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The Front Page:

"Ryan Express" awaits signal to roll on Democratic Party "Main Line," after his second interview Tuesday.

Legislator circulates at Common Council Meeting Monday for the first time in months. Hockley, Eisenstadt, Sheehan (Republican) prominent potential candidates for council sighted.

Ryan acts like a candidate, talks like a candidate, observes quietly, mingles.

Greer, confident after his second interview Tuesday, promises Nominating Committee he will challenge if not nominated for Mayor.

Greer refuses to consider run for County Legislator flat-out.

Ryan, expresses unqualified interest in Mayor's position at last week's Fundraiser, attended by over 60 persons. Approximately $8,000 raised, adding to Ryan's war chest, targeted at about $20,000, putting him approximately $6,000 behind Mayor Joseph Delfino.

Ryan Receives White Plains Police Benevolent Association endorsement for Mayor, according to Secretary of the WPPBA at fundraiser. WPPBA President unavailable to confirm this endorsement.

Sources see Ms. Malmud running for County Legislator seat, though Greer views this as remote.

Malmud's telephone busy for most of Wednesday, will not say "yes or no" as to whether she was offered Ryan's County Legislator candidacy.

Republicans await Delfino announcement. Delgado, Mike Amadio, Bob Tuck potential GOP Council candidates. Graessle for Council rumor squashed by Graessle himself at this time.

Democratic Nominating Committee after meeting with all three Mayoral candidates, up against dwindling timetable: 16 days to the Democratic Dinner on April 22 (and counting).

By John F. Bailey with Interviews with Bill Ryan, Bob Greer, Rita Malmud

CityLine: April 4, 2001 -- City Hall

The pressure is on the Democratic Nominating Committee composed of Howard Glassman, Irene Thompson, Robert Wall, Barbara Schwarz, and Diane Travers. After they interviewed all three contenders for Mayor Tuesday evening, for the second time, no Mayoral hopeful has been informed yet of the Nominating Committee decision.

However, one potential nominee, Robert Greer told WPCNR Wednesday morning he would definitely "challenge" for the Mayoral nomination and run a primary if he was not selected:

"All three (candidates) are still in the race. There's been no official endorsement," Greer told CNR by telephone. Asked if he'd run a primary, Greer continued. "I will challenge in front of the full Democratic Committee."

Whomever the Nominating Committee chooses, the Committee only has 18 days to have their complete slate approved by the City Democratic Committee.

However, they have really about two days. Even though both Ryan and Greer said they expected an announcement next week. Greer expects to know by April 11.

Greer said that the Nominating Committee has to allow two weeks "to give time to anyone who wants to challenge." During that time, any challenger has to inform all 96 District Leaders by mail that he or she is challenging the Nominating Committee selection to run a primary.

William Ryan, reached at his County Legislative office, stuck with his original statement made to WPCNR that he would not challenge in a primary. He modified it, saying he would "contest" a primary, should he be chosen Mayoral standard-bearer and someone challenges him. The Primary, if there is to be one will be held in September.

Rita Malmud, the third candidate interviewed last evening at Adam Bradley's home told WPCNR she would have "nothing substantive to say until the Nominating Committee makes its decision. The committee treated me very nicely. I will support whatever slate they choose. I have no intention of running a primary."

County Legislator position a mystery...
Greer does not want it. Malmud will not confirm she was offered it.

Mr. Greer said he was offered the opportunity to run for County Legislator Ryan's seat. This confirms WPCNR's information from a county legislator source in the Ryan camp that "one of the other two candidates for Mayor (other than Ryan) would be offered the chance to run for county legislator."

Greer said though that he turned the Nominating Committee down flat when asked if he was interested in the county legislator position. He told WPCNR he had "no interest."

Ms. Malmud, when asked if the Committee had offered a county legislator nomination to her, said she had "no comment." Questioned in a different way, she said, "I'm not going to say 'yes' or 'no'." When asked what she thought of the "county legislator position when they described it to you," Ms. Malmud appeared somewhat uneasy in her reply, answering "well there are three positions, all of which represent a portion of White Plains," then stopped herself and said she could not comment further.

Nominating Committee has two Ryan backers.
A third "swing" vote is needed to swing nomination to Ryan.

Howard Glassman, the Chairman of the Democratic Nominating Committee is the Treasurer of William Ryan's "Ryan 2001" campaign. Diane Travers was Ryan's Coordinator in his run for County Legislator. Those two persons were at Mr. Ryan's fundraiser held one week ago at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The rest of the Nominating Committee is made up of Irene Thompson, who is affiliated with the Benjamin Boykin campaign, and Robert Wall, the Treasurer of the Rita Malmud campaign, and Barbara Schwarz, who is reported as having no candidate affiliation.

