February 12, 2012 · www.gothamgazette.com

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Chair of Albany Ethics Agency Also Advocates for District Attorneys (Wall Street Journal, Feb 10, 2012)

City to Judge: Moving Primaries Could Wreak Havoc (Daily News, Feb 10, 2012)

Minorities Slam Revised Political Districts Map (Wall Street Journal, Feb 10, 2012)

State Comptroller: Praise, Warning on Budget (Associated Press, Feb 8, 2012)

Comptroller Approves MTA Contract with Company that Bribed Foreign Officials (NY Post, Feb 7, 2012)

Legislators Cite Tax-Records Privacy Concerns (Associated Press, Feb 7, 2012)

Liu Met With Contributors During Work Hours (Daily News, Feb 6, 2012)

IG Can Look At State Employees' Tax Returns (Albany Times Union, Feb 6, 2012)

Cuomo Appointee to Police Cuomo Administration (WNYC, Feb 3, 2012)

Quinn’s Friendship With Lobbyist May Pose Test in Mayor Bid (NY Times, Feb 2, 2012)

Weiner Hired Investigators with Campaign Money Over Twitter 'Hacking' (Daily News, Feb 1, 2012)

Albany Redistricting Plan Faulted as Unfair to Minorities (NY Times, Jan 31, 2012)

Senate GOP Wants to Merge Four Queens Democratic Districts Into Two (Daily News, Jan 26, 2012)

Stringer Gets Major Donations From Firm Whose Project he Backed (NY Post, Jan 25, 2012)

Politicians Barred from Profiting on Gambling Businesses (Daily News, Jan 23, 2012)

As Closed-Door Redistricting Drags On, Incumbents’ Edge Only Grows (NY Times, Jan 23, 2012)

Inching Closer to Agreement on Evaluations for Teachers (NY Times, Jan 19, 2012)

Comptroller Liu's Bundlers Get Scrutiny on Donations (Wall Street Journal, Jan 19, 2012)

Windfall for Axed ‘Vito’ Boss (NY Post, Jan 18, 2012)

Liu, Facing Investigation, Reports Drop in Donations (NY Times, Jan 18, 2012)

Comptroller Clobbers No-Bid Deal for Former Education Chancellor's Company (Daily News, Jan 17, 2012)

Shake up On Liu's Staff (NY Post, Jan 13, 2012)

For Comptroller’s Allies, a Day Without an Award Is a Rarity (NY Times, Jan 10, 2012)

Queens Republicans Say Paying the Party is Necessary to Gain Backing (NY Post, Jan 9, 2012)

Andrew Cuomo Takes Charge of City Issues (Daily News, Jan 6, 2012)

Director of Brooklyn Boss's Social Services Agency Fired (NY Post, Jan 5, 2012)

Lobbyist Richard Lipsky Pleads Guilty to Bribing State Senator (NY Times, Jan 5, 2012)

Comptroller DiNapoli Backs Penalties for Corrupt Officials (Associated Press, Jan 4, 2012)

Convicted Ex-Senator Kruger to Get a Pension of Over $65,000 (NY Post, Jan 4, 2012)

Business Lobby Formed for Cuomo Tops Spending (Associated Press, Dec 15, 2011)

At Deadline, Ethics Unit Is in Limbo (Wall Street Journal, Dec 12, 2011)

Ex-MF Global Boss Quits Controller Liu's Office (Daily News, Dec 9, 2011)

Liu Calls Off Holiday Fund-Raiser Bash (NY Post, Dec 6, 2011)

Museum Wades Into Politics With a Fund-Raiser (NY Times, Dec 6, 2011)

Tens of Thousands of Votes Tossed (WXXI, Dec 6, 2011)

Liu Camp To Return Tainted Donations (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2, 2011)

Quiet Aide to Liu Helped Build a Donor Base Now Under Scrutiny (NY Times, Dec 1, 2011)

Liu's Audit Shows City Failed to Collect Millions in Taxes From Hotels (Daily News, Nov 29, 2011)

Questions Now Raised about Liu's 2009 Fundraising (NY Post, Nov 27, 2011)

Energy Companies Spend Millions to Persuade Cuomo to Back Gas Drilling (NY Times, Nov 26, 2011)

Liu Returns Some Donations (Associated Press, Nov 25, 2011)

Liu Delays Giving Names of Campaign Fund-Raisers (NY Times, Nov 10, 2011)

State Misses Budget Deadline, Cites Economic Turmoil (Associated Press, Nov 10, 2011)

MTA Payroll System Vulnerable to Fraud as Two Managers Demoted in Scandal (Daily News, Nov 10, 2011)

Larry Seabrook Trial Begins Today (City Hall, Nov 7, 2011)

State Could Hold Three Primary Days Due to Date Dispute (Daily News, Nov 2, 2011)

Deep Backlog is Detailed at City’s Bias Watchdog (NY Times, Oct 27, 2011)

Markowitz Charities Get Donations from Developers and More (NY Times, Oct 25, 2011)

Unions Shift Into Advocacy Mode to Influence Elections (Wall Street Journal, Oct 20, 2011)

De Blasio Pushes for Transparency on Agencies' FOIL Requests (NY Times, Oct 20, 2011)

Police Pensions Will Remain Private: Court (NY Post, Oct 19, 2011)

Education Department Flack Altered Parents' Petition to Protest Seniority Rules (NY Times, Oct 19, 2011)

Rep. Grimm Angers Tea Party Base (NY Post, Oct 17, 2011)

Group Under Fire Over Lobbying Violations Gets Grant from State (Wall Street Journal, Oct 14, 2011)

Questioned on Donations, Comptroller Vows Review (NY Times, Oct 13, 2011)

Administration Continues to Try to Hide Harris' Comings and Goings (NY Times, Oct 8, 2011)

State Helped Health Workers Union that Supported Cuomo's Budget (Wall Street Journal, Oct 7, 2011)

Haggerty Trial Puts Spotlight on Shadowy World of 'Ballot Security' (NY Times, Oct 5, 2011)

Bloomberg Expected to Testify in Former Political Aide's Trial Today (NY Times, Oct 2, 2011)

City Hall Won't Reveal Deputy Mayor's Schedules (NY Post, Oct 2, 2011)

Quinn Blocks Bill on Disclosure of Mayor's Travels (Wall Street Journal, Sep 29, 2011)

Prosecutors Grill Deputy Mayors in Campaign-Larceny Trial (NY Post, Sep 28, 2011)

Plans to Reform Redistricting Go Awry (MetroFocus, Sep 27, 2011)

As Trial Begins, Prosecutor Says Aide Stole $1 Million from Bloomberg (WNYC, Sep 27, 2011)

Defense Says Bloomberg Committed Campaign Fraud (am New York, Sep 27, 2011)

Firefighters Irate Over Omission from Zadroga Panel (Daily News, Sep 27, 2011)

Haggerty Did Not Steal Lawyer Says (Daily News, Sep 27, 2011)

Haggerty Trial Opens with Focus on Bloomberg (City Hall, Sep 27, 2011)

Aide Denies He Stole from Bloomberg (NY Post, Sep 27, 2011)

Defense Seeks to Make Trial a Referendum on Bloomberg (NY Times, Sep 27, 2011)

Cuomo, Christie Had Secret Meal Prior to Port Authority Toll Deal (Daily News, Sep 23, 2011)

Rep. Meeks Sought Favors For Pal (NY Post, Sep 19, 2011)

Turner Sworn In (NY Times, Sep 16, 2011)

Four Council Members Allow Participatory Budgeting with Their Earmarks (NY Times, Sep 14, 2011)

Jury Selection to Begin in Trial of Mayor's Political Aide (Associated Press, Sep 12, 2011)

Quinn Rejects Probe of Bloomberg's Handling of Aide's Arrest (Daily News, Sep 9, 2011)

State Proposes Throttle on Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling (Bloomberg, Sep 8, 2011)

Diverse 9/11 Tributes Planned for City (Crain's, Sep 6, 2011)

Bloomberg Hopes Feds Will Pay For Hurricane Damage to City (Daily News, Aug 30, 2011)

Asian-Americans Push for Transparency in Use of Census for Redistricting (Daily News, Aug 25, 2011)

A Council Speaker Who Tightens the Purse Strings on Dissent (NY Times, Aug 23, 2011)

Cuomo Administration Axes Espada Clinic's Medicaid (Associated Press, Aug 11, 2011)

Espada's Nonprofit Faces Loss of License (Wall Street Journal, Aug 9, 2011)

Two on Judicial Pay Panel Press for Big Raises (NY Times, Aug 9, 2011)

Ethics Committee to Investigate Meeks Over $40,000 Loan (NY Post, Aug 6, 2011)

The Three New York State Redistricting Stories to Watch (MetroFocus, Aug 4, 2011)

Council Members Frequently Miss Meetings (Daily News, Aug 4, 2011)

Recipients of Member Items Boost Quinn's Campaign (Daily News, Aug 1, 2011)

With 2 Seats to Get the Ax, Redistricting Anxiety Hits State's Congress Members (NY Times, Aug 1, 2011)

Markowitz Says 'First Lady' of Brooklyn Should Travel Free (NY Post, Jul 26, 2011)

Conflicts of Interest Board Fines Brooklyn Borough President (NY Times, Jul 26, 2011)

Markowitz Fined for Wife's Travel (Daily News, Jul 26, 2011)

Quinn Fundraises for State Senate Democrats (Daily News, Jul 26, 2011)

Stringer Calls for Abolishment of Member Item System (WNYC, Jul 21, 2011)

City Pension Funds Refuse to Release Recipients’ Names (NY Times, Jul 21, 2011)

Pothole Reports Disappeared from 311 Web Site (Daily News, Jul 19, 2011)

Sen. Kruger's Campaign Dollars Fund Defense in Bribery Charge (Daily News, Jul 19, 2011)

Cuomo Expected to Sign Ethics Overhaul Soon (Albany Times Union, Jul 13, 2011)

Latino Group Seeks Redrawing of Weiner's District (Associated Press, Jul 13, 2011)

Lieutenant Governor Taps Campaign Funds for Albany Housing Costs (Daily News, Jul 12, 2011)

Indicted Brooklyn Assemblyman Boyland Absent 33 Percent of Time (Daily News, Jul 12, 2011)

A Place to Post Projects, Ideas for City (Wall Street Journal, Jul 8, 2011)

Councilmembers Give Huge Pork Dollars to Their Kids' Schools (Daily News, Jul 8, 2011)

Queens Democratic Party Boss Lives in Northern Virginia (NY Post, Jul 8, 2011)

Barrons Steered Money to Group Run by Longtime Aide (Daily News, Jul 6, 2011)

Gillibrand Campaigns For More Women in Politics (NY Times, Jul 5, 2011)

Vito Lopez-Connected Group Blocked From $600,000 City Grant (Daily News, Jun 30, 2011)

Council Member Rejects Plea Deal (Daily News, Jun 26, 2011)

Councilmember Dickens Pays Over $40,000 in Back Taxes (Daily News, Jun 24, 2011)

Weiner Makes Resignation Official (Wall Street Journal, Jun 21, 2011)

Weiner Had Large Tax Deductions (NY Post, Jun 20, 2011)

Ethics Bill Has Troublesome Exceptions: Experts (Reuters, Jun 17, 2011)

House Democrats to Meet About Stripping Weiner of Committee Assignments (Associated Press, Jun 16, 2011)

Liu Rejects City Contract with Klein's Company (Daily News, Jun 15, 2011)

House Democrats Don't Take Action Against Weiner (Wall Street Journal, Jun 15, 2011)

Obama Suggests That Weiner Step Down (City Room, Jun 14, 2011)

More Officials Call on Weiner to Resign (NY Times, Jun 13, 2011)

More Weiner Photos Posted (NY Times, Jun 13, 2011)

Weiner Finally Considering Resignation, Source Says (Daily News, Jun 13, 2011)

Weiner Constituents Mixed Over His Future (WNYC, Jun 13, 2011)

Wrinkle Wrinkle in Voting Laws Could Break Conservative Party Chair's Block on Same-Sex Marriage (The Capitol, Jun 13, 2011)

Weiner to Seek Treatment (NY Times, Jun 12, 2011)

Weiner Seeks Leave of Absence from House (Wall Street Journal, Jun 12, 2011)

State Comptroller Proposes Campaign Finance Changes for His Office (Associated Press, Jun 10, 2011)

Weiner Says he Refuses to Resign (NY Post, Jun 10, 2011)

Poll: Weiner's Constituents Want Him to Stay (CNN.com, Jun 10, 2011)

Donors Mixed Over Weiner Scandal (WNYC, Jun 10, 2011)

Weiner Resists Pressure to Resign (Wall Street Journal, Jun 10, 2011)

Brash Style Alienates Weiner From Peers (NY Times, Jun 10, 2011)

Top Democratic Women Dodge Tough Call on Weiner (Associated Press, Jun 10, 2011)

Hillary Clinton Furious at 'Stupid' Weiner (NY Post, Jun 10, 2011)

Damage Control Vital to Weiner's Political Survival, Experts Say (WNYC, Jun 9, 2011)

Talk Builds on Challengers and a District Vulnerable to Elimination (NY Times, Jun 9, 2011)

Disgusted Democrats Letting Weiner Shrivel (NY Post, Jun 9, 2011)

House Democrats Step Up Calls for Weiner to Quit (NY Times, Jun 9, 2011)

Weiner’s Wife Is Pregnant (NY Times, Jun 9, 2011)

Sex Scandal, Pregnancy Tests Weiner's Wife (Wall Street Journal, Jun 9, 2011)

Weiner's Penis Exposed in Photo (Daily News, Jun 9, 2011)

Democrats Push Weiner to Go (Wall Street Journal, Jun 9, 2011)

More Weaknesses Cited in New State Ethics Law (NY Times, Jun 7, 2011)

Constituents Condemn Weiner (Daily News, Jun 7, 2011)

Weiner's Political Future Cloudy (NY Times, Jun 7, 2011)

Weiner Could Face Ethics Probe (Wall Street Journal, Jun 6, 2011)

Weiner Won’t Stop Tweeting (Daily News, Jun 6, 2011)

Full Transcript of Weiner Press Conference (NY Post, Jun 6, 2011)

http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/experts-ponder-weiner-madness-1.2935375 (am New York, Jun 6, 2011)

Weiner Admits Sending Photos But Won't Resign (City Room, Jun 6, 2011)

State Ethics Deal On Tap (Associated Press, Jun 3, 2011)

Weiner Snaps at Reporter Over Lewd Picture (Daily News, Jun 1, 2011)

Court Fight Over Where to Count Inmates (Associated Press, May 19, 2011)

Lawmakers Mum on Skelos Clients (NY Post, May 17, 2011)

Top City Election Post Remains Vacant (City Hall, May 16, 2011)

Talks on Changing Redistricting Grind to a Standstill (Pressconnects, May 15, 2011)

Lobbyists Spent Record Amount in Albany Last Year (Associated Press, May 6, 2011)

Cuomo Hitting Road for Gay Marriage, Ethics Reform (Gotham Gazette, May 5, 2011)

Senate Democrats to Hold Interactive Ethics Forum (Associated Press, May 4, 2011)

Obama's Third City Visit in Less Than a Month (Daily News, Apr 27, 2011)

Senate Democrats Try to Put GOP on the Spot Over Ethics Reform (WNYC, Apr 14, 2011)

Obama Returning to New York For Another Fundraiser (NY Observer, Apr 5, 2011)

Cuomo's Girlfriend Mum on How Husband's Budget Will Affect Food Banks (NY Times, Mar 30, 2011)

Geraldine Ferraro Remembered By Her Political Brethren (Daily News, Mar 28, 2011)

City Council Members Skirt Rules and Laws, Investigation Finds (Daily News, Mar 20, 2011)

Lawmakers Find a Path Around an Earmarks Ban (NY Times, Mar 17, 2011)

Campaign Finance Board Grapples with New Law on Tougher Disclosure (NY Times, Mar 11, 2011)

Two State Legislators Charged With Corruption for 'Unholy Alliance' (WNYC, Mar 11, 2011)

Kruger nad Boyland Surrender to Feds to Face Bribe Rap (Daily News, Mar 11, 2011)

Gov. Cuomo Warns Legislature in Wake of Arrests (Daily News, Mar 11, 2011)

Federal Corruption Case Ensnares a Self-Styled Fighter for the Underdog (NY Times, Mar 11, 2011)

Developer Among Cast of Characters in Kruger Case (NY Times, Mar 11, 2011)

Graft Charges Depict Kruger’s Lavish Lifestyle (NY Times, Mar 11, 2011)

Politicians Charged in Influence-Peddling Case (Associated Press, Mar 11, 2011)

Kruger Turns Self in to Face Charges (NY Post, Mar 11, 2011)

Cuomo Medicaid Team Continues After Ethics Claim (Associated Press, Mar 10, 2011)

State Senator In Corruption Probe (Wall Street Journal, Mar 10, 2011)

Brooklyn Senator and Assemblyman Face Corruption Charges (NY Times, Mar 10, 2011)

Sen. Kruger, Assemblymember Boyland to Surrender to Feds (Daily News, Mar 10, 2011)

Good Government Forms Own Reform Group (City Hall, Mar 8, 2011)

Democrats Push for Public Hearing on Redistricting Reform (Associated Press, Mar 6, 2011)

State Ethics Proposal Would Allow Lawmakers to Attend Lobbyists' Parties (Daily News, Mar 4, 2011)

Unions Balk at Plan for Disclosing Independent Expenditures (Gotham Gazette, Mar 2, 2011)

Assembly Won't Consider Senate LIFO Bill (Wall Street Journal, Mar 2, 2011)

Silver Sees Little Chance of Extending Millionaires Tax (WNYC, Mar 2, 2011)

Koch Accuses GOP of Abandoning Redistricting Reform (WNYC, Mar 2, 2011)

Senate Clashes Over Cuomo's Redistricting Plan (Wall Street Journal, Feb 25, 2011)

Silver Discreetly Submits Cuomo's Redistricting Plan (Daily News, Feb 25, 2011)

Cuomo Adviser Pressed to Reveal Conflicts of Interest (NY Times, Feb 24, 2011)

Cuomo Friend, Adviser Also Serves as Consultant to Healthcare Industry (NY Times, Feb 23, 2011)

Staten Island DA Seeks Probe of Working Families Party (NY Post, Feb 18, 2011)

Cuomo Reaches for Expanded Powers (Wall Street Journal, Feb 18, 2011)

Cuomo Proposes Independent Redistricting Bill (Associated Press, Feb 18, 2011)

Rangel Wants Another Term (NY Post, Feb 16, 2011)

Report Sees Political 'Crime Wave' (NY Post, Feb 15, 2011)

In Albany, Finger Pointing Over Ethics Reform (WNYC, Feb 11, 2011)

Brooklyn Borough President Faces Ethics Fine (Wall Street Journal, Feb 8, 2011)

Senate Facing Another Constitutional Fight (Associated Press, Feb 4, 2011)

Gotham Gazette's Councilpedia Tracks Political Cash (Daily News, Feb 3, 2011)

A Look Into the Cases of the State's Judicial Watchdogs (NY Times, Feb 3, 2011)

Ice Storm Socks the City (NY Post, Feb 2, 2011)

House Ethics Panel Probing Meeks (NY Post, Jan 30, 2011)

Assembly Stalls Popular Vote Plan (Associated Press, Jan 26, 2011)

Senate Democrats Awarded Committee Chairs (Associated Press, Jan 26, 2011)

Senate Erupts Over Rules Changes (Gannett, Jan 26, 2011)

Proposal to Revamp Judicial-Conduct Agency Draws Fire (NY Times, Jan 26, 2011)

Senate Republicans May Seek to Block Nonpartisan Redistricting (City Hall, Jan 24, 2011)

Silver Looks Away as Cuomo Pitches Ethics Reform in State of State (NY Post, Jan 6, 2011)

Engel Cleared in Ethics Probe (Daily News, Jan 5, 2011)

A New Move for Staten Island Secession (Staten Island Advance, Jan 3, 2011)

Bloomberg Declined Independence Party's Offer to Return Money (Wall Street Journal, Dec 23, 2010)

New York to Lose Two House Seats (City Room, Dec 22, 2010)

Which Congress Members Could Lose their Seats? (, Dec 22, 2010)

A Primer on Redistricting (WNYC, Dec 22, 2010)

Walmart Donates Heavily to Albany Politicians (Daily News, Dec 17, 2010)

Bloomberg Accused by Alleged Thief of Hiding Election Money (Wall Street Journal, Dec 16, 2010)

Sitting State Legislators Collect Pensions (NY Post, Dec 15, 2010)

Paterson Vetoes Archive Law (Albany Times Union, Dec 14, 2010)

Bloomberg Celebrates "No Labels" (NY Times, Dec 14, 2010)

Rangel On Final Term? (Daily News, Dec 12, 2010)

Cuomo Takes Attorney Campaign Cash During Probe (Daily News, Dec 12, 2010)

Bloomberg Pushes Election Reforms (NY Times, Dec 7, 2010)

Recount Finds 195,000 Votes Were Missed on Election Night (NY Times, Dec 3, 2010)

House Censures Rangel for Ethics Violations (WNYC, Dec 3, 2010)

Rangel Rebuked Over Ethics Violations (NY Post, Dec 3, 2010)

If Rangel were Forced to Step Down, Paterson May be Replacement (Daily News, Dec 3, 2010)

As Rangel Stands Silently, Censure Vote Rings Loudly (NY Times, Dec 3, 2010)

Rangel has Swagger Back After House Censure (Associated Press, Dec 3, 2010)

House Punishments Through History (Associated Press, Dec 3, 2010)

Rangel Censured for Ethics Violations (Wall Street Journal, Dec 3, 2010)

Rangel Wants House to Reject Censure (NY Post, Nov 28, 2010)

News Corp. Buys Technology Partner in Schools Project After Hiring Klein (NY Times, Nov 24, 2010)

Rangel Apologizes to Supporters (Daily News, Nov 23, 2010)

Rangel's Supporters Say 'No' to Censure (Associated Press, Nov 21, 2010)

House Panel Recommends Censure for Rangel (Daily News, Nov 19, 2010)

Rangel's Downward Path (NY Times, Nov 18, 2010)

Rangel Found Guilty of Ethics Violations (Wall Street Journal, Nov 17, 2010)

House Panel Finds Rangel Guilty (NY Times, Nov 17, 2010)

Rangel Guilty: House Ethics Panel Rules Misconduct (Associated Press, Nov 17, 2010)

Rangel Walks Out of Ethics Trial (NY Times, Nov 16, 2010)

Rangel Charges Called Uncontested (Wall Street Journal, Nov 16, 2010)

Several Elections in State Still Undecided (NY Times, Nov 14, 2010)

Teacher Union Money Shows How Independent Expenditures Could Affect State Politics. (Wall Street Journal, Nov 14, 2010)

Powerful Interests, Lobbyists Gave Millions to Cuomo Campaign (Daily News, Nov 9, 2010)

Did Voters Fail to Vote for Proposals Because of Poor Ballot Design? (Daily News, Nov 5, 2010)

Legal Fight Ahead Over State Senate (Wall Street Journal, Nov 5, 2010)

Low Voter Turnout in City (WNYC, Nov 4, 2010)

Better Grades for New Voting System (Wall Street Journal, Nov 3, 2010)

City Voters Approve Term Limits (NY Times, Nov 3, 2010)

Smaller Parties Worried About New Ballot (Wall Street Journal, Oct 29, 2010)

Referendum Offers Difficult Choices (NY Times, Oct 29, 2010)

DiNapoli Receives Donations from Firms Seeking Agency Business (NY Post, Oct 29, 2010)

De Blasio Attacks Pataki Over Unnamed Donors (NY Times, Oct 28, 2010)

Problems Plagued Elections Chief's Short Tenure (NY Times, Oct 27, 2010)

Placement of Names on Queens Ballot May Have Been Final Straw for Gonzalez (Wall Street Journal, Oct 27, 2010)

Bloomberg Could Gain More Control of Elections Board (City Hall, Oct 27, 2010)

Ballot Design Boosts Bell's Fiancée in Queens Race (NY Post, Oct 21, 2010)

Voting As A Crime? (NY Times, Oct 17, 2010)

Lopez Scandal Sparks Hasidic Feud (NY Post, Oct 17, 2010)

Board of Elections Misses Deadlines for Sending Ballots to Soldiers Overseas (Daily News, Oct 11, 2010)

Post-Election Ethics Hearings for Rangel (Associated Press, Oct 8, 2010)

Beleaguered Politicians Use Campaign Funds for Legal Costs (Daily News, Oct 7, 2010)

Quinn and Board of Elections Spar Over Voting Problems (WNYC, Oct 5, 2010)

Worries Over State's Loss of Congressional Seats (Wall Street Journal, Sep 30, 2010)

Republicans Demand Rangel Ethics Hearing Before Nov. (NY Post, Sep 29, 2010)

Paladino Aides Have Sordid Pasts (NY Times, Sep 29, 2010)

De Blasio Seeks Answers on Voting Snarls (NY Times, Sep 17, 2010)

City Fretted About New Voting System (NY Times, Sep 16, 2010)

Problem Reported with New Voting Machines (City Room, Sep 15, 2010)

Lack of Privacy Disturbs Many Voters (NY Post, Sep 15, 2010)

Bloomberg, Others Criticize Voting Problems (Daily News, Sep 15, 2010)

U.S. Attorney Probing City's Choice of Voting Machines (Daily News, Sep 15, 2010)

New Yorkers Strongly Back Two-Term Limits for City Officials (NY Times, Sep 7, 2010)

Using Loophole, Quinn Gets Thousands from Vornado Realty (Crain's, Sep 6, 2010)

Independence Party Still Has Not Returned Bloomberg's Money (Wall Street Journal, Aug 31, 2010)

The Strange World of the City Board of Elections (Village Voice, Aug 27, 2010)

Morgenthau Held Stock in Company Rangel Helped (NY Times, Aug 25, 2010)

Espada Still Owes State $13,500 in Fines (Daily News, Aug 25, 2010)

Union Loses Fight on Political Spending (Wall Street Journal, Aug 20, 2010)

Term Limits Plan is Criticized (NY Times, Aug 18, 2010)

Attorney General Candidates Ask for More Power (NY Times, Aug 17, 2010)

Study Finds Political Meddling with Authorities Problematic (NY Times, Aug 17, 2010)

Part-Time Commissioners Also Paid Lobbyists (NY Post, Aug 15, 2010)

Birthday Party Tests Support for Rangel (Daily News, Aug 12, 2010)

George Gonzalez Chosen as Elections Board Director (Daily News, Aug 11, 2010)

Fear that New Machines will Confuse Voters (Wall Street Journal, Aug 11, 2010)

Some City Leaders Attack Non-Partisan Primaries (NY 1, Aug 9, 2010)

Rangel Loses Major Donors Over Ethics Charges (Daily News, Aug 9, 2010)

Paterson Breaks Out the Veto Pen (Associated Press, Aug 3, 2010)

Some in District Want Rangel to Leave (Daily News, Jul 30, 2010)

Rangel May Reach Deal (Wall Street Journal, Jul 30, 2010)

Rangel Still Hopes for Settlement (Daily News, Jul 30, 2010)

Rangel Likely to Face Ethics Trial (NY Times, Jul 30, 2010)

Rangel Tries to Negotiate Plea Deal (Daily News, Jul 30, 2010)

Maltese Seeks Top Job at City Board of Elections (City Hall, Jul 30, 2010)

Rangel says There's New Charges (NY Post, Jul 27, 2010)

Ethics Raps Put Rangel on Trial (NY Post, Jul 23, 2010)

House Hits Rangel with Ethics Charges (Daily News, Jul 23, 2010)

House to Try Top Democrat (Wall Street Journal, Jul 23, 2010)

House Panel Will Try Rangel in Ethics Cases (NY Times, Jul 23, 2010)

Liu Won't Disclose Fired Managers (Bloomberg, Jul 22, 2010)

Panel Mulls Nonpartisan Elections (NY 1, Jul 20, 2010)

Rep. Meeks's Mansion Raises Questions (Daily News, Jul 13, 2010)

Charter Review Commission to Test Term Limits (Crain's, Jul 9, 2010)

Non-Partisan Elections Won't Make Ballot (Wall Street Journal, Jul 8, 2010)

Candidates Keep Millions in Campaign Funds They Owe City (NY Times, Jul 6, 2010)

Report Backs Non-Partisan Elections (NY Times, Jul 1, 2010)

Special Interest Legislation Moves Through Albany (NY Times, Jul 1, 2010)

Civil Rights Groups File Suit Over New Voting Machines (WNYC, Jun 29, 2010)

Suit Says Ballot Machines are Flawed (NY Times, Jun 28, 2010)

Cuomo Gets Millions from Special Interests He Assails (NY Times, Jun 24, 2010)

Meeks Failed to Disclose Hidden Loans (Daily News, Jun 21, 2010)

Web Site Reveals Retirees' Pension Benefits (Associated Press, Jun 17, 2010)

'Housekeeping' Let Bloomberg Dodge Limits on Campaign Contributions (Daily News, Jun 13, 2010)

Bloomberg's Charity (NY Observer, Jun 4, 2010)

Non-Partisan Voting's Affect on the Electorate (Wall Street Journal, Jun 3, 2010)

Working Families Party Agrees to Increase Transparency (Crain's, Jun 2, 2010)

Two Thirds of State Lawmakers Won’t Disclose Outside Income (Daily News, May 25, 2010)

Bloomberg Aide Key Witness in Criminal Investigation (Wall Street Journal, May 25, 2010)

Grand Jury to Examine Independence Party Payment (Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2010)

Governing During Budget Crisis (Albany Times Union, May 20, 2010)

Linking Term Limits and Non-Partisan Voting (NY Post, May 20, 2010)

Debating Proposal for Nonpartisan Elections (NY Times, May 14, 2010)

Koch Presses Albany for Reform (Associated Press, May 5, 2010)

State Bill to Take on Public Corruption (NY Times, May 4, 2010)

Mayor Defends Offshore Charity Funds (Associated Press, Apr 23, 2010)

Bloomberg's Offshore Millions (NY Observer, Apr 22, 2010)

Gubernatorial Candidates Pledge to Back Nonpartisan Redistricting (NY Times, Apr 20, 2010)

Liu Supports Giving More Power to the Boroughs (Staten Island Advance, Apr 18, 2010)

Tea Partiers Rally in Midtown (Staten Island Advance, Apr 16, 2010)

Charter Commission Hearing Marked by Low Turnout (NY 1, Apr 7, 2010)

Surrogate Acquitted in Election Law Case (NY Times, Apr 2, 2010)

Senate Leader Tries Selling Access (NY Post, Mar 24, 2010)

Senate Seeks to Quash Aqueduct Subpoenas (NY Times, Mar 24, 2010)

Meeks Lives the Good Life (NY Times, Mar 21, 2010)

Election Law Issue Arises in Judge's Trial (NY Times, Mar 21, 2010)

More Decisions Made on Staten Island? (Staten Island Advance, Mar 21, 2010)

Is Citizens Union too Close for Comfort? (Daily News, Mar 21, 2010)

Liu Hopes to Post City Expenditures Online (Daily News, Mar 18, 2010)

Budget Cuts Threaten Voting Switch (Daily News, Mar 16, 2010)

Harlem Politicians Float Names as Successors to Rangel (Daily News, Mar 4, 2010)

Rangel Steps Down as Ways & Means Chair (Daily News, Mar 4, 2010)

Rangel Steps Aside From Post During Ethics Inquiry (NY Times, Mar 4, 2010)

Paterson’s Ethics Breach Is Turned Over to Prosecutors (NY Times, Mar 4, 2010)

Paterson Faces Ethics Charge Over Yankees Playoff Tickets (NY Post, Mar 4, 2010)

Public Authority Reform Law Takes Effect (Associated Press, Mar 3, 2010)

McMahon in the Middle (Staten Island Advance, Mar 1, 2010)

Rangel Admonished for Caribbean Junket (Bloomberg, Feb 26, 2010)

Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Against Council Member's Campaign (Staten Island Advance, Feb 24, 2010)

WFP and Corporate Arm to Separate (NY Post, Feb 23, 2010)

Feds Probing Selection of City's Voting Machines (NY Post, Feb 11, 2010)

Enviable Access for Top Donors (NY Times, Feb 11, 2010)

Senate Fails to Override Veto of State Ethics Bills (NY Times, Feb 9, 2010)

Paterson Vetoes Ethics Bill (Albany Times Union, Feb 3, 2010)

Bank Tax Hard Issue for New York's Senators (NY Times, Jan 29, 2010)

Legislature Approves Ethics Bill (NY Times, Jan 21, 2010)

Gillibrand Prepares For Possible Challenge From Ford (NY Times, Jan 11, 2010)

Albany Near Ethics Agreement (Daily News, Jan 7, 2010)

New York City Voting System to Join Electronic Age (NY Times, Jan 6, 2010)

City About to Select New Voting Machines -- Without Levers (NY Times, Jan 4, 2010)

Federal Prosecutor Subpoenas Working Family Party Records (NY Times, Dec 16, 2009)

No Action Yet on Charter Commission Bloomberg Promised (City Hall, Dec 16, 2009)

Barron to Announce Campaign for Speaker (Daily News, Dec 6, 2009)

Money's Influence over Ballot Lines at the Working Families Party (City Hall, Dec 1, 2009)

The Four Arms of the Working Families Party: An Investigation (City Hall, Nov 30, 2009)

Quinn Postponed Vote for Bloomberg (NY Post, Nov 12, 2009)

Cultivating the Grass Roots in Queens (NY Times, Oct 26, 2009)

Ethics Challenge Hurts Rangel’s Campaign Account (Daily News, Oct 17, 2009)

Gillibrand Building Impressive War Chest (Daily News, Oct 16, 2009)

Rent is Too Damn High Party Boots Own Candidate (Daily News, Oct 15, 2009)

The Mayoral Candidates on Foreclosure (City Limits, Oct 14, 2009)

The Soft Spoken Coalition of William Thompson (NY Observer, Oct 14, 2009)
campaign09, mayor, william thompson jr.

Giuliani Gestures for Governor (NY Observer, Oct 14, 2009)

Bloomberg, Thompson Slug it Out in First Debate (Daily News, Oct 14, 2009)

Bloomberg, Thompson Go on Attack in First Debate (NY Post, Oct 14, 2009)

Bloomberg Defends His Record in First Debate (NY Times, Oct 14, 2009)

Dust-Up of the Debate Occasionally Obscures Some Facts (NY Times, Oct 14, 2009)
campaign09, mayor, michael bloomberg, william thompson jr.

Bloomberg's Foe Finds Campaign Spotlight Elusive (NY Times, Oct 14, 2009)

Register by Today to Vote in November (Daily News, Oct 9, 2009)

Debating the Need for Borough Presidents (City Limits, Oct 8, 2009)

The Supremacy of the Working Families Party (NY Observer, Oct 8, 2009)

Nastier Tone Seen in Race for Mayor (NY Times, Oct 8, 2009)

Thompson Assails Bloomberg's Record (NY Times, Oct 8, 2009)

A Closer Look at the Dismal Runoff Turnout (NY Times, Oct 7, 2009)

Losing Primary Candidates Going to Court (Daily News, Oct 7, 2009)

Voters Still Smarting over Term Limits (NY Times, Oct 4, 2009)

Candidates - Some with No Opposition - Receive $3.1 Million in Public Funds (Daily News, Oct 2, 2009)

Few Vote in Runoff (NY Times, Sep 30, 2009)
Tuesday was an election day in this teeming metropolis, a fact that most New York City voters either forgot or ignored.

