronto's Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine. The video is being shopped around by a group of Somali drug dealers looking for a six figure payout, according to the Toronto Star.

Meanwhile, State Senator Eric Adams, one of the lawmakers secretly recorded by ex-State Sen. Shirley Huntley, is trying to clear his name as he soldiers on with his campaign for Brooklyn borough president. “There’s nothing on those tapes that’s detrimental to me. Nothing. Nothing,” he told the Brooklyn Young Democrats earlier this week, warning scheming colleagues to steer clear. “If you come and talk to me about breaking the law, you’re gonna find my handcuffs," he said. "I’m not here to break the law. I’m here to serve the people of the state and I’m consistent about that.” See the rest of his remarks here:

Keith Wright (photo: assembly.state.ny.us)

The Democrats in the State Assembly are rallying around Speaker Shelly Silver as his feeling the heat from Assemblyman Vito Lopez's sexual harassment scandal and the discovery that Mr. Silver authorized over $100,000 in state funds to be spent on confidential settlements for prior harassment claims. And you can count Assemblyman Keith Wright, the head of both the Manhattan and state Democratic Parties, among Mr. Silver's supporters, although not passionately so to the press.

Yesterday evening, the Politicker approached Mr. Wright outside the Midtown meeting where New York Democrats were preparing to select their official delegates for President Barack Obama's reelection, first inquiring what he made of the situation with Mr. Lopez, who chairs the neighboring Brooklyn Democratic Party. Mr. Wright responded with a nonverbal shrug.

"I think everybody else has made something of it," he next answered. "It is what it is."

We then questioned if he had a relationship with former Assemblyman Frank Seddio, who's currently set to be Mr. Lopez's replacement atop the borough's Democratic organization.

"I served with him, good guy," he said, adding when asked another question about Mr. Seddio's likability, "Good guy. Good guy."

And as to whether Mr. Wright had any thoughts regarding the criticism Mr. Silver is taking from the press about the settlement, he answered, "No thoughts."

"No thoughts. No thoughts," he repeated.

Later in the evening, an NY1 television crew interviewed Mr. Wright about the delegate selection process and pivoted to questions about Mr. Silver. They received a slightly more loquacious response.

"Listen, I felt that Shelly Silver acted swiftly, acted expeditiously in terms of the ruling that came down from the Assembly Ethics Committee," he said. "I don't know enough about the $100,000, don't know the facts of the case. I don't know the facts that went beyond ... what I read in the newspaper, so I'm not going to comment on that issue."

"Well, the Speaker, Silver, has said what he has said," he stated about Mr. Silver himself admitting fault on the matter. "As I said, I don't know the facts on the case, and I'm not going to comment. But the speaker certainly does, and he has said what he has said and the situation is what it is."

Keith Wright (Photo: NYS Assembly)

At Congressman Charlie Rangel's election night party outside Sylvia's Restaurant on Malcolm X Boulevard June 26, former New York Governor David Paterson served as emcee entertaining the crowd with political patter and jokes as the results rolled in. Standing on stage with Mr. Rangel's other longtime Harlem allies, Assemblyman Keith Wright, co-chair of the New York Democratic Party, and Assemblyman Carl Heastie, leader of the Bronx Democratic Party, Mr. Paterson declared Mr. Rangel victorious in his race against State Senator Adriano Espaillat.

"The firm of Heastie, Paterson & Wright have projected Charles Rangel the winner in the 13th Congressional District primary," Mr. Paterson proclaimed to loud cheers and applause.

Mr. Paterson's remarks were seemingly made in jest, however ten days after the election, there are some who fear Mr. Rangel's cronies did hand him a victory after the initial Board of Elections result was found to have left votes uncounted in over thirty precincts and Mr. Espaillat's campaign has gone to court with allegations of voter suppression and other "irregularities." In this morning's Daily News, Juan Gonzalez published a column detailing "troubling signs" that some Board of Elections officials engaged "in an all-out effort by the Democratic Party establishment to ensure a Rangel victory."

In a conversation with The Politicker, Mr. Wright vehemently denied the various charges in Mr. Gonzalez's story.

"It's not true," Mr. Wright said. "It's absolutely untrue."

In his report, Mr. Gonzalez claimed Timothy Gay, a deputy chief clerk at the Board of Elections who is overseeing the counting of votes in the Manhattan portion of the congressional district, met with "key Rangel campaign operatives, and with district leaders supporting Rangel." Mr. Gay told Mr. Gonzalez that at the meeting, which he said he attended at Mr. Wright's behest, he gave district leaders "lists of their Democratic inspectors assigned to their specific districts" and discussed "election matters in general."

