Cuomo Special Session Pay Raise Deal Blew Up, He Faces Anger From Both Parties In 2017

Tuesday: Cuomo Still Trying to Get Albany It Pay Raise to Avoid Lawmakers Backlash Would Need Senate Dems Who Were Cut Out of the Bill, GOP Leadership Not on Board
In recent days, Cuomo's office has still been trying to resurrect a potential special legislative session after state Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan pulled the plug on negotiations Friday night
Cuomo seeking legislative pay raise deal before end of 2016 (NYDN) uomo's office in recent days has been trying to resurrect a potential special legislative session that would pave the way for the first lawmaker pay raise since 1999, legislators on both sides of the aisle told the Daily News Monday night. But the plan would be contingent on the state Senate Democratic minority — which is upset about having been frozen out of the negotiations — providing the bulk of the votes to pass legislation pertaining to the pay raise and other issues sought by the governor, something they have been refusing to do, the source say. After weeks of negotiations, Senate GOP Majority Leader John Flanagan on Friday night pulled the plug after weeks of negotiations, saying a deal could not be struck.  But Republican and Democratic senators said that since Flanagan's announcement, there have been some discussions between Cuomo and legislative leadership about trying to resurrect a special session. Unless a pay raise is approved by the end of the year, lawmakers by law will have to wait another two years to get another opportunity.  Legislators have said if no pay raise is approved they expect a hostile relationship with Cuomo in 2017 that could hurt his agenda.  "I know the governor has made a couple of phone calls, but I think we're in the same place that we were Friday," said one Republican. "There's too many impediments."  Multiple sources said the Republican majority does not have nearly enough votes on its own to pass a package during the special session.  And the Senate Democrats have maintained it is "unreasonable and irresponsible" to expect them to provide the bulk of the votes to pass a legislative package they had no part in crafting, one said.* New York state’s legislative session is set to begin next month in Albany with tensions simmering between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and lawmakers after negotiations to boost legislative salaries fell through, The Wall Street Journal writes.  * Cuomo has spent less time in Albany during the annual legislative session each year he’s been governor, as his focus has shifted to other parts of the state, the Times Union writes. State ofthe State hits the road (TU)

Cuomo Ducks Possible Lawmakers Pay Protect Boycott Albany SOS Replaces SOS With Six Local Speeches to People Across the State 

Cuomo to ditch State of the State address for series of six speeches ‘to the people’ across New York (NYDN)  Cuomo, who has been warring with state lawmakers, is set to skip the traditional January gubernatorial address before the Legislature in favor of a series of regional speeches aimed directly at the public, sources told the Daily News.  The sources say he’s now set to do six speeches across the state. One will be in Albany — but is expected to be held somewhere away from the Capitol complex and geared more for the public than state lawmakers, a number of whom have been threatening to boycott his speech next year out of anger.

Michael Benjamin ‏@SquarePegDem    Cuomo can give a 7th State of the State from Mars & he still won't be far enough away from the stench of 2nd Floor/Albany/SUNY corruption.

Michael Benjamin ‏@SquarePegDem   Cuomo really has reporters in his thrall about his 6 out of Albany 2017 State of the State addresses. This has been his s.o.p. for 2 yrs.

Buffalo Billion Investigation

War: de Blasio vs Cuomo     

More About Cuomo 

Albany Special Session to Raise Pay: 95% YES, DEAD

Zack Fink ‏@ZackFinkNews  Source says 95% chance lawmakers are back Tuesday to vote in a special session. Among the items being considered is pay hike for legislators

Michael Benjamin ‏@SquarePegDem   Special session is more abt Cuomo’s ego & how he's trying to distract from the stink of 2nd Flr corruption he missed than it is pay raises.

Jimmy Vielkind ‏@JimmyVielkind Special session is dead. Senate GOP source says John Flanagan has told leaders he's pulling plug. Confirmed by three other sources.

Flanagan Does Not Have GOP Members Support? What the Real Reason Only 2 Men in This Room

N.Y. Sen. John Flanagan pulls plug on plans to booststate lawmakers’ pay (NYDN) State Senate GOP Majority Leader John Flanagan late Friday night pulled the plug on a legislative special session that could have paved the way for the first legislative pay raise since 1999.  Gov. Cuomo, whose administration has been rocked by a pay-to-play and bid-rigging scandal, has said he would not sign off on the idea of a pay raise unless the Legislature approves ethics reforms and other business.  But after weeks of negotiations, Flanagan in a late night statement said that that discussions to provide more money to fight homelessness, expand ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft to upstate, and enact reforms to the procurement process ultimately "have not borne fruit."* The Daily News writes that, as Cuomo has insisted, a pay raise for state legislators must come with reform, and that the Legislature should spend this week far from Albany unless the holiday spirit inspired them to pass ethics reform.

Albany Budget, Ethics, Pay Raise, Three Men in the Room, Pork

Cuomo's Independent Pay Commission Block, Will Weaken Cuomo in 2017 Look for Lawmakers Out to Get the Gov From Both Parties

Barring a re-opening of the talks, the collapse of a deal could have profound repercussions for the 2017 legislative session.  Word spread Friday evening of a potential deal that could have also included ethics-related measures such as more oversight of procurement procedures – a discussion sparked by the latest public corruption scandal that reached into the governor’s inner circle – and a public financing system for judicial campaigns.  But just as quickly as talk of a deal surfaced, so did oppositions to the proposals – and talk of recriminations from anonymous sources involved in the negotiations.  One source with direct knowledge of the talks groused that Flanagan could not deliver the votes in the GOP-controlled Senate for the session, due the closely-divided nature of his chamber.  The source added that “this was after weeks of negotiation in which he himself agreed to do the deal,” suggesting the legislative leadership and Gov. Andrew Cuomo were in agreement at one point, but rank-and-file lawmakers themselves could not be brought along.  A second source sympathetic to Flanagan, meanwhile, blamed Cuomo for the deal’s demise, saying the governor had the most to lose if a session is not ultimately held. “He meddled with independent pay commission and nixed potential pay hike,” the source said, “now faces angry Legislature.”

