Spin Cycle

Nearly 400 from both major and minor parties showed up last week for a record-breaking Independence Party fundraiser that brought in a record $78,000.

The event, held at Venetian Shores catering complex in Babylon, exceeded the $60,000 raised by the minor party last year. Chairman Frank MacKay credited for the overflow turnout both new party vice chairmen -- Anthony Manetta and former Smithtown Conservative chairman Jimmy Tsunis, who's also finance director of the Independence Party of America.

Rick Brand

Below is ABC's Diana Williams interviewing MacKay last year:

As expected, the Working Families Party and the Paid Family Leave Coalition were joined by the "Paid Family Leave Stork" at a news conference -- in Sen. Kemp Hannon's district -- to bring a bill mandating paid family leave to a vote.

Hannon's is one of the seats targeted by the WFP, in tandem with Democrats, for takeover on Long Island.

A measure that would mandate 12 weeks of paid leave to care for care of a newborn or sick relative was approved in the Assembly last year, including up to $170 per week from a state fund, to be paid for by a 45-cents-per-week payroll deduction. It died in the GOP-run Senate.

Dan Janison

Suffolk Conservatives officials expect as many as 500 to show up for their spring fundraiser tonight at Venetian Yacht Club in Babylon, honoring Long Island's eight Republican state senators as well as two leading Democrats: Islip Supervisor Philip Nolan and the legislature's Presiding Officer William Lindsay.

For the second year in a row the event is likely to overshadow the county Republican fundraiser held last week, in part because the minor party attracts officials and candidates from both major parties as well as their own members. Suffolk GOP chairman Harry Withers said his event drew 200, and raised aobut $30,000, but some set the number who showed at below 100. Conservative officials, citing the sagging economy, are predicting they will raise about $80,000 at the $300 per head event; last year, the minor party brought in $100,000.

Beforehand, party officials will gather with GOP congressional nominee Lee Zeldin and black conservative cable commentator Mychal Massie, the party's "man of the year" designee.

Rick Brand

Suspended Smithtown Conservative Party leader Jimmy Tsunis appears on the verge of jumping to another minor party and dropping his lawsuit against Suffolk Conservative officials who were in the midst of ousting him.

Tsunis signed papers to change his voter registration to the Independence Party and gave the form during a diner meeting in Hauppauge to local, state and national party boss Frank MacKay.

MacKay, who has yet to file the papers with the county board of elections, said he “certainly welcomes” Tsunis to his minor party and has offered him a post as a county party vice chairman anmd would recommend Tsunis to the national party in May as their vice chairman/financial director.

However, MacKay added....

Rick Brand

The Independence Party of America, looking to launch a third-party presidential candidacy, and whose national chairman is Suffolk resident Frank MacKay, announced leadership positions.

"We've made no secret of the fact that we hope that candidate will be Mike Bloomberg. We will be ready to support an Independent entering the race," MacKay said.

The appointments as announced:

Tom McLaughlin as party Vice Chairman. He's chairman of the Independence Party of America, an affiliate of The Reform Party of Pennsylvania. Also the former Vice Chairman of the Reform Party USA and "well-respected for his ballot access initiatives," MacKay said.

Tom Connolly, as national director for ballot access, who according to MacKay "helped build and expand the Independence Party of America to over 400,000 Party Members. He is also a founding member of the Independence Party of America and has over 30 years experience in the field of ballot access."

Anthony Manetta, director of political communications, from Roosevelt Strategies on Long Island, "will lead the national IPOA political operation with his local, state and federal campaign management experience."

Dan Janison

From the "strange bedfellows" department: Democratic Rep. Steve Israel played host earlier this week to Suffolk Conservative Chairman Edward Walsh, who was his front-row balcony guest at Repubican President George W. Bush's last State of the Union address.

"It was like the Super Bowl of politics," said Walsh, who had a bird's eye view of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama avoiding eye contact as both presidential contenders were ushered into the chamber-- Clinton with Sen. Joe Biden (D-Delaware) and Obama with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D- Ma.). While Suffolk Conservatives have never endorsed Israel, the minor party was instrumental in his first election because it put up its own candidate in the race rather than endorse Islip's Republican then-town clerk, Joan Johnson.

