(Photo: Facebook)

Tells us how you really feel, Councilman Lew Fidler.

Mr. Fidler, who yesterday criticized Senator-elect Simcha Felder for vowing to cross party lines and caucus with the Republicans, took another pass this afternoon in a lengthy statement where he demanded Mr. Felder himself answer questions about the decision.

"Simcha is correct that the parties are not a religion, nor should they be," Mr. Fidler wrote. "But being open and honest with the voters should be."

Additionally, Mr. Fidler recalled the time Mr. Felder, a former colleague in the City Council, avoided voting for now-Speaker Christine Quinn by exiting the room, arguing even an abstention such as that would be more noble than outright joining the GOP conference.

"Several years ago as a member of the City Council, Simcha agreed to support a candidate for Speaker and then conveniently went to the men’s room at the time of the vote," he continued. "I’d much prefer that behavior to the overt choice to mislead. Simcha and I will, I hope, continue to be friends….but he needs to answer the questions or they will haunt him from the first day he takes office."

Although Mr. Fidler requested Mr. Felder personally answer his questions about when the senator-elect specifically decided to join the Republican caucus, or what he was promised in return, it doesn't seem the councilman will immediately get his wish.

“As Senator-elect Felder said repeatedly from the moment he began his campaign, he would caucus with the group of Senators that would most benefit his district. When he takes office in January as a member of the Majority Conference, the people of Brooklyn will benefit from his decision," Mr. Felder's spokesman, Kalman Yeger, said in a statement when reached for a response. "Simcha looks forward to working with all of Brooklyn’s elected officials – Democrats and Republicans – to provide the most and best to their shared constituents, and firmly believes his decision will enable him to do so.”

View Mr. Fidler's full statement below:

Statement from Councilman Lew Fidler Regarding Simcha Felder’s Move to the Republican Party:

A Challenge that Simcha Felder Must Answer.

Yesterday, I expressed my disappointment in my friend and former colleague Simcha Felder’s decision to caucus with Republicans and asked for an explanation. Through a spokesman, Simcha issued a statement which on its face lacks any substantive credibility.

Throughout the campaign, Simcha had assured the voters---and me personally---that he would sit with whichever party delivered the most for his district. Transactional for sure, but apparently honest. I took him at his word as did most voters.

Simcha’s explanation yesterday was a subtle yet wholly significant explanation from what he had promised. It waxed poetic about philosophies and abounded with some nonsense about the Republicans in the Senate being compassionate towards the poor and for the middle class.

That begs the question: When did Simcha Felder come to understand the philosophies of the political parties? What changed about the philosophies of the parties since the election that Simcha was not aware of before the election? If he knew, the philosophies of the parties before the election, why did he not state publicly that he would sit with the Republicans? That is the true issue here…..was Simcha Felder being honest with the voters of the district? Since it would be hard to imagine that Simcha learned anything about party philosophy after the election, Simcha did a disservice to the voters of his Senate district. Surely, countless thousands chose him over his Republican opponent because he was the Democratic Party candidate.

Therefore, Simcha---and not his spokesman---owes an answer to those questions---and specific answers, not pabulum---to those questions.

Additionally, if Simcha chooses to revert to his transactional answer, then he needs to tell people what pieces of silver were offered and by whom. Whatever was promised is being paid for out of the public till and the public has a right to know that as well.

I applaud the statement made by my friend and County Leader Frank Seddio. To those that differ, I would suggest that there is a huge difference between endorsing candidates of other parties from time to time and running on a party’s line and then without any intervening event, indicating that the other party is more consistent with the candidate’s own philosophy and organizing the legislative body with the other side. Simcha is correct that the parties are not a religion, nor should they be. But being open and honest with the voters should be.

Simcha needs to answer those questions. If he can’t, and does not think he can philosophically be a Democrat, he ought to do the right thing and change his party enrollment. As Democrats, we are free to---and should---disagree on issues all the time. But when you believe that the other party shares your philosophy of government more than your own, then you should change parties. To thine own self, be true.

Several years ago as a member of the City Council, Simcha agreed to support a candidate for Speaker and then conveniently went to the men’s room at the time of the vote. I’d much prefer that behavior to the overt choice to mislead. Simcha and I will, I hope, continue to be friends….but he needs to answer the questions or they will haunt him from the first day he takes office.

