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Colin Campbell

Colin is a politics reporter for the New York Observer.

By Colin Campbell 2:16pm

Albany garage sale

Want to buy a car in almost mint condition? (Photo: Getty)

Soon You’ll Be Able To Buy New York State’s Old Junk on eBay

Earlier this afternoon, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he's going to be selling New York State's old stuff on eBay, to the excitement of whomever is interested in the state government's old office supplies, furniture, and highway equipment.

Why is New York State selling its old stuff? Is New York State moving out of its old dusty Albany apartment to a new loft in Williamsburg?

Probably not, it seems.

In his statement, Mr. Cuomo said the government is selling "unneeded equipment and supplies" in order to "reduce operating costs and cut back on excess spending and inventory."

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By Colin Campbell 1:10pm

the billionaire's struggle

Marty Markowitz pantomimes how sad Mayor Bloomberg will be to not have a job

Markowitz Doubts Bloomberg Will Financially Struggle When He’s Out of Office [Video]

Mayor Michael Bloomberg had a cute exchange with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz as they trumpeted the success of new job centers yesterday afternoon.

"Marty and I will be losing our jobs in 679 days," Mr. Bloomberg pointed out, joking that one of them might some career advice. Both officials are term-limited out in 2013.

"I have a hunch that one of us will actually be looking for a job in those six hundred and something days," Mr. Markowitz responded when he took the podium.

Mr. Bloomberg proceeded to insist he doesn't have a retirement plan, prompting Mr. Markowitz to sarcastically quip, "Oh, sure."

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By Colin Campbell 11:39am

recchia's replacement

Michael Treybich (Photo: Facebook)

Candidate Quietly Campaigning for Coney Island Council Seat

Michael Treybich, an attorney and deputy legal director for the New York State Young Democrats, is looking more likely to formally enter the campaign for term-limited Councilman Domenic Recchia's Council seat, at least if you believe a fundraising invite a reader forwarded to The Politicker.

"My good friend from law school, Michael Treybich is beginning what will be a historic political career, with a run for city council in 2013," the email from fellow attorney Adam Roth begins.

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By Colin Campbell 9:17am

battle lines

(Photo: Getty)

Cuomo on Independent Redistricting: ‘I Just Lost’

Last night, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle posted 14 minutes of audio from Governor Andrew Cuomo's interview with their editorial board, the same discussion where he outlined a clear alternative to vetoing the legislature's redistricting proposal. Asked why he didn't more publicly push Albany into adopting the independent redistricting reform he said he favors, Mr. Cuomo responded bluntly.

"I've done it, they said no. I just lost, is what happened," he said.  "It's not that they didn't hear me, and not that I didn't advocate, they just rejected my suggestion."

When pressed as to what Mr. Cuomo may have done to twist the legislator's arms, the famously assertive governor asserted he's "not an arm-twister."

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By Colin Campbell 8:25am

battle ferry

Michael Grimm (Photo: NY1)

Grimm Defends Relationship With Fundraising Figures in Allegations

Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm, who The New York Times' sources allege took illegal bribes, continued his efforts to push back against the allegations last night, appearing on NY1's "Inside City Hall." The host, Errol Louis, pressed him the specifics of the case that centered on an Israeli mystic, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, and one of his top aides, Ofer Biton.

Disputing he raised anywhere close to the $500,000 the Times reported he raised from Rabbi Pinto's followers, Mr. Grimm aggressively defended his relationship with Rabbi Pinto.

"The Rabbi introduced me to many important businessmen, very successful business people, and that's how I raised money," he said, adding later that the businessmen supported him because he was "pro-Israel, lower taxes, strong for business, that's what they were looking for and that's why they supported me."

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2 By Colin Campbell 2/21 8:19pm

majority macher

Dean Skelos in Mishpacha Magazine

Dean Skelos’ Outreach to the Orthodox Jewish Community

Dean Skelos, the Majority Leader of the State Senate, received a glowing profile in the Orthodox Jewish magazine Mishpacha this week, furthering the outreach Republicans are doing to the rapidly growing, but traditionally Democratic, community. Mishpacha, published out of Jerusalem, could have hardly been more positive: Mr. Skelos' feature photo is him hard at work, captioned, "DEAN of the SENATE."

The substance of the profile is even more favorable.

"There are no shortcuts when it comes to climbing ladders, whether they are painter’s ladders or political ones," reads one passage. "Dean Skelos has scaled both types — rung by rung — en route to his present position as New York state senate majority leader. In an exclusive interview in his district office in Rockville Centre, Long Island, Senator Skelos made it clear that he wouldn’t have had it any other way."

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5 By Colin Campbell 2/21 7:20pm

education

Lew Fidler's campaign mail highlights his efforts on behalf of Jewish private schools

School Vouchers Emerge As Key Issue in Brooklyn Special Election

In a special election competition that had been increasingly marred with negative personal attacks between the two candidates, a substantive issue has finally emerged that the candidates are staking their ground on: tuition relief for private school students, especially those attending yeshivas in the heavily Jewish district.

Earlier this morning, the Republican candidate in the race to replace corrupt former State Senator Carl Kruger, David Storobin, sent out a positive press release touting his support for a voucher system granting money to parents of private school students.

“The voucher issue is a big one in this district,” Mr. Storobin said in the statement. “For the orthodox Jewish, it’s particularly important. Private tuition for yeshivas can be as much as $10,000 or more per high school student, and almost as much for children in primary school. To a family with five or six children, that is a tremendous burden.”

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By Colin Campbell 2/21 5:42pm

rulings

Redistricting

Judges Reject Motion to Dismiss on Congressional Redistricting Lawsuit

As federal courts move to decide whether to intervene on the Congressional redistricting process, the last ditch legal efforts on behalf of Albany's legislative leaders to dismiss the lawsuit was rejected by a three judge panel this evening. The move allows the courts to draw their own Congressional map if  the State Legislature cannot draw lines in time for the June 26th primary.

"The motions to dismiss the complaint filed by defendants Roman Hedges, Welquis R. Lopez, John J. McEneny, Michael F. Nozzolio, Sheldon Silver, Dean G. Skelos, Brian M. Kolb, and Robert Oaks are hereby DENIED. A written opinion will follow in due course," they ruled.

The judges also placed the eventual decision on a legal fast track.

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