Spin Cycle

Post-election pressure is mounting from within on state and county GOP chairman Joseph Mondello as he acknowledges the need to rebuild. The Schwartz Report has this posting, of which excerpts are included below:

Dear Friend:

... We have all heard the empty excuses that have come out of Post Avenue regarding the reasons for the failures of the organization to be competitive in recent years....

....The same old excuses, reported in the local newspapers after this year’s utter failure, should compel you to action, on behalf of your Party.

.....Mr. Mondello is responsible for carrying out many important matters on behalf of the Republican Party. However, his inability to lead our party invariably has resulted in failure.

For example, Mr. Mondello’s failure to employ new strategies, develop an attractive message or counter Democrat voter registration efforts....His failure to support and grow the Young Republican organization, once a farm system for future Republican leaders and candidates, has caused the Party difficulty in attracting this important segment of our County. The failure to reach out to Latino voters, and other minority groups and their voters, has caused our Party to surrender the support of those voters to the opposition.

...Despite his long-held public stance against judicial cross-endorsement, he has been forced to give Party endorsement to Democrat and minor party judicial candidates in exchange for endorsement of a few Republican judicial candidates.... The Party should never be in a position of endorsing candidates who do not adhere to important elements of our Party’s philosophy.

The Republican Committee has failed to expend sufficient resources to wage aggressive and successful campaigns in many races....

Mr. Mondello’s complete lack of responsiveness to the executive committee, his failure to adjust our Party’s message and approach to changing times and demographics, and his general failure of leadership, have made it clear that he can no longer effectively function as the Chairman of the Nassau County Republican Committee.

I hope you agree that the future of the Nassau County Republican Party depends upon the selection of a new, dynamic and energetic leader. ....

Sincerely,

COMMITTEE FOR
NASSAU COUNTY
REPUBLICAN PARTY REFORM

Now, after today’s report on Carol Hoffman leaving the firm Jaspan, Schlesinger Hoffman LLP, from which she was a focus of the pension-abuse uproar — and where Sen. Craig Johnson is now “of counsel” — Johnson challenger Barbara Donno is slamming him again.

Last week she released an ad that reached beyond the facts as reported to tie the Port Washington Democrat to the mess, even though from all available evidence he joined the firm after Hoffman’s controversial activities had taken place.

In her latest news release on Monday, Donno charged: ““Carol Hoffman’s decision to leave before she was originally scheduled to retire in December is an obvious political maneuver designed to distance Craig Johnson and his law firm from the 'double dipping' scandal...While the offender at the middle of this scandal is gone, Craig Johnson continues to collect a paycheck from them and he has remained silent. Residents deserve an explanation and Craig Johnson should denounce his law firm and its involvement in this scandal.”

While the Jaspan firm has several Democratic Party contacts, the glass-house aspect merits repeating: This scandal has actually been quite bi-partisan. Denouncing Donno’s campaign as promoting lies, and saying "no one here ever double-dipped," Steven Schlesinger (in photo), a partner who is counsel to the Nassau County Democrats, has pointed out, for example, that state and GOP chairman Joseph Mondello is of counsel to the law firm Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, and Peddy. There, as Newsday reported, partner Gil Henoch was improperly reported for two decades as a school-district employee.

The Johnson camp last week called for Cablevision News 12 to stop running the Donno ads but was rejected. “First, Craig Johnson and his law firm tried to strongarm a media outlet
into shutting down free speech, and now has forced Carol Hoffman out for
political expediency," Donno said in her news release. "These attempts to hide the truth are disgraceful, and speak volumes about Craig Johnson’s character, judgment, and
temperament.”

Dan Janison

Gregory Peterson, a Nassau Republican and past Hempstead presiding supervisor, has been appointed to the four-member state Board of Elections, replacing commissioner Helena Donahue. State commissioners are part-time and paid $25,000. Peterson is a principal in the Garden City law firm Berkman, Henoch, Peterson & Peddy, where state and Nassau GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello is of counsel. In 2005, Peterson ran for county executive against incumbent Democrat Thomas Suozzi.

