The comment came when opponents Tracy Boyland and Tony Herbert were questioning Mealy about $5,000 in public money she gave to Lynval Samuels (who also goes by Dr. bidi Xili).

During the debate, which aired on New York 1 News last night, Herbert said, “He’s certified EDP, which is an emotionally disturbed person.”

“Look at--all our great leaders are,” said Mealy. The other candidates roared in disapproval. Host Dominic Carter stepped in to change the topic.

Mealy was swept into office in 2006 thanks to support from labor, specifically 1199 and the Working Families Party. But both are sitting out this election because of Mealy’s vote to extend term limits. (Initially, Mealy said she would oppose it, but she ended up voting for it.)

Mealy defended herself from the accusation that she was inconsistent on this issue by invoking the mayor, randomly, and the president.

“So, we’re going to say Mayor Bloomberg flip-flopped,” Mealy asked.

“Are we going to say President Barack Obama flip-flopped? Barack Obama came on national television and said there will be no lobbyists working in the White House. A week later he had a press conference. There will be a lobbyist working in the White House.”

Here is a visually arresting piece of literature a reader picked up near the Borough Hall train stop in Brooklyn last night.

Seeing the Statue of Liberty right behind the Brooklyn Bridge kind of catches your eye. But so does seeing the word words "New Era" anywhere near the name Tracy Boyland. Her brother, father and uncle all held an Assembly seat in Brooklyn, and after she was term limited from the City Council, her father ran for her seat. (Gotham Gazette has more here.)

For her current effort, Boyland has filed only one campaign finance statement with the state Board of Elections, showing she received one contribution for $100 and hasn't spent anything yet. A new era indeed.

-- Azi Paybarah

Velmanette Montgomery prepares for a challenge from Tracy Boyland.

The Village Voice reports that the Yankees have taken advantage of a loop hole that allows them to deduct lobbying costs from the annual rent they pay to the city.

—Nicole Brydson

Rumors are floating about that Tracy Boyland has started to petition in order to challenge Velmanette Montgomery for her Brooklyn-based senate seat. When reached by phone just now, Boyland would only say that she can't comfirm anything until Wednesday. Which, maybe, says it all.

Boyland challenged Major Owens for his congressional seat in 2004, declined to run again this year, and was term limited out of her city council seat last year. Her brother, William Boyland, Jr., currently holds an assembly seat in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, where their father, William Sr. has created a dynastic political family. Montgomery's senate seat reaches through Red Hook, Bedford Stuyvesant and Brownsville.

—Nicole Brydson

"Outgoing incumbent Tracy Boyland, publicly derided for poor council attendance and lackluster performance, has represented the district since 1997; her father and brother have represented nearby Bedford-Stuyvesant in the state assembly since 1982. Determined to keep the family business alive, William Boyland, Sr.--Tracy's father, 64--emerged from retirement to take on a field of 14 candidates."

UPDATE: Gotham Gazette has also been reporting out several contested Council races.