“In the age of President Trump, the Bronx and all of New York needs a strong fighter for our most vulnerable communities.”
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., endorsing Mayor de Blasio for re-election* * * *
Council Hopeful Would Need to Ditch Lucrative Post if Victorious
Gotham Gazette “State Assemblymember Robert Rodriguez, a Democrat from East Harlem running for the City Council, has a second job at an asset management and financial consulting firm that has earned him hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last few years. But, if Rodriguez wins the Council seat, which will be vacated by term-limited Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito at the end of the year, he would have to give up his position at the firm under new rules passed by the Council last year.” * * * *
Two Beeps Endorse the Mayor
AMNY “[Bronx Borough President Ruben] Diaz Jr., a close ally of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo who is often at odds with the mayor, had previously been among the names floated as possible primary challengers to take on de Blasio, but he never entered the race.” * * * *
Meanwhile, in New Jersey
The New York Times “As the race to replace Gov. Chris Christie enters the homestretch, donations from New Jersey residents and companies in the state have poured in to the Democratic Governors Association coffers, totaling more than $1.6 million as of August, an increase of more than $1 million compared with the total amounts in elections for governor in 2009 and 2013. The donations have come largely from a mix of pharmaceutical companies, unions, construction companies, law firms and corporations that would have been barred from obtaining government contracts if they had donated directly to [Democratic candidate Philip] Murphy or local candidates.” * * * *
NYPD Scraps Pricey but Dated Phones
The New York Post “The NYPD has to scrap the 36,000 smartphones it gave cops over the past two years because they’re already obsolete and can’t be upgraded, The Post has learned. The city bought Microsoft-based Nokia smartphones as part of a $160 million NYPD Mobility Initiative that Mayor de Blasio touted as ‘a huge step into the 21st century.’ But just months after the last phone was handed out, officials plan to begin replacing them all with brand-new iPhones by the end of the year, sources said.” * * * *
LI State Senator Gives Power Broker’s Wife a Raise
New York Daily News “A Long Island state senator running for Suffolk County sheriff gave the wife of one of his longtime political bosses a $25,000 raise this year. Sen. Phil Boyle granted the more than 45 percent pay hike to Patricia Walsh, the wife of former Suffolk County Conservative Party Chairman Edward Walsh Jr. The higher pay came several months after Edward Walsh was convicted in March 2016 on federal charges that as a lieutenant at the county sheriff’s department — which Boyle is now looking to head — Walsh was illegally paid for work time when he was actually golfing, gambling or conducting political party business.” * * * *
How to Help Victims of Hurricane Harvey
Info from the Houston Chronicle