All Over Albany

Gillibrand one of Capitol Hill's "most beautiful"

Kirsten Gillibrand ranked #3 on the The Hill's 2010 list of the "50 Most Beautiful People" on Capitol Hill. That's the highest of any elected official (a staff aide and a lobbyist took the top two spots).

From the KG profile:

After adjusting to motherhood, Gillibrand seems to be back into her exercise groove. ("Most of us are not Heidi Klum and Angelina Jolie, who look great the next day" after having a baby, she said. "For me, it took a good two years.") She co-captained the female Congress members' softball team, plays tennis and squash when she can, fits in jogs here and there and is hoping to run the New York Marathon again (she's run it twice before).

[via DNAinfo]

Earlier on AOA:
+ Squash with Al Franken
+ Is Kirsten Gillibrand unstoppable?
+ Describing the candidates
+ Does she sound like a senator?

Where to eat like a state politician

The state Senate Democrats are apparently big fans.

After the Daily News mentioned that the state Senate Democratic campaign committee spent $26,000 in Albany restaurants over six months, we were curious about where these politicians were eating.

So we looked it up in the campaign finance disclosure reports. The lists -- for the campaign committees for both parties and chambers -- are after the jump.

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Act One. Mister Fix It.

Ira Glass interviewing David Paterson at the Capitol in May.

This week's This American Life featured a long segment about the New York State budget. During the setup for the piece, host Ira Glass says: "For those of you who live far from New York, you need to understand a few things about just how terribly run New York State is." And then he runs through all the scandals and drama (that part runs longer than many regular radio segments).

That all leads to the appointment of Richard Ravitch, whom Glass describes as the "hero of our story." Says Ravitch at one point, when asked if he felt like he was going to into a "madhouse" after being appointed to Lt. Governor (at Peter Luger):

Yes. But I'm also... this sounds terribly pompous, forgive me... but I have a kind of romance with the whole idea of government and public service. So, at the same time I knew I was going into a madhouse, I also, it was a matter of pride that perhaps I could be helpful and there was nothing more useful I could do with my life.

Ravitch later says: "I didn't know how serious the problem was. I didn't realize the state had been faking balanced budgets for so many years."

The piece includes a bunch of people from around the Capitol, including David Paterson, state budget director Bob Megna (and his non-state-funded stress balls), Ruben Diaz, public radio correspondent Karen Dewitt, YNN's Erin Billups, the singing of Jay Gallagher and NYSNYS's Kyle Hughes.

The piece is a good overview of how the state got into so much budget trouble. It's not a hopeful picture.

The show is available as a free download this week. It's also available for streaming.

photo: Paterson admin media images

Paterson says "hand is forced," considering layoffs this year

Appearing on the Capitol Pressroom today, David Paterson said he's considering state worker layoffs this year:

... what bothers me is, it's gnawing me, I don't think I should be setting up a layoff plan for the next governor to do. I think if you're going to layoffs, you do them yourself. And so I'm really considering altering [the layoff plan for next year] and starting the layoffs sooner... [in] 2010.

We need $250 million in workforce reductions and we have not come close to that. That's why we tried to do the furloughs, the court told us we couldn't do it. That's why we tried to get five days extra lag pay in negotiation, and the workers wouldn't do it. And so I think our hand is forced here.

Paterson said his administration is "still calculating" how many layoffs might be involved -- the number of early retirees would play a role in the number.

I don't want to lay people off ... This is just the unfortunate situation that I turned up in going back to a little over two years ago when I became governor that it's the worst economic times in the state's history and I've had to do things that go against what I have felt in my heart, the same way those Republican senators had to vote against how they feel about the extenders. But what I'm doing and what I think they're doing and other are doing here at the Capitol is we're trying to adjust to a crisis.

If Paterson tries to layoff state workers, the public employee unions will almost certainly sue because of the no-layoffs agreement they have with him.

Also: The state Senate passed a bill today that would institute a "Question Time with the Prime Minister" style session between the governor and the legislature each month. We'd watch that. [TU Cap Con]

Yep, the Capitol Pressroom advertises on AOA. That's where the the governor said it.

file photo via Paterson press images

Noam Chomsky coming to Albany

Update: Props to Bill M for noticing the asterisk in the conference program that noted Chomsky would be giving the keynote "by videotape." If that's the case, here's plenty of online video -- no conference required.
___

Noam Chomsky will be the keynote speaker at conference in Albany this July, according the program for the National Peace Conference -- which describes itself as "a national conference to bring the troops home" (here's the program).

