Pressure Mounts on O'Connell to Come Clean, Release Audit

Maureen O'Connell is continuing to stonewall an audit of her performance as Nassau County Clerk, even as she runs for an open State Senate seat on her record in office.

Yesterday, Craig Johnson, the D-WFP nominee for the open Senate Seat, called on O'Connell to come clean and release the audit:

"I think the public has a right to know. When there is an official government document out there with content that is material to Ms. O'Connell's management and leadership abilities that she is keeping secret, that strikes me as unfair to voters. That's why I'm asking her to release the audit on her own and clear the air."

Nassau County Legislator Diane Yatauro, Chair of the Government Services and Operations Committee, has also joined the call for O'Connell to release the audit:

"Newsday reported today that Nassau Comptroller Howard Weitzman has prepared an audit of the Nassau County Clerk's office. As chair of the County Legislature's Government Services and Operations committee, I call on Maureen O'Connell to release the audit and clear the air. There is no excuse for blocking the public's and the legislature's right to understand the depth of the charges of mismanagement of her office."

Coverage of the story is widening, with this broadcast on Channel 12 News putting more pressure on O'Connell to come clean and release the audit.

An article in today's Newsday shows O'Connell in full coverup mode. She even goes so far as to say that she has had "no chance to respond" to the audit.

The truth is, O'Connell admits that she's had the audit since January 12th - which means she's had enough time to respond. Instead, O'Connell insists she won't respond to the audit until her Deputy Clerk comes back from maternity leave.

There's a straightforward way for Maureen O'Connell to answer questions about her actions as Nassau County Clerk - release the audit.

Call Maureen O'Connell and ask her to come clean:

516-571-2664
516-741-7300

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Craig Johnson for State Senate TV Ad #3

Here's the third Craig Johnson for State Senate TV commercial. Jimmy Siegel directed the ad; see his first two ads for the Johnson campaign here and here. In the ad, titled "How to Save," five accountants from the Seventh Senate District take O'Connell to task for her record of raising taxes.



Be sure to read about the O'Connell audit scandal and sign up to be part of the Johnson campaign GOTV push!

The ad features Certified Public Accountants Ellyn Sosin and Lenny Kreigel of New Hyde Park, Mitch Beckerman of Great Neck, Larry Greenstein of Port Washington and Accountant Stephen Goodman of Great Neck.

Here's the full script:

TITLE: "How to Save"

TEXT:
Here's what you need to know to save on taxes this year.

Maureen O'Connell voted to raise taxes and fees over 80 times--a product of the same Republican machine that almost brought Nassau County to its knees.

It might have happened, if Craig Johnson hadn't jumped in, working with Tom Suozzi to create a remarkable financial turnaround.

Bringing Nassau back to fiscal health.

So, on February 6, you can vote for someone who raises taxes--

Or, vote for someone who will lower them.

SUPER: Vote Craig Johnson for State Senate. Special Election, February 6th.

6 days until Election Day!

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Newsday Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate

Newsday, a leading Long Island paper, has delivered a major endorsement to Craig Johnson. Newsday boils it down to this: "Newsday endorses Johnson, who was willing to take a tough vote as a Nassau legislator and will do so again in Albany." Here's the full endorsement:

NEWSDAY ENDORSES: The choice in 7th SD

Johnson has shown that he is willing to take the tough votes

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has tried to transform the race to fill a vacancy in the 7th Senate District into a referendum on his reform agenda. He says that fellow Democrat Craig Johnson, a Nassau County legislator, will back his efforts to alter Albany's culture of dysfunction, and that Republican Maureen O'Connell, the county clerk, will not.

However earnest, Spitzer's assessment is a bit simplistic. It ignores the reality that a senator is likely to vote to protect his or her district, that both candidates back recent reform plans, and that the district's voters, who last year went heavily for Spitzer and for former GOP Sen. Michael Balboni, are independent minded.

In the end, the choice should go to the candidate not with the most powerful backers - including admirable ones like Spitzer - but the one with the best skills, experience and policies. That is Johnson.

A fiscal conservative but social liberal, Johnson has worked hard on local projects, but he also has a sensitive understanding of the needs of poor students in New York City and Long Island. He showed courage in backing a county property-tax hike several years ago, needed to undo the damage of GOP mismanagement. He also was a bulldog in forcing the Cradle of Aviation Museum to come up with a better business plan. We believe him when he says he generally will support fundamental reform in all areas of state government, including school aid and Medicaid, but that he won't be a "yes man" for Spitzer or other Democrats.

O'Connell has an appealing personal and political story, rising from nurse and village official to health-care lawyer and state assemblywoman. As clerk, an office she hasn't held long enough to judge her overall performance, she seems to have begun to reduce a chronic backlog in deed filings.

But for someone who has spent time in Albany and worked in health care, she is disappointingly unclear about recent key changes in Medicaid and other major issues. And in 2003, this page called one of her Assembly votes on the budget a profile in cowardice and cynicism. She tried to have her cake, by overturning a veto of school-aid cuts, and eat it too, by not being willing to pay for it with an income-tax surcharge.

Newsday endorses Johnson, who was willing to take a tough vote as a Nassau legislator and will do so again in Albany.

And here's the press release:

NEWSDAY ENDORSES CRAIG JOHNSON

Campaign Surging With Momentum

Leading Long Island Paper Says Democrat Has "Best Skills, Experience and Policies"

Democrat Craig Johnson snared yet another crucial endorsement as Newsday, Long Island's only daily newspaper, came out in support of his campaign today.

An editorial in today's paper says:

"In the end, the choice should go to the candidate not with the most powerful backers - including admirable ones like Spitzer - but the one with the best skills, experience and policies. That is Johnson."

The editorial also reminds voters of O'Connell's record of fiscal irresponsibility:

"[i]n 2003, this page called one of her Assembly votes on the budget a profile in cowardice and cynicism. She tried to have her cake, by overturning a veto of school-aid cuts, and eat it too, by not being willing to pay for it with an income-tax surcharge."

