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Hunter Walker

By Hunter Walker 2:52pm

backstory

Assemblyman William Boyland Jr. and his father, Frank, together in 2005. (Photo: NYS Assembly)

My Weekend With The Boylands

During the course of reporting this week's cover story on William Boyland Jr., I spent over a month attempting to speak to the allegedly corrupt Assemblyman including sending emails, Facebook messages, multiple calls to his work number and personal cell phone and visits to his office in Albany, his district office in Brownsville and his home in Bedford Stuyvesant. I finally met Mr. Boyland last Saturday night in the lobby of the Hotel Albany where he was on hand for the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend.

Upon seeing Mr. Boyland, who was handing his young son money to spend in the hotel gift shop, I immediately walked over, whipped out my audio recorder and introduced myself.

"I know who you are, you stopped by my house," Assemblyman Boyland responded.

Mr. Boyland declined to discuss the pair of corruption trials against him, the bullets fired at his car last August, or the, at last count, 41 lawsuits filed against him by the State Board of Elections for his failure to file required campaign finance disclosures.

"You have a card or something? I'm not going to do any comment now. I'll reach out when you get home OK?"

Even though I already left a card for Mr. Boyland on my visit to his house, I gave him another one. He never called.

Mr. Boyland didn't have much to say to me, but his father, William Boyland Sr., who's better known as Frank, was far more forthcoming. Read More

By Hunter Walker 11:46am

Ku Klux Kontroversy

Tish James (Photo: NYC Council)

Tish James Says KKK Comment Was Made ‘In Jest’

Last Friday, Gay City News reporter Andy Humm printed a column accusing Councilwoman and likely candidate for Public Advocate Tish James of defending "KKK access to schools." The story was based on a testy exchange about the controversy over whether churches should be allowed to hold worship services in public schools when class is not in session that took place between Ms. James and Ms. Humm after a public forum on stop-and-frisk at the LGBT Community Center where both were speaking. Ms. James, who supports allowing religious organizations access to school buildings, gave her side of the story to The Politicker and clarified her position on the controversial issue.

"The comment was made in jest, and apparently, it was taken very seriously by a reporter who obviously was very disappointed in my position regarding allowing access to organizations of faith, who have used and want to continue to use public schools on days that schools are closed," Ms. James said.

Mr. Humm's story, which was subsequently picked up by other media outlets, quoted Ms. James as saying the Klan is "entitled to equal access." Ms. James, who said she knows Mr. Humm, described her interaction with Mr. Humm as a conversation that devolved into a "shouting match" and said she made the remark in an attempt to end the argument: Read More

By Hunter Walker 8:13am

Frenemies

Frank Seddio and Mercedes Narcisse (Photo: Facebook)

Old Friends Battle For Lew Fidler’s Council Seat

Mercedes Narcisse told The Politicker she doesn't "tolerate" the "sense of entitlement" her old friend, Frank Seddio, is bringing to the race to fill Lew Fidler's seat in the City Council if Mr. Fidler is successful in his run for State Senate.

"Since I registered in 2007, if Frank decided to run against me, he's supposed to let me know," Ms. Narcisse said. "If he doesn't let me know, that means he has a sense of entitlement. So, that I don't tolerate. I think that it should be a seat with democratic process."

Mr. Fidler is running to replace former State Senator Carl Kruger, who was forced to step down after pleading guilty to corruption charges in December. The special election for Mr. Kruger's seat is scheduled for next month and, if Mr. Fidler is victorious, there will be another special election to fill his Council seat shortly after. Mr. Seddio said he doesn't understand Ms. Narcisse's criticism of him as entitled given the unique situation that led up to their race.

"I'm not sure what that means, I mean, truthfully, in a normal circumstance, this election would be held next year,' Mr. Seddio said. "I dont know how far in advance you tell people you're running for something. Isn't it about weighing about all the options?"

Mr. Seddio and Ms. Narcisse have known each other for about 20 years and Mr. Seddio is the godfather of Ms. Narcisse's daughter. Read More

By Hunter Walker 6:30am

William's World

The last of a legacy. (Dale Stephanos)

Boylands Go Bust in Brooklyn: Is William Jr. the Last of the ‘Kennedys of Brownsville’?

The past 12 months have not been good for assemblyman William Boyland Jr. In March, he was arrested on federal corruption charges. In July, it was reported he was playing computer games when he should have been in session in Albany. In August, his GMC Yukon was shot at as he drove through his neighborhood of Brownsville—though this last event seems to have been random.

