Gov. Andrew Cuomo has turned his attention to repairing his relationship with liberals as the legislative session nears its end. Cuomo stands to see his lead over Republican gubernatorial challenger Rob Astorino significantly impacted if The Working Families Party (WFP) backs their own candidate to the left of Cuomo. The governor does not seem to be in jeopardy of losing his reelection bid, but he surely wants to secure an impressive victory. To that end Cuomo is focused on delivering a deal on campaign finance reform before the mid-June end of the session. Reform-minded Democrats and advocates want to see an expanded public campaign financing system from the pilot program included in the state budget agreement that only includes this year's comptroller race. Backroom negotiations over the issue are expected to heat up starting today, Monday, and play out over the next few weeks before the WFP's May 31 convention.
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Get ready for the week with our latest installment of The Week Ahead. Our preview includes the president's visit to New York, the City Council dealing with its latest corruption scandal, and much, much more.
ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
Cornegy on Police-Community Relations [video]
In a video interview, Council Member Robert Cornegy Jr. discusses his perspective on the NYPD's new commissioner and police-community relations.
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Documents Reveal Moreland Targeted Questionable Campaign Spending(City & State )
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New York City Council Member Ruben Wills, who represents parts of Southeast Queens, was indicted Wednesday for a dozen crimes, including fraud and grand larceny charges. He is accused of going on a shopping spree with state money meant to be used for starting an anti-obesity non-profit. He's also being charged with the creation of a shell company and using it to claim campaign finance expenditures. In total, he's accused of stealing about $30,500 in government funds. Wills hasn't entered a plea, but he denied the charges. He also didn't resign, but gave up chairmanship of a subcommittee on drug abuse and was barred from distributing Council funds to his district. The council member was arrested by a “joint task force” between the offices of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. He faces a maximum of seven years in prison on the most serious charge, grand larceny. Opponents of public financing used the arrest to bolster their stance, since some of the money in question included public matching funds.
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A correction:
New York's Uncovered Crisis
In our Wednesday Eye-Opener we mischaracterized the theme of an op-ed by JobsFirstNYC's Louis Miceli. Miceli argues that instead of helping young adults to qualify for decent jobs, the State of New York compels them to compete for a worthless certificate. Read Miceli’s piece: New York's Uncovered Crisis
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Former Assemblymember Gets Lightened Sentence (Daily News)
Cuomo Maybe Beyond Federal Prosecutors' Reach on Moreland (Crain's)
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The Benefits of Obama's Tax Plan for Low-Wage New Yorkers (Capital)
City Opens Traffic Crash Data - Finally (WNYC)
Feds Want $60 Million in Medicaid Reimbursements Back (NY Post)
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Most Radioactive Place in City Is a Queens Garage (The New Yorker)
The Hudson Yards: A 'Quantified Community' (Engadget)
>«US Congress: NY-11 | Races to Watch» |
Stretching across northern Manhattan and into the Bronx, New York's 13th U.S. Congressional District is one of the poorest in the nation. In the district, one quarter of households remain in poverty, according to the Urban Justice Center. Socioeconomic and ethnic demographics are likely to again play key roles in the outcome.
The Democratic primary election featured a rematch of the top two finishers from the 2012 contest, and a repeat in which long-time incumbent Congressman Charles Rangel narrowly defeated New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat. Joining the primary race this year were Michael Walrond, Senior Pastor at First Corinthian Baptist Church, and Yolanda Garcia, Bronx community activist. Archived profiles of the primary contenders can be found below.
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Photo Currently Unavailable |
Photo Currently Unavailable |
Charlie Rangel (D) |
Kenneth Schaeffer (WF) |
Daniel Vila Rivera (G) |
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Charlie Rangel |
Campaign Website Twitter - Campaign Twitter - Individual |
Currently: United States Representative for New York's 13th Congressional District (1970-present)
Previous Work: Attorney; United States Army 1948-1952; New York State Assemblyman, 1967-70.
Education: B.S., NYU School of Commerce, 1957; L.L.B., St. John's University School of Law, 1960.
Organizations: CSA, 1199/SEIU, all three AFSCME - affiliated unions DC 37, DC 1707 and CSEA, Teamsters Local 237, Uniformed Fire Officers Association, New York State Association of Letter Carriers, Plumbers Union, Local 1 and many clubs throughout Manhattan and the Bronx, including the William Jefferson Clinton Democrats, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Three Parks Independent Democrats, Broadway Democrats, Tioga Carver Democrats, Frederick E. Samuel Democratic Club and West Harlem Progressive Democrats, The Amsterdam News, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Amsterdam News, The Daily News.
Individuals: Governor Andrew Cuomo, President Clinton, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Congresswoman Pelosi, Congressman Jerry Nadler, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Congressman Greg Meeks, Congressman Joe Crowley, Congresswoman Grace Meng, Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, Assemblymember Keith Wright, Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell, former Assemblymember (and 2010 opponent) Adam Clayton Powell IV, Councilmember Inez Dickens, former Councilmember Robert Jackson, NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Congressman John Lewis, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Donald Payne Jr., Congressman Al Green, Congressman Steve Israel, State Senator Bill Perkins, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, former Manhattan Borough President Virginia Fields, 2012 opponent Clyde Williams.