The Grinch In Conspiracy With Albany Lawmakers Ignore Public Opinion and Go for A Pay Raise Other Christmas Goodies for Gov Like a Personal Prosecutor For the Grinch That Closed Moreland and Cut the Controller Who Can't Supervise His Pension Fund, Out of the Buffalo Billion Oversight 
Update Three sources said Assembly members have been briefed on potential items for a special session of the state Legislature, including public financing of state Supreme Court races, the expansion of ride-hailing services and ethics measures, the Times Union reports.

Cuomo’s Proposal for an Executive-Branch Prosecutor Is Called a ‘Scheme’ (NYT)  Amid haggling over raising lawmakers’ pay, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York has proposed a new prosecutor, controlled by him, to investigate state spending.  As negotiations continue over the possibility of a special legislative session, concern has spread here over the prospect of last-minute gifts that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and state lawmakers might exchange.  For its part, the Cuomo administration recently floated proposals to create a new inspector general with oversight of state issues at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a new special prosecutor with broad investigative powers over the state procurement process. For their part, legislative leaders continue to have their hopes set on a raise for their members.  The prosecutor proposal has set off another skirmish between Mr. Cuomo and the state attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, a fellow Democrat. Mr. Schneiderman expressed his displeasure over the proposal in a letter to Mr. Cuomo and legislative leaders on Wednesday, calling the idea of an executive branch prosecutor “likely unconstitutional” and “a scheme.”  The governor first floated the concept of such executive oversight in a statement last month, just before Joseph Percoco, one of his closest aides and a former confidant, was indicted in a corruption scandal involving hundreds of millions of dollars in state contracts. Also indicted was Alain Kaloyeros, who resigned as president of the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, which has been central to the governor’s upstate economic policies and would also be subject to the powers of the proposed procurement prosecutor. But the attorney general’s office, which has squabbled with Mr. Cuomo before, said “the governor’s proposal would allow executive agencies to simply police themselves.” Last week, Thomas P. DiNapoli, the comptroller, asked the governor to restore his powers to monitor the state and city university systems’ spending and state contracts. He said his authority in those areas had been substantially reduced by executive and legislative actions during Mr. Cuomo’s time in office. The possibility of a special session has been percolating since last month, when a commission formed to evaluate a raise for lawmakers and members of the executive branch disbanded after Mr. Cuomo’s appointees helped block approval of a raise proposal. Mr. Cuomo, who has a reputation for wielding a heavy hand in all things Albany, then offered up the basics of a possible deal: supporting a salary increase in exchange for action on ethics and other policy proposals.* Cuomo faced pushback over proposals that would give him more authority over the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and state procurement practices, The Wall Street Journal reports.  * There’s talk about scheduling a legislative session day on Tuesday or the possibility that some Democrats will be so upset if they can’t vote on a potential pay raise that they will respond by not attending Cuomo’s State of the State, the Times Union reports.



Schneiderman Cuomo's Special Prosecutor A Distraction and Potentially Unconstitutional 

Schneiderman assails Cuomo reform measure as 'a distraction' (PoliticoNY)  Schneiderman said the Democratic governor’s proposal was duplicative and potentially unconstitutional. Cuomo announced he wanted to create a special inspector general — who he would appoint — after a bribery and bid-rigging scandal ensnared several members of his inner circle, including Joe Percoco, a political adviser and surrogate brother.  Both Schneiderman and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli have questioned the idea of self-policing by the governor's office, and said their own offices should be empowered if the governor has a true desire to increase oversight.  “I do hope procurement reform, which is such a big and important issue, that it not be done in a rushed or jammed way,” DiNapoli, also a Democrat, said as he responded to a pay-to-play scandal in his own office. “A special session where nobody knows what’s happening until the last minute and there’s a message of necessity — that’s not the way.”  Another source shared with POLITICO draft bill language, dated last week, that detailed Cuomo's plans to create special inspectors general at SUNY and CUNY.  Both the SUNY and CUNY IGs will “serve at the pleasure of the governor,” would “have full and unrestricted access to all records, information … correspondence and any other materials” maintained by the university systems. They would also have subpoena power, as well as the ability to fire any employee who declines to answer questions.  On Wednesday, speaking to reporters at his office in Manhattan, Cuomo said conversations with legislative leaders were continuing in “good faith” and “good spirit,” and said the lack of transparency surrounding the proposals wasn't a significant concern. 

Here is Schneiderman’s letter: 

Here is the proposed language on a procurement inspectorgeneral: 

City Council Campaigns 2017

Key 2017 New York City Council
primaries by district

By Sarina Trangle | Mar 21, 2017 |

176

Photo by Carlo Deviti / ShutterStock
New York City’s primaries won’t be held until September, but a number of candidates are already gearing up for Election Day. Here’s a rundown of the most notable New York City Council districts that could be competitive this fall, including seats that will be vacated due to term limits, others where the incumbent is already facing a challenge, and still others where big-name challengers could jump in.
RELATED: Political orgs stake their 2017 New York City Council candidates

