Friday, March 14, 2008

Ognibene wants old job back

A June special election is shaping up to replace City Councilman Dennis Gallagher - who is expected to plead guilty to a sex-assault charge - with a group of candidates including one who once occupied the seat.

Tom Ognibene, the former council minority leader, told The Post yesterday he was planning to run. He was term-limited out of the Queens seat won by Gallagher, a fellow Republican.


GOPER WANTS BACK SEAT FROM SEX POL

Other likely candidates include Republican Anthony Como, a lawyer and former Queens prosecutor backed by influential Republican state Sen. Serph Maltese, and Democrat Elizabeth Crowley, cousin of Rep. Joe Crowley.

Sources said Democrat Angelo DiGangi, who already filed papers to run for the seat next year, is a possible candidate this year.

The Post reported two days ago that Gallagher reached an agreement with Queens DA Richard Brown over a rape accusation. He would plead to a misdemeanor and avoid jail, but give up his seat.

Sources said Gallagher is set to vacate his seat April 17. The special election must be held within 45 days.


God help Council District 30.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

All in all, not a bad field of candidates.

Anonymous said...

No, not a bad field of candidates. More like a horrible field of candidates.

Anonymous said...

Ognibiene/Gallagher one in the same. Just wait till you here about his skeletons.

Anonymous said...

Isn't Ognibene the guy who went on NY1 and defended the raping turd right after the police raided the office, using the excuse that the victim was 200 lbs and Gallagher couldn't have beaten her?

Anonymous said...

ognibene is just a taller version of pinky he has plenty of skeletons in his closet, just what we need a guy who defends a rapist and blames the victim. He sits on the board for christ the and receives pay for it the only board for catholic schools that receives im sure he will be good for the city schools when king was in talks with the teachers regarding the contracts he stated that whats the differenence if you teach 20 kids or 100 a class and that he does not care how many kids are in a class or about there education as long as the school makes money. he would be great to represent our distric and assuring that our kids receive a good education

Anonymous said...

Ognibene has some skeletons, but is not a phychotic little turd like pinky. I doubt he would wage a harrassment campaign against his constituents or sabotage community plans out of spite.

The big question is - where does he stand on development and how cozy is he with the lobbyists?

Anonymous said...

Bob Holden for City Council!

Anonymous said...

Not a bad field of candidates? Are you serious?

Let's see:
Tom Ognibenie: A taller and smarter Gallagher.

Elizabeth Crowley: An extremely dumb Brian McLaughlin sex toy.

Anthony Como: Contributes to overdevelopment, a Gallagher crony and dumb Maltese boy toy. A bigger political hack would be hard to find.

Angelo DiGangi: Ask his wife.

Anonymous said...

The Village Voice on the Ognibene/Gallagher Buildings Corruption Ring:
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0124,robbins,25518,5.html

Anonymous said...

Ognibene's skeletons are not hidden, just too many people with short memories.

Anonymous said...

The dark horse in this race is Charles Ober. A very well qualified candidate who is extremely dedicated to the community. He has volunteered for many community groups for the betterment of the quality of life for all. Consider Ober for city council, you will not get a more qualified candidate. I hope he files.

Anonymous said...

Let me explain how this will work. Anthony Como is the candidate for the Republicans. Tom Ognibene is stating he will run to keep the focus on him for all the democrats and other republicans who might want to run. The question they will ask themselves is “Can I beat Tom Ognibene’? Tom is a strong candidate. Instead of the real question, which is, can I beat Anthony Como the weakest of all candidates? You will see at the last minute Tom will not run and Anthony will be the only republican in the race. I predict he will lose.

Anonymous said...

Anyone but Crowley - she is one of the most unqualified persons I have ever seen. I don't know much about Como, but he had been involved in the JPCA and for some reason abruptly left or was thrown out.

Anonymous said...

Normally I'm for recycling
for the sake of our environment.

But recycling political sludge like Ognibene
is another matter.

I though he was already flushed down the pipes
and out to sea by now!

Talk about a piece of Queens crap!

It just goes to show you how hard up
the empowered can get when it comes to retaining
their own crooked places along the feeding trough!

Anonymous said...

How is Anthony Como the weakest candidate? He has more political experience than Crowley. We need new, young blood getting into politics, not people coming out of term limited retirement. After reading a few newspaper articles this past week, Crowley = corruption possibly?

Anonymous said...

"We need new, young blood getting into politics, not people coming out of term limited retirement"

yeah, but what we don't need is fat lazy blood like como that practically falls asleep at community meetings and builds a steaming pile of crap in a once quaint mv neighborhood.

I've seen the house, and based on that alone I'd never vote for him. How the hell can we trust this guy to fight overdevelopment when he's made himself the poster child?

Anonymous said...

Anthony Como has no experience, can't communicate, is boring and doesn't know the issues. He is also extremely lazy and spends more time eating than moving. He has doubled in size in two years!

Elizabeth Crowley has no brains, no morals and from what I read in the newspaper, connected with a crooked assemblyman and union boss.
We don't need more corrupt politicians on Metropolitan Avenue.

Tom Ognibene is smart, has loads of experience and will be a leader in the city council once again. The choice is clear folks, Tom Ognibene.

Anonymous said...

Elizabeth Crowley is the weakest candidate, not Como. She really is a poor speaker and uses clichés alot.

I heard Como speak in Glendale recently. He's a little better speaker than Crowley but not by much.

The only time you see either of them is when they want our votes.

I'll sit this one out.

Anonymous said...

Why can't we as a community get together at a town hall meeting and discuss as citizens getting behind a candidate? A candidate who who has proven to be a community minded person, one whose agenda works for the people, not the person. A candidate who has already exhibited leadership, guts, integrity and the ability to get things done. A Bob Holden, A Christina Wilkinson, some one of that nature? We as voters hold the ultimate power, not the machine.

Anonymous said...

Crowley is a good woman and her family has done a lot for Queens.

I cannot sit through another Republican councilperson from this district.

Every Republican from this district has been in the back pocket of the quiet but very strong local mob elements. They put those peoples wishes way before any voter in this district - always have, always will.
What makes you think that a new Republican will be any different?

Anonymous said...

I'll sit this one out.
------

That is exactly what the machine wants you to do.

ACT UP!

Anonymous said...

Maybe everyone that sits hear and complains about the candidates should step up to the plate, file their paperwork, and run for office. Oh wait, sitting behind a keyboard is much easier. And don't pull the 'well you are doing the same thing by posting on our blog.' I am not complaining about the the candidates, my vote will settle that.

Anonymous said...

Hey you heard it before - Bill Holden. A bulldog who won't stand for BS.

Anonymous said...

Run? In this district?
I have lived in this district for my entire life and people love nothing better then to ridicule and hate.
Who in their right mind would want to run in THIS district?!

Anonymous said...

His initials are JR, he is a native Middle Villager. He would consider running, if the citizens of the community would help him fight the developers and the pervasive corruption that is part of District 30's culture.

Anonymous said...

If he really would consider running, the first thing he should do is put down his name instead of his initials.