Not long after the speech, Walsh also got a call from local party members who told him he was named the state party's "Conservative of the Year," which is also known as the Daniel Mahoney Award, named for the state party's founder. Walsh will receive the award at the state party dinner in Albany in April.

Eight years ago this week, Mayor Rudy Giuliani delivered his seventh State of the-City address, marking the midpoint of his second and, by law, final term. It was laced with the usual self-congratulation, aimed in part at an audience beyond the five boroughs.

Yesterday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivered his seventh State of the City address, marking the midpoint of his second and final term. It, too, was laced with the customary self-congratulation - and aimed a bit at an audience beyond the five boroughs.

When Giuliani, Bloomberg's possible rival, spoke in City Hall on Jan. 13, 2000, he'd started running for higher office - U.S. Senate - without having announced that he was doing so. And when Bloomberg spoke at the new ice rink in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park yesterday, he, too, had started running for higher office - the presidency - without saying so.

Ballot preparations and strategies and planning have moved far enough along now that for billionaire Bloomberg the only question is whether he pulls the plug in the coming weeks on his unorthodox stealth candidacy - or embraces it in full.

All this presidential fanfare, though, hides the sobering truth of his day job: Having two years left in office means a shrinkage of municipal power and the prospect of a government adrift.

With economic storm clouds looming, Bloomberg called yesterday for sacrifices by unions. But labor leaders in the room knew full well that Bloomberg now lacks leverage. He leaves in 2009 - and the latest round of contracts is already negotiated and signed.

Key parts of his broader agenda appear doomed as well. Nobody applauded, for example, when .....

Dan Janison

One of Suffolk’s top political consultants, Anthony Manetta, is hooking up with Frank MacKay’s Independence Party. Manetta, a Conservative, filed Wednesday to switch to Independence. Although that doesn’t take effect until a week after Election Day 2008, MacKay (photo above) has named Manetta a county party vice chairman. “It’s not something we would normally do, but it’s a sign of respect for someone with so much talent,” he said.

MacKay plans to deploy Manetta as a paid party fundraiser locally, at the state level, and for his newly created Independence Party of America — a platform from which New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg could run for president if he chose. Manetta proclaimed a chance to “work with a great political mind” in MacKay and join a “political movement that is spreading across the country.”

Manetta, head of Roosevelt Strategies, raised $80,000 for the Independence Party this year, which never before raised more than $25,000 annually — thus allowing MacKay to draw a $70,000-a-year salary. The consultant first hit it big....

Rick Brand

Chuck Pohanka, the Working Families Party's renegade Suffolk chairman, has taken it on the chin again, this time in a state Supreme Court ruling Monday that the minor party's state committee, not the county leader, has the right to pick the candidate in the case of a tied primary election.

Nassau Supreme Court Justice Arthur Diamond said that state party rules, which give power to nominat and to break ties, belongs to the state party. Pohanka, who has lost a series of lawsuits against the union-based party, has maintained that his county committee it has elected local committee members, and party leaders who should be making the decision.

The ruling means that Democrats backed by the state party -- Sixth District legislative challenger Bryan Lilly and Southampton Town Justice challenger Andrea Schiavoni -- will get the minor party line after tie votes in the Sept. 18 Working Families primary. Pohanka had tried to give the nominations to Republican Legis. Daniel Losquadro of Wading River and to GOP Town Justice Edward D. Burke Sr.

Rick Brand

Perception and substance sometimes vary in Washington, they tell us. When Congressman Steve Israel introduced Independence leader Frank MacKay of Suffolk to the New York delegation, the Bloomberg speculation came up among those who learned of it. But Israel and MacKay say there was no connection between the two. More here.

State and Suffolk Independence Party chairman Frank MacKay will not be here for Election Day this year.