"So why did candidate Rangel’s campaign staffers attend, while no Democratic district leaders who supported Espaillat were invited?" Mr. Gonzalez asked.

According to Mr. Wright, the meeting was "standard operating procedure" and Mr. Gay also had similar discussions with Mr. Espaillat's staffers.

"We did nothing that's not normally done and Mr. Espaillat has done it also. His folks are on the phone with Mr. Gay all the time. We asked for the list of who would be at our poll sites as we do before every election. Nothing serious, nothing negative," said Mr. Wright. "Mr. Espaillat did not invite me to be a part of his phone conversations with the Board of Elections, so why should I have [invited them to ours]?"

Ibrahim Khan, a spokesman for Mr. Espaillat said their campaign had routine phone conversations with Board of Elections officials several times during the race, but there were no in-person meetings like the one Mr. Gay had with Mr. Rangel's supporters.

"We've had conversations with various BOE officials throughout this process," said Mr. Khan.

Normally, poll workers are recommended by district leaders in their respective precincts. However, Mr. Gonzalez said he spoke with "a half-dozen district leaders who supported Espaillat" who told him "the Board of Elections rejected virtually all the people they recommended as poll workers."

Mr. Wright described this claim as "totally baseless." Mr. Gonzalez also said the Board of Elections reduced the number of Spanish interpreters it sent to the polls "throughout" Mr. Espaillat's base in Washington Heights "even though the board knew to expect a surge of Hispanic voters backing Espaillat, who is Dominican." Mr. Wright disputed this claim as well.

"When I went up to Washington Heights, I saw nothing but Spanish interpreters. I saw nothing but," he said.

Mr. Wright, who campaigned on Mr. Rangel's behalf, suggested Mr. Espaillat and his supporters were raising issues with the election to cost Mr. Rangel and his allies in future races.

"They're trying to create a Pyrrhic victory. Not going to happen," said Mr. Wright.

We ended up on the phone with Mr. Wright after calling his district office looking for his chief of staff, Jeanine Johnson, who is also one of the attorneys representing Mr. Rangel in the case Mr. Espaillat has brought against the Board of Elections. Mr. Wright said we should just talk to him instead. He also said Mr. Gonzalez made no attempt to speak with him before writing his piece about the Board.

"He didn't talk to me. It was irresponsible journalism, totally irresponsible," Mr. Wright said. "Please put in that Mr. Gonzalez did not speak to me, because I would have told him the whole story."

In a pair of emails to The Politicker, Mr. Gonzalez claimed he reached out to Mr. Wright at his office yesterday.

"Called his office yesterday and left a message, but received no reply," Mr. Gonzalez wrote. "Ask him to talk to his Harlem office. He'll see I left a message that I needed to talk to him about the Espaillat/Rangel race."

We called Mr. Wright backed and told him Mr. Gonzalez said he left a message with the office. Mr. Wright, in no uncertain terms said that was impossible. He also told us he called Mr. Gonzalez this morning after seeing the story and was still awaiting a response.

"That's such bullshit and that's such bullshit," said Mr. Wright. "He did not reach out to me, he's lying."

Wendy Long

Shortly after Wendy Long emerged victorious in New York's three-way Republican Senate primary, the New York State Democratic Party sent out a press release entitled "Who Is Wendy Long?" showcasing the "Top 10 Things The Republican Party Hopes You Don't Know About Their Extreme Candidate For U.S. Senate." The statement described Ms. Long as wanting to end "Medicare as we know it," "beholden to the D.C. lobbyist Grover Norquist's tax pledge," proud of "her association with the racist, anti-semitic homophobic Dartmouth Review," a leading opponent of "America's first Latina justice to sit on the Supreme Court" Sonia Sotomayor, "anti-choice," an opponent of same-sex marriage and an enemy to consumers, among other things.

Co-chair of the New York State Democratic Committee Keith Wright issued an accompanying statement claiming Ms. Long is radically different from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who she will challenge in November.

"The contrast between Wendy Long’s far right, extreme ideological views with Senator Gillibrand's record of bipartisan accomplishment in the Senate fighting for New York families and the middle class couldn’t be clearer," Mr. Wright said. "The Republican nominee is a candidate who supports wasteful tax subsidies for big oil and gas companies making record profits, at the expense of tax cuts for the middle class, won't protect our nation's commitment to Social Security and Medicare, will oppose a woman's right to choose and access to birth control, and is against equal rights for all New Yorkers."

