Category Archives: 2017 Mayoral Race

Malliotakis & Faulkner Press Conference



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis and Republican comptroller candidate Michel Faulkner held a joint press conference Thursday, condemning Mayor Bill de Blasio for what they termed “pay-to-play” and his administration’s engagement with Harendra Singh.  Singh is enmeshed in a variety of legal troubles, including criminal charges that he bribed Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and accusations that he improperly sought assistance from the de Blasio administration while operating the restaurant Water’s Edge.  (Prosecutors declined to bring any criminal charges after reviewing the Water’s Edge accusations.)

Malliotakis and Faulkner are likely to be the Republican nominees for their respective offices, without having to run in a primary.

Video:

Here is the full press conference:

Malliotakis Press Conference: DOE Edition (Updated)



Republican  mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis criticized several aspects of the City’s Department of Education (DoE) today, including the use of consultants and poor performance in installing internet and wireless service in schools.  Speaking at City Hall press conference this afternoon Malliotakis called for the City’s Department of Investigation to investigate the Education Department’s activities.

Malliotakis criticized the DoE as a “bureaucratic nightmare”, top heavy with administrators and consuming enormous amounts of money intended for improved classroom conditions.  She claimed that a lack of audits and accountability have allowed such conditions to fester and declared that she’ll initiate a DoI investigation when she becomes mayor.

Malliotakis is generally responsive to questions, if a bit lengthy in her answers.  She’s adept at focusing on what she is interested in emphasizing, even if it’s not wholly in sync with the question.  She’s also good at producing a memorable phrase: this press conference included “this mayor has spent money like a Saudi prince,” the moniker “Mayor ‘I don’t care’ de Blasio” and “this election is not about Trump, it’s about transit, traffic and trash.” Continue reading Malliotakis Press Conference: DOE Edition (Updated)

Malliotakis Poll Weakness



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis has often cited her gender and ethnicity as giving her an advantage over past Republican candidates, saying that those characteristics give her an opening to female and hispanic voters.  A Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday says that’s not really the case, at least not so far.

The Q poll shows support for Malliotakis among women and hispanics as lower than her overall support.  In a two-way race against Mayor de Blasio Malliotakis drew 22% support overall, but only 19% and 15% from women and hispanic voters, respectively.  In a three-way race that includes Bo Dietl Malliotakis’ support similarly fell off with women and hispanic voters, at 11% and 9%, respectively,  from her overall 15% support.

Here’s what Malliotakis had to say today at a City Hall press conference about her polling weakness with these groups:

Spend Better, Not Less?



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis is harshly critical of increased City spending under Mayor de Blasio, but she doesn’t have a plan to reduce that spending.  Malliotakis held a City Hall press conference this afternoon to criticize de Blasio for “outrageous amounts of money being spent on consultants” in the Department of Education.

Malliotakis regularly criticizes the $85 billion overall size of the City budget and the $15 billion increase in the budget since de Blasio took office.  Today I asked Malliotakis how much, if at all, she would cut the $24 billion Department of Education budget.  After a lengthy critique of de Blasio’s spending, including the line that de Blasio “has spent the taxpayers money like a Saudi prince,” Malliotakis offered that she’s “looking to make sure that that money is spent properly” but acknowledged that she does not have any plan to reduce the City’s spending.

Video:

Here’s our full exchange:

Malliotakis: No Opinion On Healthcare Bills



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis had little of substance to say Wednesday concerning the ongoing effort by U.S. Senate Republicans to repeal or dramatically change Obamacare.  Malliotakis replied “I haven’t read these bills” when I asked for her view of the Senate’s motion to proceed, adopted Monday, and whether she supports any of the iterations being considered by the Senate this week.  (“I haven’t read the bills” has been Malliotakis’ repeated answer on this topic, offered in May and June.)

Malliotakis did urge Congress to “stop bickering” and “work together”, but did not offer any policy views.  When I asked whether she’s supportive of continuing the Medicaid expansion, a key target for many Congressional Republicans, Malliotakis said “I can be ok keeping the Medicaid,” but immediately turned to expressing concerns over higher insurance policy premiums and deductibles.

Reductions or eliminations in Medicaid would likely have profound effects on New York City, both directly in the hospitals it runs and on the several million Medicaid enrollees in the City.

Video:

Here’s our exchange during Wednesday’s City Hall press conference:

Malliotakis Press Conference: Deportation Edition



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis came to City Hall Wednesday for a press conference criticizing Mayor de Blasio’s “sanctuary city” policy and pledging to increase cooperation with federal government’s efforts at deporting people unlawfully in the United States.

Malliotakis strongly emphasized the limits of her support for assisting federal deportation efforts, however.  She began with a detailed statement of support for City policies that provide some protections to persons unlawfully in the U.S., saying that as mayor she would continue Executive Order #124, implemented by Ed Koch and continued by Dinkins, Giuliani, Bloomberg and de Blasio.  That executive order prohibits City employees from reporting immigration status to the INS.  Among the practical effects of that prohibition: the NYPD does not ask and will not report on the immigration status of a person reporting a crime.