(Photo: Getty)

Tell us how you really feel, Councilman Lew Fidler.

Mr. Fidler, a known critic of his fellow councilman, Charles Barron, is definitely not on board with his colleague's potential plan to campaign for the Public Advocate's Office in 2013.

"I have a number of thoughts on the item about CM Barron seeking the office of Public Advocate, yet another office for which he is unfit to serve," Mr. Fidler explained in an unsolicited email about the topic sent to Politicker last night. "You have to wonder what kind of smoke there is in that smoked filled room that he calls his inner circle."

Addressing Mr. Barron's congressional campaign earlier this year, Mr. Fidler went on to point out Mr. Barron's lackluster performance in his own electoral base, and accused him of hypocrisy in his expected plan to swap seats with his wife, Assemblywoman Inez Barron. "I am sure that he would be the first to criticize others who propose to do the same…. as if there is no one else in his community capable of representing people in a competent way," wrote Mr. Fidler.

But perhaps most notably, Mr. Fidler leveled some of his sharpest criticism over Mr. Barron's recent election to district leader, which allows him to serve alongside his wife in Brooklyn's Democratic organization. Mr. Fidler felt Mr. Barron's continued advocacy of the Freedom Party, which seeks to elect third party candidates instead of Democrats, was a fundamental conflict.

"Mr. Barron was elected to be the head of the Democratic Party in his Assembly District. Yet, he talks about 'building' the Freedom Party," he argued. "That statement alone is grounds for a disenrollment proceeding in the Democratic Party, and that is something I would consider initiating if I felt it were truly worth my time and effort."

This is not the first time Mr. Fidler took issue with the Freedom Party.

View the full missive below:

I have a number of thoughts on the item about CM Barron seeking the office of Public Advocate, yet another office for which he is unfit to serve.

You have to wonder what kind of smoke there is in that smoked fill room that he calls his inner circle.

He is proud that the entire world opposed him and somehow this makes him a credible candidate for an even wider office? Why? Because fewer people will actually know him in the Bronx?

He is proud that he won East New York even though the Jewish media conspired to defeat him. Interesting conjunction there, as there likely are few if any Jews in East New York.

He mentions East New York, one of the neighborhoods that he was elected to represent for the past 11 years because it may well be the only neighborhood that he won...if indeed he did. He was drubbed in Canarsie which is also in his district. The margins there were close to three to one against their "home" Councilman.

And it is nice to know that he admits to conspiring with his wife to "swap" seats. I am sure that he would be the first to criticize others who propose to do the same.... as if there is no one else in his community capable of representing people in a competent way.

And finally, this past September, Mr. Barron was elected to be the head of the Democratic Party in his Assembly District. Yet, he talks about "building" the Freedom Party. That statement alone is grounds for a disenrollment proceeding in the Democratic Party, and that is something I would consider initiating if I felt it were truly worth my time and effort.

Charles Barron is affable, personable and funny, but he is also irresponsible and dangerous. He was defeated for Congress by far more people than "the Jweish media" which certainly had every good reason to oppose him. As did the 70% of the voting Democrats who did so as well.

and that sir is all on the record.

Lew Fidler

David Storobin (Photo: Facebook)

More than two months after the voters cast their ballots in the race to replace Carl Kruger in the State Senate has finally come to a close. The Republican candidate, David Storobin, has won.

"All the votes are in, disputed and otherwise. The count is fully over. David Storobin won by 16 votes," Mr. Storobin's campaign wrote on his Facebook page. " The election will be officially certified on Tuesday at 1:30 pm, but there will be NO MORE counting. David Storobin is the new Senator!"

And, in a lengthy statement sent out by the Democrat in the race, Lew Fidler, Mr. Fidler conceded the race while maintaining that he felt Mr. Storobin's campaign should not have won under New York State election law.

"I guess I am simply not destined to be the Mayor of Mooseport,"  he wrote. "There are many ways to serve. The voters have spoken and I am sure that G-d has a plan for me. I look forward to unfolding it with you."

View Mr. Fidler's full statement below.

First, let me begin by saying “what a long strange trip it has been been,” and by offering my congratulations to David Storobin. In whatever time he may spend as the Senator from the 27th district, I pledge to work with him for the benefit of our community whenever and wherever we can find common ground.

There are so many thoughts that one would want to express after this surreal experience. I will address those that my sensibilities say should be expressed and leave other thoughts for another day.