Ms. Gillibrand also issued a statement about Ms. Long winning the nomination, but it took a much more low key approach.

"Senator Gillibrand called Wendy Long to congratulate her on winning the Republican primary. Kirsten looks forward to running a strong campaign based on her record of fighting hard and delivering as a strong independent voice for New York families," the statement said.

Jay Jacobs (photo: nydems.org)

New York State Chairman Jay Jacobs may be stepping down soon for his two new replacements, but he's still in a jovial mood. And, asked what advice he might have for the future co-chairs, Assemblyman Keith Wright and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Minor, he kept it simple.

"Think before your talk," he told us after his press conference yesterday denouncing Mitt Romney's business record. "I'd say that for sure. I think you just have to keep your wits about you, keep your humor and realize nothing's personal."

Mr. Jacobs had nothing but praise for Mr. Wright and Ms. Minor as well.

"I'm excited about it, I like both of them. Wright is a friend of mine, so is Stephanie," he said. "I think they're both going to be excellent and I think they're solidly good choices."

Asked if he felt two co-chairs is better than having a single chairman run the party, he emphasized the qualities of the candidates rather than delving into organizational philosophy.

"I think this happens to be a uniquely good team and I think they'll be a good team," he responded, but adding in his own experience adjusting to a new executive director, Charlie King, after Governor Andrew Cuomo won in 2010. "You have to feel out how each are doing. You learn what talents you have and what your partner has, and it works out fine."

Congressman Towns' campaign has been mysterious lately.

April 16th at midnight is the filing deadline for congressional candidates to deliver their signatures to the local Board of Elections to get onto the June 26th primary ballot, but in an interesting wrinkle in election law, candidates can still substitute in someone else after this date.

"You have four days after the last day to submit your petitions to decline, so in this case, the day is the 16th and you have until the 20th to decline," election law guru Jerry Goldfeder succinctly explained to The Politicker this afternoon. "And if you do so, your committee to fill vacancies votes to substitute someone else."

This is an uncommon but not unheard-of procedure. For example, former Congressman Thomas Manton used it to handpick Joe Crowley as his successor.

(The committee is designated on a candidate's campaign petitions and its members can be expected to be loyal to the candidate's wishes.)

This year, there are two races in particular that could potential house this sort of electoral surprise.

First, rumors have constantly been raising the possibility of octogenarian Congressman Charlie Rangel -- who is recovering from a serious back injury -- passing his torch to Assemblyman Keith Wright, the head of the Manhattan's Democratic Party organization. Indeed, Mr. Rangel's committee to fill vacancies is stocked full of allies of Mr. Wright as well.

However, both Mr. Rangel and Mr. Wright have steadfastly denied any such deal being in place.

Less widely rumored is veteran Congressman Ed Towns, who unlike Mr. Rangel, has no visible reelection campaign and has been avoiding all campaign-related events and not returning press inquiries until recently.

Mr. Towns' campaign got a little more noisy today with political consultant Hank Sheinkopf addressing the press and attacking one of Mr. Towns' opponents, Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries. However, despite the sudden interest in talking to the media (Mr. Towns' previous campaign spokesman did not return emails or calls), Mr. Sheinkopf refused to definitively say if Mr. Towns would seek reelection.

When directly asked if Mr. Towns was even running for reelection, Mr. Sheinkopf would only point to a statement he gave to Capital New York's Reid Pillifant that suggested Mr. Jeffries is out of touch while musing, "We shall see what happens."

However, unlike Mr. Rangel, Mr. Towns has no natural successor. At one point in his career, Mr. Towns' son, then-Assemblyman Darryl Towns, seemed interested, but he has since taken a job in the Cuomo administration and his entry would be a big surprise.

Still, Mr. Sheinkkopf's and Mr. Towns' actions are odd and observers following the race are curious what Mr. Towns' next move is going to be.

Later this month Mr. Silver--along with Harlem Assemblyman Keith Wright, chair of the Labor Committee--will hold a series of hearings around the state.

“These hearings are an important next step in the process to raise the minimum wage,” said Mr. Silver. “It is important for our communities to speak up. Raising the minimum wage fairly rewards low-wage workers, helping those who are striving to help themselves and in the process, giving a boost to local economies.”

The Assembly bill would raise the minimum wage to $8.50 an hour and index the rate to inflation. In an interview earlier this week,  Gov. Andrew Cuomo sounded torn on the economics of a minimum wage increase, while praising his relationship with Mr. Silver.