Are Runoffs Superfluous? (NY Times, Sep 28, 2009)

Election Year Does Wonders For Stalled Staten Island Projects (Staten Island Advance, Sep 28, 2009)

Council Freshmen Promise Big Changes at City Hall (Daily News, Sep 25, 2009)

Tussle at Bronx Democratic Nominating Convention (Daily News, Sep 25, 2009)

Sparks Fly as Comptroller Candidates Debate (NY Times, Sep 25, 2009)

Paterson Says He Didn't Sign Up for All This (NY Times, Sep 24, 2009)

Paterson Says Obama Leaks Lead to Cuomo (Crain's, Sep 24, 2009)

Paterson Hints He May Not Run Again (Daily News, Sep 24, 2009)

Mrs. Paterson Lashes Out at Obama (NY Post, Sep 24, 2009)

Yassky and Term Limits (Village Voice, Sep 24, 2009)

Green and de Blasio Attack During Debate (NY Times, Sep 24, 2009)

Liu: A Reputation for Outspokenness (NY Times, Sep 24, 2009)

Yassky: His Pragmatic Ways (NY Times, Sep 24, 2009)

Court Upholds Naming of Lieutenant Governor (NY Times, Sep 23, 2009)
In a surprising reversal, New York State’s highest court on Tuesday affirmed Gov. David Paterson’s contested appointment of a lieutenant governor, handing him a decisive victory at a time when he is facing the lowest moment of his governorship. In a divided decision, the New York Court of Appeals, ruled that Paterson did not abuse his authority when he named Richard Ravitch to the post in July.

Baez Loses in New Count Too (Daily News, Sep 23, 2009)
Updated results released by the Board of Elections show City Councilmember Maria Baez of the Bronx lost her third-term bid by just 75 votes to challenger Fernando Cabrera, a minister who had been backed by Bronx Democratic leader Carl Heastie.

Bronx Delegation Seeks New Leader (Daily News, Sep 22, 2009)

Minorities Near Majority in Council (NY Times, Sep 18, 2009)

Primary Results Show Progress for Gay Candidates (City Room, Sep 18, 2009)

Quinn Pressured to Not Endorse Bloomberg (Daily Politics, Sep 18, 2009)

Quinn Yet to Make Endorsements (Daily News, Sep 18, 2009)

Paterson Signs 60 Bills, Vetoes 18 (Associated Press, Sep 18, 2009)

Senate Secretary Tried to Arrange Meeting for Contributor (Daily News, Sep 18, 2009)

Newell Wins District Leader Race in Silver's District (Daily Politics, Sep 18, 2009)

Working Families Party Shows Muscle in Primaries (NY Times, Sep 18, 2009)

Vance to Try New Things to Cut Crime (Daily News, Sep 18, 2009)

Baez Recount Begins (Daily News, Sep 18, 2009)

A Primary Turnout so Low, it May be a Modern Record (NY Times, Sep 17, 2009)

Incumbency Fails to Hold Off Cast of Newcomers (NY Times, Sep 17, 2009)

Strong Showing for Asian-Americans in Primaries (NY Times, Sep 17, 2009)

Thompson: A Quiet Leader Wages a Bold Campaign (NY Times, Sep 17, 2009)

Stewart and Davila Won't Go Down WIthout Fight (Daily News, Sep 17, 2009)

Voter's Whittle Down Quinn's Power Base (Daily News, Sep 17, 2009)

The Dead Change Voter Registration in Queens (NY Post, Sep 15, 2009)

Senate to Vote on Ethics Reform Today (NY Times, Sep 10, 2009)

Baez Seeks to Hold Off a Revolt in the Bronx (Gotham Gazette, Sep 10, 2009)

Housing Project Splits Bushwick District (Gotham Gazette, Sep 10, 2009)

In Mayoral Debate, Heated Words (And Some Gaffes) (NY Times, Sep 10, 2009)
During the debate, the candidates clashed over public schools, campaign fund-raising and the city’s rent guidelines board, with Tony Avella repeatedly putting William Thompson on the defensive.

Bloomberg Critics Say He Panders to Blacks on Education (Daily News, Sep 10, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg tells black voters he wiped out political favoritism that gave "white" schools more money than "minority" schools - but education experts say his facts are sloppy. Even a deputy mayor admits his comments go too far. "He may have overstated it to emphasize the point that a lot of schools in poorer communities did not get as much as they should," Dennis Walcott said.

The Council Race in Flatbush Gets Personal (Gotham Gazette, Sep 9, 2009)

Rivals for Public Advocate Clash on Ethics and Experience (NY Times, Sep 9, 2009)
The Democratic candidates for New York City public advocate spent their second and last televised debate confronting one another on ethics, experience and political insiderness, in an hourlong meeting that was as unsettled as the race itself.

Manhattan District Attorney Crocker Battles the 'Establishment' (NY Times, Sep 9, 2009)

Citywide 'Fringe' Candidates (Courier-Life, Sep 9, 2009)
In Democratic Party circles, names like Roland Rogers may not ring many bells, but he has made it on the ballot to run in the Democratic primary for mayor, Rogers, along with other candidates running for various offices on the Republican, Libertarian and Green Party lines, met to espouse their views recently at a forum hosted by the Memorial Baptist Church at the corner of 8th Avenue and 16th Street in Park Slope.

Candidates for Council Seat in 45th District Debate Education (Courier-Life, Sep 9, 2009)

Council Candidates in 23rd District Debate Health Care, Education (Times-Ledger, Sep 9, 2009)
The three Democratic candidates vying to replace outgoing City Councilman David Weprin focused their arguments on how they would help bring parents into the forefront of their children’s health care and education during last month’s TimesLedger Newspapers Council debates at the Flushing Library. State Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Little Neck) and community activists Bob Friedrich and Swaranjit Singh squared off during the hour-long discussion .

Seigel Wants to Redefine Public Advocate (Daily News, Sep 9, 2009)
Norman Siegel, 65, is the only candidate for the watchdog job who has said he won't use it as a springboard to run for mayor. He doesn't even think the public advocate should remain as second in the line of succession.

The Mayor's Race That Wasn't (NY Observer, Sep 9, 2009)

Thin Line Between Working Families Party, Non-Profit (Daily News, Sep 6, 2009)
The Working Families Party has come under scrutiny for its operation of the company, Data and Field Services, which sells its canvassing and voter turnout services to candidates the party prefers. That raises interesting questions about another little-known operation in Working Families' Brooklyn office - the Working Families Organization -- a nonprofit group focused on the same goals as the party - but with far less scrutiny.

Power Plays by Party Boss Vito Lopez (Village Voice, Sep 4, 2009)

In Race for Comptroller, There's Money to Spend (NY Times, Sep 4, 2009)
Melinda R. Katz, David Yassky, John C. Liu and David I. Weprin, the four Democratic candidates for city comptroller, have raised a record total of $10 million for their campaigns and have the bulk of it on hand to bombard the airwaves with ads in an effort to break from the pack before the Sept. 15 primary.

ACORN Received Government Money from Candidates their Affiliate Assisted (City Hall, Sep 3, 2009)

Bronx Group Refuses Espada's Millions (NY Post, Sep 3, 2009)

The Wall Between Bloomberg's Private Wealth and Public Office (Village Voice, Sep 3, 2009)

Working Families Party Candidates Warned About Consulting Fees (Daily News, Sep 3, 2009)
The City Campaign Finance Board on Wednesday fired a warning shot across the bows of candidates that have hired a consulting group tied to the Working Families Party, telling them to be careful going forward about their financial dealings with the firm.

de Blasio's Interracial Family Omitted from White Area Mailings (NY Post, Sep 3, 2009)

Bloomberg Plans Rally on Primary Day (NY Post, Sep 3, 2009)
On Sept. 15 -- at virtually the exact time TV cameras are clustering around the presumptive Democratic nominee -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign plans to hold a mega-pep rally for 2,500 supporters on a West Side pier.

Bloomberg Skips Debate and Avoids Own Commercials (Daily News, Aug 28, 2009)

Aborn's Volunteers Hitting the Streets (Daily News, Aug 28, 2009)
campaign 2009, District Attorney, Richard Aborn

Will Cuomo Begin Investigating the Senate? (NY Observer, Aug 27, 2009)

In Face-Off, Rivals Take on Bloomberg (NY Times, Aug 27, 2009)
Both Bill Thompson and Tony Avella criticized Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s response to the swine flu outbreak in the spring, with Thompson flatly calling it a “disaster.” Both also ripped into Bloomberg’s policies on housing for working-class New Yorkers, and his homelessness policy.

Liu Leads in Campaign Poster Fines (NY Post, Aug 27, 2009)
Comptroller candidate John Liu's campaign was slapped with 587 summonses by the Sanitation Department for plastering the city's utility poles with his campaign posters.

State's High Court Will Hear Lieutenant Governor Case (Associated Press, Aug 26, 2009)

Six Strategies for Thompson to Take Out Bloomberg (New York Magazine, Aug 25, 2009)

Giuliani, Seeing Opening, Mulls Run for Governor (NY Times, Aug 25, 2009)
Rudolph Giuliani has told associates that he will decide on a candidacy within 30 to 60 days, as he weighs whether he can be elected statewide and what impact another campaign would have on his business interests.

Among Asian Candidates, Divide Between Generations (City Hall, Aug 25, 2009)
Council candidate P.J. Kim stirred controversy recently when he said one of his opponents in his Council race, Margaret Chin, was running a campaign not to represent the whole of Lower Manhattan but rather to be the "mayor of Chinatown." Kim’s language in this instance was particularly blunt, and his statement was blasted by Chin as "racially charged." Nonetheless, this message is one that Kim and several other young, second-generation Asian-Americans have been making throughout their Council campaigns: that having grown up in the United States, their experiences and worldviews are different from those of the first-generation immigrants they are competing against.

City Democrats Taking Their Votes Upstate (Albany Times Union, Aug 23, 2009)

Reviewing Ravitch's 43 Day Term (NY Times, Aug 22, 2009)

Mayoral Candidates Point Fingers on Campaign Spending (Daily News, Aug 21, 2009)

Bloomberg Campaign Proposes Campaign Finance Rules (Daily News, Aug 20, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposals include a ban on public matching dollars for funds raised by lobbyists or by people who do business with the city, as well as earlier disclosure of some contributions. He also threw his support behind a proposed federal rule change that would bar investment advisers from doing business in a city or state within two years of making a campaign contribution there. None of these proposals would apply to his self-funded campaign.

Gioia Pays $160,000 to Wife's Fundraising Firm (NY Post, Aug 20, 2009)
City Councilman Eric Gioia's campaign has paid more than $160,000 to the fund-raising firm run by his wife for his current run for public advocate, records show.

Pension Funds No Barometer for Comptroller (NY Times, Aug 19, 2009)

Assemblymember Castro May Face Perjury Charges (Daily News, Aug 19, 2009)

Bloomberg Supports Taylor Law (NY Post, Aug 19, 2009)

Paterson's Future (NY Observer, Aug 19, 2009)

Reformers Call for Easing Ballot Access Rules (City Limits, Aug 18, 2009)

State GOP Loses Fundraising Edge (NY Times, Aug 12, 2009)
Losing the majority in the State Senate last year cost Republicans the choice office space they long occupied in the Capitol, their committee chairmanships and dozens of staff members. But it is also costing them something even more important: millions of dollars in campaign contributions, the lifeblood of politics.

State Democrats Fear Paterson is Liability (NY Times, Aug 11, 2009)

Bloomberg to End Social Promotion in Grades Four and Six (NY Times, Aug 11, 2009)

Lucrative Job in Senate for Espada's Son (NY Post, Aug 11, 2009)

Candidates Use Working Families Party Staff (City Hall, Aug 10, 2009)

Special Election Announced then Cancelled (Daily News, Aug 8, 2009)

Mayoral Race Heats Up (Daily News, Aug 7, 2009)

Thompson on The Attack After Fundraising Blow (NY 1, Aug 7, 2009)

Merits and Flaws Seen in Free Crosstown Bus Plan (NY Times, Aug 6, 2009)

Thompson Campaign May Miss Crucial Fund-Raising Goal (Daily News, Aug 6, 2009)

Web Site Lists Lawmaker's Pork-Barrel Spending (Associated Press, Aug 6, 2009)

Espada Misses Self-Imposed Deadline to Pay Fines (Daily News, Aug 5, 2009)

What's Wrong With NYC-TV? (Village Voice, Aug 5, 2009)

Bloomberg Not Supportive of Abolishing Advocate's Office (NY Post, Jul 30, 2009)

De Blasio Appeals to Stay on Ballot (NY 1, Jul 26, 2009)
Attorneys from City Councilman Bill de Blasio filed court papers Friday to fight the Board of Election's decision to knock him off the ballot in the public advocate race.

Tiny Snafu Could Derail de Blasio Campaign (NY Post, Jul 24, 2009)

Can Thompson Pull an Obama? Sharpton Thinks So (NY Observer, Jul 24, 2009)
It takes a special kind of skill—or nerve, maybe—to sell the idea that Comptroller Bill Thompson will beat Michael Bloomberg in the mayor’s race. The Rev. Al Sharpton possesses it.

The Twists and Turns of the 14th District Council Race in the Bronx (Norwood News, Jul 24, 2009)
As it heads toward the finish line, the crowded race for the Bronx’s 14th District Council seat is sprouting more subplots and mysteries than a season of "Lost." In the last 10 days, the incumbent successfully turned an opponent into an ally. A young upstart who seemed to be gaining momentum dropped out mysteriously. Another candidate deflected propositions from all sides. And yet another candidate who it seems no one has heard of came completely out of the blue to make a last minute effort to get on the ballot.

Staten Island Borough President Candidate says Bloomberg Undermined Independence Party (Staten Island Advance, Jul 24, 2009)

Eight Council Candidates File Petitions in Brooklyn's 45th District (Flatbush Life, Jul 24, 2009)
As of midnight on July 16, a whopping eight candidates had filed petitions to run in the Democratic primary in the 45th Council District, including the incumbent councilmember, Kendall Stewart. The insurgent candidates recorded as filing petitions were Rodrick Daley, Ernest Emmanuel, Erlene King, Dexter MacKenzie, Samuel Taitt, Godwin Williams and Jumaane Williams. In addition, a ninth candidate, John Williams — whose name did not appear on the Record of Designating Petitions Filed, dated 3:25 a.m. on July 17 — said he had collected some 1,500 signatures and had sent them to the Board of Elections for filing.

David Weprin Talks Money, Politics on Campaign Trail (Brooklyn Downtown Star, Jul 24, 2009)
By most measures Councilmember David Weprin, the Council's Finance Committee chairman for the past eight years, would seem the logical choice for the city's fiscal watchdog office of comptroller. Yet the race for comptroller is surprisingly competitive, featuring three other prominent City Council members.

After Pledging Not to, Council Candidate Singh Challenges Petitions (Queens Campaigner, Jul 24, 2009)
City Council candidate Swaranjit Singh filed general objections to petition signatures submitted by his two rivals for the seat — state Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Little Neck) and Glen Oaks Village President Bob Friedrich — after he pledged not to do so and faxed Weprin a letter urging him not to use the tactic.

Katz: City Needs a 'War Time' Comptroller (Queens Chronicle, Jul 24, 2009)

Special Election for Seminerio Seat Won't Hinder Baldeo (Queens Tribune, Jul 24, 2009)
Rumors of Gov. David Paterson’s call for a special election to fill a vacant district seat have galvanized political candidates into action against the measure. Albert Baldeo, a Queens lawyer vying for the vacant 38th District seat, said the special election would smear civil rights for New Yorkers. "This is taking the election out of the hand of the voters," he said. "To deprive them of their vote is a severe travesty."

Espada Fails to Report Posh Fund Raiser (Daily News, Jul 23, 2009)

Bloomberg and the Deutsche Bank Fire (Village Voice, Jul 23, 2009)

Bloomberg Offers Support for Freight Tunnel (NY Observer, Jul 23, 2009)

GOP Advocate Cadidate Zablocki Seeks to Reign in Liberal Council (City Hall, Jul 23, 2009)
Serving as public advocate is supposed to be about causing trouble for the mayor and others in government. "I'm probably the first real Republican to ever run for this office," he said. Running as a Republican for an office that is in many ways the official incarnation of the Democratic platform—more city services, expanded rights for New Yorkers—may seem counterintuitive. But Zablocki wants to turn the position on its head, using it to curb the excesses of the liberal City Council rather than the broad powers of an often dominant mayor.

Iannecce Bucks Agreement, Challenges Ballots in Race for Avella Seat (Queens Campaigner, Jul 23, 2009)
The campaigns of five Democratic candidates vying for City Councilman Tony Avella’s soon-to-be vacated seat called for a moratorium on petition challenges, but were all subsequently challenged by the supporters of the one candidate who declined to enter the agreement. But Richard Rapp, a former campaign worker for CB 11 Chairman Jerry Iannecce, filed an objection to all five who entered the agreement, drawing the ire of several of the candidates.

Nearly Four Dozen Ballot Challenges in Race for Liu's Seat (Queens Campaigner, Jul 23, 2009)
In the race to replace City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing), even getting on the ballot is a battle With just under two months until the Democratic primary, 46 objections to candidates’ ballot petitions had been filed with the city Elections Board in the race for Liu’s seat — easily the most for any city race in Queens.

Thompson Continues Challenging Mayor's School Record (NY Times, Jul 23, 2009)
After months of running an under-the-radar mayoral campaign, William Thompson Jr., the city’s comptroller, appears to have found a strategy: cast doubt on the data flowing out of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Education Department, and hope that voters will lose faith in his claims that test scores and graduation rates have risen to levels not seen in decades.

Markowitz Tries to Knock Challenger Off Ballot (Brooklyn Papers, Jul 23, 2009)
Borough President Marty Markowitz is a shoo-in for a third term — yet the powerful beep isn’t taking any chances, moving this week to knock his virtually unknown Democratic challenger off the ballot The challenger, Eugene Myrick, handed in just a few dozen more signatures than the 4,000 needed to secure a spot on the Sept. 15 primary ballot. Typically, candidates submit twice as many signatures as required in order to ward off challenges to the validity of the John Hancocks.

Yassky Says He'd Reduce Pension Payouts as Comptroller (NY Post, Jul 23, 2009)
With the city's pension costs about to explode, only one of the four Democratic candidates running for city comptroller was willing yesterday to consider reducing retirement benefits for future workers. Councilmember David Yassky said that as a "last resort" the city should push Albany to impose a lower retirement tier, even over the objections of municipal unions.

Comptroller Candidates Spar Over Taxing the Rich (Crain's, Jul 23, 2009)
The four council members running to replace Comptroller William Thompson squared off Wednesday over whether they would fire Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, establish a new pension tier without agreement from the city’s unions and tax the wealthy to help plug future budget gaps.

Public Advocate's Race Heads Towards Run-Off (Daily News, Jul 17, 2009)

Slow-Moving Scandal Speeds Up for Council (NY Times, Jul 16, 2009)

City Commissioner Resigns to Run for Council (Crain's, Jul 16, 2009)

Martinez Successor Tied to Own Non-Profit Scandal (Daily News, Jul 16, 2009)

Thompson Picks Up Fund-Raising Pace in Mayoral Bid (NY Times, Jul 16, 2009)
Comptroller William Thompson, has picked up the pace of his fund-raising in his uphill quest to deny Mayor Michael Bloomberg a third term, according to campaign finance documents released on Wednesday. From May 12 through July 11, Thompson, who faces only light competition in the Democratic primary in September, raised $201,000, or almost triple what he collected the previous two months, giving him a total haul of $5.3 million.

Cuomo Leads in Fund-Raising, but Paterson Spends More (NY Times, Jul 16, 2009)
In the first half of the year, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo trounced Gov. David Paterson on the fund-raising trail, taking in $5.1 million — more than twice what Mr. Paterson got, newly released campaign filings show.

Early Morning Reform On Tap In The Senate (Daily Politics, Jul 16, 2009)

Comptroller Rejects Non-Union Raise for His Staff (Crain's, Jul 14, 2009)

Bloomberg: I'm 97 Percent Perfect (Metro, Jul 14, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave himself an A+ yesterday in his fourth Campaign Accountability Report, which claims he’s kept 97 out of 100 promises made during his 2005 run for office. "Candidates all too often forget campaign promises once the votes are counted," Bloomberg said yesterday.

Bruno Spending Campaign Funds on Legal Fees (NY Post, Jul 14, 2009)
Former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno burned through nearly a half million dollars in campaign donations in a bid to beat federal corruption charges, state records released yesterday reveal.

City Council More Environmentally Friendly (AM New York, Jul 10, 2009)

Architect for God Has Designs on City Hall (City Hall, Jul 10, 2009)
Before He Gin Lee, an architect who has designed churches all around Queens, decides on the final design of a new project, he takes three days to pray for guidance and inspiration. Now Lee is planning to rely on this same divine strategy as he embarks on a long-shot campaign for mayor.

Cabrera Responds To Critics on Party and Residence (Norwood News, Jul 10, 2009)
When Yudelka Tapia, a Bronx City Council candidate, held a press conference two weekends ago in front of a Westchester house owned by her opponent, Fernando Cabrera, it touched off a controversy in the blogosphere and in local political circles. He was compared to Pedro Espada, Jr., the state Seopnator who claims to live in Bedford Park, but is under investigation by the Bronx District Attorney for living outside of his district in Mamaroneck.

The Race for the 33rd Council District (Greenpoint Star, Jul 10, 2009)
Abraham, Baer and Diamondstone state their case.

Four Council Members Vie To Be The Next City Comptroller (Our Town, Jul 10, 2009)
The office of city comptroller seems to have little fanfare or panache. There is the perception that he or she is a number cruncher who sits quietly in the background of municipal government. Even the race for comptroller is normally eclipsed by a high profile, competitive mayoral Democratic primary. But this year, the mayoral primary a foregone conclusion—Comptroller William Thompson, a Democrat, will likely face Mayor Michael Bloomberg in November. Plus, the bad economy is dragging down the pension fund, which the comptroller must protect. The fund covers benefits for 237,000 retiring municipal employees, police officers, firefighters, teachers and Department of Education officials.

Chain Touts Fresh Ideas in 29th District Race (Queens Chronicle, Jul 10, 2009)
Heidi Chain hopes her decades of experience with the City Department of Finance and dedication to community service will give her the edge she needs to win the District 29 City Council seat currently occupied by Melinda Katz. "I have fresh ideas," she said. "I see problems and I see ways to solve those problems that haven’t been done yet."

Field of Candidates Grows for Seminerio's Vacant Assembly Seat (The Forum, Jul 10, 2009)
The field of candidates seeking the state Assembly seat vacated by Anthony Seminerio continues to grow, as at least six local residents have announced their intentions to run for the seat representing the 38th District.

Manhattan District Attorney Contenders Trade Jabs (Daily News, Jul 10, 2009)
Manhattan District Attorney candidate Richard Aborn slammed rival Leslie Crocker Snyder yesterday for accepting an endorsement from the distraught father of a missing child.

33rd District Candidates on Sending Their Kids to Public School (Brooklyn Papers, Jul 9, 2009)
Can members of the City Council really understand our troubled schools if they send their kids to private schools? That question is once again front and center in the race to succeed Councilman David Yassky to represent the sprawling 33rd District, which stretches from Williamsburg through Brooklyn Heights to Park Slope. The seven-person race features some childless candidates (Ken Baer, Ken Diamondstone, Stephen Levin and Evan Thies) and three candidates who had or have school-age kids (Doug Biviano, Jo Anne Simon and Isaac Abraham). Here’s how the group answered the question embodied in the opening sentence.

39th District Candidates on Sending Their Kids to Public School (Brooklyn Papers, Jul 9, 2009)
Can members of the City Council really understand our troubled schools if they send their kids to private schools? That question is once again front and center in the race to succeed Councilman Bill DeBlasio to represent the 39rd District, which stretches from Cobble Hill through Park Slope to Kensington. The five-man race features some childless candidates (Bob Zuckerman, John Heyer and Gary Reilly) and two candidates who had or have school-age kids (Brad Lander and Josh Skaller) and have certainly made an issue of it during the campaign. Here’s how the group answered the question embodied in the opening sentence.

The Malaise-Proofing of Michael Bloomberg (NY Observer, Jul 9, 2009)
Dispensing with any elaborate pretense about being in a competitive re-election contest, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s handlers have begun to use the mayor’s public appearances to address what happens after 2009. Their political task: to figure out a way of avoiding the historic curse of the complacent, unfocused and regrettable third term.

Avella Still in Mayor's Race (Associated Press, Jul 9, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's big bucks and popularity have scared several potential challengers out of this year's race for City Hall. But one little-known contender is still standing. Tony Avella doesn't have much money and most New Yorkers have never heard of him. But the city councilmember and former aide to Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins is competing for the Democratic nomination and the chance to challenge the billionaire mayor.

Avella and Talen and Their Uphill Mayoral Campaigns (City Limits, Jul 2, 2009)
Though Councilmember Tony Avella and "Reverend" Billy Talen have an uphill battle to beat Goliath this fall, they're banking on grassroots dissent against Mayor Michael Bloomberg to propel their bids for office.

Singh Says He Has Signatures, Support to Battle Weprin and then Queens Dem Machine (yournabe, Jul 2, 2009)

Espada's Campaign Filings Raise Questions (Daily News, Jun 29, 2009)

Rangel, Four Representatives Investigated Over Caribbean Travel (Associated Press, Jun 26, 2009)

Who Will Replace Seminerio? (The Forum, Jun 26, 2009)
The vacancy created by the resignation of Tony Seminerio from his seat in the 38th Assembly District has left obvious concerns about who will fill the seat and answer the concerns of constituents in the district largely comprised of Richmond Hill and Glendale.

Campaigner Tells of Threat by Gunman (NY Times, Jun 26, 2009)
James Soyers, who was seeking support for Anthony Herbert, a candidate for a City Council seat, said that he and another worker were collecting signatures near Ralph Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant about 4 p.m. when a man in a blue sport utility vehicle drove quickly toward them, stopped, and threatened them with a gun. The vehicle, Soyers said, was adorned with campaign posters for Councilmember Darlene Mealy, whom Mr. Herbert is hoping to unseat.

Morgenthau Endorses Vance to Succeed Him (NY Times, Jun 26, 2009)
Robert Morgenthau, the Manhattan district attorney, held a news conference on the steps of the stately civil courthouse in Lower Manhattan to announce that he was endorsing Cyrus Vance Jr., a former assistant district attorney in his office, in the race to succeed him. Perhaps the only thing that might have prevented this moment from happening was the question of whether it was proper for Morgenthau, as the current district attorney, to publicly favor someone in the race.

Challengers to Council Members Rivera and Koppell Drop Bids (Tremont Tribune, Jun 26, 2009)
Major challengers to incumbent council members Joel Rivera and Oliver Koppell decided not to run. Campaign finance reports filed on May 15 offered further hints of the shape of the races to come.

Lazio to Run for Governor (Daily News, Jun 26, 2009)
In a letter to be sent Friday, Republican Rick Lazio tries to insert himself into the Capitol hullabaloo by suggesting he, Democratic Gov. Paterson and former Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani get together to discuss how to reform state government. "In all likelihood, one of the three of us will be the next elected governor of New York," Lazio wrote.

Groups Controlled by Golisano and Aide Investigated Over Donations (NY Times, Jun 19, 2009)

The Mayor Will Debate - Just Not Now (Daily Politics, Jun 19, 2009)

Five Open Seats Make Queens' Council Race Brisk (Daily News, Jun 18, 2009)
With five City Council seats up for grabs in Queens, Democrats and Republicans are gearing up for a busy election season.

Profile on Norman Siegel for Public Advocate (City Limits, Jun 18, 2009)

Five available seats make Queens' November City Council race brisk (Daily News, Jun 18, 2009)

Comptroller Candidates Pull no Punches in Debate (Daily News, Jun 17, 2009)

Rep. Maloney Takes Aim at Gillibrand's 'Character' (Daily News, Jun 17, 2009)

Pension Politics Rile Race For Comptroller (City Hall, Jun 12, 2009)

Fighting Uphill Battle, Bill Thompson Tries to Make his Case (AM New York, Jun 12, 2009)
Presumed Democratic mayoral nominee Bill Thompson is facing a financial juggernaut and popular incumbent whose ubiquitous TV ads and glossy brochures have been blanketing the city for months. Contrast that with Thompson, who, according to a recent poll, is virtually unknown to 72 percent of New Yorkers.

Who Will Challenge the Senate Defectors? (Politicker, Jun 11, 2009)
Assuming Senators Pedro Espada and Hiram Monserrate are still around next year -- and that they haven't cut some sort of deal with the party by then to flip back -- who will challenge them?

Councilmember Seabrook’s Group Got Inflated City Payments (NY Times, Jun 11, 2009)

Councilmember Arroyo's Kin Accused of Stealing $200,000 (NY Post, Jun 11, 2009)

Split Race, Split Support For Gioia Seat (City Hall, Jun 11, 2009)

Fearing Republican Revival, Queens Democrats Look To Narrow Field (City Hall, Jun 11, 2009)
In the race to replace Council Member Tony Avella, leaders of the Queens Democratic Party maintain that they simply cannot afford to have a heated primary. So Democratic district leaders, including political consultant Evan Stavisky, his mother, State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky and Assemblymember Ann Carrozza, have pressured Paul Vallone, one of the race’s two presumed frontrunners in the six-way race, to drop out, Vallone said. But Vallone is refusing.

Polls Find Lukewarm Support for Bloomberg (NY Times, Jun 9, 2009)

State Comptroller Calls for Campaign Finance Reform (Albany Times Union, Jun 4, 2009)

Two Bronx Democrats Win Special Elections to Assembly (NY Times, Jun 3, 2009)

Easy Bronx Assembly Wins for Ex-Aides (Daily News, Jun 3, 2009)

Speaker Raises Doubt on Ethics Overhaul (NY Times, Jun 3, 2009)

Smith says Legislative Leaders Should Not Receive Outside Pay (NY Post, Jun 3, 2009)

Smith: No Outside Pay For Leaders (Daily Politics, Jun 3, 2009)

Paterson Blows a Whistle on the Stealth Candidacy of Cuomo (NY Observer, Jun 3, 2009)

Manhattan District Attorney Candidates Duke it Out (Crain's, Jun 3, 2009)
The three Democrats running for Manhattan district attorney clashed Tuesday over the death penalty, the performance of retiring District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, and which of them was best qualified for the job.

Mayor’s Race Is Shaping Up to Be Sleepy (NY Times, Jun 3, 2009)

Competitive Bronx Special Election Today (Mount Hope Monitor, Jun 2, 2009)

The Latest Stray Words of an Off-the-Cuff Mayor (NY Times, Jun 2, 2009)
On Monday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg — who owns homes in Bermuda, Florida, Colorado and London; travels the globe on two private jets; and plans to spend $80 million of his own money on a re-election bid — said that President Obama “does not get paid that much.” That is, if a $400,000-a-year salary, a $50,000 expense account and a $19,000 entertainment budget qualifies as not much. It was the latest puzzling remark in a re-election campaign filled with colorful foot-in-mouth mayoral utterances.

Bloomberg Will Take Campaign Questions at Campaign Events (Politicker, Jun 2, 2009)
Michael Bloomberg said today that he wants to start a new policy of taking campaign-related questions at his campaign events, in part so he does not have to field those inquiries when he’s at events acting in his capacity as mayor. “I’ll make the commitment to you,” Bloomberg said, standing in his midtown campaign office this morning. “I’ll take campaign questions at campaign events, and not at general events, because I don’t think it’s appropriate.”

Gibson Touts Her Experience in Bronx Assembly Special Election (Mount Hope Monitor, Jun 2, 2009)
Assembly member Aurelia Greene stepped down recently after 27 years on the job, to accept an offer to serve as Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.’s deputy. Before leaving, she announced that she’d like her chief-of-staff, Vanessa Gibson, a Morris Heights resident, to run for her seat in the 77th Assembly District, which covers Highbridge, Morris Heights, and Morrisania. Since then, Gibson, who jumped at the idea, has picked up the support of the Bronx Democratic Party and the Working Families Party, and is considered the favorite to win the special election on Tuesday, June 2.

Profile of Public Advocate Candidate Gioia (City Limits, Jun 2, 2009)
A look at Queens Councilman Eric Gioia, who brings both idealism and strong funding to his quest for higher office. The third in a five-part series on the race for the Number Two spot in city government.

Testy Bloomberg Calls Reporter a 'Disgrace' (NY Times, May 29, 2009)

Bloomberg Calls Reporter 'a Disgrace' (Daily News, May 29, 2009)

Bloomberg, Term Limits and the State of the Economy (Politicker, May 29, 2009)

City Resists State on Voting-Machine Program (City Room, May 29, 2009)

Queens Democrats Chalk Slate for Council Seats (Daily News, May 29, 2009)
The horse-trading may be done, but the election race is about to start in earnest for the borough's 14 City Council seats. The Queens Democratic Party voted Tuesday to back a slate of citywide and local candidates, including every incumbent Council member running for their seats. In a borough dominated by Democrats, few candidates win without the party nod.

Liu Aide John Choe Wants to Succeed Boss (Queens Chronicle, May 29, 2009)
Joining a crowded field of contenders, John Choe, chief of staff for John Liu, announced Monday he wants to replace his boss in the City Council. Although he is facing at least six other Democratic opponents in the race for Flushing’s District 20 City Council seat, Choe appears to be the anointed one. He was endorsed by the Queens Democratic Party on Tuesday morning and the candidate says he has Liu’s support, "100 percent."

Candidate List Swells For Queens Council Races (Queens Tribune, May 29, 2009)
The races to fill vacant City Council spots in Queens have gotten considerably hotter since the last Campaign Finance Board filing in March, and the numbers show that certain parts of Queens are in for a battle royale come time for this September’s primary.

Council Candidates Square Off at Riverdale Forum (Riverdale Press, May 29, 2009)
Oliver Koppell and his challenger, former Community Board 8 chairman Tony Cassino, delivered the opening arguments of their campaign for Mr. Koppell’s City Council seat last night — Tuesday, May 26 — at a candidates’ forum sponsored by the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives and Condominiums.

Manhattan District Attorney Candidate Seeks to Raise His Profile (NY Times, May 29, 2009)
By the time Richard Aborn opened a campaign committee last September to run for Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr. and Leslie Crocker Snyder already had their story lines set and circulating.

All the Bloomberg You Can Handle (NY Observer, May 28, 2009)

In the 33rd District, Candidates Speak About Street Parking Charges (Brooklyn Papers, May 28, 2009)
One of the biggest issues in Brownstone Brooklyn concerns a proposal to allow the city to charge for street parking in residential areas — and limit sales of the so-called “residential parking permits” to neighborhood residents. Here’s what candidates to replace Councilman David Yassky in the district covering Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and a small part of Park Slope had to say.

In the 39th District, Candidates Speak About Street Parking Charges (Brooklyn Papers, May 28, 2009)
One of the biggest issues in Brownstone Brooklyn concerns a proposal to allow the city to charge for street parking in residential areas — and limit sales of the so-called “residential parking permits” to neighborhood residents. Here’s what candidates to replace Councilman Bill DeBlasio in the district covering Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Windsor Terrace think.

In Eugene’s District, Caribbean Groups Divide (City Hall, May 28, 2009)
Since 2007, Council Member Mathieu Eugene has won a special election, beat back charges of living outside his district, ran and won a second special election three months later, and then yet another that November. But the honor of being the first Haitian elected to office in the city is becoming something of a roadblock in Eugene’s campaign for his first full term. His opponents charge that he is inattentive to the multitude of ethnic groups that make up the majority-black district.

Weiner Weak in Thompson's Defense (NY Post, May 28, 2009)
Now that he's officially out of the mayoral race, Rep. Anthony Weiner couldn't bring himself to explain yesterday why Bill Thompson would be better at the job than Mayor Bloomberg.

