John Quaglione comes clean and admits --- “I know nothing !!!”

The “Kings County Politics” website reports that Candidate “Q” has denied any knowledge whatsoever about a last minute mailer on his behalf  ---  possibly illegally paid for by large scale real estate developers obviously expecting something in return

 

This is the same "crew" that got people like State Senator Martin Golden in hot water with a U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara investigation a couple of years ago

So much for all the BS about Marty Golden staffer John Quaglione’s having any media savvy whatsoever…..   When cornered about the financing surrounding a potentially embarrassing piece of lit being delivered by mail late in his campaign for City Council,  John Quaglione pleaded complete ignorance about the contents of the mailing itself and/or who it was that foot the bill.  

According to the KCP report by Kadia Goba,   “A super Political Action Committee (PAC) of realtors backed candidate John Quaglione (R) in Brooklyn’s 43rd council one week before the general election….   The super PAC, Progress Now New York Inc., includes the powerful Real Estate Board of New York PAC (REBNY) and names Quaglione as the favored Independence Party candidate in a mailing sent to voters in the district….   Quaglione, who has worked for State Sen. Marty Golden (R-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach) for nearly two decades, denied knowing about the flyer as well as its origins….”  (See “PAC Money Aids Qugalione In Last Minute Mailer”  by Kadia Gobia,  11/3/17,  Kings County Politics/  43^rd District City Council Race  

[https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/pac-money-aids-qugalione-last-minute-mailer/]).

QUAGLIONE JUST MADE IT WORSE BY SUGGESTING SOME KIND OF ILLEGALITY MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED

This quote by GOP-Conservative-Independence Party candidate Quaglione not only made “Q” look completely out of it as a candidate,  it also poured gasoline on the already red-hot story.  “….  ‘I have no idea and no knowledge of any groups doing any such activities,’ said Quaglione when asked about the flyers distributed by the super PAC. ‘To do so would break the law.’…”   It should be noted that Quags might be right about that  ---  according to the campaign finance laws in play,  super PACs like  Progress New York are prohibited from donating directly to candidates or parties, because they can only express their support by expenditures completely independent of campaign activites.

BRANNAN QUICK TO SEIZE THE ADVANTAGE WITH A STRONG BOOST BY KCP

Also in Gobia’s article for”Kings County Politics,”  are the following well-quoted remarks by one of Mr. Quaglione’s opponents  ---  Justin Brannan:  “….   These mailers truly show what’s at stake in this election.…   Wealthy special interests and big developers have made it clear they’re supporting a Trump Republican who has tried to decimate rent control and will support overdevelopment of our neighborhood.’…   ‘This Super PAC is funded by corporations and individuals who want to see towers and skyscrapers built in Bay Ridge, destroying our quality of life and completely changing the landscape of our neighborhoods,” said City Councilmember Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach), who employed Brannan in his office for a number of years.’…”  

To help make the import of Mr.  Brannan’s quoted remarks  even clearer,  the KCP article added this:  “…  The bedroom community  [Bay Ridge] has long resisted large developers seeking to build high rises in the area. As early as last year, Community Board 10 which represents residents in  Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Ft. Hamilton, fought to reverse a zoning law that allowed residents to expand on their one- and two-family homes.

NONETHELESS ---  IT’S TOUGH TO GAUGE THE IMPACT OF KCP’S REPORT  SO LATE IN THE CYCLE 

This report by KCP comes very late in the game for this year’s City Council race(s).  It remains to be seen if there will/ might be any significant effect on Election Day,  with only three days left until the polls finally open for business this year.