Open Seats

District 2
New York City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez’s former legislative director, Carlina Rivera, has stormed into this race with endorsements from her old boss, Make the Road Action and the Progressive Caucus Alliance, the campaign arm of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus. She is competing with several other Democrats, including Ronnie Cho, former associate director of the office of public engagement at the White House under former President Barack Obama; Mary Silver, an attorney focused on local schools issues; Jasmin Sanchez, who was a community liaison for state Sen. Daniel Squadron; and Erin Hussein, whose website describes her as a lawyer and co-op president. Tyler Kline, a registered Democrat, has also created a campaign committee.
District 4
The pack of people looking to replace New York City Councilman Daniel Garodnick will be thinned by two primaries. On the Democratic side, Marti Speranza, the co-president of the Gramercy Stuyvesant Independent Democrats who runs a program aiding female entrepreneurs, will face off against Bessie Schachter, a former staffer for state Sen. Liz Krueger, and Keith Powers, a lobbyist at Constantinople & Vallone Consulting LLC who previously worked for local elected officials. Jeff Mailman, the legislative director to City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, is also vying for the Democratic line. Meanwhile, Diane Grayson, a registered Democrat who works as associate editor for a test preparation company, told Town & Village she may run as an independent.
On the Republican side, Melissa Jane Kronfeld, a former New York Post reporter and registered Republican, told Town & Village she would not seek the Democratic nomination, but was unsure which party’s banner she aspired to run under. If Kronfeld seeks the Republican line, she would be competing with the candidate endorsed by the Manhattan Republican Party, Rebecca Harary, an entrepreneur who unsuccessfully challenged Assemblyman Dan Quart on the Stop de Blasio line in 2016.
District 8
New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s deputy chief of staff, Diana Ayala, has snatched up early endorsements from Mark-Viverito, Make the Road Action and the Progressive Caucus Alliance. But Ayala’s path to City Hall would get a lot bumpier if Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez (left) enters the race, as he told City & State he is considering doing. Whether Rodriguez is in or out, Ayala will face Edward Gibbs, who claimed that he would have been the first ex-criminal offender in the Assembly had he won a 2010 bid for Rodriguez’s seat. Other registered Democrats who have launched campaign committees include entrepreneur Tamika Mapp and educator Edward Santos, who unsuccessfully sought the seat in 2013. It’s also unclear whether the Bronx Democratic Party will get involved in a East Harlem-based seat that extends into the Bronx.
District 13

Marjorie Velázquez, Mark Gjonaj.
The race to replace City Councilman James Vacca is shaping up to be a crowded contest. Democratic district leader Marjorie Velázquez, who has a background in corporate finance, has the backing of Vacca, Make the Road Action and the Progressive Caucus Alliance. Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj has the support of state Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto and U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley. The Bronx Democratic Party will likely throw its weight behind Gjonaj or Velázquez, according to its executive director, Anthony Perez. After this story was published, Perez called to say that the organization has not formally narrowed down the field to those two contenders, and will be meeting with more candidates before making a final decision. A handful of other registered Democrats have thrown their hats in the ring, including: John Doyle, who has worked for Klein and works in public affairs at Jacobi Medical Center; Alex Gomez, a member of City Councilman Fernando Cabrera’s New Life Outreach International church who has a background in the nonprofit human services sector; John Marano, a retired police and fireman now active in his community board; and Muhammad Abuhaikal, who founded a small business consulting firm.
District 18
The big question shaping the showdown for City Councilwoman Annabel Palma’s district is whether state Sen. Rubén Díaz Sr. (left) will jump in. Díaz did not return City & State’s call, but he has been openly mulling a run. Competing with the Díaz brand would be difficult, according to Perez, who said the Bronx Democratic Party is waiting for the field to shape up before endorsing a candidate. Other declared Democratic candidates include: Amanda Farias, who works for City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley and managed the City Council’s Women’s Caucus; Elvin Garcia, who was Bronx borough director for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Community Affairs Unit; Michael Beltzer, a Bronx Democratic County Committee member who worked on former City Comptroller John Liu’s campaigns; and William Moore, who has criticized the Bronx Democratic Party as inept and unsuccessfully challenged Palma and other incumbents.
District 41
A slew of Brooklynites have started campaign committees to compete for City Councilwoman Darlene Mealy’s seat. Alicka Ampry-Samuel previously worked as chief of staff for Assemblywoman Latrice Walker and has been endorsed by Make the Road Action. Also in the running are Henry Butler, a retired transit worker and president of the Vanguard Independent Democratic Association; Cory Provost, a district leader who was the youngest member of the CUNY board of trustees; Kathleen Daniel, who works for Borough President Eric Adams and unsuccessfully sought the City Council seat in 2013; and Deidre Olivera, a member of the Laborers' International Union of North America, who also edits a community newspaper in Brownsville. At least two other registered Democrats have started campaign committees for the seat: Moreen King and Jamell Henderson.
District 43
In the race to succeed City Councilman Vincent Gentile, Assemblyman Peter Abbate (left) said he will not formally decide whether to run until after the state budget season. But the state lawmaker sounded bullish while telling City & State that, thanks to redistricting, he has represented most of this City Council district and that he has been disappointed with the “caliber” of the other Democratic candidates. So far, the pool of potential Democratic nominees includes: Justin Brannan, who was Gentile’s chief of staff and worked in intergovernmental affairs for the city Department of Education; Kevin Peter Carroll, a district leader who works for City Councilman Stephen Levin; the Rev. Khader el-Yateem, an influential pastor endorsed by civil rights activist Linda Sarsour; and Nancy Tong, a district leader who works for Assemblyman William Colton. On the other side of the political spectrum, Republican candidates include Robert Capano, a professor who has worked for Democratic and Republican officials; Liam McCabe, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan; and John Quaglione, who handles press for state Sen. Martin Golden and unsuccessfully tried to unseat Gentile in 2013.

