(Photo: DrMittman4Congress.com)

Dr. Robert Mittman, the controversial underdog Queens congressional candidate, released a campaign video on YouTube yesterday. So far, only 13 people have watched the clip, which includes footage of Dr. Mittman reading the statement he made when he first announced his campaign interspersed with photos of him and his family, the good doctor at work treating patients and pictures of New York and Washington landmarks all set to the tune of Billy Joel's 1989 hit "We Didn't Start The Fire."

"As a lifelong Queens resident, a parent, a voter and a medical doctor, I am here to offer a precsription for a healthy economy," Dr. Mittman says in the video.

When Dr. Mittman first announced his candidacy, he faced accusations he was a plant designed to split the Jewish vote, which would favor Assemblywoman Grace Meng, the candidate who has the backing of the Queens County Democratic Party. Dr. Mittman has vigorously denied these allegations. In his video, Dr. Mittman slams his three Democratic opponents in the 6th district race; Ms. Meng, Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley as career politicians.

"I am running for Congress to get Washington working for you, the people. Unlike all of my opponents in the Democratic primary, I am not a career politician. I'm a medical doctor," he says. "As a doctor, I have been trained to diagnose an illness and prescribe the proper treatment. I'll apply these same techniques as your representative in Congress."

To drive home the point that his experience as a health professional will be a political asset, Dr. Mittman's clip also features the slogan "the prescription for a healthy economy" and his campaign logo, whish is his name alongside a healthy, nutritious apple. For good measure, there's a real-life apple is also shown sitting on his desk.

Watch Dr. Mittman's YouTube video below.

The measure brought howls of protest from conservatives and from Long Island Rep. Peter King, and it ultimately went down to defeat.

This morning, Liz Crowley, a City Councilwoman from Queens who is running for the Congressional seat formerly held by Gary Ackerman sent out a statement saying that she opposed her would-be Democratic colleagues' efforts.

“Withholding federal funding from our police department because our cops have done their jobs is wrong," Ms. Crowley said. “The NYPD has acted lawfully to protect New Yorkers from very real terrorist threats. Voting for this measure frustrates the NYPD’s efforts to keep us safe.  We need to work on expanding funding for the NYPD in a dangerous world, not cutting it off.”

There were some Democrats, including Long Island's Carolyn McCarthy, who voted against the bill, but it will be interesting to see how this statement from Ms. Crowley plays out in the district. The new NY6 is a famously diverse district, although it also contains large pockets of older Jewish and ethnic voters

Ms. Crowley is locked in a three-way primary with Assembly members Rory Lancman and Grace Meng. As a testament to the district's diversity, Ms. Meng is vying to become the first Asian-American member of Congress, and Mr. Lancman has touted his Iranian-born wife.

It is also worth noting that Joe Crowley voted in favor of the resolution. Mr. Crowley is Ms. Crowley's cousin, and is also the head of the Queens County Democratic Party. The county decided to back Ms. Meng, but Ms. Crowley ran anyway, much to the chagrin of the Queens Dems.

Liz Crowley (Photo: Facebook)

Although Assemblyman Rory Lancman, a candidate for an open Queens congressional seat, has been gobbling up the biggest labor players like the Working Families Party and the RWDSU, one of his opponents in the Democratic primary, Councilwoman Liz Crowley, continued her streak of smaller union endorsements this morning with the Mason Tenders District Council.

“Elizabeth Crowley has fought for workers’ rights throughout her entire career,” the Mason Tenders' political director, Mike McGuire, said in a statement announcing the support. “She understands that people deserve safe workplaces, fair wages, and a secure retirement. Elizabeth Crowley is the best candidate to represent workers and strengthen our neighborhoods.”

Ms. Crowley had previously racked up the backing of uniformed unions like the police captains and firefighters, as well as the painter's union, where she was once herself a member.

Assemblywoman Grace Meng is also a prominent contender for the Democratic nomination, but despite being given the official endorsement of the Democratic establishment and most of the elected officials in Queens, hasn't yet announced significant labor support. However, that may change soon with the Hotel Trades Council.

Whoever wins the June 26th primary will face off against Republican Dan Halloran in the general election.