The conference is scheduled for July 23-25 at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Albany.

Chomsky, a professor at MIT, is famous for his his critiques (and protests) of American foreign policy. But he first gained (academic) fame as as an influential linguistic theorist.

[via @patrickdodson and @GIKate]

photo: Duncan Rawlinson

Speed reading the coverage of Andrew Cuomo's campaign announcement

Gubernatorial candidate.

Andrew Cuomo has publicly declared that he's running for governor (finally).

Here are a bunch of the quick scan highlights from the coverage, including bits about Cuomo's plan, his apparent cold shoulder toward Sheldon Silver, being an insider-outsider-upsidedownsider and Sandra Lee.

(there's more)

Andrew Cuomo announces for governor

Andrew Cuomo officially announced that he's running for governor Saturday with a video posted on his website:

From the video message:

Our state government in Albany is disreputable and discredited.

New York State is upside down and backwards; high taxes and low performance. The New York State government was at one time a national model. Now, unfortunately, it's a national disgrace. Sometimes, the corruption in Albany could even make Boss Tweed blush.

In my opinion, politicians of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, share the blame. Both are guilty of playing partisan politics and bringing New York State to the brink.

Because I believe so deeply in the mission of government, I am so troubled by its failure. The Declaration of Independence says when government fails, the people have the right to replace it. Well, New York State government has failed and the people have the right, indeed the people have the the people have the obligation, to act.

Later on in the message, he says: "We want to know how the candidates for the State legislature are going to vote on key issues and we want to know now. Let's make this a litmus test for change."

Here's a transcript of the video. The text is also embedded after the jump.

Cuomo's campaign has posted an issues agenda. Among the main points:

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"It is what it is."

New York Now has posted a condensed version of today's public state leaders meeting about the budget. (You might say it's a package of "highlights," but somehow that word doesn't seem appropriate for New York State politics.)

The meeting kind of reminded us of a really uncomfortable family dinner where a few of the people argue over some longstanding grudge while everyone else stares at their plates and contemplates the mashed potatoes.

Oh, and David Paterson would like Scottie to beam him up.

It should all be good material for Ira Glass.

Yes, usher in the golden age of semi-homemade dinner parties

From a NYT profile of the relationship between Andrew Cuomo and Food Network star Sandra Lee:

In Albany, which is not known for its cuisine or its social scene, the most anticipated question about Ms. Lee is whether she will move into the governor's mansion and usher in a golden age of dinner parties and cocktail hours. (Ms. Lee creates a new drink for nearly every episode of her show. Her Christmas concoction: a Gingerbread Martini, made with ginger beer, hazelnut-flavored liqueur and butterscotch schnapps.)

As Joshua David Stern notes at Eater, Lee does enjoy a cocktail -- and, when armed with a can of Pam, could have quite the effect on Albany.

The Cuomo-Lee relationship also sets up an interesting possible situation: that the governor of New York's significant other could be both richer and more famous than he is.

By the way: Cuomo is expected to maybe/probably/oh-who-really-knows officially declare that he's running for governor next week. [Bloomberg]

Earlier on AOA: New York's next First Lady-friend?

photo: Food Network

State worker furloughs blocked

A federal judge has granted a restraining order against the state worker furloughs.

WTEN has posted a copy of the order. Among the orders:

• It temporarily blocks the Paterson administration from furloughing state employees
• It also blocks the admin from including another furlough measure in upcoming budget extenders.
• And, if we're reading it correctly (if), it also blocks the administration from holding back the four percent raises that are part of the union contracts.

A hearing on the issue is scheduled for later this month.

Also: Jack McEneny apparently led some sort of sit-in this afternoon outside Paterson's office to protest inaction on the budget. [State of Politics]

Update: The temporary restraining order is embedded after the jump.

photo from anti-furlough rally earlier this week: Rob Gierthy

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Lobbying with Rachael Ray

And afterward, they discussed how to take over the world. (Obviously.)

