Eight Questions For Michael McMahon; Update!
Tuesday Update: I am such a stupid idiot. After trying to reach Council Member McMahon over & over, I was told to call his brother Tom -- who, as it turns out, is one of the smarter people ever to work in NYC government and is now a lobbyist. Now I understand why, whenever I talk to people about Council Member McMahon, they start talking about his brother. In any case, Tom is working on his brother's campaign and, I am told, I
won't get answers soonwill get answers within a day .
Liz Benjamin has learned that the Working Families Party has endorsed McMahon over Steve Harrison in the primary. See note at the end. The WFP had other primary endorsements as well.Wednesday Update Anti-climax of the week: Domenic Recchia drops out to support Michael McMahon. So far as I can tell, Mr. Recchia has not been in the district in months. Via Jonah at The Albany Project: Recchia said" As Democrats, we have an incredible opportunity before us, to turn a red seat blue and bring true change and real leadership to the residents in Staten Island and Brooklyn. That will not happen if we are not united as a party. Therefore, I am withdrawing my bid for the 13th Congressional district, and will support our party's nominee, Mike McMahon. Thank you to all of the people who believed in me, worked for me and fought for me over the last year - especially those who encouraged me to stay in the race despite the altered political landscape. Most of all, I would like to thank the voters of the congressional district, who welcomed me with open arms and believed in my message. I have not made any decisions about my political future and have no further comment at this time" But if he runs for Brooklyn Borough Presidentn in 2009 no one will be even mildly surprised.
Frank Powers, Fossella Fundraiser & Finance chair, will be the GOP candidate to succeed the recently retiring Vito Fossella Jr. Late Thursday night, the County GOP nominated Powers, a Todt Hill resident money-manager, who promised to personally contribute $500,000 to his own campaign and raise more. While Rep. Fossella was not present, his Father, Vito Fosella Sr. and his Uncle, Frank Fossella – both GOP movers and shakers – spoke warmly of Powers “I think Frank Powers is a wonderful person,” said Vito Fossella Sr. (The Fossellas did not, apparently, say that Powers was a family man). The GOP, therefore, by nominating a Fossella ally signals that the campaign they plan is more of the same: more war, more torture, more foreclosures, higher gas prices. In my view Mr. Powers’ past alliance with Rep. Fossella will cause any claim of independence from Bush-Chaney-Fossella to flunk the giggle test.
Some professional political consultants viewed the choice of Mr. Powers as an error . Indeed, even Brooklyn Republicans were said to be unhappy .
Back to the Democrats! As you may know, NYC Council Member Michael McMahon was selected by the State Island Democratic County Committee to run for the Congressional seat not Steve Harrison who has been campaigning all this time.
A key question for me is: What sort of campaign will Mr. McMahon run against Mr. Harrison? Both the Staten Island Advance and Islanders I’ve spoken with view Mr. McMahon as a conservative Democrat. For example, this Advance Editorial called Mr. Harrison “too liberal” for Staten Island and Mr. McMahon as just right. In what may be a harbinger of campaign tone, it also repeatedly calls Harrison a Brooklynite . (Another Advance edit worth reading is here.. In addition, those watching this race should read Tom Wrobleski's long somewhat gossipy analysis in Sunday's SI Advance . Mr. Wrobleski suggests what many of us expect, that this will be a Democratic year for Staten Island and the 13th Cong. District. My read of his column is that he favors Mr. McMahon over Mr. Harrison.
Will SI Democrats prefer a righter Democrat Islander to a lefter activist from Brooklyn? Will Mr. Harrison's grass roots campaign be able to overcome party organizations in Brooklyn and Staten Island? If Mr. McMahon runs as a conservative pro-war Democrat, many people like me will be extra inspired to work hard for Steve Harrison. If McMahon runs as a progressive, some of the Harrison-urgency will be diminished. Of course conventional professional consultants advocate that a candidate steer to the middle. (Rabble-rousers like me, of course, urge a leftward lurch). McMahon favored congestion pricing in the Council and has opposed Mayor Bloomberg’s Education budget cuts – both positions I agree with. I have not, as yet, carefully reviewed his record.
Eight Questions for Council Member McMahon
It must be very difficult to start running for Congress so late in the game. Michael McMahon says he wants to replace Vito Fossella. I called him up, spoke to his press aide, asked questions on two subjects – the war in Iraq and detention & torture. I hope to get answers back early next week.
