On Thursday July 19th The Bronx Democratic County Committee held their annual dinner. The room at Marina Del Ray was filled with Loyal Bronx Democrats as those Bronx Democrats who are challenging current Bronx Democratic County organization supported candidates were told "Do Not Attend". Even though their names were read at the dinner at least two State Committee members were not at the dinner as they are either running against or running with candidates that are challenging incumbents assembly members that are being backed by the Bronx Democratic County organization. It was said over and over who the Bronx Democratic County organization is endorsing, but not why, only because they are incumbents. Several people at the dinner told me that they were not happy that people were told not to come to a dinner that is suppose to be inclusive to all democrats.
While the room may have been filed we did not see several elected officials such as all three or four (depending on how you count them) members of congress that represent one part of the Bronx or another. We will say however that Congress was in session so all were in Washington, and had staff members standing in for them. We saw only State Senator Gustavo Rivera who stayed for a while, but no other state senators such as Senators Ruth Hassel-Thompson, Jeff Klein, Adriano Espaillat, Jose Marcos Serrano, and Ruben Diaz Sr. We also did not see some Bronx City Council and State Assembly members who may have come and gone quickly. We will say that we saw former Governor David Paterson and former Bronx Borough President Adolpho Carrion, and Bronx DA Robert Johnson.
The honorees were Mr. Simon Bergson (President and C.E.O., Manhattan Beer), Mr. Fernando Brinn (President, Nandicarm Ltd.). Ms Marlene Cintron (President, BOEDC), Mr. Gregory Floyd (President Teamsters Local 237), Mr. Ernest Logan (President of the CSA), and Ms. Kathryn Wylde (President and C.E.O., Partnership for NYC). It was Mr. Ernest Logan who may of had the best line of the night when he said "Do not let people who know nothing about your children educate and make decisions for them" referring to Mayor Bloomberg and the Department of Education.
Other highlights were the announcement by Chairman Heastie that he and the BDCC were supporting assembly candidate Luis Supelveda in the open 87th A.D. race. Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. said that the Bronx is getting one of the only five new Macy's Department stores to be built in the country, Fresh Direct coming to the Bronx, Donald Trumps new golf course in the Bronx, the debate for a "Living Wage" began and ended in the Bronx, and that outer borough taxi's happened because of Chairman Heastie and the Bronx delegation. Diaz then predicted that the Yankees would win again, in 2013 the Bronx will have a say in the elections that year, Gillabrand and Obama will be re-elected, and that all Bronx incumbents will be re-elected,
With the Yankees having a huge lead, the race for president at almost 50/50, some Bronx incumbents having what looks like very tough races, and with City Council Speaker Quinn and Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio (two of the top candidates for mayor in 2013) not in attendance we wonder if BP Diaz should leave the predicting to us. However we do agree with BP Diaz on three of his predictions. Below are a few photos of the event, and if the photos appear a little dark that is due to the low lighting in most of the room.
Left - State Comptroller Tom Di Napoli with 85th A.D. Marcos Crespo. Left City Comptroler (and candidate for mayor in 2013) John Liu addresses the crowd while Chairman Heastie looks on.
Left - Ms. Marlene Cintron of BOEDC. Right - Former Bronx BP Adolpho Carrion.
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