The full editorial is included at the end of this press release and online here: http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-avpend315073657jan31,0,5066926.story?coll=ny-editorials-headlines

Johnson has also been endorsed by Governor Eliot Spitzer, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lt. Governor David A. Paterson, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, State Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli, the Planned parenthood Action Fund of Nassau County, NARAL Pro-Choice New York, People for the American Way, the Empire State Pride Agenda, the Nassau County PBA, the New York Professional Nurses Union, SEIU Local 32BJ, Communications Workers of America District 1, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), United Auto Workers Region 9A, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500 and The New York Times.

The 7th Senate District encompasses the entire town of North Hempstead. It also includes the communities of Elmont, Floral Park, South Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Bellerose, Franklin Square, and part of Hicksville. Craig Johnson, a member of the Nassau County Legislature, is running for the open Senate seat as the Democratic and Working Families Parties candidate.

As Johnson endorsements pile up, here's a roundup of endorsements the WFP Blog has covered:

• Nurses Union and 7 Other Unions Endorse Craig Johnson for State Senate
• Sierra Club Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• NYLCV Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• New York Times Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• NY Ed-PAC endorses Craig Johnson
• SEIU Local 32BJ Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• Nassau County Police Benevolent Association endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• Jimmy Dahroug endorses Craig Johnson
• Sen Schumer Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• Brian Keeler Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• Gov Spitzer Formally Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• Community Alliance Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
• Working Families Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate
  

6 days until Election Day!

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NY-SD7: Johnson-O'Connell Debate Schedule

Watch both Johnson-O'Connell debates on TV. The debates start airing tonight, here's the schedule:

Channel 21 "Face Off" airs
Tuesday, January 30th, at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 3rd, at 6:30pm

News 12 Debate airs
Thursday, February 1st at 8:30pm and 11:30pm
Saturday, February 3rd, at 8am, noon, 3pm and 5:30pm
Sunday, February 4th at 8am, noon, 3pm and 5:30pm

7 days until Election Day!

Update: If you're nearby, come and watch the debate with Craig and other supporters at Finn MacCool's, 205 Main St, in Port Washington. The debate-watching party starts at 7:30 pm - be sure to stick around for an after-debate party that lasts until 10 pm. And no, Craig can't be in two places at once - the debate is pre-taped for TV.

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Nurses Union and 7 Other Unions Endorse Craig Johnson for State Senate

The New York Professional Nurses Union (NYPNU) has endorsed Craig Johnson over Maureen O'Connell, an ex-nurse, in the Feb 6 special election for an open State Senate seat in northwestern Nassau County. O'Connell has been playing up her record as an ex-nurse in her run for office. This rebuttal comes as O'Connell is refusing to release an audit of her office, raising questions about her record as Nassau County Clerk.

Here's the press release:

More Momentum as Eight Unions Endorse Johnson

Nurses union endorses Johnson over Ex-Nurse O'Connell as best health care advocate

Momentum continued to build for Democrat Craig Johnson's campaign for the State Senate today as eight unions simultaneously announced their endorsements, six days before Election Day. The unions praised Johnson's plans to make Nassau County more affordable by cutting property taxes for working families and making health care more affordable.

The most unexpected endorsement came from the New York Professional Nurses Union (NYPNU), which passed over Johnson's opponent, Maureen O'Connell, who describes herself as "a registered nurse."

Naomi Zauderer, the Executive Director of NYPNU said, "As nurses, we believe nothing is more important than ensuring high quality, affordable health care for every New Yorker. Craig Johnson shares our deep commitment to this goal."

"Craig Johnson also takes an unapologetically aggressive stance when it comes to protecting nurses and all health professionals from political extremists who would do them harm as they perform their duties. While we do not take a position on stem cell research, as nurses who understand the importance of educating the public, we respect the commitment that Craig Johnson has shown to presenting this complex issue factually, clearly, and completely. For these reasons, and because he has demonstrated a deep understanding of the core values we hold as nurses, we endorse Craig Johnson for State Senator."

In 1998, the same year that a doctor who performed abortions was gunned down outside Buffalo, O'Connell voted against the Health Care Facilities Anti-Violence Act.

The other unions who endorsed Johnson include:

• Communication Workers of America (CWA), District 1;
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), District Council 9;
• Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU);
• United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Local 1500;
• United Auto Workers, Region 9A;
• Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ; and
• the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association (PBA)
  

Chris Shelton, Vice-President of CWA, District 1, said "For working people, the choice is clear: Craig Johnson will help Long Island families struggling to pay for health care, housing and a college education for their children. These are issues that matter, and that's why we support Craig Johnson."

Joe Ramaglia, the Business Manager for IUPAT District Council 9, said, "Our members know Craig Johnson as a long time ally of working people and strongly supported him for our endorsement. Craig fought in the county legislature for the Nassau County living wage law and he'll keep fighting for our members as our State Senator. We're working to send Craig to Albanyso he can lower our taxes, raise our living standards and create a better life for working people here and across the entire state."

Nassau PBA President Gary DelaRaba said, "Craig Johnson has a strong record of being tough on crime, getting more cops on the streets and protecting our children. In the county legislature, Craig wrote laws to protect children from sexual predators and from the dangers of pesticides and second hand smoke."

Stuart Appelbaum, President of RWDSU said, "As a County Legislator, Craig worked closely with County Executive Tom Suozzi to turn around the finances of Nassau County and bring back fiscal responsibility. In Albany, Craig will support Governor Eliot Spitzer's push to reform Albany and the way our government works. We need that kind of leadership in the New York State Senate."

Mike Fishman, SEIU Local 32BJ President said, "Craig Johnson is a friend to working families. In the Nassau County Legislature, he helped pass a living wage law, and he supports strengthening this important measure. In Albany, Craig Johnson will keep fighting for higher standards for workers here on Long Island and across the state."

