The new Resorts World casino—as operated by robots in compliance with New York State law, after a very long ordeal to bring more gambling revenue to Aqueduct—had its grand opening this afternoon. Look who it brought in: Democratic assemblyman David Weprin is testing his hand at the games of fortune! Read More
In the blame game going around Democratic circles in the wake of the loss of Anthony Weiner's old Congressional seat, most of the finger-pointing has been directed toward Queens Democratic Party boss Joe Crowley and his hand-picked candidate, David Weprin.
But the masterminds behind the Weprin campaign--Democratic political consultants The Parkside Group-- have been in for a little blame as well, since they managed to lose one of the most closely watched races in the nation despite a 3-1 registration advantage.
So how are they handling the ignominy? By sending out a press release touting their victories, of course: Read More
The finish line for political races is always the same, but the starting line is not. In the race to replace Anthony Weiner in the Congressional seat covering parts of Queens and Brooklyn, Democratic Assembly David Weprin began several paces ahead of his Republican opponent, retired businessman Bob Turner. For one thing, Democrats outnumber Republicans three--to-one. For another, Mr. Weprin has one of the most famous names in Queens politics--his father, Saul was a former speaker of the Assembly. And finally, the machinery to win low-turnout elections--the labor unions and local political machines that actually get people to the polls--skews almost entirely to Mr. Weprin's side. Read More
David Weprin just sent out a statement announcing that he called Bob Turner and conceded the race for the 9th Congressional district.
I just called Bob Turner to congratulate him on a well-fought campaign. He will now have the honor of representing Brooklyn and Queens in Congress, and I hope that he will work every day to represent all of the diverse communities that make up the 9th Congressional district. Read More
As voting wraps up for the NY-09 special election to replace Anthony Weiner's congressional seat, stories of less-than-admirable tricks by supporters of both candidates—Republican Bob Turner and Democrat David Weprin—are being reported. Read More
Joe Crowley is both the head of the Queens Democratic Party and the finance chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and he was wearing both hats this afternoon when he sent out in urgent mailer asking for donations to help David Weprin's congressional campaign.
[Republican Bob Turner] is a radical right-winger ready to fight alongside John Boehner and the tea party. He has promised to push for drastic budget cuts and is even on record as rejecting the Republican's budget and plan to end Medicare because it did not go far enough," wrote Mr. Crowley in a DCCC email. "The election is just one week from today. We must immediately raise $25,000 in rapid response funds to help David fight Republican attacks in these final days." Read More
A Democratic source passed along the following mailer going out to homes in the Ninth Congressional District that takes aim at Bob Turner for comment he made to the editorial boards of the New York Daily News and The New York Post.
On on side is pictured a retiree and on the other a firefighter, and the mailer warns that "Tea Party Bob Turner" is an extremist who wants to cut social security and Medicare benefits and deny 9/11 first responders health benefits in order to protect "tax breaks for the ultra-rich."
Both The Daily News and The Post endorsed Mr. Turner, and so the ad seems at least partly designed to neutralize those endorsements by using Mr. Turner's words to the papers against them.
Take a look: Read More
Yesterday, the campaign of Republican Bob Turner released a poll that showed him in a dead heat with David Weprin, his Democratic opponent in the Brooklyn/Queens congressional district held by Anthony Weiner.
Today, the Democrats have answered, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee releasing a poll by the well-regarded Global Strategy Group that gives Mr. Weprin an 8-point lead, with 14 percent undecided (the G.O.P. poll, by the McLaughlin Group, found 16 percent undecided.) Read More
Bloomberg was in full bunker mode Thursday as the fallout from the Goldsmith Saga widened, abruptly canceling his Friday morning radio show.
The Goldsmith Saga is vintage Bloomberg, Michael Barbaro says, with its demonstration of unwavering loyalty to aides and a deep distaste for exposing private lives to public scrutiny.
The reason Bloomberg was unavailable to reporters yesterday was because "we wanted to give him some time to catch up and work on the other parts of the job," a spokesman said.
The Post knocks "City Hall’s bizarre fabrication of a reason for Goldsmith’s departure." Read More
The campaign in the 9th Congressional District has become so magical.
The David Weprin campaign announced this afternoon that they are sending in a Queens magician named "Wendy Wizard" to "endorse" Bob Turner at a fundraiser the Republican is having at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club.
According to the campaign:
“Tea Party Turner’s smoke and mirror budget tricks require a level of magical ability that only the greatest illusionists have mastered,” Wizard said from her underground lair in an undisclosed part of Queens while stroking a black cat named Oolong. “I’m proud to support my fellow magician’s candidacy because I know that Tea Party Turner will pull the money we need to save Medicare right out of thin air.” Read More
