Martin Connor

Citizens Union announced it is backing State Senator Marty Connor for re-election over his challenger Dan Squadron.

C.U. basically calls it a draw on the question of which one is more progressive, but says Connor’s experience gives him an edge in actually implementing the agenda. Which completely ignores Squadron's complaint that there is little to show for all of Connor's years in office.

C.U. cites Squadron’s lack of disclosure with respect to his personal finances. It's an ironic twist on what was, after all, Squadron's opening line of attack against Connor.

And C.U. criticized Squadron for saying he would go on a listening tour to set help formulate his legislative priorities after getting into office.  read more »

A former press guy for Howard Dean and Mark Green endorsed Assembly challenger Paul Newell, surrogate candidate Nora Anderson, and incumbent State Senator Marty Connor.

Brooklyn Papers endorsed Kevin Powell for congress, Dan Squadron over Marty Connor for State Senate, and Mike McMahon for congress.

Newell attacked Sheldon Silver’s spokesman for trashing a mailing sent by a Republican-funded organization.

And Streetsblog offers its own spin on what Silver has done for lower Manhattan, which they say isn’t much.

Citizens Union is hosting a debate between Democratic State Senator Marty Connor and his primary challenger Dan Squadron on September 3.

Their first debate, last May, was organized by the liberal group Democracy for New York City.

Since then, endorsements have been rolled out on both sides. Connor got the support of his colleagues in the State Senate, and several members of Congress. Squadron was endorsed by Michael Bloomberg, Scott Stringer and Brian Kavanagh.

The debate is taking place at Founders Hall at St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, at 7 p.m.

Thirty-year incumbent State Senator Marty Connor's opponent, the Schumer-back first-time candidate Dan Squadron, was just endorsed by Michael Bloomberg.

Connor told me he's not interested in the mayor's support.

Reached on his cell phone just now, the senator said, “I’m proud that I have Democrats supporting me. The last time I looked, Mike Bloomberg wasn’t a Democrat. He was helping the Republicans keep the State Senate.”

Republican political consultant Gerry O’Brien isn’t sure what to make of Bloomberg’s support of Squadron.

“It could be an anti-Albany thing. It could be a pro-Schumer thing,” he said. Overall, however, he said the message is, “Mike Bloomberg still counts, he matters.  read more »

Michael Bloomberg just endorsed Democratic challenger Dan Squadron over incumbent Marty Connor for the State Senate.

Here’s the statement, from Squadron’s campaign.

Mayor Michel R. Bloomberg today endorsed Daniel Squadron in the Democratic Primary for the 25th Senate District in Manhattan and Brooklyn, citing Daniel's record in public service and his plans to bring overdue change to Albany.

"We'll never get reform in Albany if we don't send reformers there, and Daniel Squadron's independent voice is exactly what New York City needs in our State Capitol," Mayor Bloomberg said. "As Mayor, I have made turning around the City's schools and investing in our infrastructure among my top priorities because it's hopeless to build for our future without either.  read more »

Marty Connor no longer has Chad Marlow as a spokesman.

Marlow’s company “terminated its consulting relationship with the Connor For Senate 08 campaign,” he said in an email to reporters just now.

But he added, “The Public Advocacy Group wishes to express it continuing belief that State Senator Martin Connor remains the only qualified candidate running to represent the 25th State Senatorial District in this Fall’s primary and general elections.”

Marlow has been an outspoken critic of Connor’s Democratic opponent, Dan Squadron. He’s also been outspoken about the cozy relationship between the Democrats and the Working Families Party.

This kind of abrupt change usually doesn't happen when everything is going well, but it's too early to say how it actually affects the campaign of an incumbent who, often, is his own spokesman.  read more »

At a press conference on the City Hall steps just now, incumbent State Senator Marty Connor was endorsed by the five members of Congress whose districts overlap with his: Ed Towns, Nydia Velazquez, Carolyn Maloney and Jerry Nadler. (Yvette Clarke is endorsing him too, but did not attend).

Afterward, I asked the group what they think of Chuck Schumer’s support of Connor’s opponent, Dan Squadron.