Dwight Loines, Political Director of UAW, Region 9A said, "Lots of our members grew up here on Long Island - but it's not clear how our kids are going to be able to raise families here, if property taxes keep rising. High property taxes are also tough on seniors with fixed incomes. Craig Johnson grew up here, and he's raising his kids here, and he understands how important it is to be able to keep families together."

Pat Purcell, Organizing Director of UFCW Local 1500 said, "Long Island has some of the greatest public schools in the country. That's one reason so many of us love to live here. Craig Johnson will fight hard to make sure we get our fair share of state funding to keep our schools the best they can be."

Craig Johnson responded, "I'm thrilled to have all this support from labor. All of the best things about Long Island come from our strong, large middle class. There isn't a better tool in America for growing the ranks of the middle class than the labor movement. When I get to Albany, I'm going to be the strongest advocate for making Long Island, and all of New York, a great place to live for hard working families."

Johnson is the Democratic and Working Families candidate for the 7th Senate District seat vacated by Michael Balboni. Balboni resigned from his seat to serve as Director of Homeland Security under Governor Spitzer.

The district encompasses the entire town of North Hempstead. It also includes the communities of Elmont, Floral Park, South Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Bellerose, Franklin Square, and part of Hicksville.

Johnson has also been endorsed by Governor Eliot Spitzer, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer; U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lt. Governor David A. Paterson, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, State Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli, People for the American Way and The New York Times.

7 days until Election Day!

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Sierra Club Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate

The Sierra Club is endorsing Craig Johnson for State Senate, joining with the NYLCV. Here's the press release:

Sierra Club: Craig Johnson on the Environment, Two Thumbs Up

During the past state legislative session, environmental bills chosen as top priorities by the state's leading environmental groups were never addressed in the State Senate. The Clean Water Protection/Flood Prevention Act, The Community Protection Act and the Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill address such critical issues as prevention of water pollution, prevention of flooding, helping municipalities protect important natural areas as they plan for growth and preservation of farmland.

Ken Baer, Chair of the Sierra Club's Atlantic Chapter said, "Craig Johnson is committed to making New York 's environment cleaner and healthier. Craig has a proven track record of addressing the needs of Nassau County, by being instrumental in preserving open space through the county's $50 million Environmental Bond Initiative, and by authoring the Pesticide Notification Law. In the New York State Senate, the Sierra Club will be able to count on Craig Johnson to enact the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, the Wetlands Bill, and the Environmental Protection Fund Enhancement Act.

Craig Johnson is committed to:

• Saving Long Island's Drinking Water: Johnson will work to prevent drilling in the Lloyd Aquifer and to protect the open spaces that help recharge our aquifers.
• Addressing Global Warming/Climate Change: Johnson supports restricting emissions of global warming pollution. Johnson wants to expand state energy efficiency and conservation programs. Johnson proposes to provide tax credits to New Yorkers who purchase fuel-efficient vehicles.
• Preserving Open Space and protecting water quality: Johnson supports passage of the Community Preservation Act to help local governments purchase and protect open space. Johnson will work to pass the Clean Water Protection/Flood Prevention Act to preserve our remaining wetlands.
  

We can send an environmental leader to Albany and send a message to Senate leadership that New Yorkers support environmental protection.

7 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

WFP Calls on O'Connell to Come Clean, Release Audit

The Working Families Party calls on Maureen O'Connell to release an audit of her performance as Nassau County Clerk. With O'Connell's record as Nassau County Clerk a major part of her campaign for State Senate, it is essential that voters are in possession of all the facts when they choose a new State Senator.

O'Connell has been in possession of the audit of her performance in office since January 12th. Instead of releasing the audit to the public, O'Connell has broken with protocol and refused to comment on the audit until after the election. Voters in the Seventh Senate District deserve to know all the facts when they vote in the February 6 special election.

Maureen O'Connell should put to rest questions about her actions as Nassau County Clerk by releasing the management audit.

Call Maureen O'Connell and ask her to release the audit at:

516-571-2664
516-741-7300

Update: More at

• The Albany Project joins the WFP in calling for O'Connell to Come Clean, Release the Audit
  
• The Daily News has an Ed Board meeting with O'Connell and wants to know what to ask her. Tell the Daily News to ask O'Connell about the audit.
  
• The Albany Project asks Why Is Maureen O'Connell Hiding An Audit Of Her Office?
• Bouldin at Daily Gotham writes Cover-up in Nassau County as O'Connell stonewalls release of unfavorable audit
  

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Silda Wall Spitzer Campaigns With Craig Johnson

When Craig Johnson hit the campaign trail in Great Neck today he had help from New York's First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer, who called him the best person to help her husband, Gov. Eliot Spitzer, reform Albany. Here's her quote:

"Craig has already demonstrated his commitment to fixing problems . . . Eliot and I are confident that, if elected, Craig will continue to help restore credibility to state government and return people's faith in the system and the use of their tax dollars."

The pair campaigned at the Grace Plaza Comprehensive Care Center and a daycare and senior center in Great Neck.

Here are some pictures of the event:









8 days until Election Day!

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More on the Minimum Wage

Here's an article by Chuck Collins about raising the minimum wage that's well worth reading in advance of tomorrow's scheduled Senate vote on this issue. Choice excerpts:

"People who tell you that raising the minimum wage will hurt small business are flat out full of it," said Lew Prince, co-owner of Vintage Vinyl, a music retail business in St. Louis. "Small business owners know that keeping workers is easier and cheaper than finding and training new ones."

Prince and a growing number of small business owners argue that paying a decent wage lowers employee turnover, improves morale and is the right thing to do. "Our long-term employees are way more likely to establish ongoing relationships with customers," said Prince.
. . .
For many business owners, paying their workers well is common sense. "Trying to save money by shortchanging my employees would be like skimping on ingredients," said Kirsten Poole, a petition signer and co-owner of Kirsten's Cafe and Dish Caterers in Silver Spring, Md. "I'd lose more than I saved because of declining quality, service, reputation and customer base. You can't build a healthy business or a healthy economy on a miserly minimum wage."

