By Ross Barkan 5/16 11:57am

king of queens

comrie

Queens Democratic Party Expected to Endorse Leroy Comrie

The Queens County Democratic Party is expected to endorse Councilman Leroy Comrie for borough president next week, according to four sources plugged into various sides of the race.

The sources–some of whom were disappointed in the decision–told Politicker that Congressman Joe Crowley, the head of the borough’s Democratic organization, will probably endorse Mr. Comrie to balance his leadership position in one of the most demographically diverse counties in the country. Read More

By Jill Colvin 4/26 7:21pm

Plotting

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Council Members Planning to Bypass Quinn on Multiple Bills, Sources Say

As the spotlight shines on mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn’s record as City Council Speaker, at least half a dozen members are considering forcing measures she opposes to the floor in an unprecedented display of rebellion, Council sources said Friday.

At least one member has already collected the seven signatures needed to file two motion to discharge petitions to bypass Ms. Quinn—a tactic that was threatened in the paid sick leave fight, but that no member has dared yet under her tenure. Read More

By Hunter Walker 3/15/12 8:49pm

Law & Order

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly during his testimony before the City Council Public Safety Committee hearing. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

Ray Kelly Defends NYPD On Stop & Frisk And Muslim Surveillance At Heated Council Hearing

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly fielded questions on the department’s controversial stop-and-frisk and Muslim surveillance programs during a contentious hearing of the City Council Public Safety Committee. Mr. Kelly was ostensibly testifying about the NYPD’s preliminary budget for the coming fiscal year, but the hearing quickly turned into a heated discussion of the department’s most controversial policies when committee members questioned the commissioner following his testimony. Read More

By Hunter Walker 3/09/12 12:30pm

The Vallone Zone

Peter Vallone Jr.

Peter Vallone Says Attorney General Eric Holder Has No Business Criticizing The NYPD

In a post on his Facebook wall last night, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. slammed Attorney General Eric Holder for weighing in on the controversy over the NYPD’s widespread surveillance of the Muslim community. Mr. Vallone cited Mr. Holder’s role in the “Fast and Furious” scandal where the ATF lost guns used in a sting operation and said the attorney general has no business criticizing the NYPD.

“just heard AG Holder is ‘concerned’ about the NYPD . really? you’re concerned about surveillance that anyone with a computer and a car could do but apparently unconcerned that you ‘lost’ 2000 firearms to drug dealers and terrorists to use against the NYPD???,” Mr. Vallone wrote. Read More

By Hunter Walker 3/08/12 9:02am

The Vallone Zone

Peter Vallone Jr. (Photo: New York City Council)

Peter Vallone Goes Hollywood

TMZ normally chronicles the world of Hollywood stars and reality TV trainwrecks, but yesterday, the celebrity obsessed news site journeyed into “The Vallone Zone” and interviewed Queens Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. about his boycott of the ABC show GCB. Mr. Vallone is upset about the show, which is based on a book called Good Christian Bitches, because he views its original title as an “outrageous attack on the Christian faith.”

“You would never, ever see this even considered when it comes to a different religion, a title of this type,” Mr. Vallone said in his appearance on the web show TMZ Live. “I don’t think the word should be used in a title to begin with, I mean it just shows you how far down we’ve come to be discussing a title like this. I think it’s ridiculous.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/22/12 6:36pm

The Vallone Zone

Peter Vallone Jr. (Photo: New York City Council)

Peter Vallone Is Thankful No One Was Hit With ‘A Chunk of ‘Ed Koch”

Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., The Politicker’s favorite social media political pundit, responded to the news about a piece of the Queensboro bridge falling on a passing car with a Facebook post criticizing the money spent renaming the bridge after former Mayor Ed Koch and expressing the hope he never has to read about a “chunk of Ed Koch.’”

“i guess we should have spent all that sign changing money on repairing the bridge??” Mr. Vallone asked. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/16/12 5:39pm

The Vallone Zone

Peter Vallone Jr. (Photo: New York City Council)

Peter Vallone Jr. Is Unapologetically Politically LINCorrect

Thanks to the ongoing contract dispute between Time Warner Cable and the ownership of the New York Knicks, Councilman and social media enthusiast Peter Vallone Jr. wasn’t able to watch Jeremy Lin play at his house last night. Despite missing the basketball game, Mr. Vallone didn’t lose his sense of humor and he posted a somewhat politically incorrect joke on his Facebook wall this morning.

“so since i cant see jeremy lin on cable because MSG wants a 53% increase, i did the next best thing and took my daughters to applebees last night and had the ‘sizzling asian’ special,” he wrote.

After some of his Facebook friends took umbrage at his remarks, Mr. Vallone refused to back down. He penned a defiant response on the site about an hour ago.

“to the few of you who thought my applebees post was insensitive, i’m sorry…that you have no sense of humor. please de-friend me (i need the space) so you are not traumatized by any future posts. you apparently have me confused with other politically correct electeds,”  Mr. Vallone wrote. Read More

By Hunter Walker 1/26/12 6:50pm

The Vallone Zone

Peter Vallone Jr. (Photo: New York City Council)

Peter Vallone Jr. Calls Proposed SD12 ‘A Baby Alien Popping Out of a Stomach’

Always outspoken Queens Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. is not at all happy about the proposed legislative lines for the Senate district in Astoria. Mr. Vallone weighed in on the potential District 12 map in a post on his Facebook page this evening:

“Holy crap they drew the Astoria Senate district into something that looks like a baby alien popping out of a stomach!!” Read More