The Mayor’s Race: Focus On Education (Our Town, May 22, 2009)
A run down of the mayoral candidate's positions on education matters.

Manhattan Democrats Fight it out to be Next DIstrict Attorney (Our Town, May 22, 2009)
The Democratic hopefuls for Manhattan district attorney have similar policies on crime prevention, alternative sentencing and building community coalitions. And they are all alumni of the 89-year-old Robert Morgenthau’s office. But in the months before the September primary, each has highlighted a different background to illustrate why they are the right person to run the highest profile district attorney’s office in the state.

Ognibene to Challenge Crowley in November (The Forum, May 22, 2009)
t’s not even summer yet, but this fall’s City Council race in the 30th District in Queens just got more interesting with Thomas Ognibene’s decision to challenge incumbent Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley in a bid to regain his former job.

Snyder Insists She Never Called 'Obsessed' Morgy Old (Daily Politics, May 22, 2009)
Here's Leslie Crocker Snyder in a recent interview with Community Board 1 Chair-turned-TV-personality Julie Menin during which the Manhattan DA candidate discusses Robert Morgenthau's "obsession" with preventing her for succeeding him and insists she never made his age an issue during the 2005 race. "Well let me just say this, I never actually made age an issue," Crocker Snyder says. "I said the office was stale, which he could have been 30 years younger and the office could be stale, but the spin that was given was that I was attacking him on his age, and I really didn’t. But I feel that he, and his people, distorted a lot of my positions, and they did it effectively."

Patronage Plum Eyed for Como (NY Post, May 21, 2009)

District Attorney Debate Delves into Credentials (Daily News, May 21, 2009)
Manhattan district attorney candidate Leslie Crocker Snyder ripped into her opponents at a debate yesterday, deriding one as an out-of-towner and dismissing the other as a "consultant."

In the 39th District: Heyer Heyer Pants on Fire (Brooklyn Papers, May 21, 2009)
Four Democratic candidates for City Council rebuked their more conservative rival John Heyer for boycotting a debate in Park Slope on Tuesday night after he claimed it was “rigged” because one of the moderators was biased against him due to his supposed positions against gay marriage and abortion rights.

In the 33rd District: Candidate Steve Levin Shows Up (Brooklyn Papers, May 21, 2009)
The story of last night’s debate for the 33rd Council seat wasn’t what was said — but who showed up. After skipping three early candidates forums and being accused of writing off the Brownstone Brooklyn section of the district — which stretches through Greenpoint, Williamsburg, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Park Slope — hopeful Steve Levin took the stage in Williamsburg on Tuesday for his first debate.

The End Of Catsimatidis For Mayor (Daily Politics, May 21, 2009)
Supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis is finally calling off his exploration of a possible run for mayor this fall.

Sudden Challenger to Gerson Raises $70,000 in First Two Weeks (City Hall, May 21, 2009)
Two weeks ago, when P.J. Kim joined the crowded field challenging two-term incumbent Council Member Alan Gerson in Council District 1, hardly anyone in political circles noticed. Kim, after all, was joining the five-way race late, had never worked in government and was relatively new to the district. But he is likely to get everyone’s attention now. Kim, 30, has raised a whopping $70,000 in just two weeks, according to his campaign, even though he has held no formal fundraiser. Instead, Kim has raised almost all the money through his website and on Facebook.

Yassky's Office Space (Daily Politics, May 21, 2009)
From September 2007 when he announced he would run for comptroller through February of this year, Councilman David Yassky ran his campaign for citywide office out of the offices of a lobbying firm registered to do business with the city.

Donating to the Public Advocate Candidates (Politicker, May 21, 2009)
A wrap up of some interesting donations to city candidates.

Big Shot Democrats Back Bloomberg (NY Post, May 21, 2009)
The Bloomberg campaign has lined up a group of deep-pocketed Democrats to endorse the billionaire mayor in his bid for a third term.

Israel Won't Primary Gillibrand at Obama's Request (NY Times, May 18, 2009)

Paterson Rejects Fines for Open Meeting Violations (Albany Times Union, May 15, 2009)

The History and Challenges of the Public Advocate's Office (City Limits, May 14, 2009)

Bloomberg Traded Backing of Ognibene for Queens GOP Support (City Hall, May 14, 2009)

Hevesi Investigation Casts Shadow over Campaign for Katz’s Seat (City Hall, May 14, 2009)
In 2001, Karen Koslowitz was term-limited out of the City Council after a decade in office. In 2005, Michael Cohen resigned from the Assembly to care for his dying wife. Now, as they run for the Forest Hills Council seat being vacated by Melinda Katz, the Queens political connections that secured their jobs after leaving elected office are shaping their campaigns to return.

Marshall Swats off Challengers, But Not Retirement Speculation (City Hall, May 14, 2009)
When Dave Kerpen announced his candidacy for the Queens borough presidency a month ago, he promised an ambitious social networking campaign. Through Facebook, Twitter and other tools targeting young voters, the new media guru and former reality TV contestant believed he would overcome the vastly superior resources of two-term incumbent President Helen Marshall and win the Democratic primary. It took only three weeks for Kerpen to determine the effort futile.

Manhattan District Attorney's Race Gets First Republican (Daily News, May 14, 2009)
The race to replace Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau is getting its first Republican. Greg Camp, a former Manhattan prosecutor with a background in the financial industry, says he's ready to jump into the campaign.

Does Morgenthau's Successor Need More Trial Experience? (Daily News, May 12, 2009)
Big-city district attorneys rarely try cases themselves, but recent trial experience is becoming an issue in the race to succeed Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau. Recent trial experience is "essential," says one candidate, Cyrus Vance Jr., who last tried a case to verdict in 2007.

Weiner Accuses Bloomberg Campaign of Spreading Negative Stories (NY Times, May 12, 2009)
The mayor, Anthony Weiner said, is running “the most consistently and relentlessly negative campaign that I and many people I know have seen.”

Albany Gets Out Its Repair Kit (National Journal, May 12, 2009)

Gillibrand Gains a Defender: Schumer (NY Times, May 8, 2009)

Another Term Limits Deadline Quietly Passes (Daily Politics, May 8, 2009)
Mayor Bloomberg dodged yet another bullet on the term limits front this week when the deadline set for a public referendum in a bill being pushed by two Democratic state lawmakers came and went with nary a peep from its advocates.

Simon Says Community Involvement Key in Race for Brooklyn's 33rd (Greenpoint Star, May 8, 2009)
For years, residents of Brooklyn's 33rd District have called on Jo Anne Simon to run for City Council, touched in various ways by her long and varied public service career. Simon has finally jumped at the opportunity - sensing, perhaps, that this is her best chance - and in a few short months has quickly emerged as a leading candidate in a crowded field vying for the influential position.

Biviano: 'The People's Candidate' in Brooklyn's 33rd (Greenpoint Star, May 8, 2009)
Doug Biviano stands alone, and he likes it that way. Biviano, the latest addition to the seven-person race for Councilmember David Yassky's seat, is positioning himself as the ultimate political outsider - an ambitious, out-of-the-box candidate without burdensome ties to local special interest groups who will best represent everyday voters struggling through a growing recession.

In Brooklyn With John Liu (Greenpoint Star, May 8, 2009)
On the first day of May, Councilman John Liu has just enough time for a lunch and campaign interview at a Park Slope diner before rushing on to his next event.

Mayoral Endorsement May Yet Come from White House (Daily News, May 8, 2009)
President Barack Obama's spokesman Thursday said the Democratic commander-in-chief would stay out of this year's mayor's race - but the White House quickly backtracked.

Council Members Face Political Hitch Over Tow Proposal (NY 1, May 7, 2009)

Bill Thompson Has His Own Pension Pals (Village Voice, May 7, 2009)

Liu Returns Some Problematic Contributions, Keeps Some Others (NY Observer, May 7, 2009)
So far, the comptroller campaign of City Councilman John Liu has returned a total of 42 contributions deemed potentially problematic, and has "flagged," but not refunded, a further 17 contributions from a bundler with a controversial past.

Heastie Expects Races In Bronx Special Elections (Daily News, May 7, 2009)
The Bronx Democratic Party met last Saturday to nominate Marcos Crespo to run for Diaz's seat in the 85th and Vanessa Gibson for Greene's seat in the 77th. Both candidates worked for the former lawmakers they are now hoping to replace. Bronx Democratic Chairman Carl Heastie said the other would-be candidates sought the party's nod, but in the new spirit of bottom-up management he's trying to instill, he let the district leaders make the call on who would run. Heastie would not discuss the names of the other hopefuls who had come to see him, saying only they are "not party regulars."

Democrat Abandons Race for Staten Island Council Seat (Staten Island Advance, May 7, 2009)
The extension of term limits has led Democratic education activist Martin Krongold to pull out of the race for a Staten Island City Council seat. "I was blindsided, as were many others, by the 'Mike Bloomberg Third Term Shuffle,'" Krongold said in an e-mail to supporters.

Manhattan to Elect New District Attorney (WNYC, May 7, 2009)
This election year, for the first time since the 1970s, Manhattan voters will elect a successor to District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, who's retiring.

Paterson Settles Discrimination Suit for $300,000 of Public Money (NY Post, May 1, 2009)

The Mayor's Race: Focus on Transportation (Our Town, May 1, 2009)
An MTA fare hike may be only weeks away, and the mayoral election is six months away. As we count down to both, dreading one and perhaps looking forward to the other, this paper decided to kick off its monthly coverage of the mayor’s race with a look at transportation issues.

Riverdale Political Establishment No Longer on the Outside (Riverdale Press, May 1, 2009)
The Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club, now championed by Riverdale's Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, has been generally opposed to the rest of the Bronx Democratic political apparatus for about 50 years. More recently, the club had developed something more akin to an uneasy alliance with the county's regular Democratic operatives.

Thies is Confident, Despite Yassky Snub (Brooklyn Downtown Star, May 1, 2009)
Evan Thies believes he is the candidate to beat in the race for outgoing Councilman David Yassky's seat. Though conventional political wisdom suggests an endorsement from Yassky, for whom Thies worked as chief of staff for several years, would cement his status as frontrunner, Thies said his experience will speak for itself, thank you for very much.

Some Public Advocate Candidates Could Miss Out on Matching Funds (City Hall, May 1, 2009)
Under New York City Campaign Finance Board rules, a public advocate candidate must raise at least $125,000 to receive public funds under the program, a threshold meant to ensure that taxpayer dollars go to candidates who have demonstrated their viability and shown they can attract donations from a wide range of supporters. Green, Avella, and Siegel could miss out on $750,000 or more at their current pace.

Gioia Lays Out Plans, But Not Dollars (Yet) for Carbon-Neutral Campaign (City Hall, May 1, 2009)
For Council Member Eric Gioia (D-Queens), in the public advocate campaign, green is all the rage—environmentally speaking, that is. Gioia announced he was running a carbon-neutral public advocate campaign February 2008, and his campaign stresses the changes he has made to mitigate his carbon footprint. And indeed, he has spent only $1,444 on campaign mailing last February, saving on paper. Plus, he claims to use hybrid vehicles on the campaign trail. But for all of his green-mindedness, only buying carbon credits will allow Gioia’s campaign to achieve carbon- neutral status.

Nothing Personal: John Liu Is Running for Comptroller (NY Observer, May 1, 2009)
Councilmember John Liu puts a staggering amount of effort into the construction and maintenance of his public persona, even by a politician’s standards. It’s not just the precisely calibrated banter, but also the spamlike frequency of his press releases the immaculately packaged immigrant-made-good biography and the more-or-less continual roll-out of institutional endorsements.

Role Reversal: Contributions from Candidates (Gotham Gazette, Apr 30, 2009)

Bill Thompson Believes (NY Observer, Apr 30, 2009)
According to City Comptroller Bill Thompson, he is running for mayor. “Everybody is saying, ‘I’m seeing you everywhere around the city of New York,’” Mr. Thompson said on April 27 as he sat in a conference room upstairs from his Broadway campaign headquarters, which shares space with state court offices and a dentist. “I think as people start to see more from the campaign, that will have an impact on people.”

City Raids Office of Prominent Developer (Crain's, Apr 24, 2009)

City Raids Developer (NY Post, Apr 24, 2009)

City Raids Office of Carrión Donor (Daily News, Apr 24, 2009)

Investigators Raid Top City Developer (Village Voice, Apr 24, 2009)

Bloomberg’s Spending on Re-election Bid Reaches $7.5 Million (NY Times, Apr 24, 2009)
Six months before the election, Michael R. Bloomberg has already outspent his leading rival in the mayor’s race by a seven-to-one ratio, despite a commanding lead in the polls.

Candidates for Public Advocate and Mayor Take Pops at Bloomberg (The Villager, Apr 24, 2009)
Four Democratic candidates running for public advocate promised to hold the next mayor’s feet to the fire, with several focusing their ire on Mayor Michael Bloomberg. They appeared at the second candidates forum sponsored by Village Independent Democrats at St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery last Thursday evening.

Cohen Says He Won’t Give Up Council Bid (Queens Leader-Observer, Apr 24, 2009)
A former Queens assemblymember is refusing to give up his campaign for City Council amid allegations that then-State Comptroller Alan Hevesi used the state pension fund to grease the wheels on his resignation, making way for Hevesi’s son to assume the post. Michael Cohen represented Forest Hills in the State Assembly from 1998 until 2005, when he resigned. Cohen has always maintained that his resignation was because his wife was terminally ill with cancer, and his desire to be closer to her during that time. His wife tragically passed away shortly after he left elected office.

In Race for Mayor, Democrat Dearth May Mean Housing Idea Desert (NY Observer, Apr 23, 2009)

Sharpton Hit with $285,000 Election Fine (NY 1, Apr 19, 2009)

Buisness, Unions Major Campaign Donors (Daily News, Apr 19, 2009)
Council members have received some $18 million in campaign contributions since 2006 as they've prepared to run for re-election or plotted bids for mayor, controller, public advocate or borough president, a Daily News analysis found. The biggest chunks came from those who do -- or want to do -- business with the city: public employee unions, special interest groups, developers, law firms and contractors.

Bloomberg Rebukes Wheelchair-Bound Reporter (Daily News, Apr 17, 2009)

Few Parents Seek Seats on Education Councils (Norwood News, Apr 17, 2009)

Manhattan Borough Chief May Seek Gillibrand’s Job (NY Times, Apr 17, 2009)
Scott Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, has created a federal committee to explore challenging Kirsten Gillibrand, the newly appointed United States senator, in the Democratic primary next year.

Chin and Gleason Mount Gerson Challenge (City Hall, Apr 17, 2009)
Clubs divide in Lower Manhattan as incumbent defends.

Quinn Leaves Door Open to Back Bloomberg (Daily News, Apr 17, 2009)
Council Speaker Christine Quinn told voters Thursday night she couldn't promise to endorse the Democratic nominee for mayor, leaving open the possibility the city's most powerful Democratic official could endorse Mayor Bloomberg.

Giuliani Should Run for Governor in 2010, Gingrich Says (Daily News, Apr 16, 2009)

Markowitz's Borough Haul Continues (Brooklyn Papers, Apr 16, 2009)
Not-for-profits controlled and created by Borough President Markowitz continue to rake in donations from companies who have benefitted from his support of controversial projects like Atlantic Yards and the cruise ship terminal in Red Hook.

Cohen: Still A Candidate, Not A Target (Daily Politics, Apr 16, 2009)
Queens Democrat Michael Cohen has no plans to end his City Council bid despite being named today in AG Andrew Cuomo's felony complaint against former Liberal Party boss Ray Harding. Michael Tobman, Cohen's political consultant, said his client is "still a candidate."

Race to Replace Yassky Pits Reformers Against Establishment (City Hall, Apr 16, 2009)
Lopez looms over race in Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg and Park Slope.

Beginning New Campaign, Liu Denies Existence of Old One (City Hall, Apr 16, 2009)
Transferring into the comptroller race at this point in the year, Councilmember John Liu has missed the opportunity to snag a number of early endorsements from unions and political leaders. He has missed the screenings that most political clubs have held for comptroller candidates. And he has given his new opponents an easy way to call him an opportunist who entered the comptroller race simply because he could not beat Mark Green in the public advocate race.

GOP Tries to Invalidate Gillibrand's Ballot (Albany Times Union, Apr 15, 2009)

Bloomberg Courts Asian Voters in Flushing (City Room, Apr 14, 2009)

Comptroller Race A Council Clash (The Jewish Week, Apr 10, 2009)
Four City Council members are passing up the chance to run an easy race for re-election this year — a right they recently gained through term-limit changes — to run for city comptroller, arguably one of the toughest city jobs in this struggling economic climate. Democrats Melinda Katz, John Liu, David Weprin, all of Queens, and Brooklyn’s David Yassky, will face off in September’s primary, with the winner almost assured victory in November. There is not yet a Republican candidate.

Deputy Queens Borough President Steps Down For Council Race (Queens Tribune, Apr 10, 2009)
n a precursor to her City Council run, Karen Koslowitz switched offices from Deputy Borough President to Director of Community Boards.

Mayor Trusts Youngest Deputy to Run City, or Chase a Thief (NY Times, Apr 10, 2009)
As he campaigns for a third term, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is counting on Ed Skyler's reputation as a top-notch manager who tamed a once-unruly metropolis.

In City Hall, Considering a Candidacy for Prosecutor (NY Times, Apr 10, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s criminal justice coordinator, John Feinblatt, is considering running for the office, according to three people who were briefed on Mr. Feinblatt’s intentions.

Craig Hammerman Sees a Web of Voters (Brooklyn Downtown Star, Apr 10, 2009)
City Council candidate Craig Hammerman wants the city government to have better transparency and accessibility to residents as he campaigns to represent Brooklyn's 39th Council District.

Council Members Who Got 'Queries' at Education Hearing Collected $26,000 (Daily News, Apr 9, 2009)

Staff of Council Candidate Chapey Still Waiting for Compensation (Daily News, Apr 9, 2009)
A South Queens Democratic leader who lost her run at a City Council seat has skipped town, stiffing 30 former campaign workers out of thousands of dollars, ex-staffers charge. Geraldine Chapey, who lost a February special election to 24-year-old Republican political upstart Eric Ulrich, owes about $14,000, they say.

Bloomberg Hosts Fundraiser for Sanders (NY Post, Apr 9, 2009)

Gillibrand Raised $2.3 Million in Two Months (Newsday, Apr 7, 2009)

Bill Clinton Praises Bloomberg (NY Post, Apr 7, 2009)

Bloomberg: Sharpton a 'Calming Influence on the City' (Daily News, Apr 3, 2009)

Differing Visions in Public Advocate Race (Queens Chronicle, Apr 3, 2009)
Public advocate candidates Mark Green, Bill De Blasio, Eric Gioia, and Norman Siegel offered their views on the city budget, the MTA and what to do with stimulus money at a CUNY School of Law forum in Flushing on Tuesday night. Five questions were presented to the candidates by law students. While they had differing views on the subjects, there was a consistent theme among them all: accountability.

Diaz Says He'll Take Bronx to Next Level (Norwood News, Apr 3, 2009)
Grandiose. That’s the word Ruben Diaz, Jr. uses to describe his plans for the Bronx if elected borough president.

Bloomberg Makes Early, Aggressive Bid for Black Support (NY Times, Apr 3, 2009)
Seven months before the election, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s reelection campaign is mounting an all-out push to win over New York City’s black elected leaders, clergy members and voters, seeking to land an early, and potentially crippling, blow against the mayor’s chief rival, Comptroller William Thompson.

Thompson Seeks To 'Vault' Over Spending Limits (Daily Politics, Apr 2, 2009)
Comptroller Bill Thompson has formally sought an opinion from the Campaign Finance Board about lifting the cap on expenditures in the Democratic mayoral primary, arguing Mayor Bloomberg's billions and his ability to spend them throughout the summer creates an unlevel playing field even though he's not a primary candidate. Board spokesman Eric Friedman said the board will take Thompson's request "seriously."

Siegel On Gotbaum's 'Atrophy' (Daily Politics, Apr 2, 2009)
At recent Public Advocate's candidate forum, Norman Siegel and his three competitors were asked how their approach would differ from Betsy Gotbaum's. While the others discussed how they have worked with Gotbaum and praised her efforts on social services, food stamps, and special education, Siegel said, “If you think Betsy Gotbaum did a good job as public advocate, you should vote for one of the other three people."

Billionaire Bloomberg Looking for Campaign Volunteers (Brooklyn Papers, Mar 31, 2009)

Bloomberg Stumps Across City (City Room, Mar 31, 2009)

As New Lawyer, Gillibrand Defended Big Tobacco (NY Times, Mar 27, 2009)

Weiner Makes First Campaign Appearance Since Letter (City Hall, Mar 27, 2009)
Last night, Rep. Anthony Weiner attended the Queens County fundraiser honoring State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and appeared, as promised, at progressive bastion Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats to speak as part of a program that included every Democratic candidate for citywide office.

Mayor's Campaign to Woo Independence Party Close to Paying Off (NY Times, Mar 27, 2009)
It took a personal visit from the mayor, an agreement to help settle a nasty political dispute, a vow to take a second crack at nonpartisan elections, and a frank discussion of money. But the leaders of the New York City Independence Party, their demands met and hurt feelings assuaged, are ready to give Mayor Michael Bloomberg their ballot line in the fall.

Mayor's Approval Ratings Drop Slightly (Daily News, Mar 25, 2009)

US Sues New York Over Voter Access (Associated Press, Mar 25, 2009)

Investigators Raid Nonprofit with Links to Councilmember (NY Times, Mar 21, 2009)

State Legislative Conference Committees History? (Albany Times Union, Mar 20, 2009)

New York Democrats Got $100,000 from A.I.G. (Daily News, Mar 20, 2009)

Mayor Swears Ulrich Into Office (Queens Chronicle, Mar 20, 2009)
More than 500 people crammed into the auditorium at P.S. 207 on Sunday to watch Mayor Michael Bloomberg perform the ceremonial swearing-in of their city councilman, Eric Ulrich.

Ferreras Takes Her Seat (Queens Chronicle, Mar 20, 2009)
Almost 21 days after last month’s 21st District special election, the city Board of Elections finally certified Julissa Ferreras’ decisive victory over community organizer Francisco Moya on Tuesday — clearing the way for the first elected Queens Latina to take her seat at City Hall.

Bloomberg Spent $3 Million in Two Months on Campaign (Daily Politics, Mar 20, 2009)
If Mayor Michael Bloomberg keeps spending at the rate he has set for 2009, he will break his five-month 2005 record by the time May rolls around.

Thompson Wants Primary Spending Cap Lifted Now (Politicker, Mar 20, 2009)
Comptroller William Thompson's aides have recently been speaking more openly about their desire to start raising money for the general election before the Democratic primary is over.

Republicans Fundraising for Cuomo (NY Post, Mar 19, 2009)

Skeptical Vallone Nets Bloomberg For Fundraiser (Daily Politics, Mar 19, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg will make a special appearance at a birthday fundraiser tomorrow night for Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., who recently said that budget cuts to public safety have caused him to reconsider supporting the mayor, as he did in 2005.

Comptroller Candidates Spend More Than They Raise (Politicker, Mar 19, 2009)
Several of the Democratic city comptroller candidates are raising less money than they’re spending, according to the latest campaign finance filings.

Lobbyist Fined for Contacting City Officials (NY Times, Mar 19, 2009)
A lobbyist who served three New York mayors, including Michael R. Bloomberg, has been fined $12,000 for violating conflict-of-interest rules by sending e-mail messages that sought to influence city officials less than a year after he left the mayor’s office.

Weiner Returned $60,000 in Campaign Cash (City Room, Mar 18, 2009)

Feds OK Term Limits Extension (Daily News, Mar 18, 2009)

Term Limits Extension Clears Hurdle (, Mar 18, 2009)

After Special Election Win, Ulrich Hopes To Avoid Como Curse (City Hall, Mar 13, 2009)

Bloomberg Denies His Wealth Intimidates Challengers (Associated Press, Mar 13, 2009)

Liu's Bid for City Comptroller (Queens Chronicle, Mar 13, 2009)
John Liu, the first Asian-American ever elected to the City Council, has made new plans for this November, announcing a run for the office of comptroller. The Flushing Democrat had said until recently that he was running for public advocate. But citing his professional background as a financial consultant, Liu announced on March 8 that he will run for comptroller instead. He was a manager at the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers before entering politics, and is a certified actuary.

Koppell to Run for Reelection (Riverdale Press, Mar 13, 2009)
At 68, Councilmember Oliver Koppell has served more than two decades in the Assembly, a brief stint as an appointed attorney general and is now finishing his second term on the City Council. Many thought the lifetime lawmaker's career in politics would end on Dec. 31, 2009, the end of his eighth year on the council. But a change in the term limits law that allows officials to serve three full terms instead of just two has changed all that. Koppell and his friends say eligibility for a third term - which Mr. Koppell has long advocated and which he successfully worked for - allows him to continue doing the only thing he ever wanted to do with his life: serve in public office.

So far, Diaz Has Field to Himself in Bronx Borough President's Race (Riverdale Press, Mar 13, 2009)
Monday was a rainy day to stand on the steps of Borough Hall, but Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr. was all smiles. Over the weekend, he talked City Councilman Larry Seabrook out of running against him for borough president. Now he stands all but unchallenged in the race. Why wouldn’t he be happy?

New Bronx Democratic Party Targets Baez, But Without a Clear Candidate (City Hall, Mar 13, 2009)
http://www.cityhallnews.com/news/128/ARTICLE/1828/2009-03-12.html Council Member Maria Baez was not with the Rainbow Rebels as they took over the Bronx County Democratic Party, and now that they are in control, they are not planning to be with her as she runs for re-election in the fall. So far, though, they have been unable to find a candidate strong enough to take her down.

Schneiderman Won’t Run for District Attorney (City Room, Mar 13, 2009)
The crowded field to replace Robert Morgenthau as district attorney just got a little less crowded. State Sen. Eric Schneiderman, a former trial lawyer who is now a state senator a representing Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, said Thu. that he would not seek Morgenthau’s seat.

Mark Green Doesn't Care If You Hate Him (City Hall, Mar 13, 2009)
Simply by declaring himself a candidate for public advocate, by putting himself out there as an option, Mark Green became the man to beat, clocking in at 35 percent in the Feb. 20 Marist poll done the day after his announcement. Assembly Member Adam Clayton Powell IV, who has said he has no desire to wage what he assumes will be a losing race against Green, was 20 points behind. So Green is not worried.

Weiner Steps Back, for Now, From Mayoral Race (NY Times, Mar 12, 2009)

Weiner Bid Now in Limbo (NY Post, Mar 12, 2009)

Weiner Wavering on Mayoral Run (Crain's, Mar 12, 2009)

With Carrión Out, a Possible Electoral Problem for Thompson (City Hall, Mar 12, 2009)

Pro-Term-Limits Advocate Received Money from Bloomberg (Village Voice, Mar 12, 2009)

Package of Bills Designed to Curb City Council's Abuses of Power (Staten Island Advance, Mar 12, 2009)

DiBrienza Scandal Has Him Rethinking Council Race (Brooklyn Papers, Mar 12, 2009)
Ex-Councilman Steve DiBrienza is considering pulling the plug on his race to win back his old seat in the wake of a growing scandal over yearly, six-figure payouts from the City Council’s so-called “slush fund” to the non-profit he’s run since leaving the legislature in 2001.

In Boosting Bloomberg, an Opportunity for Golden (City Hall, Mar 12, 2009)
No one has pushed harder for the five Republican county chairs to let Mayor Michael Bloomberg back on their line than State Sen. Martin Golden. If he succeeds and the chairs acquiesce—as is beginning to seem increasingly likely—Golden may be expecting Bloomberg to repay the favor politically, according to several of those involved in the discussions who expect him to court the mayor’s support in an upcoming challenge to Rep. Michael McMahon.

Leslie Crocker Snyder Rips Cy Vance Jr. In District Attorney's Race (NY 1, Mar 12, 2009)
Former Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder bashed one of her top rivals in the race for Manhattan District Attorney today, saying Cyrus Vance Jr. has a “very, very thin resume” for the job.

The Race is on for Bronx Borough President (Norwood News, Mar 12, 2009)
Now that Adolfo Carrión, has officially vacated his position as Bronx borough president, the door is wide open for candidates vying for his seat. But as of Wednesday morning, only one candidate, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz has officially thrown his hat in the ring.

Senate Committee Passes Bill Requiring Term Limits Referendum (NY 1, Mar 11, 2009)

Still Counting in Staten Island (NY Times, Mar 8, 2009)
The vote count continues in the 49th City Council District.

Weiner's Campaign Finances Under Scrutiny (NY Post, Mar 7, 2009)
The New York Post reports that donations to Congressman Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign are being scrutinized by the Campaign Finance Board. Rep. Weiner's July campaign finance filings include multiple donors listed at a single address and several from foreign citizens.

Audit Finds Bogus Absentee Ballots in Staten Island, the Bronx (NY Post, Mar 7, 2009)

Bloomberg Rejects Discretionary Grants (NY Post, Mar 6, 2009)

16,500 Names And 'Bronx Unity' For Diaz Jr. (Daily Politics, Mar 6, 2009)
Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr.'s Bronx Borough President campaign filed petitions with some 16,500 signatures - about 11,500 more than required - at the Board of Elections this morning, saying the names had been gathered in just three (cold and snowy) days.

Reverend Billy Running for Mayor as a Green (The Villager, Mar 6, 2009)
For years Reverend Billy, the anti-consumerism activist, has fervently preached against Starbucks, big-box stores and gentrification. Billy, who also fought to keep bulldozers from plowing under community gardens, is now seeking a higher calling: City Hall. At noon last Sunday, Billy, real name Bill Talen, declared his candidacy for mayor of New York.

Getting to Know Queen's Councilmember-Elect Eric Ulrich (Queens Chronicle, Mar 6, 2009)
He sits down with the Queens Chronicle for a Q&A.

DiBrienza's Own Council Grants Keep His Office Open (NY Post, Mar 6, 2009)
Bounced from office by term limits, former Councilman Stephen DiBrienza is making a run for his old Brooklyn seat - but it's almost as if he never left. Since leaving the council at the end of 2001, DiBrienza has continued to work out of his former district office, which now houses a not-for-profit group - founded by DiBrienza and funded with a total of $1.185 million in council grants, according to city, state and federal records.

Liu Expected to Drop Public Advocate Bid, Enter Comptroller Race (City Hall, Mar 6, 2009)
John Liu may be considering dropping out of the race for public advocate and pursuing a bid to become the next city comptroller. A major announcement from the candidate is expected Sunday. Liu's office began making calls on Thursday to major supporters asking them to attend.

Brooklyn G.O.P. Gives Bloomberg Nod (Daily News, Mar 5, 2009)

Bloomberg's Golden Republican (Village Voice, Mar 5, 2009)

Elections Board to Recount Votes in Staten Island Race (Staten Island Advance, Mar 5, 2009)
The Staten Island Board of Elections today will begin a crucial ballot recount in the tight North Shore City Council special election. Kenneth Mitchell leads Debi Rose by about 91 votes in the contest, according to unofficial tallies.

Morgenthau Aide Retires Over Lack of Support in Bid to Replace Him (NY Times, Mar 5, 2009)
Manhattan DIstrict Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau's top aide, Daniel Castleman, offered his resignation this week. The resignation came after Morgenthau told him on Monday that he was unsure if he could support him if he ran for district attorney.

Stringer Mulling Primary Against Gillibrand (NY 1, Mar 5, 2009)
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer is considering challenging Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in a Democratic primary next year.

Political Consultants Thrive (NY Times, Mar 3, 2009)
With many industries in decline, consultants, pollsters, election lawyers and other strategists said that business is very good, owing to a fair number of competitive races in the upcoming city elections and a desire by unions and other groups to get their message out in tough times.

Cuomo Probing Political Links to State Pension Business (Daily News, Feb 27, 2009)

Paterson Adviser Has Private Clients and Public Ties (NY Times, Feb 27, 2009)

Citywide Campaigns Log on to Web 2.0 (City Hall, Feb 27, 2009)

What Tony Avella Thinks He is Doing Running for Mayor (City Hall, Feb 27, 2009)
Depending on how you see it, Councilmember Tony Avella’s run for mayor is either one of the boldest, stupidest or most obnoxious moves a New York City politician could make.

McSweeney Appointed Clerk, With Opposition From Brooklyn And The Bronx (Daily Politics, Feb 27, 2009)

Clerk Movement (Daily Politics, Feb 26, 2009)
Council Speaker Christine Quinn is burning the midnight oil in an attempt to push a city clerk vote onto tomorrow's stated meeting agenda, but appears to be coming up against opposition in the form of Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Vito Lopez.

Brewer Prepares for Third-Term Run (City Hall, Feb 26, 2009)
Councilmember Gale Brewer said she felt no compunctions about seeking a term she voted against. Currently, the only other members who voted against the extension but are expected to seek re-election are Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn) and James Oddo (R-Staten Island), both of whom had been planning on open races for borough president that now have incumbents in them.

No ‘Warm and Fuzzy’ Feeling as Mayor Seeks the Support of GOP Leaders (NY Times, Feb 26, 2009)

Bloomberg Woos Local GOP (Daily News, Feb 26, 2009)

GOP Chairs To Mayor: Thank You For Playing (Daily Politics, Feb 26, 2009)

Bloomberg Pans Paterson, Hails Giuliani (NY Post, Feb 26, 2009)

Term Limits Bill Advances in Albany (NY Times, Feb 25, 2009)
In what would be a rebuke to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, legislative committees in the State Senate and Assembly are poised to approve a bill that would effectively undo the law that allows the mayor to run for a third term this fall.

'Out Year' Campaign Spending (, Feb 20, 2009)
Spending by candidates for the 2009 city elections spent a record amount in the first three years of this election cycle, according to the Campaign Finance Board. Spending rules differ for the first three years of each four year election cycle. Those years are called "out years." The $10 million spent during the out years of this cycle was a jump of more than 30 percent over both the '01 and '05 cycles' out years. The increase comes from the Comptroller and Public Advocate races. Spending in each of the other races was actually lower than both previous cycles.

Candidates in 32nd Special Election Square Off (Queens Leader-Observer, Feb 20, 2009)
A standing room-only crowd of 150 south Queens residents braved the frigid temperatures and howling winds to attend a candidate’s forum last Thursday to hear the remaining five candidates vying for the vacated 32nd City Council District seat in the February 24th special election. The district includes the communities of Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Old Howard Beach, and the Rockaways.

21st Council District Candidates Debate Issues (Queens Courier, Feb 20, 2009)
With just a few days left until the Special Election on Tuesday, February 24 to fill the vacant city council seat left by State Senator Hiram Monserrate, voters in District 21, which encompasses Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst and Corona, have raised the stakes for the candidates that wish to represent their community. The four candidates, George Dixon, Julissa Ferreras, Eduardo Giraldo and Francisco Moya, got a sense of the voters' sentiments at a candidate night on Thursday, February 12, co-sponsored by The Courier and Langston Hughes Library. The candidate's night forum will be broadcast on Queens Public Television.

Special City Council Elections Set For Tuesday (Queens Gazette, Feb 20, 2009)
Special elections to fill two City Council seats, one in the Jackson Heights- Corona area, the other in Ozone Park- Howard Beach, will be held next Tuesday. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Queens' 21st Council Race Heats Up (Queens Chronicle, Feb 20, 2009)
The race to succeed state Sen. Hiram Monserrate in the City Council’s 21st District is kicking into high gear. With less than a week to go until the special election on Tuesday, plenty is at stake in a heavily Latino district that includes Corona, East Elmhurst and parts of Jackson Heights and Elmhurst — one of the fastest growing areas in terms of population in the state.

