Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Dan Donovan — The “Cheese Stands Alone” Edition


Nicole Malliotakis, Michael Tirone and all other Republicans have decided that their fifteen minutes of fame isn’t going to come from trying to stay on-stage with Dan Donovan, the GOP’s all-but-designated candidate for the 11th Congressional District that covers Staten Island and Southwest Brooklyn 


Meanwhile, Democrats appear to be a long way from settling on their own candidate


Several days ago one of my BSIs called to tell me that Joe Tirone was no longer going to participate in “the process” of selecting a GOP and Conservative Party candidate for the congressional seat vacated by “the disgraced Michael Grimm.” In about a day another BSI called with the same message about “Nicole.”

News and other media outlets have confirmed those leads (See e.g. “Staten Island Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis drops quest to replace ex-Rep. Michael Grimm” by Celeste Katz, 1/12/15, NY Daily News/ Daily Politics [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/nicole-malliotakis-drops-bid-replace-michael-grimm-blog-entry-1.2075146]). Well, at least as far as Nicole Malliotakis, other more mainstream sources did   —   as for the business about Joe Tirone, just take my word for it  —   to the extent he was in it, he’s now out of it (let’s see who jumps on that hanging curve ball....).

I’ve delayed my mention of any of these withdrawals, because I considered them in the nature of “overdrafts”; since withdrawing from a “process” that they were never really a part of is hardly a newsy bit of info about either Nicole or Joe or anybody else.

On the Democrats’ side things aren’t nearly so clear. According to Liz Benjamin, “Democrats in NY-11 seem to have a long way to go before settling on their candidate to run for former Rep. Michael Grimm’s seat....” ( See “Extras” by Liz Benjamin, 1/13/15, State of NY Politics [http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2015/01/extras-1206/]; which links to a circumspect piece in the Advance (See “With Michael Cusick as front-runner, Democrats will interview others, vote on candidates” by Rachel Shapiro, 1/12/15, Staten Islan Advance/ silive.com [http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/despite_michael_cusick_as_fron.html]).

There you have it, nothing really newsy going on in the 11th C.D. three-ring circus.
So why this post ?

Well, you tell me !

17 comments:

Anonymous said...


Nicole knew she wasn't the candidate of choice so why she put herself out there like that?

Why didn't Golden set Jerry and Nicole straight before they started the draft Nicole campaign. This put her in a peculiar situation in front of others pols.

Anonymous said...

So who is running for SI DA?

Galewyn Massey said...

RESPONSE: THE "NOW >>>THAT<<< IS A GOOD QUESTION" EDITION

But, I think you meant to ask, "Who will be running for SI DA ?"

So far not a peep....

Anonymous said...

Lanza. For SI DA. That is what I'm hearing among the legal mucky mucks. I don't know his first name but it isn't Mario. He's a former Manhattan prosecutor someone said. Andrew Cuomo they said sold out the Nassau Dems by not appointing a new Nassau DA. It was a deal I'm told he made with the Nassau GOP (Ed Mangano) for his endorsement in the election. Now the Nassau GOP can run a Republican for DA with a likelihood he or she will win. The GOP wants that seat back and on SI they want to keep the DA seat. I wouldn't be surprised if Cuomo fills it with a Republican. Id Lanza Rep? If so, it's him. And you can bet the farm on all of this, Gale,even the potatoes.

Joke of the Day said...

A little birdie says Russell will be running for district leader against Boris Pincus.

THIS MAKES SENSE!!!

Russell can't win a primary against Gregory davidson, so Russell will knock Boris of the ballot.

Joke of the Day said...

A little birdie says Russell will be running for district leader against Boris Pincus.

THIS MAKES SENSE!!!

Russell can't win a primary against Gregory davidson, so Russell will knock Boris of the ballot.

Galewyn Massey said...

RESPONSE: THE "TRUTHER" EDITION

Saying something twice doesn't make it more accurate or credible.

Then again, being redundant and repetitive, or saying the same thing over and over, if you will, does have a filibuster quality that might be useful from time to time, or at least occasionally.

btw, for the uninitiated, if it's negative and it's about Gallo, it's probably by Hayon; and if it's negative and it's about Hayon, it's probably by Gallo. They have a sort of Tracy-Hepburn thing going on between them.

