NY Observer > Dave Pollak http://www.observer.com/taxonomy/term/27191/feed Articles from Observer.com en Scenes From (Outside) 41 Broad Street http://www.observer.com/2008/scenes-outside-41-broad-street

Here’s a ticket that intern Em Whitney and I scored as a souvenir from last night’s State Democratic Party fund-raiser at 41 Broad Street. Since the event was closed to the press, we didn’t actually make it inside, but we did get to chat with a few people outside about Hillary Clinton‘s presidential campaign and other topics of interest.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/scenes-outside-41-broad-street#comments Politics Christine Quinn Cindy Darrison Dave Pollak June O'Neil Malcolm Smith Ryan Karben Tom DiNapoli Tom Suozzi Fri, 23 May 2008 09:11:54 -0400 Azi Paybarah 69597 at http://www.observer.com Pollak Departure Not a Loss for Clinton's Superdelegate Count http://www.observer.com/2008/spitzer-pollak-and-superdelegates

In case you were wondering, the departure of State Democratic Party co-chair Dave Pollak does not mean Hillary Clinton's superdelegate count is down. That's because Pollak, a committed Clinton superdelegate, will be replaced by Reggie LaFayette, who is now the party’s second highest-ranking member.

In other words, this is different than the unexpected departure of Eliot Spitzer. David Paterson was already a superdelegate for Clinton, so his ascension to governor resulted in the net-loss of one.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/spitzer-pollak-and-superdelegates#comments Politics Dave Pollak Eliot Spitzer Hillary Clinton Jonathan Rosen Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:25:49 -0400 Azi Paybarah 67656 at http://www.observer.com State Democratic Party Co-Chair Pollak Out http://www.observer.com/2008/pollak-out

State Democratic Party co-chair Dave Pollak is leaving his position, the party announced a few minutes ago (right when most people are heading out the door for the weekend).

Pollak had previously run the group Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century, which brought political leaders in front of young professionals and provided a place for those leaders to recruit campaign operatives and legislative employees.

Pollak, along with chair June O’Neill, was hand-picked by Eliot Spitzer to run the party after the departure of former chair Herman Denny Farrell. Pollak was charged (naturally) with bringing the party into the 21st century.

The departure comes amid a number of personnel changes David Paterson has made to replace Eliot Spitzer's hires with his own.

Here is the official statement:  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/pollak-out#comments Politics Dave Pollak David Paterson Eliot Spitzer Herman Denny Farrell June O'Neill Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:46:31 -0400 Azi Paybarah 67433 at http://www.observer.com Weprin's C.O.S. Departs, May Run for His Seat http://www.observer.com/2007/weprins-crowded-fund-raiser Last night at David Weprin’s fund-raiser for his city comptroller campaign, I learned that the City Councilman’s long-time chief of staff, Jack Rubin Friedman, is leaving in January to become the head of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. One attendee told me that Rubin might run for Weprin’s seat in 2009. (Rubin was standing nearby and interjected that it’s only a possibility at this point.)

The event at the Woolworth Kitchen and Towers drew a number of notable attendees: Dan Gardonick, Eric Gioia, Dave Pollak, Hank Sheinkopf, Domenic Recchia, Diane Savino and George Arzt.

Press-shy top aides to Christine Quinn, Ramone Martinez and Chuck Meara, were also there, and probably weren’t thrilled when Weprin announced their presence over the microphone.]]> http://www.observer.com/2007/weprins-crowded-fund-raiser#comments Politics Chuck Meara Dave Pollak David Weprin Diane Savino Domenic Recchia Eric Gioia George Arzt Hank Sheinkopf Ramone Martinez Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:41:39 -0500 Azi Paybarah 61176 at http://www.observer.com Party at Pollak's, Admission $50-10,000 http://www.observer.com/2007/party-pollaks-wheres-fourth-ave

Calling all DL21C types: There's a fund-raising party at the Fourth Avenue home of State Democratic Party co-chair Dave Pollak. With a surprise special guest!(Guesses?)

Tickets start at $50 and go up to $10,000.

Admission free for canvassing volunteers.

Details of the party invite, which a reader sent to me, are after the jump.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2007/party-pollaks-wheres-fourth-ave#comments Politics Style Dave Pollak Wed, 05 Sep 2007 13:32:01 -0400 Azi Paybarah 57572 at http://www.observer.com The Best Defense... http://www.observer.com/2007/changing-venues-bruno-show

The State Democratic Party is starting to execute something resembling an organized push-back to the Spitzer Trials, criticizing Senate Republicans for the hearing they held in Albany yesterday after a Daily News editorial today called it a partisan show.

“This is not an investigation, this is Act One of Saving Joe Bruno’s Majority, coming to theatres near you in November, 2008,” said Dave Pollak, the Co-Chair of the state party, in a statement.

Chairwoman June O‘Neill said, “Eliot Spitzer has already demonstrated that he is vigorously determined to finally elect a Democratic State Senate as a necessary step to getting things done for the people of New York. Senate Republicans will go to any length to tie up and obstruct this Governor so he can't bring much needed change to Albany.”

]]> http://www.observer.com/2007/changing-venues-bruno-show#comments Politics Dave Pollak Eliot Spitzer June O'Neill Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:09:42 -0400 Azi Paybarah 56816 at http://www.observer.com After Denny http://www.observer.com/node/30934 pollack-222.JPG

Speaking of DL21C, I also caught up last night with Dave Pollak, who Eliot Spitzer picked to be the new State Democratic Party co-chair along with upstate county leader June O'Neill.

Pollak describes the heirarchical structure of the DL21C group he founded as "flat" -- that is, more reliant on technology and grass roots support than on a heavy-handed leader. Sounding very much in tune with Spitzer's campaign theme of using technology to improve access to data and create transparency in government, Pollack touted his group as something of a model for a new-and-improved state party.

And in what seemed to be a pretty clear slap at his predecessor, Pollak described the party infrastructure that he's inheriting as woefully out of date.

"Ninety percent of the counties in New York don't have web access, don't have computers and have to pay the state party to get walking lists from the voter files. Forget hierarchy," he said.

More of our conversation is here and here.

-- Azi Paybarah]]> http://www.observer.com/node/30934#comments Politics Dave Pollak Eliot Spitzer June O'Neill New York Wed, 13 Dec 2006 09:03:42 -0500 Observer Staff 30934 at http://www.observer.com