Diaz Votes...Will Anyone Else?

Here is Assemblyman Ruben Diaz and his wife, Hilda, voting this morning at P.S. 93 in Soundview.

We already have some reports that voting is very, very light across the borough, so we'll be on the lookout to see who else shows up at the polls today. But Diaz can at least count on these two votes in his race to become the next borough president.

Badillo Makes It Official

This morning, former borough president Herman Badillo released an official statement (to coincide with a press conference) endorsing the likely winner of Tuesday's special election, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr.

"I have supported Ruben Diaz, Jr. since he first arrived in the State Assembly, and I am proud to endorse him now for Bronx Borough President. I know Ruben has the kind of character and work ethic we can count on to make the Bronx a better place for us and our children," Badillo said.

"I am pleased and grateful for the ongoing and steadfast support of former Congressman and Bronx Borough President Herman Badillo," Diaz. "Congressman Badillo has paved the way for so many of us and has dedicated his life to serving the people of this borough and the City of New York."

Badillo Goes In For Diaz

It's just breaking now, but former Bronx Borough President (the first Puerto Rican to hold that position, in fact) Herman Badillo will officially endorse Assemblyman Ruben Diaz in the special election tomorrow.

Badillo, a former congressman and current author, was elected to the beep's office in 1965, serving until 1970. More recently, Badillo was a "Democrat for Giuliani" and ran for mayor in the Republican primary against Mike Bloomberg in 2001.

More to come...

Greene Named As Likely Deputy Beep

Assemblyman Ruben Diaz has announced the first major hire of his presumptive Bronx borough presidency. South Bronx Assemblywoman Aurelia Greene, who had been considered a front-runner to be the next county clerk, will serve as his deputy borough president, assuming he's victorious in the April 21 special election.

“Throughout her distinguished career, Aurelia Greene has been a champion for Bronxites and for all New Yorkers. She has been on the front lines fighting for tolerance and understanding among all peoples, and she has been a champion for women, children and families; tenants and homeowners; students and teachers; youth and seniors; and consumers, workers and job-creating businesses in the Bronx. She will bring to bear her distinguished record of accomplishment and leadership in our efforts to bring the Bronx to a new level,” said Assemblyman Diaz.

“I am excited about the opportunity to work with the next Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz, Jr., who will bring dynamic new energy to Borough Hall,” said Assemblywoman Greene. “I look forward to working with him to implement his vision for a revitalized Bronx. As Borough President, Ruben Diaz, Jr. will balance the needs and desires of our local communities with sensible, job-creating policies that benefit us all. I am thrilled at the chance to help him implement that vision and to make the Bronx an even better place to live, work, or visit for all of us,” she said.

Greene has been in the assembly since 1982, and is the first African-American to hold that body's Deputy Majority Leader position.

Diaz Swings Through Riverdale

A little bit earlier today, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz dropped by the Riverdale Y with his colleague Jeffrey Dinowitz for a bit of an informal meet-and-greet. Here's some video. And excuse the lighting...that's a tough room to film in.

Diaz To CFB: No Thanks

With his only opponent in the upcoming special election for borough president a poorly funded Anthony Ribustello, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz has decided to reject the use of hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer matching funds from the City's Campaign Finance Board.

"While I support and believe in the City’s campaign finance system, New Yorkers’ best interests must come first. In these tough economic times, especially while confronted with a seemingly non-competitive race for Bronx Borough President, it is my hope that returning these funds to City taxpayers will assist in the retention of jobs and the continuation of vital services," said Diaz in a prepared statement.

He added, "My campaign for Bronx Borough President is a people-powered, grassroots effort that relies on voters and volunteers to get the message out about my candidacy. That’s why my campaign was able to gather over 18,000 signatures from registered voters in the Bronx, and that’s why I will be elected the next Bronx Borough President."

WFP Backs Diaz

While we cannot imagine who else they would back at this point, given how the field has cleared out during the past week, the Working Families Party made it official today and endorsed Assemblyman Ruben Diaz in the special election for borough president.

"Ruben Diaz Jr. has always been there for the people of the Bronx when they needed him, and we know we can count on him to continue that work as Borough President," said Dan Cantor, Working Families Party Executive Director. "We need to protect and expand affordable housing, improve access to quality health care, and make sure schools receive their fair share of funding. Working with Ruben, we know we can make the change we need."

--John DeSio

Diaz Campaign Kick-Off

For the record, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz made it official yesterday, kicking off his campaign with a large group of supporters on the steps of the Bronx County Courthouse.

The field has thinned significantly, which has taken a great deal of the juice out of the special election. That said, I'll have more on this a little later.