A growing body of evidence shows that successful businesses that are "built to last" don't skimp on wages. "It is a sound business decision to increase the minimum wage," said venture capitalist Adnan Durrani, president of Condor Ventures in Stamford, Conn. "I have found that without exception in the successful ventures we've backed, providing sustainable living wages yielded direct increases in productivity, job satisfaction and brand loyalty from customers, all contributing to higher returns for investors and employers."

Research by the Economic Policy Institute validates the theory that raising the minimum wage will have a positive effect for low-wage workers without a negative effect on the economy.

Raising the minimum wage is common sense, right? Here's the problem:

The measure will eventually pass the Senate. The only question is how much corporate lard will be added to slide it through the Senate and across the President's desk. Small-business owners know that most of these tax breaks aren't for them. "They're trying to add a bunch of pork and so-called tax breaks for the big businesses that are trying to gobble up our customers," observed Lew Prince.

Tell Senator Clinton and Senator Schumer to hold the line and pass a clean bill in the Senate to raise the minimum wage!

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | minimum wage

NYLCV Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate

As groups and people get to know the candidates in the Seventh Senate District special election, more of them are endorsing Craig Johnson. The New York League of Conservation Voters is the latest group to endorse Craig Johnson for State Senate. Here's the press release:

Craig Johnson Earns NYLCV Endorsement

The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) today endorsed Craig Johnson for the open state senate seat in the 7th district on Long Island, citing his strong record of promoting environmental solutions as a Nassau County legislator and his vision to advance the environmental agenda.

Specifically, Craig Johnson has:

• helped pass $50 million and $100 million environmental bond initiatives to protect Nassau County's drinking water, preserve its remaining open space and farmlands, and improve parklands and park facilities;
• pledged to support major smart growth initiatives, including the "State Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act" and development projects around LIRR stations to encourage mass transit ridership; and
• pledged to make future state funding of transportation initiatives contingent on the use of clean fuels.
  

"Craig Johnson has a strong record on the environment in Nassau County, and his future plans reveal a commitment to advance an innovative environmental and economic growth agenda. The League is delighted that Johnson shares our vision to make smart growth a top legislative priority, and we're pleased to endorse him in the race for state senate in the 7th district," said NYLCV Executive Director Marcia Bystryn.

*********************************

The New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) was founded in 1989 as a non-partisan, policy making and political action organization that works to make environmental protection a top priority with elected officials, decision makers, and voters by evaluating incumbent performance and endorsing and electing environmental leaders to office in New York State.

8 days until Election Day!

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Women for Johnson

Here are some pictures from today's Women for Johnson rally:









Craig is building momentum. Be part of it.

9 days until Election Day!

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New York Times Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate

Craig Johnson has the momentum in the Feb 6 special election for an open New York State Senate seat in the Seventh Senate District in northwestern Nassau County. Adding to his momentum, the New York Times has just endorsed Craig for State Senate:

The New York Times
Sunday, January 28, 2007
A State Senate Endorsement

The sudden vacancy in the 7th State Senate District has caused both parties to leap in with guns blazing. When the Republican incumbent, Michael Balboni, quit to join the Spitzer administration as chief of homeland security, the race to succeed him became instantly negative and hugely expensive.

That's because so much is at stake beyond just control of a single seat in northwest Nassau County - control of the Senate, for instance, where the Republican majority has been nearing the vanishing point, as well as the reform agenda of Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who broke with a tradition of gubernatorial nonaggression in such races to appear in an ad hailing the Democratic candidate, Craig Johnson, as an ally in the crusade to fix Albany.

Mr. Johnson, who was elected to the Nassau Legislature in 2000 after the death of the incumbent - his mother, Barbara - is challenging Maureen O'Connell, who became the Nassau County clerk a little over a year ago and now wants to return to Albany, where she served as an assemblywoman since 1998. With very little time to campaign - the special election in Feb 6 - both sides are running at a frantic pace.

Their ads are studies in negativity, with Mr. Johnson's campaign accusing Ms. O'Connell of being as anti-choice extremist on reproductive issues, and Ms. O'Connell running a preposterous spot showing a woman tied to railroad tracks about to mowed down by a train. The train represents taxes, taxes, taxes, specifically the 19-percent increase that County Executive Thomas Suozzi pushed through the Legislature in his first term as part of his utterly sensible - and successful - effort to rescue Nassau's finances from decades of Republican misrule.

Of the charges being burled back and forth over the airwaves, we find Mr. Johnson's the more persuasive. Ms. O'Connell does have a troubling record on choice, having taken stands in Albany - like voting against as emergency contraception bill when it was in committee - that infringed on women's reproductive rights.

Ms. O'Connell's claims that Mr. Johnson's taxing madman are, by contrast, unfounded. The Suozzi tax plan he voted for was a prudent and responsible response to a fiscal mess. He has also assembled a credible record on other issues, including open space preservation.

The race is, though, about something larger - which is the reason the eyes of the whole state are on it. Governor Spitzer will need the cooperation of the Republican-dominated State Senate if he is going to make progress on the ambitious reform agenda that he has laid out. Mr. Johnson has vowed to be his ally in the coming battles, while Ms. O'Connell is likely to give reinforcement to the Albany status quo.

For voters who have hopes that Mr. Spitzer will succeed in fixing Albany, as we do, Mr. Johnson is the obvious choice. We enthusiastically endorse him.

We can't let up. You can help.

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Make a donation to help pay for the GOTV program.

Here's the press release:

MOMENTUM BUILDS: NY TIMES ENDORSES CRAIG JOHNSON
Newspaper Challenges O'Connell's Credibility on Taxes and Choice

Momentum is building for independent Democrat Craig Johnson's campaign for State Senate as The New York Times endorsed Johnson over his right-wing Republican opponent, Maureen O'Connell. An editorial in Sunday's Timessays:

"Governor Spitzer will need the cooperation of the Republican-dominated State Senate if he is going to make progress on the ambitious reform agenda he has laid out. Mr. Johnson has vowed to be his ally in the coming battles, while Ms. O'Connell is likely to give reinforcement to the Albany status quo.