PRIMARY CHALLENGES THAT COULD BE COMPETITIVE

District 1

Margaret Chin.
The last time she was challenged, City Councilwoman Margaret Chin posted a 17-point lead over her then-opponent, Jenifer Rajkumar, in the Democratic primary. This primary cycle, Chin will likely have to face off against two challengers: attorney Aaron Foldenauer and Christopher Marte, a member of the Coalition to Protect Chinatown and Lower East Side who previously worked for a securities business.
District 6
City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal (left) eked out a win in the seven-way Democratic primary in 2013 with about 27 percent of the vote, but the field is shaping up to be much smaller this cycle. That may benefit Mel Wymore, the former executive director of a PAC advancing transgender rights, who came in a close second in 2013 with 22 percent of the vote. If successful, Wymore, who has long been active on the community board, would be the first transgender member of the City Council. A third Democratic candidate, Cary Goodman, appears to be mostly focused on fighting the American Museum of Natural History’s planned expansion.
District 9

Bill Perkins, Marvin Holland.
City Councilman Bill Perkins captured 34 percent of the vote and emerged victorious in February’s nine-way special election for the seat previously held by Inez Dickens, who was elected to the Assembly. But Perkins could face a fierce re-election fight. Marvin Holland, political director of Transport Workers Union Local 100, captured 18 percent of the vote in February and may benefit from a thinner field of candidates. So far, Pierre Gooding, who recently worked as an attorney for Success Academy Charter Schools, is seeking to run on the Democratic line, according to an online fundraising site his team set up. And two other registered Democrats, Shannette Gray and Marvin Spruill, have launched campaign committees for the seat.
District 14
When New York City Councilman Fernando Cabrera (left) failed to unseat a state senator in 2014, he blamed his loss on the “liberal media” reporting on a video in which he praised the Ugandan government after it enacted severe anti-LGBT laws. Now, Cabrera’s socially conservative views could come back to haunt him. One Democratic challenger, Justin Sanchez, argues on his campaign website that Cabrera has failed to represent the district’s values and that the area needs someone who works to provide equal opportunity for all. The other Democratic contender, Randy Abreu, worked in the U.S. Department of Energy during the Obama administration.
District 28
Ruben Wills fended off four primary challengers in 2013 and secured about 49 percent of the vote, but his 2014 indictment on charges of stealing public funds could hurt him. Wills, who has denied any wrongdoing, is poised to again go up against Hettie V. Powell, an attorney who secured 33 percent of the vote in the 2013 primary. Other contenders include Richard David, who has worked in the leadership of the city’s Economic Development Corp. The race also appears to feature a comeback bid by Allan Jennings, who previously held the seat but was censured by the City Council when two female subordinates accused him of sexual harassment. Calls to the campaign seeking confirmation that the candidate is the same Jennings were not returned.
District 40
Last primary season, City Councilman Mathieu Eugene (left) won with 48 percent of the vote while facing a challenge from Saundra Thomas, who was relatively new to politics but pulled in nearly 38 percent of the vote. So Eugene could be in for a rougher re-election cycle, given that more prominent Democrats have announced their intentions to challenge him. The contenders include Pia Raymond, who started a nonprofit that runs multicultural and multigenerational activities and is the vice president of the Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association, as well as Brian Cunningham, who has worked for state Sen. Kevin Parker, City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo and in the affordable housing sector.
District 49
City Councilwoman Debi Rose (left) walked into her second term without a primary challenge, but she won’t fall into a third term so easily. Two fellow Democrats have announced their candidacy, including Kamillah Payne-Hanks, the president and CEO of the Historic Tappen Park Community Partnership, and Philippe-Edner Apostol-Marius, who has worked for Bill Perkins in the state Senate.

POTENTIAL PRIMARIES THAT COULD BE COMPETITIVE

District 21

Francisco Moya, Julissa Ferreras-Copeland.
City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland has seemed so secure in her re-election that she often comes up in conversation about the 2017 election cycle because of her reported interest in seeking the City Council’s speakership. But Ferreras-Copeland could be in for a tough primary battle if Assemblyman Francisco Moya challenges her. Moya told City & State he would not make a decision until after the state budget, which is due before April 1. The assemblyman has long been loyal to the Queens Democratic Party, while Ferreras-Copeland split from the organization and allied herself with the Progressive Caucus during the 2013 speakership vote. Another factor could be former state senator and City Councilman Hiram Monserrate, who has told reporters he is considering challenging his former chief of staff, Ferreras-Copeland. Monserrat would surely encounter some skepticism, given that he was expelled from the state Senate when he was convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend, and was also convicted on federal corruption charges and pled guilty to committing mail fraud.
District 34
City Councilman Antonio Reynoso (left), another Progressive Caucus member, may face a challenge from Tommy Torres, a Brooklyn Democratic Party district leader and educator. Torres did not return a call for comment, but has told other outlets he is weighing a bid.
District 35

Ede Fox, Laurie Cumbo.
City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo fought her way through a five-way primary in 2013, and landed the Democratic line with 35 percent of the vote. Ede Fox, who secured 26 percent of the vote in 2013, says she is thinking of seeking the Democratic Party’s nod for the City Council seat this cycle. Fox, who has worked for City Councilman Jumaane Williams and Speaker Mark-Viverito, could complicate Cumbo’s election season.
District 38
City Councilman Carlos Menchaca (left) may find himself in a political brawl if longtime Assemblyman Félix Ortiz opts to seek his seat. Ortiz did not respond to a request for comment, but according to Kings County Politics, several people are under the impression that Ortiz may make a move for Menchaca’s seat. Even if he passes, Menchaca is still slated to compete in a Democratic primary with Delvis Valdes, an attorney who has been involved with local business improvement districts and other organizations.

rth Brooklyn Councilman Antonio Reynoso May Face Challenger Next Fall (DNAINFO)

District Leader Tommy Torres is considering a bid for Reynoso's city council seat, he said. 

Four of the seven City Council members facing term limits and required to leave at the end of the year are women, which has sparked alarm for New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, the Daily News reports.