Donahue was a wholesale food distributor and the GOP chairwoman in the Town of Haverstraw when then State GOP Chairman Anthony Colavita of Westchester first nominated her to the state board in 1989.

Celeste Hadrick and Dan Janison

News items in recent days about a purported effort to unseat Joseph Mondello as state Republican leader seem shrouded, at best, by a political version of “Rashomon effect” in which recollections of the same matter differ by what a person is pre-disposed to believe.

Late last week, published reports -- all attributed to unidentified sources – had it that Tony Carbonetti, the right-hand man of former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, would make a move to become state chairman, and that current NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg met with departing upstate Congressman Tom Reynolds in a move to make him new party leader.

Parts of the puzzle were that Giuliani is in debt from his failed presidential effort, Bloomberg’s team was trying to keep him politically relevant and maybe prod him to run for governor, and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno recently hired a Giuliani man, Matthew Mahoney, to direct GOP state Senate campaigns.

But Giuliani and Carbonetti have assured Mondello that no such intrigue is afoot – and this denial actually sounds very plausible. Though Mondello and Giuliani weren’t exactly buds in the past, they did work closely last year when Mondello lined up the state organization to endorse Giuliani for president, a fact not lost on the ex-mayor. Giuliani had high praise for Mondello at the recent state GOP dinner.

For various reasons it also seems less than 50-50 that either former-Republican Bloomberg or more-than-ever-Republican Giuliani will run for governor in 2010 -- though of course you can never prove a negative, especially when someone's ambitions might change. Meanwhile, some Mondello-ites believe this is all mischief inspired by those around the chairman's old nemesis, the disappeared ex-Gov. George Pataki.

After the GOP dinner on May 29, Bruno was asked about the prospects of Rep. Peter King running for governor. Bruno, who has been a consistent backer of Mondello, said: ““We’ve got some great candidates in Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Rudy Giuliani, Peter King, you name it.”

The season of strange speculation begins. Stories so far were published here , here, here and here.

Dan Janison

At around the same time tonight, just a few blocks apart, the state's Republican and Conservative parties will be holding separate dinners - a pretty glaring conflict given their overlapping sources of support.

Organizers say the simultaneous scheduling was accidental. But things sometimes play out that way for the Republicans and the spinoff Conservatives, who for 46 years have positioned themselves as the rightward conscience of the New York GOP.

Vice President Dick Cheney will address the Republicans, convened by state and Nassau Chairman Joseph Mondello, at the New York Sheraton in Manhattan. So will former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno - Republicans who have had their own famous collisions with the Conservatives.

For Conservatives, the headliner at the New York Athletic Club is Rep. Mike Pence (R-Indiana), the former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservative House Republicans. Pence has called himself "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." The event is a tribute to the late William F. Buckley Jr., the national conservative icon.

Political intimacy creates a certain type of tension. For local endorsements, the strains - and intense negotiation - have been evident.

For starters, take a look here at Rick Brand's story on how Suffolk Republicans seem to have responded to prodding from Suffolk Conservatives and done an about-face on their judicial nominations.

And, in Nassau, as reported earlier, a frantic series of back-channel, multiway talks has lasted for several days between county Conservative leaders - who were balking at endorsing Republican Senate nominee Barbara Donno - and the Senate's Deputy Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre). Nassau Conservative Chairman Roger Bogsted said he expects to decide on a candidate today.

Mike Long, the state Conservative chairman, was asked yesterday if his organization was committed to keeping the GOP majority in the Senate. "Yes, we are," he said, "but we are saying the candidates have to be acceptable. And I have had some private conversations....

Dan Janison

State and Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello denied any involvement in getting his son-in-law a job in 2005 at the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, as reported here last week.