“It is not a miserable place,” he said last week over an afternoon glass of sauvignon blanc at the bar in the Fitzpatrick Hotel on Lexington Avenue. By New York State Legislature standards, where careers are measured in geologic time, Mr. Lancman is barely amphibious, having won his seat in the State Assembly only in 2006.

“But it is a place where at some point one’s desire for greater responsibility is stymied by a rigid seniority system and a culture that doesn’t really support that kind of institutional ambition.”

“I don’t want out,” he added. “I want up.”

This is true. Almost as soon as he got elected, Mr. Lancman’s colleagues say that he was floating his name for Anthony Weiner’s congressional seat—presuming Mr. Weiner became mayor. When a Twitter sex scandal ended Mr. Weiner’s congressional career, Mr. Lancman put his name forward as a replacement. A special election was called, and the powerful Queens County Democratic Party, led by Congressman Joe Crowley, had full control over who would be the nominee.

Sources close to Mr. Crowley say that Mr. Lancman launched a full-scale assault to be named to the seat.

“He lobbied too hard,” said one member of the county organization. “He might actually have been the choice, but he had everybody he knew call Joe Crowley and tell him to support him for Congress. Joe was thinking how could he work with a guy who was so over-the-top like this.”

The general assumption in political circles was that the seat would be eliminated during the once-a-decade redistricting cycle, since whoever won the seat would be the junior-most member of the congressional delegation and Mr. Crowley had his eager eye on some of its territory.

Mr. Crowley thus needed someone who would slip away quietly by the time the next election rolled around, and although Mr. Lancman said he had no designs on Mr. Crowley’s seat—he suggested to some lawmakers that he would be up for a federal judgeship or a job in D.C.—the party named instead the plodding David Weprin, a longtime insider, who promptly went down to defeat at the hands of Republican Bob Turner.

Almost as soon as the ballots were counted, Mr. Lancman began preparing to run against Mr. Turner. “We’ve always had good strong Democrats in this district—Anthony Weiner, Nita Lowey—and then I wake up and we’ve got a Republican … My interest crystallized within days.”

The district still seemed likely to be eliminated, but Mr. Lancman started what he termed “a shadow campaign” against Mr. Turner.

“For six or seven months I didn’t know if there was going to be district or not be a district. Some people say I am on a fool’s quest, a fool’s errand—is that what it’s called? A fool’s errand?—and that in the end it is all going to be for naught. And they were at least 50 percent right.”

But when rumors emerged that the district was to be saved, but redrawn to include parts of the Far Rockways, or areas in Long Island, Mr. Lancman promptly began stumping in those areas. In the end, the district was eliminated, and a new district was drawn. That new district included Mr. Lancman’s neighborhood, but otherwise didn’t have a sitting incumbent congressman residing within it.

“I look at that district and I think, well, that is the perfect district for me. My house is in much of the district. I have lived in it my entire life. I am going to run in that district.”

Those plans were upended, though, when Gary Ackerman, a popular congressman from Long Island, found himself living in the district of another long-time rep; even though he was 69 years old, he decided he would move to Queens and run for the seat.

So once again Mr. Lancman started a shadow campaign—contrary to advice from supporters—against Mr. Ackerman even though the congressman had one time employed him as an intern.

Asked his reaction when he heard that Mr. Ackerman was moving to Queens, Mr. Lancman paused for several seconds, and stared out the window onto Lexington.

“I was a little … annoyed. Or disappointed. I wasn’t thrilled. Nothing against Gary, but the whole idea of people shopping around for a district is, I don’t know, unseemly,” he said.

Mr. Lancman had hoped that Mr. Ackerman would in the end decide to retire, but when he didn’t, he realized that there was no path to victory, and so after pulling an all-night budget-passing session in Albany, he got in the car and drove to Mr. Ackerman’s house in Roslyn, Long Island. They spent several hours together, with Mr. Ackerman regaling Mr. Lancman with tales of Congress and foreign trips abroad and telling him how much he appreciated Mr. Lancman’s stepping aside because he was so excited to return to Washington.

That afternoon, Mr. Lancman dropped his bid. A few hours later, Mr. Ackerman decided to drop his too, and to retire. So Mr. Lancman embarked on a furious few days of lining up Queens County’s support, telling people, according to one Queens lawmaker, “I can’t live with myself if I don’t run for Congress.”