Piss Boy CM Lander Now Wants to Use Trump to Pay for His Reelection

Brooklyn councilman seeks communications staffer to ‘resist thethreats’ of Trump policies (NYDN) A Brooklyn city councilman is looking to hire a staffer to battle the “Trump regime.”  Democrat Brad Lander, in an unusual job listing for a communications director that he posted on several employment sites, said he’s looking for someone to help “resist the threats of the Trump regime to American democratic values and vulnerable constituencies.”  The listing does not include a salary, but Indeed.com, one of the employment sites it was posted on, estimated it to be in the $61,000 to $67,000 a year range, based on offers for similar jobs.

Dicken's Special Election  

Candidates for Inez Dickens' Council Seat to Face Off in Forum (dnainfo) Candidates expected to attend include:  ►Charles Cooper, a former Community Board 9 vice-chairman and businessman ►Marvin Holland, policy director for the Transit Workers Union Local 100 ►Mamadou Drame, a community activist  ►State Sen.   ►Troy Outlaw, a former City Council aide  ►Dawn Simmons, a teacher and social worker  ► Athena Moore, an aide to the Manhattan Borough President  ►  Larry Scott Blackmon, the former Deputy Commissioner for Community Outreach at the city Parks Department  ► Todd R. Stevens (no information publicly available)  ► Shanette M. Gray (no information publicly available)

Councilman Lander Takes A Piss On All New Yorkers' Homeless Can Pee in the Streets But Not Santa

City Councilman is ticked about fallout from a law he backed (NYP Ed) The 1960s folk singer Phil Ochs called a liberal someone who’s 10 degrees to the left of center in good times and 10 degrees to the right — if it affects him personally. Say hello to City Councilmember Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn).  In April, he was an outspoken backer of the misguided council vote that all but eliminated criminal penalties for most quality-of-life crimes, including public urination. In fact, Lander, who’s white, claimed police enforcement of such crimes is racist: “We all know that the majority of people that happens to don’t look like me.” Yet Saturday, the Park Slope councilman came face to face with SantaCon, the chaotic annual Manhattan pub crawl by thousands of boozers dressed as Kris Kringle.  “OK, I’ll admit it,” he tweeted. “Being in Midtown during SantaCon makes me want to restore higher penalties for public urination for just this one day.” Now he tells us. He expanded on the tweet Monday, telling The Post’s Rich Calder “it was gross. There was a substantial number of people peeing on the sidewalks.” Welcome to the real world, Brad. Yes, public urination is gross, no matter when it occurs — including on any of the 364 days a year when offenders don’t look like Santa and councilmen may not be watching. That’s why so many New Yorkers, including us, were dismayed when the council voted to try to roll back “broken windows” quality-of-life policing, which had fueled the city’s historic drop in crime.  Now Lander will have to endure SantaCon and live with the consequences of his and his colleagues’ action.  Along with the rest of New York.

Update Council Speaker Race 

The Most Important NYC Campaign You Don’t Know About IsWell Under Way (Village Voice) The New York City Council has always been a little bit like high school. There are poseurs and nerdsy, may get personal and petty. In a year from now, the 51 members will elect a new speaker. The current speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, is term-limited. Since many council members, rightly or wrongly, assumed Mark-Viverito was lobbying for a job in a seemingly inevitable second Clinton administration, the race to replace her has long been underway. It’s quietly consumed much of her speakership.   Here are the caveats about any speaker’s race: all the action occurs behind closed doors and the public has no say. Council members have a right to elect their leader. A candidate becomes speaker thanks to the right amount of hustle, savvy, and luck. Circumstance and timing very much matter. Mark-Viverito has no clear successor, but council members and political operatives watching the backroom contest agree there are three front-runners: Councilman Corey Johnson, Councilman Mark Levine and Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras. A fourth candidate, Councilman Robert Cornegy, is also competing.* City Council Candidate Carlina Rivera Reports $176,000Campaign Fund (L0-Down) A press release from Rivera’s campaign noted that she has “one of the largest small donor bases in the city” and that her filing, “demonstrates that she is the clear front-runner in the open–seat primary to replace Councilwoman Rosie Mendez.”* The City Council speaker race is in full swing (NYP)  Front-runners include Councilmembers Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Corey Johnson, Mark Levine and Jimmy Van Bramer — all of whom have raised $200,000 or more each for their campaigns. Ferreras-Copeland (D-Queens), the council’s Finance chair, is viewed by many insiders as the favored choice as a successor by current Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Mayor de Blasio, and has raised $325,635 so far for her run.  But Ferreras-Copeland has burned through $284,000 of that and could be facing a credible challenge from Assemblyman Francisco Moya.  De Blasio’s support also could become problematic if he or his staffers are implicated in any wrongdoing in two ongoing corruption probes. “Money matters, for sure, but as long as people pass the threshold of being able to fund their [campaign] operation and give some money to other council members, it’s not the only thing,” one member said, citing the importance of already-formed relationships. Johnson (D-Manhattan) has raised $291,310. Van Bramer (D-Queens) has raked in $387,228, and Levine (D-Manhattan) has collected $211,270.  Councilman Robert Cornegy (D-Brooklyn) is also considered a viable option by several council insiders, but has not yet submitted fund-raising numbers to the Campaign Finance Board.  Of those, Van Bramer has by far the most cash on hand — about $300,000. But Van Bramer, like Ferreras, doesn’t enjoy the support of Queens Democratic boss Rep. Joe Crowley, who will undoubtedly play a role in who gets the job.  The Queens and Bronx Democratic machines are expected to whip votes together. Still unclear is what role the Brooklyn party will play.  Other members considering a run include Vanessa Gibson (D-Bronx), Donovan Richards (D-Queens), Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) and Jumaane Williams (D-Brooklyn).