--John DeSio

Ruiz Out, Endorses Diaz

Former State Senator and City Councilman Israel Ruiz Jr. just sent over a press release announcing that he will not be a candidate in the special election for borough president, and that he is endorsing Assemblyman Ruben Diaz.

Ruiz said that he spoke to Diaz, and that he was assured the assemblyman is committed to building a better Bronx.

"Assemblyman Diaz has informed me that under his watch he will work with all concerned to bring people together under the banner of the Bronx Democratic Party," said Ruiz. "He will strive for transparency in fundraising and use of party funds by party leadership. Assemblyman Diaz is committed to hiring the best qualified individuals to work on the economic, housing, education, immigration and employment initiatives that will help the Bronx survive the severe recession we face. I believe that Diaz, Jr. is committed to working for the civil rights of all, and will speak out against any injustices."

Ruiz added, "For the Special Election I endorse Ruben Diaz, Jr., and will work for his victory"

As for his political future, Ruiz indicated that he is still planning to run for City Council against Maria Baez, and will be opening a campaign office within a month.

"Within thirty days, I will be opening a campaign headquarters and have asked for a meeting with Democratic Party Chairman Carl Heastie to discuss my willingness to help in the building of a strong, honest, progressive Democratic Party," said Ruiz. "For thirty years I have helped many elected officials obtain jobs and helped with their aspirations to become elected officials. I never asked for anything in return except that they serve their constituents diligently. Unfortunately some have not been as effective or as honest as I had hoped."

Ruiz added, "In order to ingratiate themselves with past party leaders, some individuals have gone along with a corrupt leadership and system which values blind party loyalty at the expense of honest and effective service to the people. At my political peril, I have received the ire of powerful interest that stopped my advancement within the party. I feel that my experience and commitment can serve the party well."

Reports: Diaz Petitions North of 16,000 Signatures

We don’t have official word yet, but we’re hearing that the campaign of Assemblyman Ruben Diaz has already collected more than 16,000 signatures on its nominating petitions, which is quite a number given that they only started on Monday.

Only 4,000 signatures are required to run in the special election, though candidates typically come in much higher than that to prevent challenges.

Since this is a special election, candidates cannot use traditional party labels and must come up with their own unique ballot line names. Diaz has chosen to place his campaign under the “Bronx Unity Party” banner.

We can also tell you who makes up Diaz’s committee to fill vacancies, which would decide who would take over the ballot line in the (highly unlikely) event that the assemblyman declined to run in the special election. That trio is State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz (his father) and Assembly Members Aurelia Greene and Jeffrey Dinowitz.

Diaz Reacts To Rivera News, Seabrook Still In?

After yesterday's big announcement that neither City Councilman Joel Rivera or his father, Assemblyman Jose Rivera, would be entering the race for borough president, I reached out to Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, who is now the clear front-runner for the seat, for some reaction.

“I’ve always maintained that my candidacy was about the people of The Bronx, and not predicated on any other candidate," said Diaz, who added that he expected the team he has built and his support from all over the borough to lead him to victory on April 21.

Yesterday, I also reported that City Councilman Larry Seabrook had declined to run as well, confirmation of which came from Rivera spokesman Mike Nieves.

According to Liz Benjamin, Nieves might have spoken too soon. Seabrook's chief of staff Cleveland Beckett told Benjamin that his boss was still in the race and was circulating petitions.

As for challengers from other corners, Anthony Ribustello also told me this morning that the news about the Riveras was not affecting his candidacy, and that he would continue to collect signatures to qualify for the ballot.

--John DeSio

GOP's Ribustello In For SpecElec

Anthony J. Ribustello, actor, activist and Republican district leader from Throggs Neck, has confirmed that he will be a candidate in the upcoming special election for borough president.

Ribustello joins a field that includes Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, and possibly Councilman Larry Seabrook and

"I'm a lifelong Bronx resident, and I care about the community," said Ribustello.

Ribustello, who has been active in his community for years, said his campaign would focus on protecting services for Bronx youth and seniors, as well as preserving The Bronx as a haven for the middle class.

In addition to his political work, Ribustello is an actor, best known for his role as Dante Greco, one of Tony's top guys, on The Sopranos.

--John DeSio

Video: Diaz Accepts BFRDC Endorsement

Here is the final video of the night, which consists of Assemblyman Ruben Diaz thanking the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club for its endorsement.



--John DeSio

Video: Dinowitz, Press, Speak On Behalf Of Diaz

Here is some video of this evening's meeting of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club. First, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz speaks in support of Assemblyman Ruben Diaz's campaign for borough president.

Something worth noting: At about 0:40 in the video City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell states that his colleague, Larry Seabrook, has told him he is "likely" to run himself.



Next, Robert Press, vice chairman of the Committee of 100 Democrats, does the same.



