More fun with minor party ballot lines in the 7th. Liz is reporting that the Appellate Division 2nd Judicial Department has ruled unanimously that freshman Senator Craig Johnson will be kept off the Working Families line. This is ironic in that the WFP is a big reason why Johnson is a Senator today and they endorsed him again 2008. The court also ruled that his challenger, Barbara Donno, will keep the Independence Party line even though the local IP has endorsed Johnson as well.
You remember the "North Shore Committee for Truth", don't you? It's the Republican Senate Campaign Committee funded astroturf entity that I wrote about last summer that sprang up shortly after Craig Johnson won the SD-7 special election. The website for the "committee" now seems to be defunct (what did they spend the $5K Bruno gave them on anyway?), but the woman who is at least nominally behind that effort, one Christine A. Nagy (or Christine A. Imrie, depending on what documents you are looking at) is also the woman behind the apparently successful (for now, anyway) effort to keep Johnson off the WFP line this November. Spin Cycle has the goods:
The court case that has knocked Sen. Craig Johnson off the Working Families Party ballot line was brought by a Republican resident of Westbury whose address is also that of a now-you-see-it-now-you-don't civic "committee" -- which sent out letters attacking Johnson shortly after he was elected last year.
Senate GOP Majority Leader Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre has made no secret of his special desire to unseat Johnson, the only Democrat in Long Island's 9-member Senate delegation. The Senate Republican Campaign Committee donated $5,000 last year to the North Shore Committee for Truth, whose treasurer was listed as Christine A. Nagy.
Records show Nagy, 35, is registered to vote under that name, and did so in 2007, but on other records is Christine A. Imrie, who made the successful application to challenge Johnson's petitions. Meanwhile the "truth" committee's Web site, active a year ago, seems to have gone off-line, though you can see some of the content by clicking this Google-cached item. Phone numbers that are listed under both of the petitioner's names seem to be disconnected.
Just in case this tactic didn't work, Nassau Republicans also sent out one Patrick Lilavois to collect petition signatures for a WFP candidacy that only ever existed as a means for denying Johnson the ballot line.
Meanwhile, the earlier gambit by which Patrick Lilavois, also of Westbury, gathered 44 signatures for the WFP line -- with help from North Hempstead Republicans -- seems to have paid off for the GOP as a tactical move. If a party member signs two candidate petitions, only the first one counts. In some cases, Lilavois got to the doors of party members first, helping Johnson's foes' efforts to winnow down his number of valid signatures and thus aid the prospects of keeping him off the WFP line. Some earlier partisan analysis from the Johnson side is here.
I think we now have a pretty good idea of how the last Republican State Senate Majority leader of our lifetimes, Dean Skelos, plans to try to hold on to his rather tenuous and doomed majority. Basically, they are planning to hopelessly play offense while they've got incumbents in real, genuine danger and, perhaps most importantly, they are going to run away from their own party and the dysfunction they've helped create over the last 70 years or so.
Take a look at the TV ads that Skelos' crew is funding for three of their challengers. There a number of common themes running through all three of them. First, never will you see one of these candidates identify themselves as a Republican, even though, despite their claims of "independence", the Republican Senate Committee now being run by Skelos is bankrolling these ads. Second, not only will they not identify themselves by party, they are all running against something they refer to as "Albany". I'm assuming this is the same Albany that their party has had a major hand in running into the ground all these years. That's right, these seemingly party-less challengers are all running for the state Senate in order to clean up the very dysfunction that their party, the ones funding the ads, largely helped create and, especially in the case of the GOP controlled Senate, have robustly defended. They do so while claiming to be "independent" leaders called to the fight against a corrupt and out of touch Albany. That's rich.
She's "not a typical politician" who is running because "Albany isn't listening." OK. It should be mentioned that her chances of actually defeating Craig Johnson are slim at best. In reality, this campaign is not much more than a personal vendetta for Skelos and Joe Mondello, both of whom simply haven't gotten over the fact that they lost this seat last year.
Here's an ad by Liz Feld who is running a rather quixotic campaign against Suzi Oppenheimer. You'll see a few of the same themes and notice many of the same omissions:
It should also be noted that Liz Feld's run is just as puzzling as Donno's. She simply isn't going to beat Oppenheimer. It won't even be close, no matter how much money Skelos may choose to dump into it which, given that this race isn't on Long Island, will probably not be anywhere near as much as Donno's.