Councilman puts former staffer vying for his job on payroll (NYP) Term-limited Brooklyn City Councilman Vincent Gentile has put former staffer Justin Brannan back on his payroll — while Brannan campaigns to succeed him.  That gives Brannan a chance to raise his profile while collecting a government paycheck.  Gentile has told south Brooklyn leaders that he rehired Brannan to please Mayor de Blasio, who is expected to back Brannan to replace Gentile, a Democratic Party insider said.  After de Blasio was elected mayor, Brannan ended his first stint on Gentile’s staff and served as the DOE’s deputy director of intergovernmental affairs for three years.  Gentile, who hopes to be made a judge by de Blasio, defended his rehiring of Brannan and dismissed as “absolutely ridiculous” claims that he did so as part of a deal with the mayor.

Front Runner Senator Perkins In Harlem City Council Special Election Accused of Cheating to Get on the Ballot 

Senator accused of ‘cheating’ to get name first on ballot (NYP) State Sen. Bill Perkins is being accused of filing fraudulent petitions in an attempt to get his name put first on the ballot in the Feb. 14 special election for the vacant City Council seat in Harlem.  Under laws for a special election, the candidate who files first with a valid number of voter signatures is automatically placed on top of the ballot, a coup in a race with as many as 10 candidates.  But a new lawsuit claims that the Perkins campaign collected as many as 750 signatures on petitions distributed Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 with a blank date on it — before Mayor de Blasio called the Feb. 14 special election on Jan. 3.  The petitions were then post-dated to make it appear they were collected on Jan. 3, according to the suit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.  Perkins speaks at the Sojourner Truth Democratic Club in 2013Christopher Sadowski   The suit seeks to invalidate the petitions and have Perkins, a favorite to win the seat, removed from the ballot. Perkins is a pal of Mayor de Blasio. He served in the City Council with de Blasio before his election to the state Senate in 2006 and was one of the first elected Democrats to back de Blasio’s bid for mayor in 2013.  Rival Melvin Holland campaign aides said they smelled a rat when they went door knocking in Harlem to collect voter signatures, only to hear from residents that the Perkins campaign had approached them the prior weekend — before the special election date was set.  “Committing fraud this planned-out took more work than it would have taken to get on the ballot legally. The voters of Harlem deserve more respect than this,” said Holland election lawyer Sarah Steiner.  “It’s shameful when a career politician puts himself above the law and let’s his campaign commit blatant and obvious fraud for his own personal gain. Maybe that’s what he’s learned after being steeped in Albany’s culture of corruption,’’ added Steiner. The Perkins camp dismissed the petition suit as frivolous and filled with false accusations.  “It’s sad and disappointing that the first thing this candidate with no record in the community does is hire lawyers, hurl Trump-like falsehoods and try to throw people off the ballot,” said Perkins campaign spokesman Richard Fife.  “We think it is great that people have followed Barack Obama’s advice — picking up a clipboard and getting involved. Let the people decide.”  The special election is being held to fill the seat vacated by Inez Dickens, who was elected to the state Assembly last fall.  Holland, a longtime transit worker, is political director of Transport Workers Union/Local 100.* Harlem Council Contender Seeks to Clear the Field With Wide-RangingBallot Challenges (NYO) * The legal team of Marvin Holland, a candidate in the special election for a vacant Harlem City Council seat, is attempting to boot almost all his rivals from the ballot in the special election scheduled for February 14—including the presumptive frontrunner, current State Senator Bill Perkins. Complicating the entire contest is a tangle of indefinite political allegiances. Holland’s union backed Congressman Adriano Espaillat for his current seat: twice against retired Congressman Charles Rangel, and again when it became vacant last year.  He has also retained the firm Red Horse, which is close to the congressman, and State Senator Marisol Alcantara—Espaillat’s anointed heir to his former job in Albany—attended Holland’s campaign kickoff party.  Yet a source connected to Perkins told the Observer the congressman has aligned behind their campaign, possibly a reward for Perkins—a black Harlemite—endorsing the Dominican-American Washington Heights pol for the House.

Red Horse Lobbyist Consultants Who Got Away With Scamming the CFB in 2013 Caught In Petition Fraud in 2015 for A SI DA Candidate 

What Ever Happen to The Queens DA Investigation of Red Horse Petition Corruption in SI DA Race?

Candidate for StatenIsland DA says opponent collected fraud campaign signatures (WPIX) Joan Illuzzi is running as a Republican for Staten Island District Attorney. Mike McMahon is running as a Democrat and Independent for the same office. Both submitted approximately 4,000 signed petitions to have their names listed on the ballot, but Illuzzi’s campaign has questioned the accuracy of several of the signatures submitted by McMahon’s camp. McMahon’s campaign manager Ashleigh Owens released a statement to PIX 11 Tuesday that read in part, “Mike and our campaign unfortunately appear to have been victimized by a small group of individuals from Red Horse Strategies.”  Red Horse Strategies is a firm of political consultants. They were hired to collect petition signatures. Staten Island Acting District Attorney Daniel Master requested a special prosecutor look further into the allegations. McMahon didn't orchestrate or collect the forged signatures himself. He didn't sign off on them. He paid Red Horse Strategies to collect signatures for his Independence Party petitions. The Staten Island Democratic Party paid for the firm to collect signatures on Democratic petitions. The Bronx DA Election Fix Run By A Consultant  Red Horse Who Has Fix Other Elections 

The Following Were Red Horse Clients and Supported By A UFT PAC That Redhorse Also Worked for

The CFB Fined the Advance Group for Working for Two Council Candidate and the NYCLASS PAC.  The CFB Has Ignored Advances, Red Horse and Berlin Rosen Working for Both candidates and the UFT PAC United for the Future Which Funded the Candidates the Consultants Worked For