There was moment of hope when Mr. Boyland was acquitted in November. But no sooner had he settled back into life as a free man—nearly three weeks later—than FBI agents arrived at his home, and he was arrested on a second set of corruption charges. According to the indictment, the bureau had him on tape, soliciting bribes.

(He declined to be interviewed.)

Should he be convicted of the charges against him, Mr. Boyland will be the last of a nearly-40-year-long Brooklyn political dynasty. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/21 4:25pm

Litigation

Christine Quinn gave her State of the City address today. (Photo: NY1)

Christine Quinn Hails ‘Tremendous Victory’ In Homeless Shelter Suit

Today, City Council Speaker and likely 2013 mayoral candidate Christine Quinn won her lawsuit against the Bloomberg administration's policy of asking single adults seeking space in homeless shelters to prove they have no alternative housing. In a statement on the court decision, Ms. Quinn called it a "tremendous victory" against a "wrong-headed policy."

“Today’s Court ruling declaring the Department of Homeless Services’ eligibility requirements for single homeless adults unlawful is a tremendous victory and I commend the Court for its action," Ms. Quinn said. "This was a wrong-headed policy that put a burden of proof on people who could least shoulder it."

Ms. Quinn normally enjoys a rather cozy relationship with City Hall and this lawsuit was the first time the City Council sued the Bloomberg administration during Ms. Quinn's six year tenure as Council speaker. Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/21 9:11am

Roll Call

Karim Camara (Photo: Facebook)

Karim Camara Discusses Cuomo’s Absence From The Caucus Weekend Gala

Governor Andrew Cuomo was conspicuously absent through much of the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend in Albany. Though he held a birthday reception honoring Assemblyman Herman "Denny" Farrell, the governor missed the gala caucus weekend finale dinner due to what a representative from his office described as a "family event." Assemblyman Karim Camara, the chairman of the caucus told The Politicker he understood the governor's absence at the dinner.

"I think that we are in an all-consuming business and every one of us, at some point, has missed significant events because of family obligations," Mr. Camara said. Read More

4 By Hunter Walker 2/20 11:51am

Fighting Words

Chuck Schumer

Chuck Schumer Vows To Defeat ‘These Hard Right, Nasty People’

Senator Chuck Schumer predicted Democrats at all levels of government will emerge victorious against Republicans in this year's elections during his speech last night at the gala scholarship dinner that closed out the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend in Albany.

"The tide is beginning to turn, these hard right, nasty people who only care about the people at the very top, well, we peeled back the curtain and the American people are seeing who they really are," Mr. Schumer said.  Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/20 8:31am

Old School

Senator Chuck Schumer (Photo: Facebook)

Chuck Schumer Needs To Brush Up On His Hip Hop History

Senator Chuck Schumer mixed up the names of hip-hop icons L.L. Cool J and D.J. Kool Herc, in his speech at the gala scholarship dinner that was the finale of the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend. Mr. Schumer's musical mixup came when he told the audience about his efforts to preserve the Bronx apartment building where Kool Herc is said to have first mixed records and rapped over the beat.

"I have kept my promises to you that, while I have clout in Washington, I will do everything I can for our dear State of New York," Mr. Schumer said. "So, when greedy landlords in the Bronx wanted to close the home on Sedgwick Avenue where L.L. Kool Herc invented hip hop and lots of hardworking people lived, we stopped them." Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/20 7:36am

City Hall

John Liu

John Liu Doesn’t Want To Announce a Run For Mayor (On The Politicker)

On Saturday night, New York City Comptroller John Liu held a reception honoring labor leaders at the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend and I asked him whether he's ready to announce a run for mayor.

"Everybody has their way of making announcements," Mr. Liu said. "You're a great guy, I'm not necessarily sure that you're the perfect venue for making the announcement O.K.? No offense."

Read More

By Hunter Walker 2/19 11:43pm

Caucus Weekend

John Liu in 2010. (Photo: Getty)

Albany Lawmakers Defend John Liu

New York City Comptroller and possible 2013 mayoral candidate John Liu held a reception honoring labor leaders last night at the annual New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus association weekend where State Senators John Sampson and Eric Adams defended him against the fundraising scandal he's been battling since November. Mr. Liu also addressed the toll the allegations have taken on him and his family.

"My son, Joey, is in in sixth grade right now, and he is reading the papers, and I have to explain to him what they're talking about and what's really happening," Mr. Liu said. "So it is one of the things that we go through as real people." Read More