Spin Cycle

Which was the most fevered lunge for self-promotion by a power player?

1. Upstate Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-Greenport) saying when asked about her hopes for appointment to the U.S. Senate: “The governor will make the right decision for the state. I trust him entirely.”

2. Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) saying when asked about getting three reluctant Democrats to vote for him as majority leader: “Politics is business. Business is politics.”

3. Sen. Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) saying he’s “pleased” to donate $50,000 in campaign money to the state Democratic Committee — while hinting he could support Republican Dean Skelos in January for majority leader.

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Just to elaborate on the prior summary: By Fred Dicker's account, "gang of three" member Sen. Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) got word from Gov. David Paterson that reinstalling Dean Skelos as majority leader was not acceptable to the Capitol's second floor -- thus suggesting an effort to extinguish the same fire that Kruger and company set. The full piece is here.

But of course, all this still doesn't bring Minority Leader Malcolm Smith to the magic number of 32 votes -- which he's still confident of getting -- to make him majority leader. Concessions to gang members Pedro Espada and Pedro Diaz and certain members of the GOP will surely be discussed as Skelos and company try to hang on to whatever clout they can. Meanwhile, Republican patronage jobs are set to be preserved in the December session.

The wider issue: Does anyone think the Democrats under Smith, Espada, or anyone else can exert Bruno-style control of the Senate until and unless some time passes, some more GOP members retire, the margin expands, and the majority party can redraw district lines in their own favor after the 2010 census? The Republicans are aware of the clock -- and will call as many time-outs as they can to hang on.

Monday is the day Obama will unveil a new national security team -- Hillary Clinton at State, Robert Gates at Defense and retired Gen. James Jones as national security advisor -- that is expected to embrace a new "soft power" approach to combatting global problems. WashPost: A "gamble on an eclectic group to confront a turbulent world."

Bill has agreed to a nine-point plan that would involve disclosure of donors to his charities and his library foundation. But there will still be questions about his activities at the confirmation hearing.

She'll have to figure out how to work with Obama, and achieve influence on his team., says USA Today.

Obama foreign policy advisor Susan Rice is expected to be nominated as UN ambassador.

Lots of people have said "no" to Cabinet jobs with Obama.
As the focus turns to foreign policy, at least for today, Obama's stimulus package is still a work in progress.

The NYT delivers a growing-up-in-NYC puff piece on presumptive AG nominee Eric Holder, in which he never recommended a corrupt pardon for Marc Rich.

The new Cabinet and White House could have five New Yorkers in key positions, enhancing the state's ability to achieve legislative priorities.

With the support of GOP moderates like Arlen Specter, the Democrats have enough Senate votes -- even without winning two still-undeceded races that would give them 60 -- to break logjams on issues like health care, immigration changes, DC voting rights and confirmation battles.

Daniel Wiese, the state police colonel at the center of an abuse-of-power investigation, has accused AG Andrew Cuomo of abuse of power.

Cuomo is still a frontrunner to replace Hillary in the Senate, but Gov. Paterson really wants to appoint a minority and/or a woman and/or a person from upstate.

Dean Skelos' efforts to retain a share of power for the GOP in the state Senate through talks with three independent Dems are expected to continue into January, but aides to Democratic leader Malcolm Smith seem confident he will prevail.

The NYPost, however, says the rebellious Dems have told Skelos they won't back him, and would only consider a coalition if someone else takes over as GOP leader.

AP Photo, 2006

If you didn’t contribute to State Senator-elect Brian Foley’s campaign before his whopping upset in a multi-million dollar slugfest with 36-year veteran Caesar Trunzo, you can still jump on the bandwagon.

Foley has scheduled a post-election $200 a head fundraiser — or $500 a head if you want to be included in the “congratulatory listing” in the fundraising journal. Or, you can give up to $5,000 for cover placement in the journal and 10 tickets, or get a full-page ad for $2,500, or a half-page for $1,000.

Says an invitation to the Dec. 16th event at the Irish Coffee Pub in East Islip:

“Change is never easy, and in politics, change is never cheap...There are still significant debts to be paid and we anticipate a tough race in 2010. Brian understands that due to 36 years of loyalty... many people who would have been his friend, and will be his friend going forward, were either forced to sit on the sidelines or back Senator Trunzo. But now is the time to rally together behind our state Senator-elect, Brian X. Foley, and send him to Albany with our support.”

Up to Election Day, nearly $1.6-million was put into Foley’s campaign. Foley’s campaign fund raised more than a $1-million, $455,000 of which came from state Democrats. The Senate Democrats put $581,000 into the contest.

Rick Brand

State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos’ fervid attempts to retain as much clout as he can, despite his party’s loss of a majority, will keep him in behind-the-scenes talks through New Year’s week, insiders predict.

So far, Minority Leader Malcolm Smith falls three Democratic votes short of the 32 needed to win the majority leadership. But aides and allies of Smith (D-Queens) take a confident pose, saying their man will prevail, despite three holdouts in his conference. Skelos is trying to leverage the best deal possible, as 40 years of GOP domination ends in the upper house.

