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Thank You!
Message from Bill de Blasio, after winning the nomination for Public Advocate.
For video of Bill's election night victory speech, click here.
It is with tremendous pride and humility that I write to you as the Democratic nominee for Public Advocate! I could never have made it to this point without your continued dedication and support. Every hour of time volunteered and each dollar contributed led to our victories in the primary and in yesterday's runoff. Thank you for always believing in my campaign and in my vision for the Public Advocate's office.
Pundits kept saying we couldn't do the impossible - that this race was too hard, the City too big, the odds too long. But each and every day for nearly the past year, I heard from you and from New Yorkers across the City that this campaign and my vision to bring the people's voice to City Hall is just what our City needs.
Yesterday, after a hard fought primary and runoff election, New Yorkers across the five boroughs came out and declared their will to bring new leadership and a bright future to the Public Advocate's office. Thank you for being a part of our amazing grassroots coalition every step of the way. Without your continued support and encouragement, none of this would have ever been possible.
Today, I look forward to working with you as New York City's next Public Advocate to stand up for the rights and needs of all of our City's neighborhoods and families. Our City is facing real challenges. From giving public school parents like myself a voice in our public education system, to creating more affordable housing, to supporting neighborhood businesses and ensuring all New Yorkers have access to living-wage jobs, there is much work to be done. Yet I am confident that by bringing broad and diverse coalitions of New Yorkers together,just as we have done in this camp aign, we can affect real, positive change to better the lives of all who call our great City home.
I hope that you will join me as we work in the coming days and weeks toward victory the general election on Tuesday, November 3rd. Thank you again for your continued support. Today would not be possible without you.
The New York Times Endorses Bill de Blasio for Public Advocate
Ever since the job of public advocate was created 15 years ago in New York City, there have been questions about whether the position should exist.
The job is something of a hodgepodge established after a streamlining of city government. It is commonly known as the city's ombudsman, the official who can criticize other elected officials, including the mayor. And that may be one reason why the last two mayors have argued strenuously to get rid of the office altogether.
But the public advocate also serves as a kind of vice mayor, casting tie votes at the City Council and, if the mayor cannot serve, taking his place until a special election. One of the most important jobs for the next public advocate will be demonstrating whether this position truly serves New Yorkers or whether someone else, like the comptroller, should be next in line to succeed the mayor.
The four Democrats running in the Sept. 15 primary have argued that they would prove their worth by creating a more powerful counterbalance to the city's powerful mayor than the outgoing public advocate, Betsy Gotbaum.
Two of those candidates, Mark Green, who was the city's first public advocate from 1994 to 2001, and Norman Siegel, a former executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, were particularly strong voices in opposition to former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who left office at the end of 2001. But the city and its politics have changed considerably under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
It is no longer enough for a public advocate to be the anti-mayor, to hold press conferences and file lawsuits - the specialties of Mr. Green and Mr. Siegel. The office must be more than just a place for politicians to prepare a run for the mayoralty at the taxpayers' expense.
A third candidate, City Councilman Eric Gioia of Queens, also has learned to use press conferences effectively to highlight city issues. But the next occupant needs a broader set of skills.
Because he has shown that he can work well with Mayor Bloomberg when it makes sense to do so while vehemently and eloquently opposing him when justified, City Councilman Bill de Blasio best fits today's requirements for the job.
Mr. de Blasio has an impressive political résumé, starting with his time working for David Dinkins and later running Hillary Rodham Clinton's United States Senate campaign. A City Council member from Brooklyn since 2001 and chairman of the Council's General Welfare Committee, he has focused on helping many less-fortunate New Yorkers with food stamps, housing and children's health. He has labored successfully for better schools and an improved quality of life for New Yorkers.
We have not always agreed with Mr. de Blasio, and we worry about his coziness with the state's powerful unions. But, over all, he has the best temperament and best record of the four candidates. We endorse Bill de Blasio for public advocate.
Democratic Organization of Queens County Endorses Bill de Blasio for Public Advocate
September 25th, 2009
NEW YORK - The Democratic Organization of Queens County today endorsed Bill de Blasio for Public Advocate. Today's announcement follows recent endorsements from former Public Advocate candidate Councilmember Eric Gioia, Congressman and Queens County Chair Joseph Crowley, and several other prominent Queens elected leaders. This is the 38th new endorsement in the runoff for the de Blasio campaign, which has the support of over 150 local leaders and grassroots organizations citywide.
"We need a Public Advocate who represents the future, not the past. Bill de Blasio's dedication to issues facing New Yorkers here and now makes him the most qualified to solve current problems and solve new ones. The Democratic Organization of Queens County is proud be a part of the diverse Citywide coalition supporting Bill de Blasio for Public Advocate," Congressman and Queens County Chair Joseph Crowley said.
"With only four days left until election day, the support of the Democratic Organization of Queens County adds a substantial boost to our continuing momentum. Our campaign has built one of the most diverse coalitions ever seen in a city election including important local leaders and grassroots organizations in every borough. Our historic widespread support will make the difference on election day and help us create a new future for the Public Advocate's office," said Bill de Blasio.
