(Photo: Getty)

When it comes to replacing outgoing Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand doesn't have a favorite, but that doesn't mean she lacks any political love to share around. Accordingly, Ms. Gillibrand is set to appear at fundraisers for all three of the leading Democratic candidates for the position: Councilwoman Tish James, former congressional candidate Reshma Saujani and State Senator Dan Squadron. The fundraisers for Ms. James and Ms. Saujani had already been rolled out, while Mr. Squadron's campaign announced their own event earlier this afternoon.

"One of my favorite weekend activities with my wife and 20-month-old son is having dim sum in Chinatown," Mr. Squadron wrote in an email to his supporters. "So I'm excited to invite you to join us for 'Dim Sum for Daniel' on Sunday, January 6th – with special guest U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand....I hope you will join Senator Gillibrand on January 6th for some dim sum and a fun Sunday afternoon. If you have kids, please bring them along – I’m bringing mine!"

Ms. Gillibrand will not be endorsing in this race, however. After Ms. James' event was released, her spokesman explained she has "a number of friends actively considering the race and thinks they each would do a fantastic job as the Public Advocate.”

Other candidates in the race include education activist Noah Gotbaum and professor Catherine Guerriero.

View Mr. Squadron's invite below:

Dear friend,

One of my favorite weekend activities with my wife and 20-month-old son is having dim sum in Chinatown. So I'm excited to invite you to join us for "Dim Sum for Daniel" on Sunday, January 6th – with special guest U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

I am so pleased that Senator Gillibrand has agreed to be part of this event in support of my Public Advocate campaign committee. Senator Gillibrand, a mother of two, has been a champion of New York families. From the food access and product safety that will keep our kids healthy, to the broader education and economic policies that help strengthen our middle class, I'm proud to call her my Senator – especially as a young parent myself.

As I look toward running for Public Advocate, I'm focused on ensuring that every voice is heard in city government and finding ways to organize people to make a difference on the issues and causes they care about. This includes policies that will help people stay in New York and care for their families. Programs I've fought for, like expanded middle class child care and Nurse Family Partnership, will go a long way toward strengthening New York's families.

I hope you will join Senator Gillibrand on January 6th for some dim sum and a fun Sunday afternoon. If you have kids, please bring them along – I’m bringing mine!

Please RSVP here.

Thanks,

Daniel

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

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."

Along with the request for money for new projects, Mr. Schumer said he and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are also working to ensure Army Corps of Engineers projects approved prior to the storm are completed.

"Senator Gillibrand and I have already submitted a billion dollars, and we've given that to the administration, of seven Army Corps projects that were actually approved and have been authorized to protect our beaches and our low-lying water areas," he explained. "One example, the City of Long Beach in 2005 asked for--the Army Corps was ready to build high dunes. A small group of homeowners in Long Beach at that time objected and the city said, 'Don't do it.' Now, of course, the city manager has called me and said, 'I want it right away.'"

Though Mr. Schumer forecast the push for post-Sandy federal aid will be a "hard fight," he said the Army Corps projects that have previously been approved should be easier to find funding for. He also said he expects the Army Corps of Engineers to undertake other, new storm protection projects.

"The good news is, on those projects we don't have to go through a whole study and authorization. We have seven of those that affect Staten Island, the Rockaways and Long Island," said Mr. Schumer. "But there'll be lots of other Army Corps projects that deal with mitigation. There will also be other types of mitigation that make our buildings stronger, make our tunnels more protected, things like that."

Mayor Bloomberg (Photo: Getty)

WASHINGTON -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg is in Washington D.C. today meeting with lawmakers and other officials about his request for billions of dollars in federal aid to help the city recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy last month in New York. Though many City residents affected by Sandy have had some criticism about FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security's response to the storm, at a press conference in the Capitol Building this afternoon, Mr. Bloomberg said he didn't have a single issue with the federal followup to the hurricane. 

Mr. Bloomberg said his morning schedule in Washington included meetings with key lawmakers and "a long talk and lunch" with Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, who is President Barack Obama's point person on the longterm rebuilding effort after the storm. The mayor gave his assessmentof the federal response to Sandy while discussing his meeting with Mr. Donovan.

"I did thank him for all the help we've received from Washington already including from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency," said Mr. Bloomberg.  "I will say that the support of both of those agencies was exemplary. And people kept asking me, 'Is there anything we could improve on?' And I had to say honestly, no, that I don't know one complaint. These people--both agencies have worked as hard as anybody could and as effectively as anybody could ask for."

Overall, Mayor Bloomberg, who was accompanied by Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, said the reception they received during their push for storm aid was "very good." Though he and the senators acknowledged the tight federal budget, he expressed confidence the City will get the aid he is seeking.

