TIMES TURNS ON ROGER GREEN To spur reform in Albany, an editorial in the Sunday New York Times called for voters to reject all state legislators who had contested primaries. It had particularly harsh words for Roger Green, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. The Times lamented "terrible lawmakers who are getting a free ride. For instance, former Assemblyman Roger Green, who resigned after he was convicted of petty larceny, is running again for his old seat, without a primary. His Democratic cronies in Albany created a special district for him that carved out one house in particular-the place where a strong possible opponent lives." That possible opponent would be Hakeem Jeffries, who must have fallen out of his chair when he read that. You see, Jeffries's house was sculpted out of Green's district by one block a year before the Paper of Record endorsed Green over Jeffries in the 2002 primary.

The Times didn't have any problem with this classic Albany dirty trick then. Indeed, it heaped praise on Green in its endorsement editorial. At the time, Green had been in office for two decades. Nor was the Times bothered that Green had not pushed for reform in Albany, instead lining up obediently behind the Assembly speaker so he could retain his committee chairmanship. But in just two years since, in the eyes of the Times, Green has become a "terrible" lawmaker? Jeffries no doubt views the paper's call this year for voters to throw the bums out, or at least send them a message, as better late than never. But he must be cursing the editors for endorsing Green over him in 2000 and 2002.

While the Times endorsements alone didn't propel Green to victory, they stamped him with a certain legitimacy that resonated with the more educated constituents of the 57th Assembly District. One more point: the newspaper muted the impact of its 2004 primary endorsements by releasing them just two days before the election, not allowing candidates enough time to print and mail literature announcing the endorsements.

BOYLAND RELEASES THE HOUNDS Less than a week before the September 14 primary election, Councilwoman Tracy Boyland went negative against her main opponent, Rep. Major Owens. In blistering campaign literature that was at times wildly exaggerated, misleading, and inaccurate, Boyland called Owens "invisible," said he's "never single-handedly sponsored any legislation," and "in our nation's times of greatest crisis he hasn't uttered a public word."

In response, Owens's son and campaign manger Chris Owens e-mailed supporters, "Congressman Owens has passed more legislation in the House of Representatives than any member of the New York City delegation since Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., was a committee chairman. This is in addition to the many bills he has sponsored." Successful bills always have multiple sponsors, so to say Owens hasn't single-handedly sponsored legislation is disingenuous. We checked Local Law 70 of 2003, for which Boyland takes credit, and found it had 30 other sponsors.

On the "hasn't uttered a public word" allegation, Chris Owens wrote, "Congressman Owens has taken to the floor of the House of Representatives to speak out on every issue imaginable-including the disastrous Iraq War, the crises in Haiti, the Republican attacks on our civil liberties, the Republican tax cuts for the wealthy, the cuts in education and public housing, and the Republican games with our inadequate health care system, and the need to battle terrorism in many different ways."

More from Boyland's attack on the man who once hired her and helped launch her political career: "He should be serving us. But he hasn't. And he won't…The Congressman has earned hundreds of thousands. We pay for his excellent health plan-a plan we couldn't afford ourselves. He's the king, and we are just his servants." Boyland has earned hundreds of thousands as a councilwoman who's passed but a single bill (a street name change), and most of her constituents couldn't afford her own excellent taxpayer-funded health plan. Does she consider herself the queen, and residents of districts to be her servants?

The only redeeming aspect of Boyland's mailing was its proper grammar and spelling. It's clear that her attack ad was written by someone other than the author of her previous mailings, the latest of which had errors, redundancies, or utter nonsense in virtually every sentence.

For example, it said Boyland was a representative for the United Federation of Teacher. Was she the lone teacher in the union? It promised that Boyland "will promote homes ownership among current residents." Does that mean she wants us all to own multiple homes? How nice! But we're dismayed to see that she will only promote "homes ownership" among "current residents." Future residents will have to be satisfied with one home, we suppose. One bullet point on the literature said simply: "Promote a safe and fire foreign policy." What exactly is a safe and fire foreign policy?