Of course Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), who’ll have a GOP caucus of 29 or 30, wants the three holdouts to break ranks outright and put him back in charge. He’s reported reluctant to back Sen. Pedro Espada (D-Bronx) as majority leader and settle for the post of deputy majority leader.

He may, however, be willing to cede the Finance Committee chairmanship of Sen. Owen Johnson (R-Babylon), in photo left, to Sen. Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn). With voter enrollment trending Democratic, though, Skelos remains under pressure no matter what.

He’ll want to ensure senior Republicans such as Johnson and Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) stay on. The mostly likely to retire soon — threatening further erosion of the GOP caucus — seem to be upstaters Stephen Saland (R-Poughkeepsie) and Hugh Farley (R-Niskayuna).

A well-placed source said, “We don’t think there’ll be any certainty until a vote is cast on the floor Jan. 7.”

Suffolk Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk), in photo at right, had all the best intentions when he filed a resolution earlier this month to name the new industrial park at the county’s airport in Westhampton in honor of the late Legis. John T. Donohue (D-Hampton Bays).

But the resolution hit a snag in committee. Legis. Louis D’Amaro, on the panel that reviews naming requests, said the county code has a six-month rule before bestowing such honors, and Donohue had only died in September.

“What if we table it a couple of times?” asked Legis. John M. Kennedy (R-Nesconset). Another lawmaker, Wayne Horsley (D-Babylon), said he believes Donohue, who spent much of his legislative career as part of a Democratic minority, would not mind. “He was once a legislator,” Horsley said. “He would understand.”

Rick Brand

Rick Brand files this report:

After months of filing reports showing almost no campaign spending, despite a half-dozen mailings and newspaper inserts, Dean Hough, the wannabe Democratic primary candidate against Assemb. Patricia Eddington (WF — Medford), has come clean.

Hough, who was thrown off the ballot on a residency issue, filed a new campaign finance report in which he acknowledges spending $62,346 — $55,266 of it on advertising.

The report came only after Eddington supporters sued in Albany to force him to account for the spending. It shows that he received the bulk of his money from Eddington’s nemesis, Gershow Recycling, the Gershowitz family that owns the company, company employees, and from affiliated businesses.

Continue reading "Assembly candidate discloses recycler's $$ backing" »

New York Congressional dean Charles Rangel (D-Manhattan) has earned criticism about his dealings, possibly clouding his future as House Ways and Means chairman.

But how’s this for a twist: Republican lawmakers, of all people, are crying foul over Rangel’s bid to preserve, of all things, a tax loophole for an oil-drilling company.

The firm’s chief executive reportedly pledged $1 million to a City University school to be named for the Congressman. Both men deny a quid pro quo.

After Nassau County’s search for a new sheriff was found flawed last spring — and then done over — County Executive Thomas Suozzi was expected to choose to his original pick: Mark Farsi.

But that was in July, and an appointment — of someone — still awaits announcement.

Some believe it will be Undersheriff Michael Sposato, a one-time cook in the county jail whose meteoric rise to his current post initially drew fire from sheriffs’ union brass.

Legendary Long Island Republican boss Joseph Margiotta (right) passed away at 81.Coverage from Newsday's Sunday spread here and here.

President-elect Barack Obama has scheduled a big press conference for tomorrow where he is expected to name Hillary Rodham Clinton as his secretary of state as well as other appointments, setting in motion a Senate appointment by Gov. David A. Paterson.

Despite predictions of a pending downfall, Joe Mondello, the state and Nassau GOP chairman, says he isn't going anywhere, Rick Brand reports.

Regional residents killed in the Mumbai terrorist attacks are mourned in Brooklyn.

Gov. David A. Paterson issued some Thanksgiving vetoes, including one aimed at dealing with a decades-old issue -- the potentially-abused law-enforcement powers of chartered societies for the prevention of cruelty to children.

The top people in the Bloomberg administration were so hungry for privileges at the new Yankee Stadium that, the Times reports based on e-mails obtained by Assemb. Richard Brodsky, "the mayor’s aides pushed for a larger suite and free food, and eventually gave the Yankees 250 additional parking spaces in exchange."

We're off, at least tomorrow, probably for most of the weekend, unless something huge happens.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

The National Republican Trust PAC, a conservative group, is betting that Obama is a liability in the runoff between Jim Martin and Saxby Chambliss:

Albany chief James Madore files this report on Gov. Paterson's plans next week:

Gov. David A. Paterson will join other state chief executives Tuesday for a private meeting in Philadelphia with President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden.

The meeting is to take place in Independence Hall, site of the debates for the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

“The Governor is eager to meet with President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden, the Governor's first meeting with the incoming team since Election Day,” said Paterson spokesman Marissa Shorenstein. “Governor Paterson is looking forward to talking with the future President and Vice President about the fiscal challenges that New York is facing, and how the State can partner with the federal government to develop solutions to this economic crisis.”

Obama's transition office issues a statement on the attacks in Mumbai:

"President-Elect Obama strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India. These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism. The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks. We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks.”