Kirsten Gillibrand and Rachael Ray teamed up on Capitol Hill yesterday to press the case for healthier school lunches. From a NYT article, which reports that KG "unleashed" the Ray on other lawmakers:

"How could you go to any state in the union and say you are not for an extra couple of cents to eradicate hunger, to make our kids healthier, stronger, better focused?" [Ray] said. "It doesn't make any sense that you would even have to have a long conversation about that, to me."

Specifically, Gillibrand and Ray were pushing for the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

KG has made school lunches one of her focus issues -- this week she was pushing legislation that would ban trans-fat from school meals. RR has also campaigned for healthier food in schools.

photo: gillibrand.senate.gov

State worker furlough protest

No, "furlough you!"

Rob sent along a handful of photos from the bit anti-furlough rally at the Capitol today. The giant inflatable rat made an appearance.

The Troy Record reports there were estimated to be about 3,500 in the crowd. Kaitlyn Ross reports Jack McEneny told the crowd that Assembly is trying to take the furlough measure out of the emergency budget extender. But Erin Billups reports that Ron Canestrari says that's not legally possible.

photo: Rob Gierthy

Speed reading the coverage of the Joe Bruno sentencing

He still may not end up going to prison.

A federal judge sentenced Joe Bruno to two years in prison on corruption charges yesterday.

Here are a bunch of the quick scan highlights from the coverage -- including bits about the "vintage" Bruno speech, the judge, the sentence and the reaction.

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Sweeter than the soda tax?

Despite the impassioned and persistent efforts of the state health commissioner, the soda tax has reportedly gone flat.

But New York apparently still needs the money. And it probably doesn't need the calories.

So here's a potentially sweeter idea: instead of specifically taxing sodas that contain sugar, New York should tax high-fructose corn syrup.

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Eliot Spitzer can't stay out of the spotlight

It would appear that Eliot Spitzer is intent on being talked about.

In an interview posted this weekend by NYT, Spitzer said it's unclear whether Andrew Cuomo has the guts to take on tough political fights as governor. He also said he wasn't sure if he would vote for Cuomo.

Of course,there's some history here. Spitzer and Cuomo fought over the Joe Bruno investigation (Spitzer tells NYT Cuomo's approach was a "whitewash"). And Mario Cuomo reportedly said Spitzer wasn't qualified to be governor because he was "a bad man."

The book and the doc

Also stoking the coverage of Eliot Spitzer are Rough Justice, the book by Peter Elkind and the the untitled documentary by Oscar-winner Alex Gibney.

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Eliot Spitzer's staying power

A soon-to-be published book about Eliot Spitzer includes some juicy details about the former governor's fall.

In Rough Justice, Peter Elkind reports that former AIG chairman Hank Greenberg and investment banker Ken Langone "remain the most obvious suspects" to have hired a detective to follow Spitzer looking for dirt. From an excerpt posted by Fortune:

Greenberg had a long-standing reputation for deploying clandestine methods; he had contacts in the CIA, and he had used detectives at AIG (AIG, Fortune 500). Langone had a palpable thirst for revenge. He had hired a private investigator to find political ammunition to use against Spitzer during the run-up to his gubernatorial campaign.

In high-level Wall Street circles, there are persistent rumblings that Langone hired someone to shadow Spitzer. Some of the rumblings come from those with ties to Langone; other people claim to have heard it in social settings directly from Greenberg. On July 17, 2009, Fortune writer James Bandler, interviewing Langone for a magazine profile of Greenberg, asked, Did you hire a gumshoe? "I'd say, 'No comment,' " Langone responded.

As you might expect, the book also contains some salacious details about Spitzer's, uh, consumption habits.

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Tea Party Express

The Tea Party Express rolled through Albany today and made a stop near the Capitol. This is the series of rallies that started in Nevada with an appearance by Sarah Palin. Alas, the ex-governor of Alaska didn't show up at this stop (she's scheduled to be at the stop in Boston).

Rob's posted a photo set of the rally and counter-protest. Among the sign topics: spelling, math and sad Sarah Palin on a bus.

(Thanks, Rob)

photo: Rob Gierthy

Carl Paladino is one of those people who won't stop forwarding crap

WNY Media -- a news site in the Buffalo area -- has posted on a bunch of emails reportedly sent by Carl Paladino (the site seems to be getting slammed with traffic right now). Many of the messages are forwards. And they contain some nasty stuff: racist jokes, a woman and a horse, uh, you know. "Dramatically unsafe for work" is the way WNY Media describes them.