Is that where we safely put out blazes in other countries? Ten bucks to anyone who can figure out what she was trying to say here. Then, we have our favorite bullet point: "Create a model of sustainable development resulting in an economic, social, and environmental win-win situation for the majority." What? Who wrote this? Don King? Here's another: "Make Brooklyn the global leader in sustainable economic, social and environmental programs." For some reason, Boyland omitted "achieve world peace."

We also liked, "Educate our children in vital living skills required for the 21 century." Such as the use of ordinal numbers? And avoiding redundant phrases like "vital required living skills"?

Another point under Boyland's "environmental" column was, "Prevent harmful human conditions that avoid use of toxic materials." If these conditions avoid the use of toxic materials, why are they harmful? Another: "Combat the heat island effect by revegetation our community parks, schoolyards, tree pits, and rooftops." We assume she meant revegetating. At least she didn't write "regurgitating." "Integration of renewable (solar, wind, geothermal. And hydra) energy sources within our community." Sure-let's build a dam at Spring Creek to power some turbines! Or is Spring Creek in Ed Towns's district? "Encourage residents…to adopt green treatments to homes, schools, officer, and parks." So when you next see an officer, paint him green?

The mailing said she "was elected to the City Council where she spent the past 6 years serving…in the New York City Council." Yes, that's usually where people elected to the City Council serve. It misspelled led "lead"-even though we pointed out that error in her earlier mailing.

It said Boyland "promoted the development of Jobs." No specifics were offered. And who came up with Boyland's campaign slogan? "Our future depends on the issues, ideas and concepts we are developing today." Here's an idea and a concept: Hire a proofreader.

MINIMUM WAGE DEAL? As a Democrat and the political director for a major union local, State Senate candidate Diane Savino could be expected to land union endorsements. But 1199, the huge hospital workers' union, backed the Republican nominee, Al Curtis. Savino said 1199 made a deal with Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. The union endorsed Curtis and Bruno had his senators pass the minimum wage bill, which benefits many 1199 workers. "I understood why they did it," Savino said. "It doesn't mean I agreed with it."

If a deal happened, it hasn't helped the union yet because the governor unexpectedly vetoed the minimum wage bill. But Curtis said 1199 endorsed him on merit, and there was no deal. He said, "I don't think that's the way government works." Well, that makes one of us. We recall 1199, whose members are mostly working-class Democrats, endorsing the Republican governor in 2002 and getting a generous new contract from him. Coincidence, right?

Savino said Bruno warned union leaders not to help her. "If you ever want another piece of legislation passed, stay away from her," Savino said Bruno told them. But she said many unions ignored him and endorsed her anyway.

COHEN'S RUSSIAN "FRIEND" Earlier this year we wrote that Assemblywoman Adele Cohen had found at least one friend in the Russian community in the person of Marina Kovalyov, who helped Cohen arrange an event honoring Russian-Americans. We didn't realize then that Kovalyov was paid by Cohen and, according to the New York Sun, just helped spike a potentially damaging story about Cohen in a local Russian newspaper.

In the spiked story, Cohen pleaded ignorance about the changing of polling places that helped suppress the Russian vote in her 2002 reelection. But the Sun has copies of letters from Cohen asking the Board of Elections to move certain polling places. The quick-tempered Cohen, predictably, was unable to diplomatically answer the Russian reporter's pointed questions. "I'm ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of your community," she reportedly said before dismissing him with, "I'm finished with you. You can go now."

This is why Cohen must employ Kovalyov to smooth things over with the Russian media. According to the Sun, the consultant wields influence at Russian papers because she places advertisements in them on behalf of commercial clients. But if Cohen pays Kovalyov with state funds, let's hope the consultant is providing services to the community, not just good press to the assemblywoman.

