House Members and Speaker Nancy Pelosi Called Paterson to Protest Gillibrand's Nomination

[SuperTrouper]

I know that many of you will be upset that the source is the NY Post, but in terms of New York political news the Post and the Daily News have decent reporters who are reliable. So for all that is worht, here is a story about growing opposition to Senate-designate Gillibrand, who now has to embark on a "listening tour" to put out the fires before she goes to the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Everything New Yorkers need to know about the fundamentally corrupt nature of Albany was on display yesterday as Gov. Paterson finally bestirred himself and named a replacement for ex-Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The winner: Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand of upstate Columbia County.

But who should be standing at the very front of the crowded podium, right next to the new senator and closer to her than anyone else save her 5-year-old son?

Why, another ex-senator - Alfonse D'Amato, now a fully registered lobbyist with a client list a football-field long - at least.

(Remember the $500,000 fee he collected a few years back for making a single phone call to the MTA chairman on behalf of a Manhattan landlord?)

Which likely explains why the state has a new junior US senator with all of two years' legislative experience - but one who is extremely well-wired politically. (Her father, Douglas Rutnik of Albany, is a longtime lobbyist in his own right, with strong ties to D'Amato.)

Coincidentally, but significantly, Gillibrand's appointment was announced even as former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno - once very close to D'Amato - was being indicted in Albany, accused of using his position to steer contracts to companies that paid him millions in consulting fees.

Now you know all you need to know about how Albany works.

Back to Gillibrand: "For many in New York state, this is the first time you've heard my name and you don't know much about me," she said.

That's putting it mildly.

And the near-boycott of yesterday's announcement by most of her House colleagues, as well as other top New York Democrats, suggests that she was far from the most popular choice for the Senate seat. (Five House members reportedly called Paterson beforehand to protest the choice, as did Speaker Nancy Pelosi.)

Indeed, her selection by Paterson - after a 54-day three-ring circus - hadn't even been officially announced before she'd drawn a potential primary foe.

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Nassau) - whose husband was shot to death on the LIRR and who was appalled by Gillibrand's membership in the National Rifle Association - said she'll run in 2010.

All of this surely has a lot of Democrats gaping in amazement - assuming there was anything left to be amazed at after the humiliating farce surrounding Caroline Kennedy's aborted candidacy.


http://www.nypost.com/seven/01242009/postopinion/editorials/one_farce_ends_151584.htm

[KittyWampus]

1. what the FUCK does Bruno have to do with Gillibrand? What a bunch of crap.

[DainBramaged]

2. You mean, you don't suspect "Pothole" Al is involved?

I do. And I can't WAIT to see the web of kickbacks Bruno got, and who he's tied to.

[KittyWampus]

6. Again, what does BRUNO have to do with this except guilt by association crap?

[DainBramaged]

7. It's not crap, and I'll wait for the courts to let us know unless Bruno

takes one for the team and cops a plea.

[KittyWampus]

10. then explain what relevance Bruno has to Gillibrand except they both know another politician

by the name of D'Amato.

[DainBramaged]

17. Barrett: Did Paterson Consider the Bruno Connection to Gillibrand's Dad?

A remarkably untimely cloud hangs over Governor David Paterson's apparent selection of Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to replace Hillary Clinton as junior senator of New York.

Federal prosecutors, according to numerous news accounts, are poised to indict former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and no one knows if that possible indictment will contain allegations about a real estate deal that involved Bruno and Gillibrand's father, Albany lobbyist and power broker Doug Rutnik.

What we do know is that prosecutors subpoenaed all the records of this complex transaction which, at the very least, raise stark ethical questions about Rutnik's awkward business relationship with a powerful public official he lobbied. No one familiar with Gillibrand's rapid political ascent would question the pivotal role that Rutnik has played in it, milking his wide-ranging political connections for his daughter.

The governor's office has made it clear that Caroline Kennedy was submarined by questions she couldn't answer in the vetting process, ostensibly involving taxes and a nanny. But it's unclear if Paterson has even considered the possibility that as he and Gillibrand prepare for their 2010 campaigns, her family could be dogged by conflict of interest allegations. The Bruno probe has been so far-flung and well chronicled -- particularly by the Albany Times Union -- that it is impossible to tell what elements of any case against him might consist of, but the deal with Rutnik is certainly an inviting target.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/01/a_remarkably_un.php

[Captain Hilts]

3. I would be fine with her but for the D'Amato connection. nt

[babylonsister]

13. She interned for him in college; I can see maintaining friendships.

I'm just catching up on this new senator.

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/01/23/ten-things-you-didn-t-know-about-kirsten-gillibrand.aspx

She "comes from a politically sophisticated family," writes the Almanac of American Politics. "{H}er father was an attorney and lobbyist with ties to George Pataki; her grandmother was a prominent Democratic activist in Albany who brought Gillibrand along with her on the campaign trail." One summer in college, she interned for Alfonse D'Amato.

[Captain Hilts]

15. D'Amato is a total creepy thug.

I had friends that received threats for having his opponents' campaign signs in their yards, etc.

D'Amato is a professional among amateurs.

