City Comptroller John Liu. (Photo: Getty Images)

City Comptroller John Liu will announce the endorsement of a slew of Democratic officials from across Brooklyn Friday in another effort by his mayoral campaign to show he's gaining steam, despite the recent guilty verdicts against his former campaign treasurer and a fund-raiser.

The supporters include Assemblywoman Inez Barron, City Council candidate Ari Kagan, and Democratic district leaders Melba Brown, Betty Ann Canizio, Jeanette Givant,  Christopher Olechowski, Chris Owens, Corey Provost and Charles Ragusa.

The ethnically diverse batch of endorsers hail from neighborhoods across the borough, including Greenpoint, East New York, Crown Heights, Bensonhurst and Brighton Beach. Additionally, they include both establishment-types like Mr. Olechowski--who defeated Lincoln Restler, a thorn in the side of the county leadership--last year, and at least one Brownstone Brooklyn reformer in the form of Mr. Owens.

"New Yorkers need independent and effective leadership who will stand up for communities across the city and tackle the problems of poverty, systemic unemployment, school closings, racial profiling, foreclosures and low paying jobs,” said Ms. Barron, the wife of outspoken City Councilman Charles Barron, in a statement. “We need immediate change and the best mayoral candidate to offer bold solutions and get things done is John Liu.” Mr. Barron, also a district leader, had previously endorsed Mr. Liu.

"I support John for Mayor because he understands the needs of all people with different social economic backgrounds who need help making ends meet and the reforms needed to give our students a solid education to compete in this global economy,” said Ms. Canizio.

Vito Lopez. (Photo: NYS Assembly)

Describing his conduct as "nauseating," City Council Speaker Christine Quinn again called on disgraced Assemblyman Vito Lopez to resign from office, but held her fire when it came to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

A day after the release of a scathing report detailing Mr. Lopez's alleged sexual harassment of numerous young female staffers, Ms. Quinn said Mr. Lopez had no business serving in elected office--much less running for the City Council--and urged New Yorkers to do anything they can to keep him out of City Hall.

“I think what we are finding out now in very specific--and quite frankly nauseating detail--is shocking and Assemblymember Lopez should resign from his position as an Assemblymember immediately. He should drop his run for the City Council. And if he doesn’t do that, everyone in New York City needs to get behind his opponent, Antonio Reynoso, get together and make sure that Antonio gets elected,” she told reporters at an unrelated press conference at City Hall.

“To allow Vito Lopez, after what he did in the State Capitol, to be allowed into this building, to potentially, in the name of representing New Yorkers, conduct himself in such a horrible way would be an outrage,” she added. “It is incumbent upon all of us in New York to join together behind Antonio and make sure Vito does not get into this building."

Ms. Quinn had vowed to do anything in her power to keep Mr. Lopez out of office even before the report. Mr. Lopez has rejected the "salacious and sensational" claims as "fallacious"

Still, Mr. Quinn declined to call for action against Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who, the report alleged, had tried to shield Mr. Lopez by dragging his feet in first reporting the harassment and keeping the claims secret from the press.

Clearly, she said, Mr. Silver had "made mistakes” in his handling the complaints. But she said he had already promised swift reforms.

“He has made a commitment to move forward and reform the process in Albany,” she said. “He needs to move quickly to address those and to take real steps to put reforms in place so those kind of mistakes can never happen again.”

She also declined to weigh in on specific reforms--or calls for the Assembly to expel Mr. Lopez from his seat.

“I don’t know what the powers are that they have,” she said, but added that, had the same allegations been made against a City Councilman, he would be gone.

As for City Councilman Daniel Halloran, who was arrested as part of an alleged bribery scheme, she said the case is still under investigation, tying the council’s hands.

Anthony Weiner. (Photo: Twitter)

After weeks of hemming and hawing, it looks like ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner is finally ready to put his skates on and jump back onto the proverbial ice.

