The hour-long debate between Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Reshma Saujani matched that of the campaign so far: bitter and ugly, with many accusations.

In discussing policy, their backgrounds and vision for the next two years, there were accusations of lying, ethics violations and being in special interests’ pockets.

Daily News columnist Errol Louis moderated the debate on his radio show.

Maloney, elected to the House in 1992, focused on her legislative achievements and constituent work. She cited legislation she sponsored and supported that is improving the economy.

Saujani, meanwhile, criticized the incumbent early and often. She accused Maloney of weakening regulation to appease donors, taking all of the credit for major projects and legislation she touts, and, perhaps most boldly, that “Carolyn Maloney just lied” when she said that her campaign staff organized fundraisers that coincided with her work on financial reform.

The issue was scuttled immediately after that comment when Louis realized the candidates skipped opening remarks.

Maloney rebutted Saujani’s criticism over fundraising. She repeated that her campaign staff organizes fundraisers and, as for taking money from companies’ Political Action Committees (known as a PACs), said that Saujani gets money from finance industry employees that create them and finance them.

“It’s the same thing,” Maloney said.

Maloney touted the federal funding she got for constructing the Second Avenue Subway, a project she highlights as a jobs generator in the district. Maloney then said she would fight to get funding in her district from the Obama administration’s new fund for infrastructure improvements.

“My record speaks for itself. I have stood for reform, I have stood for accountability, I have stood against special interests,” Maloney said. “I have passed meaningful legislation that has helped the district that I represent. The two largest construction projects employing the most people in the country are in Queens… and the Second Avenue Subway.”

Saujani said Maloney was “disingenuous” for taking all the credit in getting funding for the Second Avenue Subway.

“That was the work of a lot of members of [the] New York delegation including Sen. Schumer,” Saujani said. “Twenty of 70 businesses along 91st Street to 97th Street have shut down. What have you really done to help those businesses?”

Maloney emphasized her commitment to small business with the rest of the city’s Congressional delegation by passing legislation that gives tax credits to small businesses.

Maloney focused on her recent work passing the “very strong, comprehensive” financial reform bill, a law that has an “innovation fund,” and passing the stimulus package with money for renewable energy.

“I have been committed to working with small businesses, the major engine of our economy, to help create opportunities to grow jobs for the citizens I’m honored to represent,” Maloney said.

Maloney praised the Obama administration and the Democratic congress for stopping the job loss under President George W. Bush and for pushing the economy “in the right direction.”

“Is it success? No. But in the last seven months private sector jobs have grown, which is the true indicator of moving in the right direction,” Maloney said. “Respectfully, my opponent sounds like the Republicans in Congress and the rhetoric they are throwing at the Democratic majority.”

Saujani boosted her background in the finance sector while simultaneously belittling Maloney’s understanding of the finance industry.

“If I were to ask Carolyn Maloney right now what a basis point is, she probably doesn’t know,” Saujani said, later adding, “We need to have people who are in Congress, who are in Washington, who understand what a complicated financial instrument is, who understands what a derivative is, who understands what a basis point is.”

For closing remarks, Maloney talked about getting ideas in Congress from constituents, such as helping to create five new schools in the district, securing federal money to build six senior houses and her credit card consumer reforms.

“I find it a great honor and a privilege to represent the 14th Congressional district,” Maloney said. “I believe public service is the best job in the world if it’s done honestly, fairly.”

Saujani used her opportunity to call Maloney a “member of Congress emeritus.”

“She thinks that longevity alone is a reason to re-elect her,” Saujani said. “Idea after idea after idea, we have demonstrated that longevity alone is not enough. We need new blood and fresh ideas.”

Reporters tried to get post debate remarks, but Maloney was whisked to an elevator, where journalists crammed in to get a comment. She said little and, when asked if she thought Saujani’s remarks were fair, she said, “I believe in free speech.”

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14th Congressional District: Carolyn Maloney

East Side and Queens voters have the rare opportunity this Sept. 14 to vote in a Democratic primary for their Congressional representative. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, elected to the House in 1992, is facing a challenge from Reshma Saujani, a former hedge fund attorney and first-time candidate. Despite the bitter tone of the campaigns, new ideas have been debated and issues and concerns of the district’s voters were heard and discussed.

In the Democratic primary, we believe Maloney should continue serving in the House for another term. In Congress, she has been an able legislator, authoring important bills that actually have become law. In a body of 435 members, this makes her legislative achievements additionally impressive.

