Although I will take an anti-choice Democrat over an anti-choice Republican any day, I have to say that the 64 Democrats who voted for the anti-choice Stupak-Pitts Amendment are a serious disappointment. Some are expected. Some I really hoped for better and I can safely say I am unlikely to support them in the future.

Here is the statement from Planned Parenthood on the passage of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment:  read more »

Brooklyn-Queens NOW PAC has released its endorsements for the September 15th Primary election. Here they are:

Council District 23: (Hollis Hills, Queens Village, Little Neck, Douglaston, Bayside, Bellerose, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, Hollis, Hollis Park Gardens, Holliswood, Fresh Meadows). MARK WEPRIN currently serves as a NYS Assemblymember. His votes in the Assembly speak volumes. Contact information for Mark Weprin: www.markweprin.com; Office: 73-20 Bell Boulevard Oakland Gardens, phone: 718-468-4208.

Council District 29: (Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens; parts of Maspeth, Richmond, Elmhurst) - Michael Cohen, Karen Koslowitz, and Heidi Harrison Chain. All were excellent on our issues. We voted to endorse KAREN KOSLOWITZ, a proven fighter and previous Council Member. Contact information for Karen Koslowitz: www.karenforcouncil09.com. Address: 72-50 Austin Street, 2nd Floor, Room B, Forest Hills NY 11375. Phone: 347-722-6923. Fax: 718-268-7363.

Council District 33: (Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint; parts of Williamsburg, Park Slope, Boerum Hill) - Ken Diamondstone and Jo Anne Simon. Both were excellent on our issues. We voted to endorse JO ANNE SIMON, a longtime advocate for disability rights and civil rights. Contact information for Jo Anne Simon: www.joanneforcouncil.com. Address: 75-B Hoyt Street Brooklyn, NY 11201. Phone: 718-852-8183.

Council District 39: (Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Prospect Park). Candidate JOSH SKALLER is running for the seat vacated by Bill DiBlasio. Unlike his opponents, Skaller accepts no money from developers and is upfront about his support for our issues. Contact information for Josh Skaller: http://skaller09.com; phone:(718) 568-9699; email: community@skaller09.com.

Council District 49: (North Shore Staten Island). DEBI ROSE is running against Kenneth Mitchell. Mitchell, in his short stint (since February) in the council, has already disappointed on healthcare, voting against a bill to protect women from being harassed during visits to reproductive health clinics. Contact information for Debi Rose: www.votedebirose2009.com. Address: 552 Richmond Rd, Staten Island, NY 10304. Phone: 347-855-2968. Email: info@votedebirose2009.com.

Council District 51: (South Shore, Staten Island). JANINE MATERNA has only Republican incumbent, Vincent Ignizio to face. His allegiances are not to our issues. Materna is excellent on repro rights, education and domestic violence. In her district, it's not easy to be outspoken on women's rights, but she is. Contact information for Janine Materna: www.janinematernaforcitycouncil.com. Address: PO Box 90673 Staten Island, NY 10309. Phone: 718 408-1420. Email: janine.maternal@gmail.com.

All our endorsed candidates support NOW issues and have, in their interviews and statements, demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge of repro rights, civil rights, economic impact, marital and healthcare issues. We encourage you to get involved in their campaigns. Canvassing, phonebanking, hosting fundraisers, and contributions are most needed. Primary Day is September 15th. ***VOTE! ***VOTE!*** VOTE!***

According to their website:

The Brooklyn-Queens Chapter has its own Political Action Committee (PAC) which allows us to endorse candidates for local offices.

We examine their positions carefully and interview them to make sure that they actively promote legislation which furthers the goals of women's equality.

In the latest skirmishes over the 39th City Council race, things have taken a somewhat bizarre and, to me, unexpected turn.

Recently, one candidate, probably the most conservative in the race, John Heyer, has come under attack from Gatemouth on Room 8, district leader Alan Fleishman, and others for his anti-choice and anti-marriage equality (though, often ignored, pro-civil union) stands. This should have come as no surprise to Heyer and his campaign since the district is overwhelmingly pro-choice and pro-marriage equality and in any circumstance when a candidate holds views distinctly different from that of the majority of voters in the district, that candidate HAS to be ready to address why, despite this difference of ideology, that candidate will still represent the voters in that district.  read more »

Recently I posted about the impending rumble at the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND) this Thursday. Well, the first skirmishes have begun.

[UPDATES INCLUDED]

The background is this:

Old-time member of IND, one Salvatore "Buddy" Scotto, has been blatantly packing the club with people who have not previously been active in the club. I should note that Scotto has previously expressed outrage at others packing the club. There is a touch of hypocrisy here.

Scotto used this packing to push through the endorsements of Yassky and de Blasio at the last endorsement meeting. This caused some anger in the club, but to me was not outside the normal workings of the club, though I will have more to say on that later.

Many believe that Scotto's packing is also aimed at endorsing anti-choice, anti-marriage equality, pro-developer candidate John Heyer (who works for Marty Markowitz) for city council in the 39th district.

Many believe that this would sacrifice the basic priciples of the club (pro-choice, supportive of LGBT, etc.) for one man's obsession with the Gowanus canal development.  read more »

Liza wrote about this, but I think she de-emphasized the key point by not including it on the front page. Eight NYC City Councilmen (YES, all men) voted AGAINST the Clinic Access Bill (Prop. Int. 826), which provides much needed protections for women’s access to reproductive health clinics across the city. So these 8 council members voted AGAINST helping women get easy access to reproductive health clinics in NYC/

These are the anti-choice City Councilmen in NYC:

Councilmembers Tony Avella, Simcha Felder, Vincent Ignizio, Kenneth Mitchell, Eric Ulrich, James Vacca, Peter Vallone, and James Oddo

Tony Avella is often considered a progressive, yet he voted against this bill and he voted for public religious displays, something which I consider against the separation of church and state. I will say that on many issues I agree with Avella, and I like Avella, but we HAVE to consider his anti-choice and his anti-separation of church and state stands that he has taken. This is why I support Bill Thompson over Tony Avella for mayor.

I should also note that I support a solidly progressive, pro-choice candiate Steve Behar who is running against another member of the Vallone campaign in the 19th.

As to the others, I do not off hand know of good challengers against these guys, but if you know of such, please let me know.