An unnamed source told the New York Post that Mr. Weiner is “definitely” running for mayor, and expects him to announce his bid sometime in the next 10 days--likely before Memorial Day, which just so happens to be the second anniversary of the fateful tweet that sent his career into free-fall.

Politico reported last night that Mr. Weiner’s campaign manager will be Danny Kedem, a recent Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee adviser who worked briefly on Mark Murphy’s failed bid to unseat GOP Rep. Michael Grimm last year.

But the choice of Mr. Kedem, who did not respond to emails or messages for comment, could be a troubling sign for Mr. Weiner as he tries to resurrect his battered image, political insiders and former associates said.

For one, Mr. Kedem is a relative unknown in the city, with minimal experience on high-crisis situations. He worked on just one previous race in the city, and then as a deputy more focused on fundraising, said one source who knows Mr. Kedem.

"I doubt Kedem was Weiner's first choice," said the source. "Weiner has slim pickings .... [Mr. Kedem's] never run a New York City campaign and doesn't know New York City press. [It's a] huge learning curve for him. That is bad for Weiner."

The source further said he was "shocked" that Mr. Kedem had signed on for the job

"He does have a lot of energy and a sense of humor and likes adventure. Still, this is a huge undertaking and it could blow up in his face," he said. "This will be the most high-profile race Kedem has ever done. And he knows all the challenges that come with Weiner as a mayoral candidate."

Another source who knows Mr. Kedem and other operatives in the race, described Mr. Kedem as an "OK technician," but said he was not in the same as league as many of the top staffers working for Mr. Weiner's soon-to-be opponents.

“It is clearly an inside the beltway hire, Weiner relying on D.C. operatives with limited knowledge of NYC," said the source.

But one former associate said Mr. Kedem's personality would likely be an asset going into the race, labeling him a "hardworking, savvy individual who called things like he saw them"

"[He] didn't bullshit when it came to making decisions or surveying the political landscape--which will probably be useful since he is managing the campaign of a politician who is the poster child for why snapchat exists," he added, referring to the popular app that deletes photos moments after they're sent.

The source also credited Ms. Kedem for overhauling Mr. Murphy's fund-raising operation. "If he had been there earlier, maybe Mark wouldn't have struggled on that front in the beginning," said the source.

In addition to the four months Mr. Kedem spent working for Mr. Murphy, his previous experience includes a number of mayoral and congressional races, including Claire McCaskill’s 2006 Senate Run, and a stint as a field organizer for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, according to his Linkedin page.

According to the Daily News, at least two people close to Mr. Weiner have been contacting political operatives to see if they will work for him. But his success has been mixed. Politico reported that Mr. Weiner has also decided on a press secretary and other positions--but said that a number of potential press hires had passed on the job.

Mr. Weiner did not respond to a request for comment, but more clues are likely to be revealed later this morning when the details of his latest campaign filing are posted by the city’s Campaign Finance Board. If his campaign's spending has escalated sharply, it would likely signal he is serious about the race.

He would have just four months to build his operation and make his case to voters ahead of the primary, but a recent poll found he would enter the race in second place, beating everyone but front-runner Christine Quinn.

(Photo: Newseum.org)

After former Congressman Anthony Weiner revealed his possible return to electoral politics yesterday, one could not help but wonder what pun-filled direction the New York Post would take. After all, during Mr. Weiner's 2011 scandal, the tabloid simply wallowed in its own innuendos.

Today's paper didn't disappoint.

The Post's full coverage of Mr. Weiner's potential mayoral candidacy starts with the cover, which blares "WEINER'S SECOND COMING!" and "Anthony: Erect me Mr. Mayor," along with one of the sexual pictures that helped force his resignation.

But for pun enthusiasts, it doesn't stop there--not even close. In a 4-page "SECOND COMING" spread, the Post re-ran several of its best innuendo-laced covers and provided: a 2,000 word re-write--headlined "WEINER'S LONG HARD ROAD BACK"--of the New York Times Magazine profile that broke the news yesterday, a story evaluating his odds headlined "Weiner stiff competition for Dem foes," some woman-on-the-street interviews on the subject and an Andrea Peyser column slamming him.