Her bills have stopped the worst practices against consumers from credit card companies and provided funding to process DNA evidence from backlogged rape kits. Maloney is also a player in crafting major legislation, having a seat on the committee that hashed out the details of the final Wall Street reform bill.

As a senior member of the House, she managed to get the federal government to fund the construction of the Second Avenue Subway, a crucial infrastructure project for the East Side in particular and for the city as a whole. Her constituent service has been an important part of preserving the East Side’s quality of life. Despite her long tenure in Washington, D.C., she still helped preserve a post office on the Upper East Side that was in danger of closing.

In her own respect, Saujani is a highly qualified candidate whose campaign for Congress was sorely needed. She introduced new ideas and a new direction for the district. Saujani’s background in finance would make her an able and creative legislator. But these reasons are insufficient for dumping Maloney this year.

We hope that Saujani continues to be a presence in New York City politics and runs for office in the future. But voters should reward Maloney with another term in Congress.

State Assembly—73rd District: Jonathan Bing

It’s no secret that Albany’s broken, that the lunatics are running the asylum and that there is a rumbling undercurrent of anti-incumbency fervor that threatens to sweep not just the state house but the entire country. Even within the fractured walls of the system, however, there are some legislators who are able to navigate the treacherous waters of partisan politics and party infighting to move their district forward. That’s why we support Jonathan Bing in his re-election bid for State Assembly 73rd District.

In the last legislative session, Bing authored 10 bills, including the “No Fault” divorce bill that finally caught New York up with the other 49 states and allows couples to split without assigning blame for why their marriage didn’t work. The Assemblyman did that by having 20 Republicans co-sponsor the bill with him, theorizing that they would be less likely to vote against a bill that had their name on it.

That legwork and ability to reach across the aisle helped him pass other legislation this session as well, such as a measure that gives higher education and cultural institutions more flexibility on how they spend endowments. It has particular resonance on the East Side, with Museum Mile, and will give art organizations more room to shift money so that they can save jobs during these troubled economic times.

Bing was also the author of an affordable housing bill, which makes sure that developers receiving federal money build housing for the disabled, as they are required under law. Again, the Assemblyman worked with the other side to thread his way through the tortured terrain of Albany and get things done.

As the East Side Assemblyman, he also introduced legislation in this session to implement bus lane cameras, along Select Bus Service Systems on First and Second avenues, to catch people illegally traveling in the bus-only lanes. In 2008, he introduced a grant that would have assisted small businesses suffering from Second Avenue Subway construction. The measure passed but was later vetoed by the governor.

Bing’s challenger, Gregg Lundahl, a 20-year veteran of the New York public school system, speaks passionately and in-depth about his education plans if elected: to decrease class size, provide more local funding and to ensure that schools have dedicated space for art and physical education, but he comes up short with his ideas for other areas such as transportation, helping small businesses and affordable housing.

The voters’ justifiable anger at the ineptitude showed by current state lawmakers doesn’t mean that you also throw out the baby with the bath water. Jonathan Bing has proved that he is an effective legislator, who listens to his district and is able to work with both sides to do the business of New York.

He is an example of what Albany could be, if there were more lawmakers like him at the state level. That’s why we give him our endorsement for the 73rd District.

New York Attorney General: Eric Schneiderman

New York has recently had top-notch attorneys general in Eliot Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo. The next attorney general must be able to match their stature, their skill in taking on complex issues of national importance, and their ability to extract reform. The next attorney general must also be adept at addressing Albany corruption and protecting consumers.

Of the five candidates seeking to be the state’s top cop, we endorse Eric Schneiderman, a state Senator from the Upper West Side.

As Albany disappointed New Yorkers for decades, Schneiderman has been a prime example of a smart, effective, reform-minded legislator. He has crafted legislation that promotes equal justice under the law and ended discriminatory practices. He led the fight to end the harsh Rockefeller Drug Laws, which disproportionately targeted blacks and Latinos. He introduced the Fraud, Enforcement and Recovery Act, which closed loopholes in the state’s False Claim Act.

Although Gov. David Paterson vetoed Schneiderman’s ethics reform bill for being too weak, the legislation would have brought much-needed change to Albany. The fact that his legislation was introduced and passed by a nearly unanimous vote is a major accomplishment.

