Showing posts tagged congress
Can you find congressman-elect Hakeem Jeffries in this photo?

Can you find congressman-elect Hakeem Jeffries in this photo?

‘surface issues’

Off Message?

This morning, Adriano Espaillat’s congressional campaign posted a videohighlighting their endorsement from Vincent Morgan, a former aide to Charlie Rangel, the incumbent they’re trying to oust. In the video, Morgan seems to make a slightly different pitch than the campaign generally has to this point, suggesting that voters are looking beyond “surface issues, like our race and socioeconomic standing.”

If there’s one major theme of Espaillat’s congressional campaign, it’s that his candidacy represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put a Dominican-American in Congress, an achievement that is overdue.

Also, try telling some other Espaillat supporters, like Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (who is an outspoken ally of the Occupy Wall Street movement) that voters are looking past socioeconomic issues this year.

“Did they ever do anything without my help?” —Rep. Charles Rangel, about the people running against him.

“Did they ever do anything without my help?”

—Rep. Charles Rangel, about the people running against him.

Rangel will miss more votes as Congress convenes without him | Capital New York

Rangel’s spokeswoman, Hannah Kim:

“The Congressman will be hosting multiple events aimed at bringing Washington to the District, to provide opportunities for his constituents to meet representatives from the federal agencies. We’re holding another major career fair.”
It’s hard knowing which number to use when referring to the office you’re seeking, in a redistricting year. View high resolution

It’s hard knowing which number to use when referring to the office you’re seeking, in a redistricting year.

via Capital New York:

“You deliberately stood in that well before an empty house and challenged these people and you challenged their Americanism and it’s the lowest thing that I’ve ever seen, in my 32 years of congress,” House Speaker Tip O’Neill said to Newt Gingrich, back on May 8, 1984. [c-span]

My story: The move by Clyde Williams, a former aide to Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama who already has $125,000 on hand, could pose a particular threat to Rangel, whose newly drawn district is more than 50 percent latino and who may face a challenge from Adraino Espaillat, a Dominican-American state senator.

My story:

The move by Clyde Williams, a former aide to Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama who already has $125,000 on hand, could pose a particular threat to Rangel, whose newly drawn district is more than 50 percent latino and who may face a challenge from Adraino Espaillat, a Dominican-American state senator.

From my story:

Adriano Espaillat is preparing for nuclear war with Charlie Rangel. The only question is whether he’ll push the button.

A spokesman for State Senator Adriano Espaillat confirmed a report they are circulating petitions to get on the ballot and unseat the 21-term congressman, who is an iconic figure in black politics and founding member of the Black Congressional Caucus.

Rangel, 81, is currently suffeing from back problems that forced him to miss votes in Congress. He’s also drawn a number of challengers this year, including former aide Vince Morgan, businesswoman Joyce Johnson, and, possibly, presidential aide Clyde Williams.

[skip]

Espaillat had called for creating a majority-Latino congressional district next to Rangel’s, and warned that if it didn’t happen, there could be clash between Latinos and blacks.

Speaking to a mostly black audience on 145th Street last weekend, Espaillat, who is Dominican, said, “They increased the Latino population in Charlie Rangel’s existing district to 55 percent, basically setting the ground work of 20 years of nuclear political war.”

It’s the coalition-building candidate versus the historic candidate, in NY-06:

“The Assembly district that I have right now is incredibly diverse,” he said. “On any given week, I can be in a Korean or Chinese church, a synagogue, a Sikh temple, a Bangladeshi mosque, you name it. That diversity of my current district really prepares me well to run in the sixth congressional district.

“So I have a great relationship with the Asian community, the Chinese community, the Korean community, the South Asian community, both the Bangladeshi community, the Indian community, the Sikh-Indian community, the Hindu-Indian community. And of course, also part of the Asian community, the Bukharian Jewish community.”

“By the way,” he added. There’s a Korean church and senior center down the street, and “I’m there often enough that people think I’m a congregant.”

While looking for vintage Ackerman footage, I came across this clip of Chuck Schumer, as a congressman, warning against a bill that would allow “devil worship” and other religous acts in schools.

Notably, Schumer abruptly ends his remarks, mid-sentence, after the one-minute bell rings.

via Capital New York

Rangel congressional aide intimidated my supporters with ‘PLEASE CONFIRM!’ email: challenger

My story:

But for [Joyce] Johnson, the whole correspondence was inappropriate, and that the gesture, rather than any particular wording Eaton used, was meant to chase away her supporters.

“When you get a call to say please confirm,” Johnson explained, “there’s an implication in it that there are some consequences. Otherwise, why do it?”

A spokesman for Rangel declined to comment.

What sound would you require digital cameras to make?

GOP Rep. Peter King of NY-3, is likely to be the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee when congress reconvenes in January. He’s addressed public safety issues big and small. Among the pieces of legislation he’s sponsored is a bill “To require mobile phones containing digital cameras to make a sound when a photograph is taken.”

The sound digital cameras often make now are echoes of the old SLR cameras, when the shudder would literally lift up (then down, very quickly), allowing light to pass through the camera lens and directly hit a section of film in the camera. 

What sound would you require digital cameras to make?