"For voters who have hopes that Mr. Spitzer will succeed in fixing Albany, as we do, Mr. Johnson is the obvious choice. We enthusiastically endorse him."

The Times editorial also debunks O'Connell's campaign claims:

• Ms. O'Connell negative spot on Craig Johnson's record on taxes is called "preposterous"
• "Ms. O'Connell claims that Mr. Johnson is a taxing madman are, bycontrast, unfounded"
• Ms. O'Connell, who has tried to deny an anti-choice voting record in the legislature has a record on reproductive health services that the Times calls "troubling"
  

The 7th Senate District encompasses the entire town of North Hempstead. It also includes the communities of Elmont, Floral Park, South Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Bellerose, Franklin Square, and part of Hicksville. Craig Johnson, a member of the Nassau County Legislature, is currently running for the open Senate seat as the Democratic and Working Families Parties candidate.

Johnson has also been endorsed by Governor Eliot Spitzer, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lt. Governor David A. Paterson, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, State Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli, People for the American Way, SEIU Local 32BJ, Communication Workers of America District 1, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) and Union of Food and Commercial Workers, Local 1500.

10 days until Election Day!

Update: I put a copy of the Times endorsement on flickr.

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Because I Told Them It Had To

George Bush has tried his "surge" strategy in Iraq before, and it didn't work. So you might be wondering why George Bush's plan to increase American involvement in Iraq will work this time. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi had the same question, so she asked him.

"He's tried this two times - it's failed twice," the California Democrat [Pelosi] said. "I asked him at the White House, 'Mr. President, why do you think this time it's going to work?' And he said, 'Because I told them it had to.'"

Asked if the president had elaborated, she added that he simply said, "'I told them that they had to.' That was the end of it. That's the way it is."

This has gone on far to long. Our Representatives in the House need to step up and take action.

Tell your U.S. Representative to say NO to George Bush's plan to escalate the war in Iraq.

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | Iraq

11 More Days - Can You Knock on Doors This Saturday?

This Saturday, volunteers will be on Long Island, going door-to-door and talking to voters in New Hyde Park about Craig Johnson and the February 6th special election for an open State Senate seat.

You're invited to come. Everyone's meeting at the New Hyde Park LIRR Station at 10:45 AM. If you're coming from New York City, the place to meet is Penn Station at 9:45 AM under the LIRR Schedule Board.

Or sign up to hear about more volunteer opportunities.

11 days until Election Day!

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Wal-Mart's Dumbest Moments

Business Magazine came out with their list of the 101 Dumbest Moments in Business and Wal-Mart is on the list six times, including the #1 spot. Which one do you think is the biggest blunder? and did something get left out?

1. Wal-Mart: PR campaign
15. Wal-Mart: Andrew Young
35. Wal-Mart: Thomas Coughlin
54. Wal-Mart: Blog
73. Wal-Mart: Ad agency
86. Wal-Mart: DVD titles

Technorati tags: Working Families Party

Craig Johnson Canvasses With the WFP

Craig Johnson came in to talk to the Working Families Party canvass yesterday before heading out to knock on doors and talk to voters. Here's a report from our Canvass Staff Director Mike Boland:

"57 of our Canvassers plus a few Directors came out this afternoon to meet Craig who did a really good job answering questions and pumping them up. He was really frank, and that was appreciated. He didn't give a politician type answer on questions, instead he explained clearly how the process worked and what was and wasn't within the power of a State Senator.

People tend to know when someone is talking down to them, and no one felt that way today. It might not sound like much, but in today's sound bite driven, 30 second discourse, it was a breath of fresh air for a bunch of canvassers who are trained to go out and actually get people to talk to them and listen, rather than just talk at them. Several different folks came up to me indvidually and told me as much.

After the speech and Q&A, Craig went out and canvassed with one of our Field Managers, Will Urkhart. Will said it went great and told me Craig was a really good canvasser and very personable with people. So, if he ever gets fed up with Albany, Craig's got a job waiting here with us. The Assembly pays more, but you get to work on some exciting races."

Sign up now to talk to voters with us.

12 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

12 More Days - Take Action to Elect Craig Johnson

If you're in New York City and about to head home then please instead come and join other volunteers tonight (1/25) at the Communications Workers of America volunteer phonebank anytime from 6 to 9 pm. It's at 80 Pine Street on the 37th Floor.

If you want to help but can't make it tonight, sign up for email about future volunteer opportunities.

12 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Time to Crack Down on Workers' Comp Cheats

A new study from the Fiscal Policy Institute (pdf of the study here) lays out a straightforward way to cut workers' comp premiums and increase benefits for injured workers (hat tip to the NY Times). How?

By enforcing the law and cracking down on tax cheat companies that don't pay their full workers' comp premiums, New York state would raise $500 million to $1 billion a year. That's how much cheating companies are costing the system. Statewide, the missing money comes out to between 15 percent and 20 percent of yearly workers' comp premiums.

This study makes it clear that the first step in any proposed reform of worker's comp needs to be enforcing the law. From the study's conclusion:

"It is up to government to police the labor market and employer labor practices just as government must police the streets to maintain public safety. In New York, government has failed to do that.
. . .
Now, New York State needs an aggressive effort to combat workers' compensation employer fraud connected to both general non-compliance and to the growing employer practice of misclassifying workers as independent contractors. Reform of the workers' compensation system should include institution of an aggressive enforcement effort to combat employer fraud."

Technorati tags: Working Families Party

NY Ed-PAC endorses Craig Johnson

And they're coming strong out of the gate, with a new commercial and a $250,000 ad buy.



