Pat Russo

Politicker Intern David Greenhouse writes in:

Seems that while Freddy and Mike can't campaign in public schools, Catholic schools are fair game. Pat Russo was stone-faced as Pataki spoke at the Our Lady of Angels School, and then he offered an appraisal of his own role "working for the Pataki administration in the welfare IG's office where we have really shown with the Governor's leadership how accountability, personal responsibility belongs in government and starts here."

This is not (ed.-shock!) drawing much press, with only a few other reporters there - one from Sing Tao, another from the Brooklyn Skyline, and a freelance photographer.

On the street afterwards, Brooklyn Conservative Party chairman Gerry Kassar said he'd seen Vinny Gentile peeking into the room, but the Politicker couldn't confirm this.  read more »

"Don't stop until 8:58 election night," Pataki told Russo as he left.

Politicker Intern David Greenhouse rode out to Bay Ridge last night for a debate between City Councilman Vinnie Gentile and his challenger, Pat Russo.

He writes:

If there's one thing Vinny Gentile and Pat Russo can agree on, it's that New York's cross-endorsement system opens up great lines of attack. Russo took a beating for being on the Republican/Liberal, Conservative, and Independence lines simultaneously.

"It makes no sense how [Russo] is running," Gentile said. "A militant activist, a hardcore conservative, and a Republican liberal. ... [He] will say anything or do anything to get his name on the ballot as many times as possible."

But when the very next question asked Gentile about his own cross-endorsement by the Working Families Party, his tone changed abruptly.

"I don't agree with every position, and I will stand up when I don't agree with a position.... I don't have a problem taking the WFP's designation."  read more »

Russo said essentially the same thing, that he had "agree[d] to disagree" with Mike on taxes and senior services, among other issues, and he equated Gentile's WFP support with illegal immigration and non-citizen voting, neither of which plays well in southwest Brooklyn.

Politicker intern David Greenhouse will be keeping track of the handful of competitive City Council races in November -- Upper East Side, Bay Ridge, and maybe the north Bronx -- so if you're involved in one of those contests, please keep him in the loop at dlg2103(at)columbia.edu.

He recently spent some time in Bay Ridge, and filed this report:

It's been a rough season for Vinny Gentile, what with the publicized sexual harassment allegations, and here's another one to chew on: Bay Ridge residents have been going to his opponent's campaign to get help with city services.

Republican candidate Pat Russo told the Politicker on Sunday that his office volunteers have been been fielding complaints about noise and potholes. The Politicker was skeptical, but as if on cue, a middle-aged woman emerged from a nearby church and let Pat know she'd called his office about noxious odors from the Owl's Head wastewater treatment plant. Pat said he was on the case.  read more »

For legislators at any level, leverage with the bureaucracy is one of the pillars in the so-called incumbent protection program. We're not saying Vinny doesn't have it, but if voters think Pat does, it certainly means his challenger candidacy is more credible.

Reached later, Gentile campaign manager Chris Lanier said defended his boss's pothole operation and added, "Pat Russo appears magically on the scene whenever an election is coming. People know that. When there isn't an election imminent, he's nowhere to be found."