Deeper in today's issue, Cindy Adams' Page Six column featured Mr. Weiner and the publication editorialized against him, criticizing the "dreary, teary puff piece in the New York Times" while asking itself, "Why why why why why?”

For its part, the Post's rival publication, the New York Daily News, passed on the pun-filled joy of Mr. Weiner's return and focused instead on the national gun control issue.

Anthony Weiner at a Brooklyn Nets game a few months ago. (Photo: Getty)

Early this morning, The New York Times Magazine published an extensive, 8,400-word profile of former Congressman Anthony Weiner, his wife Huma Abedin and their life since an infamous social media-induced scandal destroyed his political career. The piece directly addressed the topic most political observers are interested in: "Weiner quickly put all the speculation to rest: he is eyeing the mayor’s race."

“I don’t have this burning, overriding desire to go out and run for office,” Mr. Weiner told the publication. “It’s not the single animating force in my life as it was for quite some time. But I do recognize, to some degree, it’s now or maybe never for me, in terms of running for something."

Mr. Weiner seemed genuinely unsure whether or not he should pull the trigger on another political campaign. Part of it, he explained, was based on whether the public was willing to give him "a second chance" after he admitted several digital affairs and resigned in disgrace in 2011. He conducted polling earlier this year and found the voters were willing to forgive him but not necessarily willing to vote for him, especially with a number of qualified competitors. Mr. Weiner did take a jab at the front-runner Council Speaker Christine Quinn, however, for extending term limits in 2009 and enabling Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term atop City Hall.

“I know them all. I like them all,” he said of his hypothetical opponents. “The term-limits thing, as an issue, was a deal breaker for me. But, I think the polls are right: Chris Quinn is leading, and then someone will get into a runoff with her. I don’t like runoffs.”

Mr. Weiner was also open to running for another office instead, but there aren't a lot of options with only three citywide offices. He had "privately dismissed at least public advocate," leaving only the comptroller's race apparently on the table.

“Maybe," he said as to whether he'd consider another position as a stepping stone towards Gracie Mansion. "I’m definitely not making eight-year bank-shot plans.”

Fundamentally, Mr. Weiner is sure to be gauging the reaction to The Times' profile--which goes into print next Sunday--as he makes the decision, which, thanks to his pre-scandal campaign cash stockpiling and the media's interest in his post-scandal political brand, would all-but-guarantee shaking up the race. The former congressman, once an outspoken firebrand in Washington but now a relative recluse in Manhattan, said there were other factors worth considering as well.

"I’m trying to gauge not only what’s right and what feels comfortable right this second, but I’m also thinking, How will I feel in a year or two years or five years?" he asked himself. "Is this the time that I should be doing it? And then there’s the other side of the coin, which is . . . am I still the same person who I thought would make a good mayor?”

Eric Stevenson. (Photo: NYS Assembly)

Only a couple degrees of separation stand between Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, who was arrested and accused of corruption last week, and the infamous feud that led to the murders of hip-hop artists Tupac Shakur and Christopher "Notorious B.I.G" Wallace.

The connection begins with Khalil Abdullah, a Stevenson donor whose name and New Jersey hometown match that of a prominent cocaine trafficker who pleaded guilty in 2011. Additionally, The Smoking Gun reported that Mr. Abdullah shared an address with a celebrity hair stylist whose one-time "High Street" address is indeed the same as the contribution's. Multiple phone calls to individuals associated with the address and Mr. Abdullah's past reached numbers that were no longer in service.

Mr. Abdullah was closely involved in the saga of James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, a music industry mogul convicted last year for running a million-dollar cocaine operation on the side. Mr. Rosemond, whom The New York Times once characterized as "a prince at the royal court, whose ties to rap music’s biggest stars were known far and wide," was also described in the same article as having spent years "trying to shake accusations of involvement in a bitter feud that led to the murders of two rap music legends: Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace." Mr. Rosemond was implicated in a 1994 attack on Mr. Shakur, who responded by calling him out in the lyrics of one of his songs, “Against All Odds."

