Will Mayoral Candidates Disgorge Corrupt Real Estate Donations ?

From Crain's : Longshot Dem blasts rivals' real estate cash

Sal Albanese, a former City Councilman and longshot candidate for mayor, is calling on his fellow Democrats to return campaign contributions they've received from real estate firms being examined by a state anti-corruption panel.

The Moreland Commission, a group created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to investigate corruption in state government, recently issued subpoenas to five top developers in New York : Extell Development, Thor Equities, Silverstein Properties, Fisher Brothers and Friedman Management. The five firms have collectively donated tens of thousands of dollars to each of the top four candidates for mayor, Mr. Albanese notes.

"When you've sold your integrity to the highest bidder, how can we trust you to follow through on building affordable housing or holding developers accountable?" Mr. Albanese asked in a statement. "The simple truth is: we can't. That is why I have not accepted a single cent from developers or lobbyists."

But it is not clear if any developers or lobbyists have even offered to donate money to Mr. Albanese's campaign, which is barely registering in public polls. The former Bay Ridge councilman was out of public life for 15 years before launching his mayoral bid, and only 1% of likely Democratic primary voters polled by Quinnipiac in the last few days said they would vote for him.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn has accepted a total of $79,125 from employees of the five real estate firms subpoenaed by the Moreland Commission. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has received $42,100, former Comptroller Bill Thompson $30,660 and ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner $37,550, according to Mr. Albanese. None of the firms has been accused by authorities of doing anything wrong, and the amounts they donated represent 0.8% of the $22.2 million raised by the four leading Democratic candidates.

News of the subpoenas hit the papers in early August. The commission plans to investigate whether the five developers building luxury housing projects opened their wallets to curry favor among state legislators to secure millions in tax breaks. An explicit exchange of a donation for a tax break would be illegal. The Real Estate Board of New York, an industry association, did not comment Tuesday afternoon on Mr. Albanese's call.

None of Mr. Albanese's rivals responded to his call to return the campaign contributions. A debate scheduled for Tuesday night, hosted by WABC, the Daily News and the League of Women Voters, will exclude Mr. Albanese based on his low fundraising numbers. The New York Times editorial page has called for him to be included.

Do REBNY and PFNYC Act As Gatekeepers To Mayoral Debates ?

Do the Real Estate Board of New York and the Partnership for New York City act as gatekeepers to the mayoral debates ?

These developers have been subpoenaed by Moreland yet their donations helped get these candidates in tonight's debate pic.twitter.com/lg0A2enlMf

— Sal Albanese (@SalAlbanese2013) August 13, 2013

The problem with the broken political system is that the media takes advertising from developers, so there is no check. @SalAlbanese2013

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) August 13, 2013

Bill Thompson : Asleep At Wheel On CityTime. Wake Me Up Once He Wakes Up.

Excellent question by Greg Smith: Why didn't Bill Thompson jump on CityTime, Bloomberg's biggest financial scandal? http://t.co/1NAYsvg4i4

— Tom Robbins (@tommy_robb) July 1, 2013

Is Bill Thompson Color-Blind on Stop-and-Frisk ?

New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson’s restrained approach to ending stop-and-frisk policing has paid dividends with the endorsement from a coalition of city law-enforcement unions, the NYTimes writes. (via City & State First Read)

From the NYTimes :

Jumaane D. Williams, a city councilman from Brooklyn who has sponsored legislation against stop-and-frisk tactics, bluntly suggested that Mr. Thompson was taking the allegiance of black voters for granted.

“I think he believes that the color of his skin is what’s needed to get to communities of color, rather than standing on the correct substance of issues,” he said.

Bill Thompson Starts To Show Up To Mayor's Race

“School closing is not an educational strategy, and the Bloomberg administration has embraced it as such,” former comptroller Bill Thompson said. “They act as if school closings are real policy. They are not. If anything it’s an admission of failure.” (Gotham Schools : Support For A Moratorium On School Closures Gains Steam) Meanwhile, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn still supports mayoral control of schools, which allows Mayor Bloomberg to continue his scorched earth campaign against public education. (Capital New York : Christine Quinn Opposes Union Plan To Undo Mayoral Control Of Schools)

Does Bill Thompson Need to Drop Out of the Mayor's Race ?

We like @billthompsonnyc, but is he really in the mayoral race to win it ? nyc-mayor-2013.blogspot.com/p/bill-thompso… : Financial reliance on @mikebloomberg

— Louis Flores (@maslowsneeds) February 18, 2013

Let's take a look at how Bill Thompson's wife, Elsie McCabe Thompson, has become all mixed up in depending on tens of millions of dollars in donations from Mayor Mike Bloomberg. (The Village Voice) Hmmmmmmmmm ?

Bill Thompson Political Advisor Attacks Quinn's Critics

Hank Sheinkopf, an advisor to Bill Thompson, predicts that the growing grassroots movement against Christine Quinn, and her political doctrine of corruption and neoliberalism, will fail. What do you think ?

Democratic Party political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said that he thinks most of the protesters’ arguments against Christine Quinn are bogus.

Among the lone few truly real Progressive voices in New York City, one person spoke up to question the outrageous statements by Mr. Sheinkopf. Gerson Borrero took to Twitter to express his dissent to Mr. Sheinkopf's lack of any political ethics.

WHO IS HANK SHEINKOPF WORKING FOR? Anybody But Quinn | City & State: cityandstateny.com/anybody-but-qu…

— Gerson Borrero (@GersonBorrero) January 30, 2013

From City & State :

Despite the ongoing protests, political insiders say the [growing grassroots] movement [against Christine Quinn] probably won’t gain enough traction to affect the November mayoral primary.

