Shady maneuvers feared in DA race

If Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz knows anything about District Attorney Robert Johnson’s rumored plans to leave office before the end of the year, he isn’t talking.

Recent days have seen articles in The Daily News and Post quoting unnamed Bronx Democratic Party insiders as saying Mr. Johnson secretly plans to drop his re-election bid — but only after the September primary, when party bosses can handpick a successor and circumvent the democratic process.

According to The Post, Mr. Johnson, who has been DA nearly 30 years, wants a Bronx Supreme Court judgeship. The tabloid said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie of the Bronx favors a judge in the State Appellate Division First Department named Darcel Clark to take Mr. Johnson’s place.

“Robert Johnson is definitely qualified to be a Supreme Court judge. I have not heard public statements from him about it, but he is certainly a very appealing candidate. I’m not sure if he has decided,” Mr. Dinowitz said in a phone interview.

Asked about Ms. Clark, the assemblyman remarked, “her credentials are good.”

Mr. Johnson’s office has declined to answer questions on the subject.  

Development discussed

So far, 2015 is shaping up to be the year of development and rezoning. It’s no surprise those topics dominated a recent appearance by northwest Bronx Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz on the cable access show “BronxTalk.”

While discussing a slew of new housing developments in the district, host Gary Axelbank brought up a major, controversial rezoning proposal from the Department of City Planning.

Mr. Dinowitz targeted the way the plan, which is aimed at encouraging affordable housing development, could affect parking. 

“They want to make it difficult for people to own cars in New York City,” the assemblyman asserted, adding that reducing parking requirements at new developments would be “bad public policy.”

Mr. Dinowitz described cars as a necessity for outer borough residents, saying people there should not be held to the same standard as residents of Manhattan.