Category Archives: 2017 Mayoral Race

$5 Million?



$5 million.  That’s what Democratic mayoral candidate Mike Tolkin reports putting into his campaign recently.  It’s an extraordinarily large amount, significantly exceeding the $2.7 million that Paul Massey reported lending his campaign through mid-May.  There’s a catch, however.  Tolkin reports the $5 million as an in-kind contribution of “Campgn Lit. / Campaign Assets.”  He has separately loaned his campaign $225,000, but raised only $2,590 in cash contributions.  Continue reading $5 Million?

Queens With Dietl



Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl with Queens Republican Chairman Bob Turner, on May 20, 2017.

The Queens County Republican Party tonight endorsed Bo Dietl in the race for mayor.  The Queens Republican Party had endorsed Paul Massey, but Massey announced his withdrawal from the race on June 28th.  Dietl is not a registered Republican, having muffed an attempt at switching his registration from Republican to Democratic, and sought a Wilson-Pakula early in the race to run in the Republican primary.  Republican leaders declined to offer Dietl such a waiver then, and the issue appeared completely ended after Dietl lost his lawsuit seeking reinstatement to the Republican Party.

I’m told that the vote, by the Queens County Republican executive committee, was Dietl-16, Malliotakis-3, abstain-2.  Continue reading Queens With Dietl

Going, Going … Bo?



Could Bo Dietl still end up in a Republican mayoral primary?  That prospect has appeared dead since Dietl lost his lawsuit seeking reinstatement as a Republican and the five county Republican leaders declined any interest in granting Dietl a Wilson-Pakula, but he has yet another chance tonight.  Dietl is set to appear at a meeting of the Queens County Republican executive committee to pitch his candidacy, seeking an endorsement and a Wilson-Pakula.  Nicole Malliotakis is also expected to appear, seeking the Queens County GOP endorsement in the wake of Paul Massey’s withdrawal from the race.  The Queens Republican Party initially supported Paul Massey, but Massey abruptly announced his withdrawal from the race on June 28th.  As we reported on July 6th, the Queens GOP then set tonight as the date for considering its post-Massey options.  Continue reading Going, Going … Bo?

Malliotakis Money: July Edition (Updated)



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis raised $250,00 in the two month reporting period that ended last week. It was a decent, but far from outstanding, fundraising performance for the expected Republican nominee in her first full reporting period.  Malliotakis joined the race in April, about two weeks before the previous reporting deadline, and reported raising about $94,000 in that truncated period.  With reported expenses of $64,000 this period, Malliotakis ended the reporting period with $275,000 in cash on hand.

Malliotakis’ financial picture may markedly improve with matching funds from the City’s Campaign Finance Board.  An analysis by Politico estimated that based on her reported fundraising Malliotakis may receive just over $600,000 in City matching funds, which are given at a 6-1 ratio for qualifying contributions.  Malliotakis has not yet qualified for the program, however, and her receiving matching funds therefor remains uncertain.  Time is short for Malliotakis, with a limited opportunity to reduce the large current fundraising gap with her expected general election rival, Mayor Bill de Blasio, who reported $2.5 million cash on hand in the prior (mid-May) report. Continue reading Malliotakis Money: July Edition (Updated)

Malliotakis Money



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis expressed optimism about her fundraising today, but had little information to offer.  Speaking at a Dyker Heights press conference, Malliotakis said “it’s going well,” but added “right now it’s a little difficult” due to people focused on graduations and vacations.  “I don’t know, I would like to know myself, I gotta talk to my treasurer” Malliotakis replied when I asked for a expected amount raised in her next campaign finance report. Continue reading Malliotakis Money

Malliotakis, Massey … & Bo?



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis offered a gracious farewell to former rival Paul Massey today, but she has not yet received his endorsement or the endorsement of the two Republican County chairman and organizations that supported him.

Speaking at a press conference today in Dyker Heights at which Malliotakis highlighted a street with trash and debris, Malliotakis said that she was surprised by Massey’s withdrawal, that she called Massey and thanked him for “the good, spirited debate” they had shortly before Massey’s withdrawal and “wished him well.”  She also “thanked him for coming into the race and expressing ideas.”   Malliotakis has not yet received Massey’s endorsement, although it appears that she has asked him for it.  She expressed hope that “the whole Party will coalesce around me,” but said only that she hopes it will happen after completing petitioning. Continue reading Malliotakis, Massey … & Bo?