Anonymous said...

Gallo and Hayon don't get along? What dumb thing did Gallo say or do now?

Galewyn Massey said...

UPDATE: THE “WHAT IF ? WHAT IF ?” EDITION

OR IT WON’T BE MARIO LANZA, THAT’S FOR SURE

Yesterday, one of you brighter lights out there asked this: “So who is running for SI DA?”

Then earlier today, somebody wrote this: “Lanza. For SI DA. That is what I'm hearing among the legal mucky mucks. I don't know his first name but it isn't Mario.... The GOP wants that [congressional] seat back and on SI [the GOP folks] want to keep the DA seat. I wouldn't be surprised if Cuomo fills it with a Republican. Id Lanza Rep? If so, it's him. And you can bet the farm on all of this, Gale, even the potatoes [yes, that should be part of a code, but in that code the plural of “potatoe” is “potatos” — hey, this isn’t rocket surgery].

Well now, then that person, who is one of my BSIs [yes, the He-man Women-haters KauKus did want her out, but I said she stays], sent me a link to an article that says this:

“Matthew Smalls, a Democrat from Staten Island's North Shore, announced on Monday that he is running for the DA seat. He has previously served in Manhattan as Assistant District Attorney under the former DA Robert M. Morgenthau. Attacking Donovan's record in a statement he released to the press, he stated in part, ‘Donovan hid while New York City grappled with the aftermath of his incompetence. And now, like a true politician, he is leaving his mess for someone else to deal with.’ *** Tom Shcherbenko, president of the Staten Island Democratic Association, has come out in support of Smalls, who looks to be the only Democratic contender so far. ‘I haven't heard of anyone else, besides (Smalls) setting up a committee yet,’ said Shcherbenko. *** Republicans have also not specified if they have anyone waiting in the wings to replace Donovan, but political watchers seem to think that State Senator Andrew Lanza is primed for the position. Lanza, a lawyer from Staten Island, has the name recognition to be a strong candidate, plus a resume including service in the Manhattan DA's office and on the City Council....” (See “What Might Be Next for Dan Donovan's DA Seat” by Samar Khurshid, 1/15/15 Jan 15, 2015, Gotham Gazette [http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/government/5512-what-might-be-next-for-dan-donovans-da-seat]).

There, now you have it just like I do; and you'd better get that looked into and taken care of ASAP.

Anonymous said...

A little birdie told me nobody gives a s*** about district leaders. Democrats or Republicans.

Anonymous said...

I spoke tho RG. He says he loves Boris Pincus and will be supporting him for district leader.

Gallo would be insane to run against Boris. Didn't the all powerful Hayon get destroyed by Pincus? Gallo wouldn't stand a chance.

Anonymous said...

Now that's anti-Semitic.

But wait, they're both Jews.

Joseph Hayon is the Jewish Al Sharpton.

Galewyn Massey said...

JUST A COMMENT: THE "BROTHERHOOD AWARD" EDITION

I am considering instituting a "Galewyn Massey Brotherhood Award"; and because of their contributions to "Brotherhood" inside the Brooklyn GOP, I'm thinking of making Russell Gallo and Joseph Hayon joint recipients of the first such award.

I expect Craig Eaton to buy a table at the first gala celebration of the award, because he has so encouraged both Gallo and Hayon in their efforts.

Anonymous said...

That's sexist.

Anonymous said...

I'll bring the boxing gloves!

Galewyn Massey said...

RESPONSE: THE "NO NEED FOR BOXING GLOVES" EDITION

BOXING GLOVES ARE ONLY NECESSARY ON DECEMBER 26TH

There is no sexism involved in the "Brotherhood Award"; women can wear the Brotherhood just like men.

Anonymous said...

This entire episode between Gallo and Hayon is wacky. Gale is not helping. What did "Joke of the Day" say against Gallo?

Everyone knows Boris can't collect signatures. Gallo knocking Pincus off the ballot sounds like a perfect plan to me.