The rest of the release, including hearing dates and times, is below:

“Corporate profits of low-wage employers are soaring in this economy. At the same time, the wages of hard working families are eroding. We must break this hopeless cycle,” said Wright. “Low-wage workers will support their families by spending this extra money at businesses in their own neighborhoods. There is no doubt. Raising the minimum wage will spur economic growth and create jobs.”

The legislation calls for the minimum wage to increase to $8.50 in January of 2013. The minimum wage will be indexed, requiring an increase each year to adjust for inflation according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Indexing will begin January of 2014. The legislation will also set wages for food service workers who receive tips at $5.86. This wage will also be indexed annually to adjust for inflation.

The minimum wage in New York has increased only ten cents in the last six years. It was raised with the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour in 2009. Prior to that, the minimum wage was $7.15, which was set in 2007.

The District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and 15 other states have higher minimum wage rates than New York State. Ten other states have passed legislation indexing the minimum wage to ensure the minimum wage will not erode each year as the cost of living rises

Keith Wright standing behind Charles Rangel at yesterday's presser along with Councilwoman Inez Dickens and Assembly members Guillermo Linares and Robert Rodriguez. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

As Congressman Charles Rangel made his first public appearance after being sidelined by health problems for more than two months, his longtime ally Assemblyman Keith Wright stood in the background. As Mr. Rangel prepares to face a serious threat to his more than forty year congressional career in the form of four primary challengers, rumors have run rampant Mr. Rangel is merely campaigning for election in order to anoint a chosen heir, namely, Mr. Wright. Both Mr. Wright and Mr. Rangel dismissed this rumor at the congressman's press conference yesterday.

When we asked him about the idea he wants to pass his seat to Mr. Wright, Mr. Rangel laughed and questioned whether the scenario is even possible.

"You know, I've heard a lot about that too. Do you have a formula that you pass along and you say, 'This is your seat?'"

Mr. Rangel said there's no question he plans to serve a full term. Despite his "love" for Mr. Wright, Mr. Rangel said the assemblyman will have to be elected if he wants to follow his footsteps in Congress.

"Let me make it clear, there are a lot of people that figure I've been around so long that they have to create questions, when they really know the answers to most of them. The fact is, that if I went to my constituents and asked for two more years, it means that they trust me enough to serve for two years," Mr. Rangel said. "There's no one that I love dearer more than Keith. He's worked hard, but elections are elections."

Mr. Rangel added he was offended anyone would suggest he has a plan to choose an heir.

"I wish people would not infer that I'm crooked and I plan to develop some plan where, you vote for me and you're going to get Keith in the morning," Mr. Rangel said. "I mean that's not right."

After the press conference concluded, Mr. Wright approached The Politicker.

"Thanks for bringing my name up like that," he said referring to our question in the press conference.

We asked whether he was being saracastic or was genuinely glad ot have been mentioned. Mr. Wright replied with a stern glare and had little to say when we asked if he had any additional comment on the rumors.

"There's no deal," Mr. Wright said before walking away.

Adriano Espaillat (Photo: NYS Senate)

State Senator Adriano Espaillat officially announced his intention to run for the House of Representatives in Upper Manhattan's 13th District at a fundraiser for the Barack Obama Democratic Club yesterday ending months of speculation over whether he would challenge veteran Congressman Charlie Rangel. Sources who attended the event said Mr. Espaillat, who would become the first Congressman of Dominican descent if his bid is successful, quoted from J.F.K.'s inaugural address and said "the torch must be passed down to a new generation of Americans."

Mr. Espaillat has been hinting at a run for Congress since at least January, but he initially signaled he was only interested in running if a predominantly Latino district was created uptown and did not desire a race against Mr. Rangel. Earlier this month, after the redistricting process left Mr. Espaillat with no other option than to run against the veteran congressman, he formed a campaign committee and began circulating petitions.

Mr. Rangel, 81, is a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus who has spent more than four decades in the House of Representatives, but his censure for ethics violations in 2010 and the growing Latino majority in his district have led to speculation he might not run for re-election this time around. The congressman's allies in the State Assembly pushed a plan to protect him from a potential Latino challenger by taking a portion of his longtime base in Upper Manhattan and adding sections of The Bronx and Westchester to create a predominantly African-American district. That plan was not adopted when the final congressional map was approved by a three-judge panel. In addition to these political problems, Mr. Rangel has also been dealing with health woes that have led to two hospitalizations and his longest absence from the House floor in at least ten years. Despite these challenges, Mr. Rangel has remained adamant about his desire to run for re-election remain in his seat.

