One must wonder about a "plan" that requires Nydia Velazquez and her friends to back someone for County Leader in the name of "reform" who just recently endorsed Erik Dilan against her for Congress.
Not for nuthin, but I do not recall Frank Seddio or any of the electeds in his circle (Lew Fidler, Alan Maisel, Helene Weinstein, etc.) having done that (unless you want to stretch the definition and count John Sampson, whose support, whether overt or covert, would probably be necessary for there to be a Camara victory). The Plan to Block Frank Seddio politicker.com
Is the talk of Walter Mosely for County Leader a sign that something is amiss with the Camara effort?
Nydia Vengeance?
The refusal of Jesse Hamilton to take a dive so Camara can become a District Leader?
Does Walter Mosely really want to be circulating his name for County Leader two weeks before his Assembly primary?
And, if he’s not the one who is doing it, he really should think about publicly putting the kibosh on it for the sake of his campaign, no? Jockeying Begins For Brooklyn Democratic Leadership Post fortgreene.patch.com
Even with some minor errors, most of the analysis here of the Brooklyn Dems County Leader race is sound, even if the English is broken. Nonetheless, I wasn't going to link it because of an asinine and misleading comment made about one of my columns which the author refuses to correct.
"Gatemouth thinks that Vito Lopez should stay in office if he is reelected against a descent candidate. In that case, Lincoln Restler should become the chairman if he beats Lopez in his own turf."
But now Colin’s linked it (for reasons having nothing to do with the comment about me) and I feel compelled to respond
This comment totally distorts the point of my post.
I said that who the County Leader shall be is the concern of all Democrats countywide—I've been clear from the start that Lopez's continued tenure as Leader was not viable and that it was bad for the Party–citing races where his presence as leader would hurt Democratic candidates
But I said the Assembly seat was different
Whether Vito stays in the Assembly is really up to his constituents, provided they have a choice
However, I also noted Lopez has no real mandate to stay without a real opponent, which he currently lacks.
I urged that Lopez be opposed– that he should be made to explain himself, and that voters should have a choice, which should be respected, to the extent possible.
Calling for Lopez’s resignation seems a bit futile. Unlike the continuation of his leadership, he does not face imminent defeat, so he has no incentive to bail.
More embarrassing stories? If Lopez feared embarrassing stories, he would have quit as Leader five years ago.
Anyway, if Lopez resigned, he’d be able to just handpick the new Dem candidate–it would be easier to beat Lopez than a substitute and might be accomplished with the right write-in candidate:
Diana Reyna
Of course, it goes without saying that the Assembly can remove Lopez for cause, which might exist. I happen to have urged Lopez to call upon JCOPE to investigate the charges which have been raised about his conduct. I explicitly stated that if Lopez is not willing to defend himself under oath, he should stop complaining about others drawing conclusions from the evidence they already have.
I happen to think that if Lopez gets a real challenge–even a write in–he might be beaten.
However if he beats back a real challenge, it does become harder, but not impossible, to remove him.
If the issue is fully aired in an election (and it would be) and Lopez survives, then the voters have made their choice, and short of a criminal finding, it is hard to believe he would be removed (this was essentially my position concerning Kevin Parker as well).
By contrast, a joke election, which I expect is what actually will take place, would give Lopez far less moral standing
How any of this is analogous to the idea that Lincoln Restler being re-elected by one assembly district is a mandate for him to be County Leader is unfathomable, except as a joke.
What I made was a call for democratic accountability.
Naturally, neither side was pleased. The next Brooklyn Democrat Party Chair hasidicbrooklyn.tumblr.com
Knowing Mr. Lopez, it does not surprise me that his office was a "hostile environment." That would be true even if sex were not a factor. But the consistency of the allegations made by a parade of young women employed at different junctures portrays a man lacking impulse control or empathy for the feelings of others who basks in his omnipotence. Not a pretty picture.
Run Diana Run! Women Employed by Vito J. Lopez Describe Sexually Hostile Office www.nytimes.com
The Post names names.
Not for nuthin, but Mr. Seddio might be better advised to avoid opining on whether or not the incidents actually occurred.
Suggested Alternate Response: "I don't know, I wasn't there; i was home with my wife." Disgraced pol Vito Lopez's fmr. chief-of-staff ID'd as sex-harass settler www.nypost.com
Michael Geller: I really do think [Simon’s] a lovely person and a very nice lady, but the borough’s becoming more conservative and she’s very liberal…Frank has been around long enough and he’s a very good district leader.
Seddio might also be well advised to tell Geller to put a sock in it, but making it happen is probably a task not within the capability of any mortal. Who will be the next Vito Lopez? Rival Dems vie to become party boss www.brooklynpaper.com
Tuesday night around midnight, I posted an email (item #1) positing that the Silver/Lopez hush money went to the lawyer, not the victim(s), and suggesting that more money came from other government sources.
About four hours later, the News posted this editorial confirming the truth of much of this theory and the likelihood of the rest of it.
I do wonder though why the News’ editorials on the Lopez case continue to contain more useful information than their news stories on the matter. Silver must come fully clean on sexual harassment in the Assembly www.nydailynews.com
The Times: The terms of the agreement, however, suggest that the Assembly could have proceeded with an ethics committee investigation, though it is clear nobody wanted that to happen. “The parties desire to resolve this matter without resort to litigation or any administrative proceeding of any sort,” the agreement says.
Both Shelly Silver and Gloria Allred have obviously been lying.
The difference is that by lying to the public, Allred is fulfilling her "ethical" obligation to her clients, while by doing the same, Silver is violating his ethical obligation to the public he is sworn to serve. Assemblyman Vito Lopez Paid $32,000 to Settle Sexual Harassment Accusations www.nytimes.com
This is so unfair to Akslerod. His campaign is not based upon fomenting hatred against black people.
Akselrod's campaign is based on fomenting hatred against Moslems. Akselrod Campaign Treasurer Resigns Following “Negrohood” Flub | Sheepshead Bay News Blog www.sheepsheadbites.com