“There’s always unusual things that occur in every mayoral election, and this is the first unusual thing that’s occurring here,” said Democratic Party political consultant Hank Sheinkopf, who added that he thinks most of the protesters’ arguments are bogus.

“The speaker makes deals,” he said. “That’s the nature of legislative government. Her job is to make deals.”

Sheinkopf, who is serving as an advisor to mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, also downplayed Quinn’s status as the Democratic front-runner. A recent poll has her far ahead of the pack, with 35 percent of likely voters pulling the lever for her as compared with 11 percent for Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and 10 percent for Thompson.

Have we reached a low point in New York City politics, where campaign consultants cannot attach the most corrupt mayoral candidate for fear of exposing the shared, underlying political corruption that exists amongst all of the mayoral candidates ?

Hank Sheinkopf defends @chriscquinn against protests. Really? @ows_getmoneyout @occuvote cityandstateny.com/anybody-but-qu… @gersonborrero @ny1thecall

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) January 31, 2013

Bill Thompson Fines Update

New York City Michael Bloomberg succeeds in shaking down Bill Thompson out of $600,000, creating a huge hole in Mr. Thompson's campaign finances, thus ensuring that Mayor Bloomberg will be able to appoint Speaker Christine Quinn as his successor.

NYC2013 – Bill Thompson Drops 2009 Fine Fight bit.ly/UF23FL

— Gestetner Updates (@YGUD) November 25, 2012

Bill Thompson "Invisible Man" ?

Mayor Bloomberg's spokesman calls Bill Thompson, "the invisible mayoral candidate" bit.ly/Q5gqUV

— Dana Rubinstein (@danarubinstein) November 19, 2012

3-Way Democratic Mayoral Race

.@wsjny: it's essentially a 3-way race for #2013 Dem mayoral nomination.on.wsj.com/T5oSkA @chriscquinn @billdeblasio @billthompsonnyc

— Azi Paybarah (@azipaybarah) November 19, 2012

Bloomberg Quinn Impose Illegal Campaign Sign Fines On Thompson But Not On Hoylman

The New York Post hounds Bill Thompson over suspiciously large fines being imposed by the Bloomberg administration in what has all the appearances of a politically-motivated effort to suck the funding out of any competitors that are challenging City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for the Democratic Party primary in the 2013 mayoral election. Meanwhile, here is evidence that political allies of Speaker Quinn break the law, too. But do the Bloomberg-Quinn administration likewise fine Brad Hoylman out the ass to the tune of $600,000, too ?

Tortious Interference With Democracy ?

When Mayor Michael Bloomberg gets all up in the faces of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and former Controller Bill Thompson, does Mayor Bloomberg intentionally damage the contractual or other business relationships of these mayoral candidates, their campaign workers, their paid consultants, their supporters, and other political or business relationships or activities ? Is there such an act as tortious interference with democracy ? What does New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn think about the appearances of Mayor Bloomberg interfering with democratic elections ?

David Seifman Examines Christine Quinn's Campaign

Political journalist and author, Dominic Carter, talks with The New York Post City Hall Bureau Chief, David Seifman, in this interview on Richard French Live.

Mr. Seifman spoke to Christine Quinn's campaign to be mayor, Bill Thompson's candidacy, the possibility of a run-off, and investigation of John Liu's campaign, and other political issues.

Campaign Poster Fines Strategy ?

Is Mayor Bloomberg deliberately trying to drain the campaign funds of the competitors that are challenging Christine Quinn for the 2013 mayoral Democratic primary ?

Mayor Michael Bloomberg seems to be engaged in a public relations campaign to turn public opinion against, and to drain the campaign funds (aka clear the primaries) of, the leading primary challengers that are competing with New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to be the Democratic Party's candidate in next year's mayoral election. * "Mayor Bloomberg Friday blasted mayoral candidate John Liu as a hypocrite for grumbling about companies that owe the city money — while failing to pay his own city debts." (NY Daily News) * Now that he has finally collected $444,000 in public matching funds from his 2009 campaign, Bill Thompson should return the money to the city to help cover the fines he owes for illegal posters, Mayor Bloomberg suggested yesterday. (NYPost)

Early NY1/Marist College Mayoral Poll Shows Weiner Leads Pack

Poll on 2013 Mayoral Race Puts Weiner in First Place

From The New York Post :

By DAVID SEIFMAN City Hall Bureau Chief
Last Updated: 7:52 AM, April 2, 2011
Posted: 12:53 AM, April 2, 2011

Just about any of the candidates hoping to succeed Mayor Bloomberg in 2013 has a shot at the job -- except Eliot Spitzer.

A NY1/Marist College poll reported yesterday that the six most-mentioned contenders are tightly bunched as of now, with Rep. Anthony Weiner slightly ahead at 18 percent and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer bringing up the rear at 4 percent.

In between are former Comptroller Bill Thompson, 15 percent; City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Comptroller John Liu, both at 13 percent; and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, 9 percent. Most voters -- 27 percent -- are undecided.

"I think [the numbers] mean very little. At this state, it's primarily name recognition," said veteran consultant Jerry Skurnik. "Candidates who haven't even been listed in the polls have been elected two years later."

Spitzer, who left the governor's job after admitting liasons with hookers, remains a long shot for elective office.

Sixty-two percent of voters said they'd prefer he not run for mayor, compared to 29 percent who suggested he go for it.

The poll of 772 adults in the city was conducted March 22-24. It has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.