Each candidate is talking about cleaning up Albany. But Schneiderman actually did it when given the opportunity. Against the wishes of his chamber’s leadership, Schneiderman convened a bipartisan panel to expel his colleague and fellow Democrat Hiram Monserrate after he was convicted of misdemeanor assault against his girlfriend. These accomplishments occurred after the Democrats took the Senate majority in 2009. He has spent the rest of his 12 years in the State Senate fighting Republican senators that blocked his progressive reform-minded legislation.

We are concerned that Schneiderman lacks an investigatory background, but we are confident he will hire an accomplished staff that can follow his vision for the attorney general’s office, which separates him from his competitors. Schneiderman’s core philosophy of equal justice will ensure that the interests of all New Yorkers are heard. He has a broad agenda that protects consumers, prevents the pollution of the environment and fights discrimination.

The other candidates in the race are well-qualified and have strong ideas for the office. Sean Coffey has an exemplary legal background as a federal prosecutor and lead lawyer in the WorldCom fraud case, in which he won more than $6 billion for burned investors. Coffey fashions himself as an outsider, but can speak on the issues passionately and eloquently with the knowledge of a seasoned elected official. If spending time in Albany is a disqualifier for voters, Coffey is a welcome alternative.

Eric Dinallo, former deputy to Spitzer in the attorney general’s office, has an accomplished government background. He also was head of the state’s Insurance Department. He knows the job and how to wield it for powerful results. But we feel Dinallo’s vision—that the attorney general should focus on kitchen table issues—is too limited.

We extend that feeling to Richard Brodsky, an Assembly member representing parts of Westchester. As attorney general, he said he would focus on unfair or hidden fees New Yorkers pay for energy. But his temperament makes him ill-suited for the attorney general’s office, evidenced by his stance on the Islamic cultural center in downtown Manhattan. He unnecessarily waded into the debate and, despite saying he would defend the center as attorney general, proposed a “compromise” in which the center moves for the sake of appeasing its detractors.

Kathleen Rice, the district attorney for Nassau County, Long Island, has been a superb local prosecutor. She has tackled a drunk driving scourge, sexual predators and fought Medicaid fraud. But many of these—save for Medicaid fraud—are quality-of-life issues. She is under-qualified to be the state’s highest law enforcement official.

We support Eric Schneiderman for attorney general in the Sept. 14. Democratic primary.

Republican Primary, 14th Congressional District: Dino LaVerghetta

The rising tide of enthusiasm among the Republican Party about the midterm elections has even cast ripples into the Upper East Side, where three Republicans are vying to go head-to-head with Carolyn Maloney for the 14th Congressional District.

It’s a quixotic quest to be sure: the UES is a Democratic stronghold, but the candidates’ enthusiasm and conviction makes for a refreshing antidote to the backseat driving of those who want change, but are unwilling to take steps to make it happen.

Of the three candidates running, only one has both the eagerness and ideas to tackle the many pressing issues that are facing the 14th District. That person is Dino LaVerghetta.

Mr. LaVerghetta, the son of an Italian immigrant, was raised by his mother in Mahopac.

As an attorney at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, he worked in Europe for two years on the largest Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Investigation in U.S. history, and has also devoted his time to pro bono matters, such as successfully representing a Guinean refugee in his quest for political asylum and advocating for reforms that would prevent the conviction of innocent people.

And while we disagree heartily with many of his positions, such as eliminating the death tax and repealing the health care bill that was recently passed, we applaud him for others such as fighting to reform the earmarking process so that all spending is subject to public debate.

On social issues as well, Mr. LaVerghetta gets it right. He’s a staunch defender of a woman’s right to choose, helping to end the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and a believer in marriage equality.

His opponents have their pluses as well. Ryan Brumberg, 28, speaks with eloquence and sincerity about our country. He needs more seasoning, however, and further real-world lessons before entering public office.

Roger Blank has the maturity and gravitas for the position but, when pressed on what he would do, he responds high on platitudes and low on substance. His experience as an assistant district attorney in the Bronx makes him particularly appealing, but we feel he needs to flesh out his platform and come up with a strategy to tackle the 14th District’s problems.

For ideas, maturity and enthusiasm there is only candidate in the Republican Primary race: Dino LaVerghetta.