The first part of that effort, however, was to deter other people who may have wanted the seat from seeking it. He let it be known to his colleagues that if he won the seat, he didn’t plan on being there long—the implication being, according to one he spoke with, that he would soon seek higher office. He tweeted a photo of one of the other contenders for the nod, fellow Assembly member Grace Meng, sitting in the speaker’s chair in the State Assembly chambers, and wrote below it “Speaker Meng!”—suggesting perhaps Ms. Meng would be better served staying in the Assembly. When another possible contender, Mark Weprin, was pictured in The New York Times in an article about the seat, Mr. Lancman texted him, according to a Council source, “You look very Speaker-like in that photo!” (Both Ms. Meng and Mr. Weprin are often mentioned as candidates for the future speakerships of the legislative bodies; when Mr. Weprin didn’t get the Queens County nod he decided not to seek the seat.)

(UPDATE: Mr. Lancman tells me this afternoon that in fact he posted both messages before Mr. Ackerman announced his retirement.)

Once again, however, Queens County demurred and decided to back Ms. Meng. The new district has a plurality of Asian voters, and if she wins, Mr. Meng would the first Asian from New York to serve in Washington.

“When you get those calls, it’s very vague,” Mr. Lancman said of his second telephonic rejection by Mr. Crowley and Co. “It’s not, ‘O.K., here’s why you suck.’ When I met with them they asked me, ‘If we don’t choose you, will you run? And I was very open. I said I am going to run anyway. I believe I am the right person for this job and this is the right moment. So I said, ‘Listen, I know these are hard decisions, and I wish you had chosen me and I am going to run anyway.’”

Also in the race is Elizabeth Crowley, a City Council member and cousin of Joe, who, due to her relationship, is considered in political circles to be a plant designed to siphon white votes from Mr. Lancman. (Ms. Crowley and Queens Democrats strenuously deny it, and when asked about the possibility last week, Mr. Lancman declined to comment.)

Still, when he was asked if he had any reticence about running against a path-breaking candidate, he dead-panned, “You mean the first county leader’s cousin to be elected to Congress?” and added, “What is compelling to me is that we send people to City Hall and to Albany and to Washington who are going to be leaders and champions on issues.”

This Mr. Lancman undoubtedly has been, using his perch as the chair of the remarkably unpowerful Subcommittee on Workplace Safety to insert himself in the center of major issues roiling the globe.

In 2010, back when the papers were filled with accounts of injured acrobats at “Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark,” Mr. Lancman held a press conference in front of the theater on Broadway demanding that the producers add greater safety measures. Last year, when the world was transfixed by the Dominique Strauss-Kahn scandal, Mr. Lancman held a press conference in front of the Sofitel, demanding that hotel maids be outfitted with panic buttons.

Both initiatives were successful, which is why Queens Democrats seem a little nervous about betting against someone so determined to get to Congress. Mr. Lancman has already lined up the support of Ed Koch, a favorite of the district’s sizeable Jewish community and whose endorsement of Bob Turner proved crucial in his win last year; in 2007, the duo penned an op-ed in the Daily News urging Democrats to get tougher on Iran, a piece that Mr. Lancman displays prominently on his website. He has the support of the powerful labor-backed Working Families Party, in part because in 2009 he was one of the rare elected officials to defend ACORN.

“You ask any political professional in New York, would you rather run with the Queens County Democratic organization or the full support of organized labor, I don’t think anyone would not choose organized labor and that’s what I got.”

Mr. Lancman’s path, however, got a little more difficult earlier this week when news broke that Jeffrey Gottlieb, a Queens County Party official who had been working with Ms. Meng, decided to enter the race.

If Mr. Lancman was circumspect about the possibility that Ms. Crowley was a plant, he was far less so this time around.

“County and Meng are in full panic mode so they concocted a scheme to reach down and find the hackiest hack in all of hackdom—you got that? The hackiest hack in all of hackdom with a Jewish surname to try to siphon off Jewish votes,” he said in a phone follow-up. “The county fundamentally doesn’t understand how to win big elections … they picked David Weprin last summer to make some kind of political deal, an inside political chess move based on the redistricting process rather than who would be the strongest candidate.”

