Observer » Paul Vallone

A Bloomberg and Green Flier

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:04:39 -0400

Michael Bloomberg and Mark Green ran against each other for mayor in 2001. This year, Green is vowing to act as a powerful watchdog over the next mayoral administration (i.e. Bloomberg’s) if elected as public advocate.

But the two of them are featured on the same piece of campaign literature in support of Paul Vallone. He’s running for the City Council seat in Bayside being vacated by Tony Avella.

Vallone’s running in a Democratic primary, and Bloomberg is running on the Republican and Independence Party lines for mayor.

Bloomberg Campaigns Against Guns, Vallone Almost On Board

Azi Paybarah — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:36:27 -0400

Michael Bloomberg’s “major policy announcement” today was, actually, to say he’ll support tougher gun laws here, including one that makes it a felony to carry a gun while drunk.

Another proposal would broaden the definition of what are considered illegal bullets, and to increase penalties for possession of those bullets to "a minimum of one year.”

The penalty for “carrying while intoxicated” would be a $10,000 fine and a year in jail.

The penalty for transferring a gun to a minor would be a minimum sentence of three-and-a-half years in jail.

I asked Bloomberg if these minimum sentences would prevent judges and prosecutors from steering people into alternatives to jail, like community service.

“I think what happened in the past is that judges exercised so much flexibility that nobody went to jail,” Bloomberg said. He added, “the state determined that three-and-a-half years, minimum, for carrying a loaded gun, was appropriate.”

Campaigning against illegal guns is one of Bloomberg's nonpartisan initiatives that he has won national attention for and which has strengthened his support among Democrats.

On hand for today's announcement was Peter Vallone, Jr., a Democratic City Councilman from Queens. Vallone, who endorsed Bloomberg in 2005 - and whose brother was endorsed by Bloomberg in a City Council race in Bayside - said he was not making an endorsement yet in this year's mayor's race.

Vallone & Vallone & Vallone

Azi Paybarah — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:31:44 -0400

Here's a nifty example of extra-campaign profile-boosting for a couple of local office-seekers, in the form of an ad for the family law firm Vallone & Vallone, from the Queens Gazette.

For the record, that's Peter Vallone, Jr. on the left, who's running for Queens borough president; his brother Paul Vallone on the right, who is running for City Council in Bayside; and their father, former Council Speaker Peter Vallone, Sr.

Older Vallone Helps Younger Vallone Raise Money

Azi Paybarah — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:57:10 -0400

A reader passed along this fund-raising email pitch sent out by former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr., who is helping his son, Paul Vallone, raise money for a City Council race in Bayside Queens.

The older Vallone, now a major lobbyist, wrote:

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <####@aol.com>
To: <####@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 10:46:47 -0400
Subject: (no subject)

Dear Friends,

My son, Paul Vallone, is running to replace the term limited Tony Avella in the 19th District, Queens County.

He is presently on the important nine member NYC Board of Corrections, a practicing attorney most active in civic affairs, and completely dedicated to honesty and integrity of government and maintaining and improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers.

I hope you can join me on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at Verdi's of Whitestone, 149-58 Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone, NY, 6-8 pm.

Personal contributions from NYC residents are matched 6-1, and no corporate, LLC or LLP contributions can be accepted. PAC contributions must be registered with the Campaign Finance Board. The maximum amount that can be contributed is $2750.00, and in the festive spirit of the party range from:

Socialite $2750.
Shindig Maker $1,000.
Partier $500.
Social Butterfly $250.
Promoter $150.

For more information please call xxx xxx-xxxx,

Many Thanks,

Peter Vallone Sr.

He followed up that email with another one:

Sorry- Forgot to say checks have to be made out to;

FRIENDS OF PAUL VALLONE
xxx-xx 32ND AVENUE
FLUSHING, NY 11358

Thanks again, Peter Sr.

A Republican Will Run in Vallone Country

Azi Paybarah — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:29:33 -0400

Welcome Republican operative Robert Hornak officially to the 2009 race for City Council.

Hornak, who has been raising money to run for the Astoria seat that Peter Vallone Jr. will be term-limited out of, is having a kick-off event on February 2 featuring: Niger Innis, Herb London, Queens G.O.P. leader Phil Ragusa, and the unmistakable Curtis Sliwa.

Astoria has been electing the Vallone family—generally conservative (like on the graffiti issue!) Democrats—for generations, which has exposed Peter Jr. to some criticism from the left.

But in 2009, there won't be a Vallone on the ballot in Astoria, since Peter’s brother Paul is running for a City Council seat in Bayside.

Hornak has been diligently toiling away in Republican circles for years and currently works for Republican Assemblyman and Minority Leader leader Jim Tedisco.

The question this race won’t be whether Hornak is Republican enough, but if a district that has elected right-leaning Democrats will vote for a someone with similar views, who happens to be in the other party.

Here’s Hornak’s announcement, which he emailed to supporters this morning:

Our very own Robert Hornak, former NYYRC President, Chairman Emeritus and valued YR advisor has declared his candidacy for City Council in Astoria, Queens. This is a very exciting event for this Club as one of our most prominent members sets out to seek public office in a race where he will be a very competitive candidate and has a very good chance of winning. This seat, currently held by the term-limited Peter Vallone Jr., is the most conservative district in the city currently represented by a democrat. Please give Robert your support in this challenging endeavor as he will surely need all our support in order to be victorious in this race. His kick-off fundraiser is on Monday, February 4th and we are urging all the members and supporters of the NYYRC to turn out in force to help send Robert to be our voice in the NY City Council!!

Please join special guest hosts
Hon. Anthony Coles
Niger Innis
Dr. Herbert I. London
Hon. Phil Ragusa
Curtis Sliwa
and the entire host committee* at a cocktail reception in honor of
Robert Hornak
as he officially kicks off his campaign for City Council and introduces the 2009 Urban Republican Platform.
Monday, February 4, 2008 Woman's National Republican Club
3 West 51st Street
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Suggested Contribution
$100 - $500 per person
($50 - $100 special rate for Young Republicans)

The Vallone Empire Branches Out

Azi Paybarah — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:22:48 -0400

Can the Vallone Dynasty expand to Bayside?

Paul Vallone confirmed he is planning to run for the City Council in the eastern Queens district that includes Bayside and parts of north Flushing. (He filed his paperwork with the city Campaign Finance Board about two weeks ago.)

“Yeah it is interesting,” Paul told me just now. “It’s going to be the first Vallone not in Astoria. It’s like a fish out of water.”

Paul, 40, a lawyer working in Astoria, added, “I’m not going to be the guy to open up an apartment someplace just so I can run here. My home is there now, so.

“I’m the type where, you’re almost a little hesitant. The Astoria community, I have been embraced by them, as my family has. And it’s surprising to some people, quite a few people, that I’m not running here. And the Bayside, Douglaston, College Point community knows the Vallones, and knows of me, but really wasn’t expecting this. So, it’s kind of a shock on both fronts.”

Astoria has been Vallone Country, for anyone not familiar with the history, for generations. Charles F. Vallone was a judge in the area who started a bunch of civic organizations and was, at the time, a Man to See to get things done.

Next came Peter Vallone, who was elected to the City Council, became speaker, and ran unsuccessfully for governor and mayor. Then came Peter Vallone, Jr., who was elected to the Council in 2002 and is eyeing a run for Borough President.

The Bayside District Paul may run in is currently represented by Democrat Tony Avella, who is term-limited in 2009 and was among the few Democrats to vote against the major property tax increase Michael Bloomberg pushed through in early 2002. That Bayside seat was, prior to Avella, occupied by a Republican.