The New York Observer

Martin Luther King Day has passed us by, but Al Sharpton became the latest political figure to invoke the late Civil Rights hero in the fight between Cablevision and their employees in Brooklyn who want to unionize with the Communications Workers of America. Mr. Sharpton made his comments about MLK while speaking to Cablevision staffers yesterday. Read More

Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents the people who operate the city's subways and buses, has pulled out of contract talks with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. In a statement released today about their departure from the bargaining table, Local 100 accused the MTA of "negotiating in the press" in "a shocking violation of good faith negotiation tactics."

"Negotiations were to resume on Thursday, January 19. That morning, an article appeared in the NY Daily News presenting givebacks that the MTA would be asking for at the meeting. This was a shocking violation of good faith negotiating practices and of a specific agreement with management to refrain from negotiating in the press," the statement said. "This move, the second time in three days that management had seeded the press with its claims, poisoned the atmosphere for negotiations. Local 100 presented its protest and then cancelled the remainder of the bargaining session in order to clear the air before negotiations continued."

TWU's statement didn't just accuse the MTA of planting the story. It also said the information contained in the story was inaccurate.

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New York City's Economic Development Corporation is a lot of things to a lot of people: investor, incubator, job creator,  developer, and now, apparently, a matchmaker of sorts. Either that or an over-encouraging mom who's just sure you're gonna meet the right one, sweetie!

Today on the NYC EDC's Tumblr, a blog typically devoted to Hizzoner's policy musings, updates on the tech campus competition, or showing off the Mayor's new Instagram account, went in a different direction with a post called "Ratio of Single Men to Single Women in NYC," which, conventional wisdom holds, does not fall in a hetero lady's favor.  Read More

Senators Gillibrand and Schumer pull back on PIPA.

Lew Fidler wasn't hand-picked by Vito Lopez.

Eric Schneiderman goes his own way on mortgages.

Liz Benjamin digs into the weeds of how Maurice Hinchey's retirement impacts the redistricting calculus Upstate and in Queens.

Capital Tonight also has a little more info on Governor Cuomo's security detail traffic accidents.

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Michael Shnayerson, the Vanity Fair writer who it was announced yesterday is penning the first biography of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, told The Politicker today that the idea of becoming the Governor's Boswell only occurred to him recently.

"I couldn't believe no one else was doing it," he said.

"Even a year ago no one would have suggested a biography on Cuomo, even after he won the governorship, because very likely he would be sliced and diced by the old political dons of Albany," Mr. Shnayerson continued.  "But of course he has had a brilliant year and all of a sudden it looks very different. He not only looks like a very powerful successful governor but a very strong contender for the presidency in 2016 and suddenly his whole story seems much more important and compelling." Read More

In 2005, State Senator Jeff Klein's law firm, Klein Calderoni & Santucci LLP, was issued a violation from the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) for operating a commercial business in a residential zone and ordered to discontinue its commercial use. However, the law firm still remains active at its current location.

"More than six years ago, The New York City Department of Buildings issued a violation that was contested by the law firm. After a hearing on the matter, an administrative law judge imposed a $480 fine, which was paid promptly," Fred Santucci, a managing partner at the firm, said in a statement after Politicker reached out to Senator Klein. "The matter was believed to be closed and -- in the ensuring years -- there has been no communication to the contrary from the building department."

Mr. Santucci's statement is correct that the judge only imposed a $480 fine while making no mention of an order to discontinue commercial use, but a spokeswoman for the city's Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings said the ruling only has the ability to issue fines, and other agencies can issue make requirements.

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