It was not immediately clear why Mr. Abdullah contributed $1,000 to Mr. Stevenson in October of 2010, but the assemblyman is the only New York State lawmaker to have received his financial support.

Mr. Stevenson has maintained his innocence of all wrongdoing.

Andrew Cuomo. (Photo: Getty)

Governor Andrew Cuomo is not happy about the barrage of corruption charges hitting various New York lawmakers throughout the week, including State Senator Malcolm Smith, City Councilman Dan Halloran and Assemblyman Eric Stevenson. Accordingly, Mr. Cuomo released a statement this afternoon detailing his disgust.

“The allegations of public corruption by City and State officials revealed this week are appalling," the governor declared. "New Yorkers deserve a government that is as good as the people it serves and the events of the last few days fail this and every standard of public service .... Those of us committed to the public and honored to hold its trust have zero tolerance for the actions brought to light this week, and will continue to use our power to fight to ensure integrity and trust to government in New York.”

Mr. Cuomo, the state's former attorney general, went on to tout his own record of prosecuting officials accused for abusing their offices.

"As Attorney General I prosecuted numerous public corruption cases, including putting former Senator Espada and Comptroller Hevesi behind bars, and believe firmly that anytime the public’s trust is violated, we must act quickly and aggressively to hold the guilty parties accountable," he continued. "I commend US Attorney Preet Bharara, District Attorney Robert Johnson and their partners in law enforcement on their dedication to prosecuting corruption at every level."

(Photo: NKD)

The New Kings Democrats went there, and fast.

Only a couple hours after news broke that Assemblyman Vito Lopez, who is battling sexual harassment allegations, registered a campaign account for a City Council run, the Democratic club launched  a "molester free zone" campaign, complete with a fairly direct flier, illustrating exactly how negative the marquee race will get should Mr. Lopez officially enter it.

"Voters could not have a more striking contrast between two candidates in the 34th city council district," Alex Low, the president of NKD, said in a statement that named Antonio Reynoso as the club's candidate in the race. "Antonio Reynoso, endorsed today by the National Organization for Women, is a champion of women's rights. On the other hand, Vito Lopez has been serially sexually harassing young female staffers. Vito Lopez belongs in jail, not our City Council."

NKD further claimed that they will be distributing the "molester-free zone" fliers throughout the district to combat a possible Lopez candidacy.

Mr. Lopez, who was stripped of his perks and privileges following the allegations last year, has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, but that's obviously not going to stop his opponents from railing into him on the subject. Accordingly, Mr. Reynoso also slammed Mr. Lopez's filing with what his campaign billed as his "harshest statement to date."

"My community deserves better than a corrupt sexual predator who helped turn Albany into a national disgrace and cringe-inducing cesspool," Mr. Reynoso fumed this afternoon. "If Lopez does move forward with a City Council campaign, he needs to know that his career will end in defeat and embarrassment. Organizations and leaders around the city are rallying around my candidacy, because they know I will deliver honest and ethical leadership."

(Photo: assembly.state.ny.us)

Moments ago, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office announced yet another New York State elected official, Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, has been arrested and accused of taking bribes. Earlier this week, New York's political world was rocked when corruption charges were leveled against State Senator Malcolm Smith and Councilman Dan Halloran. Mr. Stevenson's charges will be formally unsealed at noon today.

"Stevenson is accused of taking bribes in exchange for official acts, which included drafting, proposing, and agreeing to enact legislation that would benefit the co-defendants' businesses," the release announcing the press conference declared. "Two of the other defendants are also charged in connection with their payment of a bribe to another Assemblyman, who was actually cooperating with the Government at the time. The charges include conspiracy to deprive New York State and its citizens of Eric Stevenson’s honest services, federal programs and Travel Act bribery conspiracy, federal programs bribery, and Travel Act bribery conspiracy."