Candidates Play Hardball in Queens Debate (Queens Chronicle, Feb 20, 2009)
The 32nd Council District special election debate held last Thursday in Howard Beach began like any other candidates' forum: one-minute introductions and a simple question-and-answer session set before a quiet and attentive audience. But diplomacy and courteousness eventually dissipated and were replaced with a heated and acerbic back-and-forth between one candidate and the audience.

Carrión's White House Appointment Creates a Job Opportunity (NY Times, Feb 20, 2009)
With Thursday's nomination of Adolfo Carrión, the Bronx borough president, for a position in the Obama administration, another political seat joins the limited roster coming open this fall.

Haile Rivera Drops Out of Council Race, Hopes for Job with Obama (Politicker, Feb 20, 2009)
Haile Rivera, who once won a dinner with Barack Obama, emailed supporters to say he’s dropping out of the race to unseat City Councilwoman Maria Baez of the Bronx. “I’ve decided to pursue a position in the administration. Not that there’s an offer, but it’s hard to do two things at the same time,” Rivera told me in a brief telephone interview. “I wanted to be clear on what my intentions were.”

Lopez Enters City Clerk Battle (Daily Politics, Feb 20, 2009)
Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Vito Lopez is on the warpath after hearing from Council Speaker Christine Quinn today that she intends to move a Queens candidate for city clerk within the next several weeks.

Rockaway Resentment May Tip Special Election to Republican in Queens (City Hall, Feb 20, 2009)
With Democratic District Leader Frank Gulluscio out of the running thanks to Geraldine Chappey’s successful challenge at the Board of Elections, the momentum in the special election to succeed Joe Addabbo in the City Council that Gulluscio once commanded now seems to be shifting to Republican District Leader Eric Ulrich -- not Chappey.

The New Voting Machines (Village Voice, Feb 19, 2009)

Reactions Vary as Carrión Eyes White House Post (Norwood News, Feb 19, 2009)

Council Candidate's Money-Back Guarantee (Daily Politics, Feb 19, 2009)
Michael Cohen, a former assemblyman and one of several candidates vying for the Queens seat currently held by Councilwoman Melinda Katz, is seeking to assuage would-be contributors' concerns by including a "post-term limits debate money-back guarantee" on the invite to his upcoming fundraiser. "If incumbent Councilwoman Melinda Katz runs for re-election, contributions will be returned in full," the invite reads.

In Reversal, Mayor Now Woos Political Parties (NY Times, Feb 19, 2009)

Monserrate Fined $30,000 (NY Post, Feb 13, 2009)

Queens Candidates Challenge Each Other’s Petitions, Not All Survive (Queens Chronicle, Feb 13, 2009)
Everybody’s doing it. Challenging nominating petitions is part of the political process — it’s even expected, according to several participants in the Queens 32nd Council District special election. Still, it appears those who use petition challenging as a campaign strategy are met with resentment. Such was the case in this election, when objections filed by Rockaway Democratic District Leader Geraldine Chapey got two of her competitors, Glenn DiResto and Frank Gulluscio, taken off the ballot.

Queens Council Candidates Talk About Transit (Queens Chronicle, Feb 13, 2009)

Conservatives Endorse Democrat for Council in Staten Island (Staten Island Advance, Feb 13, 2009)
The executive committee of the Staten Island Conservative Party has backed Democrat Kenneth Mitchell in the race for the vacant North Shore City Council seat.

Markowitz Blasted for Ties to Rent-A-Center (Flatbush Life, Feb 13, 2009)
Protesters against dodgy Rent-A-Center consumer practices took their fight to Borough Hall last week, where they claimed Borough President Marty Markowitz had taken money from the rent-to-own retail chain.

Bloomberg Rivals Used Money Loophole Up to ’08 Ban (NY Times, Feb 13, 2009)
Two years ago, the City Council banned campaign contributions from limited liability corporations and partnerships — saying that both were being used by executives to skirt the restrictions on individual donations. During the six-month lag between the signing of the ban on July 3, 2007, and when it took effect, on Jan. 1, 2008, Anthony Weiner raised $211,249 from limited liability corporations and partnerships, records show — twice as much as any other candidate in the city.

Without Carrión, Latinos Look in Vain for New Leadership (City Hall, Feb 13, 2009)
The discomfort many Latino politicians are feeling over the selection of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand may just lead them to challenge her in the 2010 Democratic primary. No one, though, seems to know who the community could put forward as a valid candidate. And even as Latino politicians have fumed over their lack of representation in top levels of government in the city and state, the constituency finds itself without a clear political leader.

'Hurt' Queens G.O.P. Boss Will Still Consider Bloomberg (NY Observer, Feb 13, 2009)
Queens County Republican Chairman Phil Ragusa—whose borough has the most registered Republican voters—isn’t ruling out letting Michael Bloomberg run in the party’s mayoral primary, but said he’s still upset the at the treatment he and the Republican Party have gotten from City Hall for the last two years.

Uncovering the Perks of Albany's Fallen GOP (NY Times, Feb 12, 2009)

Success and Controversy Follow Espada (Norwood News, Feb 12, 2009)

Campaign Finances Disclosed; 2009 Bronx Races Take Shape (Norwood News, Feb 12, 2009)
On Jan. 15, with nine months to go until the 2009 citywide elections, candidates for office were required to file campaign finance reports. Based on the reported figures, some local races are beginning to take shape, while others remain unsettled.

Staten Island City Council Special Election Getting Uglier (Staten Island Advance, Feb 12, 2009)
Board of Elections commissioners will hold a special hearing tomorrow to determine whether Staten Island City Council candidate John Tabacco has enough nominating-petition signatures to stay on the ballot, according to BOE spokeswoman Valerie Vazquez. It's an issue that Tabacco thought had been settled last week. "It's outrageous," Tabacco said, blasting an "underhanded, back-room move" by opponent Kenneth Mitchell to "eliminate voter choice."

Campaigners for Bloomberg Taste High Life (NY Times, Feb 6, 2009)
Aides to Mayor Michael Bloomberg hopscotch around the world on two Falcon 900 private jets, where wine and sushi are served. They stay at the Four Seasons in London (about $400 a night), the Intercontinental in Paris ($320) and the King David in Jerusalem ($345). Room service? The mayor pays for it all. Even the laundry.

Gulluscio Knocked Off Queens Special Election Ballot (Queens Tribune, Feb 6, 2009)
Frank Gulluscio, the former advisor to City Councilman and now State Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), and his heir-apparent, was among three knocked from the 32nd City Council District special election ballot on Tuesday. He was 69 signatures short of the 1,098 required, according to the Board of Elections ruling.

City Allots Funds in Staten Island Council Race (Staten Island Advance, Feb 6, 2009)
Staten Island voters may not yet know who will be on the ballot for the Feb. 24 City Council special election, but the Campaign Finance Board yesterday doled out matching money to candidates in the race. Kenneth Mitchell pocketed $84,122 in public matching funds, while Debi Rose received $75,981. The Rev. Dr. Tony Baker got $64,809, and Paul Saryian took in $30,347.

Mayor Won't Cap Campaign Spending (Associated Press, Feb 6, 2009)
Billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who poured $155 million of his own money into his first two campaigns, refused to agree to a spending limit for his third term bid, dismissing it as a ridiculous idea. In exchanges with reporters at a City Hall news conference Thursday, Bloomberg at first would not even acknowledge that he has a re-election operation in place, despite the fact that his team of pollsters, strategists and advisers moved into its headquarters last month.

Diaz Jr. Still Raising In Uncertain Bronx Borough President Race (Daily Politics, Feb 6, 2009)
Assemblymember Ruben Diaz Jr. is still raising money for his potential Bronx borough president bid, despite the fact that the current occupant of that office, Adolfo Carrion, Jr., has yet to declare his '09 intentions while waiting for a yet-to-materialize appointment with the Obama administration.

Making The Case For Catsimatidis (Daily Politics, Feb 6, 2009)
Pollster John McLaughlin, who is working for potential GOP mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis, argued in a confidential memo to the city's five Republican county chairs that the race is in fact "very fluid" and "a lot more volatile than it appears." In the memo, a copy of which was obtained by the DP (I just love writing that), McLaughlin parsed a recent NY1/Baruch College poll that showed the mayoral contest is "surprisingly close" and insisted the poll would have had entirely different results had it included a third candidate running on the GOP line.

Report: Rangel's Financial Disclosures Omitted Data Over 30 Years (NY Times, Feb 5, 2009)

Staten Island Front-Runner Defends Petition Challenges (NY Observer, Feb 5, 2009)

Council Candidate Ferreras Left Out of Matching Funds, For Now (NY Observer, Feb 5, 2009)
The leading candidate in the February 24 special election for the vacant City Council seat in Jackson Height, Julissa Ferreras, did not get matching funds from the Campaign Finance Board, which distributed more then $130,000 to the other three candidates.

Campaign Finance Board Pays Out (Daily Politics, Feb 5, 2009)
The Campaign Finance Board has announced its first payment of public matching funds for the Feb. 24 special election for three vacant City Council seats; $594,283 went to 10 candidates. Two of the candidates have “maxed out” for the race at $88,550.

Challenges Narrow Field in Staten Island Council Race (Staten Island Advance, Feb 5, 2009)
With just three weeks to go until election day, the field of candidates in Staten Island's special election for City Council was reduced by two yesterday, while other candidates held a rally to excoriate candidate Kenneth Mitchell for launching petition challenges they contend will deprive voters of choices at the ballot box.

New Yorkers Unfamiliar With Thompson, Weiner (Daily News, Feb 5, 2009)
Democratic mayoral candidates William Thompson and Anthony Weiner go unrecognized by the average New Yorker. Of more than 100 New Yorkers shown pictures of the two Democratic politicians in downtown Brooklyn on Wednesday, most had no idea who they were.

Gillibrand A Work In Progress On Immigration (Daily Politics, Feb 2, 2009)

Gillibrand Discusses Stance On Immigration (NY 1, Feb 2, 2009)

Gillibrand Meets With City Hispanics on Immigration (Associated Press, Feb 2, 2009)

Gillibrand Hints at a Change of Mind on Immigration (NY Times, Feb 2, 2009)

Gillibrand Meets With City Lawmakers on Immigration (Newsday, Feb 2, 2009)

Paterson Taking Heat for Health Care Proposal (NY Times, Feb 2, 2009)

Bloomberg Donated $1.2 Million to Independence Party (Newsday, Feb 2, 2009)

Former Councilmember DiBrienza Running in 2009 (Brooklyn Papers, Feb 2, 2009)
Former City Councilmember Steve DiBrienza — who represented Park Slope and Windsor Terrace for 16 years before leaving public service in 2000 — now says he’ll run for his old seat again, jumping into a race that already has six candidates.

Drama Adds Tingle to Staten Island Special Election (Staten Island Advance, Feb 2, 2009)

New Yorkers Want Special Elections for Federal Vacancies (Albany Times Union, Jan 30, 2009)
Most New Yorkers want special elections to fill future U.S. Senate vacancies rather than allowing the governor sole authority to name someone to the powerful position, according to a Siena College poll released Thursday. The process that led to Gov. David Paterson's appointment of upstate congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton was widely criticized across the state.

Ballot challenges in the Staten Island Special Eleciton (Staten Island Advance, Jan 29, 2009)
The field of candidates in the Feb. 24 special election for the vacant North Shore City Council seat could be cut almost in half by this time next week, leaving voters with fewer choices at the ballot box. Democrat Kenneth Mitchell has challenged petition signatures gathered by four of his opponents in the nonpartisan race: Anthony Cosentino, Thomas Curitore, Rajiv Gowda and John Tabacco.

Queens Special Election Candidates File Petitions, Campaign Finance Claims (Queens Tribune, Jan 29, 2009)
With their petitions signed and submitted and finances filed, 13 candidates in the 32nd and 21st City Council District special elections are enduring disputes as they wait with bated breath to see who made the cut. The Feb. 24 non-partisan run-off will fill the 32nd and 21st Council District seats vacated by State Senators Joe Addabbo and Hiram Monserrate in November.

Special Election in 21st Council District Heats Up (Queens Courier, Jan 29, 2009)
With less than a month remaining before the Special Election in the 21st City Council District, a crowded field is jockeying for position to replace now-Senator Hiram Monserrate. Five candidates have filed paperwork with the City’s Campaign Finance Board during the January 15 filing deadline including former Monserrate Chief of Staff Julissa Ferreras, Angel Del Villar, George Dixon, Jose Eduardo Giraldo and Francisco Moya. In addition, Carlos Pena has also told supporters that he plans to run for the seat.

Pre-Term Limit Extension Restrictions Come Home to Roost in Poorer Districts (City Hall, Jan 29, 2009)
The stricter campaign finance laws that City Council candidates will be running under this year have some complaining that candidates from poorer districts are disproportionately hit by the effects of the law. When the new limits were passed by the Council in July 2007 and became effective January 2008, most on the Council thought they would not be subject to them, due to the two-term limit. The rules cap contributions from organizations with business in front of the city to $250 and ban contributions from limited-liability companies and partnerships.

Judge Reappointment Stalled (Daily Politics, Jan 29, 2009)
In what appears to be more fallout from the yet-undecided 11th SD race, the City Council has declined to take up the reappointment of Judith Stupp, the Republican commissioner at the Board of Elections in Queens. Stupp, as you may recall, drew the ire of Democrats during the 11th SD recount because she is also the manager of downstate operations for the state Senate Republicans. The Democrats alleged she had a conflict of interest and was biased in favor of the then-GOP incumbent, Frank Padavan, to whom she has contributed campaign cash, in some decisions regarding which ballots should be counted.

Bloomberg's Commission...On the Way (Politicker, Jan 29, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said this morning that he’s still working on putting together a Charter Revision Commission–something he promised but didn’t do last year. “We’ve done some searches. We’ve talked to a lot of people,” he said when asked about it. “I don’t know if it’s in the next few weeks but will do that. I made that commitment.”

The Six Candidates Vying for Yaskky's Council Seat (Brooklyn Papers, Jan 29, 2009)
Now that Councilmember David Yassky has made stronger indications that he is indeed running for comptroller, the six candidates to succeed him say the money will really start flowing into their coffers. The uncertainty of Yassky’s candidacy — even more so than the stagnant economy and the historic presidential race just concluded — depressed the fundraising totals for local candidates.

Special Election for Bronx Borough President Would Be Lightning Fast (Bronx News Network, Jan 29, 2009)
When/if Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion resigns, within three days the mayor must announce the date of the special election. But he can’t just pick any day, since this is all governed by the city charter. He has to call the election for the first Tuesday after 45 days have elapsed. It can be a week earlier or later if warranted, depending on whether the Tuesday falls on a problematic date like a religious holiday or even St. Patrick’s Day (which is on a Tuesday this year).

Monserrate Coy on Campaign Cash (NY Observer, Jan 22, 2009)

Clinton Confirmed as Secretary of State (Associated Press, Jan 22, 2009)

Caroline Kennedy Withdraws from Senate Bid (NY 1, Jan 22, 2009)

Brownstone Brooklyn Council Seat Becoming Two-Man Race (Brooklyn Papers, Jan 22, 2009)
Just-released campaign finance filings by the six candidates seeking to represent a broad swath of Brownstone Brooklyn in the City Council show a shift in momentum. Josh Skaller, a denizen of a reformist Democratic clubhouse, raked in almost $22,000 from 213 contributors — not exactly Barack Obama numbers, but good enough to boost him to second behind money leader Brad Lander, a Community Board 6 member. The seat covers Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill and is being vacated by Bill DeBlasio, who is running for the citywide Public Advocate office.

Moya Endorsed by Velasquez in Queens Council Special Election (Queens Ledger, Jan 22, 2009)
Francisco Moya wants to be the next representative of the 21st District in the City Council. The communities of Corona, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and East Elmhurst comprise the 21st Council District. Queens Democratic Party insiders say that Francisco Moya is their choice, but they understand that there will be significant carry-over support for Hiram's former chief of staff, Julissa Ferreras. Ferreras has the early support of a number of current City Council members. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has endorsed Moya.

Weiner Campaign Kept Toussie Contributions (Daily News, Jan 21, 2009)

From All Corners of the City, New Yorkers Watch Inauguration (Newsday, Jan 21, 2009)

Thompson Gives Back Toussie Contribution (NY Post, Jan 21, 2009)
City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who is running for mayor, returned a $500 donation to real-estate scam artist and Brooklyn developer Isaac Toussie, who was pardoned and then quickly unpardoned by then-President George Bush, campaign records revealed yesterday.

Council Members Say Speaker Quinn is Vindictive (Daily News, Jan 21, 2009)
Those cozy with Council Speaker Christine Quinn seem to have an easier time getting legislation passed than her foes. "The speaker is very vindictive, and when you oppose the speaker, she doesn't let bills go through," Councilmember Tony Avella and some other Council members charged.

Paterson, Cuomo Cite Privilege to Duck Senate Scrutiny (Associated Press, Jan 16, 2009)

Candidates in Queens City Council Special Election Hustle (Queens Chronicle, Jan 16, 2009)
It’s crunch time for the seven candidates competing in the race for the 32nd Council District seat: they have five weeks to get signatures, file petitions, complete paperwork and become household names. While the pressure is on and time is running out, the contenders are toughing it out and channeling all their energy into their campaigns.

Markowitz Spends $6,000 of Campaign Funds on Chocolate (NY Post, Jan 16, 2009)
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who is running for re-election this year, spent nearly $6,000 of his campaign cash on chocolates from the fancy Jacques Torres shop in Brooklyn for staff gifts and gift bags, records show.

Bloomberg to Talk Job Creation in State of City (Newsday, Jan 15, 2009)

Paterson Hints At Timeline Over Senate Decision (NY 1, Jan 15, 2009)

Several Candidates Eye Foster's Bronx Council Seat (Mount Hope Monitor, Jan 15, 2009)
Council Member Helen Diane Foster will face a number of challengers should she decide to run for a third term in District 16, which includes the neighborhood of Morris Heights. Last year, Foster was said to be mulling a run for Bronx borough president, but now that term limits have been extended, she may seek another four years in office when her current term expires at the end of 2009.

Staten Island Council Candidate Tony Baker Springs Into Motion (Staten Island Advance, Jan 15, 2009)
Last week, Rev. Tony Baker's campaign filed the threshold number of petition signatures to get him on the ballot in the Feb. 24 North Shore City Council special election in Staten Island. Since it's a non-partisan race, the independent nominating petitions must include a made-up party name and logo. They got the name part down OK -- "Prepared to Lead, Ready to Serve" -- but forgot about the pesky logo, Rev. Baker acknowledged yesterday. It was to have been the Liberty Bell. Bottom line: He could have been bounced from the ballot.

Early Bird '09 Filers (Daily Politics, Jan 15, 2009)
Some early financial filings are trickling in to the Campaign Finance Board, despite the fact that the deadline isn't until midnight tomorrow.

Many Enraged About Monserrate's New Chairmanship (Daily News, Jan 9, 2009)

Bloomberg Reaching Out to GOP Before Running (NY Post, Jan 9, 2009)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has begun reaching out to city Republican leaders to gauge whether he could run on the GOP line in his re-election bid this year. The maneuvering began in the past two weeks, and sources said the mayor is expected to try to run on a major-party as well as a third-party line, likely one of his own creation.

Elections to Fill Council Vacancies Set for Feb. 24 (AM New York, Jan 5, 2009)

A Look Back at Paterson's First Nine Months in Office (WNYC, Dec 31, 2008)

Mark Weprin to run for Council (Queens Courier, Dec 31, 2008)
Assemblymember Mark Weprin has confirmed that "if the seat opens up - and it looks like it will," he will run for the City Council 23rd District seat currently held by his brother David in November.

Weprin To Run For Brother’s Seat in Queens (Queens Tribune, Dec 31, 2008)
Assemblymember Mark Weprin is considering running next year for the 23rd City Council seat, which is currently held by his brother, Councilmember David Weprin, who plans to make a bid for comptroller.

Crowley Ready to Start New Year on City Council (Queens Chronicle, Dec 31, 2008)
The revolving door that is the District 30 council seat may finally stop spinning, at least for a year. Elizabeth Crowley is to be sworn in to the seat on Jan. 1, taking over from Councilmember Anthony Como, who won a special election in June, but lost the follow-up in November. The Democrat will be the first to take the seat since it was created in 1991.

Council Hopefuls Line Up at 2009 Gate (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Dec 31, 2008)
At the 2009 City Council campaign starting gate are several hopefuls, declared and undeclared, preparing for their races, from Bay Ridge to Brooklyn Heights to Coney Island. They are ready to challenge incumbents or replace legislators not seeking a third term.

Court: Espada Personally Liable For Campaign Finance Violations (Daily Politics, Dec 31, 2008)
An appellate court ruled today that Senator-elect Pedro Espada Jr. and his campaign treasurer, Kenneth Brennan, can be held personally liable for $61,750 worth of penalties for 22 campaign finance violations connected to his failed 2001 Bronx borough president bid. This is a reversal of a lower court decision that found only some violations could be properly imposed on the candidate himself, while others could only be brought against the committee.

Transit-Related Relief for Mayor's Strongholds (NY Post, Dec 29, 2008)
Two of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's crucial voting bases got some transit-related relief this month, just as his controversial campaign for a third term heats up.

Quinn Accused of Unfairly Rewarding Allies in Council (NY Post, Dec 29, 2008)
Council Speaker Christine Quinn has quietly been rewarding her political allies by allowing a handful of loyal lawmakers to bolster their legislative staffs with funding from her own budget.

Resistance to Kennedy Grows Among Democrats (NY Times, Dec 24, 2008)
Resistance is emerging among Democratic officials against Caroline Kennedy as she pursues Hillary Rodham Clinton’s seat in the United States Senate, with Gov. David Paterson bristling over suggestions that her selection is inevitable, according to his advisers, and other leading Democrats concerned that she is too beholden to Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Mayor Taps Old Antagonist to Aid His Re-election Effort (NY Times, Dec 24, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has hired a former antagonist, Howard Wolfson, the aggressive Democratic spokesman and longtime adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton, to serve as the public face of his campaign.

State Commission Recommends Suspension of Newly Elected Judge (NY Times, Dec 23, 2008)

Race Heats Up for Monserrate’s Seat (City Hall, Dec 19, 2008)

Clinton's Replacement Won't Face Voters Until 2010 (NY Times, Dec 14, 2008)

Congressman Meeks Spending in the Spotlight (Daily News, Dec 13, 2008)
Daily News reporters spotted Queens Congressman Gregory Meeks at the ritzy Vegas Bellagio while the rest of Congress was debating the auto industry bailout. Aides initially claimed he'd skipped out on hearings to attend to business in New York City.

Democrats Plot Overthrow of Smith (Daily News, Dec 12, 2008)

Katz Sends Residents Letter Explaining Term-Limit Stance (The Forum, Dec 12, 2008)
In a letter to constituents, COuncilmember explained her vote in favor of term limits. She argued that "from a practical point of view, a longer time in office affects… the ability to see capital improvements through completion." In addition, she notes that the earliest a referendum could be held would be March or April meaning the vote wouldn’t take effect until May, a timeframe that would "hold the future of our city government in limbo at a time when it is in most need of stability."

Surrogate Judge-Elect Faces Felony Charges (NY Post, Dec 11, 2008)

Senate Accord Falls Apart (NY Times Book Review, Dec 11, 2008)

Democratic Control of Senate in Peril (Daily News, Dec 11, 2008)

Smith: Senate Leadership Deal Off (Crain's, Dec 11, 2008)

Queens Election Workers Raise Cash For Patrons (Daily News, Dec 8, 2008)

Raises Questioned at Elections Board (Daily News, Dec 7, 2008)

Rangel Son Got Campaign Cash (Politico, Dec 5, 2008)

Suitors Line Up For Seminerio's Seat in Queens (Queens Tribune, Dec 5, 2008)

Students Subpoenaed to Verify Voting Addresses (NY Times, Dec 3, 2008)

Quinn Assails Voting Problems (NY Post, Dec 3, 2008)
The Board of Elections' failure to process more than 3,500 new-voter registration forms for two months is "more than alarming," City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said yesterday as she demanded an explanation from election officials.

Markowitz Pushing for Control of Borough President's Office Finances (NY Post, Nov 26, 2008)
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is vowing to fight for a City Charter revision that would take control over his budget away from the mayor and council, a move he says would restore much of the powers the borough presidents lost some 20 years ago.

Committee Plan Hopes to Woo Wavering State Senate Democrats (NY Times, Nov 25, 2008)

Politician Spends $35,000 in Campaign Cash to Fight Charges (Daily News, Nov 21, 2008)

Comptroller Gives Mayor Low Marks on Schools (Queens Chronicle, Nov 21, 2008)
Comptroller William Thompson advocated an overhaul of the city’s school system at a education summit last Saturday in Far Rockaway.

After Terms Turmoil, Two Candidates Say They'll Take on Quinn (The Villager, Nov 21, 2008)
Following the council’s divisive, narrow vote that saw it legislatively undo two public referenda on term limits, at least two candidates — Maria Passannante Derr and Yetta Kurland — said they still plan to run against Speaker Christine Quinn in next year’s election.

The Slow and Contested Count for One Last Senate Seat (NY Times, Nov 21, 2008)

Espada Never Registered Campaign Committee (Daily News, Nov 20, 2008)

State Legislators Plan to Fight on Term Limits (NY Times, Nov 14, 2008)
Sen. Kevin Parker, a Brooklyn Democrat and outspoken critic of the mayor, plans to file a bill on Friday that would effectively stop Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other city lawmakers from seeking third terms without winning approval from city voters in a referendum. A week ago, Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries, another Brooklyn Democrat, filed the same legislation in the Assembly. While bills are routinely circulated in Albany only to disappear into the legislative ether, both of these bills appear to be gaining momentum. The leaders of both chambers have said they would allow the legislation to advance.

Possibilities for Bloomberg's Third Term (City Hall, Nov 14, 2008)
Political observers and current and former administration officials to say there is almost certainly to be some kind of “PlaNYC 2035”—a big, over the top initiative that cuts across city agencies and consumes most of the oxygen of the next few years if Mayor Michael Bloomberg is reelected.

Boyland Begins Move to Retake Mealy's Old Seat (City Hall, Nov 14, 2008)
When Councilmember Darlene Mealy flip-flopped and voted for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's term-limits extension, she not only left herself open to criticism but also to an ironic political challenge. Tracy Boyland, whose seat Mealy captured three years ago running as an alternative to the Boyland machine, is reportedly eying her old office. And whether or not she will face Mealy in that race remains an open question.

Bloomberg Visiting Democratic County Chairs (Daily Politics, Nov 14, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Democrat-turned-Republican-turned independent who has yet to say which ballot line(s) he'll seek for his 2009 re-election bid, has paid homage to two different Democratic county chairman over the past 24 hours. The mayor only needs to receive approval from three of the city's five Democratic county leaders in order to compete in the party's primary in 2009.

Mountain of Work Awaits Election Lawyers on Term Limits Cases (City Hall, Nov 14, 2008)

Shelving Council Run, Farrell Will back Wright for County Leader (City Hall, Nov 14, 2008)

Good Government Groups in the Wake of Term-Limits (City Hall, Nov 14, 2008)

For First-Time Candidates, Term-Limits Present Challenges, Opportunities (City Hall, Nov 14, 2008)

Report: Cable's Cash Sways Government (Crain's, Nov 14, 2008)

Federal Lawsuit Seeks to Block Term Limit Extension (NY Times, Nov 11, 2008)
Elected officials, aspiring politicians, public interest groups and average citizens who voted to establish term limits in New York in the 1990s filed a federal lawsuit on Monday challenging the constitutionality of a law signed by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg last week that extended the limit from a maximum of two terms in office to three.

What Obama Could Mean For the Big Apple (Crain's, Nov 10, 2008)

Only Modest Gain in Voter Turnout (WNYC, Nov 7, 2008)

Suddenly Facing Gerson, Council Candidates Press On (Downtown Express, Nov 7, 2008)
Potential candidates for City Councilmember Alan Gerson’s seat now find themselves running against the man they had intended to replace.

Barron to Run for Congress (Daily Politics, Nov 7, 2008)
Councilmember Charles Barron, who has abandoned his plans to seek the Brooklyn borough presidency next fall now that term limits have been extended but also is reluctant to seek re-election to his current seat, just informed me that he will definitely mount a second primary challenge to Rep. Ed Towns in 2010.

Democrats Try to Elect Their Own to Senate Leadership (NY Post, Nov 6, 2008)

Change in Senate Control Could Hurt Landlords (Crain's, Nov 6, 2008)

Dozens of Legislative Incumbents Faced No Challenger (City Limits, Nov 6, 2008)

Long Lines and Some Breakdowns at Polling Places (NY Times, Nov 5, 2008)

Term Limits Extension Signed Into Law (Gotham Gazette, Nov 4, 2008)

Planning for Record Turnout (NY 1, Nov 4, 2008)
City election officials are preparing for record level voter turnout today.

How Harlem Sees The Election (AM New York, Nov 3, 2008)

After Term Limits Vote, Tensions Rise at City Hall (NY Times, Oct 31, 2008)

Malcolm Smith Takes Aim at Majority (WNYC, Oct 31, 2008)

City Bar Approves Anderson, but Not Atanasio (Daily Politics, Oct 31, 2008)
The New York City Bar Association released its evaluations for judicial candidates running in the Nov. 4 elections in all five boroughs and there are two of particular note.

Religious "Endorsement" for Anthony Como (Daily Politics, Oct 31, 2008)
Here's something you don't see every day: A campaign mailer targeted at Catholic voters featuring Cardinal Egan appearing to endorse a candidate, in this case, Republican Queens Councilman Anthony Como. Only there's one problem: Cardinal Egan never endorsed Como - or any other candidate, for that matter.

Term-Limits Bill in Albany Draws More Support (City Room, Oct 31, 2008)
Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that a number of his colleagues in Albany have announced their support for legislation he is sponsoring to require a public referendum before the change in New York City’s term limit law becomes effective.

Final face-off for Addabbo, Maltese (Queens Chronicle, Oct 31, 2008)
They say all politics are local. That proved true late Thursday night to the station supervisor at the 104th Street-Oxford Avenue subway stop when he suddenly found himself face to face with both Sen. Serphin Maltese and his opponent, City Councilmember Joseph Addabbo, discussing whether the station smelled of urine.

Koo challenges Stavisky for Senate (Queens Courier, Oct 31, 2008)

Affordable Housing Developer is Top Donor (NY Observer, Oct 30, 2008)

Term-Limits Extension Opponents Vow to Fight On (Newsday, Oct 30, 2008)

Overwhelmed Election Board Looks for Patience and Help (NY Post, Oct 29, 2008)

New Yorkers Who Could Be Tapped for Obama (NY Observer, Oct 29, 2008)

An Invigorated Election for Bangladeshi Society (Village Voice, Oct 29, 2008)

New Voting Machines Put to the Test (City Limits, Oct 28, 2008)
To comply with the Help America Vote Act, New York state will feature one electronic ballot marking device on Nov. 4 that lets voters make selections on a touchscreen and then prints out a paper ballot that is counted by hand.

Rock the Vote Printed Wrong Address on 100,000 Registration Forms Staewide (NY Times, Oct 27, 2008)

Term Limits' Future Is in Court: Two Suits Now, More Expected (NY Times, Oct 24, 2008)
Now that the Council has approved changing term limits to allow Mayor Michael Bloomberg to run again, this much is certain: The battle will move to the courtroom. Two lawsuits challenging the move are already in the legal system and more are expected. Ten public school teachers filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday contending that changing the law without a referendum breached voters’ civil rights and due-process rights. Also on Wednesday, two council members filed suit in State Supreme Court charging that a vote on the extension by officials who would benefit from it would violate the city’s conflict of interest laws.

Council Backs Bloomberg Bid to Run Again (NY Times, Oct 24, 2008)
By a 29-22 vote, council members handed Mayor Michael Bloomberg his most personal political triumph yet, and dramatically reshaped the political landscape for 2009.

Council Extends Term-Limits for Bloomberg (Crain's, Oct 24, 2008)
In one of the tightest, most contentious votes in recent memory, the City Council passed a bill this afternoon to extend term limits for city officials from two terms to three. The council approved the bill 29-22.

Yassky, at Eye of Term-Limits Storm (City Room, Oct 24, 2008)

A Council Primary For Yassky? (Daily Politics, Oct 24, 2008)

Referendum Pushed for Term-Limit Plan (NY Times, Oct 23, 2008)
Three Council members said they would introduce an amendment to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's term-limit bill and require that a charter review commission be created to push for a referendum that could be held as early as Feb.

Mayor's Tactics Alienate Some Big Allies (NY Times, Oct 23, 2008)
In dozens of interviews, former aides, elected officials, good-government advocates and voters said they have become deeply disillusioned by the way Mayor Michael Bloomberg is corralling support to rewrite the city’s term limits law, which New Yorkers have endorsed twice in citywide referendums.

Bloomberg's Fate at Stake Today (Daily News, Oct 23, 2008)

Judge Rules Against Officials' Bid to Block Term-Limits Vote (NY Post, Oct 23, 2008)
A Manhattan Supreme Court judge yesterday blocked an 11th-hour attempt to stop today's vote on extending term limits, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn kept up the pressure on council members to support the bill.

Bloomberg's Plan for Third-Term in Jeopardy (Crain's, Oct 23, 2008)

The State of the Campaign Finance Board (City Limits, Oct 23, 2008)

Kelly Makes Religious Rounds (Village Voice, Oct 22, 2008)

No Resolution in Bronx Democratic Feud (City Room, Oct 22, 2008)

Some Council Elections Had Lower Turnout Than Referenda (Daily Politics, Oct 21, 2008)

Group Affiliated With Monserrate Spent City’s Money, but Has Not Shown How (NY Times, Oct 19, 2008)

Arab Muslims in Brooklyn Find Power in the Voting Booth (NY Times, Oct 19, 2008)

Passions High on Term Limits in City Council (NY Times, Oct 17, 2008)
Fourteen members are now on record supporting the mayor’s plan, 19 are opposed and 18 are undecided. The Council rarely fails to go along with mayoral legislation, and rejection of this measure would be a dramatic political blow for Mr. Bloomberg. The hearing, at which 150 people spoke, began at 1 p.m. and ended at 11:32 p.m. About 50 supports showed up about two hours before it began, taking up prime seats and holding signs supporting the plan. Several opponents complained that they were not allowed in because it was crowded with the supporters, who declined to speak to reporters.

Council Hearing on Term-Limits (Daily News, Oct 17, 2008)
Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg's lawyer Anthony Crowell said it would be difficult to win Justice Department approval for a referendum in a low-turnout spring election if it could impact voting rights, but they did not rule it out.

Golisano to Join Opponents of Legislative Term-Limits Change (Daily News, Oct 17, 2008)
Tom Golisano decided Thursday to campaign against the change. "Tom is planning on weighing in, and plans on saying something early next week," Golisano spokesman Steve Pigeon told the Daily News, promising a formal announcement early next week. "He thinks it's a serious issue, and he thinks that the Council shouldn't be in a position to overturn a voter referendum."

Public Tussle Over Term-Limits (NY Post, Oct 17, 2008)
In one of the most divisive City Council public hearings in recent memory, more than 350 voters, good-government advocates and politicians yesterday poured into City Hall to sound off on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's controversial proposal to extend term limits without the electorate's input.

Sparks Fly at Term-Limits Hearing (Crain's, Oct 17, 2008)
Former Gov. Mario Cuomo testified, "It was a mistake to adopt [term limits], and you should get rid of them in any legal manner you can find." Former mayor Ed Koch followed, also testifying in favor of the bill.