[DainBramaged]

4. Senator Pothole Gets Ready to Rumble

Ever think that those pundits frothing at the mouth on Fox News are just playing a role, like pasty, paunchy professional wrestlers? Not former senator Al D’Amato. After calling Dem donor Robert Zimmerman an “insolent little brat” in the heat of an exchange about the Iraq war on Fox News Live October 17, he kept at it backstage within earshot of Fox News staffers. “D’Amato said something like, ‘You try that fucking wiseguy shit with me again and I’ll really bury you on camera next time,’ ” a witness said. “He was spewing profanities.” Zimmerman declined to discuss the incident, saying only: “I apologize to the senator for upsetting him, and I’m flattered that he thinks I’m young enough to be a brat.” A D’Amato rep e-mailed: “He does not recall exactly what he said. But he did indicate that if there was a further occasion to debate Zimmerman on camera, he would bury him. He also said there will not be a next time because he will not go on with that jackass.”


http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/columns/intelligencer/14873/

[DainBramaged]

5. D'Amatoing D'Amato Chuck Schumer has to be Sen. Pothole if he is to beat Sen. Pothole.

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., OCT. 27--Depending on which high-minded pundit you listen to, you know that the Senate race between incumbent Republican Al D'Amato and Rep. Chuck Schumer is either 1) the "dirtiest" or 2) the "ugliest" campaign in New York's history. It is a campaign, after all, in which the challenger's slogan is "Too many lies for too long," where each candidate blithely runs ads accusing his opponent of coddling child pornographers, and where virtually the only intelligible sentences of the so-called debates were "Stop being rude!" and "Let me finish!" Right-thinking New Yorkers (and there are far too many of them) agree: This Senate race is a perversion of democracy

The goo-goos have it wrong. This race has done exactly what a campaign should: expose the candidates in all their nakedness. Newspapers and commentators solemnly observe that this riot of negative ads and name-calling has cost $40 million (roughly $25 million from D'Amato and the Republican Party, the balance from Schumer and the Democrats). That's about $2 for every New Yorker. A few weeks ago, Slate's Steven E. Landsburg wrote a column arguing that every American has got 15 cents worth of entertainment from the $40 million Ken Starr investigation. Well, if there are any New Yorkers who haven't got $2 worth of diversion out of the Schumer-D'Amato race, I haven't met them.

<snip>

In Schumer, D'Amato finally faces an opponent who's as hardheaded, shameless, and effective as he is. Usually D'Amato dictates a campaign, and his opponent desperately plays defense. Schumer has turned the tables on D'Amato. The first day after the Democratic primary, Schumer unleashed "Too many lies for too long" ads. More recently, D'Amato stupidly (but innocently, I think) called Schumer a "putzhead," then denied having said it. ("Putz" is a Yiddish insult that literally means "penis" but in common usage means "fool.") Schumer has managed to gin this into an ongoing controversy about D'Amato's trustworthiness and to score major points with Jewish voters. Since last week's murder of a New York abortion doctor, Schumer's people have subtly tried to connect the anti-abortion D'Amato with the extremist right-to-lifers.

<snip>

He is not forgetting what Schumer did to him while he is alive.

[Clear Blue Sky]

8. What's to protest?

Maybe I'm not seeing something here, but the governor can appoint whomever he wants, can he not?

[KittyWampus]

11. There is nothing. And the OP article is from the Rupert Murdoch garbage heap known as the NYPost

[patrice]

14. Yeah, who the Hell objects to business being done the way that business IS done?

until WE change that, that is!

[DainBramaged]

26. Just read this, I already posted the link above, but I guess it isn't relevant to some

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/01/a_remarkably_un.php

[Clear Blue Sky]

28. The NY Post story may be true, but

so what if Pelosi doesn't like it? Let her be governor and then she can fill Senate vacancies. Whoever Patterson selected would have generated opposition and fussing from someone.

[patrice]

9. Repubs are afraid of her because she's an NRA moderate ,a little right of center + PRO-CHOICE.

Hence the attacks.

[KittyWampus]

12. Yup, so far DU'ers have posted crap from NYPost, Politico and are posting quotes from Pete King

and lots of other unsubstantiated gossip.

All attacking a fairly liberal Democrat from a fairly red area of NY state.

[patrice]

16. The struggle for OUR party goes on. NGU!

Solidarity, cryingshame!

[DainBramaged]

18. What the rest of us aren't pure enough for you?

:eyes: :puke:

[patrice]

20. Your projecting your own attitude. I never said anything of the sort.

[DainBramaged]

22. No, you made sure you used your little code word wink wink nod nod as if we

who disagree with the selection don't have a clue. :puke: :puke: :puke:

[patrice]

24. I have no idea what you're talking about. As I said, Projection. nt

[patrice]

21. Oh, so it's not OUR party, it's YOURS. nt

[DainBramaged]

23. Oh I get it, double post for effect, piss off.

You must know a lot about NY politics from your back yard.

[patrice]

25. So, you're the one who writes the rules.

[DainBramaged]

27. Goodbye, bait someone else, your intent was apparent, and you got nothing else.

Read the freaking links to the stories instead of spewing shit from your keyboard. Useless crap.

[AtomicKitten]

19. They have no say in this appointment, but I understand the liberal left's objections to her.

She is a pro-gun Blue Dog democrat with border fence views that rival Lou Dobbs. She may have other attributes that people like, but that does not make her creds as a Blue Dog any less true.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8140772&mesg_id=8140981

[wyldwolf]

29. that's SENATOR Gillibrand

:)

[bottomtheweaver]

30. If Pelosi doesn't like a former corporate lawyer, you know she's trouble.

Pelosi is every corporation's best friend.