Finally, check out this ad from SD-48 challenger Dave Renzi. Once again, you'll see the candidate in their home, no mention of party ID and a distinct anti-Albany bent. This one is special though, as it actually mentions the word "dysfunction" and even calls for this year's buzzword, a word Republicans the nation are over are trying desperately to find a way to co-opt, "change." Because, ya know, nothing says "change" in Albany like maintaining the status quo of the GOP Senate majority...
So, there ya go. How does Skelos hope to hang on to his doomed Senate GOP majority? By running away from the fact that there even is a Senate GOP majority and running against the dysfunction perpetuated by the same. He plans to do this by playing offense with long shot (and expensive) candidates who refuse to even identify as Republicans.
This hasn't stopped Skelos and his crew from talking up their chances to reporters though. Check out this gem:
Senate Republicans are privately feeling confident about winning back some seats that they have lost in recent years to the Democrats as they seek to retain control of the Senate majority.
Best of luck with that, Dean. When your whole strategy seems to be to run away from your party and from the facts as they are, that's quite a tall order.
Sen Craig Johnson headed out of the 7th Senate District to San Francisco for a good reason: To protest Michael Savage outside of his home station KNEW.
Responding to the uproar caused by his comments, Savage said, "I stand by my words," and he lashed out at Media Matters for America, the progressive media watchdog that on Thursday first noted Savage's controversial remarks. Despite using words such as "dummy," "idiot," "brat," "moron," and "fool" to refer to children with autism, Savage said he was misquoted and taken out of context.
Knowing people and families who are impacted by autism, I know that treating autism as if it were some elaborate act is a fraud in and of itself. Treating autism as such is ignoring a real problem many families face each day when dealing with an autistic child or autistic relative. Dismissing that as just a racket is reprehensible. Savage should be out with this week's garbage.
It is good to see Sen. Craig Johnson on the right side of another issue impacting families. Sen. Johnson is a true advocate for all of us in Albany.
(Travel day for me. But, check this out. I still can't believe that Skelos and Mondello are making a play for SD-7 when they've got incumbents in real jeopardy. This can't be going over well within his caucus. Joe Robach, I'm looking at you... - promoted by phillip anderson)
The mark of a top-tier serious candidate is being able to raise money. Barbara Donno is Skelos' girl to beat Democrat Craig Johnson. And she REALLY is Skelos' girl.
Donno "raised" $400,000 according to her new filing.
I'm sure many of you are aware of the shenanigansthat occurred on the Independence line in SD-7. Just to recap, it looked like Craig Johnson was going to win the Independence line in November. This would have been a big boost for him because last time around the Indy line went to his opponent. Republicans had other plans though, they had a friend of the current Republican candidate gather signatures for the Independence line, qualify for the ballot, and then decline the nomination. This set the table for the State Independence party to swoop in and pick their own preference, rather than that of the local county committee, for the line (the chairman of the Nassau independence party actually still supports Johnson). One may ask why a state committee can possibly do this, why do they have the power to override the county committee? The short answer is that NY election law sucks. A slightly longer answer is below the fold...
Sen. Craig Johnson had a very strong first half of 2008 by raising $314,626.67 and having $453,873.22 cash on hand heading into the elections.
That is a very strong showing by Johnson. Here is the press release sent out announcing these great numbers:
Senator Craig M. Johnson heads into the beginning of his re-election campaign with more than $450,000, Friends of Craig Johnson announced today.
The campaign reports $453,873.22 in cash on hand, $314,626.67 of which has been raised since January.
"This has exceeded our own expectations," Johnson Campaign Manager Jason Elan said. "Craig Johnson has amassed an impressive record of fighting for tax relief and making sure that the voices of his constituents are heard in Albany. This latest filing further demonstrates the great breadth and depth of Senator Johnson's support."
Nearly 300 individual donors contributed to Senator Johnson's re-election effort during this last disclosure period.
Friends of Craig Johnson has raised more than $1.7 million to date.
Senator Johnson made history last year, becoming the first Democrat to represent Long Island in the State Senate in more than two decades and the first to represent the 7th District in a century.
Those figures by Johnson, who was elected in a special election last year, are very impressive considering he hasn't been around for a long time. You are talking about a guy who has been a senator for a year now and he already has $453,000 in the bank.
Johnson's opponent, Barbara Donno, hasn't filed her report yet.
The dirty tricks campaign worked but two important things.