The UFT paid $252,233 to campaign consultant Red Horse Strategies to Help Run There PAC United for the Future Which Funded The Following City Council Candidates

Councilman James Vacca 

Councilwoman Annabel Palma 

Councilman Daneek Miller  

Councilman Richard Donovan  

Councilman Antonio Reynoso   
Councilman Richard Torres  

UFT Illegal PAC United for the Future

The UFT Coup d'é·tat Of NYC Election System and Democracy

United for the Future Expenses

A Tale of Two CFBs: Albanese vs Campaign PAC NYCLASS, UFT's United for the Future

City Council Higher Pay Attracts Assemblyman

Assemblyman to run for better-paying gig with City Council (NYP)

Assembly member Mark Gjonaj announces candidacy for NewCity Council

Who is Running 
City Council -- In Harlem, it's a crowded race replace Inez Dickens, via Gotham Gazette's Samar Khurshid:r

-- In Brooklyn, Justin Brannan filed paperwork to run for the City Council seat held by his former boss, Vincent Gentile, via @TweetBenMax:

Special Election for Harlem City Council Seat Kicks Off (Gotham)

After A Big Council Pay Raise Albany Losers Want to Move to City Hall 

Albany politicians are considering plush council seats (NYP)  They’re following the money.  Albany legislators envious of the big bucks being pulled in by their City Council counterparts after a 32 percent pay raise are considering running for their positions next year.  Council members earn $148,500. The base salary of state lawmakers is $79,500. Assemblyman Peter Abbate (D-Brooklyn), Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx) and Sen. Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan) confirmed they’re seriously considering running for term-limited council seats held respectively by Vincent Gentile, Annabel Palma and Inez Dickens. Diaz and Perkins say they’ve grown frustrated with the Independent Democratic Conference, a breakaway group that generally sides with Republicans in the state Senate. “Right now, the Senate is headed by the Republicans, so that makes it difficult to be effective as a Democrat,” said Perkins. Other legislators mulling a City Hall payday include Assemblymen Mark Gjonaj (D-Bronx), Dan Quart (D-Manhattan), Ron Kim (D-Queens), Robert Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) and state Sen. Daniel Squadron (D-Brooklyn), according to political operatives. Kim and Quart have set up campaign funds for city offices with Quart eyeing Dan Garodnick’s council seat and Kim considering the $209,050-a-year comptroller job, operatives said. Gjonaj and Rodriguez have interest in council seats held by Jimmy Vacca and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, respectively. Squadron is mulling running for the $184,800-yearly public advocate job, sources said. Kim, Rodriguez and Gjonag did not return messages. Quart and Squadron spokespersons said that they have no plans to run for city offices.* Poetic justice for the City Council’s pay hike (NYP) In as poetic a bit of justice as you could ask for, City Council members who voted themselves a fat salary hike earlier this year may wind up paying for it with their jobs. As The Post reported Saturday, at least three members of the state Legislature — Sens. Ruben Diaz Sr. and Carl Perkins and Assemblyman Peter Abbate — are thinking about “retiring” to council jobs. It’s not just the bump in base pay from $79,500 to $148,500: The switch would also mean no more Albany commute and a chance to do important work in the city. Yes, council jobs are term-limited — but if you’re nearing retirement anyway . . . God knows the City Council could use more talent — and while we often disagree with all these Democrats, they’re very capable.  The council members claimed the pay hike was all about getting better service for city residents. It’s just delicious that they could be proved right — by being replaced.

Schumer Trump Should Follow La Guardia and FDR and Rebuild NY With Govt Programs

Will NY Leaders Fighting With Trump Hurt New Yorkers Who Need More Federal $$$ NYCHA, Medicaid, Transit and Inferstructure Funding? 

New York pols might hurt the state by fighting Donald Trump (NYDN) Efforts by Gov. Cuomo and other top New York Democrats to pitch themselves as the anti-Donald Trump could wind up hurting, not helping, the state, a GOP state senator warns.  Citing the late New York Democratic U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, state Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-Utica) noted how the state has long sent more money to Washington than it gets back.  With President-elect Donald Trump hailing from New York — as does new U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — “the State of New York finds itself in a unique position to finally be recognized and receive the attention we truly deserve from our nation’s leader,” Griffo wrote in a piece given to the Daily News.  “Yet instead of trying to find common ground with our next President to secure the most advantage for New York, the governor — along with the mayor of New York City and New York’s attorney general — appears more intent to undermine Mr. Trump before he’s even sworn in.”


La Guardia Built the Modern City Because of His Relationship With New Yorker FDR 

Cuomo vows to ‘stand up’ for New Yorkers against Trump (NYP) Cuomo is already trying to raise his own presidential profile off fears of Donald Trump’s presidency. As Democrats licked their wounds, Cuomo posted and emailed a message Saturday morning saying he would “never compromise” with Trump over federal laws and policies that would negatively affect immigrants and he vowed to “stand up” for all New Yorkers.

Josh Dawsey ‏@jdawsey1 De Blasio is fundraising off the Trump win this morning. Just sent an email asking supporters to give cash to "stand up" against Trump.