"There's every reason to believe that Congress will provide us with the assistance we need given New York City's importance to the health of the entire nation," the mayor said. "Consider this, we're just 2.6 percent of the nation's population, but we do generate 4.3 percent of America's gross national product."

(Photo: Getty)

No surprises here. President Barack Obama and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand both emerged victorious in New York State tonight.

Although countless voters remain in line at New York City precincts, which are required to remain open for all voters who showed up before 9 p.m., the Empire State's overall preference for Democrats was still enough to overwhelm any ambiguity as to the ultimate victor.

Ms. Gillibrand, who dominated in pre-election polling and had a mammoth campaign war chest, was not expected to face a serious threat today. Her opponent, Republican attorney Wendy Long, waged an aggressive and energetic campaign, but, thanks to a lack in resources, never quite caught on. This victory will be Ms. Gillibrand's second in four years. In 2010, she won the 2-year remainder of then-Senator Hillary Clinton's term after the incumbent left to join the Obama administration.

Attention now will be paid to the downballot races, especially for the U.S. House where the redistricting process left an unusually large swath of competitive campaigns. In the New York City metropolitan area, these include the races of Long Island's Democratic incumbent, Tim Bishop, and GOP Representatives Michael Grimm and Nan Hayworth in Staten Island and the Hudson Valley respectively. Control of the New York State Senate could also potentially be in the air if Democratic candidates overperform expectations in a number of key races as well.

Nationwide, the Democratic Party has done well in U.S. Senate races so far. Connecticut's Chris Murphy, Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren, Pennsylvania's Bob Casey and Florida's Bill Nelson have all been projected to win. In Indiana, Democrat Joe Donelly is currently leading Richard Mourdock, and, in Maine, Independent Angus King, who's expected to side with the Democrats, is the projected winner.

Kirsten Gillibrand (Photo: Wikimedia)

CHARLOTTE, NC -- New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand apparently really enjoyed the speech Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren delivered at the Democratic National Convention last night. Shortly after Ms. Warren left the stage, Ms. Gillibrand sent an email to her supporters encouraging them to give money to Ms. Warren.

"I can’t stop thinking about Elizabeth Warren’s speech," Ms. Gillibrand wrote. "You could hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes: Elizabeth will never give up on the middle class. She’ll be relentless in making sure everyone gets a fair shot."

Ms. Gillibrand is also at the convention where she has sparked increased speculation she may be planning to enter the presidential race four years from now. In her email, Ms. Gillibrand noted Ms. Warren is currently behind her Republican opponent, Scott Brown, in both fundraising and polls.

"She’s the fighter I want alongside me in Washington," Ms. Gillibrand said of Ms. Warren. "But right now, the polls show her tied and her opponent has a $2 million cash advantage."

Ms. Gillibrand described Ms. Warren as a "middle-class champion" and said her campaign is vital to the Democrats' hopes of retaining their slim, four seat majority in the Senate. She urged would-be donors to open their wallets "now" so Ms. Warren "can come out of the convention with a wave of momentum that will carry her to victory in November."

Read Ms. Gillibrand's full email below.

"I can’t stop thinking about Elizabeth Warren’s speech.

You could hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes: Elizabeth will never give up on the middle class. She’ll be relentless in making sure everyone gets a fair shot.

For those reasons and more, she’s the fighter I want alongside me in Washington. But right now, the polls show her tied and her opponent has a $2 million cash advantage.

To hold our majority in the Senate, we need to elect Elizabeth. That’s why I’m asking you now to join me in making a direct contribution to her campaign. It has to be now so she can come out of the convention with a wave of momentum that will carry her to victory in November.

Rush $5 or more to help elect Elizabeth Warren to the U.S. Senate. She’s the middle-class champion we need in Washington.

Thanks,

Kirsten "

Wendy Long at today's press conference.

Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Wendy Long is fed up about the federal debt and held a press conference in front of the National Debt Clock this morning to sound the alarm bells over its looming size. And, unsurprisingly, she blamed incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for the problem.

"Since she took office in January 2009 in the U.S. Senate and since Barack Obama was elected, the national debt at that point was $10.6 trillion, and it's now about to be $16 trillion," Ms. Long said. "This is unacceptable."

Of course, many other GOP pols have made similar speeches in front of the National Debt Clock, including Ms. Gillibrand's 2010 opponent, Joe DioGuardi. However, Ms. Long combined the generic criticism of spending and deficits with an interesting pledge. If she's elected, she vowed to take a 25% cut in her salary each year she fails to bring down the federal debt.

"We're here to call on Senator Gillibrand, President Obama, and all of those representing us in Washington to get this clock going in the other direction and to bring federal spending, debt and deficits under control," Ms. Long said. "I will pledge that if I'm elected, this clock will start going in the other direction. If it doesn't, I would agree to take a cut in my salary, 25% for every year that this clock goes in the wrong direction."

