A lot of cup cakes and other sweet things were sold in Brooklyn this weekend to raise money for the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. They may or may not have raised significants funds, but there was certainly a big “isn’t that cute” factor as a lot of the Obama bake sale personnel were very [...]

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Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has been engaging in the unethical, if not illegal, practice of funneling city contracts to a non-profit that he controls. Today’s Daily News has the story of how nearly $700,000 in city contracts has gone to Best of Brooklyn Inc., a non-profit he controls. Many of the contracts were written [...]

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Veteran State Sen. Martin Connor was defeated yesterday by challenger Daniel Squadron who had generated a great deal of buzz on Brooklyn blogs among other places. “In the 25th District state Senate race, Mr. Squadron, 28, defeated Mr. Connor by 54% to 46%, the Associated Press reported. Mr. Squadron will replace Mr. Connor in a [...]

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Today is Primary Day, with a number of important races likely to be decided today, rather than in November when some candidates will be running with only token opposition from the other party. There are crucial contests for State Senate and Assembly, among other things, in many districts in both North and South Brooklyn. Polls [...]

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There are a lot of opportunities to watch Barack Obama’s historic speech accepting the Democratic Nomination tonight. We won’t steal the thunder of someone else’s hard work compiling a list of bars that will be showing the speech. We’ll simply steer you over there to check out the list.–Breukland

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Jean Weinberg, the personable and hard working Communications Director for City Council Member Bill de Blasio is leaving town to go to Missouri to work for Sen. Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign. Ms. Weinberg is both the City Council Member’s spokesperson and a valuable contact for those of us who cover Brooklyn. If she’s as tireless [...]

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The great blog Green Brooklyn is involved in hosting an event on Sunday (8/3) that’s about voting and supporting progressive causes. It takes place at Public Assembly, which is the former Galapagos space on N. 6 Street. GBK writes: “Come party and learn more about how to support local progressive causes in Brooklyn, register to [...]

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If Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is running for Mayor, his fund raising is not reflecting it. “The Brooklyn borough president, who for months has kept voters in the dark about his political ambitions, has raised just $935,116 compared to the two front-runners, who have raised more than three times as much…Political experts say fund-raising [...]

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City Council Member Bill de Blasio picked up two important endorsements yesterday, from Reps. Nydia M. Velázquez and Yvette Clarke of his candidacy for Brooklyn Borough President. “Bill de Blasio has been a friend and ally for twenty years, and I am very proud to endorse him for Brooklyn Borough President today,” Rep. Velazquez said. [...]

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The bitter feud between the two brothers fighting for spiritual control of Brooklyn’s Satmar community has spilled into the corridors of City Hall. Their battle centers on the fiscal-year 2009 budget. Through City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s discretionary fund, Brooklyn Councilmen David Yassky, Simcha Felder and Bill de Blasio dished out an unusually large sum [...]

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“Rep. Ed Towns has shuttered his Bedford-Stuyvesant district office in the midst of a hotly contested congressional race - because of a rodent problem…The 13-term congressman, who represents Canarsie, Brownsville and Cypress Hills, among other areas, was forced to consolidate his staff into district offices in East New York and downtown Brooklyn. ‘Yes, there was [...]

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Sure it’s a gimmick, but we have to say that it’s an interesting one and one that affords everyone an opportunity to meet their representative. Assem. Hakeem Jeffries is holding “Summer at the Subway” office hours again this summer. The hours are every Tuesday and Wednesday starting on July 8, 2008 and concluding on August [...]

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From City Council Member Bill de Blasio, who has been a close associate and supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton: “I am proud to announce my enthusiastic support for Barack Obama for President of the United States. Senator Obama is one of the most inspiring figures in recent political history and it is an honor to [...]

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That sound you hear? It may be excavation work for the grave for Rep. Vito Fossella’s Congressional career. As if last week’s allegation of drunk driving wasn’t enough, now comes the admission of a “love child.” Per Crain’s: “Rep. Vito Fossella, R-Staten Island, acknowledged Thursday morning that he had an affair with a former military [...]