1) Johnson has enough signatures for a primary.
2) Johnson won the Special Election without the "I" Line.
Overruling Nassau Chairman Bobby Kumar, the state Independence Party's executive committee is backing GOP state Senate candidate Barbara Donno against Democratic Sen. Craig Johnson.
The panel, meeting in Albany, voted 24-1 for Donno one day after Frank MacKay, state and Suffolk chairman, said he'd support Kumar, who'd petitioned for Johnson. (See previous post here).
"It was decided that this is in the best interest of the state," said MacKay, an ally of Senate Republicans who are fighting to keep a majority. "Having a government with checks and balances is more important than anything else."
Several sources say the Independence Party fears Democratic state domination would curb minor-party power by banning cross-endorsements. "I love New York City," McKay said. "But I don't want the whole state controlled by one party in New York City."
Republicans have filed petitions for candidates who have never voted to run primaries against freshman State Sen. Craig Johnson on the Independence and Working Family party lines.
But Nicole Gadaleta, 23, of Manhasset, who filed 531 signatures to get on the Independence ballot line, more than double the 255 she needed, declined the nomination just before the end of the day Friday, leaving it to a party committee on vacancies to fill the line. Democrats say her Facebook listing indicates she is friends with Republican candididate Barbara Donno's daughter.
The GOP also circulated petitions for Patrick Lilavois of Westbury to run on the Working Families Party line. He filed 44 signatures, and needed only 17. Among those who circulated petitions in an attempt to deny Johnson the minor parties' lines were GOP heavyweights, including North Hemsptead GOP leader Frank Maroney, Nassau GOP elections commissioner John DeGrace, former town supervisor John Kiernan, and Mineola Republican leader Jacki Carway, whose husband John ran for North Hempstead supervisor last year.
"I am very disappointed if the Republicans tried to do this," said Bobby Kumar, Nassau Independence chairman, who supports Johnson. But it is state chairman Frank MacKay who has the power authorize for non-party members to run on their ballot line. MacKay said he "will follow" Kumar's lead on who to back.
Dan Cantor, the WFP executive director, called the move "the start of a new Republican dirty tricks campaign" and said the GOP "should be ashamed of themselves."
Maureen O'Connell did it back in the February Special Election and Donno is doing it now. Visit Donno's website (www.barbaradonno.com) and you'd be hard pressed to know she is the REPUBLICAN candidate. The word "REPUBLICAN" doesn't appear anywhere on her site.
Despite Dean Skelos' little upstate tour last week, it appears that he is still primarily focused on defending his home turf. Skelos has been saying that he and the GOP were coming after freshman Senator Craig Johnson since before he actually took the oath last year. This year that challenge to Johnson seemed to become something of a long shot when they recruited the mayor of Plandome Manor, a village of roughly 800 souls, one Barbara Donno. But, apparently, Skelos is not be deterred from burning precious SRCC resources in the state's most expensive media market in his Ahab-like quest to bring down Johnson.
The SRCC is launching this ad for Donno in which she claims she's not a "typical politician" and in which she says she's running against Albany. She makes no mention of party ID, a wise move this year when the GOP brand is essentially in the toilet, nor that she's running to maintain a GOP majority in the Senate, a major part of the Albany that, in her words, "isn't listening."
The ad itself is pretty unremarkable, but what is interesting is the choice of targets by Skelos and the hapless state GOP chair, the much endangered Joe Mondello, also a Long Islander. With as many as a half dozen GOP Senators in jeapordy, if not more, playing offense in Long Island with a long shot candidate like Donno seems an odd choice, one that may upset many of those threatened incumbents in other parts of the state. Everyone knows that both Skelos and Mondello took it rather personally when they lost the SD-7 special election in February of 2007. It was race they were supposed to win, a race they poured a ton of money into and it happened in their own back yard. Now it would seem that they are willing to spend serious cash to win that seat back with a less than credible candidate. That can't be sitting well with those upstate senators who are genuinely feeling the heat, especially after Skelos was glad handing them in their districts just last week.
In yet another demonstration of just how weak Bruno's recruiting class is this year, the Independence Party is giving it's line in SD-7 to Democratic State Senator Craig Johnson, not Republican Barbara Donno. The IP endorsed Johnson's special election opponent last year, Maureen O'Connell, but seem to have been less than impressed with Donno.
