Despite falling behind in fundraising compared with her opponents in the early goings of her campaign for New York City Public Advocate, Councilwoman Letitia James continues to pick up labor support, winning the endorsement of the United Auto Workers, region 9A. “With the rights of working people across our country under assault, we need strong, progressive leaders who stand up for middle-class and low-income families,” said UAW Regional Director Julie Kushner. “Tish James has been that kind of leader since… [More]

A Political Advice Column By Jeff Smith… [More]

Queens Councilwoman Liz Crowley was out of the gate this morning with an announcement that she has raised $100,000 for her congressional campaign in only 10 days – a very rapid fundraising clip. But Crowley’s campaign now tells City & State that $30,000 of that money was actually from “refunded donations” — money that was  refunded from her City Council campaign account to donors, who then re-donated to her congressional campaign. I contacted Crowley’s campaign about whether this type of… [More]

In some ways, John Liu is the perfect politician: pushing hard in his day job to show voters why he deserves a promotion, campaigning voraciously all over the city at night, channeling both outlets of his raging energy toward a single goal. It’s too bad those two strains of his ambition are inextricably intertwined. Even before he was elected city comptroller in 2009, Liu stood out as a city councilman who was tireless in his work and unbound in his… [More]

Patricia Lynch President and founder, Patricia Lynch Associates, Inc. The indomitable Patricia Lynch picked up her taste for politics around the dinner table as a child in Utica, New York. “I grew up in an Italian-Irish household, where the political discussion was always very lively,” she said. “It was not quiet.” After cold-calling Albany Mayor Erastus Corning for her first volunteer job in politics at age 18, she set about a career in communications. She has since worked in Washington,… [More]

It looks like longtime Brooklyn Congressman Ed Towns really is running for reelection after all — with a big leg up from friendly political action committees. Towns raised nearly $236,000 over the past three months, and now has $162,000 in cash on hand, after having only $11,000 on hand three months ago. That had caused doubts about whether Towns would really run for re-election. By comparison, one of his two opponents, Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, raised $105,000 over he past three… [More]

By Chris Bragg, Andrew J. Hawkins, Jon Lentz, Adam Lisberg and Laura Nahmias Cutest Couple Jeff Klein and Diane Savino Klavino may come from different sides of the tracks, but a love for stirring up trouble keeps them together. Most Honest Kevin Parker He asked for money by saying, “I help you. You help me.” Refreshing! Most Drastically Reduced Phone Bill Richard Lipsky We feel sorry for the people who had to listen to his wiretaps. The George Orwell Award… [More]

* The runaway success of the governor’s tax plan has inspired the inevitable “Cuomo as VP” speculation. One Albany insider predicted there would be “increasing talk of his being a possible running mate for Obama” in the coming months. The scenario has Joe Biden replacing a retiring Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, allowing Obama to tap Cuomo as his 2012 running mate. The move could help Obama among blue-collar voters and white Catholics, SUNY-Albany prof and political consultant Bruce… [More]

Call us self-interested, but everybody in New York is a loser when police prevent reporters and photographers from covering the protests in lower Manhattan, and top city officials back them up. Some demonstrators provoked fights and some cops were brutal; the media tries to capture it all so New Yorkers can make up their own minds what happened. New York City’s own rules allow media to do exactly that, but the rules meant nothing when credentialed photographers were beaten and… [More]

Manhattan Councilman Dan Garodnick is actively discussing a run for city comptroller with supporters, and is taking steps to raise his profile citywide in advance of an expected race in 2013, sources with knowledge of his thinking said. Garodnick has been discussing a possible bid for comptroller with a variety of donors and allies, under the assumption that John Liu, the current comptroller, will run for mayor in 2013. He has also become a veritable man-about-town, logging appearances at political… [More]