Both Congressman Ed Towns, a 15-term congressman from Central Brooklyn, and Erik Martin Dilan, a nine-year veteran of the City Council, will stand before Brooklyn's district leaders May 18 at the Stars and Stripes Democratic Club in Bensonhurst. 

The seat became available when Towns' son, Darryl Towns, took a job as Andrew Cuomo's housing czar.

Several politicos in Brooklyn said that they could not recall the last time there was a competitive challenge for a mid-term vacant District Leader seat, which are unpaid, intra-party positions frequently coveted by striving up-and-comers hoping to gain a foothold in elected office.

Deference is typically given in these situations to the remaining co-leader in the assembly district. In this case, the female district leader happens to be Dilan's wife, Jannitza. However, the question ultimately will be put to a vote and decided upon by the 41 remaining district leaders, plus the 11 at-large members appointed by Brooklyn Democratic party head Vito Lopez.

According to sources, Towns has been sending out letters over the last couple of weeks to members of the executive committee soliciting support.

"Well, it's a difficult task because of the fact that they have all these at-large members," said Towns, who didn't mention Lopez by name, in a brief interview in his district office. "It's not the members that are elected, there's no question about that; I have the vote among the elected. But then there's 12 at-large members and that seems to be a real issue. They didn't get elected, but they were appointed, so I don't know in terms of how that's going to work out."

Lopez added the new members to the state committee after a number of anti-Lopez reformers won district leader posts in the primary. If Towns is correct, and the vote of the elected district leaders is undermined by the at-large members, some Brooklyn political insiders are predicting a civil war inside the party.

Towns tried to tamp down the prospect of a civil war with Lopez--reiterating that he would not challenge him for county leader--but even that came with some implied criticism.

"I don't have a problem working with him, because I just think we need to strengthen the county in every way. You know, I've seen candidates run for statewide office and not come to Brooklyn. I've seen candidates run for national office and not come to Brooklyn."

In terms of registered Democrats, Towns said the only county that could compare with Kings County is Los Angeles County.

"We need to be the strongest," he said. "So what I'd like to do is be able to unite the county so that we would have the kind of strength that we rightfully deserve as being the most populated Democratic county in the nation."

Towns also reiterated his support for Councilmember Erik Dilan--a Lopez ally--to run for the Assembly seat being vacated by Towns' son, Darryl, who was recently appointed state housing commisioner. But Towns hinted that he might withdraw that support, and run his own candidate, if Dilan stands for district leader.

"If he says that 'I want to be the Assemblyman,' I would say, 'I'm supporting Erik Dilan for the Assembly.' However, if it's not Erik Dilan, then there has to be a serious discussion about it. And of course, that's where we are."

"He's a person who has demonstrated his commitment to the community and has worked hard. And I have a lot of respect for him," Towns said of Dilan.

As it stands, there remains the possibility that Towns' daughter might seek the seat, though the congressman said nothing had been decided, and suggested it would ultimately depend on Dilan's decision.

"If Dilan is running, I would hope my daughter would listen to her father and not run," he said.

Towns denied he was seeking the district leader spot to put his picks in judicial posts, and said he was simply trying to stay connected.

"Locally, I enjoy that kind of involvement," said Towns, who noted that he turned down the job of chairman when he was approached about it 20 years ago. "And Darryl was involved and was able to keep me plugged in to the local, and you know, now that he's moving on, to be the commissioner of the housing for the state, I still want to have that tie-in to the local community. And that's it. Nothing more, nothing less."

From: Ed Towns <XXXX@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 26, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Subject: 54th District Leadership
To: XXXX@gmail.com

Dear XXXX:

I am asking for your support as I look to become the District Leader of the 54th Assembly. I look forward to working with you in the unification of the Kings County Democratic Party and in the furtherance of common good for Kings County, New York, and our great nation.

Sincerely, 

Edolphus 'Ed' Towns

The method of communication raised a few eyebrows in Brooklyn Democratic circles--"Most people would pick up the phone and call you," as one district leader put it--but coming on the heels of the news that, as the Daily Politics reported yesterday, City Councilmember Erik Dilan is also weighing a run for the seat, a pitched backroom battle could be in the offing.