MacKay applied Tuesday at the Suffolk Board of Elections for an absentee ballot because he expects to be traveling the on a multi-state tour organizing his newly-formed Independence Party of America, which held its first national convention in Westchester last month. MacKay said the move is nothing new. He missed the local Election Day in 2000 while on party business in Buffalo -- even though his close ally, Thomas Whelan, was winning his first bid for state Supreme Court judge. This year, Whelan's wife Theresa is on the ballot for family court judge.

Rick Brand

A release informs us that the Conservative Party is beginning to air a new ten-second ad on Gov. Spitzer's new driver's license policy that makes licenses available to illegal immigrants. Against a background of a guy, presumably an illegal, being arrested:

"Along the Mexican border, we lock up illegal immigrants. In New York, Gov. Spitzer wants to give them drivers licenses. Tell Spitzer he's wrong."

The ad is called "Border Line Insanity." You can view it here. Full text of the release is after the jump.

When Suffolk Democrats saw the programs for their fall dinner last week, they may have spotted an unexpected contributor: Republican Legis. Joseph Caracappa , who was listed as a “buffet sponsor.” He gave Democrats $4,000 to help pay for a Villa Lombardi’s spread that included chicken marsala and eggplant rollatini.

“I’m glad they used it for food because I’m Italian and love to eat,” Caracappa said. The donation was “purely a thank-you,” he said, to those involved in “good politics, promoting good government.” He said he also gave $20,000 to the Brookhaven Republicans and $5,000 to the Conservative Party, and plans to make a similar donation to the Independence Party. Caracappa, with $129,000 reported on hand as of July, said he’d hold on to most of the money for a possible future run, or to help other candidates.

Despite political differences, Richard Schaffer, the Suffolk Democratic chairman, said he’s had a warm relationship with Caracappa, as he did with Conservative Legis. Rose Caracappa, the current lawmaker’s late mother, with whom Schaffer served. “It’s who he is,” said Schaffer...

Rick Brand and Reid J. Epstein

Ali Mirza, the Democratic nominee in Nassau’s 3rd Legislative District, denies he had anything to do with what looked like a ploy to deny Republican incumbent John Ciotti the Conservative Party line. But there are signs - not just indicators, but actual lawn signs — pointing to involvement by Mirza’s supporters.

The background: About 40 people suddenly enrolled in the Conservative Party in the 3rd District in late August. A former Democrat, Henry Barberi, registered as a Conservative — and then got enough signatures to qualify for the Conservative nomination. An attorney aligned with Democrats, meanwhile, got Ciotti disqualified from the line. But Ciotti countered with a write-in campaign — and won handily in the primary Sept. 18.

Next day, a Newsday reporter checked out some residences of these newly enrolled Conservatives. At 1299 Scimitar Ave. in Elmont — listed as home to six of the voters — a campaign sign for Democrat Mirza was firmly planted on the lawn of the tidy corner house. And two of the other four addresses checked — at 210 Doherty Ave. and 785 Connie Lane — also happened to have Mirza signs on the lawn.

Bill Murphy

Rick Brand has an interesting yarn about Justice Geoffrey O'Connell, whose lack of third-party support could cost him his seat.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg must be taking a break from worrying himself too darn much about fatal buidling collapses, subway flooding, traffic snarls and other municipal crises. The term-limited billionaire heads soon to New Orleans to tell all about leadership.

His non-national agenda (unrelated to any presidential ambitions) is succinctly laid out here by the Post's Dave Seifman.

As described by Diane Cardwell in the Times here, Bloomberg got into a long-distance non-presidential non-debate with his predecessor Giuliani over guns.

In the News, Adam Lisberg highlights the major national issues that non-candidate Bloomberg says the Congress is not confronting. Not that Mike would have much control over such things -- as a mayor whose term runs out at the end of 2009. It is a term he of course intends to finish. We know this for sure because he told us.

Oh, and despite being a non-candidate, he also happens to be strongly unopposed to the budding national third-party efforts of Independence leader Frank MacKay. The Rocky Point resident speaks plenty to Kevin Sheekey, best described as the deputy mayor in charge of non-candidacy activities for the non-candidate.

