Weiner Top Dog Recently released campaign finance filings show that Rep. Anthony Weiner has the most cash on hand of all Brooklyn congress members. With just over a million dollars at his disposal, Weiner appears well situated to handle whatever surprise congressional redistricting may throw his way. The only other New York congress member with more cash on hand than Weiner is Rep. Nita Lowery, who tops out with almost $1.35 million.

Rep. Vito Fossella is a distant second to Weiner among Brooklyn members, with $378,126. Rep. Nydia Velasquez, who was preparing to face a challenge from Councilmember Angel Rodriguez before Rodriguez's legal troubles, is third with $246,500. (Her disclosure report was by far the most interesting. One portion read as follows: Stationary… $47. Mailings… $135. Having your only viable opponent indicted on federal bribery charges… Priceless.)

Rep. Ed Towns has $61,517 on hand, and Rep. Major Owens has just a fraction of that with $15,595. Owens has been a frequent target of Councilmember James E. Davis, who has occasionally wondered aloud about the possibility of challenging him.

Musical Bench Insiders are expecting a very interesting season of judicial races, beginning with three countywide seats that are up for grabs.

Elections for countywide judicial seats are exactly the type of below-the-radar races that county parties ought to simply dominate, but with two victories last year by judges who ran against the machine, insiders expect this year's primaries to be brimming with hopefuls. "The rumor is there are going to be eight people competing for three seats. Can you imagine all three incumbent countywide judges are going to have primary challenges?" asked one source.

One of the three judges, Margatita Lopez-Torres, has lost the support of her patron, Assemblymember Vito Lopez, one of the borough's few significant players in judicial elections. According to reports, Lopez is angry at Lopez-Torres for not hiring a clerk he recommended, but the assemblyman says the judge has not been active in the community. In any case, insiders say that Lopez will throw his weight behind Marsha Sikowitz.

Sitting Judges Karen Yellin and Margaret Kammer will also face challenges, although they have the backing of the county organization and Lopez. One person whose support they don't have, however, is John O'Hara, the onetime perennial candidate who now works behind the scenes. According to sources, O'Hara will again field a judicial slate this year. And why not? Last year, he helped recruit and organize the two judicial candidates who beat county: Eileen Nadelson and Peter Sweeney. "Nothing succeeds like success," said one source.

Last year, Nadelson and Sweeney circulated petitions with another O'Hara-backed candidate, Sandra Roper, who lost to District Attorney Joe Hynes. Hynes, of course, is the man who prosecuted O'Hara (several times through appeal) for voter fraud, alleging that O'Hara gave a false address so that he could run in a particular district. O'Hara has maintained ever since that the prosecution was simply a way to stop him from running against county-backed candidates.

The judicial election format will, in essence, be a free-for-all. All three incumbent judges will be thrown together with the challengers, and the entire pool of candidates will be competing for the same three spots. Insiders are also wondering about the plans of former Councilmember Stephen DiBrienza, who lost his bid for public advocate last year. There has been speculation that DiBrienza is mulling a run in a brownstone judicial district. According to sources, potential opposition includes Ira Cure, former president of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats, and Ellen Spodek. DiBrienza did not return a call seeking comment.

Ortiz Cool On Council The word is that Assemblymember Felix Ortiz has decided not to run for the City Council if Angel Rodriguez should resign amidst a trial on his indictment. Publicly, Ortiz has said that he was happy in the assembly and has been careful not to seem opportunistic in light of Rodriguez's legal woes, but insiders say that he was privately giving at least some consideration to the possibility of running for the Council.

"Felix is now telling people that he's going to be chair of a committee in the Assembly next year and that he's no longer interested in seeking the Council seat should Rodriguez… you know, go to the big house," said one source.

If the seat does become open, potential candidates include Deputy Comptroller Eduardo Castell, District Leader Elizabeth Rose Daly, Susan Loeb, president of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, School Board 15 President Eddie Rodriguez (who works for Attorney General Elliot Spitzer) and George Martinez, who lost to Rodriguez last year.

Councilmember Rodriguez has resigned his committee positions, but has not surrendered his seat.

Borough Politics Archive

2002
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2001
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2000
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1999
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