Nadler, the only one to answer the question, offered the following:

"Well, Chuck is entitled to put considerations of personal friendship over everything else that we have talked about, and he’s said that’s exactly what he has done. Marty’s opponent worked for Chuck, is the co-author of his book with him, and I understand a personal loyalty," Nadler said.  read more »

Marty Connor was endorsed by a number of his Democratic colleagues in the State Senate at a press conference on the City Hall steps just now.

While Connor racked up a good number of endorsements, his opponent, Dan Squadron, has the support of one very notable elected official: Chuck Schumer.

I asked two of these State Senators how they felt about Schumer’s involvement in the campaign.

Jeff Klein of the Bronx said, “Well, with all due respect to Senator Schumer, he represents us in the United States Senate. I think it’s clear that the senators that matter endorse Marty Connor.”

Bill Perkins chimed in, “Chuck has a history of endorsing those that work for him.  read more »

Pictured above is part of a mailing that Democratic State Senate candidate Dan Squadron is distributing to highlight his role in bringing transportation money back to New York.

Squadron, who is trying to unseat incumbent State Senator Marty Connor, has never held public office, but he used to be an aide to Chuck Schumer, and after that went to Knickerbocker SKD, a public relations firm that worked on work on the campaign for a bill called the Transportation Bond Act, which is what Squadron's mailer refers to.  read more »

The mailing says in large letters, “Where others had failed, Daniel Squadron helped win $2.9 billion for transportation.

The spokesman for Marty Connor's re-election campaign, Chad Marlow, supports term limits, even though his boss, a state senator, has been in office since 1978.

In 2005, when the City Council was reportedly looking to alter the city's term-limit laws, Marlow authored a blog post on the Drum Major Institute’s web site called "Confessions of a Term Limits Convert." He wrote:

“If you believe our elected officials are largely comprised of highly talented, innovative thinkers who represent the very best our society has to offer the public sector, you would naturally oppose term limits. I do not.”

Connor’s opponent, Dan Squadron, talks frequently about the need to shake things up in Albany.  read more »

On the surface, the story is a familiar one.

A young insurgent, Dan Squadron, decides to challenge an entrenched incumbent, Marty Connor, in a State Senate race, in a year when public antipathy towards the ossified ways of Albany is greater than it has been in recent memory. The line between underdog liberal reformer and entrenched proponent of the status quo should be clear.

But a couple of unusual things have happened. Squadron, 28, has acquired the trappings, at least, of the establishment guy. He has raced out to a lead in high-increment fund-raising -- he has spent heavily but still has nearly $300,000 on hand, whereas Connor has barely spent $2500 and has only $83,000 -- and has gained support from some powerful labor entities like UNITE HERE, the Communication Workers of America and the union-backed Working Families Party.  read more »

Democratic State Senate candidate Dan Squadron decisively out-raised incumbent Marty Connor, who he's challenging.

According to the latest campaign finance filing (January 2008 to July 2008), Squadron raised $226,166.27, spent $122,031.26, and was left with $293,192.01 on hand.

Connor raised $120,555, spent $40,093.08 and has $82,962.92 on hand.

That's a significant disparity, but in addition, Connor has a second campaign committee, called The Connor Committee, which, according to the filing from the same period, is in debt for $45,513.43.

Since this January, that second Connor campaign committee spent $7,857.74, payments that include numerous political contributions. For example: The Connor Committee gave $500 to the Harry Truman Democratic Club, $300 to the Independent Neighborhoods Democrats, $500 to Downtown Independent Democrats and $500 to the Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats.  read more »

Lewis Cohen, DFNYC finance director, is striking back against critics who were baffled by the organization's decision not to endorse in the race between State Senator Marty Connor and his challenger, former Chuck Schumer aide Dan Squadron.

Cohen said both candidates posed problems for the group’s progressive membership.

Some members of DFNYC didn’t think Connor had been outspoken enough on congestion pricing, Cohen told me, nor did they think that his work as an election lawyer raised “progressive confidence within this community.” There was also lingering unhappiness with Connor’s campaign tactics against his 2006 challenger, Ken Diamondstone, who many progressives preferred over Connor, Cohen says.  read more »

Here’s more endorsement news from the race between State Senator Marty Connor and his challenger, former Chuck Schumer aide Dan Squadron.

The Communication Workers of America Local 1 announced they are endorsing Squadron. For an insurgent, that's a major coup.

