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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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CUNY Center for Urban Research

​If you redistricting fanatics out there were lamenting the fact that the drama around the drawing of new Congressional lines in the state is starting to wind down, fear not! Every ten years, states across the country redraw district lines based on new U.S. Census population counts. In the wonderful land of Albany, that can lead to chaos and exhausting all-nighters. On Monday, federal judges imposed a court-drawn revision of the state's Congressional districts -- marking somewhat of a conclusion to the long drawn-out battle (but the excitement's never really over, is it?)

Here at the Voice, we've focused our attention to some of the immigrant advocacy groups that have been pushing for a fair redistricting process that draws lines that are accurate reflections of the city's changing demographics.

One of the groups that has been making recommendations from the get-go is not taking a break from redistricting advocacy and today began devoting its attention to the next frontier: City Council districts.

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Joe Bruno

By Adam Schwartzman

Five prominent New York politicians have dipped into their campaign funds to pay for nearly $3 million in legal expenses associated with investigations of their possible misconduct, a Voice examination of campaign disclosure reports has revealed. While it's unclear if that level of expenditure is a record, good-government groups are increasingly concerned about the frequency of elected officials using funds from campaign donors to pay instead for costs connected to their alleged abuses of public office.

One of the most notable examples of this campaign fund abuse is Joe Bruno, the ex-state Senate majority leader indicted in 2009 on eight counts of corruption and convicted on two. More >>

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​As rats continue their campaign to take over New York City, we're left wondering how we can take action. One way is by filling out State Senator Bill Perkins' survey, "Have you seen a rat today?," while an enormous kinda-almost 3-D Photoshopped rat looks you right in the eye. Is that a challenge, big guy? (Super-hilarious if you click on the link.)

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​Ever get tired of how certain people drop the word "socialism" like it's worse than, say, a bomb in Times Square? And how generally those same people also tout "capitalism" as a 10th wonder of the world, something blessed and holy that can do no wrong, despite the lessons handed down by former captains of industry and a certain company that rhymes with "Old Man Packs"?

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​Unlike my colleague Jen Doll, I have not filled out my census form yet, for the simple reason that I haven't received it. It's possible that my upstairs neighbors have it, or that the local stray cats are using it as a litter box — since the Census Bureau helpfully addresses all mail to "Resident," it's not like anyone in a multiple-household dwelling can really lay claim to their own form.

If you, like me, awoke this morning with visions of landing in the Census hoosegow, rest assured: Just because today is the deadline for handing in census forms does not mean that today is actually the deadline for handing in census forms. Anyone who hasn't received a form yet is instructed to wait for one to arrive in the mail.

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​I don't know about you, but I finally sat down last night and did my freaking census. I was so tired of being nagged about it! (What I don't understand is, if you're supposed to say who was in your mansion/apartment/shack/house on April 1, how do you do the census before April 1? Things can turn on a dime in the Doll household, is all I'm saying. But I digress.)

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​If you want to run for an office that you actually have a shot at winning, here's you chance: Tomorrow's the deadline to file your candidate application for a seat on either the Citywide Council for English Language Learners or the Citywide Council on Special Education in your district. To qualify you just have to be a parent of a student of the sort relevant to your Council ("English Language Learners" are biligual or ESL students).

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It's just due diligence at this point, but Governor Paterson's latest Quinnipiac poll numbers are as bad as ever: 21 percent job approval, 61 percent disapproval. But voters still don't want him to quit -- in fact, that number went up a little, from 46 to 50 percent in favor of Paterson toughing it out, since Quinnipiac last asked about it five days ago.

Voters also prefer Paterson running the state to his presumed successor, Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch, though that may be because 80 percent of them say they don't know enough about Ravitch to form an opinion -- up from 78 percent. Guess they don't read the papers, online or off. But who can blame them?

​Looking for news on the internet? Why bother, when it's all on TV and radio? We aren't talking about TV news or radio news shows, but news generated by TV and radio buffoons and sometimes their guests.

Foster Kamer told you earlier about Rush Limbaugh's generous offer today to leave the country if a health care plan is passed. Glenn Beck is now the center square, as his interview with Eric Massa shakes the foundations of our republic.

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