FLASH NEWS BLAST >>> SLIWA TO MAKE FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE AS POSSIBLE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE IN BAY RIDGE

Later today,  Reform Party Chairman and possible gubernatorial candidate Curtis Sliwa will join supporters of the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade at their annual benefit at the Salty Dog, Third Avenue near 75th Street,  in Bay Ridge at 1:00 p.m.

GUESS WHAT ????? ---- THERE WILL BE NO GOLDEN-GHORRA-GORKA GALA AT THE DYKER GOLF JOINT !!!!!

HOW’S THEM APPLES  ???  !!! 

KCP'S  STEVE WITT SEES IT ALL AS AN ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH

MAYBE SO   ----   BUT EVERYBODY HAS TO ADMIT THE POLITICS OF THE WHOLE THING SUCKED;   AND FOR MARTY AND GHORRA,  IT’S ANOTHER IN A LONG LINE OF RECENT UNFORCED ERRORS

Here’s what Stephen Witt had to say in his Kings County Politics blog:   “In an affront to freedom of speech, both the Dyker Heights Golf Club and the Brooklyn Republican Party today pulled the plug on a scheduled fundraiser featuring former White House advisor Sebastian Gorka and President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr….   The cancellation follows a mass campaign from both the mainstream and left-wing edge of the Democratic Party, who sources say put heavy pressure on management of the golf club to cancel the fundraiser, and put up fliers in at least one local public school denouncing the event and promoting protest against it….”  (See  “News Editorial: Brooklyn GOP Pulls Plug On Fundraiser” by Stephen Witt,  4/28/18,  Kings County Politics/  Commentary/ Editorial   [https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/news-editorial-brooklyn-gop-pulls-plug-on-fundraiser/]).

I must say that the “LIBERTARIAN”  in me completely agrees with the overall content of Mr. Witt’s article,  and with the specific tenor of his chosen words.

HOWEVER…..

THE POLITICS OF THE GALA SUCKED

….   As a Brooklyn Republican partisan,  I think that if anybody is despicable in all of this it’s Golden and Ghorra.   These guys are supposed to know who we are in Bay Ridge,  Dyker Heights,  Bensonhurst and the hipper neighborhoods of Brooklyn…..   Whatever the facts might be about  Mr. Sebastian Gorka,   the optics and the politics of inviting him to speak in Southwest Brooklyn at this moment in local and national history is more than insensitive,  it borders on social irresponsibility.

Doesn’t Marty G hear the drumbeat of “racism” growing among his critics out there on the left ???   Doesn’t Marty and his hand-picked chairman, Ted,  know that it’s even becoming a sore point with many Republicans ?????

What next Marty and Ted,  a “Pre-election Kristallnacht Wine and Cheese Party”  right before the 2018 General Election ?????   Maybe Franz Liebkind or Kenneth Mars will be available to come in and regale us on what a good dancer the Fuhrer was…..  

THE QUESTION BEGS  ---  WHAT’S WRONG WITH MARTY LATELY  

After something as horrible as this,  these questions need to be asked:   “Why have there been so many unforced errors lately by Marty Golden  and/or  his top people ???   Is Marty drinking too much lately ?????  ---  AND/OR  ---  Is he just too OLD to handle the job of State Senator anymore  ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Will it eventually be “Governor Curtis Sliwa” ??? --- It sure is sounding like it soon might well be “Candidate for Governor Curtis Sliwa”

“Outspoken radio host and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa said Thursday he is considering running for governor on the Reform Party line….”   --DN 

The back story here is that Reform Party Chairman Sliwa is engaged in the classic ploy of  "Showing Some Leg" when it comes to his party's selection of its candidate for governor

Daily News political correspondent Ken Lovett sees a Reform Party run for governor by Curtis Sliwa as a big/ real/ sensible possibility  (See  “Radio host Curtis Sliwa mulling gubernatorial run as Reform Party candidate”  by Kenneth Lovett,  4/26/18,  NY Daily News/ Politics   [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/radio-host-curtis-sliwa-mulling-reform-party-gubernatorial-run-article-1.3956424]).  