It's also worth noting that the union’s statement acknowledges there isn't much difference between the two candidates on policy:

Squadron's opponent—Senator Martin Connor—has been in office for decades. In the highly progressive 25th State Senate District, on many important issues the candidates profess similar, or even identical, views. Yet Squadron has the energy, fresh perspective and detailed understanding of the issues to effectively move legislation.  read more »

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One of Sheldon Silver’s Democratic opponents is asking him to release his tax returns, and, in making the case for him to do so, is quoting one of Silver's allies: Marty Connor.

In this Downtown Express article, Connor, who has been Silver's legislative partner and election lawyer for years, said he would release his own taxes for the last five years and says, “Why not do it?"  read more »

Brooklyn’s oldest and largest gay Democratic club, Lambda Independent Democrats, endorsed neither  Representative Ed Towns nor his challenger, Kevin Powell, at its endorsement meeting last night. 

In the heated State Senate race between State Senator Marty Connor and his challenger, Dan Squadron, the club chose Connor. 

I've put in some calls to find out more--I'll update when I hear back. 

The full list of Lambda endorsements:  read more »

 read more »

Democracy for New York City, the progressive group related to Howard Dean's Democracy for America, is holding a forum on Sunday, May 18 for the candidates in two upcoming elections: the one for Sheldon Silver's Assembly seat, and the challenge to State Senator Marty Connor.
 read more »

State Senate candidate Dan Squadron, trying to unseat Marty Connor, is framing the race as one between two wings of the Democratic Party, progressive and establishment--and he made his first issue the politics of Albany. In doing so, he drew attention to some of the vagueness of those terms.  read more »

State Senator Marty Connor responded to his opponent, Dan Squadron, after Squadron made an early campaign attack this morning by recalling Connor’s 2004 tax lien.

Connor said, “I think it’s really pathetic they begin a campaign in April with such a negative attack.” Squadron, Connor says, "has no record in the community, never served on a community board, and all he does is attack, attack, attack.”  read more »

With Schumer-esque intensity, Dan Squadron, who is running to unseat State Senator Marty Connor, just released a “helpful note” to his opponent, incumbent state Senator Marty Connor just now, reminding him to pay his taxes today.

The election is in September.

The release, which is clearly intended to be more of a reminder for the likes of me than for Connor, refers to a 2004 tax lien filed against Connor which he explained at the time was due to his reporting error related to the Alternative Minimum Tax. “I screwed up figuring out how to deal with the AMT,” he said at the time.

When I asked Squardon’s campaign manager Mary Cooley why they were dredging up an issue from 2004, she said, “Obviously taxes are something that’s important, and we just thought it would be important to remind him.”

When asked if Squadron would make his own tax information public, Cooley said she unsure and will get to me with an answer.

A spokesman for Connor did not immediately have a response.

UPDATE: Squardon's campaign manager emailed to say, "Daniel will release his taxes, as soon as Senator Connor gets around to doing and releasing his."

Squadron’s campaign memo follows.  read more »

Here’s Chuck Schumer endorsing Dan Squadron yesterday in lower Manhattan. Squadron, a former Schumer aide, is trying to unseat State Senator Marty Connor.
 read more »

Dan Squadron is trying to unseat fellow Democrat Marty Connor for state Senate, in the district that represents lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

But more interesting than the people on the ballot are how Demoratic power brokers are lining up in that fight. Schumer is supporting Squardon, his former aide, against Connor, who didn’t support Schumer in his 1998 primary for Senate.

But as the invitation for Connor’s May 8th fund-raiser at the Ritz Carlton shows, he's got a good chunk of the rest of the party establishment.  read more »

Charles Schumer made his endorsement of insurgent Democratic state senate candidate Dan Squadron official today, siding with his former aide over the incumbent Democrat, Marty Connor.

In statement released by his spokesman's private email account, Schumer said Squadron “is a true blue Democrat; I am proud to endorse him and look forward to working with him as he builds to victory."  read more »

The crowd at Dan Squadron's kick-off state Senate campaign fund-raiser at a bar in NoLita last night was full of young professionals, and had the feel of an insider's party.

