de Blasio gets Rangel's support?

It appears the Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem has sent out a letter to his supporters guaging support for de Blasio should he decide to run. Additionally the letter says that de Blasio will make a decision "in the next week". The letter is dated March 23, which means we should hear something possibly before this weekend.

Room Eight brings us the news and Rangel's letter.

Harrison's site is up

Thanks to an email this morning we now know Stephen Harrison's site is live.

http://www.harrison06.com/

2004 candidate Frank Barbaro paved the way, but my positions, like those of the district are more centrist allowing me to cast a wider political net and win over many former Fossella voters. I hope I can I count on your support.

Anti-family Fossella

I was doing some of my typical Fossella research and somewhere along the way wound up at a Gay City News article a bit perplexed as to how this was going to relate to Vito Fossella. Then I came across this paragraph;

Parade participants included a sizable number of gay and lesbian parents and their families. Victoria Fosella, the sister of Congressman Vito Fosella, the only Republican in the city’s congressional delegation and oft-mentioned mayoral aspirant, and Ms. Fossella’s partner, Maggie Scharsella, marched the route with their twins, 1-year-old Jake and sister Karlie, to whom Ms. Scharsella gave birth.

I have been thinking through how I wanted to approach this entry, being considerate of the fact that Vito is the elected public official and not any of his family. I do not know, nor can I find any public statements from Vito or his sister about her family.

The thirteenth congressional district certainly has numerous gay couples and gay parents. Many remarks and comments about a Democrats chances in this district are that it is too conservative for one to win. But I wonder is this district too family-centric to keep electing a Republican like Fossella? Pro-family is essentially pro-moral values, just not the predefined version we are used to having as the banner issue of the Republican party.

Consider the following votes and comments from Vito Fossella and tell me that he is not anti-family. In the end I have to believe that one who attacks the values of their own family can do very little to represent the values of a larger community.

Fossella on adoption:

"I am proud to have an opportunity to join the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and become an active member in reviewing, supporting and improving adoption policies and services throughout the nation," Fossella said. "It is a tremendous honor to lend my assistance to the Coalition and to be able to play a role in helping to make it easier for families to grow. The Coalition is dedicated to one simple goal: That every child in America lives in a loving home as part of a loving family, I look forward to learning more about the complex issues surrounding adoption and to working with the Coalition on simplifying the system for families on Staten Island."

…

"I have seen hundreds of adoption success stories on Staten Island, and I am always touched by the love and happiness a child can bring to a family. There are literally thousands of infants and young children just waiting to be adopted, and the Coalition can serve as a valuable resource for families looking to grow. By slashing through the red tape that often delays adoptions for months and even years, we can bring families together even quicker."

Adoption
H AMDT 871 to HR 4380: Vito voted for an amendment to prohibit any funds to be used to carry out any joint adoption of a child between individuals who are not related by blood or marriage. 1998

HR 2587 Vito voted on an amendment banning adoptions in District of Columbia by gays or other individuals who are not related by blood or marriage. 1999


Partnership
H.J.RES.106 Vito voted for the Marriage Protection Amendment - Declares that marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Prohibits the Constitution or any State constitution from being construed to require that marital status or its legal incidents be conferred upon any union other than that of a man and a woman. 2004

Vito voted to withhold federal housing funds from San Francisco unless it repeals its domestic partnership law;

Vito voted to deny the District of Columbia the option of establishing domestic partnership laws;

Discrimination
Vito voted to overturn President Clinton's executive order banning job discrimination against lesbian and gay federal employees;

Only one candidate in this race thus far is anti-family and and anti-parent. Vito Fossella is most certainly a conservative legislator, however he is anything but a compassionate representative to his constituents.

A message from Bill

Dear Friends,

As many of you have heard, leaders in the Democratic Party have asked me to run to unseat Republican Vito Fossella in the 13th Congressional district, which includes the Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Gravesend neighborhoods of Brooklyn, and Staten Island. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has expressed excitement about my potential candidacy, and local activists in the 13th district and in our neighborhood are encouraging me to enter the race.

Because I believe this is a critical time to have Democratic leadership we can trust in Washington, I am taking a serious look at this race. I share the views of so many of you who feel that our nation's Republican leadership, which is at best incompetent and at worst corrupt, is taking our country in the wrong direction. Mr. Fossella has an egregious record of siding with George Bush, Dick Cheney and Tom DeLay against the interests of New York's working families.

Our country needs more Democratic leadership in Washington. The encouraging news is that every poll shows 2006 is shaping up to be a strong year for Democratic congressional candidates

In the coming days, I look forward to speaking to many of you as I consider my candidacy. I value your opinion. Please don't hesitate to write back and share your thoughts with me. If I do enter the race, I hope I will have your support.

--Bill

Bill de Blasio

Potentially big and breaking news, a first...

The Staten Island Advance, the only paper that wants to cover this election, reports that City Councilman Bill de Blasio [City Council Page] of Brooklyn may be considering jumping into the race.

Democratic City Councilman Bill de Blasio has been approached by a "number of people" about the race, said Howard Wolfson, a top Democratic strategist who advises Mrs. Clinton (D-N.Y.) and the state party.

"He is taking a look at it," Wolfson said. "He's very much in the examination phase."

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which bankrolls House races, yesterday said it would embrace de Blasio's candidacy.

Stephen Harrison, the previously crowned runner-up to Fossella in 2006, is less than happy with this news. More interesting is the reaction of Lavelle, the Democratic leader who failed to find a viable candidate for this race. Throwing around insider DC negativity towards the DCCC's potential involvement, Lavelle levies Fossella's attack for him, saying de Blasio is not a vetted candidate. De Blasio almost won the City Council Presidency, losing out to Christine Quinn, who essentially is the number two person in city government, behind the mayor. With his strong Brooklyn machine ties, political resume and name recognition, should he jump into the race it might appear to be a no contest against Harrison who is still trying to figure out how to set up a website, or so it would appear. More on the 'unvetted' de Blasio;

De Blasio was campaign manager of Mrs. Clinton's 2000 U.S. Senate run, and ran the Clinton-Gore state re-election effort in 1996.

"He can tap into some of the Clinton money," said one Island political insider.

De Blasio won his seat in 2005 with 83.4% of the vote. While De Blasio's district does not entirely fall within NY13 I am inclined to support, even if it is just a wild rumor, the candidacy of someone who can excite the DCCC, with experience working with people with the last name of Clinton, who potentially has the backing of the Brooklyn Democratic establishment as well as the ability to bring in financial backing. I don't want to come off as writing off Harrison and Lavelle for their efforts thus far, but what they have brought to the party and constituents in this race is so far unknown to me. Both Harrison and de Blasio would be running for this seat from the Brooklyn side of the Verrazano Bridge, similar home turf of 2004 candidate Barbaro. With De Blasio in the race we are looking at building off of Barbaro's efforts in 2004. Without him, it would appear 2006 will just be a fundraising year for Fossella and his 2008 re-election hopes.

Follow the money

Fossella tops $600,000.

Nepotism

via Staten Island Advance

Irate members of a city union are claiming that a manager from Staten Island was promoted by the city Department of Transportation because he is a cousin of Rep. Vito Fossella.

...

According to a recent article in The Chief newspaper, some DOT engineers and researchers complained they didn't get a fair chance to apply for the position because the job notice was not posted at DOT work sites and offices.