Boro Park breakfast brings out the pols
Baby kissing, hand shaking, back slapping and good old shmoozing was in the house as several elected officials and citywide candidates woke with the birds to attend a legislative breakfast in Borough Park.
Shema Kolainu, a school and center for children with autism, along with the high-powered Orthodox Jewish PR firm The Friedlander Group, threw the feed, and judging from the political roster that showed, the borough’s Orthodox community has lost no clout following the recent New Jersey bust of some of its top rabbis.
Among the pols running for office that showed up seeking the orthodox blessing included public advocate candidate Mark Green, comptroller candidate David Wepren, 39th district city council candidates Brad Lander and Josh Skaller (parts of Borough Park are in the 39th District) and 33rd district City Council candidate Isaac Abraham.
Also wolfing down lox and sable was Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler, Borough President Marty Markowitz, State Assembly members Alec Brook-Krasny and Dov Hikind, State Sen. Diane Savino, and aides to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Jerrold Nadler.
Capano gets Indie Party nod
The Kings County Independence Party officially endorsed Bob Capano for the 43rd District City Council seat covering parts of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst.
Capano, a Republican, is challenging incumbent Councilmemeber Vincent Gentile, a Democrat, in one of the more conservative areas of the borough.
“Bob Capano pursued our support because he recognizes that independent voters have become a key constituency who’ve made the difference in the outcome of elections,” said IP Brooklyn Chair Bob Conroy. “We are endorsing him because he would like to see a more non partisan approach in the City Council and in the election process itself.”
Capano said he shares the IP’s commitment to responsible government spending, promoting school choice in New York, and in particular, reforming the election process.
“At city hall, I will continue to be an independent advocate for the people of Brooklyn, and give the families of our community a Councilman who understands and is in touch with their lives,” he said.
De Blasio’s‘furor’
It came as no surprise to veteran political observers that Park Slope City Councilmember Bill de Blasio, a candidate for public advocate, teamed with Dov Hikind to blast Mayor Bloomberg for alleged remarks the duo said likened state senators to Nazis.
The matter fizzled after a “personal conversation” with Bloomberg convinced the righteous pair that the mayor didn’t hear the question that was posed to him — whatever that means.
“His campaign requires certain votes that Assemblymember Hikind can deliver,” one local observer noted. “You’ll see a whole host of behavior from DeBlasio that wont make sense.” Another veteran politico thought the brief affair was a bit meshugena, offering a fictitious headline for the mini imbroglio: “German-American Councilman Warren D. Wilhelm says Bloomberg is a bad Jew,” a reference to de Blasio’s given name.
Parents pick pols
The Coalition for Educational Justice (CEJ), which is an alliance of community groups including Make the Road by Walking, Cypress Hills Advocates for Education, and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), has formed the Educational Justice Political Action Committee (EJ PAC). The new organization will seek to give parents a greater voice in the political arena.
Last week, EJ PAC endorsed candidates in several Brooklyn races. The group reportedly backs City Council members Letitia James and Charles Barron, as well as Brad Lander, who is running for Bill de Blasio’s seat.
“It is time for parents from low-income communities of color to have a direct voice in the political process when it comes to our public schools,” said parent leader Elpidio Molina. “We are supporting candidates who we believe will champion educational justice and support the right of parents to organize and to be heard. We chose candidates who will work with us to hold the mayor accountable for the performance of all children, regardless of neighborhood, race, socio-economic background, language or special need.”
Jumping on Yassky bandwagon
State Senators Eric Adams of Crown Heights and John Sampson of Canarsie both endorsed Brooklyn Heights City Councilman David Yassky in his run for New York City Comptroller this week.
The endorsement came during an event near and dear to Yassky’s heart — the Eco Art Community Festival in Prospect Park on Sunday, July 26.
During their “green” endorsement Adams said that he was happy to support such an “insightful and reform-minded” candidate.
Yassky was recently hailed by the League of Conservation Voters for having one of the best environmental records in the City Council.
‘No respect!’
That’s what city council hopeful Simon Belsky was undoubtedly screaming last week when the candidate, who has an uncanny resemblance in looks and bearing to comedian Rodney Dangerfield, learned that his petitions were being challenged.
The City Board of Elections confirmed that two objections were filed against Belsky’s petitions in his quest to unseat City Councilman Michael Nelson in the 48th District.
Both challenges were filed at the exact same time on July 16 — the night the petitions were due. Candidates needed 900 signatures from registered Democrats to be on the ballot for the September 15 primary.
Political insiders say that the challengers are undoubtedly supporters of Michael Nelson, who has represented residents of Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach and Midwood since 1999.
But respect cuts both ways: Belsky has also filed a challenge against Nelson, according to the Board of Elections.
Williamsburg residents upset at Gioia
Environmental advocates in Williamsburg and Greenpoint have been heavily favoring Queens Councilmember Eric Gioia in his bid for Public Advocate, but a donation from a local power plant owner has persuaded some otherwise.
Adam Victor, who runs Trans Gas Energy, the site of several rezoning battles for open space along the Williamsburg waterfront, gave a financial contribution of $4,950 to the Gioia campaign on July 6 of this year.
“I was almost going to donate some time to Eric Gioia’s campaign tomorrow night. This is a huge disappointment!My vote will go elsewhere,” one resident said.
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