With the various issues swirling around Mr. Rangel, rumors have abounded he is running in order to pass his seat to his longtime ally, Assembyman Keith Wright, and would step down soon afterward if he is victorious in the race. Mr. Rangel vigorously denied these rumors in a statement last week. According to a source who attended the Barack Obama Democratic Club fundraiser yesterday, Mr. Wright spoke before Mr. Espaillat's announcement and said he hoped the campaign would not lead to a "civil war" between African-Americans and Latinos. Another source said Mr. Rangel's deputy chief of staff Geoffrey Eaton and former Democratic National Committee head Clyde Williams, who is running for the seat as well, were also in attendance. The Barack Obama Democrats are holding a meeting to decide who they will endorse on Wednesday.

Mr. Espaillat is considered a rising star in the State Democratic Party and could pose a formidable challenge to Mr. Rangel. The 13th District is over 50 percent Latino and heavily Dominican. Mr. Espaillat's status as the potential first Dominican congressman should give him great appeal in the district. In addition to Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Rangel and Mr. Williams, former executive and Democratic district leader Joyce Johnson is in the race and Mr. Rangel's ex-staffer Vince Morgan has been eyeing the seat. Like Mr. Rangel, Mr, Williams, Ms. Johnson and Mr. Morgan are African-American and could chip away at some of Mr. Rangel's support with his black base.

Charlie Rangel

Congressman Charlie Rangel is back in the hospital for the second time this month. Mr. Rangel's spokeswoman, Hannah Kim, told The Politicker the congressman is still coping with a back injury that has kept him out of the House of Representatives since February 9, his longest absence in at least ten years.

"The Congressman is receiving additional treatments for his back. He is optimistic that the situation will be resolved soon," Ms. Kim said.

Mr. Rangel spent more than a week in the hospital starting at the end of last month. After that hospitalization, Ms. Kim told us, "his back is dramatically improving and we expect him to be back in Washington in no time." Mr. Rangel's health woes come as he faces a challenge for his seat from former Democratic National Committee head Clyde Williams and, potentially, from State Senator Adriano Espaillat.

News of Mr. Rangel's hospitalization comes on the same day his campaign launched an offensive against what they described as "rumors" and inaccurate press reports. In 2010, Mr. Rangel was censured for multiple ethics violations including using a rent-controlled apartment as a campaign office. Earlier this week, he agreed to pay a $23,000 fine for the campaign office flap. His censure and the changing demographics of his district prompted speculation Mr. Rangel would not run for re-election this year after over four decades in Washington. Today, the Daily News also reported a rumor Mr. Rangel is planning to quickly step down if he is re-elected this year in order to have his longtime ally, Assemblyman Keith Wright, succeed him. Today, Mr. Rangel attempted to dismiss all the various rumors surrounding his campaign by releasing a statement promising to run for re-election and vowing to serve a full term if he emerges victorious.

"I am not in this race so I could politically manipulate the system. The constituents I have long served know, and those who I now seek to represent will learn, that I am a straight-talker. Any rumors that say I'm not going to serve out a full term are false," Mr. Rangel said. "Again, I am absolutely running for re-election. I intend to serve my entire term. There is no wiggle room."

Mr. Rangel's campaign spokesman, Bob Liff, also released a lengthy statement today on the congressman's behalf seeking to clarify the record surrounding his ethics violations:

"It is important for the historical record and for Congressman Charles B. Rangel's constituents to learn the truth, when it comes to inaccuracies in reporting on the background of Congressman Rangel agreeing to pay an FEC penalty concerning an apartment in the Harlem building where he lives. ... Use of language that he 'dodged' or 'evaded' taxes are untrue; neither did he 'hide' or 'conceal' his assets as mischaracterized in many of the articles. ... The tax allegation involved claims that he failed to report as income on his federal tax return the rental income from a time-share unit (not a 'posh' villa as often depicted) he owned in the Dominican Republican which was used to offset his mortgage payments. ... On the use of an apartment as a campaign office, in the Harlem building where he lives, he rented it at the invitation of the landlord at a time when there was a 20 percent vacancy in the building. He paid the maximum rent-regulated rent throughout the time he used the space. Though New York City’s rent regulations are extremely complicated, he immediately moved his campaign office out of the building when controversy around the apartment arose."

Mr. Liff concluded his statement by re-iterating the congressman's intention to run for re-election and continue serving his district.

"No one is perfect, the Congressman is not either. But one thing is for certain, Charlie Rangel will run hard to keep doing what he enjoys and does best--serving his constituents and the country he loves so much," Mr. Liff said.