First and foremost, I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to the hundreds of people who worked their hearts out in this effort, and to the thousands who showed their support at the polls or in some other way. In an election that was this nasty, this hard fought – and this long – I am left with a choice: to dwell on the disappointment of falling a handful of votes short, or to focus on the faith and commitment that so many showed by believing in me and what I have stood for during my years in public service. I said on election night before we knew the outcome: I was already a winner for the support and love that was shown to me by so many.

I also take a great deal of solace in knowing that in the areas of the 27th Senate District that cover my existing Council district, I received overwhelming support from the voters. That is most gratifying.

Of course, I am disappointed in the overall result and the many messages it may be sending about politics in our community and our borough.

I am also very troubled by a clear fallacy of the Election Law which enabled Mr. Storobin’s campaign to violate the law without repercussion. The court made clear that the Storobin campaign engaged in activity that was in violation of the law. New York State law simply does not permit early mail-in voting unless voters are legally qualified to vote early. Nonetheless, I have decided not to appeal the court’s decision. It is my feeling that the law simply does not provide the remedy of disenfranchising voters whose ballots were handled in such an improper manner and with such disregard for the law. But such violations of the Election Law must not continue. I urge the legislature to fix this loophole before the practices of the Storobin campaign become commonplace in future elections. Appealing the court’s decision, however, would only extend an already too long saga, at unnecessary cost to the taxpayers.

Since the polls closed on March 20th, I have continued to be hard at work as the Councilman for the 46th district, a job I love and will continue to do with all my zeal through the remainder of my term in office. I am at complete peace with the results of this election, satisfied that I can continue to be in a job that I love, enjoy the love of my wonderful wife and family, have the opportunity to continue my recovery from the serious health issue that afflicted me in the middle of the campaign and to serve the people of Brooklyn and New York.

There are way too many people to thank individually. Surely, I do have to single out my campaign manager Kalman Yeger and my wife Robin. Thanks to the hundreds of volunteers from the 41st AD Democrats Club (come down and join us on Avenue R), the TJ Club, The Highway, Progressive and Shorefront Clubs. To the Senate Democrats, the donors, the party leaders and elected officials who stood up for the cause, all too numerous to mention. To my terrific City Council staff and campaign team.

I want to say a special note of thanks to my supporters in both the Orthodox and Russian-speaking communities, many of whom took an enormous amount of unique grief for their ardent support. It will not be forgotten.

I look forward to the challenges ahead. I have spent my life in public service and have no intention of stopping that now. I guess I am simply not destined to be the Mayor of Mooseport. There are many ways to serve. The voters have spoken and I am sure that G-d has a plan for me. I look forward to unfolding it with you.

In the meanwhile, let’s get back to work on those citywide youth budget cuts.

Lew Fidler and David Storobin

After a brutal campaign and an even more brutal process of counting the absentee ballots, fending off a fraud lawsuit, and an automatic hand recount, Republican candidate David Storobin looks like he's finally set to become a state senator with a margin far narrower than what almost everybody literally predicted.

The Storobin campaign's unofficial count has their candidate up 14 with 8 disputed ballots after the recount basically finished last night. They said even the numbers belonging to the Democratic contender, Lew Fidler, had Mr. Storobin up 11 votes, so even if every contested ballot favored Mr. Fidler (which is not happening), there is no path left that does not lead to a Storobin victory.

For what it's worth, Mr. Fidler did manage to tangibly narrow Mr. Storobin's lead by about a dozen votes when the final precincts were recounted. However, it would seem the Fidler campaign needs the official certification process to deliver surprising results to have a chance, which is probably not happening.

In a conversation with the New York Daily News last night, Mr. Fidler's campaign manager, Kalman Yeger, simply advocated patience.

"With due respect to my friends at Team Storobin, the counting is concluded when the Board of Elections says it's concluded," Mr. Yeger said. "Both campaigns have been instructed by the Board of Elections to return on Wednesday for additional counting. We'll continue abiding by the Board's instructions until it has concluded its work."

Mr. Storobin himself told The Politicker he's looking to be sworn in as New York's newest state senator either later this week or early next one. It might be a short-lived experience, however, as the legislative session ends at the end of June and redistricting has yielded difficult reelection terrain for the Republican candidate.