TIDBITS Do you suppose Freddy Ferrer is still peeved that Assemblyman and Brooklyn Democratic leader Clarence Norman endorsed Alan Hevesi and later Mark Green over Ferrer for mayor in 2001? Ferrer endorsed Norman's opponent, Ed Roberts, six days before this year's Democratic primary…

In the largely minority 6th Judicial District, residents received phone calls from the Rev. Al Sharpton endorsing Civil Court candidate Bernie Graham over two black women, Ingrid Joseph and Maxine Archer. How did Graham manage that? Perhaps through an early endorser of his, State Senator Carl Andrews…

Civil Court candidate Ingrid Joseph claimed in a mailing that more than one of her opponents falsely claimed to have the endorsement of The New York Times, but she didn't name Maxine Archer, Pam Elisofon, or Bernie Graham as the guilty parties. By not offering specifics, she defamed them all…

The campaign manager for Rep. Major Owens, his son Chris, had said he wouldn't use the Village Voice article on opponent Tracy Boyland's questionable fundraising. But then he did, mailing excerpts of the story to voters just days before the primary…

Assemblyman Dov Hikind reportedly declined to endorse Hillary Clinton for Senate in 2000 because her husband refused to promise to pardon Jonathan Pollard, who was convicted of spying for Israel. The question now is why he didn't make a similar request from George Bush before agreeing to stump for the Republican president in key swing states Michigan, Florida, and Pennsylvania…

The Daily News reported that Rep. Anthony Weiner filed a $100 claim against the city after scrap metal from a curb destroyed a tire on his Ford Explorer. Maybe if Weiner weren't 10 feet above the ground in a monster truck he would have seen the scrap metal and driven around it…

Republican district leader Marianna Blume is upset that her own party had no interest in making her its candidate this year against Rep. Ed Towns. Instead, Brooklyn Republican leaders chose Harvey Clarke, a native of Jamaica who (according to Blume) has only been a U.S. citizen for two years and a registered Republican since November 2003. "It's a shame, but they do it," said Blume, who nonetheless managed to snag the Conservative Party line. Blume's problem is she tends to make enemies with her strong opinions and not very diplomatic way of expressing them…

Bob Capano, who was briefly a candidate for City Council before being nudged aside by Republicans supporting Rosemary O'Keefe, will try again in 2005. O'Keefe lost that 2003 special election to Vinny Gentile when a recount showed her behind by 31 votes. But that was a special election with three other Democrats splitting votes with Gentile. A one-on-one contest with a sitting Democrat would be more difficult for Capano, an aide to Borough President Marty Markowitz. But his first mission is to convince his own party leaders that he's viable. Capano is marketing himself as an "urban Republican" perhaps to differentiate himself from the Washington Republicans who hate New York City…

Councilman Lew Fidler introduced a bill allowing the Department of Health to ban the sale of candy with dangerous levels of lead, which are sold in many Latino bodegas and delis. One wonders why a councilmember with more Latinos in his district didn't do that before Fidler, who took action after reading of the problem in the Daily News…

Councilman David Yassky introduced a bill to increase penalties for those who use or traffic in guns illegally. It would also ban gun permits for people with gun convictions…

The tormenter of Brighton Beach activist Pat Singer, neighborhood resident Zev Yourman, denied that he once threatened Singer's life at a public meeting, as Singer's confidant (sitting next to Yourman) alleged. "If there were someone threatening to shoot someone 20 feet from the mayor, you'd get up and tell someone, right?" Yourman said, noting that the alleged threat wasn't reported until later. It doesn't seem likely Yourman and Singer will work out their differences soon, if ever…

Rep. Jerry Nadler's people tell us the congressman uses campaign funds, not public money, to sponsor the Tuesday night concerts in Asser Levy Park. Complaints have been made about political stumping at the concerts, which are also sponsored by the Parks Department, Assemblywoman Adele Cohen, and Councilman Domenic Recchia.

Contact Brooklyn Politics at (718) 399-3693.

Borough Politics Archive

2004
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2003
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2002
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2001
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2000
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1999
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