So, I found some interesting fund raising numbers recently, but held back until I knew about IND's endorsement in the 39th district. Now I have taken a leave of absence from IND's executive board, I am able to write about it.

The Idependent Neighborhood Democrats claim that "independence" from the Brooklyn Democratic machine, led by one Vito Lopez. Now when elections come around in Park Slope and Prospect Heights and places like that, I find Vito Lopez's name is dirt. The name of IND has carried weight in a positive way, but the name of Vito Lopez carries weight in a negative way. Sometimes when I am discussing a race with a voter, they interrupt me and ask who Vito Lopez is supporting. When I tell them, they say, "that's all I need to know...I'll support the other person." This was invariably a winning tactic during the 2007 Surrogate Judge race where I could get people voting for Diane Johnson largely by pointing out that her opponent was supported by Vito Lopez.  read more »

From The Washington Times :

An analysis conducted by the Center for Responsive Politics found that Madoff and his wife, Ruth, gave the bulk of their campaign contributions to Democrats. The couple donated $238,200 to federal candidates, parties and committees since 1991, and Democrats received 88 percent of those donations.

Madoff gave $11,400 to nine Republicans in the same time period. None of them is in office now. Former Rep. Jack Fields of Texas received the most - $5,000. Other recipients included former Sen. Alfonse D´Amato of New York, former Rep. Vito Fossella of New York and former Rep. Michael Oxley of Ohio.

And people wonder why one of the truisms of a progressive blogger is that mainstream media has always tilted to the right if not to the hard-right.  read more »