As weeks go, this one has been a real doozy so far.
On Tuesday, 12 jurors in a federal courtroom in Virginia showed us that American democracy works because of the rule of law. On the same day, in a separate federal courtroom in Manhattan, the rule of law was showcased again. Thanks to both events, our democracy is better and stronger than it was just days ago. READ
Sometimes I wish my politically moderate opinions were as sexy as the extreme ones some use to elicit a strong response from people.
I just don’t share those views. I don’t think I can help it. READ
In the end, it wasn’t about how many, or which, political parties endorsed him. Or which didn’t endorse him. It wasn’t about how much money he raised or how many outside dollars were — or weren’t — spent through political action committees to back his campaign.
As with any election, it was about how many votes he received. READ
I’m generally skeptical of politics. So the good news is, I guess I’m in the right line of work.
The bad news is, I think my skepticism is justified. READ
After saying he was screening for supervisor, and then saying he was not screening, Anthony Coates actually did end up screening with the Riverhead Democratic committee after all Thursday night.
But he says that doesn’t mean he’s decided to run for office. (more…)
A few days ago, Anthony Coates was planning to screen for the Riverhead Democratic Committee nomination for supervisor and Angela DeVito wasn’t planning to run for any office at all this year.
Now, Ms. DeVito — who lost to incumbent Supervisor Sean Walter two years ago — is planning to screen for the Democratic nod for supervisor, and Mr. Coates says he’s no longer considering running for office. (more…)
Tim Bishop addresses the crowd on Election Day Nov. 4 after losing to Republican Lee Zeldin. (Credit: Robert O’Rourk)
When I began reporting on Suffolk County politics back in February 2006, the Democratic party here was on the rise.
In Brookhaven Town, where I was assigned at the time, Democrats were one month into their first majority in more than 25 years. The party controlled the Legislature, the 1st District Assemblyman was a Democrat and so was our local congressman. Suffolk also had just as many Democratic town supervisors as Republicans in office and the county executive was a Democrat. (more…)
Regina Calcaterra of New Suffolk opening her State Senate campaign in the summer of 2009. (Credit: Tim Kelly, file)
In mid-September, the three co-chairs of a high-powered commission aimed at rooting out corruption in state politics arranged for a meeting with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who set up the commission last summer. In the governor’s mid-town office, William Fitzpatrick, a district attorney from Syracuse, raised concerns he felt were hampering the commission’s effort, the New York Times reported today .
At the center of those concerns were alleged roadblocks planted by Regina Calcaterra, a New Suffolk attorney who had been appointed the commission’s executive director. The commissioners threatened to quit, alleging that Ms. Calcaterra was running interference on investigations that pointed back to the governor’s office.
Lawrence Schwartz, the secretary to the governor, responded by saying of Ms. Calcaterra: “She is not going anywhere.”
These bombshell revelations were detailed by a three-month New York Times investigation published today. (more…)