But Mondello acknowledged to Newsday that he did recommend son-in-law Christopher Ostuni to Peter Schmitt, the Nassau legislature’s minority leader, for the vacant position of minority counsel.

Ostuni, 31, started Feb. 8 for a salary of 107,000, officials said. His predecessor, Joseph Nocella, who earned $105,000, left Dec. 7.

“Peter was talking to me and asked if I knew any young bright lawyers that I thought could do the job. I absolutely recommended Chris,” Mondello said. “I like the kid. He’s a very fine lawyer.”

Mondello said his son-in-law, who declined comment, had been Lizza Construction’s in-house counsel after leaving the Waterfront Commission and before joining the county.

Celeste Hadrick

Could it really have been a year ago that state GOP Chairman Joe Mondello put together a first-in-a-long-time state Republican fundraising dinner, which featured hometown Republican rock-star Rudy Giuliani, who was showing strong in national polls, and who was seen as lifting the November ticket in New York -- with a more muted appearance later in the program by John McCain, who seemed in retrospect almost like an aperitif?

Well, Giuliani is due to return for a second such event May 29 at the New York Sheraton, as a "special guest" -- along with Vice President Dick Cheney, as described here on the LoHud blog. You can bet that the former mayor's appearance, a sharp partisan speech from him, and a warm response in the room that evening will feed speculation that Giuliani -- who faces campaign debts from his failed presidentail run --would run for governor in 2010. Or maybe he's taking seriously that vice-president thing floated by his aides in February. Here is a recent jab in the Post at Giuliani's fundraising efforts on behalf of nominee-to-be McCain. Here, the Capitol Confidential site shows part of McCain's speech last year. Notice how the room wasn't exactly hushed, you know, as if they'd all be going out to work for him a year later.

Dan Janison

State and Nassau GOP chairman Joseph Mondello has friends all over.

When his future son-in-law needed a job in 2005, Mondello’s law associate Michael Axelrod gave the young attorney’s resume to the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. There, executive director Thomas DeMaria – a local Republican committeeman – helped Christopher Ostuni, two years out of law school, get a $75,000-a-year job as his “confidential assistant.”

In March, when the Waterfront commission was under investigation and DeMaria needed a new job, he landed a $120,000-a-year position as Hempstead’s public safety commissioner.

DeMaria and Mondello both denied having had any influence over the hirings. DeMaria said he can’t recall if the then newly-created waterfront assistant job was advertised. He said he recommends candidates for the bi-state agency, but its two commissioners do the hiring. Axelrod, the New York commissioner, gave the commission Ostuni’s resume, DeMaria said.

Mondello said through a spokesman that Ostuni “was extremely well-qualified.” “He was recruited for the job by the Waterfront Commission,” he said. “I had no involvement in his employment whatsoever.”

The state Inspector General’s office is probing the commission for possible "favoritism” and “financial irregularities," sources said.

Eden Laikin

Here's Joe Mondello, state and Nassau Republican chairman, hailing the pending enactment of this year's bigger-than-ever but "sound and complete" state budget, which merely alarms fiscal conservatives in Albany's Era of Good Feeling:

"Given the tremendous strain placed on the budget process with a significant deficit and the resignation of Eliot Spitzer a few short weeks ago, the statesmanlike leadership of Senator Bruno, Assemblyman Tedisco and their Republican conferences deserves praise.

"Thanks to their dedication, focus and commitment, a sound, complete budget will be in place in a timely fashion.

"Their efforts ensured that this budget delivers real results for New York’s families and businesses by insisting on tax relief, support for business growth and job creation, spending restraint, and a fair distribution of health care and education aid."

Dan Janison

Eyebrows went up a the Nassau Board of Elections last week when Republican Family Court Judge Julianne Eisman, who is running for re-election this year, requested a lottery to determine her position on the ballot.

Although Democrats had squabbled over ballot positions in the past, Nassau Republican boss Joe Mondello had always before made the decision for his candidates.

