POLITICAL ARENA

Racking up all the endorsements

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With the March 23 city council special election race just around the corner, it seems just about everybody is looking to get their voice in on which candidate they’re supporting. So it should be no surprise that there have been a flood of endorsements in recent weeks.

The most recent has come by way of former city council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who is backing Jessica Haller to replace to Andrew Cohen on the city council.

“Jessica has the skills to lead our city toward a more just and equitable future,” Mark-Viverito said, in a release. She’ll “help ensure that all women — including women of color, and LGBTQ women — have a passionate advocate representing their needs on the city council.”

Haller also picked up the endorsement of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club for her “passion and drive to implement progressive policies around climate change, economic recovery and affordable housing,” according to club president Allen Roskoff, in a release.

Abigail Martin isn’t running in the special election, but she and Mino Lora — who is up for March 23 — have won the endorsement of  NYC Kids PAC, based on their support for public schools.

All of the declared candidates in both races so far took the survey, except for Carlton Berkley and Kevin Pazmino. Martin was the PAC’s first choice, with Mino earning the group’s second slot.

Eric Dinowitz didn’t get the NYC Kids PAC nod, but the former teacher is racking up union endorsements. He picked up three more last week from 32BJ SEIU, DC37 and the Hotel Trades Council.

32BJ is a property service workers union representing more than 175,000 members across the northeast and Florida. DC37 is the city’s largest public employee union representing 200,000 people, while HTC represents 40,000 hospitality employees across the state.

Dinowitz slso received the endorsement of the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York-FDNY, as well as Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics and Fire Inspectors Local 2507.

 

Cabrera demands ‘free and open’ press

Councilman Fernando Cabrera is throwing his support behind a bill that could move journalist credentialing away from the New York Police Department and over to the city clerk’s office.

Cabrera, who is running for Bronx borough president, says press credentialing “must be insulated from potential corrupt influences in order to ensure that our press remains free and open.”

During citywide protests last year, some field reporters said they were targeted by police, who in some cases revoked their credentials on the spot. While such credentials are not required to work as a reporter or photographer, it does provide some access to city events that would not otherwise be available to the media.

Cabrera says the city clerk’s office is neutral, and would keep politics out of press credentialing decisions.

Melissa Mark-Viverito, Jessica Haller, Andrew Cohen, Michael Hinman, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Allen Roskoff, Abigail Martin, Mino Lora, NYC Kids PAC, Carlton Berkley, Kevin Pazmino, Eric Dinowitz, 32BJ SEIU, DC37, Hotel Trades Council, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York-FDNY, Uniformed EMTs Parademics and Fire Inspectors Local 2507, Fernando Cabrera, NYPD, New York Police Department,

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