Staten Island BP DA Race Donavan 789

The Post Said de Blasio Learned Nothing From His Week on SI The Times Says Trip Yields Action A Success 

De Blasio learned nothing on his week-long Staten Island visit (NYP) de Blasio spent the week on Staten Island, but he says it didn’t teach him anything new about the borough — the only one he lost in his 2013 election sweep.  “I have to tell you I have been working on Staten Island issues and with people from Staten Island going back over 25 years,” Hizzoner said Friday on his weekly WYNC radio show. “There’s nothing I learned this week that I didn’t know broadly already about the broad views, the values, the concerns of people here.”  De Blasio added that he did learn about “some specific issues” that he “did not know enough about,” but claimed he already has a “good take” on “the basic realities of Staten Island.”  The mayor argued that the Republican bastion, the only borough to back President Trump over Hillary Clinton, shouldn’t be compared to Rust Belt states, which were Trump strongholds in the election.  “The Rust Belt has had too many areas that unfortunately that have had failing economies, people feeling that government did not serve their needs, did not address their economic distress.  The mayor’s schedule included meetings with local pols and community leaders, a few hours set aside at Borough Hall on Tuesday to meet with constituents, and a Thursday town hall meeting where residents got to ask him questions.* De Blasio avoids Trump talk on Staten Island tour(PoliticoNY) * Deep clean precedes de Blasio’s visit to Staten Islandhousing project — but residents say it’ll be filthy again by next week (NYDN)

Legislative leaders defended a new earmarking program, brushing off charges that it’s “pork” and unfairly distributed to favor the politically powerful. “If you want to call putting security cameras in a housing development that has a lot of crime pork, so be it; give me another ham sandwich,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said.

Write In GOP Candidate Beats Conservative Party Dem Pick 

• During a debate to be the next Staten Island district attorney, Republican Joan Illuzzi and Democrat Michael McMahon attacked each others records and qualifications, highlighting their differences, NY1 reports: 

Minor-party primary gives clarity to Staten Island DA race (NYP) A minor-party primary election on Tuesday that drew just 866 votes could determine who becomes Staten Island’s next district attorney.  Joan Illuzzi, the Republican candidate, snatched the Conservative Party line away from Democrat Mike McMahon with 508 votes in an insurgent write-in primary — boosting her bid to win the general election in November * A grand old party ofone family? (NYDN) Some of the biggest donors to the state Republican party are party chairman Ed Cox and his family, which some GOPers see as a double-edge sword. Cox, his wife Patricia, and brother Howard, have given the party’s main campaign account $343,000 since Cox became chairman in mid 2009, records show. The three alone account for about 10% of the $3.34 million the part has raised from individuals during that time. Ed and Howard Cox also gave a combined $483,000 since 2009 to the state party’s separate “housekeeping” account. * With Primary Day Done, Focus Shifts to Handful of Special November Elections (NY1) * Conservative Party One Man Rule Fails to Deliver for SI Dem Candidate * Lovett: Revolt looms for State Republican Chairman Ed Cox (NYDN)

More on Conservative Party Permenant Leader Long

GOP Bottom Feeders And Why the Party is Dying in NY

Staten Island DAs Race

Joan Illuzzi-Orbon, the prosecutor who handled the Etan Patz case, has resigned to run as a Republican for district attorney in Staten Island, a position also sought by former U.S. Democratic Rep. Michael McMahon, The New York Times reports:   * Joan Illuzzi, an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan DA’s office, known recently for being the prosecutor in the Etan Patz case, got the Republican Party’s nomination last night to run for Staten Island DA. * The Democrats have selected former congressman MichaelMcMahon to run for the open DA seat. The spot was previously held by Republican Dan Donovan, who became a congressman in a special election to replace Michael Grimm.”  * Patz Prosecutor Takes On Ex-Congressman in Staten Island District Attorney’s Race (NYT) Joan Illuzzi will run as a Republican against the former Representative Michael E. McMahon, a Democrat, setting the stage for a contest between a pair of unusually high-profile candidates. * Etan Patz Prosecutor to Run for District Attorney in Staten Island (DNAINFO) * Etan Patz's Family Backs NYC Trial Prosecutor for Staten Island DA (WSJ)