Here's the press release and ad text:

NY Ed-PAC Launches Major Ad Campaign to Defeat Maureen O’Connell

Takes O'Connell to Task for Right Wing Record, Labels Her "Out of Step with Nassau Families"

NY Ed-PAC launched a major TV ad campaign in Nassau County targeting GOP State Senate candidate Maureen O'Connell for her right wing voting record as a member of the New York State Assembly.

"Maureen O’Connell is out of step with Nassau families. In the Assembly she voted against stem cell research and even introduced legislation to ban it. Instead of voting with Nassau families, she voted in lock-step with the New York Right to Life Committee against medical research that could save lives," said Jonathan Rosen, a spokesman for NY Ed-PAC.

"Now Maureen O’Connell is trying to hide her record against stem cell research and the right-to-choose from Nassau County voters. It's sad - but no matter how hard Maureen O'Connell tries to run away from her ultra-conservative voting record, it's clear that she's doesn't share our values," said Rosen.

NY Ed-PAC is an organization dedicated to electing state legislators that will fight for excellence in public education. While O'Connell voted against multiple Assembly budget plans to increase funding for education, Ed-PAC chose to focus on O'Connell's stem cell voting record in the ad because, according to Rosen, "it epitomizes just how out of step she is with mainstream Nassau voters."

On Sunday, O'Connell denied she opposed stem cell research and a woman's right to choose. Unfortunately her record tells a different story.

• On March 19, 2003 and again on June 17, 2004 Maureen O'Connell voted against A-6249A – legislation to authorize scientists to clone human embryos for stem cells, while banning human cloning for non stem cell related purposes.
• On March 17, 2005 O'Connell introduced A-10256 - which would have amended New York's Public Health Law to ban the use of human embryos for stem cell research. Christopher Reeve testified against identical legislation sponsored in the U.S. Senate by ultra-conservative GOP Senator Sam Brownback.
• On May 3, 2005 O'Connell voted against A-6300 in the Health Committee. The bill would have established the New York State Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine.
• A look at the legislative scorecard of NYS Right to Life shows that O'Connell voted with them 100% of the time.
  

"Not only is Maureen O'Connell out of step with Nassau families, she’s trying to mislead them about her ultra conservative voting record," said Rosen.

The ad began running this morning on Nassau cable television. Ed-PAC anticipates spending $250,000 to broadcast the ad over the next two weeks.

The script of the ad is below. The ad can be viewed on YouTube at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=IMNdZWiiZaQ

NY-Ed PAC
"Out of Step"
:30

Someday it could lead to a cure for cancer. Show us how to prevent Alzheimer's. Or help a paralyzed child walk again.

Stem cell research offers that hope. If anti-choice extremists don't stop it.

In the State Assembly, Maureen O'Connell voted against stem cell research, even sponsored legislation to ban a promising research technique, and O'Connell voted with the Right to Life Committee on every one of its key bills.

Maureen O'Connell.
Not in Step with Nassau Families
Not the change Albany needs.

13 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

SEIU Local 32BJ Endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate

Adding to a string of endorsements, 32BJ has endorsed Craig Johnson (D-WFP) for State Senate. Here's the press release:

LOCAL 32BJ ENDORSES CRAIG JOHNSON FOR STATE SENATE

Citing his support for working families, Local 32BJ today announced its decision to endorse Democrat Craig Johnson for the New York State Senate seat (District 7) left vacant by the departure of Michael Balboni. The formal announcement, made by Local 32BJ President Mike Fishman, follows a screening of both candidates by union members on Long Island.

"By helping to pass a minimum wage bill in Nassau County, Craig Johnson has shown himself to be a strong supporter of Long Island's working families" said Mike Fishman, Local 32BJ President. "We look forward to working with him in Albany to raise standards for all New York's working families."

Last year, the Nassau County Legislature passed a living wage law that will raise minimum wages for workers contracted by the county to $9.50 an hour beginning in 2007. The minimum hourly pay rate will increase to $10.50 an hour in 2008, and again in 2010 to $12.50 an hour.

"I am proud to be endorsed by the men and women of Local 32BJ who work hard to keep our buildings clean and safe," said Craig Johnson. "With 32BJ's powerful support, I am confident we can win and together take back our state government on behalf of New York's working families."

Local 32BJ has come out in strong support of the Governor's efforts to move aggressively to reform state government.

With more than 85,000 members, including 60,000 in New York, Local 32BJ is the largest private sector union in New York and the largest property service workers union in the United States.

13 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Nassau County Police Benevolent Association endorses Craig Johnson for State Senate

Nassau County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Gary DelaRaba announced the union's endorsement of Craig Johnson (D-WFP) for State Senate earlier today. The Nassau Police Benevolent Association has over 2,000 members and is the largest law enforcement union on Long Island.

13 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Crain's Says Johnson Has Momentum

Crain's Insider is giving the edge to Craig Johnson (D-WFP) in his State Senate race, under the heading "Long Island Democrat gaining momentum." There's no link, but here's the quote:

"Democratic State Senate candidate Craig Johnson, a Nassau County legislator, is picking up friends among issue advocates and labor groups. In one ad, the NY Ed-PAC, a group promoting education spending, stops just short of accusing Republican Maureen O’Connell of opposing a cure for cancer - in the Assembly, she voted against stem cell research. Several unions, which customarily back Senate Republicans, have jumped ship in favor of Johnson. One of the largest is the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which has 1,100 members in the district."

13 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Senate Republicans Filibuster Minimum Wage Increase

In a just completed vote in the U.S. Senate, Senate Republicans have blocked a minimum wage increase, deciding they won't help working families unless there are strings attached.

Every Senate Democrat voted for the clean bill to raise the minimum wage, including Senators Clinton and Schumer from New York, but Senate Republicans filibustered the bill. Because of the Republican filibuster, Democrats needed 60 votes to pass the bill instead of the usual 50. The vote was 54 votes for the clean minimum wage increase and 43 votes against.