Travis Parade



The Travis 4th of July Parade drew mayoral rivals Bill de Blasio and Nicole Malliotakis together Tuesday, as they attended the annual event in the Staten Island neighborhood of Travis.  Mayor de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer were the two off-Island electeds participating, while Assembly Member Malliotakis was one of many Staten Island elected participating.  Others included Borough President Jimmy Oddo, NYS Senator Diane Savino, Assembly Members Michael Cusick (also the parade Grand Marshal), Ron Castorina and Matt Titone, City Council Members Steve Matteo and Debi Rose and Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon.  Republican comptroller candidate Michel Faulkner also attended. Continue reading Travis Parade

Malliotakis Press Conference: Homeless Crisis Edition



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis held a press conference this afternoon promoting her plan to address homelessness in New York City.  It’s an issue that she, and other de Blasio challengers, have frequently spoken of over the past months.   Today Malliotakis outlined a series of steps should she would take as mayor to address the “homeless crisis”, including establishing “pop-up intake shelters,” creating an interagency taskforce, limiting the number of nights homeless individuals may be housed by the City in a hotel, seeking to move “empty nesters” in large NYCHA apartments into smaller apartments  and entering into an agreement with New York State to fund supportive housing units.

Continue reading Malliotakis Press Conference: Homeless Crisis Edition

Malliotakis On Healthcare Bills



I haven’t read the bills.  That was Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis’ response today when I asked whether she supports either or both of the two pending Congressional bills aimed at dramatically changing the Affordable Care Act.  Those two bills include the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA), the healthcare bill drafted by Senate Republicans which was publicly released last week but has not yet been voted on, and the American Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA), approved in the House on May 4th.  Malliotakis did express an opinion on the Faso Collins amendment, a provision contained in the AHCA that would require New York State to take over Medicaid expenses of counties outside of New York City, leaving New York City as the lone New York locality to continue to shoulder Medicaid costs, saying that New York City’s exclusion is “problematic.”

Malliotakis gave a similar answer on the AHCA nearly two months ago, declining to express an opinion because she had not read the bill.  There is a lot to be said for reading a full bill in order to express an opinion, but it’s also an easy dodge.  It’s certainly legitimate to reach, and express, opinions on legislation based on good analysis by others, whether in the press, from staff or other interested parties.  In this case, Malliotakis is avoiding expressing a view on an issue that has been at the center of political discussion for months, with two months elapsing since the House bill was publicly available, and that may profoundly affect the City she hopes to lead in six months.  It’s worth noting that Malliotakis generally is responsive to questions and willing to declare her position on specific issues.

We spoke at a Malliotakis press conference outside City Hall.

Video:

Here’s our exchange:

Dietl Defends



Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl held a press conference today, his first since giving up his court battle seeking reinstatement to the Republican Party.  Speaking in front of his office on West 34th Street Dietl gave an impassioned defense against unflattering press accounts of some of his business activities as a private investigator.  He said that accounts of his working for Steve Bannon and Roger Ailes were false and that his work for Fox has been misrepresented.  He also asserted that his role in the James Rackover murder case has been overstated, saying that he briefly assisted Jeffery Rackover but would not  and did not in any way assist accused killer James Rackover.

Dietl plugged a Facebook poll he conducted that produced a majority supporting him in a three-way race with Bill de Blasio and Paul Massey.  Such unscientific polls are widely regarded as unreliable, but Dietl nonetheless seized on the positive result as a significant marker.  Dietl’s press conference was held shortly before Paul Massey’s surprise withdrawal from the race.  In a later conversation Dietl laughed and suggested that perhaps his Facebook poll results pushed Massey to exit the race.  Dietl also released a copy of his new voter registration form, changing his registration to Democratic.  (That registration will not allow him to run in a Democratic primary until 2018, however.)

Massey’s sudden exit seemingly ended any serious competition in the Republican primary, although it may cause some renewed interest in Dietl among Republicans unsatisfied with the leading candidate.  In a separate conversation late today Dietl suggested that there is some meaningful renewed Republican interest in granting him a Wilson-Pakula, but didn’t say who has expressed such interest.  He did say that he “would definitely explore the possibility of accepting a Republican Wilson-Pakula.”  He also expressed interest in seeking to replace Massey as the Independence Party candidate, but said that he hasn’t yet taken any steps toward doing so.

Video:

Here is Dietl’s full press conference:

Ending Debate



The two leading Republican mayoral candidates sat for a debate this morning, but one of those candidates headed for the exit shortly after the debate ended.  Nicole Malliotakis and Paul Massey participated in a debate hosted by Crain’s and moderated by Greg David, but Massey ended his candidacy shortly after the debate ended, issuing an unexpected statement at noon.  Massey attributed his withdrawal as driven by money, or the lack thereof, saying that he  did “not see a path to raising the necessary funds to beat an incumbent mayor.”  His looming withdrawal was not apparent during the debate.

The hour long debate featured a steady series of probing questions from Greg David.  He asked for candidate views and proposals on a variety of issues.  He focused most effectively on what’s going well in the City, challenging the candidates to explain and defend their criticisms of the incumbent mayor on the economy and crime when both are reported at positive record-setting levels.

Video – Full Debate:

Massey Out (Updated)



Republican mayoral candidate Paul Massey abruptly withdrew from the mayoral race this afternoon.  Massey issued a statement at noon announcing that “[t]oday I am ending my campaign for Mayor of the City of New York.”  Massey participated in a Republican mayoral candidate debate this morning hosted by Crain’s New York without giving any indication that he was considering withdrawing. Continue reading Massey Out (Updated)