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Congress

By David Freedlander 8/03/12 3:55pm

Congress

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Peter King Calls Out Both Parties For Cowardice

Long Island Republican Congressman Peter King appeared on the John Gambling show this morning and slammed his colleagues in  both parties for failing to come to an agreement on critical issues before leaving for a five-week recess.

“Maybe I am from the old-school, and I don’t want to sound at all sanctimonious, but I think if you are in politics in either party or both parties where you are afraid of disturbing anyone, all kidding aside, if I cast every vote petrified that John Gambling might disagree with me or this person might disagree with me, you never get anything done,” the longtime incumbent said. “You do it and you go out and you defend it and you go on to the next one.”

Mr. King went on to say that the reason his colleagues couldn’t compromise, and thus couldn’t actually get anything done, was because they treat their constituents like children. Read More

By David Freedlander 6/21/12 12:21pm

Congress

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Carolyn Maloney Calls Fast And Furious Investigation Political ‘Witch-hunting Season’

East Side Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has emerged as one of the foremost critics of the House’s efforts to hold attorney general Eric Holder in contempt after she sparred with House Oversight chair Darrell Issa from the start of the hearings yesterday, telling him that she was “horrified” over the turn of events.

On “The Ed Show” yesterday, Ms. Maloney kept up the drumbeat, telling host Ed Schultz that the proceedings were a political witchhunt.”

“It’s witch-hunting season and it won’t be over until November, ” the congresswoman said. “Their actions are extreme, unhelpful and politically motivated.” Read More

By David Freedlander 6/18/12 5:54pm

Congress

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Espaillat Says That The Times Is ‘Wrong’ To Endorse Clyde Williams

On Saturday morning The New York Times  gave their all-important endorsement to Clyde Williams, the former Clinton aide running for the seat long-held by Charlie Rangel.

The paper of record though was relatively easy on State Senator Adriano Espaillat, calling him  ”a vigorous advocate in Albany for Hispanic immigrants,” but adding that,  ”to represent this district, he would have to reach out to a wider constituency of African-Americans, whites and Asians.”

In an interview on Brian Lehrer, Mr. Espaillat objected.  Read More

By David Freedlander 6/18/12 2:09pm

Congress

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Koch Provides Jewish Backing For Nydia Velazquez

Former Mayor Ed Koch provided assurances to Jewish residents of Nydia Velazquez’s district that the longtime congresswoman had their best interests at heart.

“She has helped all communities. She has provided effective leadership in the Hispanic community which has suffered enormously as a result of the recent and still ongoing recession and loss of jobs,” he said in a statement. “At the same time, Nydia has been a leader in Congress in support of the Jewish community and its concern for the safety and security of the Jewish nation, Israel. “I admire her and support her.  I urge you to join her campaign and reelect her by rushing to the polls on June 26th and voting for her.”  Read More

By David Freedlander 6/15/12 3:08pm

Congress

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Obama Backs Another Incumbent, But Not Charlie Rangel

Nydia Velazquez announced this morning that her re-election campaign has received perhaps the most coveted endorsement in the Democratic Party–Barack Obama.

“For the past two decades, Rep. Nydia Velázquez has been a constant advocate for middle-class families, helping to create an economy built to last where everyone has an opportunity to achieve the American Dream,” said President Obama. “Rep. Velázquez has worked tirelessly to create good middle-class jobs through community projects, provide affordable housing so folks have a decent place to lay their head at night, and invest in education so that the children in her district receive the quality education they deserve. The people of NY’s 7th Congressional need to re-elect Rep. Velázquez so that she can keep fighting for them in Congress.” Read More

By David Freedlander 6/11/12 4:15pm

Congress

Charles Barron

Charles Barron Dismisses ‘Anti-Semitic’ Press Conference As A ‘Distraction’

Earlier today Jewish elected officials and community leaders like former Mayor Ed Koch, Congressman Jerry Nadler and Assemblyman Dov Hikind gathered in lower Manhattan to denounce Brooklyn congressional candidate Charles Barron as  an “anti-Semite” who is “anti-Israel” and “a scary monster.”

Asked this afternoon for a response, Mr. Barron, a City Councilman and one-time Black Panther, didn’t take the bait, calling the presser a distraction designed to blunt the momentum of his campaign.

“Most of them don’t live in the district or don’t represent the district.  The few who may represent a part of it never called me up to discuss anything with me. This is a distraction becaue my campaign is gaining momentum. My campaign is looking better and better each day with the endorsement of DC37, with Congressman Towns, with the Amsterdam News, and the fact of the matter is that when I travel all throughout the district,” he said, “And nobody—and I went before the Jewish press and the Russian -Jewish press and Russian Jewish leaders–and no one has raised those kind of issues.” Read More

By David Freedlander 6/01/12 5:09pm

Congress

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Hayworth Doubles Down On ‘Acid Hurling’ Attack; Becker, Right Wing Blogs Pounce

Earlier today, Bruce Harvie, campaign manager for Nan Hayworth spoke publicly about campaign spokesman Jay Townsend’s comments on a Facebook page in which he suggested “hurling acid” at female Democratic senators.

And in his statement Mr. Harvie blamed the campaign of Richard Becker, one of a handful of Democrats vying to compete against Ms. Hayworth in November.

“This is a manufactured controversy by a campaign operation that has, for months, hurled offensive rhetoric and imagery at Nan Hayworth on various Facebook pages, including the one mentioned today. It is a matter of public record that the moderator of the page in question, while purporting to represent an objective point of view, is on the payroll of the Becker campaign. And in behalf of the Becker campaign, the moderator has tolerated extremely hostile and explicit comments against Dr. Hayworth. Only now have the media chosen to pay attention to this particular battlefield in the war against a woman who has the temerity to be a Republican Member of Congress.” Read More

By David Freedlander 5/16/12 2:04pm

Congress

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Charlie Rangel Wishes That Obama Would Hug And Kiss Him

Charlie Rangel appeared on CNN for an interview with Kyra Phillips this morning and he was asked about President Obama’s apparent lack of support for his re-election bid.

Recall that in 2010, the president described Mr. Rangel, then mired in a fundraising and illegal apartment scandal, as someone who “ served his constituents very well” but also as someone ”who’s at the end of his career. Eighty years old. I’m sure that he wants to end his career with dignity. And my hope is that it happens. “ Read More

By David Freedlander 5/08/12 2:16pm

Congress

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Maloney, Nadler Rally Congress For Rights Of Pregnant Women

Manhattan members of Congress Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that would require employers to make accommodations for pregnant women and ban employers from denying women employment due to pregnancy.

“When American families are struggling to make ends meet, we must do everything we can to keep people in their jobs. This is especially true for pregnant women who are about to have another mouth to feed,” Mr. Nadler said. “Ensuring that a woman who needs minor and reasonable job adjustments to maintain a healthy pregnancy gets that accommodation should be central to our society’s support for strong and stable families. “ Read More

By David Freedlander 5/07/12 10:24am

Congress

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Turner Accuses Obama of Playing The Race Card, Says ‘Call Off Your Dogs, Mr. President’

Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Bob Turner turned his attention fully onto President Barack Obama this morning, calling on the president to cease with a federal lawsuit designed to desegregate mostly white communities in Westchester County.

“Westchester County is not racist; it’s expensive,” said Rep. Turner. “This severe government intrusion that the Obama Administration is calling its ‘grand experiment’  is divisive and probably unconstitutional. The housing challenges in Westchester are economic, not racial, and the Obama Administration would be better served trying to fix the economy and create jobs for all New Yorkers, rather than attempting to socially engineer communities block by block.” Read More