So what comes next? Senate Republicans will be under pressure to back down from their opposition to raising the minimum wage and help working families. If the Senate passes a minimum wage increase paired with tax breaks then the House and Senate will negotiate over which bill to pass, a clean House bill or a Senate bill with strings attached. That raises a tough question: is it better to compromise and pass something now or keep fighting for a clean bill.

What do you think should happen?

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | minimum wage

Craig Johnson for State Senate TV Commercial #2

Here's the second Craig Johnson for State Senate TV commercial. Like the first, it was done by Jimmy Siegel.



What do you think?

14 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

23,427 Doors Knocked For Craig Johnson

The Working Families Party door-to-door operation is hitting the doors every day to elect Craig Johnson to the State Senate. In 12 days we've already knocked on 23,427 doors for Craig Johnson, including a one-night high of 2,501 doors this weekend.

You can join in too. This weekend kicked off with State Sen. Liz Krueger meeting volunteers at the Mineola LIRR Train Station and sending them out canvassing for Craig Johnson. Sign up now and find out about more volunteer opportunities.

If it's to cold or wet for you to canvass outside then you can still help. A massive door-to-door operation like this is an expensive undertaking. Make a donation to support the door-to-door operation.

Here are some pictures of the people working hard out there from a recent briefing. Careful watchers will be able to pick out Aaron Hecht, the Johnson campaign Field Director, who came in to talk to the canvass before they went out into the field.
15 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Senate Nears Minimum Wage Decision

This afternoon, the U.S. Senate is scheduled to start floor debate on raising the minimum wage.

Senators need to step up and do the right thing for working families. House Democrats have already shown the courage of their convictions by passing a clean minimnum wage increase with no strings attached. But some Senators want to back down in the face of a threatened Republican filibuster and attach $8 billion in tax breaks to a minimum wage increase.

Senator Clinton has taken the right position. Our Senators need to know that we want a clean minimum wage increase with no strings attached.

Tell Senator Clinton and Senator Schumer to hold firm and match the House of Representatives by raising the minimum wage with no strings attached.

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | minimum wage

Joe Mondello Can't Count

Joe Mondello, Chair of the New York state GOP and of the Nassau County GOP, has a lot riding on the Feb 6 special election in the Seventh Senate District. It's the first election under his watch as chair of the state GOP, it's happening in his backyard, and it's a test of how the state GOP will respond to their drubbing in the 2006 Governor's race.

So maybe that's why Joe chose to be a little, shall we say, extravagant with the truth. From a New York Times article on the race:

The campaign is off to a quick start. "We had 500 people going door to door last weekend, and we hope to have 700 this weekend," Mr. Mondello said. Democrats say they have an equally ambitious field operation. Their county chairman, Jay S. Jacobs, said that with an expected 10 to 15 percent voter turnout, "the ground game is the decider."

Yeah right.

Now it is right that the ground game is the decider. And the Working Families Party is running an ambitious field operation, that's right too.

But there's no way the state Republicans have 100 people going door to door, much less 500 or 700. The thing about canvassing is, if you're out there canvassing for hours and the other side is out there canvassing for hours then each side's canvassers are going to run into each other. But I asked our 45 canvassers, who are knocking on thousands of doors every night, if they've seen a GOP door knocker.

The word from the Working Families Party canvass is that yesterday is the first day O'Connell had people on the doors, and it was only a handful of people.

And it's not like we stick to the areas where turnout has historically been in our favor. Our targeting is pretty advanced, so we can pick out the voters likely to go our way even in areas that don't look promising overall. So we'd be running into any GOP door knockers that are out there. A couple of nights ago, we were in Maureen O'Connell's home turf, near her house, and we didn't see any GOP door knockers. Not a one.

So I'm asking you. Campaign volunteers were deep in Republican turf in Mineola on Saturday, with not a single Republican walker spotted. If you were out there knocking on doors for Craig, did you see any of Joe Mondello's imaginary friends?

16 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Craig Johnson for State Senate web site is live

The Craig Johnson for State Senate web site is live - check it out at craigjohnsonforsenate.com

Update: The site talks about Craig's background and issue positions. Plus there's a head shot (right) for us bloggers!

18 days until Election Day!

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Senate Still Debating Minimum Wage

More than a week after the House passed a clean bill to raise the minimum wage, the Senate is still debating what to do. The Senate debate centers on whether the minimum wage increase needs to be paired with tax breaks to avoid a threatened Republican filibuster or whether the Senate can pass a clean minimum wage increase with no strings attached.

Senator Clinton has taken the right position and called for a clean minimum wage increase. New York Representative Charlie Rangel lays out the strategy in a Wall Street Journal article:

Mr. Rangel appears to have staked out a bargaining position that Senate Democrats should at least first try to pass the wage increase without the tax breaks. "Why do you need a tax break to do the right thing?" Mr. Rangel asked. "Maybe he (Sen. Baucus) doesn't have a strong feel for the depth of support that this bill has. . . . I strongly disagree that this thing would be filibustered."

Tell Senator Clinton and Senator Schumer to hold firm and pass a minimum wage increase with no strings attached to match the bill the House passed.

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | minimum wage

Working Families Party Field Operation in SD7

I want to update everyone on the Working Families Party field operation to elect Craig Johnson to the State Senate.

The WFP has been sending out around 45 people a night for the last week to knock on doors and talk to voters about Craig Johnson. After a week of work, the WFP field operation has knocked on 15,293 doors.

Why is this important? The answer comes down to one word: turnout.

A Presidential election year is the high water mark for voter turnout. The high level of attention focused on a Presidential race drives voter turnout up to 50% of eligible voters. That drops in non-Presidential year elections like the 2006 election. And it drops even more for special elections that aren't held in November, like the one Craig Johnson is running in on February 6th in the Seventh State Senate District.

To give you some numbers, around 7.5 million people voted in New York state in 2004. That dropped to 4.7 million people in 2006. For a low profile special election held in early February like this one, voter turnout drops precipitiously, to as low as 10%.

