Azi Paybarah

A reader working with a gun-control group notes that today's SCOTUS ruling doesn't entirely prevent localties from restricting gun ownership. The reader highlighted this passage from the ruling:

It is important to keep in mind that Heller, while striking down a law that prohibited the possession of handguns in the home, recognized that the right to keep and bear arms is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose. 554 U. S., at ___ (slip op., at 54). We made it clear in Heller that our holding did not cast doubt on such longstanding regulatory measures as prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms. Id., at ___-___ (slip op., at 54-55). We repeat those assurances here. Despite municipal respondents doomsday proclamations, incorporation does not imperil every law regulating firearms.

Paterson said he'll "veto everything," if legislators don't create a contingency plan for losing federal FMAP money.

Silver says the gap to be closed is about $200 million. Others say it's closer to $400 million.

Sampson may be at least five votes short of passing the state budget bill.

Two problems with Assemblyman Boyland's campaign kick-off announcement.

First, it came from his official Assembly e-mail address.

Second, it lists Michael Carver as the contact person. The way to reach Carver, according to the announcement, is through his Assembly e-mail address.

State law prohibits legislative supplies--like email addresses, computers, letterhead, and employees from being used for campaigning.

Here's the e-mail I, and a lot of other reporters, were sent this afternoon:

The sentencing today of Richard Izquierdo for embezelling $115,000 from a non-profit that caters to low-income residents is pretty harsh: 366 days in jail, a $3,000 fine and he has to repay the money he misused.

Some of the people who benefited from his spending are not facing any changes. That includes his employer and grandmother, Carmen Arroyo, whose Assembly office got new floors, thanks to Izquierdo.

The assemblywoman was not in her office today and unavaible for comment, according to a spokeswoman.

Former Senator Al D’Amato and Ron Alexenburg, the legendary head of Epic Records –- who signed Michael Jackson and others -– are among the guests who appeared in a new televison and radio show hosted by Frank MacKay.

MacKay, the head of the State Independence Party, said the weekly, hour-long show titled "Voice of Independence," will launch in New York, Atlanta, Denver, Portland and other cities.

The show will focus on “the process of success, the process of failure, the process of scandal,” said MacKay. “It’s not just about the headlines.”

For MacKay, it’s a melding of two worlds he’s worked in worked in for years: politics and entertainment. Before becoming the head of the state’s third largest political party, MacKay ran a night club on Long Island and taught guitar lesson for years.

The show will be filmed out of Pro Image Group in Bohemia, New York.

This Sunday will be the "founding convention" of Charles Barron's Freedom Party, he told me in a chat this morning.

The event will start at 4:30 p.m. at 260 Jefferson Avenue in Brooklyn, inside the Siloam Presbyterian Church.

Because his party doesn't have a pre-existing position on the ballot, Barron, who is running for governor, has to get signatures in each congressional district across the state.

And even if he gets enough signatures, there's always the hurdle of election lawyers finding other problems.

The AP puts Cuomo and Lazio in the same financial boat:

Both candidates show investments and bank accounts over $250,000. Both have previously confirmed recent $1 million salaries and other compensation — Lazio as a lobbyist on Wall Street, and Cuomo as an adviser to a real estate magnate.

Federal FMAP money may not be heading to Albany.

Financial regulation deal includes Volcker Rule: That "restricts the ability of banks whose deposits are federally insured from trading for their own benefit. That measure had been fiercely opposed by banks and large Wall Street firms."

Lincoln's deal with NY Democrats "would allow banks to trade interest-rate swaps, certain credit derivatives and others—in other words the kind of standard safeguards a bank would take to hedge its own risk."

For Democrats, 2010 will be more painful than 1994 because they have more vulnerable seats to defend.

Here's the chart backing it up.

Namazee's sentencing is on June 30, and he could get 15 to 20 years.

Kruger is accused of shaking down a local nightclub owner.

Bloomberg pushes immigration, which a City Hall insider says probably isn't on the White House agenda.

Also, Bloomberg: "We're not a pressure group; we're an information group."

Murdoch: "We’re just going to keep the pressure on the congressmen."

"The mayor’s strong case would be even stronger if he weren’t trying to eliminate some legal services and English classes for immigrants."

Bloomberg couldn't wait to deliver the city budget.

Libraries aren't expected to close.

Thirty to 40 senior centers will be cut, and library service gets cut from six to five days.

Firehouses were spared.

One thousand city workers will be laid off, and 2,000 teacher positions will be lost to attrition.

"The city is bracing for a cut in state aid that could total as much as $1.3 billion."

It's unclear how much member items will shrink.

Bloomberg will march with Log Cabin Republicans on Sunday.

LGBT are "decisively" behind Maloney and Schneiderman.

Paterson says raising some taxes may help close the state budget.

Spector: "Paterson said that about 10 percent to 13 percent of the deficit would be closed with new taxes."

Precious gets into the weeds on education financing.

Lazio discloses his income, using letter grades to stand for a wide range of dollar amounts.

