Isn’t that nice? The New Post has learned that, despite the state fiscal crisis, and the fact he asked thousands of state workers to give up their own pay increases, Governor Paterson secretly gave raises to more than a dozen of his staffers, some as much a 46%.

The startling pay hikes, costing about $250,000 annually, were granted after the governor’s “emergency” declaration in August of a looming fiscal crisis that required the state to cut spending and impose a “hard” hiring freeze.

One raise was approved as recently as last month - when Paterson claimed the budget deficit had reached an unprecedented $15.5 billion.

The raises, which have stunned the few state workers who know about them, are outlined in data obtained from the office of state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, prepared at The Post’s request.

Two of the raises were tied to publicly proclaimed promotions - granted despite the supposed hiring freeze - of some of Paterson’s most important appointees, although the announcements didn’t include disclosure of the pay hikes.

The remaining 14 raises appear to have gone to individuals who remained in their same positions, despite claims by a spokesman for Paterson that they had been promoted. 

I guess he can’t see the hypocrisy of it all.

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Back in March, Buffalo Pundit had nothing but praise for Dennis Delano, calling him “a Buffalo Hero” for his role in the release and exoneration of Anthony Capozzi and Lynn DeJac.

Of course, now that Dennis Delano is running for the State Senate as a Republican and Buffalo Pundit is a Democrat his feelings about the Buffalo Hero have soured. Yesterday Buffalo Pundit questioned Delano’s role in exonerating Capozzi and DeJac:

Dennis Delano may have a public image of being a mavericky hero cop, but some of his colleagues are challenging that perception, wondering where he gets off taking all the credit for something that was not only done by a team of people, but also a very long time in coming.

Today he also mocked Delano as “the guy running against Stachowski” who is “taking all the credit for something a lot of people had a hand in doing.”

I guess it isn’t too surprising. Buffalo Pundit has justified supporting unqualified candidates over career politicians just for being career politicians. Yet now he attacks the credibility of a genuine hero (who is a Republican) while trumping up Bill Stachowski, a career politician (who is a Democrat).

UPDATE: Looks like I struck a nerve…
 

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Wow, if the Buffalo News recognizes that Charlie Rangel should step down… then he really ought to consider doing such.

His situation is nearly untenable. He leads the House tax-writing committee, yet he acknowledges that he failed to report about $75,000 in rental income on his beach house in the Dominican Republic. He owes about $5,000 to the IRS in back taxes on that income and somewhat less in state and local taxes. Rangel also says he did not know he received a no-interest mortgage from the developers of the Dominican resort. In addition, financial discrepancies have turned up in disclosure documents he has filed.

It’s all too much for a congressman with such influence over federal tax policy. Indeed, were Republicans still in the majority, Rangel and his compatriots would be clamoring for the head of a committee chairman with these problems — as GOP critics are calling for Rangel’s.

Of course, Rangel refuses to step down, which is pretty typical of a Democrat. If a Republican were in the same situation, Nancy Pelosi would be demanding resignations and calling for investigations, but with a member of her own party, she’s letting it slide.

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Jack Davis certainly couldn’t count on much love from the liberal bloggers of Western New York before, but now that his anti-Jon Powers spoof site has been exposed they are out for blood with a typical “attack the messenger” strategy, right out of the DNC playbook.

The other day it was accusing Davis of copyright infringement and of phishing tactics.

Today’s talking point is that Davis is a former Republican who has donated money to Republicans in the past, and received PAC money during previous campaigns.

Now, hypocrisy from a Democrat is hardly anything new, but it seems kind of strange that they’d want to out Jack Davis as a former Republican, when Jon Powers, by his own admission, is a former Republican as well,  according to this interview from July 2007:

Q: Have you always been a Democrat?

A: No. I grew up Republican. I switched when I got back from Iraq because I came home and I looked at who was in charge of this country. At the time, there was one party in charge. It was the party I grew up with but it was not the party I grew up believing in.