Michael Reich, executive secretary of the Queens County Democratic Party, was livid at the accusation. “If he had any decency he would have picked up the phone and called me before he started his attack,” he said. “He needs to grow up. This is America. If someone decides they want to run for Congress—even Rory Lancman—they can run. Who says Rory Lancman should be the only candidate? Rory Lancman.”

Mr. Lancman, undaunted, agreed with at least part of that. “They thought I would quietly go away like almost everyone does,” he said, “but I don’t need anyone’s permission to run for Congress.”

dfreedlander@observer.com

Dan Halloran

Jeffrey Gottlieb suddenly leaping into the Democratic primary for New York's 6th Congressional District has politicos abuzz about whether his campaign is designed to take Jewish votes away from one of the candidates, Assemblyman Rory Lancman, in order to benefit the candidate endorsed by the Queens Democratic establishment, Assemblywoman Grace Meng.

Mr. Gottlieb's candidacy certainly seems bizarre in some respects, including his efforts on behalf of Ms. Meng up until last week, his late entry into the race and his subsequent silence in the media. Embracing this argument, Mr. Lancman went nuclear on what he called the “sham candidacy by a long-time party hack.”

But how do the other candidates in the race feel about Mr. Gottlieb's entry?

"If true, it's racial and ethnic politics at its ugliest," Steven Stites, a spokesman for Republican candidate Dan Halloran, charged. "Jewish New Yorkers have another reason to be repulsed by the Democratic Party."

Meanwhile, Eric Yun, the spokesman for the fourth Democratic candidate in the race, Councilwoman Liz Crowley, declined to opine on the legitimacy of Mr. Gottlieb's candidacy, simply saying, "Anybody who wants to run for office should be allowed the opportunity under the democratic process."

For their part, Ms. Meng's campaign also declined to comment on Mr. Gottlieb specifically, but did suggest Mr. Lancman's motives are less than holy.

“Though I would remind you that Assemblyman Lancman earlier pressed strongly for the support of the Queens County Democratic Organization, the same collection of accomplished elected officials and activists he’s now denouncing based on theory and conjecture,” Ms. Meng's campaign spokesman, Michael Tobman, said in an earlier email.

Liz Crowley (Photo: Facebook)

"Throughout her career, Elizabeth Crowley has fought to protect the public safety of New Yorkers," CEA President Roy Richter said. "She has been a great supporter of the NYPD and is the best candidate to ensure that police officers in New York and around the country receive the support and resources we need from Washington to keep our City safe."

Ms. Crowley said she was "honored" to receive the CEA's backing.

"The NYPD has shown time and again that they are up to the task of protecting the City," Ms. Crowley said. "Police officers risk their lives every day to protect New Yorkers, and they need someone in Washington who will demand they receive funding and equipment necessary to keep New York protected. I am honored that the NYPD Captains Endowment Association believes I am best suited to go to Congress and fight for our police officers."

Ms. Crowley was a supporter of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health bill, which expanded benefits for Ground Zero workers as well as FDNY and NYPD first responders who die from cancer and respiratory diseases from exposure at the site. She has also fought cuts to NYPD pensions.

Ms. Crowley is running against Assembly members Rory Lancman and Grace Meng for the Democratic nomination in the sixth district. Councilman Dan Halloran is running on the Republican ticket. The main NYPD union, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association has yet to make an endorsement in the race.

Grace meng (photo: gracefornewyork.com)

Assemblywoman Grace Meng's congressional campaign has been endorsed by almost every elected official in Queens outside of the State Assembly, and today, her campaign announced a couple more endorsements and re-announced others to demonstrate her backing in the Latino community.

The focus on the Latino voters is interesting, as much of the discussion of the demographics of the congressional race thus far has been on the district's substantial Asian-American and Jewish communities. However, there is still a notable Latino presence of about 18% of the district's population (the percentage among likely voters is sure to be less).

In addition to the established support of Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras, Senator José Peralta, and Assemblyman Francisco Moya, Ms. Meng's campaign rolled out the endorsements of former mayoral contender Fernando Ferrer and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez.

