Brooklyn Blogger Gatemouth over at Room 8 makes a big error in his recent pieces on Brooklyn Politics. In it he refers to the reform movement that is fighting the massively corrupt (and apparently somewhat depraved) head of the Democratic Party machine, Vito Lopez, as being a monolithic group whose every statement is planned in advance by the Supreme Reform Soviet of Brooklyn before being uttered.

He knows full well the reformers are a disorganized, squabbling bunch who actually put up no less than FOUR candidates one year in a City Council election against Vito Lopez's pet, Steve Levin. Naturally Levin won. Had the reformers been as unified and monolithic as Gatemouth treats them, Levin may well have lost. Organizing the reform Democrats in Brooklyn is even more like herding cats than the general Democratic Party exercise in cat-herding.  read more »

This was a race somewhat under my radar. I knew about it but didn't really take an active role. However, the club my wife is on the board of, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, endorsed Richard Montelione in this race, seeing it as a chance to defeat a less qualified candidate who happened to be tied to the increasingly discredited Vito Lopez machine.

Overall this was a race between two good candidates. However, the BETTER, more reform candidate won. That is far from always true in Vito Lopez's Brooklyn.

LAMBDA INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS OF BROOKLYN CELEBRATES THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VICTORY OF OPENLY GAY ATTORNEY RICHARD MONTELIONE

MONTELIONE WILL BE BROOKLYN'S FIRST OUT GAY JUDGE IN FOURTEEN YEARS

Civil Court races tend to be sleepy affairs, but not this one! The race for Civil Court in Brooklyn’s First Municipal District became heated at times, with some of the biggest names in Democratic politics weighing-in. In the end, Richard Montelione won the race, becoming the first openly gay candidate to be elected to public office in Brooklyn in over 14 years.  read more »

I have been doing a running report on endorsements for the June 26th Democratic Primary in NYC (particularly Brooklyn races which I know the most about). Here is my latest update.

I want to note that voting in these primaries is critical. People complain about corruption in local politics all the time, but if they don't vote in these primaries they are doing nothing to fight that corruption. If you want a better system for Brooklyn and for NY State, pay attention to these primaries! It also helps to donate to or volunteer for some of these candidates.

LATEST ENDORSEMENTS:

CENTRAL BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS: Considered the most progressive and most reform club in Brooklyn.

One of the best things about this club is that they require candidates to fill out pretty tough questionnaires so you can read about each candidate. Click here to see the questionnaires that have been turned in for the June 26th primary.

Now here are the CBID endorsements:

LATEST CBID ENDORSEMENTS:

Martine Guerrier (57th Assembly District) (Something of an upset in the club, but many people found her very smart and refreshing)

Robin Garson (Civil Court Judge)

PREVIOUS CBID ENDORSEMENTS:

DISTRICT LEADER:

Jo Anne Simon (District Leader AD 52)
Chris Owens (District Leader AD 52)
Lincoln Restler (50th AD Male DL)
Lori Citron Knipel (44th AD District Leader)
Jacob Gold (44th AD District Leader)

ASSEMBLY:

Joan Millman (52nd AD)
Jim Brennan (44th AD)

STATE SENATE:

Velmanette Montgomery (18th SD)
Eric Adams (20th SD)
Kevin Parker (21st SD)
Daniel Squadron (25th SD)

CONGRESS:

Nydia Velazquez (7th CD)
No Endorsement (8th CD)
Yvette Clarke (9th CD)
Jerrold Nadler (10th CD)

Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club (LGBT issues)

Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club Endorsement List Primary 2012

PRESIDENT: Barack Obama

UNITED STATES SENATE: Kirsten Gillibrand

DISTRICT LEADER RACES

52nd Assembly District State Committee, Brooklyn: Jo Anne Simon
66th Assembly District State Committee, Manhattan: Arthur Schwartz

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

6th Rory Lancman, Queens
7th Nydia Velazquez, Brooklyn
8th Hakeem Jeffries, Brooklyn
9th Yvette Clarke, Brooklyn
10th Jerry Nadler, Manhattan/Brooklyn
11th Mark Murphy, Brooklyn/Staten Island
12th Carolyn Maloney, Manhattan/Queens
13th Charles Rangel, Manhattan
15th Jose Serrano, Bronx

NEW YORK STATE SENATE

11th Senate District, Tony Avella, Queens
13th Senate District, Jose R. Peralta, Queens
16th Senate District Toby Ann Stavisky, Queens
20th Senate District, Eric Adams, Brooklyn
21st Senate District, Kevin S. Parker, Brooklyn
22nd Senate District, Andrew Gounardes, Brooklyn
23rd Senate District, Diane J. Savino, Staten Island/Brooklyn
25th Senate District, Velmanette Montgomery, Brooklyn
28th Senate District, Liz Kruger, Manhattan
27th Senate District, Tom Duane, Manhattan
30th Senate District, Bill Perkins, Manhattan
31st Senate District, Mark Levine, Manhattan
33nd Senate District, Gustavo Rivera, Manhattan

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY

28th Assembly District, Andrew Hevesi, Queens
39th Assembly District Francisco Moya, Queens
42nd Assembly District Rhoda Jacobs, Brooklyn
44th Assembly District James F. Brennan, Brooklyn
52nd Assembly District Joan Millman, Brooklyn
57th Assembly District Olanike Alabi, Brooklyn
61st Assembly District Matthew Titone, Staten Island
64th Assembly District Sheldon Silver, Manhattan
70th Assembly District, Keith L.T. Wright, Manhattan
71st Assembly District Herman D. Farrell, Jr., Manhattan
73rd Assembly District Dan Quart, Manhattan
75th Assembly District Richard Gottfried, Manhattan

