(For the latest click on www.bxnews.net orhttp://bedfordparknews.blogspot.com/) 

100 PERCENT By Robert Press Vice-Chairman The Committee of 100 Democrats Pedro Espada Jr. won the democratic primary and the general election in the 33rd state senate district in 2008. The democrats also then took a 32-30 majority in the state senate. However it took less than six months for Senator Espada to align himself with the republican minority, bringing fellow democrat Senator Monserate (of Queens) to throw the New York State Senate into chaos. For 31 days nothing was done as crucial bills expired. The State Senate became a three-ring circus, as Senator Monserate quickly returned to the democratic fold stalemating the senate 31-31 with no Lieutenant Governor to break the deadlock. In ring #1 were the senate democrats who clocked in then clocked out. In ring #2 were the senate republicans doing the same thing. In ring #3 was Governor Patterson who huffed and puffed threatening all the senators with convening a special session everyday (including weekends) until the stalemate was over. Since he was no steamroller (as was the case in the previous governor) Patterson's second act was to appoint a Lieutenant Governor to break the deadlock in the state senate. This act was challenged by senate republicans as to the legality of it in the New York State constitution. No governor had ever appointed his second in command, and as for state-wide vacancies the state legislature selects the replacement, as was the case in Attorney General G. Oliver Koppell, and State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli most recently. There has never been an appointed or selected Lieutenant Governor as prescribed in the state constitution. Even before the legal proceedings will end, the stalemate in the senate has ended as Senator Pedro Espada Jr. has decided to return to the democratic fold, only to be named majority leader by the democrats, second only to Malcolm Smith who Espada had said was not and will not be the senate leader. As for the senate republicans, if you play with fire you are likely to get burned. Remember there is always next year for Espada to change his mind again, or possibly that soon to become vacant upstate democratic senate seat that should be up for grabs in a special election. $36 million dollars and counting. No that is not the cost of the General Motors bailout or the MTA shortfall this year, but how much money Mike Bloomberg has spent so far before anyone has even filed a petition to run for mayor. At this rate he will spend well over $100 million dollars, breaking all records on a local election to brainwash the voting public. It is to bad most of the millions are being spent out of state to generate Bloomcrap. If you have any comments about this column or The Committee of 100 Democrats, you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com , or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press Vice-Chairman, or write to The Committee of 100 Democrats 212 Lisbon Place Bronx N.Y. 10458 Attn Mr. Ricky Martinez Chairman.

Bloomberg stated at the Capital Press conference today that he would be hard press to explain this kind of democracy to children in the school system.  Hey Bloomberg how about explaining to us  first on extending term limits without a public referendum. Explain to us how the city council  voted to extend their own jobs and guaranteed themselves a life time pension that taxpayers will foot the bill? Explain to us how extending term limits now has many more races unopposed since people can't run against the incumbent's pork? Explain to us Bloomberg since you refuse to address this issue and even call a reporter a disgrace for raising such a question.

Today's Clinton-for-SecState trial balloon should revive a lightning round of speculation (and maybe even some early premature lobbying as storylines collide) about whom Gov. Paterson might appoint to succeed her.

Let the reindeer games begin!

On May 20, 2008, the news media began issuing reports about 3 “targeted attacks” at the office of State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, located in Yonkers, NY. While it seemed that the facts changed on an hourly basis, there were reports that the Senator’s office had been ransacked and that bullets were fired into the office during daytime hours, evoking the image of staffers ducking under their desks for cover.

Inferences were made that there may be a connection between these alleged attacks and ‘anti-abortion’ demonstrators who held rallies outside Stewart-Cousins’ office in protest of the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act (RHAPP). Local News 12 ran footage from a recent rally at the end of their report exhibiting a truly grandiose lapse in editorial judgment. Rally sponsors, who have an established history of peaceful pro-life activity, were not contacted for comment before reports aired and appeared in print.

via Paul Blumenthal's In Broad Daylight

On the heels of today’s Jeff Birnbaum article, “Support for Electronic Filing of Senate Candidates' Campaign-Finance Records Gains Momentum,” the blogosphere, left and right, has united to push Senators to file their campaign-finance records electronically. Bloggers from Daily Kos, Red State, HuffPo, Captain’s Quarters, Think Progress, and Wonkette are pushing for the passage of S. 1508, which would mandate electronic filing. S. 1508 is one of many transparency measures that have been languishing in Senate or House committees waiting for the kind of public pressure that bloggers brought to Coburn-Obama and will now hopefully bring to electronic filing.

Read the entry in its entirety, here.

The blog Albany Media Bias recently expressed frustration at what appears to be a homeland security conundrum.

On the one hand, officials from major metropolitan areas are talking the talk, lambasting the Bush Administration's non-threat-based funding formulas that direct precious homeland security monies to far-flung locales in Wyoming (for example). But, on the other hand, it appears the same officials are not exactly walking the walk.

Enter Sen Hillary Clinton, who more and more seems to be taking the "City" out of New York City when talking about homeland security funding.

Is Sen. Hillary Clinton playing politics with federal HIV/AIDS funding?

Apparently ... that all depends on whom you ask, and where you live.  Such was the question posed by Jeffrey Birnbaum in today's Washington Post.

A while ago, I wrote on one of the blogs that the test of whether Sen. John McCain is really as different as the media wish is true all their heart or is just another pol would be if he changed his position on ethanol in order to win the Iowa Caucus.

I think the answer is becoming clear.

Here’s McCain’s old position –

McCain Also Voted Against Ethanol in 2004, and 2003. In 2004, John McCain voted against an amendment to Senate Bill S 150 to promote ethanol, declaring that ethanol was “a product that we have created a market for which has absolutely, under no circumstances, any value whatsoever except to corn producers and Archer Daniels Midland and other large agribusinesses.” In 2003, John McCain voted to block a final vote to an “energy bill coveted by Iowa farm interests” that “would double use of corn-based ethanol.” [S 150; Aberdeen American News, 5/2/04, S. Res. 150, 4/29/04, Roll Call #74; Des Moines Register, 11/22/03; H.R. 6, 11/21/03, Roll Call #456]

Evidently, candidate for the 60th Senate District Democrat Eddie Egriu may have zero - zip - nada valid petition signatures.

Mr. Egriu's campaign apparently used photocopied petition forms from 2004, which state that the 60th Senate primary takes place on September 14th.

2004.

Except the next one is on September 12, 2006.

Although this is still a matter for the board of elections (and maybe the courts), it would appear that all 116 pages of petitions contain fatal flaws, invalidating the lot.

For the record, Mr. Egriu needs 1,000 valid petition signatures to qualify on the ballot.

In case you had any lingering doubts, the reality on the ground is this: people have little faith in government.  The level of distrust has risen to an all time high; so high, in fact, that work-arounds to government's opaqueness are popping up all over the place.  And today, popped congresspedia.

Everything you ever wanted to know about your member of congress: their contributors, lobbyist reports, personal financial disclosures, travel records, government contracts, and more.