Jose hears about Lindsay, the mayor and urban planner.

Monserrate confronts Moya at a church.

Allegretti attacks McMahon for supporting the Dream Act.

Ignizio backs the other Republican in the race, Michael Grimm.

Mayoral control in Rochester now has to pass the state Senate.

Bratton parties with Dinkins, Blakeman and others.

Despite the SCOTUS ruling, the Post says Bruno "abused the office he held for 14 years."

The Post also hopes Paterson holds the line on the budget.

And here's the other handshake deal last night, featuring Stu Loeser and Jamie McShane.

Of Paladino's many vices, drugs are not among them.

His spokesman emails:

"On Wednesday at a meeting in Watertown, Carl Paladino referred to Gov. David Paterson as a drug addict. Carl was referring to the Governor's admitted use of cocaine...

[snip]

"If the Governor is no longer using cocaine, then good for him, good for his family and good for the State of New York. But once you are an addict, you are always an addict. And if the Albany ruling elite is okay with present or past drug use among their political leaders, they need to know that the vast majority of New York is not.

"Unlike any other candidate for Governor or our present chief executive, Carl Paladino has never used marijuana, cocaine or any other illegal drug."

Today’s Supreme Court ruling is being interpreted as a victory for Joe Bruno, the former Senate Majority Leader who was convicted of violating the federal “honest services” law for not disclosing the fact he was getting hundreds of thousands of dollars as a private consultant.

“[T]his clearly puts the conviction of Joe Bruno in jeopardy,” said state Senator Eric Schneiderman, who introduced legislation to strengthen the state’s version of that law.

The ruling today narrowed the scope of when the “honest services” law can be applied and does not include cases of self-dealing and failing to disclose payments, as in Bruno’s case.

Bruno’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement that the federal law was unconstitutional. “The Supreme Court has now agreed,” Lowell said. “We look forward to pressing our claim again with the Justice Department and with the judge who tried the case.”

Sean Coffey's campaign just released a couple of photographs from their fund-raiser with SNL star-turned Senator Al Franken which, for some reason, was a closed press event, as Bob Hennelly found out the hard way.

Jimmy Siegel's soaring music and 30-second biopic ad includes this pithy line which seperates Sean Coffey from the four other Democratic attorney general candidates: "New Yorkers don't need another politician seeking office."

Unambiguously latching onto the anti-incumbency feeling out there.

The next state budget showdown: soda tax or a shutdown.

DJ is not commenting to authorities about domestic violence allegations against him.
 
Beveridge: "[T]he population and power shift from upstate to downstate continued unabated."

Dicker and Carroll fight over Q poll results. Dicker: "ginned up" results.

Bloomberg defends Tusk and blanks out on an important detail.

Gaskellblog arrives.

Hennelly covers the AG fight.

Legistorm covers Meeks.

So does TPM.

Gillibrand wants earmark transparency.

Parker and Diaz have a polite discussion.

The message in Rick Lazio’s web ad is that Andrew Cuomo is a product of Albany, and despite his current rhetoric, holds great affection for its current powerbrokers, namely, Sheldon Silver.

Bradley Tusk said Blagojevich tried to shake down Rahm Emanuel.

Blago, via Tusk, wanted Emanuel to sign a letter defending the governor. Emanuel wanted funding for a school in his district.

NYT: "Asked if Mr. Tusk had encouraged the mayor to give to Mr. Blagojevich, Mr. Loeser declined to answer."

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand leads her two Republican rivals, but her numbers are below 50 percent in nearly every category across the board, according to the Quinnipiac poll released today.

In the latest Quinnipiac poll, 64 - 21 percent of voters say Democrat Andrew Cuomo isn't explaining enough how he'd fix the state's budget problems.

New York's budget is late, but that's not a new thing. In fact it's not nearly as late as it's been in previous years.

Paychecks delayed.

Savino will quit smoking.

Cuomo didn’t do anything harder than marijuana.

Liz says we can expect to travel a lot if Cuomo becomes governor.

Lazio will release his info.

Lee explains the investigation into him and his colleagues.

Wilson won’t say how much he’ll give his campaign.

King and Wilson trade jabs about transparency.

Farrell glosses over pesky details about taxing cigarettes.

Cuza said Rice “did nothing to dispel that notion” that she’s Cuomo’s preferred candidate.

Lopez and Levin fight Reyna and Velazquez over Domino.

Citizen Budget Commission identifies “at least 50 two-house bills” that would “sweeten” benefits for public employees.

What Koch’s approval looks like.

Video from today’s Council hearing on technology.

One techie’s testimony about NYC releasing raw data.

If only the Roosevelt Island Board of Directors were more transparent.

Tasini goes to a barber shop as lefty as he is. On Obama: “You can’t expect a guy who is essentially a politician to do more than he’s going to do if the people aren’t in the streets.”

John Edwards’s favorite tabloid is moving to One Park Avenue.

Booker backs Christie’s property tax cap.

And Rahm gently disputes a story that he's quitting the White House: “BS,” “baseless” and “ludicrous.”