Norman Siegel

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Now that the public advocate’s office is being vacated, here’s a look at the prospective candidates.  read more »

The last remaining major private landowner in the footprint of Columbia University's planned West Harlem expansion issued a lengthy critique of the state's use of eminent domain to acquire his property, laying the groundwork for a legal battle that will likely lie ahead.

Nicholas Sprayregen, owner of Tuck-it-Away Storage, released the critique as the state today holds its second of two hearings on the proposed use of eminent domain. A wealthy landlord and developer who said he expects to fund a lengthy challenge, Mr. Sprayregen owns multiple warehouses in the footprint.

In the documents submitted to the Empire State Development Corporation today--the state agency that uses eminent domain--Mr.  read more »

Democracy for New York City's Fourth Annual "Summer Cocktail Reception" was all about Barack Obama.

Held at the downtown bar M1-5, the event's theme was "Unity '08," a reference, apparently, to bringing Democrats together (and not to the group that wanted Michael Bloomberg to run for president).

As the guests trickled in, DFNYC finance director Lewis Cohen decorated the bar with "Obama '08" signs.

"I have no doubt we will endorse," he told me.

"I think people are looking at the total candidate," said City Councilman Tony Avella, also a long-shot mayoral candidate. "He [Obama] stands for change, and we need change in the city.  read more »

Here’s something I just saw: a campaign video for public advocate candidate Norman Siegel, a civil rights lawyer making his third bid for the office.

The ad features State Senator Eric Adams, a member of the Granny Peace Brigade and a campaign slogan -- “Norman Siegel for the People” -- set to a soundtrack of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Siegel's likely opponent, Councilman Eric Gioia, has a video too.

Speaking at the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats club last night, public advocate candidate Norman Siegel said he doesn't plan to use the office of public advocate as a stepping stone.

The civil rights lawyer has said before that he is interested in protecting citizens' civil liberties, but he doesn't want to make the painful decisions that an executive has to make. According to one attendee, Siegel said, as an example, that he couldn't bring himself to close libraries on Sundays as a cost-saving measure.  read more »

Here’s part of an invitation to Norman Siegel’s February 25 campaign kick-off fund-raiser for what will be his third bid to be public advocate.

Names on the invitation include: State Senator Eric Adams of Brooklyn, City Councilman Hiram Monserrate of Queens, Meile and Stuart Rockefeller, and Democratic fund-raiser Lewis Cohen.
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Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV of Harlem is officially running for Public Advocate.

“I opened up a committee last Tuesday -- yes,” he told me just now. "It's something I've been thinking about for a while and I decided to take the plunge, open up a committee and see how far I can take it."  read more »

Norman Siegel, for one, is going full speed ahead in his bid for public advocate.

He's got a fund-raising event tomorrow on East 39th Street off Lexington Avenue. On October 29, Seigel’s having another fund-raiser, on Read Street. And that's in addition to one he had a couple of days ago at 130 Morningside Drive.

What’s interesting is that while Siegel is busy campaigning for the job, that's not much public evidence of other would-be candidates doing the same. Part of the reason may be because Councilman Eric Gioia of Queens, who is likely to jump into the race, has already raised $979,780, according to the latest campaign finance numbers from July.

A number of elected officials have raised more than Gioia for their prospective bids for citywide offices, but most of them are believed to be interested in mayor or comptroller.

Of course, there’s still plenty of time for people to declare their intentions and join Siegel in the race.

Who's actually going to do it?

The city Campaign Finance Board is putting out some numbers today filed by some familiar candidates for citywide office.

The first total after each name below represents net contributions over a six-month period that ended last week, and the second is net contributions for the entire cycle.  read more »

“I need your help once more. And this time I’m confident we can win.”

That’s how Norman Siegel starts out a three-page letter to donors announcing that he’ll make a third run at the public advocate’s office.

A copy of the letter was sent to me last night by a
reader who has contributed to him previously.

Siegel, a civil rights advocate who most recently helped a political gadfly get back into mayoral press conferences, ran and lost twice, both times to Betsy Gotbaum.

In his third bid, Siegel says he will “publish reports on effectiveness of city agencies,” “propose and lobby legislation,” and give New York “finally an accessible, effective public advocate.”

He goes on to say, “I learned from prior campaigns that I need money to win. I need money to run ads on television and radio. I need money for direct mail and automated telephone messages. In the past, I was outspent 3 to 1. We can’t let that happen again.”  read more »

Keith Wright and Harlem activists protest housing court cases brought against tenants by Pinnacle Corp. at 1 Penn Plaza.

Norman Siegel will hold a news conference concerning filing of legal challenge to public school cell phone ban at 60 Centre Street.

Robert "Bud" McFarlane, national security adviser in the Reagan administration, will join K.T. McFarland at a kitchen talk in Brooklyn.

—Nicole Brydson

The editor of The Brooklyn Rail, formerly the press guy for Norman Siegel's campaign, pens a post-mortem love letter to his candidate, with a slight hint of conspiracy:

"Why had Norman's candidacy clearly rallied the city's power elite into action? Perhaps because as the Post had said in its earlier editorial, Norman would be 'more focused on principles than practicalities'—a threatening perspective to those in power..."  read more »

He also claims that Hank Sheinkopf (Shein-cough?) coughed on him. Wetly.

In the fall of 1995, Betsy Gotbaum lay sweating in a hot sauna in Gurney’s Inn in Montauk, wor  read more »

In the fall of 1995, Betsy Gotbaum lay sweating in a hot sauna in Gurney’s Inn in Montauk, worryin  read more »

George W. Bush, you might have thought, proved once and for all that images from 9/11 make effective television commercials.

But out of respect or squeamishness, New York politicians have generally shied away from campaigning directly on the attacks.

Not Norman Siegel. Here's the spot. (Link now works.)

The tag line, from a slain firefighter's mother, Joyce Mercer:  read more »

"This is our memorial to our loved ones, getting Norman Siegel as Public Advocate."

Last month, Howard Dean's former campaign manager endorsed Andrew Rasiej to depose Betsy Gotbaum and redefine the role of the public advocate. Yesterday, Howard Dean's brother backed Norman Siegel to do the same thing. What does it all mean? (Really. I don't know.) Please discuss.  read more »

In the coming months, New Yorkers will be confronted by nofewer than eight candidates for Public Adv  read more »

Experience and common sense would suggest that one can never be too careful when putting on a rock c  read more »

New Yorkers should count themselves fortunate that for every one of Hillary Clinton's carefully chor  read more »

New Yorkers who miss the days when Times Square was a pornographer's paradise of X-rated peep shows,  read more »