I’ve never been political growing up, my parents aren’t political. … I went to war for America. I didn’t go to war for a specific party.

While Jon Powers suggests that he has more divisions with the Republican Party aside from their commitment to fighting and winning the war on terror, his positions on other issues suggest that his political views have only more recently evolved, or perhaps that his leftward shift on the issues has been manufactured for his campaign. 

As I reported back in May, Jon Powers has previously described himself as s “fiscally conservative and socially progressive.” Though his campaign rhetoric against free trade and tax cuts prove he can hardly claim to be a fiscal conservative. As for social issues, Powers has in the past ducked questions about his position on abortion, saying that his Irish Catholic background made it an issue he struggled with. It was only after Powers was criticized by NOW for not being pro-abortion and opposing gay marriage that he finally decided to declare his pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage positions. 

After all, how else can he attract all that out-of-state left-winger cash?

Jack Davis may be a hypocrite for accepting PAC money one cycle, then criticizing his opponents for accepting PAC money in the next, but if Jack Davis is going to be condemned by the nutroots for being a former Republican, then Jon Powers ought to be condemned by them as well, especially since he’s only as liberal as the talking points he receives on a daily basis.

UPDATE: … apparently they’re all former Republican… via 26th District.

UPDATE: Looks like Buffalo Pundit missed the point…

UPDATE: Alice Kryzan’s campaign responds: “Both Davis & Powers were registered Republicans, both of whom switched after personal experiences while Ms. Kryzan has been a lifelong Democrat.”

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Jon Powers, who has recently stepped up his criticisms of free trade policies which have actually contributed to economic in this country, took the opportunity of McCain’s visit to criticize Chris Lee for attending John McCain’s fundraiser at the Albright-Knox Monday night.

“Chris Lee was happy to appear with John McCain yesterday as he refused to talk to the voters of Western New York. Chris Lee must now respond to the unanswered questions and tell the voters what he will do to end the trade policies that have shipped Western New York jobs overseas,” said Powers for Congress Campaign Manager, John Gerken.

“Jon has been consistent in his opposition to the careless free trade policies of George Bush and John McCain. The working men and women of this district have recognized Jon’s commitment to saving jobs and we are proud to have their support.”

Now, the only free trade agreement mentioned on Jon Powers‘ website is NAFTA, which was enacted in 1994. Now, in case Jon Powers hasn’t been paying attention to history, George W. Bush wasn’t president in 1994 — Bill Clinton was… and further, NAFTA has enjoyed bipartisan support and praise. Despite this fact, Powers finds it easier to blame George W. Bush and John McCain.

Another supporter of NAFTA was Nancy Pelosi.  And the anti-free trade Jon Powers will be going to a DCCC fundraising event in Washington D.C. that is being hosted by the pro-free trade House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Will Jon Powers critcize Speaker Pelosi for her support of NAFTA?

And Nancy didn’t just endorse NAFTA, she pushed to get it passed, according this 1993 article from the San Francisco Chronicle (via LexisNexis): 

An influential friend of Clinton, Pelosi’s standing with the White House grew further in recent days, after she endorsed NAFTA and helped win other House members’ support.

How can Powers criticize John McCain and George W. Bush for supporting NAFTA with claims that it “shipped Western New York jobs overseas,”  and still attend Pelosi’s fundraiser for the DCCC. I’m willing to bet a lot of money that he’s not going to criticize Madame Speaker for her support and advocacy of NAFTA.

Another prominent Democrat who has supported NAFTA and free trade is Charles Rangel,  who is also joining Powers at the fundraiser next month. Powers probably won’t get into a debate with him over free trade either… we know he won’t return his money.

But, why should I be surprised that Jon Powers is a hypocrite? Hypocrisy is a prerequisite for joining the Democratic Party.

UPDATE, July 24, 2008: Monroe Rising has more…

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