Malliotakis was harshly critical of Mayor de Blasio’s efforts at limiting NYPD and Department of Corrections’ enforcing immigration detainers.  The City currently enforces those immigration detainers only in limited circumstances, with those circumstances including a for persons convicted of specified “serious” crimes.  Malliotakis proposes expanding that list of specified crimes.

Video:

Here is the full press conference.

Malliotakis re Dietl



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis brushed aside rival candidate Bo Dietl’s recent complaints on not being granted a waiver allowing him to run in the Republican mayoral primary and his assertion that the New York State Republican chairman and New York County Republican chairwoman quashed his prospects in order to boost Malliotakis.  Speaking last night as she arrived at a campaign appearance in Middle Village’s Juniper Valley Park Malliotakis professed disinterest in Dietl’s efforts.  She also denied any involvement or influence in the Republican party leaders’ decision to again decline to grant Dietl a Wilson-Pakula.

Shortly after we spoke Malliotakis and Dietl encountered each other –  video of their encounter is available here.

Here’s what Malliotakis had to say:

Dietl & Massey Dine



He’s gone from melba toast to movie star.  Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl was harshly dismissive of rival candidate Paul Massey during Massey’s campaign, deriding him as “melba toast”, bland and dry.  Last night, however, Dietl said that he had dinner Monday evening with former candidate Massey and that Massey now “looks like a movie star, nice and tan.”

“I don’t care” Dietl shrugged when I asked if Massey will endorse him.  Dietl separately said that he hasn’t asked for Massey’s endorsement and that Massey hasn’t offered it.  It’s notable, however, that Massey has not endorsed his former Republican rival, Nicole Malliotakis.

I spoke with Dietl as he departed from a campaign appearance at Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village – here’s what he had to say:

Dietl To The DR



Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl headed to the Dominican Republic last night, for a one day visit intended to help his campaign.  Dietl said that he’s scheduled to meet with the mayor of Puerto Plata, a north coast city, and visit an unspecified orphanage.  Dietl also said that he hopes to meet with “Leonel, the president”, presumably meaning former president Leonel Fernández Reyna.  (The current president is Danilo Medina.)

Here’s what Dietl had to say – we spoke last night during a campaign appearance at Juniper Valley Park.

When I Become Mayor …



It was smiles and jabs as mayoral candidates Bo Dietl and Nicole Malliotakis crossed paths tonight in Middle Village’s Juniper Valley Park.  The candidates were there to work the crowd at Italian Night, a concert drawing several hundred people. There’s been some significant long-distance friction between them recently as Republican leaders quashed Dietl’s final effort at getting a Wilson-Pakula and running in the Republican primary.

They smiled for the camera (singular, as I was the only reporter there), with some forced joviality smoothing the light jabs they each tossed toward the other.  Dietl sought to claim the turf immediately, declaring “this is Italian, this ain’t Greek, this is my neighborhood” as he walked up to Malliotakis.  They didn’t shake hands, much less hug, with Malliotakis’ hand on Dietl’s shoulder the only greeting gesture.  “Are you gonna be nice to me now Bo, I heard you’re calling me names on Curtis Sliwa” said Malliotakis.  Dietl offered that when he becomes mayor “I want you to help me … cause Staten Island needs a lot of help.”  Malliotakis quickly countered that when she becomes mayor “I will not make you my police commissioner.”  (Dietl retorted “I’ve been offered that already by your friend Malpass.”)

Their sparring over, Malliotakis introduced herself to a couple of parks workers in a truck as she and Dietl began walking.   As Malliotakis continued walking Dietl stopped to talk to those workers, soon calling out to the departing Malliotakis “they’re with me, they’re with me … they love the Bo man.”

Update – Photo Gallery:

Our photo gallery is available here.

Dietl On Ending His Wilson-Pakula Bid



Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl says that his most recent effort at getting on the Republican primary ballot was squashed by New York State Republican Chairman Ed Cox and Manhattan Republican Chairwoman Adele Malpass.

Dietl had recently renewed his effort at obtaining  a Wilson-Pakula, with a surprising successful step Monday night as he received the Queens County Republican Committee’s endorsement.  Obtaining a Wilson-Pakula requires a majority vote of the five New York City Republican county committees, so he still had a long way to go but Dietl’s Queens endorsement reenergized his effort.  Bronx County, which like Queens had initially endorsed Paul Massey and was now without a candidate, appeared likely to also support Dietl.  Dietl abruptly announced yesterday that he was ending his effort at obtaining a Wilson-Pakula, and would not seek to run in the Republican primary.

I spoke with Dietl today about his decision, with Dietl asserting that Cox and Malpass pressured Bronx Republican Chairman Mike Rendino to not support Dietl.  Without Bronx GOP support Dietl had virtually no chance.  According to Dietl, he was confident enough of his chances that he planned to host a meeting this coming Monday with the five Republican county executive committees, seeking a vote on his Wilson-Pakula.

We spoke today on Arthur Avenue, just ahead of Dietl’s walking tour with actor Chazz Palminteri.