Quinn Pads Campaign Staff with City Staff

Breaking News! According to documents the Village Voice has obtained, thirty-one of the "more than 90" volunteers who are working on Christine Quinn's re-election campaign are current staff members on the City Council payroll. Yet, the Board of Elections strictly prohibits City Council employees from working on political campaigns during business hours.

Now I understand how all of Speaker Quinn's staff staked claim so early to the line of people trying to get into the City Council debate of last week. Everybody's been trying to figure out how did her supporters get their hands on the limited number of tickets and manage to show up at NYU hours before people typically get out of work.

I just don't see how Speaker Quinn can keep playing dumb, while all these questionable acts (slush fund scandal, now using city time for political activities) keep happening around her -- and coincidentally, all in her favor.

Either Speaker Quinn really is ignorant of what is going on, or she is not. Either way, this doesn't portray the kind city council member I'd want to have return for a third term.

On third night, debate video appears

Extracts of debate statements by Yetta Kurland, candidate in the District 3 race against incumbent Speaker Christine Quinn

I was beginning to believe that no debate took place, since I hadn't seen any video of the debate on the internet, yet.

But here, on the evening three days after it was reported that a debate took place, a YouTube video has surfaced with extracts of statements made by Ms. Kurland. I am glad that Ms. Kurland held Speaker Quinn's feet to the fire regarding the scandals over term limits extensions and the City Haul slush funds.