Bloomberg Gets Independence, Staten Island GOP Committee Endorsements

Yesterday Michael Bloomberg received the endorsement of the New York City Independence Party, which was part of the coalition that won Bloomberg his first narrow mayoral victory in 2001. As our own Tom Robbins has pointed out, the party has a lively history; the state party has endorsed such diverse figures as Tom Golisano and Ralph Nader, and some of its party elders have been controversial (Fred Newman for his psychoanalytic theories, and Lenora Fulani [pictured] for her statements about Jews). But it holds a ballot line, which has in the past made it easier for New Yorkers who don't like voting Republican to vote for Bloomberg. That shouldn't be so much of an issue this year as Bloomberg left the Republican Party in 2007 -- though the Staten Island Republican Party's executive committee has declared its support for Bloomberg; if one more borough GOP committee endorses him, he will get to run on the GOP line as well. Liz Benjamin says Bloomberg pledged "to spend an undisclosed amont of money to assist" the NYC Independence Party. Photo (cc) Azi Paybarah.