Addabbo Says He Has the Cure for Health Care (Queens Ledger, Oct 17, 2008)
Senate hopeful Joe Addabbo laid out his 3 Point Healthcare Plan to address the rising cost of healthcare last Friday. Addabbo’s plan includes converting life insurance to long-term care coverage, expanding the income threshold for Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage plan, and single-source drug coverage.

Challengers Shift Gears for Likely Kendall Stewart Run (Flatbush Life, Oct 17, 2008)
When they laid out their plans, in a political universe shaped by term limits, attorney Terry Hinds, teacher Rodrick Daley and former Community Board 17 Chair Michael Russell, thought they would be running for an open council seat in 2009. However, the announcement last week by Mayor Michael Bloomberg that he was in favor of extending term limits to include a third full term for himself and other city officials now facing the end of the line, paired with the generally positive response to the proposition by many councilmembers, has changed the game.

Spending By Queens Candidates (Queens Chronicle, Oct 17, 2008)
In the last month of campaign, spending by candidates for the state legislature has heated up.

Addabbo Advocates for 3-point Health Care Plan (Queens Chronicle, Oct 17, 2008)
Health care is one of the primary concerns of the 21st century, according to Senate hopeful Joseph Addabbo Jr., who on Friday laid out a three-point plan to address the issue.

'09 Council Hopefuls Unite on Term-Limits (Daily Politics, Oct 17, 2008)

Draft Campaign Finance Rules for Term-Limits Extension (Politicker, Oct 17, 2008)

Doe Fund Works for Mayor on Term-Limits Extension (Daily Politics, Oct 17, 2008)

Parolees and the Right to Vote (City Limits, Oct 16, 2008)

Clinton Calls Push To Extend Term Limits 'Disturbing' (NY 1, Oct 16, 2008)

State Candidates Speak at Forum in Dyker Heights (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Oct 16, 2008)

Hearings on Term Limits Begin (NY Times, Oct 16, 2008)
No matter what happens, people are already expecting that the hearings will be a memorable moment in the city’s political history.

Bloomberg Under Fire for Touting California Referendum (Daily News, Oct 16, 2008)
On the eve of Thursday's City Council term limits hearing, Mayor Bloomberg added fuel to the fire by flying to Los Angeles to support a voter referendum on how officials are elected there - while opposing a referendum on extending term limits here.

Catsimatidis Still Making the Rounds (Daily Politics, Oct 16, 2008)

Mayoral Aide Does Pro-Term-Limits Work, Hides from Press (Daily Politics, Oct 16, 2008)

Democrats Gain in State's GOP Strongholds (NY Times, Oct 14, 2008)

Thompson Finds His Voice (City Hall, Oct 14, 2008)

Primary Winner's Funds Probed (NY Post, Oct 14, 2008)

Padavan and Gennaro In Heated Race (NY 1, Oct 14, 2008)

Koppell Would Need to Mend Fences to Run Again (Riverdale Press, Oct 10, 2008)

Markowitz Non-Profits Get $700,000 from Atlantic Yards (NY Post, Oct 10, 2008)

Groups See Ethics Violation in Mayor’s Pledge to Lauder (NY Times, Oct 10, 2008)

Mayor Plans an $80 Million Campaign (NY Times, Oct 10, 2008)
Even as Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his advisers await a City Council vote on a measure that would allow him to seek a third term, they are mapping out an aggressive re-election strategy that involves spending $80 million or more, according to people involved in the discussions.

Council Candidates Are Left in Limbo Over Term Limits (NY Times, Oct 10, 2008)
With Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to ask the City Council to extend term limits by another four years, there are dozens of newcomers to the city’s political landscape who are confused and unclear about what their prospects are.

Complaints Filed with Conflicts Board on Term Limits (Daily News, Oct 10, 2008)

Velazquez Would Ask Justice Department’s Civil Right Division to Intervene in Term-Limits (Daily Politics, Oct 10, 2008)

The Barrons Are Brooklyn's new power (City Hall, Oct 10, 2008)

Squadron's Win a Possible Roadmap for Future Insurgent Victories (City Hall, Oct 10, 2008)

Third Term May Not Help Bloomberg's Development Vision (NY Observer, Oct 9, 2008)

Democratic Lawmaker Faces Tough Senate Challenge (NY Post, Oct 9, 2008)

Lauder and Bloomberg Make New Deal on Term Limits (NY Post, Oct 9, 2008)
Ronald Lauder, the city's leading advocate for term limits, withdrew his objection to an extension from eight to 12 years after huddling for an hour yesterday with Mayor Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion. "These are extraordinary times, and we are in the midst of a financial emergency," Lauder stated. "For those reasons, I will reluctantly support the mayor's legislation to extend term limits to three terms, with the understanding that I will serve on a Charter-revision commission which will place the questions of the number of terms before the voters in 2010."

Is the 2009 Democratic Primary Over? (NY Observer, Oct 9, 2008)
One of the casualties of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s move to run for a third term, it seems, is next year’s Democratic primary. Yes, it’s still 11 months away, and the mayor has only just finished announcing his intention to overturn term limits, but the prospect of Bloomberg—and his billions of dollars—running again may have ended the contest before it even took shape.

Where They Stand: Most On Council Are Undecided About Term Limits (NY 1, Oct 9, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg introduced legislation to the City Council Tuesday that would extend term limits and allow him and other elected city officials to run for a third term in office. NY1 has contacted all 51 City Council members to find out where they stand on the issue. Here is an on the record head count.

Assembly Takes on Term Limit Fight (Crain's, Oct 9, 2008)
The state Legislature is stepping into the city's term limits fight. Hakeem Jeffries, a Brooklyn assemblyman, said Wednesday that he will introduce a bill requiring that any municipality's changes to term limits be approved by public referendum.

Fighting Bid to Extend Term Limits, Politician by Politician (NY Times, Oct 9, 2008)
Clipboards in hand, Working Families Party members approached passers-by and asked, “Do you have a minute for term limits?” and tried to persuade them to sign a petition. To the party’s members, the issue is not the term limits law itself, but how it should be changed. In their opinion, it ought to be changed the same way it was passed: by referendum. “Our issue is not about whether the mayor should run for a third term,” one canvasser, Sarah Abernathy, 27, told a man in jeans and workman’s boots. “It’s just really about leaving it up to voters to decide whether there should be a third term.”

Third-Term Plan Gains One Billionaire, but May Lose Another (NY Times, Oct 9, 2008)
Councilmember Bill de Blasio, who has emerged as a leading opponent to the term limits extension, flew to a hastily arranged meeting outside Rochester with Tom Golisano. “Tom is very interested and has concerns,” a spokesman said. “He hasn’t made any final decisions. But he’s going to consider it and thinks this is a very important issue.” Golisano may decide in the coming days whether to get involved.

Pro-Bloomberg Fuchs: Who Cares What Voters Think? (Politicker, Oct 7, 2008)

Barron Won't Seek Third Term on Council (City Room, Oct 7, 2008)

Rivera Asks Court to Settle Bronx Dispute (City Room, Oct 7, 2008)

UFT Not On Board With WFP On Term Limits (Daily Politics, Oct 7, 2008)

Rivera and Heastie & Co Sue In Bronx Dems Battle (Daily Politics, Oct 7, 2008)

Councilmember Gonzalez Gets Conflict of Interest Warning (Daily Politics, Oct 6, 2008)

Bloomberg Says He Wants a Third Term as Mayor (NY Times, Oct 3, 2008)

Bill Paves Way for a Third Term for Bloomberg (NY Times, Oct 3, 2008)
The Council’s vote on the term limits measure — which Mayor Michael Bloomberg has pushed for behind the scenes — could come later this month, Council Speaker Christine Quinn told reporters at a news conference. And while she declined to reveal her position on the legislation, she said she would meet with other members of the Council to discuss the bill and “move forward in the process after that.”

To Run or Not to Run Again? Ego May Have Provided Answer (NY Times, Oct 3, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg contends that an unexpected economic crisis motivated his quest to seek a third term as mayor and revise the city’s term limits — a position that reverses himself, the law, and to many people’s minds, the will of the voters, who twice approved the restrictions. But it is clear, from interviews with the mayor’s friends and advisers, that there is another powerful force at play: Bloomberg’s ego.

Doubts on Term Limit Vote (NY Times, Oct 3, 2008)
Bloomberg suggested on Thursday that it would be nearly impossible to put a term limit change before voters, who first approved term limits in a 1993 ballot initiative that amended the City Charter.

Term Extension Would be Permanent, Quinn Says (Daily News, Oct 3, 2008)
Council Speaker Christine Quinn disclosed Thursday that the mayor's bill will request a permanent extension of term limits instead of a one-time waiver.

Council Disses Lauder (NY Post, Oct 3, 2008)
When asked about term limit foe Ron Lauder's position that any change to the law should only be temporary and apply only to the mayor, Council Speaker Christine Quinn replied, "We typically don't write any 'Lauder' options in legislation."

Poll: Third Time No Charm for Bloomberg (NY Post, Oct 3, 2008)
A Marist poll released yesterday showed 46 percent of 413 registered voters want the city's law changed so Mayor Michael Bloomberg could run again, and 44 percent do not. But 50 percent favor term limits, while 35 percent oppose them and 15 percent are unsure, the pollsters found.

Bloomberg to Push for Third Term (NY Post, Oct 3, 2008)

Bloomberg Confirms He Wants to Run Again (Crain's, Oct 3, 2008)

Of County Chairs And The Council Speaker (Daily Politics, Oct 3, 2008)

Teachers Union Distributing Obama Pins (NY Post, Oct 2, 2008)

Gentile: Mayor 'Tramples' Public Process (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Oct 2, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plans to extend term limits, allowing him to run for a third consecutive term in 2009, and to extend that to term-limited City Council members, is being denounced by Councilmember Vincent Gentile as circumventing the public decision-making process.

Council's Question for Mayor: What About Us? (NY Times, Oct 2, 2008)
Council members grappled with uncertainty and anger on Wednesday as they tried to digest — and adjust to — news that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is to propose revising the city’s term limits law so he can run for a third term.

Mayor's Stewardship Is Mixed, Fiscal Experts Say (NY Times, Oct 2, 2008)
In interviews, more than a dozen government officials and independent economic experts credit Mr. Bloomberg for deft short-term financial management, especially in times of crisis, and for possessing the courage to raise unpopular taxes to balance budgets. It is Mr. Bloomberg’s handling of the city’s bigger, longer-term financial issues that has provoked some disappointment among experts and others.

Bloomberg Likely to Create Third Party Line for Third Term Bid (NY Post, Oct 2, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is likely to create a new third party for his re-election bid next year, while also seeking support from major parties, sources told The Post.

Thompson Commits to Mayor's Race (Crain's, Oct 2, 2008)
Comptroller William Thompson still plans to run for mayor in 2009, despite the likelihood that Mayor Michael Bloomberg will try to run for a third term.

Schools and Economy Would Be Bloomberg's Priorities (NY Post, Oct 2, 2008)
As he moves to seek a third term, Mayor Bloomberg has his sights fixed on two priorities: retaining mayoral control of the school system and shoring up the city's economy. They are the two pieces of his legacy on which he is most focused, several sources told The Post.

Bloomberg’s Easy Three-Peat? (Metro, Oct 2, 2008)
Foes of new term-limit law grow, and may file lawsuit to stop Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan.

East Harlem Voters Like Bloomberg (NY Post, Oct 2, 2008)
Scores of East Harlem residents who roundly rejected Mayor Bloomberg in the last election said yesterday they're ready to back the billionaire in his third bid for office.

Como and Crowley Prepare for Rematch in District 30 Election (Queens Chronicle, Oct 2, 2008)

de Blasio vs. Markowitz? (Brooklyn Papers, Oct 2, 2008)

Carrion To Stay In Comptroller's Race (Daily Politics, Sep 30, 2008)

Catsimatidis To Continue Exploring '09 (Daily Politics, Sep 30, 2008)

Democratic Leadership Struggle In Limbo (Norwood News, Sep 30, 2008)

Bronx County leader is elected, but which one? (Riverdale Press, Sep 30, 2008)

Bronx Dem Boss Storms Meeting, Declares Victory; Rebels Quietly Vote In Heastie (Village Voice, Sep 29, 2008)

Leadership Drama Overtakes Bronx Democrats (City Room, Sep 29, 2008)

Gennaro, Padavan Spar at St. John’s forum (Jackson Heights Times, Sep 29, 2008)

Ex-Rivals Baldeo and Addabbo Speak of Party Unity (City Room, Sep 29, 2008)

Support From Afar For Rivera (Daily Politics, Sep 28, 2008)

Maltese and Addabbo Face Off at Debate (The Forum, Sep 26, 2008)

After Votes, Who Leads Democrats in Bronx? (NY Times, Sep 26, 2008)

Carrion Leaves Bronx Leadership Fight to 'Interested' Parties (Politicker, Sep 26, 2008)

What's In Felder's Future? (Daily Politics, Sep 26, 2008)

Liu Leaning Toward Comptroller Run (City Room, Sep 25, 2008)

Maltese Loses Key Ally In Seminerio (Queens Tribune, Sep 25, 2008)

'Busy' Bronx Dem Chairman Ready For 'Whatever Happens' (Daily Politics, Sep 25, 2008)

Ex-Councilmember Harrsion Makes a Comeback of Sorts (City Room, Sep 24, 2008)

Assemblymember Brennan Drops Out of Comptroller Race (City Room, Sep 24, 2008)

Senate Democrats Strike Quickly After Seinna Poll (Daily Politics, Sep 24, 2008)

Diaz Hopeful on Bronx Party Takeover (West Bronx Blog, Sep 24, 2008)

Former Ally of Bronx Leader Becomes Critic (City Room, Sep 24, 2008)

Candidates Still in Term Limit Limbo (NY Sun, Sep 23, 2008)

Court Ruling Keeps Jose Rivera in Charge, For Now (, Sep 23, 2008)
A judge ruled yesterday that Bronx Democratic Committee Chair Jose Rivera could not be ousted in a meeting planned for Monday night. He'll still face a Committee-wide vote on Sunday.

Rebel Bronx Democrats Stage a Rally (City Room, Sep 23, 2008)

Gennaro Optimistic About New Voters (Politicker, Sep 23, 2008)

Campaign Finance Board Looks at Term Limits (NY Sun, Sep 22, 2008)
As Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council toy with the possibility of lengthening term limits, the city's Campaign Finance Board is working to find a way to resolve the snarl of regulatory issues that a change to the law would create and is crafting a detailed contingency plan,

Brooklyn Senator Kevin Parker's Accuser Speaks Out (City Room, Sep 22, 2008)

Barrons vs. City Board of Elections, Take II (Daily Politics, Sep 22, 2008)

Meeting Denied, Bronx Rebels Rally, Predict Victory (Village Voice, Sep 22, 2008)

Uphill Battle for Gay Republican State Senate Candidate (Daily News, Sep 22, 2008)

Two Defeated Senators Consider Life After Albany (City Room, Sep 22, 2008)

Bipartisan Blakeman (GOP Candidate for Mayor) (Daily Politics, Sep 22, 2008)

Espada's Son Charged In Blogger Incident (Daily Politics, Sep 19, 2008)

Don't 'Jump-Start' Race, Thompson Says, With a Smile (City Room, Sep 19, 2008)

Is Brooklyn Due for a Republican Revival? (City Room, Sep 18, 2008)

Citizens Union Organizes To Block Term Limits Extension (Daily Politics, Sep 18, 2008)

Bronx Democrats Face Internal Crisis (City Room, Sep 18, 2008)

Bronx Democrats Peace Talks Fail (Daily Politics, Sep 18, 2008)

Parker Faces New Allegations of Violence (City Room, Sep 18, 2008)

Party Rebels Challenge Democratic Machine in the Bronx (NY Times, Sep 18, 2008)

Judicial Convention Consternation (Daily Politics, Sep 18, 2008)

Marty Markowitz: $680,000 is Legit (Daily News, Sep 17, 2008)
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz fired back Tuesday at watchdogs who criticized him for steering city contracts to his nonprofit group, saying it's all legal. "This is a matter of public trust and I take this compliance very seriously," Markowitz said. "I'm thrilled that it has received the public and private support it has - and proud of what we've been able to accomplish."

Bloomberg Rethink on Disclosure Bill (Daily News, Sep 17, 2008)
Mayor Bloomberg is rethinking a bill that would let public officials keep their private incomes secret. A hearing on the bill, which was to be introduced at the mayor's request, was suddenly called off Tuesday at the request of Bloomberg's aides.

Head of Conflicts Board Opposes Disclosing Finances (NY Times, Sep 17, 2008)
The chairman of the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board, which administers the disclosure process for 8,000 public servants, is among those who object to having their forms released publicly. The chairman, Steven Rosenfeld, a lawyer appointed to the board by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in May 2002, said he was not concerned about his own privacy, but the privacy of the law firm he is a partner at. The answer to at least one question, he said, provided a glimpse into the larger financial structure of the firm, which is a private concern.

For Stadium Seating, City Officials Demand Luxe (NY Times, Sep 16, 2008)

Markowitz Steers Funds to Nonprofit He Controls (Daily News, Sep 16, 2008)

Council To Take Up Financial Disclosure Bill Today (NY Sun, Sep 16, 2008)

Could Fossella Come Back? (Staten Island Advance, Sep 15, 2008)

In Democrats' Senate Bid, Threats From Inside (NY Times, Sep 13, 2008)

Quinn Facing Dueling Bills on Term Limits (Daily News, Sep 12, 2008)

A Hard-Fought District Leader Race, Without Headlines (City Room, Sep 12, 2008)

The Birth of Bloomberg's Term Limit's Ploy (Village Voice, Sep 11, 2008)

Election Shows the Power of Working Families Party (NY Sun, Sep 11, 2008)
A common thread that has not gone unnoticed among lawmakers is that Sheldon Silver and Daniel Squadron, as well as two other Senate candidates in high-profile races, were all endorsed by the Working Families Party, an umbrella group of community organizers and labor unions that has become a potent force in Albany politics.

Bronx Democrats In Post-Primary Disarray (NY Sun, Sep 11, 2008)
The defeat suffered by the Bronx County Democratic organization, which lost every race in which it supported a candidate in Tuesday's primary, may mean new leadership for the county party.

Breakdown of Squdron-Connor Race (Daily Politics, Sep 11, 2008)

Bronx Democratic Party Betrayal? (Daily Politics, Sep 11, 2008)

In Queens Assembly Seat’s Past, a Hint of Musical Chairs (NY Times, Sep 11, 2008)

Tax Problem Didn’t Stop Brooklyn Judge Candidate (NY Times, Sep 11, 2008)

Local Governments Re-evaluate Term Limits (NY Times, Sep 10, 2008)

Latest from Mayor on Term Limits (Daily News, Sep 10, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg vowed Tuesday to veto a bill that would end term limits but admitted for the first time that "discussions are going on" about extending them. Bloomberg said he would "think long and hard" about a measure to extend the limits to three terms from two.

Council Member to Push Extension of Term Limits (NY Sun, Sep 10, 2008)
City Councilmember Oliver Koppell said yesterday he has asked the council to draft a term limit extension bill that would allow officials to stay in office for three consecutive four-year terms, instead of two.

Senate Control May Be Up to Espada (City Room, Sep 10, 2008)

Circumcision Robocalls in Squadron-Connor Race (Daily Politics, Sep 9, 2008)

So Far, a Sparse Turnout for Primaries (City Room, Sep 9, 2008)

Scenes From Campaign Headquarters in Washington Heights (City Room, Sep 9, 2008)

Competitive Races Dominate Tuesday Primaries (City Room, Sep 8, 2008)

Coalition Seeks City Vote for Non-Citizens (NY Sun, Sep 8, 2008)

Group Formed to Fight Change in Term Limits (NY Sun, Sep 8, 2008)
A collection of politicians and community leaders is pledging to fight changes to term limits through rallies and, potentially, legal action. It is the latest sign of organized resistance to a term limits repeal

Luxury Developer Hosts Affordable Housing Themed Fundraiser for Council Candidate Lazar (Daily Politics, Sep 8, 2008)

Candidates Contribute to Their Own Campiagns at Last Minute (Daily Politics, Sep 8, 2008)

Satmars Rally For Squadron (Daily Politics, Sep 8, 2008)

Accusations of Assault in Bronx Senate Primary (Daily Politics, Sep 8, 2008)

Close Win Could Tarnish Silver (NY Post, Sep 8, 2008)

Albany Incumbents on Edge Over Primary Challengers (NY Post, Sep 8, 2008)

A Final Weekend Push for Primary Candidates (NY Times, Sep 7, 2008)

Opposition to Changing Term Limits Builds (NY Times, Sep 6, 2008)
In the first signs of organized opposition to changing the city’s term limits law, Ronald S. Lauder, the billionaire cosmetics heir, is bankrolling a series of television commercials that strongly defend the current rules. Meanwhile, two good-government group, Citizens Union and the New York Public Interest Research Group, signaled on Friday that they opposed amending the law without a public vote. Both said they were not coordinating their efforts with Lauder’s.

In Brooklyn, Sen. Parker Faces His Biggest Test (NY Times, Sep 6, 2008)

Opposition Solidifies to Change in City Term Limits Law (NY Times, Sep 6, 2008)

Councilmember to Introduce Bill to Soften Term Limits (NY Times, Sep 5, 2008)

Young Faces Tough Primary Challenge in Queens (Queens Tribune, Sep 5, 2008)

Challengers: Silver Ducking Stance on Mayoral Control (NY Post, Sep 5, 2008)

Mark Green Forming Coalition to Support Term Limits (NY Post, Sep 5, 2008)
Former Public Advocate Mark Green described Bloomberg's attempt to serve four more years by getting the City Council to pass a bill as "a Putin power grab," referring to Russian iron-willed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Primary for State Senate Seat Pits 30-Year Veteran Against Newcomer, 28 (NY Times, Sep 5, 2008)

Bronx Republican Calls Koppell's Term-Limits Bill 'A Slap in the Face' (Politicker, Sep 5, 2008)

Too good a deal for Connor in Brooklyn Heights? (Daily Politics, Sep 5, 2008)

Thompson Trashes Bloomberg on Crowded Schools (Politicker, Sep 5, 2008)

Assemblymember Benjamin Says Colleague Is Fanning Ethnic Discord (City Room, Sep 5, 2008)

Brooklyn Judicial Race Not for Insiders (Brooklyn Papers, Sep 4, 2008)

Group Boosts Klein for Mayor (NY Sun, Sep 4, 2008)

Next Mayor Won’t Need a Wallet Nearly as Big (NY Times, Sep 4, 2008)
Two candidates for mayor of New York, Comptroller, William Thompson, and Council Speaker Christine Quinn, have less than $100,000 each invested in their retirement accounts and own no stocks, bonds or mutual funds worth more than $1,000 outside of those accounts. As of 2007, Rep. Anthony Weiner owned stock and mutual funds valued at $23,000 to $345,000. Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, reported a stock portfolio valued at $184,000 to $1.2 million, as part of her holdings, which include names such as Altria, the owner of the cigarette maker Philip Morris, and Halliburton, the defense contractor.

No End to Lawsuits if City Changes Term Limits: Expert (Daily News, Sep 4, 2008)
Civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel said he's already been contacted by a number of politicians about suing Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council if they change term limits without a voter referendum.

Accused of Being Out of Touch, Towns Campaigns for Dear Life (NY Times, Sep 4, 2008)

City Clerk's Office Vacant (Daily Politics, Sep 4, 2008)

In City Politics, Husband-Wife Elected Officials Are Rare (City Room, Sep 4, 2008)

Manhattan Surrogate's Race Gets Nasty (Daily Politics, Sep 4, 2008)

Court Of Appeals Decides Against Barron (Daily Politics, Sep 4, 2008)

From Real World to Real Politics (Village Voice, Sep 3, 2008)

Gonzalez Dodges A Legal Bullet (Again) (Daily Politics, Sep 3, 2008)

Thompson Calls On Bloomberg To End Term Limits 'Charade' (Daily Politics, Sep 3, 2008)

Politicians Want Bloomberg to Make up His Mind (NY Times, Sep 2, 2008)
Irritated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tease over how to, who should and whether to change the city's term limit law, leading candidates for New York City offices are demanding, in unusually pointed language, that he make up his mind.

Baez, White Leads Council No-Shows (Daily News, Sep 2, 2008)
Many City Council members do not bother to show up for stated meetings, with Maria Baez, leader of the Bronx delegation, missing more meetings than she attended.

Anger Rising at Wavering by Bloomberg on Term Rule (NY Times, Sep 2, 2008)

Where Every Politician Is Caribbean for a Day (City Room, Sep 2, 2008)

Term Limits Tease Could Strengthen Bloomberg (NY Post, Aug 31, 2008)
The possibility that Mayor Michael Bloomberg will support an extension of term limits is going to provide him with a stronger hand than ever in his future dealings with the City Council.

Bloomberg Puts the Ball in Council's Court (NY Post, Aug 30, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg invited the City Council yesterday to send him a bill to amend term limits so he and all other city officials could serve an extra four years - and hinted he might just sign it. This even though the latest push for a change n the law has originated almost entirely with the mayor.

Profile of Brooklyn Congressional Candidate Kevin Powell (Associated Press, Aug 29, 2008)

Change in Term Limits Puts War Chests at Risk (Daily News, Aug 29, 2008)

Paterson Says Cuomo Would Be 'Instant Favorite' for Mayor (NY Post, Aug 29, 2008)
Andrew Cuomo would be the "instant favorite" if he enters what is expected to be a crowded field for mayor next year, Gov. David Paterson said yesterday.

Judge Rejects Dismissing Indictment Against Sen. Gonzalez (NY Sun, Aug 29, 2008)

Top Bloomberg Deputies Said to Oppose a Third Term (NY Times, Aug 29, 2008)

Council Turnover Could Come Well Before 2010 (City Room, Aug 29, 2008)

Majority of Council Members Support for Term-Limit Change (NY Times, Aug 28, 2008)

Bloomberg Defends Terms Limits - for Legislators (Daily News, Aug 28, 2008)

Addabbo Fails to File Campaign Accounts (Daily News, Aug 28, 2008)
A Queens councilmember running for state Senate has failed to register his local campaign finance accounts with the state as required by law.

Paterson Addresses Convention With Greater Strength (NY Times, Aug 27, 2008)

Rangel Gets An Opponent (Village Voice, Aug 27, 2008)

New Candidates Don't Want Term limits (NY Times, Aug 27, 2008)
For the last two years, Saquan Jones, an auditor at Columbia University, has planned his political future, a plan that has led to his becoming a candidate for an open City Council seat in Brooklyn. Months ago, he held fund-raising events and started his campaign Web site, and he has taken a more hectic schedule of civic involvement in his neighborhood, Crown Heights.

Bloomberg Amnesia Over Term Limit Votes (Daily News, Aug 27, 2008)
Mayor Bloomberg has triggered a frenzy by hinting he's open to repealing term limits, but Tuesday he said he doesn't remember how he voted on the referendums that capped them.

Three Surrogate Court Candidates Campaign on Reform (Judicial Reports, Aug 27, 2008)

Bronx Assembly Candidate Castro Tries to Move Beyond Conviction (City Room, Aug 27, 2008)

Galisano Puts His Money Behind 39 Incumbent Senators (NY Times, Aug 26, 2008)

Diamondstone For Squadron (Daily Politics, Aug 26, 2008)

Rangel Gets a Rival (Village Voice, Aug 26, 2008)

Borough Presidents Sought Corporate Contributions for Charities (NY Post, Aug 25, 2008)

Term Limits Change Would Probably Face Legal Challenges (NY Sun, Aug 25, 2008)
If the City Council votes to alter term limits, a flurry of legal challenges would probably follow. It could inject confusion into the 2009 races if candidates running for public office are uncertain as to whether they can run for a third term in their old seat or need to turn their attention to a new political job.

Chinatown's Impact on Silver Primary (NY Sun, Aug 25, 2008)

Baldeo Withdraws From Race in Queens (NY Times, Aug 23, 2008)

One Democrat Withdraws in Key State Senate Race (NY Times, Aug 23, 2008)

Bloomberg Tests Reaction on Term Limits (NY Times, Aug 23, 2008)
Even as he publicly remains coy about his political future, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has quietly approached some of the city’s most powerful media figures to assess whether their publications would endorse a bid to overturn New York City’s term limits, which could clear a path for him to run for re-election next year.

Quinn Seen as Shifting on Term Limits (Daily News, Aug 23, 2008)
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn froze any talk of changing term limits last year, but people who have spoken with her see signs of a thaw. "I sense movement on both the speaker's side and the mayor's side," said Councilman Peter Vallone

Bronx Civil Court Race Has Wider Political Significance (Norwood News, Aug 22, 2008)
The race for a seat on the Bronx Civil Court has gotten a lot more interesting, thanks to some upper-level political machinations. A coalition of legislators opposing Bronx Democratic party leader and Assemblyman Jose Rivera, have backed an opponent to Rivera’s pick for the open judgeship.

Weiner Talks Flooding in Queens (Queens Ledger, Aug 22, 2008)

Only Six Primaries for Queens (Queens Gazette, Aug 22, 2008)

Bloomberg Rethinks Term Limit Law (Daily News, Aug 22, 2008)

Koo Back on Ballot in Queens Senate Race (Queens Courier, Aug 22, 2008)
In a unanimous decision, five Appellate Division Justices of the State Supreme Court have put Peter Koo's name back on the ballot, to challenge Sen. Toby Stavisky for the 16th District seat in November, saying "the evidence adduced at the trial did not warrant the Supreme Court's conclusion."

Golisano Goes Bipartisan With First Endorsements (NY Times, Aug 22, 2008)

Bronx Democrats Split on Judicial Race (City Room, Aug 22, 2008)

Mayor Said to Support Extending Term Limits (NY Post, Aug 21, 2008)

One More Member of Weiner’s Staff Resigns (NY Times, Aug 21, 2008)
For the third time in the past 16 months, Rep. Anthony Weiner, is going to have a new chief of staff. The current one, Geoffrey C. Plague, a well-respected Capitol Hill veteran who started in December, is leaving to take a job in the education field. The high turnover in his staff could be problematic should he be elected to City Hall, some say, especially if there is a constant churning of the staff in his administration.

Silver on the Campaign Trail (Downtown Express, Aug 21, 2008)

Kendall Stewart's Very Own Newspaper (Politicker, Aug 21, 2008)

City Clerk Battle Redux? (Daily Politics, Aug 21, 2008)

Two On, One Off In Senate Ballot Battle (Daily Politics, Aug 21, 2008)

Cuomo Event Ups Speculation On His Future (NY Sun, Aug 21, 2008)

Under Indictment, Efrain Gonzalez Jr. Seeks Re-election (Village Voice, Aug 20, 2008)

Vance Gets Ready for a Race for Manhattan District Attorney, Just in case There's an Opening (NY Times, Aug 20, 2008)

Jennings Wants to Re-enter Political Life (City Room, Aug 20, 2008)

Carrión Foray to Manhattan From the Bronx Raises Hackles (City Room, Aug 20, 2008)

Three Becomes 2 in Bronx Assembly Primary (City Room, Aug 19, 2008)

Squadron Contests Plan for Condos in Brooklyn Bridge Park (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Aug 19, 2008)

A Sense of Humor Goes a Long Way in Albany (NY Times, Aug 18, 2008)

A Potential Turnover in Albany (Staten Island Advance, Aug 18, 2008)

Espada Turns Bronx Health Fair into Campaign Event (Village Voice, Aug 18, 2008)

The Comptroller Candidate You've Never Heard Of (Jim Brennan) (Daily Politics, Aug 15, 2008)

Dockworkers' PAC is State's Largest (NY Post, Aug 14, 2008)

State Slaps City's Board of Elections (Daily News, Aug 14, 2008)

City Blacklist Limits Giving by 12,000 (NY Sun, Aug 14, 2008)
A little-known blacklist, still being compiled under the terms of the city's new campaign finance law, is threatening to block thousands of New York's wealthiest and most distinguished citizens from participating fully in the political life of the city.

A Campaign Finance Dispute in a Manhattan Civil Court Race (Judicial Reports, Aug 13, 2008)

An Intense Race to Replace a Manhattan Surrogate (City Hall, Aug 13, 2008)

City Fundraisers Grapple With Tapped-Out Donors (City Hall, Aug 13, 2008)
There are more Democratic candidates running in next year’s city elections than ever before. For 2008, though, their race is about money, with the historic number of candidates competing for many of the same dollars.

Bloomberg Backs Three Candidates in State Races (NY Times, Aug 13, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, a six-term incumbent representing Washington Heights; Daniel Squadron, a first-time candidate who is running in a district including parts of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, and Councilmember Simcha Felder, running in a district anchored in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Over 5,312 Hasidic Voters In Brooklyn (Daily Politics, Aug 13, 2008)

Krueger Challenger Boosted by Giuliani Circle (City Hall, Aug 11, 2008)

Young and Meng Collide in Assembly Rematch (City Hall, Aug 11, 2008)

Espaillat And Martinez Battle For First Place In Dominican Pecking Order (City Hall, Aug 11, 2008)

Where GOP Senate Candidates Run Strong, Assembly Candidates Still Get Run Over (City Hall, Aug 11, 2008)

Landlords Court Albany Democrats on Rent Laws (NY Times, Aug 8, 2008)

Immigrant Vote Snub (NY Post, Aug 8, 2008)

Abraham, A Neighborhood Fixer, Wants ‘to Do It Elected’ (NY Times, Aug 8, 2008)
For about 25 years, reporters and others have sought out Isaac Abraham, who wears more hats than he can count. He is known mostly as a spokesman for Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg, and he calls himself a tenant organizer, though he sometimes speaks on behalf of landlords, too. Now he is running for the City Council in District 33, which includes parts of Williamsburg, where Mr. Abraham lives, along with Greenpoint, Park Slope, Boerum Hill and Brooklyn Heights.

Connor Falsely Claimed Prison BIll Contained School Funds (The Villager, Aug 8, 2008)

Who Are These Guys Challenging Silver? (Downtown Express, Aug 8, 2008)

GOP Tells Bloomberg It Needs Millions (NY Post, Aug 7, 2008)

Silver Ripped for $50,000 Loan (NY Post, Aug 7, 2008)

Cash for an Albany Bid, but First, a Few Questions (NY Times, Aug 7, 2008)

De Blasio's Presidential Run (NY Observer, Aug 6, 2008)
City Councilman Bill de Blasio, Democrat of brownstone Brooklyn, hopes to be a post-racial borough president.

Squadron Balks at Connor's Bill to Offer Bonuses to Full Time Legislators (NY Sun, Aug 6, 2008)

Lauder Is Key to a Third Term for Mayor Bloomberg (NY Sun, Aug 5, 2008)
The city's leading champion of term limits is privately signaling a new openness to a third term for Mayor Bloomberg.

Dekker's Petition Challenge (Politicker, Aug 5, 2008)

Como Vows to Push Landmarking in Queens (Daily News, Aug 4, 2008)

Anti-Patronage Pledge From a Surrogate's Candidate (Politicker, Aug 4, 2008)

Hopefuls Cry Foul in Queens Democratic Race (Daily News, Aug 4, 2008)

Kelly May Be Asked To Stay at Post (NY Sun, Aug 1, 2008)
As Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly considers a run for City Hall, the likely mayoral candidates are lining up to praise his record and indicating that if elected mayor, they could try to keep him on as commissioner.

Connor and Squadron Fight to Be the Face of Downtown in Senate (Downtown Express, Aug 1, 2008)

Gonzalez Up Against Familiar Faces in Bronx Senate Primary (Norwood News, Aug 1, 2008)

Catsimatidis Readies For 2009 Mayoral Run (NY Sun, Jul 31, 2008)
Democrat-turned-Republican businessman John Catsimatidis is laying the groundwork for a 2009 run for mayor by forming an exploratory committee and pulling together a team of political aides to run his likely campaign.