15th Congressional District: Charlie Rangel

Representative Charles B. Rangel is seeking his 21st term, and we endorse him in that effort. Despite the recent controversy surrounding his office due to the charges of ethics violations, Rangel still deserves the support, and votes, of his constituents after years of dedicated political service.

Although Rangel has relinquished the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee, which he had waited since 1981 to take over and finally did in 2006, he still holds quite a bit of power after 40 years in Congress and letting that pass away at this point would be a mistake for New Yorkers. Although many have called for his retirement, Rangel continues to work with indefatigable strength and dedication for his constituents and the nation as a whole.

Even though Rangel will most likely win re-election to the House, we will still need a new generation of qualified and eager candidates to fill his estimable shoes. One of the more fascinating aspects this year was meeting the group that had the pluck to run against the incumbent. For those seeking a change, they will find an excellent candidate in Vince Morgan. The community banker is new to political campaigning, but we found that he had a winning personality and many ideas for where the district could position itself in the 21st-century. In particular, his involvement as the chairman of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone and the chair of the 125th Street Business Improvement District will give him a valuable perspective as he continues his political career in the district.

Adam Clayton Powell IV may have many bona fides, most obviously sharing a name with the man who preceded Rangel as the Congressman for the district and serving as a New York City councilmember and in the State Assembly. But Powell’s record in the Assembly has been spotty, his attendance poor. Overall, we think if there is indeed going to be change in the district, we should be looking to the future, not the past.

The other two candidates, Joyce Johnson and Jonathan Tasini, should both be commended for entering the race. Johnson has dedicated many years to public service in various capacities, as well as being a pioneer for women of color in the corporate sector. We hope that she does continue in her unremitting efforts to create a world that supports the efforts of women and minorities to achieve their dreams on an equal playing field. Tasini’s career as a gadfly when it comes to labor and economic issues is needed in politics. Lending his ideas and energy to the race is much appreciated.

We look forward to the next primary for the district, which will undoubtedly have an even stronger and diverse pool of candidates, but in the meantime, we endorse Charlie Rangel for Congress.

State Senate—30th District: Bill Perkins

Although many New Yorkers may be angry about political deadlock in Albany and calling for reform, that doesn’t mean that all incumbents need to be ousted in this election cycle. For example, Bill Perkins has been a positive force for reform in his district, which covers Harlem, Washington Heights and part of the Upper West Side. While Perkins has criticized the way charter schools operate within existing public schools—and suffered some backlash for questioning this fairly new practice—it doesn’t mean he hasn’t been a strong force in the Legislature, addressing constituent concerns and, in fact, supporting a bill that would increase the number of charter schools.

His challenger, Basil Smikle, is an impressive candidate who has worked as a top aide for Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Convention. Smikle has his own ideas for improving affordable housing and job creation in the district and will undoubtedly continue to be an imaginative and expressive politician who we hope to see continue his drive to better the city for everyday New Yorkers.

We are certain Perkins, however, will continue his progressive work concerning affordable housing issues and public education and therefore endorse him for re-election.

State Senate—31st District: Mark Levine

When State Senator Eric Schneiderman announced his candidacy for attorney general this year, it meant that his seat in the 31st District was wide open. There are four strong Democratic candidates in the primary, and the district—which covers parts of the Upper West Side, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood and Riverdale—calls for someone prepared to tackle the constituent concerns of a wide swath of New Yorkers in an area undergoing profound changes—especially in regards to housing and job creation. For this reason, we support Mark Levine in the Democratic primary.

Levine, a Washington Heights resident, represents the possibility of new leadership for the district and has a broad background of community building and activism. He has the fresh ideas and independent background that voters want when it comes to reform in Albany. He plans to support campaign finance reform as well as assist constituents in navigating state government hurdles in dealing with health, housing and transit issues.

Levine began his career as a bilingual science teacher and later served as executive director of Teach For America-New York. He understands, firsthand, the issues facing our public school system. Levine went on to found Upper Manhattan’s first and only community development credit union, Neighborhood Trust, which has helped many lower-income residents. In 2007, Levine won a Democratic district leader position, campaigned for Barack Obama’s presidential primary and created the
Barack Obama Democratic club uptown.

Levine’s strongest competitor in the primary is Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, also from Washington Heights, who has served 14 years in the state legislature and possesses a stellar background when it comes to constituent concerns, and is a strong candidate.

