Multiple sources say a resignation by indicted State Senator Carl Kruger may be imminent.
However, a source close to Kruger told me: “Carl is not going out until he is forced to by operation of law. Those options are losing a primary or general or a conviction. No truth to the rumor.”
That sounds more like the Kruger I know, but we shall see.
At any rate, Sheepshead Bites names two potential Democratic candidates for the seat, as well as three potential Republicans.
One of the Democrats is Councilman Lew Fidler, another is a gentleman named Ari Kagan
In 2006, I had occasion to comment about Ari, who was then running for the Assembly:
"46th AD (Brooklyn): Another of those strange, baffling races involving recent immigrant groups (see also Queens 22, Queens 39 and Manhattan 72), in this case Jews from the former Soviet Union. Watching the level of repugnancy this race has degenerated to (accusations concerning the KGB, Putin, Hamas, body odor and purported threats concerning members of candidates’ families; some, but, by no means, all of which, along with a cameo appearance by yours truly, are preserved in this truly amazing thread, which mentions Atlantic Yards not once, but does speculate about the size of one of the candidate’s genitalia: http://blogs.nydailynews.com/dailypolitics/archives/2006/06/the_russians_ar.php) makes me wonder why the Soviets worked so hard to keep the Refuseniks from leaving (oh yeah, it was because they never had to watch them contest an election), although I do feel guilty for harboring such thoughts. Is this why people are already expressing nostalgia for the cool calm demeanor of Adele Cohen? I am told that many in the Soviet Jewish community also regard this race as an embarrassment, which speaks well of them. For those who care, it appears that Aleck Brook-Krasny has a somewhat greater grasp upon reality than his opponent Ari Kagan, as well as having some clue that he is obligated to represent people who were born outside of the Ukraine."
To be fair, Domestic Partner, who is not without her own basis of knowledge on such matters, found Ari quite credible. But that was as a primary candicate in Brighton Beach.
I am skeptical of the idea that Kagan, once a political enemy of the District’s most prominent Russian politician, has a shot to become the Democratic nominee in a special election where the Party’s choice will be made by the area’s Democratic County Committee members.
Even if one could conceive of an effort arising to deny Fidler the nomination, such an effort would require the support of the County Leader.
While it is not inconceivable (just unlikely) that the County Leader might want to make such an effort, it seems unlikely that the County Leader could do so without the support of his ally, Alec Brook-Krasny. And though it appears that Kagan has made his peace with Brook-Krasny, I still remain skeptical that Brook-Krany would be greatly enthusiastic about handing Kagan such a nomination.
Nonetheless, Kagan seems more plausible than the Republican Flavor of the Week, John Reinhardt.
Reinhardt is not the GOP establishment’s preferred Republican, but the preferred Republican, Fred “Freddy Kruger” Kreizman, is constitutionally ineligible to run in a special election.
Another candidate mentioned, David Storobin, is seemingly so obsessed with the sub-human nature of Arabs and Muslims that his blog posts about them have been linked on white supremacist hate sites.
Admittedly, in this district, that may prove to be an advantage.
Despite Storobin’s raging, frothing at the mouth far right wing hate-based fanaticism (raging against a proposed local Mosque even Marty Golden refuses to opposel) elsewhere, he is almost a Russian Al Sharpton, glorifying the primacy of identity politics, saying that a candidate’s being Russian is far more important than trivial concerns like abortion and taxation (and presumably even Mosques).
However, though “The Jig” has not yet gotten the memo, it is Reinhardt, an extremely successful realtor, who smells like the current favorite of Republican Leader Craig Eaton, if only because he can self finance.
I must say that, of the Republicans, I strongly prefer Reinhardt.
Self financing is the least of it. John Reinhardt is most notable for financing others.
Seemingly, they are exclusively Democrats.
Though Colin Campbell beat me to the publishing gate, the research of Reinhardt’s contributions which appears in his column is actually something of a “can you top this” collaboration between us, accomplished during a “Who the fuck is this guy?” email conversation on Saturday.
Reinhart gives a lot of money. To his local Assemblyman, Alan Maisel, his local Congressman, Anthony Weiner and his local Councilman:
LEW FIDLER!
LOFL!
Even funnier, he’s given money to the State Senate’s Democratic Party Leader, John Sampson.
Perhaps all this, and the horse-choking $4950 he gave to Marty Markowitz, can all be explained as “sound business practice,” by a local businessman to local pols important in his turf (plus he had the good taste not to give to his Senator, Carl Kruger).
But it’s time for a reality check.
The contribution to Weiner was not local.
It was for Weiner’s Mayoral campaign.
I suppose one could argue with a bit of credibility that Weiner was in many ways a more conservative choice in 2005 than Michael Bloomberg, but those Weiner videos on YouTube tend to make that argument appear far more ridiculous than it actually is.
I suppose Reinhardt could make the classic, “I didn’t leave the Democrats, the Democrats left me” argument so beloved of other opportunists.
There are a couple of problems with that.
The first is that Democrats are politicians, and politicians are gold diggers; they do not tend to leave suitors so ardent and generous as John Reinhardt.
The other problem with the “ObamaCare made me see the light” argument is that sponsorship of a heath care plan far more liberal than anything backed Obama did not deter Reinhardt from wetting the beak of a different Democrat:
REINHARDT, JOHN P
BROOKLYN, NY 11234
FILLMORE REAL ESTATE/PRESIDENT/CE
CLINTON, HILLARY RODHAM
VIA FRIENDS OF HILLARY
|
01/16/2006 |
1000.00 |
John Reinhart, who, hereinafter shall be known in these quarters as “JOHN RINO” is my kind of Republican.