BLOODBATH
If – and that’s a big IF from what we hear has been going on behind the scenes – the vote count holds by Jan. 8 for South Bronx/E. Harlem Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito to become the next Speaker, expect the Bronx delegation to be drained dry of any political juice.
All those hard-earned committee chairmanships will evaporate, most likely handed over to the Brooklyn delegation in that deal carved out between Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio and Brooklyn Dem County Leader Frank (Judas) Seddio.
Seddio broke ranks with Bronx Boss Carl Heastie and Queens Boss Joe Crowley to deliver his delegation to Melissa. Instead of 30 pieces of silver, Seddio will get a lion’s share of plum committee chairmanships for his delegation and mucho jobs for his Brooklyn party loyalists.
Among the biggest Bronx loser, Maria del Carmen Arroyo, who fielded a challenger against Melissa when she wound up redistricted to Arroyo’s Mott Haven turf. Maria is expected to be stripped of her health committee chairmanship.
Also on the losing end, Soundview’s Annabel Palma, losing her general welfare committee chair, and Jimmy Vacca, out as chair of the powerful transportation committee.
Then again, as a couple of astute political players told us, de Blasio at some point is going to have to do some fence mending with losers Heastie and especially Crowley.
“Bill is going to need to do business in Washington, and he just screwed the fifth-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives,” sayeth one source.
Meanwhile, word around the blogs is that Manhattan Councilman Dan Garodnick and supporters Heastie and Crowley’s camps are working hard to tilt the vote.
MORE LOSERS
Former Borough Haller Bob Nolan adds to our annual list of 2013 Bronx winners and losers those Bronx Supreme Court judges who must now step down at age 76 after voters defeated that November ballot question on raising the retirement age to 80.
TAPIA TAPPED
Yudelka Tapia, district leader over in the west Bronx 86th Assembly District slapped by City’s Conflicts of Interest Board with a $4,480 fine for working on her old City Council campaign, as well as her post for district leader, on company time at the City Comptroller’s officer where she works as an economist.
And of course, there’s that little matter of close to 108Gs she still owes the city Campaign Finance Board in fines and unspent funding.
Last borough official to be rapped on the knuckles by the Conflicts board was former Boro Prez Adolfo Carrion Jr.
He paid a 10G fine for using an architect to do work on his City Island home while the firm was doing biz with AC’s office – and let’s just say Adolfo was a weeeeeee bit late in paying the guy until the case made ink.
MOVING ON
Nivardo Lopez, hard working Bronx rep for the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit moving on after 16 months there. Starting Jan. 3, he’ll be working for new City Comptroller Scott Stringer in the public affairs division handling city legislative affairs.
With the administration changeover, we expect this to be the first of many in the scramble for a new paycheck, municipal or otherwise….
LIBERTY LEADERSHIP
No sooner does he get elected, but Richie Torres is resigning.
Bet that got your attention. But we’re talking about the new City Councilman stepping down as of Jan. 1 as president of the Liberty Democratic Association in the 80th Assembly District. The club will be holding elections Jan. 26 for a new president and for treasurer to replace the recently departed and much loved Ray Unger.
Could we be seeing a bit of a power play here, with Morris Park Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj flexing some muscle for a favored candidate? Stay tuned.
COP CORNER
Christmas present. To Cliff Acosta at the 4-3 Squad, upped to prestigious Detective First Grade.
OOPS
We gave a little too much credit in our year end winners and losers column to Jimmy Vacca chief of staff Jeff Lynch for delivering the votes for Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio. Jeff was busy handling Jimmy’s no-challengers primary, and handled Bill de B’s high-vote general election Bronx campaign.
BRONX BIRTHDAYS
Dec. 27 – Cary Goodman, executive director of the 161st Street Business Improvement District.
Dec. 30 – Lesley Massian-Arthur, associate vice president for government relations and urban affairs at Fordham University.
