NYS Senator Antoine Thompson's re-election bid has been endorsed by Local 282 of the Buffalo Professional Firefighters. This major endoremsent is not only prestigious, but is also likely to mean additional volunteers and other support for the Senator's already front running campaign.

Meanwhile, with the support of Common Cause and the Sunlight Foundation, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will announce a new push to make Congress more transparent and accountable in Buffalo on Friday afternoon. The freshman Senator from New York will make her pitch at the Frank Merriweather Jr. Library Auditorium, 1324 Jefferson at 2:15pm on Friday, Sept. 3.. Senator Gillibrand will announce a new effort to pass bipartisan legislation she wrote that would make the federal earmark process fully transparent for all lawmakers. Under provisions of her legislation, Senators who might want to sneak spending amendments for projects in their states into bills without anyone knowing they did it, will know be identified publicly. The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee overwhelmingly passed the legislation last month.

NORTH DISTRICT COUNCILMAN DECLARES "I DON'T CARE ABOUT PERKS, ONLY SERVING MY DISTRICT"...WOULD GLADLY RISK "SIBERIA TREATMENT" FROM SILVER TO STRIKE OUT AGAINST A BROKEN ALBANY...CHARGES HOYT WITH "DEFENDING SPEAKER"

What can WNYers do to put an end to Albany outrages from perennial tax and fee hikes to the singlehanded murder of UB 20-20 by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver? To Democratic Assembly candidate Joe Golombek, the answer is simple if not necessarily easy: "Throw out the incumbents," including his opponent, Sam Hoyt.

"We wouldn't even have to throw out all of them," Golombek explains. "All you'd have to do is throw out some of them, beginning with Sam, and then I think the others would get scared and start getting the message and we'd finally start getting some reform in Albany."

As for Silver, Golombek, unlike many others, seems unafraid of challenging his 14 year hold on almost absolute legislative power, even if it means losing perks and privileges.

"If elected, I would definitely join Assemblymember Mark Schroeder, who has announced he's considering running against the Speaker, in voting against Silver, based on his complete unwilliness to do anything to reform the way Albany does business and his decision to kill UB 20-20, which is something people in the district are concerned about. I don't care about the perks or how much Sheldon Silver might retaliate against me. On the other hand, my opponent, 20 year incumbent Sam Hoyt, has been defending Silver, calling him, 'my friend from Manhattan.' I'm not surprised at his reaction. Like many others, he is simply more interested in  enjoying the perks and privileges of office than he is in doing anything to improve our economy in WNY or to turn around this state."

SNOOTY FOX TO BE SCENE OF PANEPINTO EVENT, THIS WED. SEPT. 8

The NYS Supreme Court campaign of Catherine Nugent Panepinto will hold a fundraiser THIS WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8 from 5:30-7:30pm at the Snooty Fox on Delaware Ave. in Buffalo. The contribution levels are $125 for Friends and $250 for Advocates. Checks can be made out to: Nugent-Panepinto for Justice; 485 Norwood; Buffalo, NY 14222. For more information, call 852-1888.  

BROOKLYN COUNCILMAN INSISTS BENEFITS OF DEM RULE AREN'T TRICKLING DOWN TO BLACKS, LATINOS...BELIEVES MINORITIES UNDERREPRESENTED IN HALLS OF POWER

While it's true that there are more African-Americans and Latinos in public office than ever before, it is also true that the benefits of these advances aren't being enjoyed by rank and file minority citizens, according to Brooklyn City Councilman Charles Barron. That's why he formed the Freedom Party of New York and that's why he's running for governor on a third party ticket that includes Bronx attorney Ramon Jimenez for attorney general and Buffalo activist Eva Doyle for Lt. Governor.

In an exclusive interview with NewWNYPolitics and Noticias-WNY, this three term Big Apple legislator explained his reasons for making the run.

