Questions regarding development at Willets Point, directed mainly at three of the six candidates, became a significant part of a recent forum for borough president. Councilmembers Peter Vallone Jr. and Leroy Comrie, State Senators Jose Peralta and Tony Avella, former Councilmember and Assemblymember Melinda Katz and former Deputy BP Barry Grodenchik took the stage at [...]
John J. Ciafone has announced he will be running to fill Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr.’s spot in the 22nd Council District. “I’m running for Council in the 22nd District because our community is facing serious problems,” said Ciafone. “Until we change these issues, our community will continue to suffer and we will lose our friends, [...]
CITY COUNCIL New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO endorsed several Queens candidates for City Council districts: INCUMBENTS City Council District 21: Julissa Ferreras City Council District 29: Karen Koslowitz City Council District 30: Elizabeth Crowley City Council District 31: Donovan Richards OPEN SEATS City Council District 22: Costa Constantinides City Council District 24: Rory [...]
The charges against State Senator Malcolm Smith already have the political world swirling with rumors on a potential replacement if the embattled legislator is found guilty. Councilmember Leroy Comrie and Jason Hilliard, chief of staff for Congressmember Gregory Meeks, were both reported to be eyeing the spot. But Comrie, a candidate for borough president, said [...]
Embattled Councilmember Dan Halloran’s two top aides have jumped ship. Chrissy Voskerichian, the legislator’s chief of staff, announced her immediate resignation on April 8. John Mulvey, Halloran’s legislative director, also announced he is quitting as of April 12. “In leaving, I remain hopeful that the community will remember all of the hard work that went [...]
Is Anthony Weiner poised for a political comeback? According to a new interview, the former Queens congressmember gave the New York Times, he is considering a run for mayor. “I don’t have this burning, overriding desire to go out and run for office,” he told the publication. “It’s not the single animating force in my [...]
BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA AND TERENCE M. CULLEN In light of several recent political scandals, including the arrests of Queens legislators Malcolm Smith and Dan Halloran, Governor Andrew Cuomo is cracking down on corruption. He announced the Public Trust act on Tuesday, April 9, which would make it easier to convict wrongdoers of public corruption under [...]
The Queens political operative convicted two years ago of stealing thousands of dollars from the mayor’s re-election campaign has begun his prison sentence. John Haggerty Jr. was received in Ulster Correctional Facility on March 27, according to the state’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The 44-year-old Republican consultant from Forest Hills was found guilty [...]
The City Council has voted to strip disgraced Councilmember Dan Halloran of his committee assignments and power to allocate funding. Halloran faces federal charges for allegedly playing a key role in a conspiracy and bribery scheme to rig the mayoral election, authorities said. Power to distribute funds in the 19th District now falls to Speaker Christine [...]
Former Republican Councilmember Thomas Ognibene says there needs to be a change-up in the Queens GOP after years of infighting and what he called a negative influence by former vice chair Vince Tabone. “I’ve believed for the last three to four years that it [leadership] had to be changed,” said Ognibene, who served in the [...]