Iraq
1)Does he favor or oppose the war in Iraq?
2) Does he favor or oppose permanent US bases in Iraq, long-term (5+ years) stationing of troops in Iraq?
3) Were he in Congress, would he favor or oppose further funding for the war in Iraq?
4) Did he favor or oppose NYC Council resolutions opposing the war in Iraq?
Torture, Detention , rights of Detainees
1) Does he agree with the position of the Bush Administration with regard to harsh interrogation procedure? Is Waterboarding, as an example, in his view, a lawful practice?
2) Does he support or oppose the extraordinary rendition process by which the US has seized foreign national abroad, flown them to detention facilities in third countries, and subjected them to (or allowed others to subject them to) "harsh interrogation procedures?"
3) Does he support or oppose the current use of military tribunals to try detainees in Guantanamo?
4) Does he support or oppose the use of habeas corpus to effect judicial review
of the lawfulness of the detention of those held at Guantanamo?
If you have other substantive questions you want me to ask, tell me quick. Questions about opportunism and fairness to Steve etc., however justified, please save for some other debate.
Primary petitioning begins this week. Are you ready?
Note: As I recall, the Working Families Party has, in the distant past, dispatched campaign workers to help Michael McMahon in his first primary race. If the WFP actually puts resources into McMahon's campaign, that would be, in my opinion, from a distance, important.
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2008 Elections | Michael McMahon | Steve Harrison | Tom McMahon | Vito Fossella
» Daniel Millstone's blog | email this blog | printer friendly version | send to friend | 1386 reads
i'm really interested...
Submitted by akokon on 1 June 2008 - 6:16pm.
I'm really interested to hear his answers..this is a great post...this is how the Harrison campaign started in 2006, with people refusing to take a look at it...but as the campaign went on, more and more people realized that it's worth taking a look at a genuine candidate for Congress such as Steve Harrison. I'm confident that in the end that Democrats won't make the same mistake they did in 2006 and not back Harrison.
It seems that even though Fossella is gone, Harrison is up against a different candidate but with the same Fossella policies.
What more will people interested in this campaign
Submitted by Daniel Millstone on 2 June 2008 - 8:11am.
need to know about Mr. McMahon on the issues?
The $500,000 man
Submitted by Gothanonymous Reader (not verified) on 2 June 2008 - 2:47pm.
This really sends out a bad message, which is that the GOP *sells* its congressional nominations to the highest bidder. Frank Powers had $500,000 he is willing to spend and so he gets to be the nominee. What does it say about the staten island republicans if nominations are bought and paid for, and have nothing to do with who is the most qualified, and giving the voters the right to choose. GOP voters should be very upset about this.
Steve Harrison, or whoever the Democrats nominate, should not let this go. Frank Powers is the $500,000 man. They should do posters depicting Frank Powers next to $500,000 in stacks of twenties and hundred dollar bills, and the caption, "Do not let Frank Powers BUY this seat!"
I hope somebody runs against him for the GOP nomination, even Curtis Sliwa, just to fight the possibility that Powers really can buy this seat.
You're 100% right..
Submitted by akokon on 2 June 2008 - 4:02pm.
and this is something we addressed in our most recent post on our campaign blog.
http://www.steveharrisonforcongress.com/blog
I look forward to addressing this by writing a post about it on Daily Gotham.
A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS
Submitted by ROSALIE907 on 3 June 2008 - 12:12am.
Daniel, why don't you ask him why he voted for Congestion Pricing when an hour before the vote he was against it. Why not ask him why he voted for an 18 1/2% property tax increase. What about Universal Health Care, Supreme Court Judges, transportation, global warming, unions (especially with his brother Tom an anti union lobbyist), veterans, social security, medicare, stem cell research, etc, etc.
This guy who was too afraid of going against Vito in 2006 and didn't want to run in 2008 either didn't elect to run until AFTER Vito said he wasn't running and now I see people kissing his rear and the heir apparent. I and many others know where Steve Harrison stands and Steve has my vote but nobody knows where McMahon is on these issues.
Rosalie, I will ask about Council Member McMahon's
Submitted by Daniel Millstone on 3 June 2008 - 9:24am.
political positions on the Council. I agree other issues you raise are important, too.
