Today the Commissioners of the NYC Board of Elections met and voted to affirm the previos decisions of the bi-partisan team of BOE employees to rule certain ballots in the 11th Senate race invalid. The 7-3 vote clears the way for the State Supreme Court to render a decision in this matter and likely uphold the decision of the Commissioners.
While it has not been determined that there would have been enough votes for Gennaro to swing the race in his favor, this should settle the matter with Padavan still ahead, although by a tight margin.
The recount for the 11th Senate District seat is almost at an end. Incumbent Republican Frank Padavan leads Democratic City Councilman Jim Gennaro by 582 votes with only about 250 paper ballots left to examine. That should put the race out of reach for Gennaro, who does not have enough ballots remaining to make up a 582 vote shortfall.
However, Republicans may have overplayed their hand. With approximately 2000 paper ballots out of the total 8000 having been invalidated by bi-partisan Board of Elections staff in advance of the official recount, the democrats at the 11th hour now vow to take their case to court in order to have the 2000 previously invalidate ballots declared valid. Democrats are claiming that voters, especially minority voters in this district, are being disenfranchised.
The first mistake the republican team made was to allow the highest ranking republican at the Queens Board of Elections, Katherine James, to be removed from the recount. James, a long-serving official at the Queens Board, is also African-American and would not have been a party to any effort to invalidating ballots of minority voters.
In an act of tremendous arrogance, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that he would not send out this years annual $400 propety tax rebate to homeowners, even if the City Council LEGALLY compells him to.
According to the NY Post, Bloomberg said "We have no money. I think that's what you have to understand. This is not a legal issue; this is a fiscal issue."
A lawsuit was filed by City Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-SI), which has supposedly infuriated Bloomberg.
When asked how he could just ignore the City Council and not comply with legally enacted legislation Bloomber responded "Well, we issue the checks. I don't sign them personally, but we issue the checks."
It's the topic of conversation every where I go. What will Republicans stand for in the future, and how will they rebuild the Party?
Not an easy question, especially when many Republican office holders still don't quite seem to get it. Still opposing cutting government spending, even for hugely wasteful programs like healthcare and social welfare spending.
The NY Observer has written a story about the Manhattan Institute and the role it may play in helping republicans get their message together. With a laser-like focus on fiscal conservatism, they have helped republicans with their message before, helping launch Rudy Giuliani into the mayoralty of NYC with their focus on strong policing, education reform and welfare reform.
The Drudge Report had this you tube video labled Obama Kids Sing for Dear Leader. View it and tell me whether you think Drudge overstepped in his characterization.
The Herd: Have Your Say
Today the Commissioners of the NYC Board of Elections met and voted to affirm the previos decisions of the bi-partisan team of BOE employees to rule certain ballots in the 11th Senate race invalid. The 7-3 vote clears the way for the State Supreme Court to render a decision in this matter and likely uphold the decision of the Commissioners.