Paladino's campaign has released a statement responding to the emails. A snip, via Daily Politics:

Carl Paladino has forwarded close friends hundreds of email messages he received. Many of these emails he received were off color, some were politically incorrect, few represented his own opinion, and almost none of them were worth remembering.

Earlier on AOA: Who is Carl Paladino?

Clip from Rove/Dean debate at UAlbany

Via New York Now, here's a clip from last night's Karl Rove / Howard Dean debate at UAlbany -- the topic was the stimulus package. As you'll see, the pointed finger was one of the preferred moves:

There were a few protesters outside the debate. A protester was tossed from the debate itself about two minutes in.

Tweets from/about the debate. Here's a recap from the Troy Record.

"I'm as mad as hell!"

With Carl Paladino seemingly basing his campaign for governor on this clip from Network, we figured it would make for interesting viewing this morning.

It should be noted that Network is a dark satire and the Howard Beale character (the one who yells "I'm as mad as hell! I'm not going to take this anymore!") is literally crazy.

By the way: If you haven't seen Network, you should definitely watch it. It's a fantastic film. It won four Oscars.

Also: After the jump, Warren Redlich's video on why he's not qualified for higher office. The Guilderland resident has set up a long-shot bid for governor.

Earlier on AOA: Who is Carl Paladino?

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Who is Carl Paladino?

Carl Paladino is expected to toss his hat in the ring for governor of New York today.

When talking about Paladino, though, "toss" is probably not the right word -- "jam" or "shove" might be more fitting.

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Is Kirsten Gillibrand unstoppable?

It appears the conventional wisdom (or whatever) is shifting from "Kirsten Gillibrand isn't going to make it" to "Kirsten Gillibrand is unstoppable." From a NYT story today about "What Makes Gillibrand Scary?":

... Ms. Gillibrand possesses assets most of the aspiring senators lack. She has a legitimate geographic base, having represented an Albany-area Congressional district in a part of the state where her family is prominent. She has a network of donors, especially women, who are not going to abandon her. She has a commitment to working her tail off to keep the seat, a fact that even her political enemies grudgingly acknowledge.

And, perhaps most important, she has $5.1 million in her campaign account.

Nothing like a big stack of money to scare off opponents. KG's skill/luck at clearing the field of electoral opponents for her Senate seat has prompted all sorts of theories, including one that involves Al D'Amato secretly supporting her while he publicly supports a Republican.

Earlier this week, a writer for TPM asserted (absurdly) that KG is... "the most powerful woman in American politics." (That kind of press should really help KG's relationship with Nancy Pelosi.) Not bad for someone whose favorable rating in the last Siena poll was just 32 percent -- with 38 percent of respondents saying they "prefer someone else" for the Senate.

And all this while she's, reportedly, busy "in the middle of diapers and bottles and bills and votes and markups."

If this kind of press keeps up, we'll await news of a kryptonite intolerance...

Earlier on AOA:
+ Describing the candidates
+ Does she sound like a senator?

Run for your lives! It's... Cutzilla?

This video from HANYS -- the state's big hospital lobbying group -- gets a +1 for creativity (and use of Playmobil). But we also have to mark it down for giving the legislature artillery. If there's anything legislators don't need, it's a tank.

Also: don't people always sort of root for Godzilla?

(Thanks, M!)

Reaction to the legislative assault on salt

All this should probably taken with a grain of... well... you know.

As you might have heard, state assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) has proposed a bill that would ban restaurants from using salt in the preparation of food.

That hasn't exactly gone over well. A quick spin around the table for reaction after the jump.

Also: a scan of Ortiz's other fun-filled legislation.

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Take a good look

New York State's problems with political corruption came up during this past weekend's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me -- and the panel ended up cracking on Albany (at the 4:10 mark):

Paula Poundstone: It must sort of smart a bit when you realize how hard your worked to get there... Before someone runs for office in New York, they should probably make them go look at Albany...

Peter Sagal: See what they think...

Poundstone: Yeah, exactly...

Sagal: It'd be like a scare-straight program for potential politicians.

Poundstone will be able to get a good look for herself in April. She's playing the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall April 24.

We're guessing it won't hurt that badly.

[via @amymengel]

photo: Paula Poundstone