La Guardia and FDR Together Built Bridges, Schools, Subways Put the Unemployed to Work As They Created A Real Progressive New Deal Govt 

City of Ambition: FDR, La Guardia, and the Making of Modern New York (W. W. Norton & Company, 2013) by urban politics historian Mason B. Williams is a loving exploration of the history of the New Deal and its role in the making of modern New York City.  The story of a remarkable collaboration between Franklin Roosevelt and Fiorello La Guardia, this is a case study in creative political leadership in the midst of a devastating depression. Roosevelt and La Guardia were an odd couple: patrician president and immigrant mayor, fireside chat and tabloid cartoon, pragmatic Democrat and reform Republican. But together, as leaders of America’s two largest governments in the depths of the Great Depression, they fashioned a route to recovery for the nation and the master plan for a great city.  Roosevelt and his “Brain Trust”—shrewd, energetic advisors such as Harold Ickes and Harry Hopkins—sought to fight the Depression by channeling federal resources through America’s cities and counties. La Guardia had replaced Tammany Hall cronies with policy experts, such as the imperious Robert Moses, who were committed to a strong public sector. The two leaders worked closely together. La Guardia had a direct line of communication with FDR and his staff, often visiting Washington carrying piles of blueprints. Roosevelt relied on the mayor as his link to the nation’s cities and their needs. The combination was potent. La Guardia’s Gotham became a laboratory for New Deal reform. Roosevelt’s New Deal transformed city initiatives into major programs such as the Works Progress Administration, which changed the physical face of the United States. Together they built parks, bridges, and schools; put the unemployed to work; and strengthened the Progressive vision of government as serving the public purpose. * The new Hudson tunnel: President Trump’s first construction job (NYP) * Cuomo: If Trump governs unjustly, we'll fight at every turn (NYDN) * Cuomo Vows ToProtect Muslims, LGBTQ Communities In Post-Election Letter (WCBS) * Mayor de Blasio talks to Muslims about Trump's presidency(WABC) * De Blasio stands tall: Kudos to the mayor for committingto protect New York's undocumented immigrant population (NYDN) * Gov. Cuomo: If Trump governs unjustly, we'll fight at every turn(NYDN) * Feuding Mayor and Governor Unite to Reassure New Yorkers their Local Leaders will Stand up to Trump's Divisive Policies and Rhetoric (NY1) * Mayor Meets With Religious Leaders in the City to Soothe Worries About Trump Policies (NY1)

As NY's Elected Officials Ignore the Moynihan Rule to Up Their Poll Numbers the Media Ignores History and Who Will Get Hurt

NY’s elected officials should actively work to undermine our President simply to position themselves as the Trump alternative.”  The late New York Democratic U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, state campaign on how NY has long sent more money to Washington than it gets back.

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump   I have always had a good relationship with Chuck Schumer. He is far smarter than Harry R and has the ability to get things done. Good news!  * Schumer lays out where Democrats can work with Trump | AP

Watch Schumer As Cuomo and deB Attack off Trump Hate The Senatge Minority Leader Will Deliver the Bacon to NY

New York’s Chuck Schumer electedSenate minority leader, succeeding retiring Harry Reid (NYDN) * Democrats May Try Surprising Strategy: Align With Trump (NYT) 

Outsiders de Blasio and Cuomo BS Press About Protecting NYers, La Guardia Built the Modern City Because of His Relationship With NYer FDR

Cuomo vows to ‘stand up’ for New Yorkers against Trump (NYP) Cuomo is already trying to raise his own presidential profile off fears of Donald Trump’s presidency. As Democrats licked their wounds, Cuomo posted and emailed a message Saturday morning saying he would “never compromise” with Trump over federal laws and policies that would negatively affect immigrants and he vowed to “stand up” for all New Yorkers.

Josh Dawsey ‏@jdawsey1 De Blasio is fundraising off the Trump win this morning. Just sent an email asking supporters to give cash to "stand up" against Trump.

La Guardia and FDR Together Built Bridges, Schools, Put the Unemployed to Work As They Created A Progressive New Deal Govt 

City of Ambition: FDR, La Guardia, and the Making of Modern New York (W. W. Norton & Company, 2013) by urban politics historian Mason B. Williams is a loving exploration of the history of the New Deal and its role in the making of modern New York City.  The story of a remarkable collaboration between Franklin Roosevelt and Fiorello La Guardia, this is a case study in creative political leadership in the midst of a devastating depression. Roosevelt and La Guardia were an odd couple: patrician president and immigrant mayor, fireside chat and tabloid cartoon, pragmatic Democrat and reform Republican. But together, as leaders of America’s two largest governments in the depths of the Great Depression, they fashioned a route to recovery for the nation and the master plan for a great city.  Roosevelt and his “Brain Trust”—shrewd, energetic advisors such as Harold Ickes and Harry Hopkins—sought to fight the Depression by channeling federal resources through America’s cities and counties. La Guardia had replaced Tammany Hall cronies with policy experts, such as the imperious Robert Moses, who were committed to a strong public sector. The two leaders worked closely together. La Guardia had a direct line of communication with FDR and his staff, often visiting Washington carrying piles of blueprints. Roosevelt relied on the mayor as his link to the nation’s cities and their needs. The combination was potent. La Guardia’s Gotham became a laboratory for New Deal reform. Roosevelt’s New Deal transformed city initiatives into major programs such as the Works Progress Administration, which changed the physical face of the United States. Together they built parks, bridges, and schools; put the unemployed to work; and strengthened the Progressive vision of government as serving the public purpose. * The new Hudson tunnel: President Trump’s first construction job (NYP) * Cuomo: If Trump governs unjustly, we'll fight at every turn (NYDN) * Cuomo Vows ToProtect Muslims, LGBTQ Communities In Post-Election Letter (WCBS) * Mayor de Blasio talks to Muslims about Trump's presidency(WABC) * De Blasio stands tall: Kudos to the mayor for committingto protect New York's undocumented immigrant population (NYDN) * Gov. Cuomo: If Trump governs unjustly, we'll fight at every turn(NYDN) * Feuding Mayor and Governor Unite to Reassure New Yorkers their Local Leaders will Stand up to Trump's Divisive Policies and Rhetoric (NY1) * Mayor Meets With Religious Leaders in the City to Soothe Worries About Trump Policies (NY1)