On one side sits Towns and his son Darryl, who left the spot on the State Committee and in the Assembly in order to serve as Andrew Cuomo's housing czar. On the other, Kings County Democratic Party head Vito Lopez, who is close to Dilan and his father, state Sen. Martin Dilan. And each is waiting for the other to blink.

According to Brooklyn Democratic Party sources, Lopez can ill-afford to anger the Towns family too much, especially considering the influence that Darryl Towns will have on one of Lopez's favorite causes--affordable housing. But Towns is also the only potential  Brooklyn pol who count mount a credible challenge to Lopez's county leadership.

Towns, many suspect, would like to keep a foot in the party, and may be angling to get a favored judicial candidate, Betty Williams, a spot on the Supreme Court.

By running Dilan however, Lopez will have created his own leverage in any possible deal.

In one scenario, Towns could get the district leader spot under the understanding that he would not field a candidate on a third-party line to run against Dilan or another Lopez ally (Dilan's chief-of-staff, Rafael Espinal has been floated as a possible candidate if Dilan declines.)

But any deal involving judgships, state committee seats, housing project or the State Assembly could come easily come  undone.

If no deal is reached and Dilan and Towns battle over the district leader job, the decision will come down to what the other district leaders decide. But complicating matters is the fact that Lopez added 11 unelected at-large loyalists to the state committee last year in order to dilute the power of a new crop of reformers. And sources both inside and outside the reform movement say that the battle could get ugly if those 11 thwart the will of the rest of the state committee, do Lopez's bidding and make Dilan a district leader.

"I think this has the ability to fade into absolute nothing over a judgship or turn into a county-wide civil war," said one district leader. "Just remember, Vito's inclination is to make war even he's at peace."

It goes to the full council tonight.

More recently, Lew Fidler, an opponent of the measure, estimated that there were 29 members who will vote against it, but he also expressed concern over the pressure Michael Bloomberg has been applying. Does Christine Quinn, who favors congestion pricing and who called the vote for 3:30 today, know something he doesn't?

UPDATE: One of the undeclared members, Miguel Martinez, just told me he'll be voting in favor of congestion pricing. I asked another undeclared member, Jessica Lappin, who was walking into the members lounge just now, how she will vote. "You'll just have to wait and see," she said.

UPDATE TWO: Mathieu Eugene just walked into City Hall and told me he is likely voting against it. He likes the plan but is against the financial burden it imposes.

Erik Dilan, who was also previously undeclared, is voting "no."

UPDATE THREE: A reporter who spoke to Alan Gerson on the record tells me he is voting "yes," although he had previously answered "no" to the New York Times survey. According to my sources, Mike McMahon of Staten Island is also switching from a "no" to a "yes" vote, while his likely opponent in the Staten Island borough president race, Jimmy Oddo, is voting against.

Inez Dickens, a Democrat from Manhattan and Majority Whip in the City Council, told me yesterday that she's still undecided about Spitzer’s plan.

“If we don’t allow licenses to be given, are we [going to] impact on the ability of all people to earn a living?” she told me.

"I haven’t formulated and decided for sure whether I support it or I don’t, the governor’s proposal, in the format that it is in. I am concerned, rather, about not giving the licenses. But on the other hand, there’s been some real issues and concerns raised by others about giving the license to everyone, and that means undocumented, because documented can indeed get a license."

Erik Dilan of Brooklyn, who has raised money for a possible legislative race, said he hasn’t taken a position on the issue yet.

“There is no clear consensus in my district,” he said.

Michael McKee, who runs the tenant group Tenants & Neighbors, just called up to denounce the notion -- floated, but not yet finalized -- that Erik Martin Dilan would chair the Housing Committee.

"If I could think of one council member who was in the hip pocket of the real estate industry it's Erik Dilan," he said. "The tenant commuty would be extremely unhappy if this happens."