"I call on my opponent and I call on every elected official going back to Washington to take the same pledge, that if they can't bring the debt down and get this clock going in the other direction, that they will take a cut in their salary," she continued. "Because this is the most fundamental thing that we are paying their salaries for, to set the federal budget and to live responsibly within our means."

Another number ticking in the wrong direction for Ms. Long are her poll numbers. Earlier this month, a Siena College Institute Poll found Ms. Long distantly trailing Ms. Gillibrand 65% to 22%, a slightly larger gap than the month before. Asked when those numbers will start to turn around, Ms. Long simply told us "soon."

Kirsten Gillibrand (Photo: Wikimedia)

Though it has been less than two hours since Missouri Congressman Todd Akin took to the airwaves and vowed to keep his senate campaign going, he is now reportedly ending that bid following the flap over a statement he made that women can't get pregnant from "legitimate rape." However, the rumors of Mr. Akin's impending political demise didn't stop New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand from sending her supporters and email asking them to donate to Mr. Akin's Democratic opponent, Claire McCaskill.

"In all my years of public service, I’ve heard a lot of shocking remarks on the campaign trail. But yesterday’s appalling comment by Tea Party senatorial candidate Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri took things to a whole new level," Ms. Gillibrand wrote. "This from someone who’s tied with Senator Claire McCaskill in the polls, from someone who could tip the balance of power in the Republicans’ favor. We can’t let Akin win. We need to help Claire, who’s been a strong progressive voice in the Senate on behalf of women’s rights. Give to Claire McCaskill’s campaign today and help make sure Akin and his abhorrent views don’t reach the Senate."

Ms. Gillibrand characterized Mr. Akin's remarks as indicative of the "unfounded, far-fetched theories" espoused by "ultraconservative Republicans."

"Akin’s comment is not just profoundly insensitive to all victims of rape, it shows an astounding ignorance about the workings of the human body. It’s hard to believe that he is actually a member of the House Science Committee! But we’ve come to see how some right-wing Republicans will invent all sorts of unfounded, far-fetched theories to support their ultraconservative ideological beliefs," she wrote.

Ms. Gillibrand is far from the only Democrat rushing to capitalize on Mr. Akin's remarks. Shortly after Ms. Gillibrand's missive reached Politicker's inbox, we received a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraising email written by Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, who encouraged people to give money to the DCCC in order to "send the message to Congressman Akin that this type of hostility towards women and victims of rape will not be tolerated."

Read Ms. Gillibrand's full email below.

"In all my years of public service, I’ve heard a lot of shocking remarks on the campaign trail. But yesterday’s appalling comment by Tea Party senatorial candidate Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri took things to a whole new level.

“If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,” he said, defending his absolute opposition to abortion, even in cases of rape.

This from someone who’s tied with Senator Claire McCaskill in the polls, from someone who could tip the balance of power in the Republicans’ favor.

We can’t let Akin win. We need to help Claire, who’s been a strong progressive voice in the Senate on behalf of women’s rights.

Give to Claire McCaskill’s campaign today and help make sure Akin and his abhorrent views don’t reach the Senate.

Click here to make your donation to Claire’s campaign right now. It’s the best way to express your outrage about Akin’s remark and ensure the Democrats keep our Senate majority.

Akin’s comment is not just profoundly insensitive to all victims of rape, it shows an astounding ignorance about the workings of the human body. It’s hard to believe that he is actually a member of the House Science Committee!

But we’ve come to see how some right-wing Republicans will invent all sorts of unfounded, far-fetched theories to support their ultraconservative ideological beliefs.

It’s up to us to make sure Claire has the resources she needs to beat Akin and help us protect the critical Democratic majority in the Senate.

Give to the McCaskill for Senate campaign as soon as you can and make your voice heard. Even just $5 will make a real difference in this extremely tight race.

I believe this could be a real turning point in the Missouri race and in our overall effort to keep control of the Senate. Let’s be sure to take advantage of this moment as best we can.

Thanks for your generous support,

Kirsten"

Today's press conference

About a week ago, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand sent an email to her supporters suggesting that she could be "outspent" in her campaign against Republican Wendy Long. This claim struck many as extremely incredulous, as she's a prodigious fundraiser who's already raised over $10 million so far, compared with a tiny fraction of that amount by Ms. Long. We asked Ms. Long about this during her press conference where she was endorsed by former Gov. George Pataki, causing her to similarly react with skepticism.

"I don't know why she's saying that. I don't think it probably has any basis in fact," Mr. Long answered. "We ran a very lean primary campaign, she has $10 million dollars."

Ms. Long then connected the claims to her continued criticism of Ms. Gillibrand using the phrase "War on Women" to describe the Republican agenda regarding reproductive rights, equal pay legislation and the like.