David Storobin on March 20th, when things seemed so much simpler. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

After a painfully elongated process, it seems the special election to replace corrupt State Senator Carl Kruger is almost over. The hand recount of the 20,000 ballots cast on March 20th should be finished in the next day or two and the Republican candidate, David Storobin, is close to securing a win with an extremely narrow margin.

According to multiple Republican tipsters, the unofficial tally has Mr. Storobin ahead by 24 votes, and unless something drastic happens that causes the counting of the final 25% or so of the ballots to shift towards his Democratic rival, Lew Fidler, Mr. Storobin could definitively declare victory before the month is over.

As Mr. Fidler has challenged a couple more ballots than Mr. Storobin has, the latest margin doesn't represent any real improvement over the 27 he was down by at the start of the process. Although the new voting machines have reported some discrepancies from the Election Day tally, there does not seem to be much of a partisan lean to the errors, something Mr. Fidler would have needed to overcome his deficit.

However, even as Mr. Storobin prepares to go to Albany, he'll need to immediately hit the campaign trail hard. He has vowed to seek reelection in a substantially reconfigured district where former City Councilman Simcha Felder has emerged as a very strong contender for the seat on the Democratic line.

The counting begins again at the Board of Elections tomorrow.

Lew Fidler and David Storobin (Photo: Facebook)

Republican David Storobin is currently on track to become a New York State Senator in the epic, never-ending special election to replace corrupt Senator -- and future inmate -- Carl Kruger. The votes, cast March 20th, have all been counted, but an automatic hand recount of all 20,000 ballots was triggered due to the closeness of the end count -- a lead by Mr. Storobin of 27 votes.

"So, they are 10% through with the first ever re canvass of paper ballots from the scanners," the Democratic candidate, Lew Fidler, wrote on Facebook last night, noting, however, that there is still some hope as the new voting machines did show variances with the original count even though the net margin did not change.

"While we still trail by 27 votes, there are discrepancies in the count so far. (The machines are therefore not perfect.)," he continued. "We are going to count all the votes and then the world will finally have the answer to the question that has burned since March 20th....who is the real Mayor of Mooseport?"

Because the legislative session ends in June, whoever the ultimate winner is will have limited time to actually legislate before facing reelection in a substantially different district. Thus, Mr. Storobin has been busy this week introducing himself to various community boards in southern Brooklyn, including the Boro Park-based CB12 last night and the Bay Ridge-based CB10 the evening prior (although the latter doesn't have much overlap with even the new district).

Michael Grimm is leading the charge to investigate Corzine’s MF GLobal.

Mayor Bloomberg gives contributions to charities in lieu of gifts at weddings.

Robert Mittman exists, or so he claims.

Dean Skelos attacked the state’s new ethics commission over a report of them looking into  Tom Libous.

The State Senate honored the Beastie Boys’s MCA.

Charlie Rangel’s campaign manager said he is ready to win big.

Congressional candidate Adriano Espaillat would like to take you on a journey.

Over Republican protests, a recount will proceed in the Fidler/Storobin race.

Christine Quinn skipped out on a stop-and-frisk press conference.

Bob Turner said Ed Koch is “stuck” with his endorsement of Kirsten Gillibrand, but Koch isn’t framing it quite that negatively.

Most of the House “Tea Party” freshman in fact, are not.

Rich Becker wasn’t impressed with her mediocre score.

The Senate Republicans unveiled their college affordability plan.

Congressional candidate Dan O’Connor spoke out against current drug laws.

In Brooklyn Heights, they already don’t like the Citibike share program.

If you are hungry, there are 36,000 pounds of Greek yogurt on an upstate highway.

There are elections happening in Idaho, Oregon, and Nebraska tonight.

Most Americans think that Barack Obama will win.

Noam Chomsky said that there is very little substance beneath Barack Obama’s rhetoric, a point which led The Corner to suggest that the longtime lefty has endorsed Sarah Palin.

Obama had an “anodyne” appearance on “The View”, although he did say that he refrained from smoking a cigarette after the Osama bin Laden killing because “Michelle will catch me.”

“‘I’m for Mitt Romney,’ Bush told ABC News this morning as the doors of an elevator closed on him”

Stories on Romney’s time at Bain are popping up all over.

The White House released the financial disclosure forms of Obama and Biden.

Elizabeth Warren was touted as Harvard Law’s “first woman of color” in a Fordham Law Review piece in 1997.