The family of Etan Patz on Friday endorsed the prosecutor who led the monthslong trial against the man accused of the child's 1979 killing in her bid to become Staten Island's next district attorney * NY1 Exclusive: Assistant DA Joan Illuzzi Discusses Etan Patz Trial, DA Race (NY1) * Staten Island district attorney candidate and former prosecutor Joan Illuzzi tried to sue the city for $5 million in two personal-injury suits, though as a public employee she was barred from collecting, the Post reports: *  Barring a last minute adjournment or an unlikely subsequent appeal, the federal prosecution of Michael Grimm will end on Friday when US District Court Judge Pamela Chen sentences the former congressman on his guilty plea to a single count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return. * McMahon's Campaign Coffers More Than Double Illuzzi's in DA Race (DNAINF) Michael McMahon has raised more than $151,000 for the Staten Island District Attorney race. * Joan Illuzzi, who is running for Staten Island district attorney, has been accused of ethnic pandering because she plans to campaign using her Italian maiden name, rather than her hyphenated married name, theDaily News reports:  *  MaryLou Shanahan, former Conservative chair, backs Joan Illuzzi (SI Advance) * New York City’s largest police union endorsed former Rep. Michael McMahon for Staten Island district attorney, a sign of momentum behind the Democratic candidate in the city’s most conservative borough, the Journal writes:  * Democrat Michael McMahon appears to have lost the Conservative line in the race for Staten Island district attorney to Republican rival Joan Illuzzi, who won as a write-in candidate, NY1 reports: 

More on the 11th Congressional District 

WNBC Reports SI DA Did Not Ask for Reckless Endangerment Charge

Staten Island DA Didn'tAsk Garner Grand Jury to Consider Reckless Endangerment Charge: Source(WNBC) Staten Island's top prosecutor did not ask grand jurors to consider a reckless endangerment charge in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, a source familiar with the case told NBC 4 New York. District Attorney Daniel Donovan only asked grand jurors to consider manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges against NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo, the cop seen on widely-watched amateur video wrapping his arm around Garner's neck as the heavyset, asthmatic 43-year-old yelled,  

"I can't breathe!" nearly a dozen times during the July 17 confrontation, the source said.It's not clear why Donovan left the lesser charge off the table, and he has said strict confidentiality laws surrounding grand jury proceedings prevent him from discussing the details of the case —only manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges were asked for by the DA* DA didn’t ask Garner grand jury to weigh lesser charges(NYP) * Staten Island DADaniel Donovan didn’t include reckless endangerment charge as option to EricGarner grand jury: WNBC (NYDN)  Donovan only asked for manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide against Officer Daniel Pantaleo, the report said.* Garner cop Daniel Pantaleo still faces civil lawsuits -- including a new suit filed last month(SI Advance)* 'The time for remorse was when my husband was yelling to breathe': Widow of Eric Garner rips NYPD as cop who killed him with fatal chokehold is not indicted(NYDN)

Update Grand Jury Convened In Stairwell Shoot

 DA to convene grand jury on cop in Pink Houses fatal shooting

• Deadly NYPD Stairwell Shooting Going to Grand Jury

At the Staten Island event, Mr. de Blasio further promised that his administration would never forget the small borough. “I wanted to make sure that people would know that this is an administration committed to Staten Island,” said Mr. de Blasio as he touted local economic development projects, according to the Staten Island Advance.
Staten Island Week 2014: Demographics of Borough Continue to Shift http://ny1ne.ws/w4DRHU

Captain: Poor Ferry Maintenance 
Endangers Passengers

SI Ferry captain warns: The ships are ticking time bombs(NYP) The eight Staten Island Ferry boats that carry 60 million people every year are ill-designed, poorly maintained safety hazards. The captain — who requested anonymity because he fears being fired for going public over safety concerns — said the ferries are plagued by poorly performing batteries, or phase cells.They often fail, resulting in the shutdown of one or more of the four “drives” that are linked to propellers, making it at times impossible to slow, or even stop, the boat.


Oddo takes oath of office as Staten Island borough president (with photos, video)
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New Staten Island BP

Staten Island BP-elect Oddo Plans to Hit the Ground Running

Staten Island Power Player

Staten Island Week: Former BP Molinari Still Lords Over Island Politics(NY1)