Now it seems Mondello will continue to make the decision. After sources say Eisman was called to task at Republican headquarters, she sent another letter Thursday withdrawing her request.

Celeste Hadrick

Trying to capitalize on the illegal immigration issue, State Republicans today launched an electronic petition drive on the party's Website protesting Gov.Eliot Spitzer's order to grant drivers licenses to the undocumented.

The web page that includes the petition is headlined "Make your voice hear! Help Keep New York safe." The drive calls Spitzer's "unilateral order" to issue such licenses to illegal immigrants a "rash mistake."

"In a 9/11 world we simply cannot take chances with important identification documents," it states.

Rick Brand

Joe Mondello was voted by state Republicans for a full term as chairman in Albany today.

From the party's announcement:

“I am honored to have the support of Republicans from across the state for a full two-year term at the helm of State Committee, so I can complete the job of rebuilding our party at the grass roots level that I began just ten short months ago,” said Chairman Mondello. “Working together, we have already accomplished a great deal, but we have much more work ahead of us to ensure a successful election in 2007 and an even better year in 2008.”

Also elected at the reorganization meetings were the Regional Vice Chairs and Committee Officers, including: First Vice Chair and Vice Chair District 2 Vincent Reda (Rockland), Vice Chair District 1 Joseph Savino (Bronx), Vice Chair District 3 John Nolan (Saratoga), Vice Chair District 4 Vacant, Vice Chair District 5 James T. Ellis (Franklin), Vice Chair District 6 Don Leonard (Tioga), Vice Chair District 7 William O. Hatch (Steuben), Vice Chair District 8 Henry Wojtaszek (Niagara), Treasurer Michael Avella, and Secretary Rebecca Marino.

Former Republican state Sen. Michael Balboni, now the state's top homeland security expert, has not lost his electoral touch.

According to party sources in Albany and Nassau County, Senate Republicans in the past month conducted a poll in his old Nassau district showing Balboni would be what one local party official called a "slam dunk" winner over Democratic state Sen. Craig Johnson, who won the office Feb. 6 on the coattails of high-riding new Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

"It wasn't even close," said a second Senate source in Albany who declined to be identified. "Most people probably think Balboni's still the senator."

The poll also shows that even Nassau County Clerk Maureen O'Connell, who lost to Johnson, is "neck and neck" given Spitzer's slide in popularity.

Several sources say Senate Republicans are trying to woo Balboni back, saying that his new state job has put him in a financial squeeze and the job is lower-profile than expected. Skeptics say Balboni would never get Nassau Republican Joseph Mondello's blessing to return.

Balboni said he loves his current post. "The great thing about this job is I don't talk politics anymore," he said.

Rick Brand

In the wake of the special election for the Assembly seat formerly occupied by Paul Tonko, GOP state and Nassau chairman Joseph Mondello touted the win of George Amedore, Jr. as a victory for Republican principles. On a pragmatic basis, could things be turning around for Mondello -- in reverse proportion to how the governor is doing these days?

Click below for Mondello's statement.

State GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello slams Gov. Eliot Spitzer over his high-handed tactics in this statement -- which could help set the tone in the months ahead.

They may not get New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg to show up, but Suffolk Republican chairman Harry Withers is trying to round up local officials to attend new state leader Joseph Mondello’s $1,000 a head state GOP fundraiser in the city on May 17 -- by offering a half price discount.

“As an elected official in Suffolk County you are being offered to participate for the discounted price of $500 a person," said Withers, listing himself as Ph.D. in an April 19 memo to GOP state Senators, Assemblymen and county legislators.

Rick Brand

No one can remember Republican Hempstead Town Board members ever siding in a public vote against a Republican supervisor.

Until Tuesday, that is, when five Republican board members in the GOP stronghold killed Supervisor Kate Murray’s plan to drop health benefits for the all-Republican zoning board.