On immigration reform, tenants rights, urban education and economic development, Espaillat has always been on the right side of progressive legislation and would most likely continue to be a strong advocate for the district’s constituents. Espaillat has strong support from other incumbent politicians, including Senator Schneiderman, but for voters looking for a new perspective at the state level, it’s difficult to make the argument for Espaillat.

A former Democratic district leader and the only Upper West Side resident in the race, Anna Lewis is an attorney with 25 years of experience; she knows the law. Lewis has a legacy of drafting legislation supporting constituent concerns, and she wants to continue her efforts in that direction, especially concerning health care and consumer rights. We also think her idea for housing reform—in particular to start a new housing initiative modeled after the Mitchell-Lama program—is the best we have heard and hope that she continues to advocate for such a program in the future and that others support similar ideas. The fact that there are so few elected women running for state political positions should change, and we hope that Lewis will run for a position in the future.

The other woman in the race, Miosotis Muñoz, has very heartfelt ambitions for the district, and her background in social work and grassroots organizing for various community causes should be applauded. Her compassion, leadership and enthusiasm for neighborhood concerns, however, seem better suited for on-the-ground community efforts, rather than the bureaucracy of state politics.

We endorse Mark Levine for the State Senate in the 31st District for his promise of reform, new ideas and a background that seems exceptionally suited to this vibrant and transforming district.

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In discussing policy, their backgrounds and vision for the next two years, there were accusations of lying, ethics violations and being in special interests’ pockets.

Daily News columnist Errol Louis moderated the debate on his radio show.

Maloney, elected to the House in 1992, focused on her legislative achievements and constituent work. She cited legislation she sponsored and supported that is improving the economy.

Saujani, meanwhile, criticized the incumbent early and often. She accused Maloney of weakening regulation to appease donors, taking all of the credit for major projects and legislation she touts, and, perhaps most boldly, that “Carolyn Maloney just lied” when she said that her campaign staff organized fundraisers that coincided with her work on financial reform.

The issue was scuttled immediately after that comment when Louis realized the candidates skipped opening remarks.

Maloney rebutted Saujani’s criticism over fundraising. She repeated that her campaign staff organizes fundraisers and, as for taking money from companies’ Political Action Committees (known as a PACs), said that Saujani gets money from finance industry employees that create them and finance them.

“It’s the same thing,” Maloney said.

Maloney touted the federal funding she got for constructing the Second Avenue Subway, a project she highlights as a jobs generator jobs in the district. Maloney then said she would fight to get funding in her district from the Obama Administration’s new fund for infrastructure improvements.

“My record speaks for itself. I have stood for reform, I have stood for accountability, I have stood against special interests,” Maloney said. “I have passed meaningful legislation that has helped the district that I represent. The two largest construction projects employing the most people in the country are in Queens… and the Seconds Avenue Subway.”

Saujani said Maloney was “disingenuous” for taking all the credit in getting funding the Second Avenue Subway.

“That was the work of a lot of members of New York delegation including Sen. Schumer,” Saujani said. “Twenty of 70 businesses along 91st Street to 97th Street have shut down. What have you really done to help those businesses?”

Maloney emphasized her commitment to small business with the rest of the city’s Congressional delegation by passing legislation that gives tax credits to small businesses.

Maloney focused on her recent work passing the “very strong, comprehensive” financial reform bill, a law that has an “innovation fund” and passing the stimulus package with money for renewable energy.

“I have been committed to working with small businesses, the major engine of our economy, to help create opportunities to grow jobs for the citizens I’m honored to represent,” Maloney said.

Maloney praised the Obama Administration and the Democratic congress for stopping the job loss under President George W. Bush and for pushing the economy “in the right direction.”

“Is it success? No. But in the last seven months private sector jobs have grown, which is the true indicator of moving in the right direction,” Maloney said. “Respectfully, my opponent sounds like the Republicans in Congress and the rhetoric they are throwing at the Democratic majority.”

Saujani boosted her background in the finance sector while simultaneously belittling Maloney’s understanding of the finance industry.

“If I were to ask Carolyn Maloney right now what a basis point is, she probably doesn’t know,” Saujani said, later adding, “We need to have people who are in Congress who are in Washington who understand what a complicated financial instrument is, who understands what a derivative is, who understands what a basis point is.”

For closing remarks, Maloney talked about getting ideas in Congress from constituents, such as helping to create five new schools in the district, securing federal money to build six senior houses and her credit card consumer reforms.