Thompson's Mayoral Bid Leads in Spending (NY Times, Jul 31, 2008)
Comptroller William Thompson, who is expected to run for mayor in 2009, has spent more on political consultants — about $600,000 since 2006 — than his presumed rivals have spent on their entire campaigns during that period. And he has racked up large bills for fund-raisers at expensive locations like the Bath Club in Miami and the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Manhattan. Thompson, in fact, has spent campaign money at more than twice the rate of his likely competitors over the last two and a half years.

Yvette Clark Faces Backlash for Early Endorsement of de Blasio (Carib News, Jul 31, 2008)

Three Vie for Katz's Seat as She Eyes Comptroller Spot (Forest Hills Ledger, Jul 31, 2008)

Connor Gets Endorsement of a Number of Fellow Senators (Daily Politics, Jul 29, 2008)

Weiner Proposes Job Creation Plan (City Hall, Jul 29, 2008)

Bloomberg May Fight For Republican Majority With Cash (Daily News, Jul 28, 2008)
Aides to Mayor Bloomberg have quietly discussed the possibility that he will launch an independent spending spree to help the Republicans maintain their majority this fall, a high-level Senate Republican confirmed.

Real Estate Developers Are Major Rangel Donors (NY Times, Jul 27, 2008)

Mike Says Nix Primary Funding (NY Post, Jul 26, 2008)
Mayor Bloomberg yesterday proposed that the government stop funding primaries.

Bloomberg Urges Independents to Organize (NY Times, Jul 26, 2008)
At a fund-raising breakfast here for the Independence Party of Minnesota on Friday, with some 120 paying guests gathered under a tent on the edge of the Mississippi River to hear him speak, Mr. Bloomberg suggested a revolution of sorts: He challenged independents to vote as a bloc in November.

Number of Small Campaign Contributors Soars (NY Sun, Jul 25, 2008)
The number of people making small contributions to citywide electoral campaigns has soared in the past six months, largely due to campaign finance reforms, according to a report issued yesterday by the city's campaign finance board.

State Democrats Launch Voter Outreach Web Tool (Daily Gotham, Jul 25, 2008)

Rift Among Bronx Democrats (City Room, Jul 25, 2008)

Bronx Senate Candidate Espada Boosts Profile With Non-Campaign Mailings (Politicker, Jul 25, 2008)

Nelson Castro: New Dominican Face in Bronx Politics (City Room, Jul 25, 2008)

Bruno Takes Top Post With State Contractor (NY Times, Jul 23, 2008)

Weiner Pushes Staff Hard, or Out the Door (NY Times, Jul 23, 2008)

Mayor Attacking Waste at Board of Elections (NY Post, Jul 22, 2008)
Mayor Bloomberg is denouncing the City's of Elections for using money set aside to implement the Help America Vote Act to pay for salaries and regular budget expenses.

Barron, Often a Critic, Praises the Police (NY Times, Jul 22, 2008)
Over the course of his public life, Councilman Charles Barron’s critiques of the New York Police Department have been nothing short of scathing. So, understandably, the ears of many a New Yorker perked up when Mr. Barron lavished praise upon New York’s finest over the last couple of days.

Weiner Likes (Some) Mega-Development in Slow Economy (The Real Estate, Jul 22, 2008)

Weiner Sounds Themes for Likely Mayoral Bid (City Room, Jul 22, 2008)

Squadron Challenges Connor With the Weapons of an Incumbent (Politicker, Jul 22, 2008)

Vallone Gets Ball Rolling (Back) On Campaign Finance (Daily Politics, Jul 22, 2008)

Markowitz Losing Race for Cash to Fund Mayoral Bid (Daily News, Jul 21, 2008)

Como and Crowley Both Confident in Council Run (Daily News, Jul 21, 2008)

Three Democrats Vie for a Senate Seat in Brooklyn (NY Times, Jul 21, 2008)

Bloomberg Will Help BOTH Republicans And Democrats This Year (Daily Politics, Jul 21, 2008)

Monserrate Draws Donations from Willets Point Opponents (Real Deal, Jul 21, 2008)

Assembly Races in Bay Ridge And Gravesend-Coney Heat Up (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Jul 21, 2008)

City Hall Vs Board of Elections Over Electronic Voting Machines (NY Post, Jul 20, 2008)
A war is brewing between City Hall and the Board of Elections over compliance with a federal court order to install more than 1,000 new electronic voting machines in time for this year's elections.

New Wave of Ethnic Voters Will Shape Political Future (Staten Island Advance, Jul 20, 2008)

Nelson Castro to Replace Assemblymember Luis Diaz on the Ballot in the Bronx (Daily Politics, Jul 19, 2008)

Giuliani to GOP Election Fund (NY Post, Jul 19, 2008)

Weiner Collects Campaign Funds from Modeling Industry (NY Post, Jul 18, 2008)
Rep. Anthony Weiner, a mayoral candidate pushing a bill that would make it easier for foreign models to enter the United States, has collected more than $7,000 in campaign contributions from the modeling industry, records show. His campaign filings show he collected at least $7,125 from 14 individuals associated with the modeling business between Jan. 12 and July 11. Weiner made headlines last month when it was reported he's sponsoring a bill in Congress that would open up to 1,000 more hard-to-get H-1B visas for models.

Senate Democrats Gain Ground in Search for Campaign Cash (NY Times, Jul 18, 2008)

Michael Den Dekker to Replace Assemblymember Ivan Lafayette on the Ballot in Queens (Politicker, Jul 18, 2008)

Como, Crowley and Ober Prepare for Rematch (City Hall, Jul 17, 2008)

Silver Wins a Ruling Related To Aide's Sexual Misconduct (NY Sun, Jul 17, 2008)

Spitzer Funds Questioned After Hotel Charges Emerge (NY Times, Jul 16, 2008)

Governor Gets Millions In Special Interest Money (Daily News, Jul 16, 2008)

Bruno To Leave Senate By Friday (NY Post, Jul 16, 2008)

Cuomo Finishes Filing Period With Over $3 Million (Politicker, Jul 16, 2008)

Surrogate's Court Candidate Anderson's $225K Loan from Attorney (Politicker, Jul 16, 2008)

Highest Court To Hear Inez Barron Case Over Gordon's Final Two Months (Daily Politics, Jul 16, 2008)

FIlings in the Race for Silver's Seat (Daily Politics, Jul 16, 2008)

Immigrants Eager to Vote Sue to Hasten Citizenship (NY Times, Jul 16, 2008)

Spitzer Charged Campaign for Hotel Bills (NY Times, Jul 16, 2008)

Senate Races Of Note - Money Match-Up Edition (Daily Politics, Jul 15, 2008)

Squadron Outaises Connor Nearly Four-to-One (The Albany Project, Jul 15, 2008)

Cyrus Vance, Non-Manhattan District Attorney Candidate, Outraises Mogenthau (Daily Politics, Jul 15, 2008)

Paterson Aide Offers Campaign Funds for Silver (City Room, Jul 15, 2008)

Liu Raises Money -- for What? (NY Sun, Jul 14, 2008)
Even though he has not said what office he will seek, City Councilmember John Liu has raised about $815,000 in the past six months for his campaign for an unspecified, citywide office, more than Council Speaker Christine Quinn or Comptroller William Thompson Jr.

Paterson Raised $3.2 Million in Two Months for Re-election (NY Times, Jul 14, 2008)

Two Accusers of an Ex-Aide Join an Effort to Oust Silver (NY Times, Jul 14, 2008)

Yassky Hopes Third Run's the Charm (City Hall, Jul 14, 2008)

Weiner's Second Chance (City Hall, Jul 14, 2008)

For Council Members Looking to Higher Office, Willets Point Presents Dilemma (City Hall, Jul 14, 2008)

Golisano Begins to Pick Favorites (The Capitol, Jul 14, 2008)

DiNapoli Begins Raising Funds (Daily Politics, Jul 14, 2008)

Felder Seeks Truce on Petition Challenges, Opponets Disagree (Daily Politics, Jul 14, 2008)

Aborn Will Create Campaign Committee, but Won't Run Against Morgenthau (Daily Politics, Jul 14, 2008)

Sen. Diaz to Run on Both GOP and Democratic Lines (City Room, Jul 14, 2008)

Demographic Changes Could Affect City Elections (NY Times, Jul 13, 2008)

Upheaval Among New York’s Voting Blocs (NY Times, Jul 13, 2008)

Quinn Raises Less Money Amid Inquiry Into Council (NY Times, Jul 13, 2008)

List of Possible Primaries (Room 8, Jul 12, 2008)

Katz's Early Runoff Fundraising Request Denied (City Room, Jul 11, 2008)
The Campaign Finance Board rejected Councilmember Melinda Katz's request for permission to raise money for a possible runoff in the comptroller's race 14 months away. The board rejected her request as premature.

Vallone Seeks Rollback on Campaign Rules (NY Sun, Jul 11, 2008)

Katz Seeks to Start Raising for Runoff Now (NY Times, Jul 10, 2008)
Starting in December, real estate interests — which have helped bankroll so many city campaigns — will be severely restricted from giving contributions to political candidates. That is a big problem for Melinda Katz, a candidate for city comptroller. As chairwoman of the City Council’s Land Use Committee, Katz has taken in hundreds of thousands of dollars from the real estate industry. But Katz has come up with an unusual request that would allow her to keep the money from the real estate industry flowing. She has asked the city’s Campaign Finance Board to permit her to set up now an account that she could tap if she faced a runoff in the election for comptroller next fall.

Possible City Charter Overhaul Sparks Anxiety (NY Sun, Jul 10, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to permanently change the structure of local government is prompting anxiety among public officials and community leaders. There is talk in political circles that a commission to be appointed by the mayor to perform a top-to-bottom review of the city charter would seek to curtail the authority of borough presidents and the public advocate, or do away with their positions altogether.

Baez Silent Amid Sea of Controversy (Norwood News, Jul 10, 2008)

Golisano to Give Millions to Candidates (NY Times, Jul 9, 2008)
Tom Golisano, the billionaire Rochester businessman, brought fresh drama to a chaotic election year on Tuesday with his announcement that he would pour at least $5 million into the state’s legislative races.

A Nice Night for Attending a Fund-Raiser (NY Times, Jul 8, 2008)

Transit Activist Gary Reilly in the Hunt for City Council Seat (StreetsBlog, Jul 8, 2008)

Social Networking Sites a 'Revolution' for City Candidates (NY Sun, Jul 7, 2008)

Squadron Files, Connor 'Doesn't Plan' Challenge (Daily Politics, Jul 7, 2008)

Early To Albany For Inez Barron? (Daily Politics, Jul 7, 2008)

Business Titans Seek New York Mayor in Bloomberg’s Mold (NY Times, Jul 7, 2008)

Profile of Congressional Candidate Kevin Powell (City Limits, Jul 3, 2008)

Rochester Billionaire Targets Silver With New PAC (NY Sun, Jul 3, 2008)

Battle Between 'Two Larrys' Over Bornx Council Seat (City Room, Jul 3, 2008)

Newell Assails Silver Over Relationship With Ratner (Daily Politics, Jul 3, 2008)

Council Candidate Seen As a Rebel (Village Voice, Jul 2, 2008)
For those of us on the outside looking in at Brooklyn's mysterious and ultra-Orthodox Hasidic communities, there has always been Isaac Abraham to explain things. As he would say: "Thank God!"

Connor to Release Tax Returns and Ethic Filings (Daily Politics, Jun 30, 2008)

Good Government Groups Knock State Lawmakers (Associated Press, Jun 27, 2008)

Bloomberg Repays GOP for Congestion Pricing Support (Daily News, Jun 27, 2008)

Bronx Challengers (Daily Politics, Jun 27, 2008)

A Five-For-All to Replace DeBlasio (Brooklyn Papers, Jun 26, 2008)

Tedisco Staffer Up For Election Commisioner Post (Daily Politics, Jun 25, 2008)

Top Senator in New York Won’t Seek Re-election (NY Times, Jun 24, 2008)

Congressman Accepts Special Interest Money (Daily News, Jun 23, 2008)
Rep. Anthony Weiner has sworn off special interest money for his mayoral campaign next year - but he's raking it in for his congressional reelection bid this fall, federal records show.

Council Victory in Queens Energizes Republican Party (NY Times, Jun 23, 2008)

Godd Government Groups Urge City Elections Reform (Politicker, Jun 23, 2008)

At Gay Rights Protest of Golden, Some Democrats Also Warned (Politicker, Jun 23, 2008)

Alleged Job Offer Could Have Tilted Balance in Senate (City Room, Jun 23, 2008)

Koslowitz Plans Run for Former Forest Hills Council Seat (Times-Ledger, Jun 22, 2008)

Democratic Re-Match In 30th Council District? (Daily Politics, Jun 20, 2008)

Rumblings of a Bronx Comeback From Espada (City Room, Jun 20, 2008)

Como And Ognibene Bury The Hatchet (Daily Politics, Jun 19, 2008)

Diamondstone For Council (Again) (Daily Politics, Jun 17, 2008)

Felder Crashes The Clarkes' Party (Daily Politics, Jun 17, 2008)

Candidates for Weprin and Gennaro's Seats Tell Fresh Meadows Crowd Where They Stand (Times-Ledger, Jun 15, 2008)

Queens Senator Sabini Scores New Gig (Daily News, Jun 14, 2008)

Barron's Fundraising Lags, but Not His Confidence (City Room, Jun 13, 2008)
It was more than a year ago when City Councilmember Charles Barron announced that he would run for Brooklyn borough president in 2009 and that he was abandoning his plans to challenge Rep. Edolphus Towns this year for his Congressional seat. But since that announcement last May, many of Barron’s fellow Democrats in Brooklyn are asking: Is he truly serious about running?

Stewart Says He Is 'Bringing Home the Resources' (Politicker, Jun 13, 2008)
A flier going around Flatbush-Ditmas Park promotes a concert fund-raiser for Councilman Kendall Stewart, who is running for State Senate pronounces "Stewart 2008" is “Bringing Home the Resources.” It's sort of a bold theme, in light of the fact that two of his legislative aides were arrested for pocketing money intended for a nonprofit in the neighborhood.

Como Victor in Queens Special Election (Queens Courier, Jun 13, 2008)

Ognibene Petitioning for Next Election (Times-Ledger, Jun 13, 2008)

Assembly, Senate Candidates Petioning in Jackson Heights, Flushing (Queens Tribune, Jun 13, 2008)

Court Candidates on Staten Island Try to Judge the Existence of November Race (City Hall, Jun 13, 2008)

Ober Aide Says His Email Account Was Hacked (Politicker, Jun 13, 2008)

Pro-Term Limits Group Springs Back Into Action (NY Sun, Jun 12, 2008)
An organization connected to Ronald Lauder, the businessman who bankrolled campaigns to limit the time elected officials can hold the same office, is springing back to life following reports that Mayor Bloomberg might try to change the law and run for a third term. The group, New Yorkers for Term Limits, launched a Web site June 6 and began a signature-collecting campaign in support of upholding the term limit law. It also commissioned a poll, the results of which were released yesterday, that found 73 percent of voters support keeping term limits in place.

City's New Voters: Young, Female, Numerous (Politicker, Jun 12, 2008)
In the February 5 primary, 276,076 of the Democrats who voted in New York City had never voted before. That’s according to Jerry Skurnik, a Democratic consultant and professional number-cruncher. Skurnik explained the demographics of those voters: "Twelve percent are under 25 years old, versus 6.5 percent of all Democrats in New York City, and 39 percent are under 35 years old, versus 24 percent of all Democrats in New York City.” He went on to say that 62 percent of them were women (whereas 59 percent of city Democrats are women) and nine percent of them registered to vote in 2007.

Ober Won by Making Crowley (and the Queens Machine) Lose (Politicker, Jun 12, 2008)
The counting is still going on in the special election for the Queens 30th City Council district, but a spokesman for the candidate who came in last place is claiming victory--because he helped prevent another Democrat, Elizabeth Crowley, from winning. According to unofficial results, Crowley is a few votes behind Republican candidate Anthony Como. “We won this race," Sam Esposito, a spokesman for Democratic candidate Charles Ober, wrote in an email to supporters, which was forwarded to me by a Democratic operative. "Maybe not in the way many of you would understand, but we really are winners. We had 2 goals, 1 Charlie would win but more importantly was to not let Crowley take that seat."

Twenty Percent of Maltese Member Items Go Outside District (Times-Ledger, Jun 12, 2008)

Term Limits Don't Seem to Faze Council Members (NY Times, Jun 9, 2008)

Gioia Responds to Avella on Congestion Pricing (Village Voice, Jun 6, 2008)
Councilmember Tony Avella, a mayoral candidate implied that his fellow Queens Councilmember, Eric Gioia, was bought out by Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Michael Bloomberg so that he would support the mayor's congestion pricing plan. Not true, said Gioia spokesman Eric Koch.

Interview With Tony Avella (Village Voice, Jun 6, 2008)
Queens City Councilmember Tony Avella may be a longshot to win the mayoralty in 2009, but he’s always an odds-on favorite to voice a controversial opinion. In this interview, the maverick Democrat discusses the dysfunction that cripples the City Council, the managerial skills of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the horse trading that Quinn and Mayor Bloomberg used to pass congestion pricing in the Council and the parallels his campaign shares with Barack Obama’s.

Bloomberg Says There is Time for Ballot Initiative this Year (NY Post, Jun 6, 2008)

Giuliani, Bloomberg Vie for GOP Reins (Daily News, Jun 6, 2008)

Groups Seeking Reforms Assail Governor Paterson (NY Times, Jun 5, 2008)

McCain Challenges Obama to New York City Debate (AM New York, Jun 5, 2008)

A Public Job Still Appeals to Bloomberg (NY Times, Jun 5, 2008)
As his political team considers strategies that would allow him to remain in public life, Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged with rare candor on Wednesday that he was unsure about what to do next, and whether it would be as satisfying as being mayor.

Calling All County Committee Candidates (Politicker, Jun 5, 2008)

Seventy Votes Put Como in Lead Over Crowley (Associated Press, Jun 4, 2008)

Bloomberg Poll Asks About Extending Term Limits (NY Post, Jun 4, 2008)

Mayor Pushes To Oust Chief of State GOP (NY Sun, Jun 4, 2008)

Looking Ahead In The 30th Council District (Daily Politics, Jun 4, 2008)

Bloomberg For Lt. Gov.? (Daily Politics, Jun 4, 2008)

Bloomberg: Next Mayor Can Lack Executive Experience (NY Sun, Jun 4, 2008)

Citizens Union Holding Candidates to the Bloomberg Standard (Politicker, Jun 4, 2008)

Silver Challenger Wants To Make Challenging Easier (Daily Politics, Jun 3, 2008)

Is Sheldon Silver an Obstructionist? (New York Magazine, Jun 2, 2008)

Felder Shakes Up State Senate Race (City Room, Jun 2, 2008)

Grace Meng to Try Again in Flushing (Politicker, Jun 2, 2008)

Queens Special Election Candidates Square Off on Small Screen (Queens Ledger, Jun 1, 2008)

Manhattan Surrogate's Court Club Round-Up (Daily Politics, May 30, 2008)

Total Public Cost of Queens Special Election: $168,155 (And Counting) (Daily Politics, May 29, 2008)
The Campaign Finance Board has awarded a second round of public financing to two of the four 30th council district special election candidates: Anthony Como and Tom Ognibene. Como received $25,634 and Ognibene got $10,278. That brings the total in matching funds distributed to date in the race for the seat vacated by former Republican Councilman Dennis Gallagher to $169,455.

After a Lifetime of Preparation, Gioia Goes Citywide (NY Observer, May 29, 2008)
A profile of Councilmember Eric Gioia, his record, and his future prospects.

Democrats Choose Councilmember as Candidate for Fossella’s Seat (NY Times, May 29, 2008)
The Staten Island Democratic Party voted on Wednesday night to endorse City Councilmember Michael McMahon as its choice for the Congressional seat being vacated by Representative Vito Fossella, a Republican.

Petitioning for a Spot Against Sheldon Silver (Politicker, May 29, 2008)

Bruno Petitions Printed (Daily Politics, May 29, 2008)

Assembly Tax Committee Chair Grapples With 'Nightmare' (NY Sun, May 27, 2008)

In a Democratic District, a Former Firefighter Raises Republican Hopes (NY Times, May 25, 2008)

Silver Guards Against Primary Foes (NY Sun, May 23, 2008)

Catsimatidis To Campaign as Mayor From Main Street (NY Sun, May 23, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg may have brought the polish of a well-run Wall Street operation to City Hall, but if a visit to the supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis's office is any indication, the latest billionaire to set his sights on the mayoralty will bring store circulars — and lots of them.

Without Challenger, Golden Rakes in the Campaign Cash (Daily Politics, May 23, 2008)

Panel Recommends Three Manhattan Civil Court Candidates (Politicker, May 23, 2008)

Would-Be Monserrate Pleased With Queens County Endorsement (Politicker, May 23, 2008)

Queens Democrats Won't Endorse Senator for Re-election (City Room, May 23, 2008)

Farrell's Potential '09 Challenger Raises Cash (Daily Politics, May 23, 2008)

Parsing Connor and Squadron's Support for Congestion Pricing (Politicker, May 22, 2008)

Queens Special Election: Ober Gets Independence, Como and Ognibene Get Money (Politicker, May 22, 2008)

Avella Endorses Ober In Queens Special Election (Daily Politics, May 21, 2008)

High-Profile Help in the the Manhattan Surrogate's Court Race (Politicker, May 21, 2008)

Rebellion Escalating Against Bronx Democratic Chief (Daily News, May 20, 2008)

Is Councilmember James in Trouble? (Room 8, May 20, 2008)

Re-Elect Ognibene? (Politicker, May 20, 2008)

Four On The Ballot In Queens Special Election (Daily Politics, May 20, 2008)

Silver's Challengers Fight the Odds and Each Other (Politicker, May 20, 2008)

Connor-Squadron Debate Echoes Presidential Race (Politicker, May 19, 2008)

Why the Manhattan Surrogate's Court Judge Matters (Politicker, May 19, 2008)

Weiner, an Earmark Critic, Has His Own (NY Times, May 17, 2008)

Library Board Backs Quinn, and Vice Versa (NY Sun, May 16, 2008)
As Speaker Christine Quinn fought for extra funding for the city’s libraries last year, her campaign coffers swelled with tens of thousands of dollars in donations from trustees of the New York Public Library.

Plenty Of Pols, But No Silver, At Stonewall (Daily Politics, May 16, 2008)

County Committee Reform Effort in Brooklyn (City Hall, May 15, 2008)

A GOP House Divided In Queens (Daily Politics, May 13, 2008)

Council Funding Scandal Threatens Quinn's Political Future (New York Magazine, May 12, 2008)

Anonymous Charges Target Council Candidate (NY Post, May 12, 2008)
An anonymous complaint filed against Anthony Como, a Republican running to replace former City Councilmember Dennis Gallagher, claims the candidate used his position as a Board of Elections Commissioner to get campaign donations and gifts from subordinates.

Como Attempting to Knock Rivals Off Ballot (Daily News, May 12, 2008)

Spitzer 2010 Refunds (Politicker, May 12, 2008)

Bloomberg Budget Includes $2.1 Million for Charter Revision (Daily News, May 11, 2008)
The mayor has doubled the amount spent on the last charter revision in 2005 leading to speculation about what he might try to do.

Special Election Candidates Squabble Over Details (Queens Tribune, May 9, 2008)

Newell Responds To Cantor On Silver (Daily Politics, May 7, 2008)

Carrying For Crowley (Daily Politics, May 7, 2008)

Connor Defends His Green Credentials (Daily Politics, May 7, 2008)

Squadron's 'Summer Of Accountability' (Daily Politics, May 6, 2008)

Owens: Silver a 'Mixed Bag' for Progressives (Politicker, May 6, 2008)

Cantor Comes To Silver's Defense (Daily Politics, May 6, 2008)

Long 'Retires' To Full-Time Politics (Daily Politics, May 6, 2008)

Endorsements and Congestion Pricing, School Names as Political Ads (NY Times, May 5, 2008)

Fifty-Shot Case May Affect Kelly's Chances in a Mayoral Race (NY Times, May 2, 2008)
The not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell shooting last week was welcome news to three New York City police detectives charged in the case; one even wept as a judge in Queens read the ruling. But Justice Arthur Cooperman's verdict also created some new challenges in the life of their boss, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

Markowitz Hints at Taking Act to City Hall (Daily News, May 2, 2008)

Siegel Sues Over Slush Fund Scandal (Daily Politics, May 2, 2008)

Weiner's Approach to a Special Interest (Politicker, May 2, 2008)

Two Politicians in Queens Bring Baggage to a Rematch (City Room, May 1, 2008)
The last few weeks have caused some sharp discomfort for a number of City Council because of the widening inquiries into how some council members spend their discretionary money. The uneasiness is amplified by the fact that many of the council members are contemplating running for other political offices. Take the case of Councilmember Hiram Monserrate, of Queens, who is considered to be planning a second challenge against State Sen. John Sabini.

Paterson Sheds Donation Limits (Albany Times Union, Apr 30, 2008)

Hevesi Condems Anti-Gay Flyer in Special Election (Daily Politics, Apr 30, 2008)

Paul Newell on Congestion Pricing and Reforming Albany (StreetsBlog, Apr 30, 2008)

Quinn Gives Taxpayer Money to High Line Group, Who Gives Campaign Money (Daily News, Apr 29, 2008)

Working Families Party Endorses Crowley (Daily Politics, Apr 29, 2008)

Weiner Breaks Silence On Slush Fund Scandal (Daily Politics, Apr 29, 2008)

Ober, Ognibene Decry Anti-Gay Hate Mail (Daily Politics, Apr 29, 2008)

Ray Kelly for Mayor? A Voters' Guide (Village Voice, Apr 29, 2008)

Paul Newell on Starting a Political Campaign in New York City (StreetsBlog, Apr 29, 2008)

Golden Introduces Bill to Give State Oversight of City's Campaign Finance Board (NY Times, Apr 28, 2008)

Democrats Decry School Renaming After Republican Politician (Daily News, Apr 28, 2008)

Three Vie for Recchia's City Council Seat (Daily News, Apr 27, 2008)

In Council Campaigns, Relatives on the Payroll (NY Times, Apr 25, 2008)
More than a dozen of the 51 current members have used campaign funds to pay family members — or themselves.

The Bell Verdict and the Queens Borough President Race (Politicker, Apr 25, 2008)

Two Likely Mayoral Candidates Give Contrasting Views on Bell Verdict (Staten Island Advance, Apr 25, 2008)

Maltese Is Atop Election Hit List (NY Times, Apr 25, 2008)

Powell Challenges Towns (Again) (Daily Politics, Apr 24, 2008)
Former cast member of "The Real World" and self-described hip hop activist Kevin Powell, who bowed out early from a 2006 congressional bid against Rep. Ed Towns in the 10th Council District, plans to formally announce his 2008 campaign this Sunday.

Inez Barron Running For Gordon's Assembly Seat (Daily Politics, Apr 24, 2008)
Pledging to use her outspoken and often-controversial husband as a "model" of what a good lawmaker should be, Inez Barron, wife of Councilmember Charles Barron, formally announced her candidacy for the 40th Assembly District seat made vacant earlier this month by the felony bribery conviction of ex-Assemblymember Diane Gordon.

The 'Grassroots' Campaign of Inez Barron (Politicker, Apr 24, 2008)
Inez Barron, wife of outspoken City Councilmember Charles Barron, just kicked off her campaign for State Assembly, and, while vowing to be an independent voice for change, hasn’t ruled out seeking the support of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

30th Council District Petition Review To Stay In Queens (Daily Politics, Apr 24, 2008)
The petitioning review for the June 3 30th Council District special election will be handled by the Queens Board of Elections despite the fact that two candidates have significant potential conflicts of interest when it comes to political ties at the board.

Council Indictments Overshadow a Senate Bid (City Room, Apr 24, 2008)
The embezzlement accusation involving two City Council aides is finding its way into the politics of Brooklyn in the latest round of what is becoming a hotly competitive race for a State Senate seat. The issue involved the indictment of two aides to City Councilmember Kendall Stewart, a Brooklyn Democrat, who are charged embezzling at least $145,000 in city funds and sending some of the money to relatives in Jamaica. Stewart is now running against the incumbent, State Senator Kevin S. Parker, in a district that covers Flatbush, East Flatbush and Midwood.

Monserrate Fights City Hall Over Willets Point (NY Observer, Apr 24, 2008)

Silver Tends to Gay Groups (Politicker, Apr 24, 2008)

GOP/Conservatives Choose Opposing Candidates In Queens Special Election (Daily Politics, Apr 24, 2008)

Action In The City Council Special Election (Daily Politics, Apr 22, 2008)

A Prosecutor's Political Prospects (NY Sun, Apr 21, 2008)

Kheel Plans To Put His Money Where His Mouth Is In '09 (Daily Politics, Apr 20, 2008)

A Democratic Grudge Match for State Senate (City Room, Apr 18, 2008)

June 3 Election for Gallagher's Seat (Politicker, Apr 18, 2008)

Does Control of the Senate All Come Down To Addabbo? (Daily Politics, Apr 18, 2008)

Silver Won't Release Taxes (Daily Politics, Apr 16, 2008)

Weiner's 2007 Returns (Daily Politics, Apr 16, 2008)

Connor to Squadron: 'Get Ready' (Politicker, Apr 15, 2008)

Vito Lopez Faces Questions Over Judicial Nomination (NY Sun, Apr 15, 2008)

Avella Releases Tax Returns, Calls On All Citywide Hopefuls To Follow Suit (Daily Politics, Apr 14, 2008)

Quinn Staffer John Lisyanskiy Running for Council (Politicker, Apr 14, 2008)

Hyer-Spencer Prepares for Competitive Election Against Unknown Opponent (City Hall, Apr 14, 2008)

Gianaris Plans Council Race and Speaker Run (City Hall, Apr 14, 2008)

For Pheffer, County Support May Once Again Be Key to Queens Borough President Race (City Hall, Apr 14, 2008)

Serphin Maltese Endorsed by Animal Welfare Group (Daily Politics, Apr 14, 2008)

Stringer, Thinking Citywide And Keeping 'All' Options Open (Daily Politics, Apr 11, 2008)

Democrats Prepare To Challenge Maltese (Queens Tribune, Apr 11, 2008)

Candidates Face Off for Gallagher's Seat (Queens Ledger, Apr 11, 2008)
The six contenders vying for former Councilmember Dennis Gallagher's seat faced off last Thursday at the Glendale Property Owners Association meeting and things turned sour. Republican hopeful Joseph Suraci brought Middle Village overdevelopment issues to light when he called out Queens Board of Elections commissioner, Anthony Como, on his home expansion. Suraci said Como was not the right person to stop overdevelopment since his own home is being super-sized.

Council Member Appears in Auto Ad (Daily News, Apr 11, 2008)
A Queens council member is raising eyebrows by appearing in paid ads for an auto dealership while sponsoring legislation urging New Yorkers to buy new cars. "Are you going to buy a Paragon Honda hybrid?" WABC radio host Curtis Sliwa asked Councilmember Hiram Monserrate in one of two ads on the station last month. "Well, Curtis, the answer to that is absolutely yes," Monserrate responded in the live spot. "My next car will be a hybrid, and I'll be shopping at Paragon."

Teachers Union Spent $3 Million Lobbying Albany Last Year (NY Post, Apr 10, 2008)

The Dean Generation Runs for City Council (Politicker, Apr 10, 2008)

New Leader for Campaign Finance Board (City Room, Apr 9, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg today announced the appointment of the Rev. Joseph Parkes, a Jesuit educator, as chairman of the New York City Campaign Finance Board and the appointment of Preeta D. Bansal, a nationally known litigator, to the board.

Catsimatidis for Mayor Profile (New Yorker, Apr 9, 2008)

Living the Political Life Fantastic (Village Voice, Apr 9, 2008)

Luke Henry Aims to Topple Silver (NY Sun, Apr 9, 2008)

Paul Newell Also Aims to Topple Silver (NY Sun, Apr 9, 2008)

The Limits of Term Limits (Metro, Apr 8, 2008)

Suozzi Not Running Against Paterson, Sending Him A Staffer (Daily Politics, Apr 7, 2008)

Sheekey: People Who Don't Help City Should 'Fear' (Daily Politics, Apr 7, 2008)

Special Election: Candidates Jockey For Position (Queens Tribune, Apr 4, 2008)
The four candidates who plan to run in the special election for the 30th Council District have a weighty challenge ahead of them. This article provides about 250 words of background on each candidate in this yet to be announced special election.

GOP Hopefuls for Council Tangle at Glendale Meeting (Daily Politics, Apr 4, 2008)

The City Council’s Biggest No-Shows (City Room, Apr 3, 2008)
After Councilmember Helen Diane Foster, a Bronx Democrat, missed an important vote on congestion pricing this week because of a flight delay, a closer look showed that she has the fifth-poorest attendance record on the City Council — about 72 percent, not counting absences for medical reasons. So who has the worst record? That distinction goes to another Bronx Democrat, Maria Baez. Baez, who chairs the Council’s State and Federal Legislation Committee and serves on about half a dozen other committees, has missed 203 of 608 hearings and full Council meetings since 2004. Only 19 of her absences were excused, for an overall attendance rate of 66.61 percent, according to Council records.

Thompson Gets In On Congestion Pricing Action (Daily Politics, Apr 3, 2008)
Comptroller Bill Thompson, whose likely 2009 mayoral primary opponent, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, has been dominating congestion pricing headlines over the past several days, jumped into the fray today with a letter to Gov. David Paterson that proposes three additional changes to the pay-to-drive plan. - Elimination of a toll credit for drivers enter the central business district via a tolled facility (the mandated $1 billion from the Port Authority does not address this issue). - Require that at least 77.5 percent of congestion pricing-generated revenue be spent on city transit or MTA bus company needs. - Allow all EZPass drivers three free entries after 10 a.m. into the congestion zone. Congestion Pricing Critic Announces Bid for City Council

Congestion Pricing Critic Announces Bid for City Council (Politicker, Apr 3, 2008)
Within hours of the congestion pricing vote, a Bronx-based opponent of the plan, Ari Hoffnung, sent out an email announcing that he will run for City Council, again. Hoffnung, who heads the Riverdale Jewish Community Relations Council, challenged Councilmember Oliver Koppell in 2005 and was defeated. This year, Koppell is term-limited.

Tony Avella is Mad as Hell (And Running for Mayor) (Village Voice, Apr 3, 2008)

Color-Coded Congestion Pricing (Daily Politics, Apr 3, 2008)
With the Assembly Democrats scheduled to conference congestion pricing today and the Senate poised to take up the pay-to-drive measure any moment now, this map created by Justin Kray at the Pratt Center for Community Development how Council members voted could come in handy for gaming out the pressures on various downstate lawmakers.

Pair at Elections Board Broke Rules (NY Post, Apr 3, 2008)

Conspicuous Absence on Congestion Pricing Vote (NY Times, Apr 2, 2008)

Candidate for de Blasio's Seat Talks Community Board Budget Cuts (Brownstoner, Apr 2, 2008)

Silver Hires Campaign Consultant (Daily Politics, Apr 1, 2008)

Fuller Picture Emerges of Paterson’s Aid to Hospital That Employed His Wife (NY Times, Mar 30, 2008)

Even Without Spitzer, Democrats Are Resolved to Challenge Senate Seats (NY Times, Mar 29, 2008)

Four Candidates Vying for Gallagher's Seat (Queens Ledger, Mar 28, 2008)
Another City Council hopeful has tossed his hat into the race for the 30th District seat: local activist Charles Ober. The Ridgewood resident and officer of several civic organizations, including the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association, the Ridgewood Democratic Club and the Queens Civic Congress, said his campaign would focus on preserving the area's quality of life. Ober is one of several potential candidates seeking the seat of former Councilmember Dennis Gallagher.