"I don't know why she's saying that. She's obviously trying to raise more money," she added. "It's her scare tactics, just like her phony 'War on Women' scare tactics. I think she uses these things to get people worked up and try and get more campaign money."

The fundraising gap is one of the reasons Ms. Long has a steeply uphill battle to climb, however. New York's population base is centered in an incredibly expensive media market, and in a blue state that President Obama is expected to easily carry, a Republican needs a hefty campaign war chest to get his or her message out and sway countless default Democratic voters.

James O'Keefe posing as a government contractor in his new video. (Photo: YouTube)

The latest video from controversial conservative provocateur James O'Keefe's "Project Veritas" implies unions and several big name New York politicians are colluding to earn state and federal contracts for do-nothing companies purporting to hire for so-called "environmental jobs."

In the clip, Mr. O'Keefe portrays an executive for a business that literally digs ditches and fills them back up with more dirt. He visits with John Hutchings, whom he describes as a "director" of the Laborers' International Union of North America, and former assemblyman Ronald Tocci and another man who apparently discuss how easy it is for them to use their lobbyists and political connections to get cash for businesses.

"When we go for a bill, you know, you've got to get approval of the Senate, and the Assembly and then the Governor's got to sign that. We have a lobbyist for the Senate [Republicans], and we have a lobbyist for the Democrats and that's how we try to push our agenda through," Mr. Hutchings says in the video. 

Mr. Hutchings specifically mentions Tom McMahon, Tom Harnet, who he says "usually takes care of" the Democrats in the Assembly and Powers & Company, who "take care of the Senate."

Mr. O'Keefe's is best known for releasing videos targeting ACORN that resulted in organization losing federal funding. His partisan ambush attack films have been criticized by his detractors and in 2010 he was arrested and accused of trying to hack into the phone lines in the office of Democratic Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu.

In this clip, which has been heavily edited and features the pop hit "Call Me Maybe," Mr. O'Keefe and an accomplice painstakingly tell Mr. Hutchings their company does nothing but dig and re-fill ditches.

"You really have to dress up what we do, 'cause all we do is dig holes," Mr. O'Keefe says.

He goes on to ask if Mr. Hutchings knows "political office holders in New York... who can help us find those--basically excuses to get public funds."

Mr. Hutchings says New York's two senators will give them a friendly reception.

"We're good with Gillibrand and Schumer," Mr. Hutchings says.

Mr. Tocci suggests his former Assembly "colleagues" Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Eliot Engel.

"It's awful hard for anybody to vote against, like, a jobs bill right now," says Mr. Hutchings.

According to Mr. Hutchings, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver won't involved himself in picking the recipients of grants, but he does approve them.

"Shelly Silver wouldn't say specifically, 'Fill the dirt there.' He would have to approve a grant to do that type of stuff, then we'd have to find places where to dig," Mr. Hutchings says. "He doesn't want to get involved in picking, that's where they get into trouble."

Mr. Hutchings is dismissive of the Green Jobs, Green New York program as well as the NYSERDA grant system, but thinks there's a positive aspect as long as people are being hired.

"You know, the Green Jobs Green New York, between us, a lot of it's bullshit," Mr. Hutchings says. "Even if it's bullshit, I think as long as people are working that's not bullshit."

Watch Mr. O'Keefe's edited nearly nine minute version of the video below. He also posted nearly one hour of "raw footage" here.

Wendy Long (Photo: NY1)

Throughout Rep. Bob Turner's unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign this year, the candidate often cited his support from the Jewish community to argue for his unique general election appeal and why he was the sole candidate who could beat Kirsten Gillibrand in the fall. Mr. Turner, of course, won in upset special election last year by scoring high margins among observant Jewish voters. Yet, on the front page of Hamodia, a prominent Orthodox Jewish daily, Mr. Turner's former opponent and current Republican nominee Wendy Long saw her praises sung.

"Wendy Long was chosen by Republicans to take on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who has championed a progressive social agenda at the expense of the weakening economy," Yochonon Donn, an editor at Hamodia, wrote. "Long has promised that she has a unique experience in fighting that."

The editorial continues, "Long is a strong conservative leader with experience in judicial affairs from her time spent clerking for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and helping to shepherd President W. Bush's nomination of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito through congressional hearings."

Of course, the line about Mr. Roberts takes on new meaning today, as he was the key swing vote upholding President Barack Obama's health care insurance mandate. Ms. Long made no specific mention of Mr. Roberts in her statement on the issue today, simply stating, "I respectfully disagree that Obamacare's individual mandate is justified as a tax."

Update: For what it's worth, Ms. Long did apparently did mention Mr. Roberts on the radio this morning, saying on The Capitol Pressroom, "I fundamentally disagree with what Chief Justice Roberts did, which was to label ObamaCare a proper tax under Congress’ taxing power, it really isn’t."