“I find it a great honor and a privilege to represent the 14th Congressional district,” Maloney said. “I believe public service is the best job in the world if it’s done honestly, fairly.”

Saujani used her opportunity to call Maloney a “member of Congress emeritus.”

“She thinks that longevity alone is a reason to re-elect her,” Saujani said. “Idea after idea after idea, we have demonstrated that longevity alone is not enough. We need new blood and fresh ideas.”

Reporters tried to get post debate remarks but Maloney was whisked to an elevator, where journalists crammed in to get a comment. She said little and, when asked if she thought Saujani’s remarks were fair, she said, “I believe in free speech.”

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Before Rep. Carolyn Maloney debates Reshma Saujani on Daily News columnist Errol Louis’ radio show this Tuesday, both candidates received endorsements from one of the city’s big dailies. (The debate is being streamed live on WWRL1600’s website.)

Rep. Carolyn Maloney won the New York Times’ endorsement. The Times noted that this had been a particularly bitter campaign with “unpleasant charges from both sides.” But the Times believes there is “no good reason to discard Ms. Maloney.”

From the endorsement:

She has been a stalwart in fighting for women’s rights, financial reform, health care for workers at ground zero and better protections for credit card users. Ms. Saujani agrees with Ms. Maloney on these issues, but Ms. Maloney has already acted on them in Congress, at considerable political risk.

Saujani did get some praise in the endorsement. The paper called Saujani “an impressive and energetic young lawyer of Indian descent who argues that New York needs the voice of a new generation and a new slice of the city’s ethnic pie.”

The Daily News, however, believes that it is time to “pump new blood into the tired New York delegation,” its endorsement’s headline read. The News praised Saujani’s background as a lawyer for investment groups, saying she is “up to speed on a broad range of issues” and “she takes impressively clear stands. Her vigor is refreshing.”

From the News‘ endorsement:

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Dan Garodnick

Jessica Lappin

Apple is drawing the Council’s 51 members in prom attire in a series called NYC High for the blog ANIMAL New York. So far, ANIMAL New York posted Council members in districts one through eight.

Each drawing is accompanied by a small score card that lists the neighborhoods they represent and several facts about their time on the Council.

“Politics is kind of like high school, with factions and gossip and people always trying to hold on to or increase their popularity,” Apple told ANIMAL.

Apple contributed to a similar project in which artists drew Chicago’s 50 aldermen.

Here are Apple’s drawings of the two East Side Council members, Dan Garodnick and Jessica Lappin.

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Rep. Carolyn Maloney endorsed her fellow Manhattanite Eric Schneiderman in the attorney general primary. Schneiderman, a state senator from the Upper West Side, is running against four other attorney general candidates.

In Maloney’s endorsement statement, she praises Schneiderman for advocating on behalf of “working families.”

“Whether it’s fighting for women’s rights, economic justice or government reform, Eric has stood up for progressive values and delivered results for all New Yorkers,” Maloney said.

Meanwhile, in her own primary campaign, Maloney received the endorsement of the Uniformed Firefighters Association and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association. They cite her work on the 9/11 first responders and survivors health care bill.

Maloney’s opponent Reshma Saujani launched a website called TheRealCarolynMaloney.com.

The website features a video of Maloney speaking to an audience at a Cretan Association of New York event. The 20-second clip shows Maloney trying to answer a question from a woman in the audience who asked why she voted against a bill to audit the Federal Reserve, which sets monetary policy and regulates banking institutions. (A version of the legislation was put into the financial reform bill that Maloney voted for and was signed into law.)

As Maloney tries to answer, the question is repeated. Maloney starts to clap and asks the rest of the audience to do the same to drown out the woman in the audience so that she could answer. Her campaign says the hecklers were conservative activists and LaRouchites.

Saujani’s website invites visitors to take a quiz with loaded questions, such as whether a member of Congress should respond to your question by “mocking you in front of your neighbors?” or if you believe that elected officials should “tell the truth.”

Maloney’s campaign responded with this statement:

This is just another desperate campaign tactic from a candidate who is failing to gain traction and whose campaign has been criticized by independent organizations and newspapers. Voters in Manhattan and Queens know the real Carolyn Maloney and her record of standing up for consumers and fighting for working families.

