Clinton Controversy Senator Hillary Clinton's June 24 visit to Park Slope has ruffled some feathers in the 39th Councilmanic District race, where two candidates are saying that the senator engaged in not-so-subtle partisan politicking. Clinton came to a Park Slope synagogue ostensibly to thank her supporters, although the event was really a show of support for her former campaign manager, Bill de Blasio, who is now running for the Council. Clinton came to Brooklyn at de Blasio's request. "This event is the result of my personal outreach to her," said de Blasio.

"We thought it was a non-partisan event, and that's what it was supposed to be. That's what the people at the synagogue thought it would be," said Steve Williamson, campaign manager for candidate Paul Bader, who is married to Rep. Nydia Velazquez, a prominent Clinton supporter. "They [the synagogue] are not supposed to do political stuff, but that's what it was. De Blasio was up there with his pin, emceeing. It was really overwhelming. Everywhere you turned, de Blasio people, de Blasio posters," said Williamson.

The Park Slope Jewish Center was paid for its space, said de Blasio. The event was open to the public, and several elected officials attended, including all three borough presidential candidates, Councilmember Steve DiBrienza and Velazquez. Three of de Blasio's competitors attended, including Bader, union organizer Anthony Pugliese and Green Party candidate Gloria Mattera. Clinton never formally endorsed de Blasio, although she did refer to him as her "good friend." Clinton publicly recognized Bader and Pugliese, both of whom supported her election.

Mattera was not recognized. "It was a Democratic Party event, everybody backslapping each other and congratulating each other and doing each other favors," said Mattera.

De Blasio said that the event was an opportunity for Clinton to interface with voters. "It was an important priority of mine to have her hear about the concerns of our community firsthand from some of the individual members of the audience, and for her to have an opportunity to speak to what she is doing," he said. He said that the event was non-partisan. "All the elected officials who came were given an opportunity to speak. The other candidates in my race were warmly acknowledged," he said.

While some may disagree, at least one other candidate is in accord. "[De Blasio] was clearly running the show, but Anthony [Pugliese] and Paul Bader had front row seats. All three got to share in a round of applause. It was very fair," said Pearl Lau, Pugliese's campaign manager.

Also in the 39th CD, candidate Jack Carroll recently announced the support of several area elected officials, including State Senators Marty Markowitz and Velmanette Montgomery, Assemblymembers Jim Brennan, Felix Ortiz, Roger Green and Rep. Major Owens.

Bader had a unique $150 per person fundraiser last week at Blue Ribbon on Fifth Avenue with a "Best of New York Buffet" theme. Several of the city's chic restaurants contributed to the event, with dishes coming from San Dominico, One CPS, Tribakery, Beuna Italia, Gamillie, River Café and Marco Polo. "Unlike a lot of fundraisers, you really get something for your money," said Williamson.

Other candidates in the 39th CD include Steve Banks, Rob Franek and Craig Hammerman.

Bygones It looks like Democratic District Leaders Michael Geller and Lori Citron Knipel have ended a four-year feud with a little help from the mayoral contest. Geller and Knipel originally fell out when Knipel helped Alan Sclar run against Geller's candidate, the late Lena Cymbrowitz, in Geller's 45th Assembly District.

But now, both leaders are supporting mayoral hopeful Mark Green-a common interest that led Knipel to invite Geller to her club's annual dinner in early June. "She was very gracious, and I appreciate it," said Geller.

By the way, speaking of Geller, his club is now homeless. The Kings High-Way Democrats recently sold their Coney Island Avenue location to the neighboring Sahara restaurant for a cool $500,000. Now, he's scouting for a new location while running petition operations out of the back of the Desi Village Indian restaurant on Ocean Avenue and Avenue X. "If anybody has a place for the wandering Kings High-Way Democratic Club, call Michael Geller," he said.

The interest on the $500,000 will sustain the club's operation for quite a while, and when the club dissolves, the money will fund scholarships for residents of the 45th AD, said Geller.

To Challenge, Or Not To Challenge District Leader Steve Cohn, who is running in the 33rd Councilmanic District, is publicly requesting that all of the candidates in the race agree not to challenge each other's petitions. "At this particular time, I intend, in the interest of good government, to allow the people to decide," said Cohn. "If we could all agree in our race, it would be replicated in other races throughout the city." Council candidates, who are required to attain 900 petition signatures to make the ballot, routinely challenge the validity of their opponent's signatures as a way to thin the field.

Cohn's stated reasons aside, he also has a strategic interest in dropping all petition challenges. His base, which no other candidate can touch, is in the Williamsburg-Greenpoint section of the district, while the other three Democratic candidates will draw from the same brownstone areas. The more divided their vote, the better for Cohn. "I think it's a little transparent that all of a sudden Steve Cohn is concerned with ballot access," said Sam Walsh, campaign manger for David Yassky. Walsh said that it was "very unlikely" Yassky would challenge petitions, but would not rule out the possibility.

But candidates David Reiss and Ken Diamondstone were strongly in favor of the idea. "I pledge not to challenge anyone's petitions," said Reiss, who added that loosening of other ballot access rules was also important. Diamondstone said that the idea to drop all potential challenges was originally his. "I had spoken to Steve about it, and I don't want him to take credit for it. I trust that the petitions have been gathered in good faith. I don't want this to be perceived as Steve Cohn's initiative," said Diamondstone.

Green Party candidate Craig Seeman said that Cohn's motives were "interesting and strategic." "The more candidates, the better chances he has of winning," said Seeman. "But also, as a matter of principle, I like that idea."

Cohn recently picked up the support of several elected officials and unions, including Reps. Jerold Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, State comptroller H. Carl McCall, Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, Borough President Howard Golden, State Senators Martin Connor and John Sampson, Assemblymembers Vito Lopez and Joe Lentol, and Councilmember Victor Robles. He was also endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers and the Council of Supervisors and Administrators.

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