Morning Read: Castleman Resigns, Greenwood Undecided, King Earmarks

“[I]t's a strictly monetary relationship,” says Tom Robbins of Senate Republican affection for Michael Bloomberg. Sign Up For Our Daily

“[I]t's a strictly monetary relationship,” says Tom Robbins of Senate Republican affection for Michael Bloomberg.

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Staten Island Borough President Jim Molinaro removed his appointee on the Community Education Council for forwarding racist jokes, including one about Barack Obama.

That appointee, Salvatore Ballarino, said he thinks they’re funny, and is still forwarding them.

Dan Castleman quit his job with Robert Morgenthau when the district attorney said he’s backing another candidate to replace him, Cy Vance.

Castleman “would be hard-pressed to win without Mr. Morgenthau’s backing,” writes the Times.

“Dan thinks Morgenthau screwed him,” an anonymous source tells the Post.

“[Malcolm] Smith can't pass controversial bills like bridge tolls. He can't enforce discipline among his members,” writes the New York Post editorial board.

The Daily News editorial board says it's Smith's responsibility to get the M.T.A. bailout passed.

David Paterson has a lower approval rating today than Eliot Spitzer did after being implicated in a prostitution scandal.

Juan Gonzalez criticized the city’s Department of Education for spending $21 million on a tutoring company with extravagant overhead costs.

Mike McMahon held a tele-town hall meeting last night.

Listen to the phone call from a Mt. Vernon mayoral aide which is now the subject of a federal lawsuit.

In a debate, congressional candidate Jim Tedisco declined to say if he supports the federal stimulus package.

Republican Representative Peter King put 18 earmarks amounting to $218 million in the most recent federal spending bill.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy wants layoffs beginning April 1.

Jon Corzine forgets a very important pen. At Columbia, student groups tackle the Middle East.

In North Salem, Supervisor Paul Greenwood’s assets are frozen.

Greenwood said he was undecided about resigning his position after being arrested for allegedly stealing money from his business clients.

In Bardonia, private schools want money from lawmakers.

Cable companies will begin microtargeting television ads in the city.

Sigh. Death doesn’t stop debt.

And here's a year-old Robert Morgenthau interview with the Good News Network. "I graduated Yale Law School. Don't hold that against me," he says.

Morning Read: Castleman Resigns, Greenwood Undecided, King Earmarks