Is there no end to the depths our elected officials will sink to in order to hold onto power? This Daily News story is properly titled "Carrozza represents Queens, but is living large on L.I. Gold Coast," but an even better way to write it would be, "I like living in Nassau better than Queens, but vote for me anyway to represent Bayside"....
Carrozza, 42, who has represented the 26th Assembly District since 1997, bought the mansion on Nassau County's Gold Coast in June 2008, taking out a mortgage for $1 million, property records show.
She told the Daily News the lavish digs were supposed to be "an investment or a second residence." But she signed mortgage documents that specifically state the mansion would be her "principal residence."
When confronted outside the posh pad last week, Carrozza admitted she has lived there full-time since February. "My primary residence is in Bayside - and we're temporarily renting that out," she said.
...So she represents Queens, but admits she doesn't live there. And it seems she has no intention of stepping down as the Assemblywoman from the 26th district, or of resuming her residency there anytime soon.
Incredible! Only in Democratic political circles could this make sense. With the recent upswing in Queens GOP activity, Carrozza's obvious insensitivity to her community should be a call-to-arms for local Republican candidates and clubs.
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written by Behold a Pale Horse , June 29, 2009
She ousted Doug Prescott, the last Republican to represent Queens in the Assembly, in 1996 and beat him a second time in 1998. I don't believe she's had a tough race since, especially after redistricting.
But you never know....
written by Daniel Peterson , June 29, 2009
Now if a republican did this, Shelly Silver with his whipping punk, Marty Connor, would fight tooth and nail to invalidate such a representative.
I hope Rob Speranza read this article for next year. If he's not running though, I'll do it. that's my assembly district!
written by Frank Ammendolea , June 29, 2009
I think your time has come, Dan. We need new blood in the Queens GOP.
I know that district well, as Doug was my Assemblyman for much of my childhood (I'm 33). In 1992 they carved up what had been the 25th A.D. and put Doug into the 26th A.D. which was then represented by a Democrat named Mort Hillman. They took my hometown of Bellerose (a Padavan-Prescott stronghold) and stuck it into the 33rd A.D. (southeastern Queens). Sol Weprin, who was then the Assembly Speaker, took a piece of Bellerose and all of Auburndale (good GOP areas) away from Prescott and absorbed it into his district, the 24th A.D.. Reportedly, as he was reviewing the map, he smugly commented, "So I'll win with 70% of the the vote instead of 80." The whole deal was designed to knock of Prescott. But he confounded them and won a race he was never supposed to win. In 1992 - as Clinton was rolling to a huge win in NYC - Doug Prescott beat a fellow sitting Assemblymember 52% to 48%. When was the last time anyone remembers the GOP pulling off such a stunning upset? And are we still capable of it?
In 1994 he won by an even larger margin - 58% to 42% against William Viscovich (who is now a Queens Civil Court judge - these guys never go away!). This led to Doug becoming a little complacent and he began to think that he had the district locked up. Carrozza was actually a last minute candidate. She was the law clerk to then-Civil Court Judge Peter O'Donoghue, and lived in Nassau at the time she ran, though she was still registered in Queens. For all intents and purposes, she was supposed to be a sacrificial lamb, but to her credit she ran a very good race focusing primarily on senior citizen concerns. Doug reportedly rejected an offer of assistance from Serf Maltese and Tom Ognibene, as the eastern Queens faction of the party was engaged in a Cold War with the Glendale faction, and he didn't want to be beholden to them. Carrozza ended up beating Doug 53% to 47% as Dole's ship was sinking in NYC.
Doug made a comeback attempt in 1998, but by that point the damage was done. He was seen as a "has been" and a ridiculous controversy arose over his use of the words "Re-Elect" on his campaign posters. His reasoning was that as he had been previously elected to the office, he had the right to claim that he was running for re-election to that same office. Carrozza's people accused him of trying to mislead voters into thinking he was an incumbent. He lost 62% to 38%. Doug was and is a very good guy with a terrific personality - born to be a politician, but he let the district slip through his fingers.
A young Republican who is articulate, conservative and willing to work hard can take this seat back. 2010 may be the best chance we've had in years.
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