Last year Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) faced Nassau Clerk Maureen O'Connell, a Republican opponent with both Conservative and Independence Party endorsements, for what was then an open seat. His GOP foe this time, Barbara Donno, snared the Conservative line after some push-and-pull. But Johnson is about to get the Independence endorsement, said Bobby Kumar, the party's county chair - who added Donno "did well" in screening interviews "but he (Johnson) did better."
So much for Mondello and Skelos' boasts over the last year or so about how Johnson was going to be their top target and how they were coming at him with a top flight challenger and both barrels blazing. Their candidate, the Mayor of a town of around a thousand souls, can't even hold the IP line, for cryin' out loud.
(From what I'm hearing, there are plenty of skeletons in Donno's closet. Just sayin'. - promoted by phillip anderson)
The scandals rocking Long Island School Districts expose the lack of oversight and financial controls that our tax dollars deserve. Donno was president of the Manhasset School Board and this has been cited by her and recently by Conservative Party boss Roger Bogsted as a positive for Donno. Reading the Comptrollers report doesn't make being on the Manhasset School Board, much less President a good thing.
To quote Donno "Above all else, I believe that taxpayers must receive value for their precious tax dollars."
With Conservative Party officials evidently unsold on an endorsement of Plandome Manor Mayor Barbara Donno for state Senate, following their interview with her on Thursday, she has released a lettter sent to Roger Bogsted, the third party's Nassau chairman, pitching her credentials as a small-c conservative, citing what she deems to be important philosophical differences on fiscal and social issues with her opponent, the incumbent Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington).
In it Donno, who supporters acknowledge differs from the Conservatives' "pro-life" plank, warns Bogsted: "Should Craig Johnson and the Senate Minority gain control of the State Senate, New Yorkers will lose their last line of defense against a variety of measures that are unrepresentative of the vast majority of state residents and anathema to the Nassau County Conservative Party's principles."
The Conservative endorsement is a must-have if you want to get elected (or treated as a serious contender) as a Republican in the New York State Senate. However, one has to wonder whether or not Donno will get the Conservative nod considering her tough time in getting this endorsement. Even if she does receive Conservative backing, she will still end up answering questions about how conservative she really is.
The race for the 7th Senate District seat is getting interesting, as incumbent Senator Craig Johnson and challenger Plandome Manor Mayor Barbara Donno are vying for minor party endorsements.
Nassau Conservatives on Thursday interviewed Republican Senate candidate Barbara Donno, mayor of Plandome Manor, who's challenging Democratic incumbent Craig Johnson. We've heard conflicting accounts of how she was received. Some said just fine -- others said the alienated third party wants someone else. Both Johnson and Donno face screening for the Independence nod this week. Last year Republican Maureen O'Connell got 4,168 votes from the 'C' and 'I' lines in the special election for the former Mike Balboni seat.
If the Conservatives are split for Donno, that does not bode well for her in this race. Only one Republican state senator (Sen. Andrew Lanza) did not receive the Conservative line in the 2006 elections. Essentially, the Conservative line is a must if you want to win a State Senate seat as a Republican.
The Nassau County GOP picked Barbara Donno to make a challenge to freshman Senator Craig Johnson last night. Donno is the mayor of Plandome Manor. From the Spin Cycle:
Republican Plandome Manor Mayor Barbara Donno was endorsed last night by the Nassau GOP for state Senate, to face rookie incumbent Democrat Craig Johnson in November.
In a statement from the party, she is quoted as saying: "My passion is education. I've taught elementary school, been involved in the parent association, served on the board of education and above all else I'm a parent. I think parents - and our children - need a voice in Albany and I believe I have the experience to be that voice."
"What we see in Albany today makes us all angry," she says via the press release. "As a mom and former elementary school teacher some of the things I see in Albany - from BOTH parties - makes you think some of them would benefit from a 'time-out!'"
I know next to nothing of Donno, but I'm not entirely sure that this was the caliber of challenger that Mondello and Skelos had been boasting about running since the day Johnson took the oath. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyone in the district know more?
UPDATE: Here's a statement via email from Johnson's Communications Director, Rich Azzopardi:
Since his election, Senator Craig Johnson has secured record state aid for our schools - benefiting our children and saving taxpayers' money - while working hard for every community he represents. Whether it's standing up for the residents of the Main Line Corridor, or the Belmont host communities; demanding justice for those who suffer wage disparity; or leading the fight to divest New York State's pension funds from terror sponsors like Iran, Craig Johnson has always worked hard for the people of Nassau County.