Thompson Supporter Questions Quinn's Timing (Daily Politics, Mar 28, 2008)

Queens GOP Endorses Como for Gallaher's Seat (Politicker, Mar 28, 2008)

Groups Seek End to Personal Use of Campaign Money (City Room, Mar 28, 2008)

Bloomberg Not-for-President Campaign Finance Trail Unavailable (City Room, Mar 28, 2008)

Weiner on Albany: 'We Should be Supervising Them' (Politicker, Mar 27, 2008)

'09 Contenders Step It Up a Notch (Daily Politics, Mar 26, 2008)

Campaign Finance Board Gets with the Program on 20th Anniversary (City Hall, Mar 26, 2008)

More Questions Over Governor Paterson's Spending Records (NY Post, Mar 25, 2008)

Avella's Clean Money Philosophy (City Room, Mar 25, 2008)

Borough President Considers Mayoral Race (NY Sun, Mar 24, 2008)

Paterson Campaign Funds Went to Personal Expenses (Daily News, Mar 24, 2008)

GOP Candidate Announces in (Yet To Be Announced) Race for Gallagher's Seat (Daily Politics, Mar 24, 2008)

Inez Barron in East New York Move (Room 8, Mar 23, 2008)

Albany Starts To Wonder at Paterson (NY Sun, Mar 21, 2008)

Cuomo Loses Project Sunshine Head (Daily Politics, Mar 21, 2008)

Kelly Insists (Again) 'No Plans' To Run In '09 (Daily Politics, Mar 21, 2008)

Carrion Wins Praise From Bloomberg (Daily Politics, Mar 20, 2008)

Paterson Says He May Have Used Campaign Cash for Hotel Hookup (Daily News, Mar 20, 2008)

Calls to Education Department By Paterson Got Girlfriend Job (NY Post, Mar 20, 2008)

Weiner Responds To Bloomberg on Congestion Pricing (Daily Politics, Mar 19, 2008)

Queens Councilman Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse And Resigns (NY Post, Mar 18, 2008)

Admitting Sexual Abuse, City Councilman Resigns (NY Times, Mar 18, 2008)
City Councilman Dennis P. Gallagher resigned from office and pleaded guilty on Monday to two misdemeanors, admitting that he sexually abused a woman in his district office in Middle Village, Queens, last summer while he was intoxicated.

Crowded Field Set to Vie for Avella's City Council Seat (Daily News, Mar 18, 2008)
The City Council seat for northeast Queens is shaping up to be one of the most coveted positions in the 2009 elections. According to campaign filings and political insiders, nearly one dozen candidates are eying a run for the seat held by Tony Avella, term-limited out of office, who plans to run for mayor.

Gallagher Absence May Shrink GOP's Presence on Council (NY Sun, Mar 18, 2008)
The Republican Party's already anemic presence in the City Council could shrink after Council Member Dennis Gallagher of Queens, who pleaded guilty yesterday to "forcibly touching and sexually abusing" a 52-year-old woman, resigns his office.

Gallagher's Resignation Sets Off a Race (City Room, Mar 18, 2008)

Paterson to Face Pressure to Spend (NY Sun, Mar 17, 2008)
While lauding New York's governor-designate, David Paterson, for his conciliatory style of leadership, state lawmakers are quietly drawing up plans for a surge in spending that will force him to choose between avoiding his first fight with the legislature or risking a late budget.

Paterson Plans Swearing In (NY Times, Mar 17, 2008)
As New York reeled from revelations that Gov. Eliot Spitzer was under federal investigation for his links to a prostitution ring, Lt. Gov. David Paterson planned his swearing-in ceremony, set for today, to convey a sense of coming together.

Elections Board Decries Budget Shortfall (Daily News, Mar 17, 2008)

Paterson Annoyed With Influence Peddlers (NY Post, Mar 17, 2008)

The State’s Soon-to-Be-Vacant No. 2 Job (City Room, Mar 17, 2008)

Paterson Says He Can Be Tough (Daily News, Mar 16, 2008)
An interview with the incoming governor on a range of issues.

Looking at Paterson's Record (NY Times, Mar 16, 2008)
A review of David Paterson’s time in office reveals many of the typical footprints of a long legislative career. But it also shows that at times he supported controversial policies, made strikingly candid comments and took actions that might have raised questions about conflicts of interest.

Spitzer's Payments to Consultant Under Investigation (NY Times, Mar 16, 2008)
Federal authorities are seeking records involving payments to a political fund-raising consultant to Gov. Eliot Spitzer as part of their criminal investigation, according to two people with direct knowledge of the inquiry.

Investigators Seek Records of Spitzer Campaign’s Payments to a Consultant (NY Times, Mar 16, 2008)

Paterson Might Run in 2010 (Daily News, Mar 15, 2008)
Lt. Gov. David Paterson isn't due to become governor until Monday, but already he's thinking ahead - to a possible second term.

Prep for Paterson: Labor Gets Ready (Crain's, Mar 14, 2008)

Paterson to Try Different Tack on Reform (Daily News, Mar 14, 2008)

US Examining Spitzer’s Funds (NY Times, Mar 14, 2008)

Looking Past Gallagher, Candidates Prepare for Special Election (City Hall, Mar 14, 2008)

Donors, Analysts Wonder Where Spitzer Campaign Funds Will Go (NY Sun, Mar 13, 2008)

Related Loves Republicans, Other Big Developers Lean Left (NY Observer, Mar 13, 2008)

On Trips, Spitzer Mixed Business with Pleasure (Daily News, Mar 13, 2008)

In a Senate Tie, Could Bruno Vote Twice? (City Room, Mar 13, 2008)

A Bipartisan Prediction of Harmony in Albany (NY Times, Mar 13, 2008)

Flier Urges Queens Residents To Push Congressman To Support Obama (NY Sun, Mar 13, 2008)

Paterson Signals Softer Approach to Campaign Finance Reform (Politicker, Mar 13, 2008)

Poll: Ray Kelly Favored Among Likely Mayoral Candidates (Politicker, Mar 13, 2008)

Lieutenant Governor Has a History of Defying the Public’s Expectations (NY Times, Mar 12, 2008)

Robert Jackson to Audience: "Shut Up" (Village Voice, Mar 12, 2008)

Spitzer Is Linked to a Sex Ring as Client (NY Times, Mar 11, 2008)

Albany Reacts to Spitzer Allegations (NY Times, Mar 11, 2008)

Milestones in Spitzer’s Ambitious Career (NY Times, Mar 11, 2008)

Lt. Governor David Paterson Next In Line (Daily News, Mar 11, 2008)

Lobbyists for Development Projects Pocket Cash (Daily News, Mar 10, 2008)

Third Time, Siegel Hopes, Will Be the Charm (City Hall, Mar 10, 2008)

Carrion Assembles Advisers for Comptroller Campaign (NY Sun, Mar 7, 2008)
The president of the Bronx, Adolfo Carrion, is putting together a team of senior advisers for his campaign, which now includes a former city comptroller and the chairwoman of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. A former comptroller, Elizabeth Holtzman, and Merryl Tisch, who also is vice chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, will be co-chairs of Mr. Carrion's comptroller campaign.

Challenger to Sheldon Silver: Show Us Your Money (Village Voice, Mar 7, 2008)

Democratic Party Members Switching to GOP on Staten Island (Daily Politics, Mar 7, 2008)

Effort to Add Transparency to State Government Expanded (Albany Times Union, Mar 6, 2008)

Hikind Supporting Lazar (Daily Politics, Mar 6, 2008)

Markowitz Gets to ‘Fork in the Road,’ and Will Take It (City Room, Mar 5, 2008)

Spitzer Taps Donor As New York Power Authority Trustee (Daily Politics, Mar 5, 2008)

Mayor’s Donation Angers Albany Democrats (NY Times, Mar 4, 2008)
News that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg quietly provided $500,000 to state Republicans to help them retain control of the Senate triggered anger among Democrats in the Capitol on Monday, with some predicting that the mayor had badly damaged his legislative agenda.

Spitzer Helps Donors Skirt $10,000 Limit He Set (NY Times, Mar 4, 2008)

Obama Supporters in Brooklyn Warn the Superdelegates: 'Make Our Votes Count' (Village Voice, Mar 4, 2008)

Challengers Hope Shifting Tide Helps Wash Silver from Office (Albany Times Union, Mar 4, 2008)

How Spitzer Finally Got Bruno on the Ropes (New York Magazine, Mar 3, 2008)

Callaghan Says 'No' To 2008, 'Maybe' To 2010 (Daily Politics, Mar 3, 2008)

Thompson Critiques Bloomberg's Budget (Carefully) (Daily Politics, Mar 3, 2008)

Pataki Spent PAC Money After Opting Not to Run (NY Times, Mar 2, 2008)

Bloomberg Steps In to Help GOP in Albany Fight (NY Times, Mar 1, 2008)

Avella Seeks Full Public Campaign Financing (NY Sun, Feb 29, 2008)
Candidates for city office could qualify for full public financing of their campaigns under legislation a Council Member Tony Avella plans to introduce soon.Under his proposal, candidates for city office would qualify for full public financing by collecting a certain number of $5 donations.

A City Hall Staffer for State Senate? (Politicker, Feb 29, 2008)

Bloomberg Says He Will Not Endorse Anyone for Mayor in the 2009 Democratic Primary (NY Times, Feb 28, 2008)

I’m Not Running for President, but ... (NY Times, Feb 28, 2008)

Democrats Join Pay-To-Play Lawsuit (Daily Politics, Feb 28, 2008)
Several Democrats, including State Sen. Martin Dilan and former council candidate Marlene Tapper, have joined a federal lawsuit filed earlier this month that challenges the new campaign finance law that dramatically curtails contributions from lobbyists and others who do business with the city. Councilmember Leroy Comrie may also join the suit, although he voted for the bill.

Term-Limited Council Seat in Queens Heats Up Early (Politicker, Feb 28, 2008)
The race for the City Council seat in Queens that Leroy Comrie is vacating because of term limits in 2009 is turning contentious unusually early. Running for the seat are Ruben Wills, executive chief of staff to Democratic state Senator Shirley Huntley, Brian Simon, chief of staff to Representative Greg Meeks, and Democratic operative Joan Flowers.

Bruno Pays a Visit To Bloomberg (Daily Politics, Feb 28, 2008)

Poll FInds Markowitz in the Lead (Daily News, Feb 27, 2008)

Candidates Begin Campaigns for Open City Council Seats (NY Sun, Feb 26, 2008)

Council Lame Ducks Flock to New Roles (Daily News, Feb 26, 2008)

Gioia's Donor-Fueled Carbon Neutrality (Politicker, Feb 25, 2008)

Weiner: Ain't no Shame in Politics (Daily Politics, Feb 25, 2008)

Bloomberg Says Voters Could Lose Confidence (NY Post, Feb 23, 2008)
If the Board of Elections isn't reformed, it's "not beyond the realm of possibility" that voters will lose confidence in the entire electoral process as they did in Kenya, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday.

Superdelegate Fight Seeps Into a Brooklyn Race (City Room, Feb 22, 2008)
Representative Edolphus Towns, a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, is under fire from Kevin Powell, a challenger for his seat, over the incumbent's insistence on supporting Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, even though Senator Barack Obama received the majority of the vote in the primary in Towns’ congressional district.

Pressure On Brooklyn Superdelegates Intensifies (Daily Politics, Feb 22, 2008)

Bloomberg Backs Off Fraud Allegation (Daily Politics, Feb 22, 2008)

Data Entry Errors to Blame for Unofficial Tally Miscount (Associated Press, Feb 21, 2008)

Reversing No Donation Policy, Ratner Begins Contributing (Brooklyn Papers, Feb 21, 2008)

Bloomberg Calls Results Voter Fraud (NY Post, Feb 20, 2008)
Mayor Bloomberg charged yesterday that "fraud" was behind the unofficial results in the New York Democratic presidential primary that produced zero votes for Barack Obama in some districts.

Pressure Rises on Election Board (NY Sun, Feb 20, 2008)
Pressure is mounting on Attorney General Cuomo to launch an investigation into the New York City Board of Elections and its undercounting of Senator Obama's share of the February 5 presidential primary vote in the city's voting districts, following sharp criticism by Mayor Bloomberg yesterday.

Spitzer Aide Uses $30,000 From Campaign Funds (NY Times, Feb 20, 2008)

'Unofficial' Primary Results Attacked (NY Sun, Feb 19, 2008)
The city's Board of Elections is coming under heightened scrutiny and may face a grilling from the City Council after initial, unofficial vote results from the February 5 presidential primary undercounted Senator Obama's vote totals and showed him winning no votes in dozens of election districts across the city.

Schumer Says Superdelegate Vote No "Great Moral Issue" (NY Observer, Feb 19, 2008)

Civic Group Calls for Voting Investigation (City Room, Feb 19, 2008)

City Clerk Appointement Opens Seat in Bronx; Borough President Candidate Involved in "Race Baiting" (Daily News, Feb 19, 2008)

Elections Board Could Face Grilling Over Primary Numbers (NY Sun, Feb 19, 2008)

Unofficial Count Understated Obama's Primary Vote (NY Times, Feb 18, 2008)
City election officials have found major discrepancies between the unofficial vote counts provided on primary night earlier this month and the real vote count, which will not be completed for weeks. The unofficial tally apparently undercounted the number of votes received by Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary.

Local Group Petitions for Regular Delegates' Power (City Limits, Feb 18, 2008)

Lieutenant Governor's Fundraiser Breaks Campaign Finance Pedge (Daily Politics, Feb 18, 2008)

Spokesman says Tisch Will Not Run for Mayor (Daily Politics, Feb 17, 2008)

Preliminary Mayor's Management Report (, Feb 15, 2008)
An interim look at the performance of various city agencies was released yesterday in a report called the Preliminary Mayor's Management Report. Published annually, it takes a look at the city's performance in the first four months of the fiscal year and forecasts performance expectations. Much of the information can be broken down by individual agency, issue, or community. Some significant highlights were: Sewer back up complaints jumped by 23 percent; the average response time to heat complaints rose by 50 percent (although stays within the goal of seven hours); and major felony crimes in schools were nearly a third lower than the same quarter last year.

Bill Thompson on Congestion Pricing (Politicker, Feb 15, 2008)

Graham Enters Brooklyn Borough President Race (Daily Politics, Feb 15, 2008)

Quinn's City Clerk Choice Irks Brooklyn Delegation (NY Post, Feb 14, 2008)

Quinn Looks to Keep Tight Grip on Base (City Hall, Feb 14, 2008)
Receiving huge cheers and screams of approval as she takes the stage at the Pride event, Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s support in the gay community seems solid. Yet, as her constituency and appeal broaden in preparation for next year’s mayoral race, certain pockets of the gay community, mostly activists and radical groups, have attacked her for some of the more mainstream positions she has taken over the past few years.

Hasid to Seek Yassky's Council Seat (Daily News, Feb 13, 2008)

Suit Against New Campaign Finance Law Claims Racial Bias (NY Times, Feb 12, 2008)

Hikind Backing Out of Race for Felder's Seat? (Daily Politics, Feb 11, 2008)

Ognibene, Reiter, Conservatives Challenge New Pay-To-Play Law (Daily Politics, Feb 11, 2008)

The Markowitz Factor (City Hall, Feb 11, 2008)

City Finance Commissioner Interested in Comptroller's Office, but Not Campaigning for It (City Hall, Feb 11, 2008)

Stringer on Changing Manhattan and Possibly Changing Offices (City Hall, Feb 11, 2008)

The Top Five: First-Time Candidates, Big-Time Fundraisers (City Hall, Feb 11, 2008)

Bloomberg Run Up in the Air (Newsday, Feb 10, 2008)
As a billionaire businessman, New York City mayor and now potential independent presidential candidate, Michael Bloomberg has never been one to blab to the world about his war room strategies and plans.

2007 State Supreme Court Campaign Finance (Judicial Reports, Feb 10, 2008)

Bloomberg Turns to Hagel (NY Times, Feb 9, 2008)
There are still outstanding questions about the fast-fading presidential dreams of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Bloomberg: '09 Contributors Hedging Bets 'A Disgrace' (Daily Politics, Feb 8, 2008)

Mayor Accuses Realty Firms of Seeking Undue Influence (NY Times, Feb 8, 2008)

A Patient, Uncommitted Superdelegate From New York (Politicker, Feb 8, 2008)

Bloomberg Rips Pay To Play Culture (Daily Politics, Feb 8, 2008)

Yvonne Graham and the Brooklyn Borough President's Race (Politicker, Feb 8, 2008)

Adolfo Carrion to Pitch for Comptroller Job (Daily News, Feb 8, 2008)

Turnout in Primary Doubles That of '04 (AM New York, Feb 7, 2008)

The Fall of Rudy (Village Voice, Feb 6, 2008)

Immigrants Among Biggest Winners in Election (NY Sun, Feb 6, 2008)

Voters Found Difficulties From Super Parade (Newsday, Feb 6, 2008)

Clinton and McCain Take New York (NY Times, Feb 6, 2008)

Area Voters Savor Rare Feeling: A Suspenseful Primary (NY Times, Feb 6, 2008)

State Court Mandates Certification of Touchscreen Voting Machine (Associated Press, Feb 5, 2008)

Primary Puts Pressure on Holiday Policy (NY Sun, Feb 5, 2008)

Monitors Report Array of Voting Problems in the City (City Room, Feb 5, 2008)

A Quixotic Quest to Be a Ron Paul Delegate from Queens (City Room, Feb 2, 2008)

Local Candidates Awash in Real Estate Cash (NY Times, Feb 1, 2008)
The real estate industry, racing to beat strict new limits on campaign contributions, has been flooding New York City candidates with donations for the 2009 campaign.

Campaign Finance Board Chairman To Step Down (Daily Politics, Feb 1, 2008)

Treasurer For NY GOP Representatives In FBI Crosshairs (Daily Politics, Feb 1, 2008)

Vallone Resurrects Secession Proposal (NY Post, Jan 31, 2008)
Councilmember Peter Vallone has resurrected a proposal for the city to secede from New York state amid a push by city officials for a greater share of state-tax revenues. Vallone is proposing legislation to set up a committee to explore the issue in a bid to pressure the state Legislature to grant the city more autonomy and reduce the tax burden on its residents.

A Queens Conservative Wants to Be a Huckabee Delegate (City Room, Jan 31, 2008)
In a relatively liberal bastion of western Queens, Alice Lemos said that she has found it hard to find like-minded, socially conservative New Yorkers. She is running to be a delegate for Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor who is running for the Republican nomination for president.

City Election Officials Gear Up for Heavy Turnout (City Room, Jan 31, 2008)

Katz Gets Help from Industry Heavy Hitters (Real Deal, Jan 31, 2008)

Financing the Bronx Borough President Race (Politicker, Jan 29, 2008)

GOP Tries to Change Ballot (NY Times, Jan 28, 2008)

Mysteries of New York Democratic Delegates, Explained (City Room, Jan 28, 2008)

Running to Be Obama’s New York Delegates (City Room, Jan 28, 2008)

City Won't Change Ballot, State GOP Could Take Action (Associated Press, Jan 28, 2008)

Former Assemblyman Spends Old Campaign Funds as Lobbyist (NY Times, Jan 28, 2008)

Three-way for Yassky’s seat in Heights, Williamsburg (Brooklyn Papers, Jan 26, 2008)

A Five-for-All to Replace DeBlasio (Brooklyn Papers, Jan 26, 2008)

NY GOP Ballot Flap (Daily Politics, Jan 26, 2008)

State, City Board of Elections Clash Over Removals from Ballot (Politicker, Jan 25, 2008)

The Path to Super Tuesday (City Room, Jan 25, 2008)

Interview With State Senate Candidate Dan Squadron (The Albany Project, Jan 24, 2008)

Prominent Lawyer Is Fined by Ethics Board (City Room, Jan 23, 2008)

Spitzer's Double Duty Donors (Daily Politics, Jan 23, 2008)

What Next, After Court Ruling on Judicial Conventions? (Judicial Reports, Jan 23, 2008)

$25 Million Tab Expected for NYC Primary (Daily News, Jan 21, 2008)

Former Schumer Aide Challenges State Senator Martin Connor (Downtown Express, Jan 18, 2008)
A former aide to Sen. Chuck Schumer is taking on State Sen. Martin Connor in the September Democratic primary and has already raised over $200,000. Daniel Squadron, 28, now a political consultant with Knickerbocker SKD, announced his candidacy this week and said his early fundraising success is an indication his chances are good. Connor, who was first elected to the Downtown Manhattan-Brooklyn district 30 years ago, wasted no time criticizing his opponent, telling the Daily News Monday that “it’s nice he wants to get involved. But he’s a kid.”

Councilmember Is Penalized for Violating Finance Law (NY Times, Jan 18, 2008)

Marty Connor Raises a Lot Less Than His Challenger (Politicker, Jan 18, 2008)
Dan Squadron is 28 years old, has never held a public office, and has already raised $205,153.33 in his bid to challenge 30-year incumbent Marty Connor for a State Senate seat, according to the most recent campaign filings. Connor's numbers haven't been posted online yet, but sources say he's raised less than $5,000.

Councilman Suspects Politics in a Burglary (City Room, Jan 18, 2008)

US Supreme Court Unanimously Rejects Reformers (Judicial Reports, Jan 17, 2008)

Court Lets 'Party Boss' Law Stand, Reluctantly (Washington Post, Jan 17, 2008)

Supreme Court Rebuffs a Challenge to New York’s Way of Picking Its Judges (NY Times, Jan 17, 2008)

Ruling on Judges Reverberates Across Boroughs (City Room, Jan 17, 2008)

Lobbyists Have Pay $325,000 in Fines (NY Post, Jan 17, 2008)

Feds to Quiz Brooklyn Councilman Kendall Stewart About Aide's Charities (Daily News, Jan 17, 2008)

Voting Machine Plan Approved (NY Times, Jan 17, 2008)

Bloomberg Boosters Start 50-state Petition Drive (AM New York, Jan 16, 2008)

GOP Leader Picked as Director of City's Board of Elections (Daily News, Jan 16, 2008)

As Spitzer’s Popularity Fell, Donors Rallied to His Side (NY Times, Jan 16, 2008)

Mayoral Candidates Vie for ’09 Fund-Raising Lead (NY Times, Jan 15, 2008)

Thompson, Weiner Report Raising Millions for Mayoral Bids (NY Times, Jan 15, 2008)

Plan to Run GOP Candidates in Every District in Queens (City Hall, Jan 14, 2008)

Quinn Discusses “Changing the City Council and New York” (City Hall, Jan 14, 2008)

Optimism is High for Asian Political Potential in 2009 with Liu Running Citywide (City Hall, Jan 14, 2008)

The If and When Race for Manhattan District Attorney (City Hall, Jan 14, 2008)

Gotbaum Ready to End Political Career—Unless Bloomberg White House Bid Makes Her Mayor (City Hall, Jan 14, 2008)

New York's Place in This Year's Primaries (City Room, Jan 11, 2008)

Calls Grow for Bloomberg to Make Up His Mind (NY Times, Jan 11, 2008)

Bloomberg Is Deposed in Guns Case (NY Sun, Jan 11, 2008)

Yassky Supports FOILing of Press (Politicker, Jan 11, 2008)
David Yassky (jokingly?) suggests that reporters should be subject to Freedom of Information Law requests, just like elected officials. Why? Because it would be educational to the public.

Last-Minute Money Push, Enrollment Deadline (Daily Politics, Jan 11, 2008)
Tomorrow is the deadline for the accepting campaign contributions in this filing period, (reports are due Jan. 15 at the state Board of Elections), and a number of candidates are either holding events or making last-minute appeals for cash.

Bloomberg Collecting Data for Presidential Run (Associated Press, Jan 10, 2008)

Markowitz Mayoral Bid Could be Tough (Daily News, Jan 10, 2008)

More Jockeying Over City Clerk, Vote Postponed (Daily Politics, Jan 9, 2008)
Tomorrow's Council Rules Committee and subsequent full Council votes on the appointment of Bronx County Clerk Hector Diaz to the $174,399-a-year post of city clerk have been abruptly postponed, staving off a simmering battle between the Brooklyn delegation and Speaker Christine Quinn that had threatened to boil over in a very public way. Members of the Brooklyn delegation met last night to discuss how they would react to getting dissed by the speaker, who chose Diaz over Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Vito Lopez' pick for the clerk's post: Councilman Erik Martin Dilan.

DeBlasio Fundraiser Causes Racial Tensions (Daily Politics, Jan 9, 2008)
An invite by a supporter to the fundraiser read: "Councilman Bill DeBlasio has announced his candidacy for Brooklyn Borough President. At present, the only other person running for Brooklyn Borough President is Charles Barron, who has repeatedly proven to be antagonistic to the Jewish community. Councilman Bill DeBlasio has been a true friend to our community and to our causes both here and in Israel and has earned the community's united support." DeBlasio insisted he didn't sign off on the invite, nor does he condone the sentiment of his donor.

Hikind To Boycott DeBlasio Fundraiser (Daily Politics, Jan 9, 2008)
Assemblymember Dov Hikind will boycott a fundraiser hosted tonight for Councilman Bill DeBlasio's 2009 Brooklyn borough president bid by prominent Jewish campaign contributor and bundler, Rabbi Joseph Stamm, due to DeBlasio's failure to defend the host's characterization of Coucilmember Charles Barron as "antagonistic to the Jewish community."

Bloomberg Hits Oklahoma (NY Times, Jan 8, 2008)
He arrived here for what seemed like it could be a big moment. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, eyeing a third-party presidential bid, joined Republican and Democratic elders at a forum to denounce the extreme partisanship of Washington and plot how to influence the campaign.

NY Election Board to Submit Plan to Meet Voting Requirements (Associated Press, Jan 4, 2008)

New Brooklyn GOP Chair Looks to Turn Around Club (Courier-Life, Jan 4, 2008)
The new chairperson of the Kings County Republican Party is trying to reinvigorate the organization, with the goal of running viable candidates in future elections around the borough.

A Community Board Chair Denies Eyeing Council Seat (Queens Tribune, Jan 4, 2008)
Queens Community Board 13 Chairman Richard Hellenbrecht denied claims made recently by outgoing District Manager Sally Martino-Fisher that he is planning a run for City Council. “I’m not running,” he said, “I’m very happy doing what I’m doing.”

State May Loose Congressional Seats With Next Census (City Room, Dec 27, 2007)

Tools to Help Disabled Vote Are on Way (NY Times, Dec 23, 2007)

Judge Orders State To Install Electronic Voting Machines (NY 1, Dec 21, 2007)

In Race for Comptroller, Some Are Looking Ahead (NY Times, Dec 21, 2007)
Last week the Bronx borough president, Adolfo Carrión Jr., joined a field that is expected to include four members of the City Council and one assemblyman.

A Republican Crows in Brooklyn (City Room, Dec 21, 2007)

Challengers Target Hynes (Courier-Life, Dec 19, 2007)
The political bloody nose Kings County District Attorney Charles Hynes received last month after a headline-grabbing mob mole case imploded around him has a few of his former challengers wondering if they have a shot against him in 2009.

Bloomberg Aides Eye Political Consultants (NY Post, Dec 18, 2007)
Mayor Bloomberg's aides have been reaching out to consultants from his past campaigns about whether they are free for a possible 2008 White House bid - including one who helped make his slick mayoral TV spots, The Post has learned.

Interview With Catsimatidis (Real Deal, Dec 17, 2007)

Politicians Can Accept Free Tickets from Groups that Lobby (NY Sun, Dec 14, 2007)

Next Move by Stringer Could Decide Others’ Fate (City Room, Dec 14, 2007)

Carrión to Run for Comptroller in 2009 (City Room, Dec 14, 2007)

Race and Carrion's Decision (Politicker, Dec 14, 2007)

Brad Lander On His Run for City Council (Brownstoner, Dec 14, 2007)

Library's Fliers Criticized as Promoting Politicians (NY Sun, Dec 13, 2007)

Another Vallone Running for City Council (Queens Tribune, Dec 13, 2007)
Paul Vallone, son of former Council Speaker Peter Vallone, Sr., is running for City Council in the 19th District, which includes Bayside, Whitestone, College Point, Douglaston and Little Neck. Vallone registered with the Campaign Finance Board several weeks ago. Though the Vallone family has laid its roots in Astoria, Vallone is looking to make a name for himself in eastern Queens and create his own Vallone identity. “I’m my own Vallone,” he said, adding, “They know my father, my brother, my grandfather … and now they’ll know me.”

Campaigns Resist Returning Public Funds (Politicker, Dec 13, 2007)

Quinn’s Pin on LGBT Vote Questioned (City Hall, Dec 12, 2007)

The Latest From Betsy TV (Daily Politics, Dec 12, 2007)
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, who is eyeing a run for another citywide office in 2009 - perhaps mayor, perhaps comptroller - has released her latest Web video. This is the second video to hit the internet in just over two weeks.

A Council Candidate's Resolution to 'Ban Resolutions' (Politicker, Dec 12, 2007)
Former Stonewall Democratic Club President and City Council candidate Bob Zuckerman thinks the current City Council has spent a little too much time passing unneeded legislation. “I may introduce one resolution if I’m in the City Council, and that is to ban resolutions,” Zuckerman says.

GOP Leaders Welcome Sliwa’s Run for Public Advocate (City Hall, Dec 12, 2007)
Many in the party are eager to see him take an increasingly active role in the party, as when he delivered a fiery speech to the Brooklyn Young Republicans in November which he called “a declaration of war.” Club chair Bob Catano invited Sliwa to speak at their November monthly meeting. “I though Curtis would be an ideal speaker to express his views and his ideas to grow the Republican Party in Brooklyn and New York City,” Catano said. “And sure enough, he didn’t disappoint.”

Weiner Discusses Transportation (City Hall, Dec 12, 2007)

Political Speculation Surrounds Police Commissioner (Associated Press, Dec 9, 2007)

Council Candidate Petitioning to Make City Council Full-Time (Politicker, Dec 7, 2007)
Bob Zuckerman, past president of the Stonewall Democratic Club and prospective City Council candidate in Brooklyn’s 39th District, thinks the job of a Council member should be considered full-time. (It's currently part-time.) At a hearing yesterday, Zuckerman brought the issue up again and said he now has a web site, FullTimeCouncil.com.

A Fixture in Brooklyn Considers Staying Closer to Home (City Room, Dec 7, 2007)
Assemblymember Dov Hikind recently indicated that he is giving consideration to running for the City Council seat currently held by Councilmember Simcha Felder in Borough Park, Brooklyn. “A lot of people have been talking to me and pushing me to run for the City Council seat,” Mr. Hikind told CityRoom. “And I might just decide to run. I’ve been schlepping back and forth between Brooklyn and Albany for 25 years now, and it will be 27 years when the Council seat becomes available.” But Felder, Hikind’s onetime chief of staff and protégé who is planning to run for comptroller in 2009, has made it known that he wants to be succeeded by David Greenfield, executive vice president of the Sephardic Community Federation.

Weiner’s Vision of Healthier Days Ahead (City Room, Dec 7, 2007)

Weiner, Not Coy About '09 (Daily Politics, Dec 7, 2007)

Stephen Green on ’09 Mayor Race: Weiner or Thompson Will Win, Be Pro-Growth (The Real Estate, Dec 6, 2007)

Retiring Community Board Chair Reflects on Tenure, Council Run (Columbia Spectator, Dec 6, 2007)
At the end of the month, Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, the chair of Manhattan Community Board 9 in Harlem, will wrap up a chairmanship that followed Columbia’s Manhattanville expansion plan from its infancy, argued over the best ways to rezone 125th street, and revitalized the Harlem Piers, all amid hundreds of requests for sidewalk cafe licenses and street renamings. He is eyeing a run for Councilmember Robert Jackson's term-limited seat in 2009 as either an Independent or a Republican.

Cuomo Eschews Self Imposed Campaign Finance Limits (Politicker, Dec 6, 2007)

Current State Comptroller Calls for Publicly Financed Comtroller Elections (Daily Politics, Dec 6, 2007)

State Lawmaker Seeks to Reclaim Brooklyn Council Seat After Alleged Term-Limit Swap (Room 8, Dec 6, 2007)

Former Queens Council Members Weigh Comeback Bids (Queens Chronicle, Dec 6, 2007)

State Sen. Carl Kruger Paid for Protest at Coney Project Hearing (Daily News, Dec 5, 2007)

New Good-Government Tool (City Room, Dec 5, 2007)

Gennaro Raises Big Bucks For State Senate Run (Daily Politics, Dec 5, 2007)

Looking Back at Spitzer’s Rookie Year (New Yorker, Dec 4, 2007)

Brooklyn Council Candidate: No Insiders Here (Politicker, Dec 4, 2007)

The $105 Candidate (Daily Politics, Dec 4, 2007)

Bloomberg, Quinn Rift Possible Over Term Limits (NY Sun, Dec 4, 2007)

Former Marty Markowitz Aide Files Lawsuit Alleging Torment (Daily Politics, Dec 4, 2007)

Sears Also Running for Queens Borough President? (Politicker, Dec 3, 2007)

Comptroller Thompson Attends Fundraisers for Two Candidates in Same Race (Politicker, Dec 3, 2007)

Mayoral Candidate says Eminent Domain Will be Big Issue in '09 (Metro, Nov 30, 2007)
Queens Councilmember Tony Avella believes eminent domain abuse will be a big issue in the 2009 election. “We’re talking about three neighborhoods in three different boroughs,” said Avella, a mayoral candidate.

Fund-Raising Fever Runs High for 2009 (City Room, Nov 30, 2007)
These days, the best place to find someone who is bent on running for a city office in the 2009 election is at a fund-raising event - generally their own. On nearly any given evening in any one of the five boroughs, some politician or aspiring office holder is holding an event to raise money for their 2009 campaign.

Frank Seddio Open to Run For Council Seat (Courier-Life, Nov 30, 2007)
Political insiders have predicted that former Assembly Member and Surrogate Court Judge Frank Seddio will throw his hat in the ring to replace City Councilmember Lew Fidler in the 46th Council District, who is leaving because of term limits. Other possible candidates for the seat include Canarsie activists Mercedes Narcisse and Gardy Brazela, Fidler aide Bryan Lee, Millennium Development’s Paul Curiale and Tamara Grandoit, who ran against Fidler in the Democratic primary in 2005.

Race for Gerson's Council Seat Heats Up (Downtown Express, Nov 30, 2007)
Manhattan Councilmember Alan Gerson still has two years left in office but the candidates to replace him have begun to organize and are already turning to him for campaign advice.

Christine Quinn and the Prisms of LGBT Advocate and Mayoral Candidate (Village Voice, Nov 30, 2007)

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Has High Hopes for Change (Daily News, Nov 30, 2007)

Council Members Accept the Inevitability of Term Limits (NY Observer, Nov 29, 2007)

Could Bloomberg Get a Third Term? (NY Sun, Nov 29, 2007)
City Council members hoping to ease term limits could have an easier time winning popular support for the idea if they could use giving popular Mayor Michael Bloomberg another four years as a selling point.

Yassky Makes Comptroller Bid Official (Daily Politics, Nov 28, 2007)
Brooklyn Councilmember David Yassky officially announced his 2009 comptroller bid via an email to supporters and also unveiled a new campaign Web site.

Weprin: City Council May Still Tweak Term Limits (Politicker, Nov 28, 2007)
As the law stands, 36 of the 51 City Council members will be term-limited out of office in 2009, which explains the slew of council members who seem to be running for higher office. But not all the members have given up on changing that. Councilmember David Weprin elaborates on what is possible.