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Eliot Spitzer, before his stunning downfall as governor, was the white knight of Wall Street as attorney general. Before him, Robert Abrams put the attorney general office’s focus on consumer rights.

Each attorney general puts their stamp on an office that commands more than 650 lawyers. This September, five candidates are running for the state’s top law job, a position held by Andrew Cuomo, the front-runner to be the state’s next governor.

In interviews with Our Town, each candidate stated that they wanted the next attorney general to be the “People’s Lawyer” and they all want to clean up the ethical morass in Albany. But the candidates have very different visions for the office, strategies to fight corruption and backgrounds that demonstrate their ability to do the job.

Richard Brodsky

Richard Brodsky is a member of the State Assembly, representing parts of Westchester County. But his prominence in the chamber—and his argument for being the next attorney general—comes more from investigation than legislation.

He was at the helm of two powerful committees: Oversight, Analysis and Investigation, and most recently Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions.

Where Albany reform, in this race, means pushing independent redistricting of legislative seats, public financing of campaigns and strong ethics laws, Brodsky believes “Albany’s governing institutions” need attention.

“I come to that as [the] only successful reformer up there,” he said.

Brodsky led the reform of authorities—public bodies created by the state to handle public projects. These authorities build dormitories and schools, provide transportation or produce power. But Brodsky called them “Soviet-style bureaucracies” that make up New York’s shadow government.

“I did it,” he said of his reform measures, “and I did it when people said I couldn’t.”

Brodsky fought the proposed Jets Stadium on the West Side, tussled with Yankees-owner George Steinbrenner over the new publicly-subsidized stadium, and sued when Indian Point, a nuclear power plant in upstate New York, got an exemption from fire safety standards.

But there is a political element to the attorney general’s office that Brodsky believes will bring reform to Albany.

“On the budget, on gridlock, on campaign finance, on reapportionment, you’ve got to have someone with political skills to change Albany.”

Sean Coffey

Sean Coffey, a former assistant U.S. Attorney and lead lawyer on the WorldCom class-action suit, wants to use the attorney general’s office as a bully pulpit to enact reform in a Legislature loath to do so.

With Cuomo making ethics the centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign, Coffey believes that the attorney general can be “noisy” and the governor’s “wingman.”

“I can pick up the slack,” Coffey said.

When Coffey is not crusading against Albany, he is hammering Wall Street. He boasts of getting burned investors more than $6 billion from WorldCom, a telephone company.

An oft-repeated line on the campaign trail is that he doesn’t have to beat up on Wall Street to prove he can. As attorney general, Coffey’s goal for the financial industry is keeping it “honest” by focusing on audit firms, credit rating agencies—the “gatekeepers,” he says.

“You need somebody who understands this stuff,” Coffey said.

He believes his opponents’ political ambitions could influence temperament. While a joke in political circles dictates that “AG” stands for “Aspiring Governor,” Coffey says he doesn’t want that position. As a former federal prosecutor and litigator, there should be a nonpartisan agenda for the office, he said.

“I know a good case from a bad case,” Coffey said.

Eric Dinallo

But where Coffey was fighting Wall Street from his law office, Eric Dinallo was an assistant attorney general under Spitzer.

He is credited with resurrecting the Martin Act, which allowed the attorney general to investigate financial fraud and made the New York State Attorney General’s office nationally known.

Dinallo wants to use the prominence of the office to deal with problems in everyday New Yorkers’ lives.

“I want to take it and worry less about the markets, which I clearly have comfort and a history of success in,” Dinallo said, “but worry more about consumer financial products: the fees people pay in their everyday lives. The checks they write at the kitchen table every month.”

Another kitchen-table topic that Dinallo wants to combat is public corruption in Albany. Dinallo criticizes his opponents for saying they would try to compel the State Legislature in to giving the attorney general more power to investigate public corruption—a tall order in Albany. Dinallo believes he can tackle public corruption using existing law, similar to the way he rediscovered the Martin Act, which was signed into law in 1921.

“I see big, big opportunities through creative, aggressive use of the law in public integrity,” Dinallo said.

Kathleen Rice

Kathleen Rice, the district attorney for Long Island’s Nassau County, has made ethics in Albany the centerpiece of her campaign as well. She says that reform must be brought to the capital before New York can recover economically.

“Confidence in state government is at an all-time low,” she said. “When you have a situation like that, it’s very difficult to have this kind of recovery you need in the state.”