"African-Americans and Latinos are still being hurt by institutional racism which leaves us underrepresented in elective office in this state," he says. "Despite the minority members who are currently serving in high office, our community still is being shortchanged in areas such as education and access to quality health care and good housing. We won't be taken for granted by the Democrats, There will be no minority member running as the state-wide nominee of the Democratic Party this year despite the fact that blacks and Latinos comprise 35% of the population of the State of New York. That's why I'm running."

Under Freedom Party rules, whites can participate in the organization's campaigns, but could not hold leadership positions or be nominated for office by the group.

How would a Governor Barron change things?

IMMIGRANT LEADER ASKS FOR TASK FORCE ON AFRICAN IMMIGRANT ISSUES

Buffalo American Diversity Leader Mohamed Mohamed is reporting that Mayor Brown proved to be "receptive" to the concerns of the local African immigrant community in a recent meeting.

"Mayor Brown told me he feels immigrants are already making a very positive contribution to the City of Buffalo and will make an even bigger positive contribution in the future," Mohamed said. "The Mayor also said he believes Buffalo offers a good quality of life for immigrants. He added that he hopes immigrants will take advantage of community development grants....

To read the rest of this story, click on to: www.black-wny.com

A FORMER ASST. US ATTORNEY WHO HAS ALREADY HOUNDED WALL STREET MISCREANTS, COFFEY PLEDGES TO ALSO FIGHT ALBANY CORRUPTION BASED ON A "READY, AIM, FIRE" APPROACH TO LAW ENFORCEMENT

While all Attorney-General candidates talk about fighting Wall Street evildoers, front running AG contender, Sean Coffey is the only one who can say he's done it, as an Asst. US Attorney who knew how to hit the Gordon Gechos of the world where it hurt them the most.

"I made the members of the board of directors of companies that had cheated ordinary investors pay out of their own pockets, not just out of the corporation's funds," he recalled recently in an exclusive interview with NewWNYPolitics and NiagaraFallsPolitics. "I forced them to pay out 20% of their net worth and that was a good thing because if they are only being forced to pay out of the corporation's funds, that isn't much of a disincentive not to cheat people. But, if they have to pay out their own money, they'll think twice about doing it again."

Already labelled "The New Nemesis of Wall Street," by a prominent Big Apple paper years before he launched his AG campaign, Coffey has enjoyed a rich and diverse career that began with graduation from the Naval Academy and proceeded through service as a Naval aide to then Vice-President George W. Bush and careers as both a successful private attorney and a tough as nails federal prosecutor.

As a youngster, he spent some time as a resident of Niagara Falls while his father worked on the Niagara Power Project.

SCHROEDER: "I'M NOT PART OF THE CLUB...I DON'T ASK SILVER'S PERMISSION TO DO THINGS"..."I WORK FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, NOT THE SPEAKER"...CHARGES SILVER NIXED 20-20 TO  HOLD ON TO STRANGLEHOLD OVER SUNY

Assemblymember Mark Schroeder will not keep silent in the wake of the resignation of University of Buffalo President John Simpson, apparently precipitated by the demise of UB 20-20. Instead, he has told NewWNYPolitics in an exclusive interview that he may challenge NYS Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for his post as a way of affirming his opposition to Silver's apparently successful efforts to scuttle this job creating program.

"I hold Speaker Silver personally responsible for the killing of UB 20-20 and the subsequent resignation of UB President John Simpson," Schroeder told us. "The Speaker apparently didn't care that this program could have created thousands of jobs in WNY while totally revitalizing our economy. Why did he do it? He killed the program because he personally controls the Board of Regents, but he doesn't control the SUNY Board and he would not give up his power to set tuition rates at SUNY colleges, which is the primary power he has over the SUNY schools. He would rather keep WNY an economically crippled colony of New York City than give up any of his power as Speaker, which is equal to that of a Governor."

Still, most members would not even consider challenging a sitting Speaker, no matter how wrong or abusive he might be, any more than they would ponder a bid to replace God...

"I can do this," says Schroeder, "because I was never a member of the club. I never played the Speaker's game. I never was one of those members who would go to the Speaker to ask permission to do things. I don't work for the Speaker. I work for the residents of my district."