Charlie Rangel currently serves as United States Representative for New York's 13th Congressional District, since 1970.
US Congress Committee Assignments: House Committee on Ways and Means; Subcommittee on Trade (Ranking Member); Joint Committee on Taxation.
US Congress Caucuses: Congressional Black Caucus (Founding Member); Out-of-Iraq Caucus (Founding Member); Army Caucus; African Trade and Investment Caucus (Co-Chair); Progressive Caucus; Bipartisan Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus; Africa Partnership for Economic Growth Caucus; 21st Century Health Care Caucus; Afterschool Caucus; Bicameral Caucus on Parkinson's Disease; Bipartisan Taskforce on Alzheimer's Disease; Arts Caucus; Boating Caucus; Caribbean Caucus; Caucus for Women's Issues; Caucus on Armenian Issues; Caucus on Community Health Centers; Caucus on Hellenic issues; Caucus on India and Indian Americans; Coalition on Adoption; Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus; Fire Services Caucus; Human Rights Caucus; Kidney Caucus; Labor and Working Families Caucus; Real Estate Caucus; Refugee Caucus; Cancer Action Caucus; Navy/Marine Corps Caucus; Rural Housing Caucus.
Censure and Appeal: In 2010, following a House ethics trial, Rangel was censured by the U.S. Congress for the ethics violation of not disclosing rental income. He is currently appealing to overturn the censure, on the grounds that it violated his due process rights.
* Photo from Rangel's U.S. Congress site
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Adriano Espaillat (D, WF) |
Yolanda Garcia (D) |
Michael Walrond (D) |
Adriano Espaillat (D) |
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Campaign Website Facebook - Campaign Facebook - Individual |
Currently: New York State Senator for the 31st Senate District (2010-present)
Previous Work: New York State Assembly (D, WF – 72nd District) 1997-2010; Project Right Start (Director) 1994-1996; Washington Heights Victims Services Community Office (Director) 1992-1994; Community Planning Board 12 (Executive board member); 34th Precinct Community Council (President); Minority Program Development Chair (State Senate); New York County Democratic Committee (District Leader 72A)
Education: B.S. Political Science, Queens College, 1978; Graduate Degree in Public Administration, NYU
Organizations: Working Families Party (WFP), Communications Workers of America District 1 (CWA), Hotel and Motel Trades Council (HTC), United Federation of Teachers (UFT), District Council 9 IUPAT (DC 9), Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), Transport Workers Union Local 100 (TWU) and the Laundry & Distribution workers affiliate of Workers United SEIU (Workers United), the Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan, Democratic Club of El Barrio & East Harlem, Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, Gay & Lesbian Independent Democrats, El Diario La Prensa, New York Times.
Individuals: New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson, former New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Bronx County Democratic Party Chair and Assemblymember Carl E. Heastie (AD -83); Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.; Senators Brad Hoylman (SD-27) Jeffrey D. Klein (SD-34) and Gustavo Rivera (SD-33), Assemblymembers Karim Camara (AD-43), Robert Rodriguez (AD-68), Gabriela Rosa (AD-72), José Rivera (AD-73), Mark Gjonaj (AD-80) Jeffrey Dinowitz (AD-81), and Victor Pichardo (AD-86); Councilmembers Mark Levine (CD-7), Ydanis Rodriguez (CD-10), Andrew Cohen (CD-11), Ritchie Torres (CD-15), Julissa Ferreras (CD-21).
Adriano Espaillat currently serves as New York State Senator for the 31st Senate District, since 2010-present
NYS Senate Committee and Subcommittee assignments: Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development (Ranking Member); Committee on Environmental Conservation; Committee on Codes; Committee on Finance; Committee on Higher Education; Committee on Development; Committee on Insurance; Judiciary Committee;
NYS Senate Caucuses: Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus (Chair); The New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus.
* Photo from Espaillat's NYS Senate profile
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Yolanda Garcia (D) |
Previous Work:
Education:
Organizations:
Individuals:
* Photo from NYDailyNews
Michael Walrond |
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Currently: Senior Pastor, First Corinthian Baptist Church (2004-present); National Director of Minister's Division, National Action Network.
Previous Work: University Minister, Duke University; African American Campus Ministry (Director), Duke University; HEALED HIV/AIDS Ministry; Senior Pastor, Zion Temple United Church of Christ; Chicago Theological Seminary (Trustee/Adjunct Faculty).
Education: B.A. Philosophy and Religion, Morehouse College; Master of Divinity, Duke University.
* Photo from Walrond's campaign site
Candidates' statements and photos are taken from their respective websites and press releases, unless otherwise noted.
Notes:
1. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #1
2. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #2
3. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #3, June 9, 2014, ABC.
4. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #4, June 11, NY1.
5. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #5, June 16, BronxNet.
6. Representative Charles Rangel, New York's 13th District, Issues: Foreign Policy, Healthcare, Veterans.
7. The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC, June 20, 2014.
For more coverage of the election in this district, check out the NY-13 Voter Guide from the NYC League of Women Voters.
For additions or corrections, please contact Talia Werber at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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