Saturday, October 17, 2009

What really happened behind closed doors

From the Times Ledger:

First, Michael Schenkler, publisher of the Tribune, in his Sept. 24 column says a reliable source close to Republican county leader Phil Ragusa informs us the Queens GOP inner circle met and were discussing possible methods to remove Halloran.

Fact: The primary was Sept. 15 and election law states the only time a substitution can be made is two weeks before the primary, which would be Sept 1. His article was printed four weeks too late. Being the political maven that you are, Schenkler, you were well aware of that fact, so why the razzle-dazzle post-mortem meaningless rhetoric? Or were you assuming the voters were a bunch of illiterate idiots who wouldn’t know any better and therefore buy what you were attempting to sell?

Second, on Oct. 3 in Maggie Mays in Bayside, I ran into Ragusa, who was celebrating the victory of being elected again as chairman of the Queens County Republican Party with his associates Vinny Tabone, Steven Graves and Anthony Carollo.

Fact: They all denied they ever discussed any way of removing Halloran as their candidate and said they stand firmly behind him and are giving him full support.

Third, as to Schenkler’s report that the Republicans had considered approaching Paul Vallone’s campaign and asking if he would be interested in obtaining their endorsement to replace Halloran as their candidate, Halloran tells a different story.

Halloran told me that when the Tribune story broke, he was upset. He called Vallone and suggested that in the event he would choose to step down, would Vallone be interested in running in his place? If so, Halloran would approach the GOP and ask if they would consider Vallone.

Now we come to all the variations on the same theme. I contacted Ragusa for his side of the story and Halloran for his side of the story. I also stopped by Vallone’s office on Francis Lewis Boulevard to get his version of the situation. His staff members informed me he was at a hockey game and would get back to me after 8 p.m. Saturday evening.

I’m still waiting.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's really happening is that Ackerman/Kim/Nussbaum/Shenckler have no decent plans for the 19th district except to crush it and bring it into their fold.

That's why they chose mud slinging Halloran instead of sticking with substantial issues.

The 19th district has long been a thorn in the side of the Queens Dem Clubhouse.

By the way, you should have seen the performance of Kim at a candidates' night at the BFHA membership meeting.

Kim evaded reality as usual while Halloran presented specific programs to deal with the ills of the district.

I was ashamed for Borough President Marshal (if she didn't have the smarts to be ashamed of herself) for her outright stupidity.

Helen outdid herself.

Anonymous said...

Yeah...but it looked like Kim wanted to leave early to attend a Toby Stavisky fete but he knew he had to stick it out until the end lest he insult this savvy nabe!

Anonymous said...

Vallone put up the "Bloomberg" signs on his front lawn a few days ago, but nothing for Kevin Kim. Maybe he's hoping to mount a campaign of his own as a write-in candidate?

Anonymous said...

Does anyone realize that Kim has never voted in an election in the district?

Anonymous said...

Not only hasn't he voted here, he didn't move into the 19th district (his mom's home) until a few months before he put his hat in the ring. Where did he live? The 20th District. Too many asians in that one Kevin? Sleaze.

Anonymous said...

Queens Crap posts an article written by Dee "I'm a Republican Hack" Richard.

LOL - She's definitely a credible source. Just make sure to put on high boots before reading her partisan bullshit.

Queens Crapper said...

Here we go with the "LOL" again. Lame.

The facts presented by Dee have been verified independently.

Maybe Schenkler will write a rebuttal to her claims and set the record straight... but I doubt it.

Anonymous said...

What does verified independently mean?

Was Richard's story verified by a freshman attending Bayside High? I guess that would be as independent a source as anyone else.

One thing I know for sure, Dee Richard who works for Frank Padavan is not independent or bipartisan.

Queens Crapper said...

It means I found out it was true.

So what if she works for Padavan?

Rafferty works for Ackerman.

The difference?

Anonymous said...

The difference is that when Rafferty reports on the political scene, I'm smart enough to understand he's partisan and not independent. I read what he writes as entertainment.

You seem to accept what Dee Richard writes as accurate and credible reporting.

That's the difference!

Queens Crapper said...

Nope, that's not the difference, because as I already explained, I verified what Dee wrote.

Who has verified what Rafferty wrote?

No one.

Anonymous said...

Anyone can claim they verified something that has been written. Unfortunately, without substantiating details, your claim has no more credibility than what's been written by Richard.

Enough of this silliness. It's time to get back to important issues and real life.

BTW, for better or for worse, Queens Crap always manages to be entertaining and interesting.

Queens Crapper said...

How hard is it to verify the deadline for when a candidate can be replaced?

Do the work yourself and stop being a nuisance.

Anonymous said...

Hello "ruffles" Rafferty?

Enjoy having to post here for you bosses? You pussy boy panty-waist!

These clubhouse stooges keep on attempting to belittle the impact of "Queens crap" yet they all seem compelled to follow it.

Why's that?

I guess because its circulation is higher than the Ackermans, Nussbaums and Schenklers of the borough would like to admit!

Anonymous said...

Nah...I think Evan is posting because Kim had arrived late at mommy Toby's Democratic club meeting!

Broadway Flushing apparently has more clout than Toby in Kim's eyes.

There's about 1,500 votes here Kevin.
You did the smart thing by staying until 9:30.

I'll bet Toby the toad was fuming!
She was jilted for the BFHA event.

Anonymous said...

Have you noticed some coincidences?

Both John Liu and Kevin Kim had new born babies to show off just in time for their election campaigns.

His most recent campaign flier pictures him with his wife and kid.
The old warm and fuzzy sympathy ploy.

Political glad handing and baby kissing amongst the crowds is sure to follow.

And both Liu and Kim exaggerate when it comes to their past growing up years.

Kim moved into the district (Bay Terrace) I believe it was in January...A TRUE CARPETBAGGER!

Anonymous said...

Maybe Kim moved in with his mother so she can baby-sit the kid(s). A lot of young couples do that. Didn't he go to Cardozo? Moving from the district next door is not exactly a Hillary Clinton-style carpetbagger. The whole Ackerman/Schenkler hit job on Halloran concerns me more than the fact that he moved fairly recently. They should change the law if they want residency in a district for a specific amount of time before someone can run for office. At least he doesn't live in Glen Head, or Virginia, like some of our other elected officials.

Anonymous said...

A carpetbagger is a carpetbagger no matter the weave...whether he carries a Sarouk or Kirman bag or how far he lived before from his newly adopted district.

The Staviskys, for instance, live in Whitestone/Beechurst but maintained an apartment in Linden Hill or Mitchell Gardens just to legally qualify.

Pretty fuckin' close too

Try making an appointment to visit their district office for a face to face.

Big surprise...you'll most likely never be admitted.

Oh but you can leave a chronology of your complaints or issue through the mail slot!

has anyone been admitted to their inner sanctum yet?

Anonymous said...

Can there be any truth to a rumor that third place loser Paul (chrome dome) Vallone-y balloney is going to form his own civic association?

Tsk, tsk, tsk...betta watch out Broadway/Flushing/Auburndale.

Snap the lock on your chastity belt 'cause fingers Paulie will be tryin' ta get inta ya pants!

And he DOES NOT live within the official boundaries of Broadway/Flushing.