Yankee Stadium Gets a Walkway, Politician Gets a Big Donation (Village Voice, Nov 28, 2007)

Spitzer Rethinks His Strategy (NY Times, Nov 27, 2007)

GOP Ties for Democratic Comptroller Candidates (Daily Politics, Nov 26, 2007)

Last Call for Cash-Grubbing Pols (New York Magazine, Nov 26, 2007)

Lobbyists Scramble to Prevent Restrictions (Politicker, Nov 26, 2007)

Vallone Considering Run for Queens Borough President (City Room, Nov 21, 2007)

Poll Shows Drop in Police Commissioner Ray Kelly's Popularity (Daily News, Nov 20, 2007)

"Mayor Kelly" Buzz, Term-Limted Comebacks, Queens Borough President Race (NY Post, Nov 19, 2007)

Housing Advocate Brad Lander to Run for DeBlasio's Council Spot (New York Magazine, Nov 18, 2007)

At Least Six Mull Run for Brooklyn Councilmember Bill de Blasio's Council Seat (Courier-Life, Nov 18, 2007)

Curtis Sliwa Considering Run for Public Advocate (Daily News, Nov 16, 2007)
Curtis Sliwa, the former radio host and founder of the Guardian Angels, is thinking about running for Public Advocate in 2009. But he would do away with the position if elected. "My first day of office would be to tell everyone to pack up and go to the employment line because there is no more public advocate," he told the Brooklyn Young Republicans at a meeting in Bay Ridge.

Farrell Considers Life After the Assembly (City Room, Nov 16, 2007)
Herman D. Farrell Jr., the longtime Assembly memeber and head of the Manhattan Democratic Party, has made it more or less official that he is preparing to run for a City Council seat in 2009.

Fee Limits Options for Maker of Open Source Voting Machine (Village Voice, Nov 16, 2007)

Bloomberg's Fundraising Appearances (City Hall, Nov 15, 2007)

The Queens Republican Party in the Wake of Gallagher's Indictment (City Hall, Nov 15, 2007)

What Will Stringer Do in '09? (City Hall, Nov 15, 2007)
While Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer faces no real challenge to being reelected in 2009, observers are saying his best chance to move up may be that year.

Avella: First Out of the Gate in Mayor's Race (City Hall, Nov 15, 2007)
As a two-term Council member running for mayor in a potentially crowded Democratic field, Avella knows—and proudly acknowledges—that he is the dark horse candidate.

Weiner Talks Transportation (StreetsBlog, Nov 15, 2007)

Party Head is Board of Elections Candidate (NY Post, Nov 13, 2007)
Marcus Cederqvist, who runs the Manhattan Republican Party, is the leading candidate to replace John Ravitz as the city Board of Elections executive director, sources said

Obama Bill Gets Hearing (NY Sun, Nov 13, 2007)
After a month of delays and acrimony, the city council's Governmental Operations Committee will hold a hearing today to discuss Senator Obama's voting rights bill. A council resolution supporting the bill sparked conflict after the New York Post reported it had been buried by Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a Senator Clinton supporter. Councilman Charles Barron, who has endorsed Mr. Obama, called the speaker's conduct "outrageous" and "racist" yesterday.

Fined: Bilal, Luciano, Dickens (Politicker, Nov 9, 2007)

3 Elections, 3 Victories for Brooklyn Councilman (City Room, Nov 9, 2007)
This was widely forecast to be a hotly competitive election season for City Councilmember Mathieu Eugene. But Eugene was unopposed in the September primary, and he won Tuesday’s election against a little-known Republican with 90 percent of the vote. What happened?

Baldeo to Challenge Queens Sen. Serphin Maltese (Daily Politics, Nov 9, 2007)
Albert Baldeo, a little-known Democratic lawyer who surprised everyone by coming within 898 votes of toppling Queens Sen. Serphin Maltese with zero assistance from his party, has been given the back of the hand by Democratic leaders who would prefer to see Councilman Joe Addabbo run against the veteran Queens Republican next fall.

Farrell Starts Raising For '09 (Daily Politics, Nov 8, 2007)
Former State Democratic Chair/current Manhattan Democratic Chair and Assemblyman Herman "Denny" Farrell Jr. is having a $500-a-head fundraiser tomorrow night. This will be his first fundraiser for his new city committee are he prepares for his run for the Council seat now held by term-limited Councilman Robert Jackson.

2009 Mayoral Campaign Shaping Up (AM New York, Nov 8, 2007)
A round up of mayoral candidates.

Bloomberg: Election Day Holiday 'Is a Waste' (NY Sun, Nov 8, 2007)

Donovan Re-elected (Daily News, Nov 7, 2007)
Republican Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan beat back a Democratic challenger in the most hotly contested race in the five boroughs Tuesday. With no citywide candidates to lure New York's 3.8 million registered voters to the polls, Election Day turnout was expected to be extremely low - possibly even breaking a record for a general election.

Questioning the Holiday (NY Sun, Nov 7, 2007)
With so few races at stake yesterday, critics question why Election Day should be a day off.

Bloomberg’s Presidential Potential Returns (Newsweek, Nov 6, 2007)

Conservative Staten Island Borough President Endorses Democrat in District Attorney Race (Daily Politics, Nov 4, 2007)

Gioia on Giuliani and FDNY Radios (Albany Project, Nov 2, 2007)
A video clip of Councilmember Eric Gioia, a possible candidate for Public Advocate, stating that he'd like the authority to investigate how former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani handled the replacement and deployment of the Fire Department's radios.

On Staten Island, a Race Worth Watching (City Room, Nov 2, 2007)
The Hottest Race in Town easily goes to the battle for Staten Island district attorney. It is a hotly competitive one that pits the Republican incumbent, Daniel Donovan, against Michael Ryan, the Democratic candidate.

Another Billionaire Who Wants to Be a Mayor (NY Times, Nov 2, 2007)
"I'm pro-business and pro-people, I love New York, and Bloomberg has done such a good job that I don't want to take the chance of leaving it to some professional politician to be chief executive of this $53 billion corporation," Mr. Catsimatidis said. "New York is at a crossroads, and we could go backwards fast, back to the dirty streets, unsafe streets, without the right manager. Sometimes you've got to step out on the ledge and take a risk at something new; as an entrepreneur, that's what I did most of my life." He has budgeted up to $60 million to finance his trip to the ledge. His pet project is a New York World's Fair in 2014.

Former Yassky Aide To Seek Yassky's Seat (Daily Politics, Nov 1, 2007)
Evan Thies, Brooklyn Councilmember David Yassky's former aide, says he's running for Yassky's seat in 2009 when he is term-limited out.

Election Scam Machine (Judicial Reports, Oct 31, 2007)

City Bar Association: Robert Johnson, Noach Dear Unfit to Serve (Politicker, Oct 30, 2007)

Obama’s Time in New York City is Murky (NY Times, Oct 30, 2007)

Parsons Seen Departing, Without a Run (NY Sun, Oct 30, 2007)
The chief executive of Time Warner, Richard Parsons, is expected to announce his departure from the company as early as this week, but political strategists say it appears unlikely he will try to succeed Mayor Bloomberg at City Hall.

Brooklyn, 2009 (Room 8, Oct 29, 2007)

Bill de Blasio Announces Candidacy for Brooklyn Borough President (NY Times, Oct 29, 2007)

Crowded Field Vies for Fidler Seat (Courier-Life, Oct 26, 2007)
The City Council elections are still two years away, but there is already a lot of people looking at Lewis Fidler's soon to be vacated Brooklyn seat. The names mentioned are former Assembly member and Surrogate Court Judge Frank Seddio, "as well as Canarsie activists Mercedes Narcisse and Gardy Brazela, Fidler aide Bryan Lee, Millenium Development’s Paul Curiale and Tamara Grandoit, who ran against Fidler in the Democratic primary in 2005."

A Candidate's Suggestion to Council Incumbents: Quit Your Day Jobs (Politicker, Oct 26, 2007)
Bob Zuckerman, a past president of the Stonewall Democratic Club and prospective City Council candidate for Brownstone Brooklyn (Park Slope, Carroll Garden, Kensington, etc) has a proposal for his maybe-future colleagues: Quit your second jobs.

Stringer Faces the 2009 Question (Politicker, Oct 25, 2007)
Will Scott Stringer, the Manhattan Borough President look for higher office in 2009 when there are a number of open seats? Or will he wait until he is term limited, a time when there will be number of incumbents already in office?

Thompson Gives City Vocational Schools Failing Grade (NY 1, Oct 24, 2007)
At a speech to the Association for a Better New York, City Comptroller Bill Thompson "criticized the city for its waning support for career and technical education. He said vocational schools are more successful than other high schools in keeping students in class until Graduation Day. His office reports vocational schools lack funding, qualified teachers, and up-to-date equipment."

Feud Stalls State Agenda (NY Sun, Oct 23, 2007)

Assemblymember's Mailing Features Possible City Council Candidate (Politicker, Oct 22, 2007)
A recent taxpayer funded mailing from Brooklyn Assemblymember Dov Hikind featured a picture and caption with a possible candidate for City Council, Joe Lazar.

Staten Island Advance Films Editorial Board Meeting (Staten Island Advance, Oct 22, 2007)
The Staten Island Advance met with both candidates for in the race for District Attorney and filmed it. They posted an edited version online for the public.

Democratic State Lawmakers Raise the Issue of Prison Redistricting (Politicker, Oct 18, 2007)
In a salvo towards the Republicans, who control the State Senate, Democratic lawmakers held a press conference denouncing the fact that the Senate has several Republican districts solely because of their prison populations.

Avella Interview (Time Magazine, Oct 18, 2007)
Ton Avella, in the role of mayoral candidate, speaks to community groups about community planning in downtown Manhattan, the rules of the City Council, and the Department of Buildings.

Profile of Supreme Court Justice Gustin Reichbach (Judicial Reports, Oct 17, 2007)

Staten Island Parties Bank on District Attorney's Race (City Hall, Oct 17, 2007)

Race, Politics, and the 2009 Bronx Borough President's Race (City Hall, Oct 17, 2007)
A look at the three Latino candidates for the 2009 Bronx Borough President's seat and the possibility of a split vote in the Latino community.

Quinn Proposes Ad Restrictions (NY Sun, Oct 16, 2007)
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is proposing to restrict council members from taking out advertisements in newspapers and journals unless they are informational or educational.

Castimatidis Enrolls in GOP In Preparation for Mayoral Bid (NY Sun, Oct 12, 2007)
John Catsimatidis, who owns the Gristedes supermarket chain, has switched his party enrollment from Democrat to republican in advance of his expected bid for mayor in 2009. Castimatidis is following the lead of former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who both did the same thing.

Council To End Member Ad Buys (NY Sun, Oct 12, 2007)

Seabrook Allowed to Keep $20,000 in Election Funds (NY Post, Oct 12, 2007)

Quinn Calls for Fiscal Policy Changes (Crain's, Oct 11, 2007)

New York’s 2.2 Million Latinos Flex Their Political Muscles (AM New York, Oct 10, 2007)

Quinn Gets Campaign Cash From Red Hook Shipper (NY Post, Oct 8, 2007)
Council Speaker Christine Quinn pocketed $17,500 in campaign donations traced to the operator of Brooklyn's only working dock, records show - just three months before she jumped on board its bid to stop the city from converting the ports to a cruise-ship destination.

Bloomberg’s Presidential Support Ebbs (NY Times, Oct 7, 2007)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s defection from the Republican Party in June seemed to confirm what many people had long suspected: that despite his protestations to the contrary, the mayor was serious about running for president and was taking steps to mount an independent bid.

2007 Primary Campaign Finance Filings (Daily Politics, Oct 5, 2007)
The post-primary finance filings for the Brooklyn judicial primaries show that Civil Court candidate Noach Dear spent more than both candidates in the larger Surrogate's Court race combined with $175,614. $60,587 of that was spent right before the primary.

3 Say Bloomberg Keeps Hand in Company (NY Times, Oct 4, 2007)

Surrogate's Race by Assembly District (Daily Politics, Oct 4, 2007)

2009 Mayoral Candidates on Spitzer License Proposal (Politicker, Oct 4, 2007)
Quinn and Thompson support it, and so does Markowitz, as long as there is no loopholes "opened to our nation's real enemies." Weiner didn't respond and Castimatidis is opposed. Carrion apparently thinks it should be the fed's role to handle this issue.

Justices Seem to Support How New York State Selects Judges (NY Times, Oct 4, 2007)

Oral Arguments to the Supreme Court (, Oct 4, 2007)
A transcript of the oral arguments before the Supreme Court over Judicial Selection of Supreme Court judges in the state.

High Court Unfazed by NY Judge Bazaar (Judicial Reports, Oct 4, 2007)

NY at Forefront of States Looking at how they Elect Their Judges (CNN.com, Oct 4, 2007)

Bloomberg Rated as Far Right on Foreign Trade (Forbes, Oct 2, 2007)
Forbes magazine rates Mayor Michael Bloomberg's political leanings.

Nearly Half of City's Sitting Supreme Court Jurists Are Appointed (Judicial Reports, Oct 2, 2007)
To satisfy the demands of the Supreme Court's workload, state’s chief administrative judge appoints temporary acting jurists, many of whom serve for long periods of time. 13 acting judges in the city have served since the 80's.

New Rules for Brooklyn Democratic Party Judicial Screening Panel (Daily Politics, Sep 28, 2007)

Brooklyn Councilman Tosses Hat Into Ring for Comptroller’s Job (City Room, Sep 27, 2007)

Bloomberg Gets Presidential, Again? (Daily News, Sep 25, 2007)
An hour before meeting President Bush yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg shamelessly flirted with the idea of taking his job.

City Elections Chief Is Stepping Down (City Room, Sep 25, 2007)

‘Not Approved,’ but Noach Dear Is Victorious (City Room, Sep 21, 2007)
Does Dear's victory mean safety for Kevin Parker's State Senate seat now that Dear has a comfortable job and won't challenge him? City Councilmember Kendall Stewart, who's also eyeing Parker's seat, thinks it puts Parker in danger.

Eminent Domain Opposed for New Subway Opposed by Catsimatidis (NY Sun, Sep 21, 2007)
Mayoral hopeful John Catsimatidis, who owns the Gristedes supermarket chain, may fight the state's attempt to condemn part of his supermarket on East 86th Street to make way for the Second Avenue subway line.

Judge’s Loss Looms Large for Party Chief (NY Times, Sep 20, 2007)

Watchdogs Want to Block Touch-Screen Voting (City Room, Sep 20, 2007)

Johnson Wins Surrogate Primary (NY Times, Sep 19, 2007)
Diana Johnson, a State Supreme Court justice, won the Democratic nomination for a Surrogate’s Court judgeship in Brooklyn yesterday following a hard-fought race on an otherwise sleepy primary day.

Turnout for Primary Very Light (, Sep 19, 2007)
With no citywide races, no big contests and no big-name candidates, many New Yorkers did not even know there was a primary yesterday and even fewer voted.

Possible Mayoral Candidates Spill Finances (NY Sun, Sep 18, 2007)
While most New Yorkers have long known that Mayor Bloomberg is worth billions of dollars, the finances of his potential successors are now coming under the microscope as the 2009 mayoral race gets closer.

Democrats Clash in Brooklyn as Surrogate Judge Race Heats Up (NY Times, Sep 17, 2007)

Dear Refusing to Talk to the Press (WCBS, Sep 17, 2007)

Two Judicial Elections Have Candidates Where Neither Rated as Qualified (Judicial Reports, Sep 15, 2007)
The state court system's screening panel has rated all the candidates in two contested elections as unqualified, without explaining why. This article serves at once as a run down of three contested judicial elections in Brooklyn, as well as critique of the state panel rating those candidates.

Civil Court Candidate and Current Taxi Commissioner Raises Money From Taxi Industry (Politicker, Sep 15, 2007)

Consultant: Brooklyn Democrats Support Dear in 07 So He Wont Run in 08 (City Hall, Sep 14, 2007)

A Portrait of Civil Court Candidate Noach Dear (City Room, Sep 13, 2007)
Former councilmember and perennial candidate Noach Dear has not said anything in his campaign for the bench. That has left his portrait to be colored his critics in this piece. “As far as we have been able to determine in doing a lot of research, there is no record of his ever having actually practiced law anywhere,” his opponent says.

Court Ruling in Independence Party Squabble (Daily Politics, Sep 13, 2007)
A new court ruling revokes the county committee's power to put an non party member on the ballot for local races, but allows the to do so for city-wide ones. The ruling comes from a struggle between the city and state factions of the party.

Gay Rights Group Criticizes Marty Markowitz For Endorsement (Brooklyn Papers, Sep 13, 2007)
A gay rights group normally supportive of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has sent out mailings urging the president to withdraw his endorsement of Civil Court candidate Noach Dear. The group calls Dear homophobic.

Former Council Members Eye Old Seats (NY Sun, Sep 11, 2007)
A host of former City Council members may be considering running for their old seats — and running an end-around the spirit of the city's term limits, critics say.

Even in a Low-Profile Year, Preparing for Election Day (NY Times, Sep 10, 2007)
At a cost of $1.2 million, the New York City Board of Elections mailed out orange notices last week to the city’s 3.8 million registered voters, notifying them about the primary on Sept. 18 and the general election on Nov. 6.

State Lobbying Commission Takes Note of Flights Given to Bruno (NY Times, Sep 7, 2007)

A Critical Look a Civil Court Candidate (Village Voice, Sep 6, 2007)

Bloomberg’s CEO Fate if President (NY Sun, Sep 5, 2007)
Would Mayor Bloomberg be pressured to relinquish his majority stake in his lucrative and beloved financial services company if he were to become the country's commander in chief?

Sentence Imposed for Norman (Associated Press, Aug 31, 2007)

Hevesi Consultant Also Being Investigated (NY Post, Aug 29, 2007)

Brooklyn Surrogate Primary Is On (Daily Politics, Aug 24, 2007)

City Council Member Kendall Stewart to Challenge Brooklyn State Senator Kevin Parker (City Room, Aug 23, 2007)
State Senator Kevin Parker is about to face another heated re-election challenge from City Councilman Kendall Stewart. The councilman has charged that Mr. Parker is an ineffective public official with an anger management problem.

Fulani Wing of NY Independence Party Defeats State Officers in Court (Ballot Access News, Aug 23, 2007)
The New York Supreme Court in Brooklyn ruled in favor of the Fulani wing of the New York Independence Party, and against the party’s statewide officers. The issue is whether the state committee of the Independence Party could deprive some duly constituted county units of the party from controlling who runs in the party’s primary. The state party had passed a bylaw saying that upstate counties could continue to enjoy that right, but that the New York city units of the party could not. The court ruled that the state party bylaw conflicts with the state election code.

New Campaign Finance Law's Impact on Election Lawyers (NY Sun, Aug 16, 2007)

Six City Political Candidates Fined for Fraud (, Aug 10, 2007)

City Lawmaker Faces Fraud Penalty (, Aug 9, 2007)

Council Member Gennaro Fined $2,000 for Ethics Violation (NY Sun, Aug 1, 2007)
The New York City Conflicts of Interest Board has fined City Council Member James Gennaro of Queens $2,000 because he asked an aide to volunteer for his 2003 re-election campaign and used his office computer, printer, and paper for his reelection campaign, the board said yesterday.

Contributions Pour in for 2009 (NY Post, Jul 27, 2007)
Fundraising for the next mayor's race and other city election contests in 2009 has already hit $16 million, more than double the amount collected at the same period eight years ago, according to a report released yesterday.

City Politicians Raising Funds for 2009 (Daily News, Jul 17, 2007)

Weiner Makes Most Mayoral Funds (NY Sun, Jul 12, 2007)
Rep. Anthony Weiner, who started as an underdog in the 2005 Democratic mayoral primary, but led a come-from-behind campaign that nearly won him the nomination, is now leading the fund-raising race for the 2009 election.

Bloomberg May Be Independent Now, But He Gave Big Boost to GOP (Village Voice, Jul 6, 2007)

Aides Tout Mayor (NY Sun, Jul 5, 2007)
Aides to Mayor Bloomberg gathered the press spokesmen for all of the city's agencies together earlier this year and told them to emphasize the mayor's independence, accountability, and other qualities that at least one source in attendance characterized as "presidential."

Labor and Affordable Housing Providers Exempt from Campaign Finance Laws (NY Sun, Jun 29, 2007)

Rudy: No hard feelings for Bloomberg (Newsday, Jun 21, 2007)

City Hall to Debate Campaign Finance Bill (NY Sun, Jun 12, 2007)
A bill to revamp the city's campaign finance system, which has incurred some opposition because it does not restrict donations from unions, will be debated today at a hearing at City Hall.

City Hall Lobbyists Rack Up Record Profits (NY Post, Jun 8, 2007)

Bloomberg Defends Campaign Finance Bill (NY Sun, Jun 7, 2007)
A bill that would revamp the city's campaign finance system would be better if it restricted donations from unions, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said yesterday.

New Limits on Campaign Money Proposed (NY Times, Jun 6, 2007)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City Council leaders have agreed on a major overhaul of the city’s campaign finance laws intended to enhance the power of small donors and reduce the influence of those who do business with the city, including real estate developers. The legislation, which appears all but certain to pass the council, would sharply cap contributions from lobbyists, developers and municipal bond underwriters, as well as most of those with city contracts of $100,000 or more.

Council To Weigh Cap On Political Donations (NY Sun, Jun 5, 2007)
Legislation that would cap the amount of money that those who do business with the city can donate to political candidates will be introduced to the City Council today.

Term Limits Prompt Electoral Scramble (NY Post, May 14, 2007)
Thirty-four City Council members, term-limited in 2009, are already vying for offices that will be vacant, such as the comptroller, public advocate and some borough presidents, while others hope to kick current lawmakers out of office.

Governor Spitzer Derails Legislators Plan To Give Themselves Pay Raises (NY Post, May 1, 2007)

State Lawmakers Plan to Give Themselves Pay Raise (NY Post, Apr 27, 2007)

State Senate Leader Supports Term Limits for Albany (Daily News, Apr 18, 2007)

Former Brooklyn Democratic Party Leader Sentenced (Daily News, Apr 17, 2007)

After Office, Mayor Plans to Monitor Other Elected Officials (NY Sun, Apr 10, 2007)

Can Rudy Stay Rudy? (New York Magazine, Apr 10, 2007)

Questions of Residency in City Council Special Election (Daily News, Apr 10, 2007)
A rival candidate charged yesterday that Mathieu Eugene is ineligible to run in a second special election for a vacant City Council seat from Brooklyn. Eugene had won a special election Feb. 20, but then refused to cooperate in a process to determine if he met residency requirements. A second special election is now set for April 24.

Bloomberg Can Wait a Year to Decide Whether to Run for President (NY Sun, Mar 30, 2007)

Two Special Elections in Staten Island (Gotham Gazette, Mar 27, 2007)

State Lobbyists Spent A Record $151 Million; Third Highest, Forest City Ratner, Developers Of Atlantic Yards (Metro, Mar 20, 2007)

Council Candidates Could Face Yearlong Residency Minimum (NY Sun, Mar 13, 2007)
City Council member from Queens, Tony Avella, is planning to introduce a bill requiring future council candidates to live in the district they are seeking to represent for at least one year prior to Election Day. He said the legislation is designed to prevent a repeat of the special election blunder in Brooklyn's District 40.

Congressman Rangel Labels Governor Spitzer (NY Post, Mar 9, 2007)

Seeking Missing Funds, Investigators Raid Board of Elections Offices (NY Post, Mar 2, 2007)

Council to Investigate Residency Issue (Daily News, Mar 2, 2007)
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said yesterday that Mathieu Eugene, who recently won a special election for City Council, will have to prove to the council that he did indeed live in the district on the day he was elected – February 20. Quinn said her action was based on a legal opinion from State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

Can Rudy Giuliani Ride 9/11 All The Way To The White House? (New York Magazine, Feb 27, 2007)

Council Delays Seating New Members (NY Sun, Feb 23, 2007)
The City Council's two newly elected members have not taken office as scheduled due to questions about whether a winning candidate from Brooklyn, Mathieu Eugene, can be sworn in if he does not reside in the district he was elected to represent.

Stopping "Pay To Play" (Campaign Contributions In Exchange For Contracts) In The Works, But Not Easy (Metro, Feb 20, 2007)

Effort To End Pay To Play (New York Magazine, Feb 20, 2007)

Ethics Bill Lets State Legislators Keep Policing Themselves: No Lawmakers Have Been Punished For Receiving Illegal Gifts (NY Times, Feb 20, 2007)

Governor Spitzer Stays On Attack Against Legislature Over Comptroller Selection (NY Times, Feb 13, 2007)

Giuliani, Ahead In The Polls, Giving (Time Magazine, Feb 9, 2007)

Legislator Said Set To Defy Spitzer And Pick Assemblyman DiNapoli for Comptroller (NY Post, Feb 6, 2007)

Reform Groups Express Disappointment In Spitzer Relationship With Donor (New York Magazine, Feb 6, 2007)

Road To Brooklyn Judgeship Paved With Pay-Offs And Quid Pro Quos, Claims Ex-Judge's Ex-Wife (Daily News, Jan 23, 2007)

Denver Pick For 2008 Dem Convention; Bloomberg Seems Relieved (NY Sun, Jan 12, 2007)

A Day With Congressman Charles Rangel, Now (New York Magazine, Jan 9, 2007)

Council Wants to Change Primary Day So It Won (NY Post, Jan 4, 2007)
The City Council wants to change the date of this year's primary elections because it falls on Tuesday, Sept. 11. Brooklyn Councilmember Lewis Fidler introduced a widely supported resolution yesterday asking the state Legislature to move the elections so New Yorkers can mourn and remember.

Hillary, Rudy, Mike and George -- Four New Yorkers As Presidential Candidates Possibly Reflecting "A Change In The National Temperature" (Washington Post, Dec 28, 2006)

Push For Delay In Atlantic Yards Vote (NY Sun, Dec 19, 2006)

State Senator's Indictment Draws Attention to Member Items (NY Sun, Dec 14, 2006)

U.S. Attorney Promises To Investigate Albany (NY Post, Dec 12, 2006)

On Hevesi: Odds May Favor His Survival As Comptroller -- Unless He's Criminally Indicted (New York Magazine, Dec 12, 2006)

Campaign Finance Board Pushing Plan To Pay More To Candidates Whose Rivals Avoid Debates (NY Sun, Dec 8, 2006)

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn Given Mixed Grade On Reform By Good-Government Groups (NY Sun, Dec 5, 2006)

Bloomberg Rips Board of Elections over Voting Machines (Daily News, Nov 16, 2006)
Mayor Bloomberg ripped the state Board of Elections yesterday, calling it a "study in inertia" for repeatedly delaying the approval of new voting machines.

How the Democrats Fumbled the Elections for State Senate (Village Voice, Nov 15, 2006)

At Crowded Hearing, Council Members Discuss Giving Themselves Raises (NY Sun, Nov 9, 2006)
On a rainy day dominated by talk of blockbuster election results and the resignation of President Bush's defense secretary, a public hearing was held on the idea of a $22,500 pay hike for City Council members.

Spitzer (NY Times, Oct 26, 2006)

Salary Increases Up To 27 Percent For City Officials Recommended By Mayoral Commission (Daily News, Oct 24, 2006)
Big raises urged for officials & Council BY MICHAEL SAUL DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF Elected officials across the city deserve salary hikes ranging from 10% to nearly 27% following seven years of no raises, a mayoral commission recommended yesterday. The commission recommended the following salaries: $225,000 for mayor (a $30,000 raise - 15.4%) $185,000 for controller (a $25,000 raise - 15.6%) $165,000 for public advocate (a $15,000 raise - 10%) $190,000 for district attorney (a $40,000 raise - 26.7%) $160,000 for borough president (a $25,000 raise - 18.5%) $112,500 for City Council member (a $22,500 raise - 25%). Mayor Bloomberg, a billionaire who accepts a token $1 annual salary, endorsed the panel's recommendations in a letter yesterday to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. The Council plans to introduce legislation tomorrow on the issue and is expected to vote on it by year's end.

18 Lobbyists Per NY Lawmaker, Highest Ratio In Nation (NY Post, Oct 13, 2006)

New Yorkers Want Council Term Limits, Secret Poll Shows (NY Sun, Sep 28, 2006)
A secret poll commissioned by the City Council speaker as part of an effort to explore overturning term limits on council members indicates that the politicians will have an uphill battle to hold on to their jobs.

Governor Pataki Making Hundreds Of Last-Minute Appointments (In Transportation, Economic Development, Etc.) That Will Last Way Beyond His Term (NY Times, Sep 15, 2006)

Lever Voting Machines On Their Way Out (Metro, Sep 13, 2006)

City Lawyer Says Voters Shouldn't Decide on Class Sizes (, Sep 7, 2006)

Campaign Finance Board Calls for New Restrictions on Political Contributions (NY Sun, Sep 6, 2006)

Race, Money Collide in Bitter Brooklyn Congressional Race (Village Voice, Sep 6, 2006)

Politicians Go on Parade in Brooklyn, and Some Come Under Fire (NY Times, Sep 5, 2006)

City Council Passes Bouncer Control Act, And Bills About Queens Rezoning, Bankruptcy and Credit Counseling, And Voting Machines (Gotham Gazette, Aug 18, 2006)

Pataki Outlines National Energy Plan, Reducing Oil Consumption By One-Fourth, But Opposing An Increase In Federal Gas Tax (NY Times, Aug 8, 2006)

Rich Evade Donation Limits To Candidates For Governor, Attorney General, Etc. (NY Times, Aug 4, 2006)
As a candidate for governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer is barred from taking more than $50,100 from any single donor. But that has not stopped wealthy donors from legally circumventing these state contribution limits to shower six-figure donations on the Spitzer campaign. Their technique? Using limited liability corporations as a vehicle to give well above the maximum the state allows. In fact, this year’s statewide political campaigns are awash with donations from L.L.C.’s, which are business entities that can be set up for as little as a couple of hundred dollars and provide special tax benefits and limits on financial liability. Six of the eight major-party candidates for governor or attorney general have taken donations from individuals who have contributed the maximum and then donated further through L.L.C.’s.

Bloomberg's Campaign Spending (Daily News, Jul 1, 2006)
According to the final Bloomberg for Mayor 2005 campaign finance report, released Friday, billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg personally spent $85,101,068 - or $113 per vote -- on his successful re-election campaign last year.

Head of Campaign Finance Board to Step Down (Daily News, May 31, 2006)

Council Set to Pass Lobbying Bill, But Critics See a Loophole (NY Times, May 24, 2006)

Despite Anti-Gun Position, Bloomberg Gives Money To Pro-Gun Candidates (NY Times, May 14, 2006)
when it comes to controlling the gun trade, an issue Mr. Bloomberg has pushed to the top of the city's legislative agenda, he has not been following his own advice. An analysis of Federal Election Commission filings shows that in recent years he has mostly opened his overstuffed checkbook for pro-gun candidates, often contributing the maximum permitted by campaign finance rules.

State Senator John Marchi, In Office 50 Years, Announces His Retirement (Staten Island Advance, Apr 11, 2006)

Voting Rights Urged for Legal Workers (Daily News, Apr 6, 2006)
Documented immigrants who live in the city for at least six months would be allowed to vote in municipal elections under a bill introduced yesterday in the City Council.

Many Politicians Face Campaign Finance Board Fines (Queens Tribune, Mar 29, 2006)

Meet the Ruler of Spendalot (Daily News, Mar 12, 2006)
Mayor Bloomberg donned a crown and chain-mail suit to poke fun at himself as part of the Inner Circle dinner last night. The annual sendup of the mayor by the City Hall press corps featured the cast of the hit Broadway musical "Spamalot" and offered a sarcastic take on last year's $80-million-plus mayoral campaign.

Mayor Knew of Investigation of Labor Leader (NY Times, Mar 4, 2006)
City officials acknowledged yesterday that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg knew of an inquiry involving Brian M. McLaughlin, a labor leader [president of the New York City Central Labor Council, which represents 400 union locals] whose group gave important backing to the mayor's re-election campaign and vigorously supported the mayor's West Side stadium plan. The officials said Mr. Bloomberg had learned early in his first term that Mr. McLaughlin and several electrical contractors were being investigated as part of an alleged scheme to rig bids for millions of dollars worth of city streetlight contracts.

Lobbying Firm Benefits from Ties to Queens Democrats, Council Leaders (Village Voice, Mar 1, 2006)

Albany Split Over A Plan To Pick Judges (NY Times, Feb 28, 2006)
A federal court in Brooklyn found last month that the current system of picking State Supreme Court justices was unconstitutional because party bosses wield far too much power in deciding who gets to run in general elections. That forced the Legislature to grapple with replacing the current system. But finding a fair way to select judges, who are among the most powerful but least known of elected officials, is anything but easy. Calls for more democratic judicial elections are countered by concerns that big-money politics could corrupt the system. Calls for judicial appointments are countered by concerns that cronyism could taint the bench.

Bloomberg Trying to Woo Both GOP and Democratic Conventions (Daily News, Feb 16, 2006)
New York is in the running for another Grand Ol' Party for national Republicans in 2008 - and one for Democrats, too. The Big Apple, which hosted the 2004 Republican National Convention, is getting a crack at a repeat performance, as one of 31 cities invited to submit bids, officials said yesterday.

Quinn's Committee Assignments (Village Voice, Jan 25, 2006)
The committee assignments announced by new City Council Speaker Christine Quinn last week revealed Quinn as more the steely-eyed politician who whipped six challengers for her post than the former housing activist who once wrestled with City Hall bureaucrats.

Albany Late Again and Facing Suit (NY Times, Jan 12, 2006)

Council Members Begin Fundraising (NY Sun, Jan 9, 2006)
Less than two weeks into new four-year terms, a number of city office holders are starting to raise money for future races. Many of these candidates are term-limited and hope to seek higher office.

Christine Quinn Set To Be New Speaker Of The City Council (NY Times, Jan 3, 2006)
City Councilwoman Christine C. Quinn's candidacy for Council speaker received the support of the powerful Democratic organizations in Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn yesterday, all but ensuring that she gets the job. While the speaker will not be officially chosen until tomorrow, by a majority vote of the 51-member Council, Ms. Quinn had enough votes last night to make the election a formality, Council members and Democratic leaders said.

Brooklyn Assemblywoman Investigated For Misuse of Campaign Funds (Daily News, Dec 19, 2005)

Norman Convicted Again -- This Time For Larceny (NY Sun, Dec 16, 2005)

Bloomberg To Allow Unions To Increase Campaign Giving (NY Sun, Dec 15, 2005)

Billionaire (And Former Stock Exchange Board Member) Ken Langone's Campaign Against Gubernatorial Candidate Eliot Spitzer (New York Magazine, Dec 13, 2005)

Ferrer Campaign Still Faces Debt (, Dec 11, 2005)
Fernando Ferrer still owes $488,149 in campaign bills from his failed bid for mayor - with the biggest chunk owed to former Bronx political boss Roberto Ramirez and his consulting firm. But Ferrer is still eligible for matching funds so he could retire all $488,149 in debt by raising less than $70,000 before December 31.

Miller to Council: Put Term Limit Change to Voters (, Dec 9, 2005)
With his own days in office numbered by term limits, City Council Speaker Gifford Miller still advised his colleagues yesterday: Don't try to ditch the curbs on your own.

City Council Hopes To Change Term Limits Law, Without Public Input (NY Times, Dec 4, 2005)
Twelve years after New York City voters adopted term limits for many of their local officials, the City Council is poised to allow its members to serve one more term, - without asking voters how they feel about changing the term limits law. A majority of the Council supports a change that would allow the members to serve another four-year term in of