By Hunter Walker 3/10 2:28pm

Hecklers

Herbert Goldman and Christine Quinn having a spirited discussion about term limits.

Chris Quinn Confronts Controversy Over Term Limits in Queens

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn officially launched her long anticipated mayoral campaign this morning with a “walk and talk tour” of the five boroughs. Though the event was carefully choreographed, with the locations of the various stops not made public so only handpicked supporters and reporters who tagged along in a press van without knowing the destinations could meet Ms. Quinn at each point of her journey, the Speaker was still confronted with a heckler who brought up one of the more controversial moments of her career–when the Council she led paved the way for Mayor Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term by overturning the term limits law in 2008.

“Why did you push Bloomberg for a third term!” an elderly man named Herbert Goldman shouted as Ms. Quinn spoke at her third stop of the day in Forest Hills, Queens.  Read More

By Hunter Walker 12/27/11 4:51pm

Crime & Punishment

Adam Clayton Powell IV (Photo: Facebook)

Adam Clayton Powell IV Explains Why He Predicted Prison For Mayor Bloomberg

Former Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV told The Politicker he doesn’t really think Mayor Bloomberg will go to jail, but he’s still outraged about the maneuvers the mayor made to secure a third term. Mr. Powell also discussed his future political plans.

Last week, Mr. Powell said Mayor Bloomberg would be sent to prison in an El Diario roundup of year-end political predictions. “Bloomberg won’t finish his third term. He’ll be charged and sent to jail, and Bill Thompson will win a special election for mayor,” Mr. Powell said in remarks translated from the original Spanish.

Mr. Powell clarified his comments in a conversation with The Politicker this afternoon. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 7/13/11 12:22pm

2013

Tom Allon9514

'Tom Who?' Publisher Allon Explains His Ink-Stained Mayoral Run

Publisher Tom Allon said, in hindsight, it was a mistake to support Mayor Bloomberg’s push to extend term limits, putting the newly announced 2013 mayoral candidate at odds with two of the leading Democrats in that race.

“I think at the time I was in favor of the extension,” Allon said. “I didn’t think it was a bad idea, even though the will of the people knocked it down, twice. I hate to say it but in retrospect, I think it was a mistake. And I think maybe even in his heart of hearts the mayor thinks it’s a mistake.”

Allon, who declared that he was running for mayor earlier this week, has a very different kind of profile, and a very different kind of record, than most of his would-be opponents in 2013.

As the publisher of Manhattan Media, he has overseen a slew of political and lifestyle publications throughout the city, making his candidacy something of a surprise to the political establishment.  But, Allon said, he “jumped in with two feet” when he decided to run as a “Cuomo Democrat.” Read More