“….   Sliwa said on his WABC afternoon radio show with Rita Cosby that he’s been approached about running by Reform Party members and might take the plunge if he can get medical clearance from his doctors. He has suffered from chronic Crohn’s disease as well as high blood pressure and hypertension….   ‘If I can get a clean bill of health, doctors who say to me that if you run you won’t drop dead...then I believe I have no other choice,’ Sliwa said.”

According to the Daily News’ Ken Lovett,   one reason Sliwa might run is to try to ensure that the Reform Party would receive the necessary 50,000 votes in November 2018 guaranteeing a Reform Party spot on the general election ballot for the next four years.

Based upon Lovett’s quotes of the presumptive GOP nominee  Marc Molinaro contained in the article,  the GOP nominee seemed a little taken aback by Mr.  Sliwa’s announcement.

  

THIS STORY IS SHOWING SOME LEG, OR IS THAT LEGS

LEG  ---  This move by the talk radio personality and Reform Party Chairman does raise a couple of obvious questions:  "Why is Chairman Sliwa doing this ???"  and "Why is he doing this now ?????   

If nothing else,  the radio host is pushing one of his brands,  ala "Donald Trump 101".....   It's an old trick that the pretty young things know very well  ---  the nice girls try to attract by wearing  ribbons in their hair;  the smart ones know how to trump that by showing a little leg.....

LEGS  ---  Newsday reported on most of this story on what would be day two.  Editorially, that shows Newsday's judgment both that it is a newsworthy story, and one that probably has some legs  (See “Guardian Angel Sliwa mulls run for governor,  targets Cuomo”  by Michael Gormley,  4/27/18,  Newsday/ Long Island Politics   [https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/spin-cycle/guardian-angel-curtis-sliwa-1.18284135]).

Do Marty Golden & Ted Ghorra even know why some people are calling Sebastian Gorka a Neo-Nazi and Fascist ?????

Do they care  ---  one way or the other  ???

Or is it  >>> THEIR STRATEEGERY <<<  to go after that part of the electorate that has been clambering for decades,  “Why doesn’t anybody go after the Neo-Nazi – Fascist vote  ?????”

Here’s the tepid lead in to the Brooklyn Eagle article about this very controversial upcoming GOP event:   “Two luminaries of the far right wing — the president’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and controversial former presidential adviser Sebastian Gorka — will headline the Brooklyn Republican Party’s Spring Gala next month in the borough’s GOP stronghold….”  (See  “Donald Trump Jr., Sebastian Gorka to headline Brooklyn GOP gala’  by  Paula Katinas,  4/23/18,  Brooklyn Eagle   [http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2018/4/23/donald-trump-jr-sebastian-gorka-headline-brooklyn-gop-gala]).   However,  the other side of the story was never that far away.  

 

Starting with the her  sub-headline,   “…  Hopeful Ridge Democrats are seeing red…”,   Paula’s article got very interesting after about the halfway point,  with this:   “….   Gorka’s appearance at the dinner is making blue Democrats see red….  ‘Gorka has stoked Islamophobia and hatred of Muslims in this country. He … sees immigrants as enemies. His values are completely un-American,’ said lawyer Andrew Gounardes, one of two Democrats hoping to unseat Golden in the fall….   Gounardes will protest outside the May 16 event….   The other Democrat in the Golden race, Ross Barkan, also decried the GOP for inviting Gorka to Brooklyn. ‘It's not exactly surprising Brooklyn's Republicans would invite a foot soldier of hate to our borough,’  he said.   ‘However, it’s still despicable and all Republicans involved in these efforts, including Marty Golden, should be ashamed of themselves.’…”  

The  Republicans’  riposte  was  very thin gruel, indeed,  given the severity of the Democrats genuine outrage  ---  “….   Michael Tobman, a spokesman for the party, defended the high-profile party guests and dismissed the Democrats’ contention that the GOP is a fringe element in Brooklyn.   'The Brooklyn GOP is both contributing to current successes and building for the future,' he told the Eagle. Brooklyn is diverse and dynamic and the Brooklyn GOP reflects that energy.”   ( I wonder if he wanted to add,   "....  and that energy includes people  that are comfortable with Neo-Nazis and Fascists..."  among other things.....