The New York Times
New York Amsterdam News
The Bronx Times
Gay City News
The Jewish Press
Jewish Sentinel
Jewish World
Rockland Jewish Tribune
Carib News
Caribbean Life Newspaper
New York Press
Our Town
West Side Spirit
Former New York State Governor Mario Cuomo
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum
Former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer
Former Manhattan Borough President Honorable Ruth W. Messinger
Reverend Al Sharpton
Reverend Floyd Flake
United States Representative Yvette Clarke
United States Representative Joseph Crowley
United States Representative Eliot Engel
United States Representative Gregory Meeks
United States Representative Michael McMahon
United States Representative Jerrold Nadler
United States Representative Charles B. Rangel
United States Representative Jose Serrano
United States Representative Edolphus Towns
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
New York State Senator Martin Malave Dilan
New York State Senator Thomas K. Duane
New York State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson
New York State Senator Shirley Huntley
New York State Senator Liz Krueger
New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery
New York State Senator Bill Perkins
New York State Senator Diane J. Savino
New York State Senator Eric T. Schneiderman
New York State Senator Jose Serrano
New York State Assembly Member Michael Benedetto
New York State Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny
New York State Assembly Member Michael Benjamin
New York State Assembly Member Jonathan Bing
New York State Assembly Member William Boyland, Jr.
New York State Assembly Member James F. Brennan
New York State Assembly Member Marcos Crespo
New York State Assembly Member Michael Cucisk
New York State Assembly Member Steven Cymbrowitz
New York State Assembly Member Adriano Espaillat
New York State Assembly Member Vanessa Gibson
New York State Assembly Member Carl Heastie
New York State Assembly Member Dov Hikind
New York State Assembly Member Janele Hyer-Spencer
New York State Assembly Member Hakeem Jeffries
New York State Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh
New York State Assembly Member Micah Kellner
New York State Assembly Member Vito Lopez
New York State Assembly Member Joan Millman
New York State Assembly Member Daniel O'Donnell
New York State Assembly Member Jose Peralta
New York State Assembly Member Nick Perry
New York State Assembly Member Annette Robinson
New York State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal
New York State Assembly Member Matthew Titone
New York State Assembly Member Darryl Towns
New York City Council Member Leroy Comrie
New York City Council Member Inez Dickens
New York City Council Member Erik Martin Dilan
New York City Council Member Mathieu Eugene
New York City Council Member Helen Foster
New York City Council Member Daniel Garodnick
New York City Council Member Vincent Gentile
New York City Council Member Eric Gioia
New York City Council Member Sara Gonzalez
New York City Council Member Julissa Ferreras
New York City Council Member Letitia James
New York City Council Member Jessica Lappin
New York City Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito
New York City Council Member Rosie Mendez
New York City Council Member Annabel Palma
New York City Council Member Domenic M. Recchia, Jr.
New York City Council Member Joel Rivera
New York City Council Member James Sanders
New York City Council Member James Vacca
New York City Council Member Albert Vann
New York City Council Candidate Fernando Cabrera
New York City Council Candidate Margaret Chin
New York City Council Candidate Yen Chou
New York City Council Candidate Danny Dromm
New York City Council Candidate Kevin Kim
New York City Council Candidate Brad Lander
New York City Council Candidate Stephen Levin
New York City Council Candidate Ydanis Rodriguez
New York City Council Candidate Debi Rose
New York City Council Candidate Jimmy Van Bramer
New York City Council Candidate Jumaaane Williams
Dr. Una S.T. Clarke, C.D.
Steve Buscemi
Russell Simmons
Citizen Union
Citizen Action of New York
ACORN Political Action Committee
Working Families Party
Central Labor Council
1199 SEIU
Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM
Communications Workers of America District 1, AFL-CIO 1
Communications Workers of America, Local 1180
Correction Officers' Benevolent Association
Council of School Supervisors and Administrators
CSEA Region 2 Political Action Committee
District Council 37, AFSCME AFL-CIO
District Council 1707, AFSCME Local 205
Executive Council of PSC/CUNY
Freelancers Union
New York City District Council of Carpenters
New York City Fire Marshals Benevolent Association
New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council
The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 891
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Joint Council 16
The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades DC 9
SEIU Local 32BJ
SSEU Local 371
Transport Workers Union, Local 100
Theatrical Stage Employees Local One IATSE, AFL-CIO
UAW Region 9A NY Area CAP Council
Uniformed Firefighters Association
United Federation of Teachers
United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500
UNITE HERE
Workers United
Bronx Democratic County Committee
Democratic Committee of Richmond County
Kings County Democratic County Committee
Queens County Democratic Organization
42nd A.D. Democratic Club
57th A.D. Democratic Club
Ansonia Independent Democrats
Barack Obama Democratic Club
Chelsea Reform Democratic Club
Chippewa Democratic Club
Coalition for a District Alternative
Community Free Democrats
Concerned Democratic Coalition
Democrats in the Heights
Downtown Independent Democrats
Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club
Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, Co-op City
Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats
Independent Neighborhood Democrats
Lambda Independent Democrats
Lenox Hill Democratic Club
Lexington Democratic Club
Liberty Democratic Association
Lower East Side Democratic Club
Martin Luther King Democratic Club
New Era Democrats
Northern Manhattan Democrats for Change
Out People of Color Political Action Club
Parliament Democratic Club
PRIDE Democrats
Progressive Association for Political Action
Progressive Democrat Political Association of Central Brooklyn
Rosa Parks Independent Democratic Club
Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Club
Shorefront Democratic Club
Stars and Stripes Democratic Club
Stonewall Democrats
United Democratic Organization
Vanguard Independent Democratic Club
West Harlem Independent Democrats
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