According to Assemblyman Mark Schroeder, the impending retirement of University of Buffalo President John Simpson, and the state’s failure to approve UB2020, can be blamed on one person – Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

"Speaker Silver did everything in his power to kill UB2020, and along with it, any chance to resurrect our economy," said Schroeder. "I am sick of my constituents being treated as second-class citizens."

The UB2020 expansion plan would mean thousands of new jobs, $5 billion of investment in Buffalo, as well as a strategy to help the rust-belt city recover from decades of economic decline by building a new economy based on education, innovation and technology.

"I thank John Simpson for his valiant efforts to make UB a world class university, invest in downtown Buffalo, and help give our struggling city a chance at a brighter future," said Schroeder. "I don’t blame him for being frustrated – I have been frustrated with the Speaker since the first day I arrived in Albany."

Back in April, Schroeder publicly slammed Silver for "killing" UB2020, and vowed not to support the Manhattan Assemblyman for speaker next year if the plan was not approved. Now, Schroeder said, simply not voting for the speaker, like he did in 2005, may not be enough.

"Maybe it is time someone challenged the speaker for his gavel," said Schroeder. "Since no one else seems to be stepping forward, perhaps it is time I considered a run for speaker."

"Right now, it is obvious Upstate has no voice in state government," he continued. "We are treated as a colony of New York City, with no say in how we are governed and no power to save our cities. If there is any hope for the millions of us who live north of New York City, we need a change in leadership, and we need it now."

Sean Coffey, Democratic candidate for New York Attorney General has announced endorsements from numerous Upstate New York Democratic leaders and organizations, including that of Niagara County Democratic Chairman Dan Rivera.. Coffey also picked up endorsements from the North Country and Hudson Valley areas..

NY POST ENDORSES SEAN COFFEY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

Editorial board cites background, commitment to reform as making him uniquely qualified to take on Albany corruption, fight for New Yorkers

Sean Coffey, Democratic candidate for New York Attorney General, today said he is proud to receive the endorsement of the New York Post, which said he was the sole candidate suited to take on the Albany establishment.

Calling him “the class of the field,” the Post said that, “Coffey is unencumbered by entanglements with New York's political establishment, which lends considerable credibility to his central campaign theme – the critical need for fundamental reform."

Coffey, responding to the endorsement, said, “I am honored to receive the endorsement today of the New York Post. To be called, ‘the only credible reform candidate on the AG ballot’ highlights the true stakes of this campaign. The most important issue is who has the political independence to be the steel broom that cleans Albany's stables.”

PRIDGEN, HAYNES, MCINTYRE ALL FACING DOUBTS AS PRIMARY NEARS...THE REV., THE DOC, AND THE FIREFIGHTER...AN ODD COUPLE PLUS ONE COMPETES FOR CITY HALL POWER

Once the Rev. Darius Pridgen got into the Democratic primary race to complete Brain Davis' seat, it was supposed to be all over. Armed with a religious following bigger than Moses and a reputation for service to his flock that inspires admiration even from his foes, the Pastor of the twin locations of the True Bethel Baptist Church was supposed to be the hands down favorite and maybe he still is. Yet, beginning with an announcement press conference that attracted a smaller than anticipated crowd, filled mainly with parishioners, questions have been raised about just exactly how strong a candidate he is turning out to be.

"Rev. Pridgen's announcement was a disappointment, not only because it turned out to be a less than impressive gathering but because the group on hand seemed to be made up largely of Pastor Pridgen's parishioners, with the rich enthic and religious diverstiy of the district clearly not reflected," one of our sources recalls. "In fact, that group was so unrepresentative of the district, that the public radio reporter on the scene actually asked a question about it."

Yet another problem faced by the Pridigen effort has been a feeling among some of the Pastor's most ferven admirers that this much respected religious leader would be much more valuable sticking to his duties as a man of God.

"Rev. Pridgen is my pastor," one recently told this reporter. "I really love and respect him. But, I think he is much more needed getting kids off drugs and bringing spiritual solace to our community. There are a lot of people who could drive down to City Hall and go to Council meetings and discuss curbs and garbage collection and so on.