With regard to Tom McMahon's "anti-union" lobbying, I'm going to need a whole lot more guidance since I've heard nothing about that. Did you want to email me directly?
I know nothing specific about any dove-tailing between Michael McMahon's Council work and Tom McMahon lobbying and strategic work. At I type, I've heard one rumor but seen no facts at all. Tom's client list from his web site and from NYC's lobbyist lists show a mixture of groups: Verizon, Fifth Avenue Committee. People who are interest should check themselves here and here . Any further lines for looking or asking would be greatly appreciated by me.
THANKS DANIEL
Submitted by ROSALIE907 on 3 June 2008 - 10:18pm.
And I'll get you the information you requested. I'm a little slow this week, my sister's visiting from Las Vegas and I find I have to console her since she is a Hillary supporter.
More questions for McMahon... ...and a dismal record too!
Submitted by Gary Rodgers (not verified) on 4 June 2008 - 10:43am.
How about Iran, preemptive war as a first resort, right to contraception info, unconstitutional executions?
As a Staten Islander I am aghast not only by the conduct of the Democratic Committee bosses in Richmond County, but the Advance and others as well. McMahon is another Fossella/Bush clone. The question that is not asked, but pushed by self-serving assumptions, is one to the Democratic voters on Staten Island: Would you rather be red just not to be a part of New York City? I weigh in on that at a resounding NO! But that question is not even asked of the voters; it is merely imposed by taking it for granted. And I would suggest that some entity or citizens group in the County of Kings in the 13th Congressional District file a federal action against both the Richmond County Democratic and Republican Committees for violating the voting rights and the elections laws to disenfranchise the voters in Brooklyn who are registered in both parties for voting and I would further suggest that the Working Families Party and any other recognized political party in the County of Richmond who likewise did so should be enjoined and an immediate injunction be applied for to stay any elections proceedings pending a resolution of this fundamental Constitutional issue. How many more candidates are there out there who are virtually silenced and hindered from free and open elections by the party bosses of these committees at the expense of the public besides Steve Harrison? Exclusion is defiantly not a principle of the Democrat Party.
Ask McMahon questions about the following:
Iran Issue:
Would he support a preemptive invasion of Iran like the one of Iraq without diplomacy, UN inspections, or UN support?
Would he commit troops and more billions of dollars to occupy and rebuild post invasion of Iran?
Would he support a universal military draft to enlist more, and freshen existing, troops for either an expanding of war to Iran and/or prolonging it in Iraq?
Would he support the shifting of the same troops from Iraq to Iran rather than bring them home at all?
What legislative and policy measure would he promulgate or support to reduce or eliminate the record number of suicides among American troops in Iraq, Iran or anywhere else?
Would he suggest, pre-invasion, an exit strategy from Iran and would he apply it to only Iran and not Iraq and what would be the difference?
Would he support universal rescinding of existing and/or prohibition of any further, grants, subsidies, tax breaks or incentives to the citizens of the United States to raise the funds for expanding and/or prolonging war in either Iraq or Iran or both?
Would he support rescinding tax breaks and shelters from the wealthiest of Americans to assist in fundraising for any expanding and/or prolonging of the wars in either Iran and/or Iraq?
Would he oppose any expansion of veteran’s benefits (particularly to wounded veterans) to veterans of Iraq and extend that further to veterans of Iran as well?
Would he in his office in the name of the Democratic Party oppose the policies and proposed policies of the Democrat President of the United States, President Obama?
Unconstitutional Executions:
Would he support the unquestioned unconstitutional execution of the Death Penalty not only on foreign nationals but on American citizens as well?
Would he support unilaterally the removal of the United States from the list of member nations of NATO to act independently to go to war and to rescind any treaties regarding war and the use of distasteful weapons including nuclear weapons and proliferation?
Would he support unilaterally the removal of the United States from the list of member nations to the United Nations to act independently to go to war and to rescind any treaties regarding war and the treatment of both troops and civilians internationally by withdrawing the United States from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and/or the Geneva Convention?
Would he support impeachment and/or criminal prosecutions of any public servant who violates the Constitution and the rule of law and/or overtly refuses to obey, comply with or abide by the rule of law by tyranny and insurrection against the Constitution of the United States?
Would he support prosecution and the imposition of the death penalty against public servants who commit crimes against humanity?