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Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz told a crowd in Staten Island this week, “The future of New York City depends on the future of Staten Island. … Should I decide to become a candidate, I look forward to working with you,” according to Crain’s Insider.–NYDN

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Rep. Vito J. Fossella was arrested overnight in Alexandria and charged with driving while intoxicated. He will appear in court on May 12. “Last night I made an error in judgment,” Fossella said in a press release. “As a parent, I know that taking even one drink of alcohol before getting behind the wheel of [...]

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The Daily News has a new feature called “Brooklyn Diary” and one of today’s entries deals with whether the art collecting done by the wife of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz at the Brooklyn Museum Ratner Gala violated any city rules. “…it raised questions the city Conflict of Interest Board had never before considered…A source [...]

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The South Brooklyn Neighborhood Alliance–whose formation we noted in an exclusive report here on March 5 and whose name and status we updated last Thursday–has officially announced itself. It involves groups from Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Red Hook’s Columbia Waterfront District. A press release from SoBNA went out last night and it [...]

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Several weeks ago, we carried the exclusive news that a new coalition of South Brooklyn neighborhood groups (particularly ones concentrated in the Carroll Gardens and Gowanus area) was forming to try to increase their clout on controversial community issues and to try to organize politically for the 2009 local elections. The neighborhoods are facing a [...]

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There is more coverage of that Murakami swag story that broke online at Radar about how Borough President Marty Markowitz’s wife “hoarded” Murakami swag after the Bruce Ratner Gala on Thurdsay. Jotham Sederstrom follows up in today’s Daily News. Here’s a sample:
Who knew the first lady of Brooklyn was also its biggest booster? Jamie Markowitz, [...]

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The Brooklyn Museum Bruce Ratner Gala continues to produce interesting stories. Radar, which always entertains us, but doesn’t often offer up Brooklyn fodder, is doing so in a big way with a story about the wife of a certain Brooklyn Borough President allegedly cornering the market on Murakami swag after the big, controversial event. To [...]

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Blogger Brit in Brooklyn attended yesterday’s peace rally and sent us this photo of Brooklyn for Peace members participating. More rally shots at Brit in Brooklyn. The Times story on the march says that it “fell short” because not as many demonstrators as hoped where there. We can say, however, that Brooklyn was in the [...]

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NYS Politics: A Brand New Day [DITHOB]
On Spitzer [Brooklyn Junction]
What Will Be Spitzer’s Second Act? [OTBKB]
It’s Not Unusual: NY Screwing You [Duffield St. Underground]
“They Tell Me This Spitzer Guy Resigned” [Brooklyn Streets]
Two Missed Morsels in the Feeding Frenzy [Brooklyn Optimist]
Real Estate “Angst” About Paterson to Extend to Atlantic Yards [AYR]
Spitzer’s Ho Ho Ho [Left in [...]

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Borough President Marty Markowitz’s statement on the resignation of Gov. Eliot Spitzer: “In what can only be called a personal failure and tragedy, Governor Spitzer leaves office with great promise unfulfilled…I join all Brooklynites and New Yorkers in supporting our soon-to-be-Governor David Paterson. David and I served together in the Senate, and I have no [...]

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Some reactions from Brooklyn bloggers to the Eliot Spitzer scandal:

Eliot Spitzer Inspires New Song: “Love Client No. 9″ [Bay Ridge Blog]
Client 9 [Sustainable Flatbush]
Even Governors Get Lonely [White in Bay Ridge]
Another Moralist Bites the Dust [Brooklyn Optimist]
Jackass #10 [Bad Advice]
Whither Spitzer? [Self-Absorbed Boomer]
On Spitzer [Brooklyn Junction]
Prostitutes and Congestion Pricing [No Land Grab]
The Desire for Humiliation [...]

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