Whether Mr. Wall or Ms. Thompson can swing their vote to go along with the two Ryan-affiliated supporters is apparently at issue here. However, WPCNR has observed that Mr. Ryan is looking awfully like a candidate.

Fundraiser last week nets out approximately $8,000. WPPBA apparently endorses him for Mayor at that event.

At last week's fundraiser in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, over 60 persons attended a mystery event held by Ryan. The charge was $125 a person, and this reporter was invited in to the event.

It was a mystery event because Ryan did not say what he was running for. In fact, purple campaign buttons reading "Ryan 2001" showed small maps of Westchester County and the City of White Plains to indicate Ryan's availability to run for his third term as County Legislator or for Mayor of White Plains.

Ryan said at that fundraiser that his preference over the two positions was to run for Mayor of White Plains because White Plains was at a critical time.

He pointed out his ability to work with groups to achieve and make progress, citing his chairmanship of the County Public Safety Committee, during which time he created a plan to coordinate local fire and police departments during emergencies. He also cited his work in addressing safety issues on the Westchester Speedway in North Castle and addressing pollution of county water supply at the Quarry site.

Ryan cited his liaison work with the State Assembly in Albany. WPCNR was told by the Assembly Speaker's Press Office that Mr. Ryan works three days a week directly for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, on the Speaker's Central Staff for which he is paid $54,881 as a Legislative Associate. He is also listed as affiliated with the staff of Assemblyman Sam Coleman, according to the press office.

Ryan's wife, interviewed by WPCNR before the fundraiser, said Mr. Ryan helps to write legislation drafting bills for the speaker.

At the fundraiser, Daniel Jackson, Secretary of the White Plains Police Benevolent Association, announced to the gathering that the WPPBA was endorsing Mr. Ryan, if he is chosen, for Mayor of White Plains. Mr. Jackson remarked about the badge drain, citing the loss of quality officers from the White Plains Police Department, in their opinion, saying he felt Ryan would help to address this problem. He said the WPPBA stood by to help Ryan in a Mayoral race "with whatever it takes."

At the fundraiser, we spotted a very visible Hispanic community presence, and we learned that Raphael Vega, currently a legislative aid with the County Legislator, was going to be Mr. Ryan's Campaign Manager.

After the festivities were over, WPCNR asked if the WPPBA would support Robert Greer. Jackson said Greer had been in office a long time and the WPPBA was not inclined to support him based on his record. WPCNR routinely telephoned the President of the WPPBA, James Carrier, to confirm the endorsement. Mr. Carrier, according to the police department has been on vacation. We hope to confirm with Mr. Carrier when he returns.

Ryan positioned for "a run" financially better than Malmud or Greer.

By our account, Mr. Ryan realized a net of approximately $8,000 to $9,000 on the fundraiser based on the number of persons at the event. Mr. Ryan's Board of Elections Disclosure Statement filed as of January 12, 2001, reports the Legislator as having $9,867.26 on hand. With last week's "funder," he has brought that up to about $17,000, and WPCNR estimates he may have as much as $20,000 on hand.

In contrast, Mayor Joseph Delfino's Board of Election Disclosure Statement filed as of January 17, 2001, shows $26,808.94 on hand.

Robert Greer's "Greer for Council" campaign Disclosure Statement of January 16, 2001 shows $1,536.93 on hand. Yet, Mr. Greer is described as a formidable fundraiser by political acquaintances.

Ms. Malmud, too, will have to raise funds. There was no disclosure statement on file with the Board of Elections for Ms. Malmud. Board of Elections officials told WPCNR she would have to start a new campaign organization. To our knowledge she has not done that as of last week, when WPCNR received the Board of Election Disclosure Statements through the Freedom of Information procedure.

Ryan works the Common Council meeting...

At the Common Council Meeting Monday night, Mr. Ryan in a diamond pattern sweater, was clearly "going to school," on the New York Presbyterian Hospital issue. After the Council voted to keep the hearing open, (see other WPCNR story on Common Council Corral), Ryan was being talked to animatedly by concern residents who had spoken strongly against the Hospital plan.

Also seen at the meeting were Glen Hockley and Claire Eisenstadt, possible candidates for Common Council. Hockley spoke briefly but when he attempted to discuss the issue of downtown revival, Mayor Delfino would not permit him too, saying it was off the topic. Ms. Eisenstadt spoke just a few sentences urging the council keep the hearing open.

Tim Sheehan, a potential Republican Candidate for Council along with the announced, Larry Delgado, addressed the council, too. It is rumored that Mr. Sheehan has reconsidered his candidacy for council and may be back in the running for one of the two remaining Republican seats. Mike Amodio and Robert Tuck we have been told by a keen observer of the White Plains Republican scene are two other front-runners.


 

 

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