Alas, it seems so non-productive that there would be so many non-stories reported about a non-candidate. The non-protests from Bloomberg's office should be pouring in any minute. Not.

Dan Janison

As outlined here, today's primary schedule has scattered highlights: GOP fights over town and legislative seats in Smithtown, the Conservative scraps in Nassau for legislative endorsements and a Republican rivalry for Southampton supervisor. In the five boroughs, the pickings are slim -- judicial races in Brooklyn and a county committee post or two. Outside our region, some highlights are here, here , here and here.

Polls on Long Island are open 'til 9 p.m. Comments are especially welcome on what you see developing at your poll sites.

Frank MacKay, leader of the Independence Party, is pushing ahead with designs on a national third party in preparation for the prospect of Mayor Michael Bloomberg running for president, according to Liz at the News.

UPDATE: The fact that Rick Brand made this point in his column on June 24 here slipped the mind of some of us who thought it sounded kinda familiar. D-uh. But that's what political drumrolls are about. The Benjamin hook is that the organization's first organizational meeting is set for Sunday in Westchester.

Unsurprising, but interesting. He's previously praised Kevin Sheekey, Bloomberg's deputy for political promotion, as a political genius, so he must feel he's in good stead. We're sure you'll be hearing more about all this...

Sometimes the harder fights involve the smaller parties.

The scramble by major-party players to win or benefit from minor-party endorsements for the November elections looms large in tomorrow's primaries around Long Island.

This is a reminder of how New York is one of the few states where candidates can draw votes from multiple party lines -- a fact that makes for a unique mix of tactics and ideology when it comes to the nominations.

Ballots in Nassau County feature Conservative Party contests in three legislative districts. In these races, Republicans accused the Democrats of putting up C-line candidates in a cynical bid to splinter GOP support. County Democrats denied it.

The third-party's initial purpose can sometimes be lost in the fray.

Ever since its founding in the early 1960s, the Conservative Party has had an intimate and intricate relationship with the state GOP. The Conservative platform opposes abortion and backs gun ownership rights and tax cuts.

In Suffolk, a court battle aimed at the primaries raged recently for control of the Working Families Party.

The WFP began in 1998 as a political lever for traditionally Democrat-allied unions. As Conservatives do more often with Republicans, Working Families works to wag the Democrats. Lately the party has appealed on its Web site for support in helping spur Congress to force an end to the Iraq war.

"One of the risks for third parties under the election law is that they are prone to assault by larger groups," noted Henry Stern, who chairs what is currently the dormant state Liberal Party.

Dan Janison

Is the Conservative Party primary in Nassau’s 3rd Legislative District a big deal?

Here are the numbers from the 2005 general election, when the same candidates ran.

Incumbent John Ciotti, 6,013 on the Republican line.

Challenger Ali Mirza, 5,694 on the Democratic line.

Ciotti wins by 319 votes, major parties only.

But, Ciotti picked up 407 on the Conservative line and 284 on the Independence line, for an additional 691 votes.

Mizra got 186 votes on the Working Families line.

Bottom line?

Ciotti 6,704; Mizra 5,880.

Ciotti wins by 824.

Ciotti is in danger of losing the Conservative Primary Tuesday. He was knocked off the line by Harold Barberi, a newly registered Conservative who was a registered Democrat just last year. Ciotti has a write-in slot on voting machines because he got by filing an Opportunity to Ballot.
Mix and match those 2005 third-party tallies to your hearts content, but they spell trouble for Ciotti.

Two more stats: The district has 18,221 registered Democrats and 12,067 Republicans.

Bill Murphy

It’s official. Nobody will have the Independence Party ballot line in the competitive 14th Nassau legislative district after weeks of lobbying by both Democrats and Republicans for the coveted third-party spot.

Supreme Court Justice Randi Sue Marber on Wednesday threw out Independence party petitions for incumbent Legis. Daved Mejias (D-North Massapequa), authorized by former party chair James Kapsis, ruling the authorization invalid.

