Spin Cycle
News, views and commentary on Long Island, state and national politics
Tom Brune
Islip: Irizarry steps aside as Democratic town board candidate
Dafny Irizarry, chairwoman of the Suffolk County Community College board of trustees, has dropped out as a Democratic candidate for Islip Town Board.
Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said Irizarry sent him a letter saying she had to withdraw because she is undergoing training this summer and fall for expanded teaching duties.
Party officials say they are considering Astrid...
Read more »Ex-Suffolk exec Levy pens a chapter of a '12-step' ex-pol book
Former Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy has turned author.
Levy is one of a dozen ex-politicians who suffered various travails to contribute to a new book, “The Recovering Politician’s 12 Step Program to Survive Crisis,” which came on the market last Monday.
Chapters include “Hold your breath with your mouth shut,” “Tell the truth don’t even go near the line,” and “Own your istake,...
Read more »Democratic club chief and party critic backs Suozzi for county executive
The head of the Rockville Centre Democratic Club, who last month criticized his party for endorsing candidates prior to the nominating convention, has thrown his support behind former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, who is running for his old seat.
Henry Boitel, who became president of the club at the start of 2013, endorsed Suozzi in an email to the candidate immediately...
Read more »NYC: Thompson looks wide to craft a coalition
Candidate Bill Thompson stood smiling Thursday on East 116th Street in Manhattan, in front of the Bonifacio Cora Texidor Housing for the Elderly. Some of the seniors seated in the warm sun behind him held his white-on-blue campaign signs on their laps.
Seated beside Thompson at a portable press stand was Herman Badillo. Despite clear physical frailty, his voice nearly a whisper against the...
Read more »Schumer surprised at scope of phone records sweep
Photo credit: Howard Schnapp
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday he never thought a secret National Security Agency terrorist surveillance program that he voted for would collect millions of records of telephone calls by Americans.
“I don’t think anyone ever envisioned 10 million families would be part of this,” said Schumer, who described himself as relatively hawkish on terrorism and law enforcement.
“Why...
Read more »Working Families Party hits Haber over past GOP registrations
The Working Families Party will release a radio advertisement Friday that attacks Adam Haber, a Democratic candidate for Nassau County executive, for his past registrations as a Republican.
The ad says Haber, a Roslyn school board member, was a registered Republican for 13 years, first in Rockland County, then in Brooklyn and then in Nassau in 1994.
The...
Read more »Silver, Lopez hit with sexual harassment lawsuits
Photo credit: AP
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and ex-Assemb. Vito Lopez were sued Thursday by two of Lopez’ alleged sexual-harassment victims.
Victoria Burhans and Chloe Rivera filed state and federal lawsuits against Lopez (D-Brooklyn) and Silver (D-Manhattan), claiming the powerful Assembly speaker and the once-influential Lopez created a hostile work environment.
They accused Lopez of “deplorable...
Read more »Cuomo plan: No video slot machines at LI OTBs
Photo credit: Resorts World Casino
ALBANY -- Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's new gambling expansion proposal focuses on upstate New York and doesn't allow video slot machines at off-track betting parlors on Long Island.
The Democrat's proposal, unveiled Wednesday, would authorize three upstate casinos and give them a five-year exclusivity period before any downstate casinos could be built. The plan also would create new video slot machines...
Read more »Poll: Silver should resign; Cuomo dips
Photo credit: AP
Half of New Yorkers surveyed say that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver should no longer lead the chamber after he mishandled a sexual harassment scandal, according to a new poll released Wednesday.
The Quinnipiac University poll also had not-so-good news for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. It found his job approval rating at 53 percent, the lowest since the Democrat took office in 2011.
Silver...
Read more »With 16 days to go, Cuomo launches abortion-rights push
Photo credit: AP
ALBANY -- Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo jump-started an effort Tuesday to expand abortion rights in New York by making state law comport with federal protections, although the proposal faces strong opposition in the politically divided State Senate.
Flanked by leaders of numerous women's groups, Cuomo officially introduced his 10-point "women's agenda." The package includes measures to fight...
Read more »