JUDICIAL RACES

Surrogate Court Manhattan: Rita Mella
3rd Civil Court District, Manhattan: Olga Statz

OLDER ENDORSEMENTS:

Lambda Independent Democrats (LGBT issues)

For Congress...
Nydia Velazquez, 7th CD
Hakeem Jeffries, 8th CD
Yvette Clarke, 9th CD
Jerrold Nadler, 10th CD
Mark Murphy, 11th CD
Carolyn Maloney, 12th CD

For NY State Senate...
Eric Adams, 20th District
Kevin Parker, 21st District
Diane Savino, 23rd District
Andrew Gounardes for State Senate, District 22
Velmanette Montgomery for State Senate, District 18
Daniel Squadron for State Senate, District 25

For NY State Assembly...
Rhoda Jacobs, 42nd AD
Olanike Alabi, 57th AD
Jim Brennan for State Assembly, District 44
John Mancuso for State Assembly, District 60
Joan Millman for State Assembly, District 52

For Civil Court Judge...
Lizette Colon
Robin Garson
Wavny Toussaint

For District Leader...
Lincoln Restler for Male District Leader, 50th AD
Jo Anne Simon for Female District Leader, 52nd AD
Faryce Moore for Female District Leader, 57th AD
Joanne Seminara for Female District Leader, 60th AD
Jacob Gold for District Leader/State Committee, Assembly District 44
Lori Knipel for District Leader/State Committee, Assembly District 44
Chris Owens for District Leader/State Committee, Assembly District 52

More below  read more »

On June 26th [it's good if I get the damned date right!] there is an important Democratic Primary election in NY State. The decisions are between reform and corrupt, progressive and regressive. I would like to do another of my round ups of endorsements from local clubs, focusing on those that are considered progressive and reform-oriented.

I want to note that voting in these primaries is critical. People complain about corruption in local politics all the time, but if they don't vote in these primaries they are doing nothing to fight that corruption. If you want a better system for Brooklyn and for NY State, pay attention to these primaries! It also helps to donate to or volunteer for some of these candidates.

So here is a round up of endorsements from local clubs and organizations. (Presented before with the addition of Lambda Independent Democrats' latest endorsements)

MOST RECENT ENDORSEMENT: Lambda Independent Democrats (LGBT issues)

For Congress...
Nydia Velazquez, 7th CD
Hakeem Jeffries, 8th CD
Yvette Clarke, 9th CD
Jerrold Nadler, 10th CD
Mark Murphy, 11th CD
Carolyn Maloney, 12th CD

For NY State Senate...
Eric Adams, 20th District
Kevin Parker, 21st District
Diane Savino, 23rd District
Andrew Gounardes for State Senate, District 22
Velmanette Montgomery for State Senate, District 18
Daniel Squadron for State Senate, District 25

For NY State Assembly...
Rhoda Jacobs, 42nd AD
Olanike Alabi, 57th AD
Jim Brennan for State Assembly, District 44
John Mancuso for State Assembly, District 60
Joan Millman for State Assembly, District 52

For Civil Court Judge...
Lizette Colon
Robin Garson
Wavny Toussaint

For District Leader...
Lincoln Restler for Male District Leader, 50th AD
Jo Anne Simon for Female District Leader, 52nd AD
Faryce Moore for Female District Leader, 57th AD
Joanne Seminara for Female District Leader, 60th AD
Jacob Gold for District Leader/State Committee, Assembly District 44
Lori Knipel for District Leader/State Committee, Assembly District 44
Chris Owens for District Leader/State Committee, Assembly District 52

CENTRAL BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS: Considered the most progressive and most reform club in Brooklyn.

One of the best things about this club is that they require candidates to fill out pretty tough questionnaires so you can read about each candidate. Click here to see the questionnaires that have been turned in for the June 1st primary.

Now here are the CBID endorsements:

Jo Anne Simon (District Leader AD 52)
Chris Owens (District Leader AD 52)
Joan Millman (52nd AD)
Jim Brennan (44th AD)
Nydia Velazquez (7th CD)
No Endorsement (8th CD)
Yvette Clarke (9th CD)
Lori Citron Knipel (44th AD District Leader)
Jacob Gold (44th AD District Leader)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (10th CD)
Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (18th SD)
Sen. Eric Adams (20th SD)
Sen. Kevin Parker (21st SD)
Sen. Daniel Squadron (25th SD)
Hon. Lincoln Restler (50th AD Male DL)  read more »

It is just a tad more than one month until the June 1st Democratic Primary election in NY State. I would like to do one of my round ups of endorsements from local clubs, focusing on those that are considered progressive and reform-oriented.

I want to note that voting in these primaries is critical. People complain about corruption in local politics all the time, but if they don't vote in these primaries they are doing nothing to fight that corruption. If you want a better system for Brooklyn and for NY State, pay attention to these primaries! It also helps to donate to or volunteer for some of these candidates.

So here is a round up of endorsements from local clubs and organizations.

CENTRAL BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS: Considered the most progressive and most reform club in Brooklyn.

One of the best things about this club is that they require candidates to fill out pretty tough questionnaires so you can read about each candidate. Click here to see the questionnaires that have been turned in for the June 1st primary.

Now here are the CBID endorsements:

Jo Anne Simon (District Leader AD 52)
Chris Owens (District Leader AD 52)
Joan Millman (52nd AD)
Jim Brennan (44th AD)
Nydia Velazquez (7th CD)
No Endorsement (8th CD)
Yvette Clarke (9th CD)
Lori Citron Knipel (44th AD District Leader)
Jacob Gold (44th AD District Leader)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (10th CD)
Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (18th SD)
Sen. Eric Adams (20th SD)
Sen. Kevin Parker (21st SD)
Sen. Daniel Squadron (25th SD)
Hon. Lincoln Restler (50th AD Male DL)  read more »