Polls remains mixed over Barack Obama’s announcement that he favors gay marriage.

New York magazine took Mitt Romney Inside the Actor’s Studio.

And maybe Susana Martinez won’t be Mitt Romney’s running mate: 'Self-deport?' What the heck does that mean?"

Bob the Cat.

David Storobin (Photo: YouTube)

The March 20th special election for the State Senate in southeastern Brooklyn just got one big step closer to a resolution earlier today when over a hundred ballots that were alleged to be fraudulent by the Democratic candidate, Lew Fidler, were counted after a judge dismissed his lawsuit last week. The Republican candidate, David Storobin, is now 27 votes ahead.

However, New York State law mandates an automatic hand recount of all of the ballots counted in an election if the final margin is less than 0.5% of the total votes cast, and with over 20,000 ballots in this election, Mr. Storobin's margin is well, well within that threshold.

So, while Mr. Storobin currently holds the advantage, this election is still far from being over and either candidate has a plausible path to victory.

Ultimately, this elongated process has minimized some of the influence the eventual winner will yield. Unless Governor Cuomo declares an extended legislative session, there won't be a great number of votes either candidate would be able to cast in Albany before the Legislature adjourns. And, with the district in question being somewhat dismantled in redistricting, whoever wins would be running for reelection in a substantially different district without the typical benefits of incumbency.

Update: The official tally was 3 points more in favor of Mr. Storobin than the unofficial results, which had the candidate up 24.

Shelly Silver spiked the football with President Obama’s Albany visit.

Liz Benjamin’s got the low-down on the guest list.

Barack Obama’s tech team are putting together a fundraiser in Brooklyn tonight.

Russians in New York still lean Republican, but Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, the only native of the Soviet Union to hold office in New York, thinks this will change as the younger generation grows more educated: “The more you know, the more liberal you become.”

The Fidler/Storobin debacle has inspired a bill in Albany.

The UFC had shirts printed to celebrate the now-shelved legalization of Mixed Martial Arts.

A record number of women and minorities applied to be firefighters.

The Senate called on the Assembly to pass an auto insurance fraud law.

What to look for in elections tonight in North Carolina, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Mitt Romney attempted to claim the Clinton mantle.

Chris Christie remains popular in the Garden State.

Here’s the full text of Obama’s speech.

Oof. The RNC’s Director of Hispanic Outreach said that Mitt Romney was “still deciding what his position on immigration is.”

With a gay marriage vote on the ballot tonight, Barack Obama cancelled a planned trip to North Carolina.

Ed Rendell said that Obama should “man up” already and come out in favor of gay marriage.

Republicans voted to block a bill that would have frozen student loan rates.

Mitt Romney is spending tomorrow having a fundraiser at the home of an Oklahoma oil billionaire.

Scott Brown attacked Elizabeth Warren directly for the first time for her claims of Native American ancestry.

Nancy Pelosi poached the editor-in-chief of Think Progress.

The Obama campaign was warned about John Edwards.

David Storobin on Election Day, March 20th. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

One of the biggest question marks hanging over an insanely close March 20th special election to the State Senate in southeastern Brooklyn was 100+ absentee ballots the Democratic candidate, Lew Fidler, alleged to have been collected fraudulently. Today, however, the judge overseeing the case ruled in favor of the Republican candidate David Storobin, who very well may now enter the automatic hand recount with a slight lead rather than the 87 vote deficit he ended last week with.

"However, based on the testimony of these witnesses, it cannot be said that [Storobin's campaign staffer] Ms. Pometko engaged in any fraudulent conduct," the judge said in his ruling. "There was no evidence that she coerced or induced any of the witnesses to falsely apply for an absentee ballot. Nor was there evidence presented that Ms. Pometko made any false representations or threats to these voters in her efforts to procure an absentee ballot on their behalf."

And, in what's most important for Mr. Storobin, the judge ordered all of the allegedly fraudulent ballots to be counted.

"Accordingly, the petition is denied and the Board of Elections is hereby ORDERED to cast and canvass all of the 119 absentee ballots at issue in this trial," the ruling concluded.

Mr. Fidler could appeal this ruling, and the legal process here may very well be far from being immediately over, but Mr. Storobin's team is undoubtedly very happy with today's news.

The inevitable hand recount just got that much more suspenseful.

View the ruling below:
Fidler v Storobin -Fraud Trial -Signed Order