Did Chuck try to use the IRS to silence opponents?

From the NY Post:

Did Chuck Schumer try to use the IRS to sidestep the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling — and stick a dagger in the heart of conservative groups?

That’s the gist of a complaint filed this week with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics.

In Citizens United, the court held that bans on independent political expenditures by corporations, associations and labor unions are bans on speech.

The Center for Competitive Politics is asking that Schumer and nine other Democratic senators be investigated for trying to use the IRS to suppress the free speech of political opponents.

The complaint notes Schumer signed letters asking the IRS if it was investigating “social welfare organizations” to see if they were improperly campaigning.

Turns out the IRS did investigate. And — surprise! — almost all the groups singled out for special IRS scrutiny were conservative.

Voter Guide has Vallone, Jr. running for BP on Conservative line

Take a look at page 13 of the voter guide you received in the mail, and you'll notice that Peter Vallone, Jr. is listed as still running on the Conservative Party line.

Peter Vallone, Jr. did not get the Conservative Party line. As you may recall, he messed up his address on his paperwork, which disqualified him. So what gives?

Lhota not too enthused by the Queens GOP

From Crain's:

Republican mayoral candidate Joseph Lhota has a secret, sources say: He's been endorsed by the Queens Republican organization.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the situation said Lhota consultant Jake Menges informed leadership of the Queens Republican Party of the campaign's decision last weekend not to publicize the endorsement. Mr. Menges not only rejected Queens Republicans' offer to have an endorsement press conference, but asked the party not to issue a press release touting its backing of Mr. Lhota, the sources added.

According to one source privy to the campaign's thinking, Mr. Lhota's camp did not want to highlight dissension in the Queens Republican Party and in other Republican circles by publicizing the endorsement, which would have come six weeks after an ugly Republican mayoral primary and two weeks before the general election. The Queens Republican faction led by Queens Republican Chairman Phil Ragusa backed grocery billionaire John Catsimatidis in the primary, while the faction led by Queens Councilman Eric Ulrich backed Mr. Lhota.

Such an announcement could have also brought attention to infighting in Brooklyn Republican Party, and to the fact that Mr. Catsimatidis has not formally endorsed Mr. Lhota, the Lhota campaign feared.

But you know who wasn't ashamed of possibly snagging the endorsement of the Queens GOP? Paul Vallone. Back in 2009:

A source close to Vallone’s campaign said the candidate was interested in the GOP nomination because he believed in race against Democratic primary winner Kevin Kim, Vallone would “win the one-on-one match up with him easily.” Halloran added that Vallone, who faced attacks from his Democratic rivals during the primary campaign, would be supporting him over the Democratic nominee in the race, Kim. “Paul is really like a kindred spirit,” said Halloran.

And then there was his bid for the Conservative line...

According to Tom Long, chairman of the Queens County Conservative Party, however, Vallone told him this during a candidate screening with the party that he is, in fact, pro-life.

Despite once being considered for the GOP and Conservative lines, Vallone is now the Democratic nominee and he's pro-choice. How the hell did that happen?

Pot, meet kettle

From Capital New York:

It's a response to a mailer Vallone sent out earlier, portraying himself as a superhero. Here, he's a right-wing supervillain.

The job of borough president has largely been relegated to monitoring land use issues and allocating capital funds for infrastructure projects. Since there isn't much to separate the two Democrats in this race in terms of their respective records in these areas, the election will come down to name recognition and, beyond that, whatever the voters know about the candidates and their values.

Katz has attacked in the past Vallone for seeking the support of the Conservative Party, which opposes abortion rights and stricter gun control measures.

This, coming from someone who is so enamored with conservative radio host Curtis Sliwa that she is not only shacking up with him, but birthed 2 of his children while he was married to someone else...

The only good Democrat is a liberal Democrat?

From the NY Observer:

Eyebrows are being raised in Queens Democratic circles today after word went out that Queens Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. was honored last night for a "leadership award" by the Queens Conservative Party.

Vallone is exploring a run for the Queens borough presidency or the district attorney after he is term-limited out in 2013.

"Why would he do that? This borough is 80 percent Democratic," said one borough pol.

Not the biggest Vallone fan but I find it kind of funny how "Democratic" now apparently means "flaming liberal" to the borough's party. There are people known as conservative Democrats. The fact that there are conservative council members representing parts of Queens that have registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans 4-1 should be a clue to the party that they need to embrace philosophies other than that of the far left.