Rice points to how she changed the district attorney’s office after she was elected in 2005. She changed the plea policy on drunk driving and helped write tougher DWI laws.

“I attacked the epidemic of drunk driving in a way no one ever has before,” Rice said. “I know how to address an issue that, for one reason or another, people have failed to address.”

As attorney general, Rice wants to facilitate whistleblowers coming forward by increasing protections.

“Through that, you can get the reform, from an administrative standpoint certainly, of certain agencies if there are practices there that don’t lend themselves to good government,” Rice said. “I believe it’s setting the tone that the public trust something to be held sacrosanct.”

Eric Schneiderman

Eric Schneiderman, a state senator from the Upper West Side, is also focusing on restoring public trust. He points to his legislative achievements in correcting some of the bad business practices in the state. He sponsored a law that prevents insurance providers from canceling an entire class of coverage to avoid paying for expensive medical treatment. He also headed the panel to oust a sitting senator for assaulting his girlfriend—the first time since 1920.

A problem in Albany, he said, is that most of the unethical behavior is legal.

“I’m more interested in making cases against individuals as a part of an effort to achieve structural reforms, change the laws and change people’s attitudes,” Schneiderman said.

As attorney general, Schneiderman proposes to create a working group to examine New York’s securities laws. In government, he wants public integrity officers in each regional office of the attorney general.

“Folks who want to report local corruption can have a place to go other than the local prosecutor who probably has relationships with people you’re trying to report,” Schneiderman said.

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Assembly Member Jonathan Bing and his challenger Gregg Lundahl laid out their agenda for Albany recently in separate interviews with Our Town. The Democratic primary is Sept. 14.

Bing, who is seeking his fifth term in the Assembly, talked about the bills he has authored and passed into law during his eight years in Albany.

Gregg Lundahl

In this past session, he sponsored 10 bills and had seven either signed into law or sent to Governor David Paterson’s desk.

Bing highlighted a bill he sponsored that allows higher education and cultural institutions—his district contains parts of Museum Mile along Fifth Avenue—more flexibility with their endowment.

Most notably, he carried the no-fault divorce bill in the Assembly. New York was the last state to adopt no-fault divorce, which allows a couple to split up without needing a reason.
Though the bill had been introduced before, Bing said he reached out to his Republican colleagues to sponsor the legislation. That helped the bill finally move through the Legislature.

Similarly, bus lane cameras had stalled in the Assembly for years. Having cameras in bus lanes was considered crucial to the East Side bus rapid transit system’s success.

“When that happens, you can say Albany’s dysfunctional, forget it,’” Bing said. “Or you can say I’m going to try again. I tried again and, like the no-fault divorce bill, built a coalition.”

But there was one piece of legislation that landed him in a race for re-election.

Jonathan Bing

He sponsored a bill that ended the “last hired, first fired” practice of teacher layoffs. It replaced seniority as the sole criteria for layoffs with a panel made up of teachers, principals and administrators.

That earned Bing the wrath of the United Teachers Federation, which is financially supporting Lundahl, a high school teacher.

“I probably would not win a UFT executive committee election but I’m not running for executive committee of UFT,” Bing said. “I’m running to be the representative of the East Side of Manhattan which was going to lose teachers under ‘last in, first out.’”

Bing’s bill earned him the endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. And he still retained some union support, such as the doorman’s union 32BJ and CSEA, a state employees union.

Lundahl also has endorsements from the AFL-CIO and 1199SEIU, the healthcare workers union.
Lundahl, a high school government teacher at Washington Irving High School, laments crowded classrooms and insufficient space for physical education and art.

“I intend to lead the fight for a balanced curriculum,” Lundahl said.

But his qualifications for this office, he said, are that he is not a “career politician” or “part of the machine that is broken.” Lundahl lays blame for Albany’s dysfunction at Bing’s feet.

“We know what the problems are,” Lundahl said. “We just need leadership that can fix them.”

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Reshma Saujani’s campaign announced that she will be hosting several town hall-style “Community Conversations” with residents of the district.

Her Upper East Side stop is scheduled Wednesday Aug. 25 at the 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave., at 7:30 p.m.

“Voters want their representatives to come to their neighborhood and talk to them,” said Saujani. “Time and time again, voters tell me that their current representative, Carolyn Maloney, isn’t engaging them on the important issues, and they want leaders who will listen.”

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