 

AND THEN THERE WAS THIS INTRIGUING BIT:

UPDATE: After publication, the spokesman for the Brooklyn Republican Party, Michael Tobman, said, "Yesterday's story on an upcoming Brooklyn GOP fundraiser incorrectly implied that the party's Chairman, also an attorney, used his professional position and business contacts to facilitate obtaining speakers and special guests for the event. He did not." 

HMMMMMM !!!!!

 

 

IS THIS FOR REAL ??? --- OR --- IS IT A POLITICAL “DIRTY TRICK” ?????

The items shown below seem to ring the bell of  >>> UN-TRUTH <<< 

 WHAT DO  >>> YOU <<<  THINK  ?????

  

The following  “Comments”  appeared after an article on the  “Bklyner.”  blog:

“John Q   April 18, 2018 at 9:58 pm…   From the story, “A day ago, McCabe used a similar hashtag, #TimeForChange after a month-long Twitter hiatus.”
Liam took a month long absence for a month because he was in rehab again….   He talked about recovery when he announced his Council run last year and now will do the same….   Voters won’t be fooled. Liam needs to work out his very well publicized demons rather than running for office again….”  

“Ted G   April 19, 2018 at 2:34 pm  Steve Saperstein is the right choice for Republicans..Liam needs to take care of his personal issues and get a steady real job before running for office again..if this happened again to him after he lost last year, what will happen if he loses again this year….   Politics isn’t everything Liam….”  (See  “Comments”  following  “Republican Liam McCabe Likely To Run For Assembly Seat Vacated By Pamela Harris”  by Kadia Goba, 4/18/18, Bklyner.   [https://bklyner.com/republican-liam-mccabe-likely-to-run-for-assembly-seat-vacated-by-pamela-harris/?utm_source=Kings+County+Politics+Morning+Newsletter&utm_campaign=0a02d9d097-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_04_20&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_466a6c86df-0a02d9d097-324314417]).

Maybe it's just me,  but I don't believe that a real "Ted G" or  "John Q" made those comments.  However, some of you out there might see it differently.   

Jerry Kassar's well-oiled machine starting to squeak a little

Democrat Blake Morris is going to test how strong Simcha Felder's support is among Democrats since Felder's vote keeps the Republicans in control of the NYS Senate

Also a confrontation is brewing over special exemptions for Orthodox Jewish religious schools from certain NYS Ed Department rules

Major problems will arise if Conservative Party boss Jerry Kassar has to work hard in Felder's 17th District,  as well as in Marty Golden's 22nd District,  both through the summer for the primary, and then possibly into the November 2018 general election

One of my best BSIs, who is actually supporting Blake Morris, tells me that this is a major unreported story  on this independent GOP blog  ---   What do >>> You <<<  think ???

Here's the take on Mr. Morris'  pitch from his own web page:

[PICTURE  OF CANDIDATE THAT LOOKS LIKE LARRY DAVID]

"Blake Morris is a longtime Brooklynite and has been a citizens advocate for over 25 years. He is running for New York Senate in District #17, which includes Kensington, Flatbush, Midwood, Borough Park, Mapleton, Sunset Park and Sheepshead Bay....   The office is currently occupied by Senator Simcha Felder, who has become infamous as a turncoat Democrat that votes along with the Republican majority that currently controls the State Senate. This is problematic as Democrats, in the New York State Senate, actually hold more seats than Republicans but, do not control the Senate due to the breakaway 8 members of the Independent Democratic Caucus and Mr. Felder, who have decided to caucus with Republicans....   The Democrats are reduced to mere spectators in the legislative process in which they should be the masters of their fate and ours. The Senate is now the place where Democratic progressive Assembly passed legislation goes to die.

If you want something different, then you need a plan!...   This plan starts with Blake's candidacy."   (See "BLAKE’S STORY...   Blake Morris For NYS Senate District 17"   [https://www.blakemorrisforstatesenate.com/]).