That means shoe leather decides who wins. The campaign that wins is the one that knocks on the most doors to identify the most supporters and turn them out to vote. A solid field operation is critical to winning a special election.

But that takes money. To fully fund our field operation, we need to raise $10,000 online. We've gone full speed ahead and deployed our Get Out the Vote operation already - betting that your support will translate into the dollars we need to win, just like it did during the 2006 Congressional elections.

Your donation will help put Craig Johnson in the State Senate. Donate today.

Here are some pictures from one of our first training sessions for the campaign.


19 days until Election Day!

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Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

Campaign Finance Filings in SD7

The February 6 special election for the open State Senate seat in the Seventh District (say that 10 times fast) will have three campaign finance report fillings. One is on January 26th, one is after the election on March 5th, and the third was on January 16th. So how much have the candidates raised?

Maureen O'Connell has raised $347,060 and spent $330,178, leaving her with $16,882 in cash on hand.

O'Connell's contributions came from just 4 sources:

1. $330,000 came from the State Senate Republican Campaign Committee
2. $8,500 came from Long Island Republican State Senator Kemp Hannon's campaign committee
3. $8,500 came from Deputy Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who hopes to one day be Senate Majority Leader
4. $60 came from a small dollar campaign contributor
   

Craig Johnson has raised $218,801 but spent only $6,955, meaning he is way ahead with $211,845 in cash on hand.

Johnson's contributions came from over 40 people (the link shows $126,301 raised but doesn't include over $90,000 from the Johnson family).

Johnson's behind in campaign contributions but way ahead in cash on hand. But don't get overconfident by the disparity in cash on hand - Johnson Campaign HQ says their cash on hand number only reflects spending up to the 11th (the legal cutoff) and most of that money is spoken for in the form of TV ads.

Now we've got 10 days until the next campaign finance reports are due to translate grassroots support for Craig Johnson into campaign dollars. For that, we need you. You've got two ways to help -

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19 more days until Election Day - get involved today!

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | NY-SD7

WFP Says NO To Escalation In Iraq

George Bush's plan to increase American involvement in Iraq is a mistake.

Iraq is in a civil war. Over 100 people died in Baghdad on Tuesday - and American troops are caught in the crossfire. It was a mistake to declare war in the first place, and our troops are dying in vain. Terrorism is real, but it's long been clear that this war is reducing neither the threats posed by Islamic fundamentalism nor the sustenance that terrorists depend on.

When you're in a hole, the first rule is to stop digging. It's time to bring the troops home.

Past Congresses have taken action to regulate military deployments by limiting their timing and capping their size. The time has come for this Congress to do the same thing in Iraq.

The House of Representatives can take the first step by refusing to fund an escalation in Iraq.

It'll take all of us to end this war. But you can feel it in the air - the American public is seeing Bush and Cheney for what they really are. Out of touch. Out of ideas. Out of time. But the war won't end if we don't speak out.

Tell your U.S. Representative to say NO to George Bush's plan to escalate the war in Iraq.

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | Iraq

WFP 2006 Congressional Candidate Vote Counts

Here's more information on the number of votes cast on the Working Families line in the 2006 election: a district-by-district breakdown of votes by Congressional District (CD).

CD	WFP Candidate	WFP Vote	Candidate Vote	Total Vote	Candidate % of Total Vote	WFP % of Total Vote	WFP % of Candidate's Vote
1	Bishop	4,346	104,360	167,688	62.2%	2.59%	4.16%
2	Israel	3,733	105,276	149,488	70.4%	2.50%	3.55%
3	Mejias	3,674	79,843	181,630	44.0%	2.02%	4.60%
4	McCarthy	3,911	101,861	156,911	64.9%	2.49%	3.84%
5	Ackerman	3,273	77,190	77,190	100.0%	4.24%	4.24%
7	Crowley	3,731	63,997	76,217	84.0%	4.90%	5.83%
8	Nadler	12,421	108,536	127,622	85.0%	9.73%	11.44%
9	Weiner	4,722	71,762	71,762	100.0%	6.58%	6.58%
11	Clarke	12,814	88,334	96,435	91.6%	13.29%	14.51%
12	Velazquez	7,173	62,847	70,029	89.7%	10.24%	11.41%
13	Harrison	2,902	45,131	104,465	43.2%	2.78%	6.43%
14	Maloney	8,100	119,582	141,551	84.5%	5.72%	6.77%
15	Rangel	10,059	103,916	110,508	94.0%	9.10%	9.68%
16	Serrano	2,945	56,124	58,883	95.3%	5.00%	5.25%
17	Engel	4,900	93,614	122,456	76.4%	4.00%	5.23%
18	Lowey	5,215	124,256	175,706	70.7%	2.97%	4.20%
20	Gillibrand	8,752	125,168	235,722	53.1%	3.71%	6.99%
21	McNulty	6,770	159,268	214,356	74.3%	3.16%	4.25%
22	Hinchey	7,316	121,683	121,683	100.0%	6.01%	6.01%
23	Johnson	3,459	62,318	169,099	36.9%	2.05%	5.55%
24	Arcuri	6,544	109,686	201,190	54.5%	3.25%	5.97%
25	Maffei	6,503	107,108	217,633	49.2%	2.99%	6.07%
26	Davis	6,582	100,914	210,171	48.0%	3.13%	6.52%
27	Higgins	8,930	140,027	176,641	79.3%	5.06%	6.38%
28	Slaughter	5,936	111,386	152,230	73.2%	3.90%	5.33%
29	Massa	5,435	100,044	206,121	48.5%	2.64%	5.43%

And here's a geographic look at where WFP votes came from.

I'll post more as it becomes available.

Update: If you're having trouble seeing the right half of the chart then it's formatted so you can copy and paste it into the spreadsheet or database of your choice and view it there.

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | 2006 Election | Vote Row E