Politics in the Bronx, better than a soap opera. The following is from a blog in the Daily News we wanted to share with our readers.
We hear former City Councilman Pedro G. Espada may be looking at Ruben Diaz Jr.’s Assembly seat should Rubencito win the special election for borough president.
It could be a further sign of the love fest between the political Hatfields and McCoys of the Bronx if the Diazes can swallow supporting the son of State Sen. Pedro (the Wascally Wabbit) Espada Jr.
Or, it might be an in-your-face challenge from the Espadas for the Soundview seat.
Daddies Espada and Ruben (The Rev) Diaz Sr., along with Brooklyn State Sen. Carl Kruger, now call themselves the Three Amigos (we’d say Three Banditos), having extorted plum jobs out of Malcolm Smith for their votes to make him majority leader in the narrowly divided Senate. They’re still riding high in the saddle – at least until Dems widen their majority there..
Meanwhile, son Pedro G. is playing it coy.
“Lots of people have approached me and asked me about running,” he told us. “One can never close the door to opportunity.”
On the “fuhgeddaboudit!” side, one Bronx Democratic Party insider made it short and sweet on any party support: “Pedro G. ain’t happening.”
To which a player in Rubencito’s camp added: “The community ain’t going for that.”
One other name floated so far for the seat: State Democratic Committeeman Mike Robles, out of Rubencito’s 85th Assembly District clubhouse.
Stay tuned…
Carrión baggage to D.C.
Ex-Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión may have had trouble sitting at his desk yesterday – on his first day in the White House as President Obama’s new urban policy czar.
The News’ investigative team singed his tailfeathers with a Sunday story on the suspicious timing of big campaign bucks from developers whose projects he funded and/or pushed. Guess the FBI/Obama vetting team didn’t think the pay-for-play game was a big deal.
Mayor Bloomberg yesterday called a special election for Tuesday, April 21, to fill the BP’s seat. It could have been earlier in the month, but would have conflicted with Passover.
Meantime, acting Borough President Earl Brown will be handling all ribbon cuttings and declarations of war.
Finger-lickin’ good in Belmont
As a guy with some Southern roots, we’re happy to report Mo Gridders, that highly praised barbecue joint in a trailer in the industrial end of Hunts Point Ave. (a New York Times food critic called it “New York’s Best Barbecue!”) has opened up a second joint in the heart of the Bronx’s Little Italy (www.mogridder..com).
Owner Freddy Donnelly has taken over Roberto Paciullo’s old Roberto’s restaurant, a short two-block stroll off Arthur Ave. on Crescent Ave. and 186th St., to crank out his finger-lickin’ good slow-cooked smoked ribs, pulled pork and other Southern deee-lights. Y’all mangia, yuh heah?
Filling the party piggy bank
With booted boss Jose Rivera leaving the Bronx Democratic Party coffers drained, new county leader Carl Heastie is still holding off on a fund-raising county dinner until late spring.
“We’re doing retail stuff – small cocktail parties here and there,” sayeth a party insider.
Meanwhile, Jose and Carl both showed up at state Sen. Pedro Espada’s fund-raiser Thursday night at the Manhattan restaurant Sofrito, formerly owned by Bronxite Jimmy Rodriguez.
“No food fight,” sayeth a spy.
Council plums and prunes
East Bronx Councilman Jimmy Vacca got his reward from Council Speaker Christine Quinn last week for voting for third terms.
She named Jimmy chair of the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services.
Along with an extra 10Gs in his paycheck, he’ll get to hose fire brass over proposed budgetary closings of firehouses – including City Island’s.
Soundview Councilwoman Annabel Palma, who voted against third terms, basically got bubkes, keeping her chairmanship of the subcommittee on drug abuse, which pays 4Gs.
Larry Davis footnote
Luis Rosado, who fatally shanked the Bronx’s infamous Larry Davis in prison last year, copped a plea last week, slapping an extra 10 years onto his 25-to-life stretch for a 1983 Bronx murder.
We still remember those ambulances rolling into Bellevue, one after the other, that chilly November night in 1986 after Davis, a lowlife drug dealer some knuckleheads still view as an urban folk hero, used his sister’s kid as a shield as he shot six cops trying to arrest him.
A Bronx jury acquitted Davis, who claimed self defense, but he was sent away (for what is now forever) for killing another drug dealer.
No related posts.