John F. Gangemi --- Was a "Friend"

Several of my "friends" were in attendance  ---  It was Sunday  ---  It was a wake  ---  It was for John F. Gangemi,  one of the little giants of Brooklyn politics

John was a once a very well-known swashbuckler in local politics  ---  he defied the "old order" time and time again  ---  he was a Republican  ---  he was a Democrat  ---  he was a popularly-elected  NYC Councilman, Republican-Conservative County-wide At Large, from Brooklyn

John was very much an acquired taste,  like good scotch or fine wine.   I started out by being an adversary;  and eventually, I became an associate, and eventually even a "friend."  We were allied in many political pursuits over the years. 

That particular personal history doesn't make me either unique or even rare.....

Apart from the well-known local pols of over two generations,  John F. Gangemi was an associate of  several NYS Governors and their families,  including the Rockefellers and the Careys.....

I'll miss his gravelly voice and ironic humor  ---  they were so  "Old Brooklyn";  now gone,  nothing like it will be seen again.....

A >>> THROW-DOWN* <<< is a >>> THROW-DOWN* <<< is a >>> THROW-DOWN* <<< it's as simple as that

Bob Capano couldn’t be clearer than he was in his "The Right View" column in  the current edition of  Courier Life’s  "Brooklyn Daily"  ---  “….  [T]his could be the year that the Marty Golden Era ends….”

There’s lots of simple meat and potatoes in what the man of many hats,  Robert Capano,  is serving up this week as a Brooklyn columnist and a local political observer  ---  but how far can all of that be from how he sees things going as the Reform Party’s Brooklyn Chairman ??? 

The whole column is definitely worth a read,  but Capano certainly bell’s Marty G’s cat with this:   “…  [R]ight now, Marty is weakened by a fractured Brooklyn GOP, thanks to his very public split with former Republican leader Craig Eaton, a former Community Board 10 chairman and well-respected civic activist. A united Brooklyn Republican Party would be an asset to Marty this year….   On top of that are the 67-year-old Golden’s recent missteps. He referred to then-Council candidate Justin Brannan as ‘fat boy’ during an endorsement event for his deputy chief of staff in that race. In December, he was accused of impersonating a police officer in order to get a bicyclist to move out of a bike lane his car was driving through. In 2012, after intense criticism, Marty’s office had to cancel an etiquette class he scheduled for women to help them to ‘walk up and down stairs elegantly’ and ‘sitting, standing, and walking like a model.’ Finally, Marty recently axed a long-time aide for sharing Facebook posts comparing a survivor of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting and gun control advocates to Hitler and Nazis.   Put it all together and you may have a perfect storm that could lead to the end of the ‘Golden Era.’…”  (See  “Is the ‘Golden Era’ coming to an end?  by Bob Capano,   4/11/18,   Courier Life’s Brooklyn Daily   [www.brooklyndaily.com/stories/2018/15/all-right-view-marty-golden-2018-04-13-bd.html]).

BOB SAYS LOTS OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE DEMS’  CANDIDATES

Bob didn’t just limit himself to negative observations about “MARTY”…..   He also had some good things to say about Steve Gounardes and Ross Barkan.   It pretty much went like this:

“….   Democratic opponents are more aggressive than ever, having been boosted by the truckload of negative press Marty has been hit with. And it doesn’t hurt that many political wonks agree that the district, made up predominantly of Democrats to begin with, has tilted further to the left since 2012….   Throwing his hat in the ring for a second time, Andrew Gounardes, who received 42 percent of the vote when he ran against Golden in 2012, is the strongest Democratic challenger. Gounardes has raised more than $114,000 according to the last financial filing, is the Brooklyn Borough President’s counsel, has a respected civic record, and is a son of Bay Ridge’s large Greek-American community. Journalist Ross Barkan is also scheduled to run, setting up a primary that could, at the very least, get both of their names out there…   Now that the Democratic schism has been healed, if two special state Senate elections on April 24 go to the Democrats, the chamber will have 31 Democrats, 31 Republicans, and one Simcha Felder, who caucuses with the GOP. But if state Dems also sense Gounardes has a chance to win, expect a huge influx of money and manpower into his campaign….”

