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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."

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Law & Order

Bill de Blasio (Photo: Facebook)

Bill de Blasio Asks Bronx D.A. To Expedite Ramarley Graham Shooting Investigation

Public advocate and likely 2013 mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio issued a statement asking the Bronx District Attorney's office to speed up its investigation into the shooting of Ramarley Graham, an unarmed teenager who was shot and killed by Richard Haste, a narcotics officer, after running into his home to evade the police.

“As our community continues to mourn the loss of Ramarley Graham, our city must remain vigilant in its investigation into this tragedy. Time is of the essence; the Bronx District Attorney must expedite his investigation into the incident," Mr. de Blasio said in a statement. Read More

City Hall

Marty Markowitz (Photo: Brooklyn-USA.org)

Marty Markowitz Staying Out Of Mayor’s Race To Avoid ‘Abuse’

Despite his strong poll numbers, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz says he's not running for mayor next year because he doesn't want to deal with "the abuse" heaped upon occupants of Gracie Mansion.

"To be mayor you've got to have heat, you need fire in your belly to take the abuse they're going to put you through," he told The Politicker as he headed into Comptroller John Liu's State of the City address at City College in Harlem this morning. Read More

frisky business

Scott Stringer speaking at City Hall yesterday. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

Scott Stringer And Jumaane Williams Call For NYPD To Reform Stop And Frisk

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Councilman Jumaane Williams held a press conference outside City Hall yesterday where they called on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to end the NYPD's controversial stop-and-frisk policy in the wake of a report by the New York Civil Liberties Union showing the police department stopped and interrogated a record number of people last year. The NYCLU report showed the NYPD conducted stop-and-frisks 684,330, the highest total since the department began collecting stop-and-frisk statistics in 2002 and a 603 percent increase since that year. About 87 percent of those stopped and frisked were black or Latino.

"This report, I think, makes it very clear that it is time to end this policy of stop and frisk as presently constituted," Mr. Stringer said. "Communities of people who are caucasian, people who look like me, never worry about their child or grandchild going to the store for a glass of milk. They're not worried about the police, they welcome the police on their street corner."  Read More

Rules of Attraction

Diane von Fürstenberg

Diane von Fürstenberg: Bloomberg Is ‘So Hot’ He Doesn’t Need Fashion Tips

Fashion legend Diane von Fürstenberg attended Mayor Michael Bloomberg's press event celebrating New York's fashion industry and the initiatives his administration has taken to promote couture. Of course, The Politicker, always ready to tackle the tough questions, asked Ms. von Fürstenberg if she had any fashion tips for Mr. Bloomberg.

"He's so hot, he doesn't need any," she responded as Mr. Bloomberg did a huge eye-roll.

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Keepin' It Fresh

A truck from the FreshDirect fleet. (Photo: FreshDirect.com)

Bloomberg Defends Deal For New FreshDirect Facility

Local activists in The Bronx have criticized the deal to keep the headquarters of online grocer FreshDirect in the five boroughs as insufficiently transparent and an improper use of city funds, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the project at a press conference this morning.

"We don't go negotiate deals open, nobody would ever deal with the city, you couldn't negotiate a deal," Mayor Bloomberg said in response to a question from The Politicker. Read More

Big Blue-mberg

Mayor Bloomberg with Giants players Justin Tuck and Eli Manning at yesterday's parade.

Mayor Bloomberg Explains How He Helped The Giants Win The Super Bowl

At a press conference this morning, Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent some time discussing the Giants' Super Bowl victory last Sunday. Mayor Bloomberg started things off by saying he tried to invite his predecessor, Rudy Giuliani, to the victory parade, but "Rudy was traveling."

"I don't know that he was ever a big football fan. Rudy is a very big baseball--a very big Yankees, not baseball fan," Mayor Bloomberg said.

He went on to reveal he used to feel self conscious because Mayor Giuliani reigned during the World Series between the Yankees and Mets in 2000.

"Deep down inside, I've always felt a little bit inferior because he delivered a Subway Series and I have not, but I have delivered, and I have a lot to do with this, two Super Bowl champions."

Mayor Bloomberg went on to explain why he was instrumental in the Giants' championship. Read More

Schoolhouse Rock

Dennis Walcott (Photo: Getty)

Dennis Walcott Doesn’t ‘Buy Into’ Criticism of School Closures

Mayor Bloomberg's education policies have come under fire in recent weeks due to the closing of several city schools. After the mayor's preliminary budget presentation today, Department of Education Chancellor Dennis Walcott defended mayoral control of city schools and said he doesn't "buy into" criticism the city hasn't been transparent enough about school closures.

"Mayoral control has worked, it's worked well, and we are continuing to improve and refine it to make sure it's even better," Mr. Walcott told PolitickerRead More

Cash Money

Mayor Bloomberg (Photo: Getty)

Mayor Bloomberg Touts Balanced Budget While Warning Of ‘Ticking Time Bomb’ In Pension Fund

Mayor Michael Bloomberg revealed his preliminary budget plan for the final months of the current fiscal year and fiscal year 2013, which begins in July at City Hall today. While he touted the balanced 2013 budget that closed a $2 billion gap without tax increases, the mayor also warned of potential problems down the road if the pension system, which is not under city control, is not reformed.

"Right now, our pension system is fairly described as a ticking time bomb," Mayor Bloomberg said. Read More

Schoolyard Showdown

Keith Wright (Photo: NYS Assembly)

Keith Wright Wants To Take Control of City Schools Away From Mayor Bloomberg

Assemblyman Keith Wright said the Department of Education's plan to close the middle school at Wadleigh Secondary School of Performing Arts is the final straw that has convinced him to propose a bill that would repeal mayoral control of city public schools.

"People are up in arms. They are quite frankly tired of the dictatorial and despotic policies coming out of City Hall where they just arbitrarily and capriciously decide that they're going to close schools," Mr. Wright told The Politicker. "This is the Alamo as far as I'm concerned right now. This is the absolute Alamo and I'm not going to take it anymore." Read More