The statement featured quotes from all of the officials praising Ms. Meng's ability to stand up for their community.

“As the first and only Latina Member of Congress from New York, I know what it takes to stand up for my community and represent the rich diversity of working families in our City," Ms. Nydia Velázquez said, for example. "And that's why I know that Grace Meng will bring a strong, historic voice to Congress that will stand up for middle class Queens residents from all walks of life."

Ms. Meng is competing for the Democratic nomination for an open seat in Queens. Her two primary opponents are Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Councilwoman Liz Crowley.

Grace Meng stood around a plethora of elected officials when she announced for Congress.

Attached to a press release announcing Assemblywoman Grace Meng's fundraising yesterday was a long list of current and former Queens elected officials who have endorsed her congressional campaign, and it's not a short one. It hardly comes as a surprise though, many of those same officials surrounded Ms. Meng when she announced for Congress last month.

As far as can be determined, the only Democratic officials in Queens to get behind one of the other two candidates competing against Ms. Meng in the primary, Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Councilwoman Liz Crowley, have been Mr. Lancman and Ms. Crowley themselves.

This demonstrates an impressive unity within the Queens Democratic establishment, which officially granted Ms. Meng its backing before she announced her candidacy.

By thoroughly comparing Ms. Meng's endorsement list to a list of Queens Democrats, a few unique names can be found on the latter, such as Congressman Greg Meeks and Councilman James Sanders, but they are few and far between, especially outside of the Assembly where both Ms. Meng and Mr. Lancman serve.

A partial list of Ms. Meng's backers includes Congressman Joe Crowley, Borough President Helen Marshall, Comptroller John Liu, former Borough President Claire Shulman, Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, Councilman Leroy Comrie, Councilman Mark Weprin, Councilman James Gennaro, Councilman Ruben Wills, State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, State Senator Tony Avella, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, Assemblyman David Weprin, Assemblyman Michael DenDekker, Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz, former Councilwoman Melinda Katz, Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras, Councilman Peter Koo, State Senator Michael Gianaris, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, State Senator Jose Peralta, Assemblyman Francisco Moya, and Councilman Daniel Dromm.

(For what it's worth, Mr. Lancman does have the notable endorsement of former Mayor Ed Koch.)

The news, first reported by City & State, was confirmed in a subsequent statement sent out from her campaign. Although City & State suggested it might be Congressman Joe Crowley's relationship with the Independence Party that triggered the endorsement, the organization itself cited Ms. Meng's passion and and political positions.

“Grace is a serious person who impressed me with her commitment to problem-solving that embraces all of the communities in the district," the chairman of the party, Frank MacKay, said in the press release. "Grace is focused on creating jobs and has a ‘whole family’ approach to issues, embracing grandparents, children, and the parents working hard to take care of them. "

Ms. Meng is campaigning for the Democratic nomination against Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Councilwoman Liz Crowley.

Mr. Lancman already nabbed the Working Families Party endorsement, which means both he and Ms. Meng could theoretically continue their campaign into the general election after losing the Democratic primary.

The expected Republican candidate is Councilman Dan Halloran.

Grace Meng (Photo: Wikimedia)

Assemblywoman Grace Meng's congressional campaign promised "astonishing" fundraising numbers yesterday, and indeed they put up a very solid $300,000 raised in just ten days.

The amount almost surely places her campaign finances above both of her primary opponents, Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Councilwoman Liz Crowley.

Ms. Crowley announced raising $100,000 in those same ten days while Mr. Lancman, who's been raising money for his campaign for longer, reported having $200,000 on hand. It's not immediately clear how much Ms. Crowley has spent so far, or how much Mr. Lancman raised.

In a statement touting her campaign's fundraising this morning, Ms. Meng praised the district and the issues she plans to advocate in Congress.

"While our congressional district is one of the most diverse in the country, it is our shared values and common priorities that define our communities and define us as neighbors," she aid. "We need honest, serious leaders in Washington who can get the job done on the important issues we collectively face - protecting Medicare and Social Security, creating sustainable quality jobs, and providing the educational opportunities that give all of our children the best chance for a better future."

The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Councilman Dan Halloran in the general election.