First and foremost, screw Congress for delaying its vote on the proposed Hurricane Sandy relief bill. Secondly, and far from foremost, screw Congress for continuing to make New Jersey Governor Chris Christie universally admirable.

Past love or disdain for Christie aside, the governor has displayed guts and bold leadership in the aftermath of Sandy. Most politicians are going to say the right things in the wake of a difficult tragedy, but most wouldn't throw political allegiances and grievances on the back burner in the manner that Christie has.

"Last night, my party was responsible for this," Christie said at a news conference earlier this afternoon. "This used to be something that was not political. Disaster relief was something that you didn't play games with, but now in this current atmosphere everything is the subject of one-upmanship. Everything is a possibility, a potential piece of bait for the political game."

Sounds like it would be a no-brainer decision for politicians to put the interests of hundreds of thousands of people devastated by a hurricane before partisan politics. But that wasn't the case for the House Republicans who delayed last night's anticipated vote on a $60 billion Sandy relief package.

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Congressman Steve Israel

The New York Post ran an "exclusive" story yesterday suggesting that Long Island Congressman Steve Israel's 2008 support of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) for financially strapped banks is the reason he was granted a "bailout" on the mortgage for his Dix Hills home.

The bank that holds Israel's mortgage -- and approved the "bailout" for his mortgage -- is J.P. Morgan Chase, which received $25 billion from the federal government as part of the Israel-approved bank bailout.

Obviously, this arrangement has led to a few questions for the Democratic lawmaker -- and New York Republicans are pouncing on the story, calling on the House Ethics Committee to investigate Israel's shady arrangement.

"The Congressman has taken advantage of his position to qualify for a debt reduction that is supposed to be reserved for hard working families that are experiencing a financial set back," New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox says. "It is not for a congressman that wants to avoid his obligations and a personal financial loss."

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In 1981, as the booming gay culture was being hit with the AIDS epidemic and a rising conservative culture in Washington, Barney Frank, a young Democrat from Massachusetts, entered Congress. Six years later, he became the first elected official on the Hill to voluntarily tell the public about his homosexuality. His statement shook the Moral Majority at the time and laid the path for more Representatives to announce that they would work on behalf of the American people and out of the closet.
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Steven Thrasher

Jeffries beat Barron 3:1

Hakeem Jeffries beat Charles Barron nearly three to one yesterday in the Democratic primary for the open Eighth Congressional District seat being vacated by Ed Towns.

We've been watching this race closely for a few reasons. First, we couldn't help it. Living in Fort Greene, we've gotten a good 30 direct mail leaflets from Jeffries (sometimes up to five a day of the identical one).

Also, we were curious (as this is also Toure's district) how the black, pro-gay marriage Jeffries would fare against the black, anti-gay marriage Barron.

Just like Toure predictedLo and behold, the pro-gay marriage candidate won 72 to 28.

Of course, there were many other issues at play. Jeffries had money behind him (much of it charter school money) and we saw five people leafleting for him outside of Brooklyn Tech to Barron's zero. But it's interesting to see the trend continue of black elected officials (and black voters, in the significantly black district) going to office who support same-sex marriage equality.

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Sam Levin

Adam Clayton Powell IV and Charlie Rangel on 125th Street today.

It's just politics!

That's how Adam Clayton Powell IV brushed aside questions today about why he is endorsing longtime Congressman Charlie Rangel for re-election -- after running against him (and thus frequently and harshly criticizing him) in a crowded race two years ago.

In one of the most watched local congressional races, Rangel, the incumbent who has held his Harlem seat for 40 years, is facing tough opposition in the primary as he fights to be re-elected to Congress to represent a newly-drawn district that now includes parts of the Bronx and has a larger Latino population.

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Sam Levin

Mayor Bloomberg taking questions from reporters outside City Hall today.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg today declined to give an endorsement to Charlie Rangel, a longtime incumbent fighting to keep his Harlem seat in one of the more heated congressional races in New York City this election season.

But the mayor still had (somewhat) nice things to say, and left the door open for a possible endorsement closer to voting day.

Rangel, 81, is facing what is shaping up to be the toughest opposition he has encountered since the 1970s, including campaigns from State Senator Adriano Espaillat and Clyde Williams, who is a former political director of the Democratic National Committee.

Today, a reporter asked Bloomberg -- who was at City Hall to discuss the new bike share program -- for his thoughts on Rangel's candidacy, noting that Espaillat has nabbed the endorsement of former Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer, who was also a Democratic mayoral nominee in 2005.

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Sam Levin

Rory Lancman in Queens today.

Congressional candidate Rory Lancman said today he's staying focused on the issues -- but didn't miss an opportunity to slam his opponents in the increasingly crowded -- and reliably colorful -- race to replace longtime Congressman Gary Ackerman.

Today, the Daily News reported that Jeffrey Gottlieb, a Board of Elections employee who recently entered the Queens Congressional race, is dropping out. Gottlieb, a Jewish candidate, was rumored to be a plant in the race to siphon Jewish votes away from Lancman in support of Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is the candidate of choice of the Queens Democratic Party. Gottlieb is apparently being replaced by a new candidate, Stephen Green, a Rosedale attorney.

The news gave fuel to Lancman's criticisms that Gottlieb was only in the race to hurt Lancman and help Meng -- who Gottlieb had collected signatures for before he entered the race.

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Sam Levin

Grace Meng, standing in front of Bill Thompson, John Liu, Christine Quinn, and Bill de Blasio, four mayoral hopefuls who endorsed her at City Hall today.

Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is running for Congress in a crowded race, nabbed the endorsement today of four pols who hope to be the next mayor of New York City.

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Comptroller John Liu, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and former comptroller Bill Thompson stood on the steps of City Hall under the hot sun this afternoon to endorse Meng, who is the candidate of choice of the Queens Democratic Party and who would be New York's first Asian-American member of Congress if elected.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, another mayoral hopeful, was notably absent.

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Sam Levin

Congressman Joseph Crowley at a press conference in Queens this afternoon.

A crowded race in Queens to replace longtime Congressman Gary Ackerman reached a new level of political drama today -- but the head of the Queens Democratic Party, who decided not to endorse his own cousin, is brushing aside the latest attacks, saying they come from a "misinformed" candidate.

It's election season!

Let's review the central characters here: Assemblywoman Grace Meng, the candidate of choice of the Queens Democratic Party, is up against Assemblyman Rory Lancman and City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (who is the cousin of Congressman Joe Crowley, the chairman of the Queens Dems who endorsed Meng).

Enter Jeff Gottlieb, the 70-year old Board of Elections employee who just jumped into the NY-6 race, first reported yesterday by a blog called True News.

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via Facebook

Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is running for Congress, with Jeremy Lin.

It's endorsement season in the crowded race to replace longtime Congressman Gary Ackerman -- who surprised folks last month with the announcement that he would be retiring.

You sometimes wonder how much these endorsements really matter -- but at least they offer us some insight into the kinds of demographics competing campaigns think they can attract and what credentials for the job they are trying to promote.

This afternoon, we have for you news of endorsements for Assemblywoman Grace Meng, the candidate of choice for the Queens Democratic Party, and her competition City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley.

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