Last week, the petitions filed by party chairman Bobby Kumar were thrown out for having insufficient valid signatures. The party originally submitted its own candidate and then substituted Mejias.

Mejias is running against Republican Joseph Belesi.

Celeste Hadrick

Brookhaven Republicans may not have gotten the Independence line for the head of their ticket, Supervisor candidate Robert DiCarlo, but GOP tax receiver candidate Lou Marcoccia beat out Democratic town board incumbent Carol Bissonette for the minor-party line.

Although both candidates were allowed to circulate petitions, the minor party only gave Marcoccia the authorization to run on the party line. Bisonette also did not win the party line when she first ran for town board, though she was allowed to run in a primary in that race.

Frank MacKay, state and Suffolk Independence Party chairman, said the party backed Marcoccia largely on the recommendation of town party leader Carol Crist, who has a close relationship with the East Setauket Republican who has shown his independence from the party in the past by running a primary against the organization. Bisonette did not get the party line when she first ran for town board, though the party allowed her to wage a primary.

Bissonette did not return calls for comment. Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer said he was "disappointed" by the minor party's decision, but downplayed the impact. "She's still a part of the Foley team and I think voters will support the entire team," he said.

Rick Brand

In one of Suffolk’s key legislative races, the Independence Party has decided to endorse Republican Betty Manzella over incumbent Democrat Legis. Kate Browning.

Frank MacKay, state and Suffolk Independence Party chairman, said his decision was “not anti-Browning,” but pro-Manzella, calling her a “courageous woman, a fighter and a survivor,” referring to her past battle with breast cancer.

Manzella, a Suffolk elections worker, could not be immediately reached for comment. Jesse Garcia, Brookhaven GOP chairman, said the endorsement shows the “groundswell universally” for Manzella, who he described as “civic-minded, community-based and principled.”

The Independence Party line is still vacant in Nassau’s competitive 14th Legislative District, where incumbent Democrat David Mejias is being challenged by Republican Joseph Belesi.

After both parties lobbied hard for the line, the Nassau Independence party submitted petitions for its own candidate, Peter Nerantzinis. Chairman Bobby Kumar said, “We were very unsure what way we wanted to go. We decided we would do our own candidate.”

But Nerantzinis on Tuesday declined the nomination. Kumar said the party’s committee to fill vacancies will meet to nominate a new candidate tonight. And yes, he said, it could be Mejias, or Belesi, or somebody else.

Celeste Hadrick

Rick Brand profiles the man behind the party that some registrants don't know is a party.

Releasing Nassau’s Independence Party endorsements last week, Chairman Bobby Kumar gave the party ballot line to all Nassau legislative incumbents — except Democrats David Mejias and Diane Yatauro.

The endorsements in those two races were labeled “To be Announced”, which surprised some political sources, who thought the Independence line for Mejias and Yatauro was part of a deal with Kumar to cross-endorse Republican Christopher Quinn for county court.

But Kumar insists he made no official endorsement commitments and that his 23-member screening committee had yet to decide who would get the nod in those two races, though a decision will be made soon.

Some suggest Kumar held back under pressure from Nassau Republicans, who see their best chance of ousting the Democratic incumbents in those two districts, to take back control of the legislature, now 10-9 Democratic.

“They are asking for it,” Kumar acknowledged. “That’s not the reason I’m holding on it. The Democrats are asking too. My answer is my party is independent and we will do what my committee and I believe is right.”

Kumar also has yet to announce endorsements in the Long Beach city council race.

Celeste Hadrick

Nassau’s Independence chairman Bobby Kumar, whose had his own past legal torubles, made all 80 candidates who appeared before his minor party’s screening committee answer an extensive six-page questionnaire -- including any past criminal problems.

Kumar said no one balked at filling out the in-depth questions which candidates were asked to fill out before appearing for their 10-minute interview with the 23-member party committee.

“If someone had an issue they should talk about it,” said Kumar, “People make mistakes. That’s all right as long as they are honest about it.”