______________________

*As used in the title of this post above,   “THROW-DOWN”  refers to the phrase  "To throw down the gauntlet", which means to issue a challenge. In medieval times a knight would throw his armored glove, or gauntlet, at the feet of another knight to challenge him to combat. If the knight took up the gauntlet he accepted the challenge.

John Giuca conviction in the Mark Fisher murder case is taken apart one more time --- this time on national TV --- on ABC’s 20-20 earlier tonight

Step by step ABC  took apart both the investigation and the prosecution

One by one the witnesses recanted their testimony and the prosecutor,  Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi was shown to have engaged in prosecutorial misconduct

Last night ABC News did a five-plus minute segment about the overturned conviction in the John Giuca persecution  in the John Fisher murder case   (See  “A college student's murder, a jailhouse confession and one mother's crusade to free her son”  by  Joseph Rhee,  Jim Dubreuil,  Chris Kilmer,  Kate O’Brien  &  Alexa Valiente,  4/5/18  with video link to ABC News feature   [http://abcnews.go.com/US/college-students-murder-jailhouse-confession-mothers-crusade-free/story?id=54241590]).   ABC  followed that up with a full hour national feature  on  its Friday  night 10:00  PM flagship national TV news magazine  program,  “20-20”…..   

The 20-20  feature  “SCOOP”  itself was major media news almost all day long on Friday in/on  various media news  outlets.   

MORE ON THIS AS SOON AS ABC’s  20-20  PUTS UP ITS TEXT VERSION AND LINK  

There is already a lot of stuff up on ABC’s  20-20  social media pages  (See  [https://twitter.com/ABC2020?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Enews%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor];  and [https://www.facebook.com/ABC2020/videos/10155806281019934/]).

What’s going on here ????? Mike Long confronted by Staten Islander Bobby Zahn over Robocall to Conservatives for Dan Donovan signatures --- then it’s Zahn echoing the stories about the Congressional ethics charges against Donovan

Grimm v. Donovan Congressional race suddenly heats up  ---  and already it’s starting to look overheated  ---  and the only players so far are Mike Long, Bobby Zahn [flacking for somebody,  I wonder who ???]  and Dan Donovan

Is there a real  “who, what, where and when”  to the charges about Dan Donovan’s getting his baby-mom’s older son off the hook for dealing heroin ?????

ZAHN RIPS MIKE LONG AND CONSERVATIVE PARTY OVER DONOVAN ROBOCALL

Here’s what was posted on Staten Island Conservative and/or Republican activist Bobby Zahn’s Facebook page a few days ago:

“Bobby Zahn….   March 29 at 12:19pm….   I was so disappointed to get a robocall from the Donovan camp today from Mike Long, Conservative chairman asking that our people do not sign a petition for Michael Grimm. Our Republic encourages, no, DEMANDS that people have choices on who will represent them. I understand that Mike Long and the rest of the Conservative Party Bosses have made their choice, but to discourage the healthy competition that can only be found in the Primary system is disappointing….   We, as Conservatives, claim to believe in competition. We believe that competition makes for better products and services,  but  apparently  we do not believe that competition makes for better political candidates….   Should anyone want to buck the party bosses, feel free to let me know and I will make certain that you are able to sign a petition to get us the choice we deserve in this upcoming congressional race….”

THEN ZAHN QUICKLY GOT ONTO THE DONOVAN ABUSE OF OFFICE CHARGES

Zahn has repeatedly referred to this story,  hither and dither…..   BUT THIS IS ZAHN’S  LATEST ON FACEBOOK:

“Bobby Zahn….   New York  [Noon EDT,  4/1/18]….   Fox News…   Congressman allegedly used position to get baby mama's son out of heroin bust….   U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan has been accused of using his official position to get his baby mama’s son out of a heroin arrest on Staten Island in New York City….   FOXNEWS.COM”

___________________________
 

When Mike Long is openly shepherding his Conservative Party flock this early in the game,  you know that a rebellion is brewing.   Make no mistake about it  ---  Mike Long is showing weakness here…..   And Bobby Zahn has decided to openly try to take him down a peg or two.