Squadron's friends and family were heavily represented--his brother and at least two former classmates from Fieldston High School (class of '98) were there. Also, a number of the partygoers were employees of elected city officials and declined to be identified by name. (One of those I spoke to mentioned that he was there as a personal friend of Squadron's, but did not want to give the impression that his boss was supporting Squadron’s primary bid against incumbent Democratic legislator Marty Connor.)

More after the jump.  read more »

You know things have gotten weird in a small local primary when Republicans start putting images of Charlie Rangel on their literature.

This piece, which I heard is circulating in Queens, is linking the Queens County Republican Chairman, Phil Ragusa, to Rangel, who thinks Dick Cheney has mental problems.

The mail piece references a 2002 donation of $1000 that Ragusa made to Rangel’s committee and notes that Rangel help engineer the Democratic takeover of congress in last year’s election.

Ragusa, a CPA, is running this year for a male-designated state Republican committee post in the 26th Assembly District. The only other candidate for that slot is Peter Boudouvas, an aide to Republican state Senator Frank Padavan.

The mail may not derail’s Ragusa’s election to that position tomorrow, but it’s certain to fuel the seemingly endless fight for control of the Queens G.O.P. county organization, which has been going on for years and involves technical election law stuff I don't entirely understand. (Critics like John and Bart Haggerty--with the help of Democratic election lawyer Martin Connor--say the way the county counts votes is screwy.)

Credit for kicking off this latest skirmish goes to former congressional candidate-turned-blogger Jun Policarpio, who wrote about the Rangel donation about a week ago.  read more »

"He's setting a great example," said state Senator Martin Connor of Eliot Spitzer's self-imposed campaign contributions limits and attendance at fund-raisers.

But the great example, Connor made clear, isn't for him.

"This doesn't apply to me. No, we'd have to change the law. None of this applies to legislators," Connor said.

"Realistically, this executive order doesn't even apply to the state comptroller or attorney general."

Connor, who was in a tight primary race this year, did say that he'd happy to adhere to a $10,000 campaign contribution limit, which would be an increase from what state Senators and Assembly members can currently accept.

-- Azi Paybarah

"He's setting a great example," said state Senator Martin Connor of Eliot Spitzer's self-imposed campaign contributions limits and attendance at fund-raisers.

And by great example, he means for other people.

"This doesn't apply to me. No, we'd have to change the law. None of this applies to legislators," Connor said.

"Realistically, this executive order doesn't even apply to the state comptroller or attorney general."

True.

When asked, incoming AG Andrew Cuomo's people sent the following statement:

"It is essential that we restore the public trust in our government with comprehensive campaign finance, ethics, redistricting, and legislative reform and I look forward to partnering with Governor-elect Spitzer and Lt. Gov.-Elect Paterson to get these and other aggressive reforms enacted into law so that all statewide candidates and office holders are held to account."

To clarify, Cuomo's spokeswoman Wendy Katz said yes, Cuomo will adhere to Spitzer's campaign contribution limits.

A message left at comptroller Alan Hevesi's office was not immediately returned.

Connor, who was in a tight primary race this year, said he'd happy to have a $10,000 campaign contribution limit since, that would be a raise from what state Senators and Assembly members can currently accept.

-- Azi Paybarah

On Room 8, Yoda beat me to the punch in writing about how a statewide elected official - like a comptroller for example - is replaced if he steps down in mid-term.

Here, with an assist from election law expert Martin Connor, is the deal:

Replacement candidates are selected by the both houses of the state legislature, where Democrats currently have enough votes to pick who they want. (That would make for some interesting negotiations between the Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Eliot Spitzer.)

The leading candidate in the rumor mill to replace Alan Hevesi, should a scenario ever come to pass that would force him out of office, is city comptroller Bill Thompson. (His office hasn't returned calls on this since yesterday.)

The legislature has already picked statewide officials before: when H. Carl McCall was elected to finish state comptroller Edward Regan's term in 1993; and when Oliver Koppell was elected to fill the remainder of Attorney General Robert Abrams's term in 1994.  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah

Ken Diamondstone was reinstated to the ballot today in the race for Brooklyn's 25th senate district after a week's worth of court appearances. He will face Marty Connor in the primary September 12.

Stay tuned for more as we hear back from both candidates.

—Nicole Brydson

UPDATE: Diamondstone press release after the jump.  read more »