But the State Legislature's woes don't stop with Mr. Stevenson. The other assemblyman, currently unnamed, cooperated with the investigation and will have to resign from office now that the allegations against Mr. Stevenson are revealed.

"ASSEMBLYMAN-1 has been cooperating in this investigation since prior to January 2012. In exchange for that cooperation," the complaint reads. "ASSEMBLYMAN 1 has agreed, among other things, to continue to cooperate with the USAO and the Bronx County District Attorney's Office and to resign his office with the New York State Assembly following the arrests of the defendants in this complaint."

Few identifying details are provided, but the unnamed assemblyman is said to represent an adult day care center on Jerome Avenue, which is mostly represented by female legislators. Assemblyman Nelson Castro represents a district that could match the complaint, so we reached out to his office. Mr. Castro's chief of staff said they would have an announcement "by the end of the day" but declined to elaborate.

Update (1:25 p.m.): The New York Daily News confirmed Mr. Castro is the unnamed assemblyman.

View the complaint below:

Malcolm Smith (Photo: Facebook)

Manhattan GOP Chair Dan Isaacs assured his supporters in an email today that he has nothing to do with the alleged political bribery scheme that has already led to six arrests across the state.

"Nonetheless, if anyone harbors concern that there is 'another shoe to drop' here in Manhattan, I want to take this opportunity to reassure you that there is not," Mr. Isaacs wrote. "Anyone who knows me and has worked with me during my involvement with the Republican Party knows that I value personal integrity over all else."

The Bronx Republican Party chair and Queens Republican Party executive vice chair were arrested yesterday, along with State Sen. Malcolm Smith and Councilman Dan Halloran, for allegedly taking part in a bribery scheme to try to land Mr. Smith, a Democrat, in the Republican primary. Jay Savino, the Bronx chair, allegedly received $15,000 and Mr. Tabone, the executive vice chair who resigned today, allegedly received $25,000 in bribe money.

Mr. Isaacs is not named in the criminal complaint, though there is a "County Chairman #1" and "County Chairman #2" in the complaint who are not accused of wrongdoing.

View his full letter below:

Dear Manhattan Republican:

I want to take this opportunity to reach out to you following yesterday's shocking and disturbing arrests of four elected officials and two political leaders that has garnered media attention nationwide.

The alleged actions of those arrested are an outrage and a complete betrayal of the public trust. With three Democrats and three Republicans arrested, it also shows that corruption is not limited to an exclusive partisan provenance.

As you can imagine, I received numerous media inquiries following yesterday's arrests. My response was simple: I believe that it is inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation, especially one where the allegations are so serious, until the appropriate authorities have been given the opportunity to completely and thoroughly conduct their investigation. I hope and expect that they will do so as quickly as possible and that justice will be served to anyone who has broken the law. No one is above the law.

Nonetheless, if anyone harbors concern that there is "another shoe to drop" here in Manhattan, I want to take this opportunity to reassure you that there is not. Anyone who knows me and has worked with me during my involvement with the Republican Party knows that I value personal integrity over all else. I demand it as much from myself as from those with whom I deal. There is an expectation and covenant that I have with those who have given me the responsibility to lead our local Republican organization which I simply will not betray.

Notwithstanding our collective disgust at yesterday's revelations, we still have a tremendous amount of work to do. The two frontrunners to be the Republican candidate for Mayor of the City of New York are clearly head-and-shoulders above all other candidates for that office. It is absolutely essential that we elect our party's candidate in November to ensure the future of our great city.

As you know, we are having our Spring Fling event tonight - an annual informal celebration designed to gather Republicans throughout Manhattan as we look forward to the coming campaign season. Tonight's event will be a good opportunity to begin to restore trust in the concept of an honest and participatory political process and I sincerely hope that you will join us. For more information, please visit the events calendar on our web site at www.nycrepublican.org/calendar.htm.

Thank you again for all you do on behalf of our local Republican organization.

Yours in a common cause,

Daniel W. Isaacs
Chairman
New York Republican County Committee