Local Dems, much to gain, little contribution

I signed up for City Council member Bill de Blasio's campaign email update back in January when it appeared he might be jumping into the race for the Democratic nomination. A few days ago I received an email update letting me know Bill was working to get some Democrats elected to Congress;

Bill will be phone banking this Monday, October 23rd and next Monday, October 30th from 6pm-9pm at the Working Families Party in Brooklyn. See below for details on how you can join, or for alternate dates and times to get involved.

In addition, team de Blasio is planning a trip to suburban Philadelphia on Sunday, October 29th to campaign for Lois Murphy for Congress. To join, please contact Sharada at 917-767-2190.

The Working Families Party is an amazing group, and has even endorsed Stephen Harrison a while back. The problem with de Blasio's email though is he is promoting two events that are doing nothing for the race he contemplating joining. The WFP phone banking is reaching out to voters in NY20, 24, 25, 26, 29, all upstate races. update[via Steve from WFP: Local chapters are working on local races, and we're reaching out to voters all across the state.] So the phone banking may be reaching out to voters in the 13th. I do know that the Harrison campaign is phone banking on almost a daily basis from both Manhattan and the campaign offices directly for Harrison so I await Mr. de Blasio's participation and promotion of those as well

The second item he is promoting is an out of state canvassing effort in Pennsylvania. We need Democrats all over the country to win, and these are both commendable, however I have yet to see him lend any support to the Harrison campaign after toiling with the idea of running for that office. If it was good enough for him, and winnable then what has changed?

I have an email out to his campaign, and will gladly edit this should there be some major undertakings on his part in aiding Harrison, but I haven't seen anything yet. [note: it has been several days since I first wrote this and held off publishing hoping to hear something. I have yet to get a reply]

I see a $250 donation as potentially his only 2006 contribution. It was given to Yvette Clarke, during the primary race she won for the seat Rep. Major Owens was vacating. This is a safe Dem seat.

Vinny Gentile, another City Council member thought to at one time be considering jumping into this race has made a donation on July 31.

Assemblyman Lavelle made a donation on July 06. Being the Staten Island party leader this was expected, yet still notable.