Kumar should know. The former Republican was charged in 2001 with filing false written statement after faking his own kiddnapping, but later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct and paid $17,255 in restitution, the amount spent investigating the false report.

Rick Brand

New York's judges have a friend in State Independence Party chairman Frank MacKay.

His party became the first in the state to officially endorse Chief Judge Judith Kaye's proposal to give judges a 20 percent across-the-board pay hike, along with a bi-annual cost of living wage increase.

The party's executive committee passed a resolution in a conference call and Internet vote Wednesday night backing the judicial pay increase, which would be the first in nine years. "Unlike legislators, judges can't practice law to supplement their income," said MacKay. "Let's at least make it somewhat competitive."

Rick Brand

Conservative chairman Mike Long's qualified approval of Gov. Eliot Spitzer has dissolved in the wake of planned spending increases, Azi of the Politicker reveals.

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 450 of all political stripes jammed the Venetian Shore Yacht Club Wednesday night as Suffolk’s new Conservative chairman Edward Walsh raked in more than $100,000 in his first major bash as party leader.

Amid a flag-festooned decor, Walsh appeared only a half-step away from endorsing Democratic County Executive Steve Levy who along with other countywide elected officials got a “Carrying the Torch" award. The local party also honored state Conservative chairman Michael Long as the “Man of the Year” and Kellyann Conway, a GOP pollster as “Woman of the Year.”

The eclectic crowd included Democrats like Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), the county’s only openly gay lawmaker, Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley and Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook). There were top candidates for Brookhaven GOP chairman, Republican lawmakers like Edward Romaine and Cameron Alden, as well as the Suffolk Democratic and GOP leaders -- Richard Schaffer and Harry Withers.

Rick Brand

After Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Mondello presented Independence Party Chairman Bobby Kumar with a birthday cake at the GOP’s inaugural ball Friday night, Kumar said, “Thank you, Godfather.”

And he wasn’t kidding.

Kumar went on to explain that some years ago, when he converted to the Roman Catholic faith, he had asked Mondello to be his godfather at his baptism -- and Mondello did it.

Celeste Hadrick

Despite the big ice storm, the annual Republican Inaugural Ball went ahead as planned Friday night at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury with a significant turnout, according to people who attended.

The Nassau GOP committee honored John Duer, head of the Nassau Sheriff’s Officers Association; Angelo Catalano, chairman of the firefighters' museum in Mitchel Field; and developer Scott Rechler, who returned from Australia in time to attend the party. Former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato appeared on a humorous video shown at the party about Rechler possibly being stuck across the world.

Mondello also had a birthday cake for Nassau Independence Party Chairman Bobby Kumar, and led the singing of happy birthday, urging the patrons to join in.

Celeste Hadrick

The Working Families Party rolled out “robo calls” today in an effort to defeat a controversial anti-loitering bill in Suffolk County. A vote is expected at tomorrow’s meeting of the county legislature.
Approximately 4,000 voters received the following:
“Hello, this is a neighbor.
"Have you heard about the new proposed day laborers law?
"All the new law would do is move day laborers from county highways to local roads, sometimes closer to residential communities.
"That’s not common sense problem-solving. That’s meaningless political grandstanding. It won't help the workers, and it won't help our communities.
"Press '1' to be connected to your county legislator right now and tell them that you oppose Bill number 1022 and want real common-sense solutions.
Thank you very much.”

James T. Madore

Bobby Kumar has regained his status as political power broker after a fall from grace six years ago when he was accused of faking his own kidnapping.

First, a state Supreme Court ruling earlier this month affirmed Kumar as chairman of Nassau’s Independence Party.

Then, scores of VIP’s crowded into Kumar’s 50th birthday bash Thursday night at Umberto’s in New Hyde Park. Republican Chairman Joe Mondello, Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs and Conservative Party Chairman Roger Bogsted posed for a photo together with Kumar. Gov. Eliot Spitzer, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, and State Sen. Dean Skelos sent proclamations. Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray personally presented her own proclamation.

Celeste Hadrick