There will be plenty of time for politics between now and November. On Monday, Senator Johnson will be back in the State Capitol fulfilling his responsibilities by representing the taxpayers of our communities.
However, we welcome Ms. Donno to the race and look forward to a spirited contest and a vigorous discussion of the future direction of our State.
UPDATE II: I thought that "time out" language sounded a bit familiar. Remember this from right after the Aubertine race?
Skelos yesterday vowed to win back the 7th.
"We've always been known as 'The Long Island Nine,' " he said of the area's GOP senators who now number eight. "We're going to be back as The Long Island Nine and Craig Johnson is not going to be a senator after November."
Johnson shot back, "My response to Dean is what I tell my 3-year-old and my 6-year-old when they are having a temper tantrum, 'Take a timeout.'"
Joseph Hand has just announced that he's taking a pass on a primary challenge to freshman state Senator Craig Johnson. You may remember Hand running against then incumbent Michael Balboni back in 2006.
Nassau County's Joseph Hand says he just got talked out of running against Sen. Craig Johnson and won't issue a Democratic primary challenge this fall afterall.
Hand said he met with some Democratic leaders, including trusted advisor James Rynn of Queens, who said it would be disruptive to go against Johnson this year.
"It's a big fight going on up there in Albany; whose gonna control the Senate next time. We dont' want
to do anything to hinder becoming the majority party," he said. "It's not mine this time."
Hand, 47, had begun getting the word out that he was going to run. He's without a job after losing his post as an inspector with the Nassau County Elections Commission this winter.
"If you look at the amount of property taxes that Long Island homeowners pay, or their wealth as compared to their property tax burden, the aid is relatively low," said Tom Dunham, a spokesman for Senator Dean G. Skelos, a Nassau County Republican. Mr. Dunham pointed out that while overall aid for Long Island increased, some wealthy districts, like Great Neck, faced decreases in state operating aid.
The New York Times did add this after what Skelos said.
(Great Neck, as it happens, lies in the district of Long Island's only Democratic state senator, Craig M. Johnson. Thanks to a separate pot of money controlled and disbursed by Assembly Democrats, even Great Neck and other districts like it had a net increase in state funds.)
What a coincidence. Skelos just happened to pick Great Neck. If you look at the district map, it is pretty clear who represents the 7th Senate District.
Johnson deserves credit for teaming up with Assembly counterparts and getting the necessary funding for Great Neck. Republicans like Skelos apparently think they are the only ones that can deliver. Well Senate Republicans, Johnson delivered. Now give him the same pat on the back you gave yourselves.
This state is bigger than just one person. Eliot Spitzer's resignation was the only choice that would ensure that the needs of all residents are not lost as this scandal continues to unfold.
Gov. Spitzer's shocking and disturbing actions, for which he alone bears responsibility, has simply eliminated his ability to govern.
The budget is still due April 1 and this state simply could not afford to have the governing process continue to be hampered by Gov. Spitzer's legal and personal entanglements.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Spitzer family during this trying ordeal.
And I look forward to working with soon-to-be Governor David Paterson, a person with deep roots in Long Island, who appreciates the needs of our region and will help restore a sense of civility to the State Capitol.
While the proposed raise for legislators will be less than a drop in $4.4 billion dollar bucket of budget shortfalls, Craig Johnson does a couple great things with the statement he issued today regarding those pay raises and those things have little to do with the fairly inconsequential fiscal ramifications of the rumored deal.
STATEMENT BY SENATOR CRAIG M. JOHNSON, ON REPORTS OF A PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATIVE PAY RAISE
"With the softening economy, a looming state budget battle over the fate of our schools and our children, and the mountain of legislative work that this majority seems to have little interest in completing, I do not think it is appropriate, or prudent, to be considering a legislative pay raise at this time.
I will vote against such a bill if it comes to the floor.
If it passes, I intend to donate this extra pay to worthy non-profit organizations within the 7th Senate District. First on the list would be organizations that had member item funds secured by my predecessor, only to have them revoked by the Senate Republicans after my election."
All emphasis mine.
First, I appreciate the bit about the "mountain of legislative work that this majority seems to have little interest in completing." No Reform, No Raise", anyone?
Second, it never hurts to remind folks that Bruno's boys, yanked all those promised member item dollars after they lost the seat, much like after they lost Spano's seat as well. And they did it out of nothing more than spite.
