Working Families Party
Convenient assumptions from a Joe Lhota victory scenario
Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota's campaign has sent out a fund-raising email presenting what he says is a path to victory in the general. More
(1)Quinn's 'paid sick time' press conference in full
Here's the full press conference where City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and allies announced a deal to mandate "paid sick time" for employees at companies with 20 or more employees. More
Working Families' Spanish-language 'paid sick days' ad: Quinn can 'change this terrible reality'
"Christine Quinn, the City Council Speaker has the power to change this terrible reality," the ad says. More
How will a Democratic takeover affect Andrew Cuomo's Albany arrangement?
Andrew Cuomo had a good thing going, in terms of his ability to make the trains run on time. More
(2)Counting on WFP support, Maloney says he's closer to Hayworth than a poll suggests
Sean Patrick Maloney's campaign said they're only 3 points behind. That's because they're counting the additional 10 percent of people who said they were supporting the Working Families Party candidate.
Working Families Party wants Vito Lopez to leave the Assembly, too
Resigning as chairman of the Brooklyn Democratic County Organization isn't enough. The Working Families Party -- a coalition of organized labor unions intent n pushing Democrats in a more progressive direction -- wants Vito Lopez to also resign his position as an Assemblyman representing Bushwick.
In a statement, the WFP's executive director Dan Cantor said "Good, effective government has no place for behavior like Lopez's. It's time for him to resign from the Assembly, for the good of our state."
One WFP-backed City Council member, Brad Lander of Park Slope and founding member of the Progressive Caucus, told me earlier he also was in favor of Lopez resigning from office. And Assemblyman Jim Brennan, a progressive Democrat from Ditmas Park, Brooklyn told a local reporter on Friday he wants Lopez to resign.
Here's the statement from the WFP's Dan Cantor:
"We join the chorus of New Yorkers calling for Assemblyman Vito Lopez to resign. His peers have found the very serious allegations against him to be credible. Assemblyman Lopez has forfeited his right and ability to lead and to represent his constituents."
It's no secret that we've had our political differences with Assemblyman Lopez in the past. But this is not about politics. It's about decency and respect. Good, effective government has no place for behavior like Lopez's. It's time for him to resign from the Assembly, for the good of our state. More
Espaillat appeals for the WFP ballot line, after missing a deadline
Democratic state senator Adriano Espailat received an early endorsement from the Working Families Party in his re-election campaign, but, according to a Board of Elections spokesperson, he may not appear on that ballot line because he filed his paperwork late.
Espaillat is expected to appeal the late filing when the Board of Elections meets on Monday. If successful, he would appear on the WFP line during the November general election. More
M.T.A. gets good with G riders before fare hikes kick in
In advance of next year's fare hike, M.T.A. chief Joe Lhota considers softening the blow. Today, the Daily News' Pete Donahue reported that M.T.A. officials "plan to make permanent a popular expansion of the G train in Brooklyn." More
Before the Democratic primary, minor parties back different candidates for an open congressional seat
The Working Families Party and Independence Party backed different candidates in the three-way race for an open congressional seat in Queens. The labor-backed W.F.P. endorsed Assemblyman Rory Lancman yesterday, and today, the somewhat more ideologically eclectic I.P. endorsed Assemblywoman Grace Meng. More
(2)Working Families to back Lancman, setting up a showdown with Meng and the Queens Dem organization
Bucking the Queens Democratic Party establishment, the Working Families Party is endorsing Assemblyman Rory Lancman, a source with direct knowledge of the decision tells me.
The endorsement gives Lancman a major boost in terms of field operations and access to organized-labor coffers. More
Working Families Party raises for Hakeem Jeffries against Towns, citing CAFTA and Issa
A few days after endorsing Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries' primary challenge to Representative Ed Towns, the Working Families Party emailed a fund-raising solicitation today calling the race "a clear choice for the 99%." More
Bill de Blasio jumps on the G-train issue
On the heels of a Working Families Party petition to retain G-train service into Kensington, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio today announced the creation of something called the "5 Stop Fan Club" to advocate for precisely that.
“These extra five stops are a lifeline that Brooklyn residents and small businesses have come to depend on,” said de Blasio, whose running for mayor in 2013, in a statement. More
(1)Working Families Party makes a bid for the G-train crowd
The Working Families Party, which is headquartered on Nevins Street and has helped launch the careers of Brooklyn-based politicians like Letitia James and Bill de Blasio, appears to be making a bid for the Brownstone belt with a petition to keep the G train running from Queens all the way to Kensingon. More
CWA backs Hakeem Jeffries for Congress over 'right wing' Democrat Ed Towns
"Generally in Washington the labor movement is looking to find places where they can support progressives, where there's either open seats and a conservative running, or where there are Democrats that have disappointed us, and I think this is one of the races that's on that list," Bob Master said. More
Schneiderman, reassuring the liberal skeptics, says a settlement with banks is just a 'down payment'
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is selling the new $26 billion mortgage settlement announced this morning as a "down payment" on the relief owed to homeowners caught up in the mortgage crisis. More