“This is unprecedented,” marvelled one longtime town Republican.

Democrats assumed Nassau and state GOP chairman Joseph Mondello gave Murray permission to break from the party’s lockstep to help her save face amid taxpayer anger over the expensive benefits given to a panel that meets two to four times a month.

“Supervisor Murray and the Republican members of the town board vote the way they’re told to vote by Joe Mondello,” said Jeff Gold, vice chair of the Town Democratic Committee.

But Mondello denies having discussed the vote with Murray or board members. And town Republicans insist Murray, who declined comment, did it on her own. She’d publicly pledged to eliminate benefits for the zoning and civil service boards and then stood by her promise even when Mondello’s top aide, Town Board Member Anthony Santino, proposed exempting the zoning board — on which former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato’s wife Katuria sits.

Celeste Hadrick

State and Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Mondello didn’t come right out and endorse former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for president Tuesday night a Suffolk’s GOP fundraiser, but he came extremely close.

While making the usual caveats that “it’s still early” and he “hasn’t made a final decision,” there was little doubt in the audience where Mondello was headed.

According to one attendee, Mondello said the former mayor is “the guy who would do us the most good in New York. We haven’t had too many people paying attention to New York. All the others take money out of New York. But don’t bring anything back.”

Another local Republican reported that Mondello said, “I’m not making an endorsement right now but I think we’re going to wind up with the hometown boy,” using the Giuliani monicker, “America’s mayor.”

Rick Brand

Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs is giving “serious consideration” to backing two Republican judges to bust his GOP counterpart Joseph Mondello’s long time opposition to cross-endorsment deals, high-level Democratic sources say.

Jacobs is weighing Democratic support for Hempstead District Court Judge Vito DeStefano who wants to run for state Supreme Court and incumbent GOP county Court Judge Gerald Carter, who is up for re-election. Party sources say that Jacobs is looking to “jump start” the process to get “quality” judges for “good government” reasons.

GOP sources, however, say that while DeStefano ran on the GOP line, he is a Conservative and a close ally of Nassau Conservative Chairman Roger Bogsted, County Executive Thomas Suozzi’s consumer affairs commissioner. Bogsted, they say, has promised to endorse at least one Democrat in return for Jacobs’ backing of DeStefano. The “quality” claim is also suspect — the Nassau Bar Association found DeStefano “unqualified” when he first ran in 2003.

The disclosure comes as Democrats’ judicial screening committee is expected to start meeting this week. The leak is aimed at stirring the pot...

Rick Brand

After Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Mondello presented Independence Party Chairman Bobby Kumar with a birthday cake at the GOP’s inaugural ball Friday night, Kumar said, “Thank you, Godfather.”

And he wasn’t kidding.

Kumar went on to explain that some years ago, when he converted to the Roman Catholic faith, he had asked Mondello to be his godfather at his baptism -- and Mondello did it.

Celeste Hadrick

Despite the big ice storm, the annual Republican Inaugural Ball went ahead as planned Friday night at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury with a significant turnout, according to people who attended.

The Nassau GOP committee honored John Duer, head of the Nassau Sheriff’s Officers Association; Angelo Catalano, chairman of the firefighters' museum in Mitchel Field; and developer Scott Rechler, who returned from Australia in time to attend the party. Former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato appeared on a humorous video shown at the party about Rechler possibly being stuck across the world.

Mondello also had a birthday cake for Nassau Independence Party Chairman Bobby Kumar, and led the singing of happy birthday, urging the patrons to join in.

Celeste Hadrick

Nassau Republicans have their eyes on tonight's tallies, thinking that a strong showing for their judicial nominees and Republican comptroller candidate Chris Callaghan in Nassau would boost local GOP Chairman Joe Mondello's chances of becoming the state party leader when Steve Minarik, whom Pataki installed as New York chairman, goes on his merry way.

Celeste Hadrick