Category Archives: Bill de Blasio

Photo Gallery: de Blasio Trump Tower Protest



Mayor Bill de Blasio headlined a protest outside Trump Tower Tuesday, declaring opposition to the Republican tax overhaul bills currently in process in Congress.  de Blasio was joined by Assembly Members Jo Anne Simon and David Weprin and Council Member Corey Johnson, along with several dozen other protesters.  President Trump was not in Trump Tower, or elsewhere in New York, during the protest.

Photo Gallery:

Our photo gallery is available here.

Flight #587: 2017 Memorial



Mayor Bill de Blasio attended the annual memorial service marking the November 12, 2001 crash of American Airlines Flight #587.   For the fourth time as mayor de Blasio  joined attendees at the service, held at the memorial constructed just off the beach on Rockaway’s Beach 116th Street. The flight was headed from JFK to the Dominican Republic and the majority of those onboard were Dominican Americans and Dominican nationals. The crash also killed five people on the ground in Rockaway.

de Blasio was infamously late to the 2014 memorial service, his first as mayor. He missed the moment of silence, provoking a firestorm of criticism over his then-frequent tardiness to public events. This year, as in 2015 and 2016, de Blasio arrived early and worked his way through the audience shaking hands, hugging and talking with attendees before the service began.  Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato, who represents Rockaway,  was the only other elected official to attend.  Former Assembly Member Guillermo Linares, now the president of the New York State Higher Education Corporation, attended and spoke on behalf of Governor Cuomo. Continue reading Flight #587: 2017 Memorial

2017 Mayoral Race Photo Retrospective



The 2017 mayoral election is over, but the photos live on.

Our photo retrospective covers the race from a 2016 endorsement of Bill de Blasio and a January 2017 appearance by Paul Massey through election night.  I’ve chosen this selection from the more than 100 campaign events I attended.

Four aspiring Republican mayoral candidates at a March forum hosted by the Columbia College Republicans. None of the four made it to the Republican primary or general election.

Continue reading 2017 Mayoral Race Photo Retrospective

Photo Gallery: de Blasio With A Bronx Wrap



Mayor Bill de Blasio wrapped up his reelection campaign with an election eve appearance on Fordham Road in the Bronx.  In his final appearance before election day the mayor greeted passersby for about 40 minutes Monday evening, shaking hands, hugging and posing for pictures with the steady flow of well-wishers who lined up for a moment with the mayor.  de Blasio was joined by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who is also up for reelection.

Heavily favored to win according to public polls, de Blasio appeared relaxed and enjoying himself and extended his stay when staff first tried to bring the meet & greet to a close.  His greetings as people moved in for their photo included an ever-present request that they vote for him Tuesday, with Diaz periodically chiming in “vote for the D’s, de Blasio  & Diaz.”

de Blasio did not, however, take any press questions.

Photo Gallery:

Our photo gallery is available here.

Photo Gallery: Tuozzolo Dedication



The NYPD dedicated a plaque to the memory of Sergeant Paul Tuozzolo Saturday, drawing Sergeant Tuozzolo’s wife Lisa, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner James O’Neill and several hundred other guests to the 43rd Precinct in Soundview.  It was exactly one year since Tuozzolo was killed in the line of duty, as he and his colleagues sought to apprehend an armed man who had repeatedly violently attacked his wife.

Continue reading Photo Gallery: Tuozzolo Dedication

Sandy Fifth Anniversary



Mayor Bill de Blasio marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy today with a Rockaway press conference and presentation on several resiliency projects.  de Blasio was joined at the Arverne YMCA by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, NYS Senator James Sanders, Council Member Donovan Richards, NYC Director of Resiliency Dan Zarelli, Director of the office of Housing Recovery Amy Peterson and Parks Commissioner Mitch Silver.

The mayor outlined seven projects that the City will move forward with, using surplus funding from the rebuilding of the Rockaway boardwalk.  The projects include several parks in the eastern part of Rockaway. Continue reading Sandy Fifth Anniversary

de Blasio Defends, Chapter 2



Mayor Bill de Blasio held a press conference today in which he defended himself for a second consecutive day against witness testimony in a federal corruption trial.  de Blasio spoke in the Arverne section of Rockaway, as part of a lengthy presentation and press conference marking the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Sandy and promoting the City’s ongoing rebuilding and resiliency efforts.  Mayor de Blasio held a press conference yesterday, following a Midwood synagogue visit, in which he similarly defended himself against that testimony.

de Blasio again cast the witness testifying in the trial of Norman Seabrook, Jona Rechnitz, as a “liar” and “convicted felon,” energetically rejecting the assertion that de Blasio committed any crime or legal but wrongful acts in return for Rechnitz’ campaign and political contributions.  de Blasio repeatedly emphasized that the U.S. Attorney’s office would have known all that Rechnitz has alleged, as he’s been cooperating with the U.S. Attorney, when the U.S. Attorney ended its investigation of de Blasio without bringing any charges.

Video:

Here is the full “off-topic” portion of the Q&A at today’s press conference.  All but one of the questions focused on Rechnitz’ testimony.

de Blasio Defends



Mayor Bill de Blasio held a short press conference this afternoon to defend himself against allegations made by a witness in the Norman Seabrook corruption trial.  Speaking outside the Young Israel of Avenue K synagogue in Midwood de Blasio repeatedly called that witness a liar and a convicted felon.  He defended his actions as proper and pointed to the investigations by the U.S. Attorney, which is also prosecuting Seabrook and had Jona Rechnitz testify, and the Manhattan District Attorney which concluded without any criminal charges against de Blasio or his staff.

Continue reading de Blasio Defends

Photo Gallery: de Blasio In Sunnyside



Mayor Bill de Blasio visited the Sunnyside Greenmarket Saturday afternoon, greeting shoppers at the outdoor market on a mild afternoon.  He was guided by Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who represents the area.

Arriving 30 minutes late, the mayor spent close to 30 minutes working his way through a block-long open air market.  It was reasonably busy, but not overcrowded.  It appeared that the people the mayor greeted were shoppers who happened to be there and not part of an organized group or rally.  He received a very cordial welcome, with many people eager to shake his hand and get a photo. Some people asked him to take action (on the subway, for example), but I didn’t hear any hostile comments or rejection of his entreaties to vote for him on November 7th.

Continue reading Photo Gallery: de Blasio In Sunnyside

Photo Gallery: Columbus Day Parade



The 2017 Columbus Day Parade had its usual large helping of politicians, including a full set of mayoral candidates.  Among those attending were Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Representatives Tom Suozzi and Carolyn Maloney.  2017 mayoral candidates attending, in addition to Mayor de Blasio, included Republican/Conservative candidate and Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis, independent candidate Bo Dietl and Reform Party candidate Sal Albanese.

Mayoral candidate friction was exacerbated by the contretemps over statues of Christopher Columbus.  Bo Dietl shouted and booed as Mayor de Blasio marched past a waiting Dietl without acknowledgment

Photo Gallery:

Our full photo gallery is available here.