It looks like most of the Bronx political establishment is on board Charlie Rangel’s campaign walker.
Looking haggard and feeble from back problems that have him using a walker, Charlie sewed up Boro Prez Ruben Diaz Jr.’s endorsement Friday for the June 26 Democratic primary.
What could be Rangel’s Last Hurrah has become a painful, backbreaking campaign. His handlers had to physically help him into his car after the endorsement.
Charlie’s Bronx operations guy is Mike Nieves, a savvy political street fighter going back to ex-Bronx Dem Boss Jose Rivera. He most recently did his best trying to hold things together for convicted ex-state Sen. Hiram Monserrat.
Mike said most of the Bronx electeds will endorse Rangel shortly.
West Bronx state Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Morris Heights Assemblyman Nelson Castro have joined a number of other Latino legislators supporting upper Manhattan/Riverdale Dominican state Senator Adriano Espaillat.
While Charlie has Latino support in his old Harlem district, new stretches of heavily Latino Manhattan and the west Bronx in Gustavo and Nelson’s districts are virgin territory.
To Rangel’s advantage, a number of other candidates could dilute Espaillat’s vote margin.
Why the big push for Charlie, who was censured by congress for various sins, lost his powerful Ways & Means committee chairmanship and is being snubbed by President Obama for an endorsment?
A lotta folks see Charlie winning, then retiring for health reasons as a graceful exit – and saving a lot of his camp’s jobs from a Latino sweep.
Stepping down would then open the door for Manhattan and Bronx Dem Party Bosses Keith Wright and Carl Heastie to do some horsetrading on a successor.
BLACK MAGIC
Looks like dat ol’ black magic finally got da Wascally Wabbit.
Pedro Espada had been complaining at his federal trial that prosecutors were trying to put the whammy on da Wabbit, and we guess their bad mojo worked.
A fractious jury nailed him on four counts of stealing money from his Soundview Health clinic, and at press time it looked like it was deadlocked on four other counts, and all eight counts on son Pedro G.
Add his name to Efrain Gonzalez, Gloria Davis, Guy Velella, Stanley Simon, Robert Garcia, Stanley Friedman, Mario Biaggi and Israel Ruiz.
ADOLFO’S HAMLET
With about $1.5 million in his campaign kitty and no immediate place in sight to spend it, former Bronx BP Adolfo Carrion’s been putting out more feelers than an octopus, trying to get some nibbles on possible runs for a number of offices – including one for mayor on the (GASP!) Republican ticket.
And you’d think AC would’ve had his fill of architects after that bit of a contretemps that broke out while working as White House urban affairs director for President Obama.
Questions were raised over whether he got a freebie from an architect for design work on his City Island manse while BP, and while the architect’s firm had business before him.
Now he’ll be around a lot of architects, having joined the CSA Group, “the largest (it says here) Hispanic-owned architectural, engineering, environmental services, consulting, and construction and program management company in the United States.”
HEATED VOTE
The mystery of all those extra votes from new electronic voting machines in Mott Haven in the 2010 governer’s race has finally been solved. Seems the machines overheated. And we were hoping for some good old political hankypanky!
WAGES OF SIN
State Senator Jeff Klein’s bill to make it easier for landlords to evict drug dealers and hookers by having assistant district attornies step into the housing court cases reminds us of a great hooker line we heard one night in a police station as the ladies were being taken down to court.
“Ah sweah” drawled one hot pants honey surveying the cameras, “You cain’t even sell what yuh own in this town!”
SUSHI & SWEETS
BRUCKBRO, or whatever you want to call that trendy stretch of Bruckner Blvd. between the Willis and Third Ave. bridges, just got its first sushi place, CEETAY, at 129 Alexander Ave.
Alex Abeles, partner at the nearby popular Bruckner Bar & Grill, has put together a great looking menu in relaxed surroundings – where you can actually hear yourself over the music.
And trust us, yuh just gotta try some of those to-die-for desserts created by Alex’s pastry chef wife Vered.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
To Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, May 10, Taurus, the bull.
What? You thought we’d be snarky with Snooki on her birthday? She’s got enough problems….
COP CORNER
Kudos to Bronx Homicide detective Malcolm Reiman for solving the 1998 rape/murder case of a 14-year-old. He did it with tedious computer research and a DNA link, then tied a ribbon around the case in the interrogation room.
IMPRESS HER
Every year we say it. Guys, if you’re taking your best lady to the Bronx Ball at Orchard Beach this Saturday night, it’s BLACK TIE! Shake the mothballs outta that tux, or go see Moe the tux rental guy. It’ll wow your woman.
Got some good bochinche (gossip) for Kappy? Email bkappstatter@cnglocal.com