Would he support openly and honestly any official or legitimate redistricting of the 13th Congressional District so as not to violate the Constitutional rights of voters who reside in that district but who reside in the County of Kings without any voice on the above questions and others?
Anti-Free Choice Measures:
Would he support prohibition of the choice to exercise the right of contraception in addition to that of abortion?
Would he support full cradle to maturity government subsidies of all child care and rearing expenses including college funds accounts for all “unwanted children?’
Would he support reinstate and meaning Welfare to support all children from cradle at maturity including college funds accounts for children of the poor?
Would he support any federal legislation or Constitutional amendment to prohibit consumers from selling, purchasing or otherwise trading in commerce in any lawful goods and services to socially engineer by prohibited freedom of choice on anything, including contraceptives and/or any family planning goods and services without restriction?
Would he support new federal legislation similar to state legislative trends in several states to make unconstitutional laws now scheduled to become effective upon future Supreme Court decisions be they on the issue of abortion or any other social or religious issue?
Would he support judicial appointment of conservative judges and justices to legislate from the bench, particularly to invoke immediate effectiveness of laws calculated to kick in as soon as a decision is rendered accordingly, be they on any issue including on reproductive rights?
No doubt that as long as this list gets it only scratches the surface. But McMahon has already answered some of these questions, which basically relate to his already dismal record, his disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law or of justice and moral standards and his temperament towards war and metering out death without regard to the Constitution.
1. He voted against the City Council RES 549-A in March of 2003 that was not even an anti-war resolution but calling for caution in invading Iraq other then as a last resort and not without completed weapons inspection, exhausting all diplomatic efforts first and not without gaining support from NATO allies and the UN General council first. President Bush refused all these criteria and thumbed his nose at the world and America’s allies and only after the fact tried to put together an international “coalition of the willing.” The City Council showed enormous integrity and courage to pass that resolution overwhelmingly and McMahon choose to disregard his Democrat collogues to vote against caution and them and with the GOP members of the council in partisan support of the Bush administration’s unilateral agenda of preemptive war with no planning or exit strategy or support from the international community, or completed inspections or exhausting all diplomatic efforts.
2. He voted against the City Council RES 12-A in June 26, 2002 likewise disregarding the overwhelming majority of his Democrat collogues to vote against them and the Constitution, for the purpose to disregard it, and with the GOP members of the council by partisan standards. This too was not even an anti-death penalty resolution but merely called for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty until the unconstitutional status of the state’s death penalty law could be resolved.
3. He also voted no to EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION INFORMATION AT PHARMACIES to hinder consumers in their exercise of their rights to shop for legal emergency contraceptives. This was far beyond any anti-abortion or any other free choice measure.
McMahon Supports U.S. Action in Iraq.
Submitted by akokon on 4 June 2008 - 12:48pm.
"He appeals to us on his opposition to gay marriage, and he told us he continues to support U.S. action in Iraq."
- Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar
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reading the Advance
editorial left me disheartened. I hardly know where to begin in citing errors of commission and artful omissions. Like not mentioning that Fossella outspent Harrison 13-to-1 in 2006. Or suggesting that Staten Island went 57% for Bush in 2006, when there was no presidential campaign. They should also check back and see whether Mr. Bush is still as well-liked there as he was last time he ran. I remember Harrison quoting approval ratings for Bush of 28% in 2006. I found this excerpt particularly astonishing:
"Brooklyn has its own congressional districts -- three in their entirety and parts of two others. The 13th C.D. is Staten Island's only congressional district. Population distribution and fairness dictate it should be considered a Staten Island seat."
What does that make Bay Ridge - the Puerto Rico of Staten Island? Are its residents only allowed to vote for Staten islanders, not to represent their own district? Were I a resident of the Brooklyn part of this district, I'd immediately start a campaign to be redistricted into one of "Brooklyn's own" districts, where I'd be allowed full participation.
The tone of the piece leaves little doubt about where they stand, as well: using words like "livid" and "pique" to describe Harrison pretty much say it all. That's why the call it "opinion", I guess. I don't want to sound defeatist, but I don't have a good feeling about the Harrison campaign, and it's not coming just from the Advance, or the SI Democratic Committee, or Vito Lopez' endorsement of McMahon. The worst sign to me is that the last two articles the New York Times ran about this district didn't even mention Harrison's candidacy. He's officially a non-person there - and they endorsed him in 06.