--John DeSio

BFRDC Backs Diaz, Rivera Shut Out In Riverdale

I just got back from this evening's meeting of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club, the Riverdale/Kingsbridge political powerhouse and the home club of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.

To no one's surprise, the club endorsed Assemblyman Ruben Diaz in the upcoming special election. The final vote tally was 38 for Diaz, one for Israel Ruiz and three not to endorse. City Councilman Joel Rivera, Diaz's most likely opponent, did not receive any votes.

Diaz came in after the meeting to thank the club and its members for their support. I'll have video up of that, as well as speeches by Dinowitz and Robert Press of the Committee of 100 Democrats, shortly.

This makes the BFRDC the third club to officially back Diaz, after the Liberty Democratic Association and the aforementioned C-100-D.

--John DeSio

UPDATE: Video here and here.

Caption: State Committeewoman Helen Morik, Democratic District Leader Randi Martos,Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, and Heidi Schwartz BFRDC President.

Senator Serrano Not In The Race

While we have confirmation that Assemblyman Ruben Diaz and City Councilman Joel Rivera (and maybe Israel Ruiz and Larry Seabrook) will be involved in the upcoming special election, we've also been working to track down answers from anyone else who has ever been considered for that job.

With that in mind, I got a hold of Brian Levinson, spokesman for State Senator Jose M. Serrano, to ask if his boss was interested in pursuing the seat. There was a time not too long ago when Serrano, the son of Congressman Jose Serrano, was considered to be a front-runner for the seat himself.

Levinson informs us that Senator Serrano is staying out of the special election, which comes as no real surprise to us at this point. Levinson added that the senator was unsure what his involvement would be regarding his involvement in the race.

"The Senator is not running, and he's not sure right now to what extent he'll get involved in the race," said Levinson.

Diaz Campaign Office, Complete With Huge Diaz Photo, Is Open

So we took a ride the other day to check out the campaign HQ of Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, located at Third Avenue and 179th Street, south of St. Barnabas Hospital. It wasn't open when we got there, but we still took a few pics for our own amusement.



And we can't forget the huge, almost dictatorial photo of Diaz on the sign, which reminded Candice of something from the Middle East. Having never been to the Middle East, my initial thought was Che Guevara.



--John DeSio

Committee of 100 Backs Diaz

The Committee of 100 Democrats, a political club based in Assemblyman Jose Rivera’s 78th Assembly District, just announced their endorsement of Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr. over the ousted Bronx Democratic County chairman’s son, City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera.

“While we have spoken to other candidates there appears to be no serious competition for Ruben Diaz Jr.,” said Vice Chairman Robert Press.

The resurrected northwest Bronx political club of the late Dominick Fusco, whose membership has been aligned with Rainbow Rebellion leaders in the still ongoing county chair fray, made the endorsement following a special executive committee meeting convened this past weekend.

“We feel Ruben Diaz Jr. has been a voice of the people and has fought for concerns of the people of the Bronx during his time in elected office,” Press added.

The Committee’s president, Ricky Martinez, is also rumored to be eyeing Assemblyman Rivera’s seat for a run.

--Candice M. Giove

Agosto Explains LDA Endorsement Further

Kenny Agosto, district leader in the 80th Assembly District, took a few minutes over the weekend to further explain why his Liberty Democratic Association chose to endorse Assemblyman Ruben Diaz for Bronx Borough President.

As we know, the LDA has in recent weeks gone to battle with Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera's sister, and Agosto spoke happily about thwarting what he described as an attempt by the assemblywoman to stack the club and take over its leadership.

Agosto said his club chose to endorse Diaz because they felt he was the right man for the job, and because they were disappointed with Councilman Rivera’s record in the City Council, particularly as the health committee chairperson.

“I’m not doing this because I was mad at the Riveras,” said Agosto. “The person who takes over the borough presidency is going to be the political persona of the Bronx, and we need someone that’s going to respond.”

Agosto added that Diaz has practical experience as a member of the State Assembly and that he has been responsive to the needs of his constituents.

“We’re not picking someone just because he’s not someone else,” said Agosto. “There’s a record to run on. We need someone who is pragmatic, who is progressive, who’s going to do right by us.”

--John DeSio

Rivera Camp Not Surprised By County Endorsement

So, just what do the people surrounding City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera's campaign think about the news that the Bronx Democratic organization has backed Assemblyman Ruben Diaz in the special election?

They aren't fazed.

"It's not a surprise," said Mike Nieves, Rivera's campaign manager.

Why no shock? Diaz and county chairman Assemblyman Carl Heastie are personal friends, and the two men worked together as members of the "Rainbow Rebellion" to oust Assemblyman Jose Rivera, the councilman's father, as county chairman a few months back.

--John DeSio