Roberto Perez | 08/22/2012 | El Diario
Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera is in one hot mess. Not only must she worry about her well funded opponent, Mark Gjonaj, but she must also fend off accusations that she crossed the line when she hired her alleged lover.
I called veteran Bronx political consultant Joe Ithier, to hear his thoughts on the matter and to see how he would advise Rivera. He said this: " When she worked for us at the Bronx Borough President's office, I thought that she didn't have the caliber to be an elected official. Then when she was elected, I started hearing that her attendance record was poor to the point that she was scolded by then Speaker Pro Tempore Assemblyman Peter Rivera, her latenesses were viewed as an embarrassment to the Bronx Delegation. A lot of people have told her, you have to fix your attendance record. But, at the end of the day, the constituency determines if you get reelected. But, she needs to come clean and tell the truth, is Tommy Torres your lover is he your boyfriend. I also know Torres from his time working with Adam Clayton Powell IV congressional campaign and with Billy Thompson, and the issue with him becomes are you some type of male prostitute, so he has to clean things up as well."
State Committeeman Ricky Martinez, who is challenging Assemblyman Jose Rivera, informed me that because he chose to run against Rivera, that he has become persona non grata within the Bronx Democratic Party. Martinez said that after buying tickets to the county dinner, he was told. " By the messenger of the great prophet Carl Heastie spokesperson Patrick Jenkins that he was not welcome at the dinner." Martinez has been trying to get the support of Senator Adriano Espaillat, whom he helped in his run against Rep. Charles Rangel, Espaillat has not returned his phone call's.
I heard that Senator Gustavo Rivera's opponent Manny Tavarez, lost any chance he had of receiving support from Congressman Rangel, when he joined the ranks of the insurgent group led by Richard Soto . It seems that Rangel did not like the fact that Soto is helping Ricky Martinez run against Jose Rivera, who Rangel considers a close friend and ally. This ultimately led the Rangel forces, to shut the door on Tavarez.
Update
A source tells me that Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, was not responsible for the leaks to the New York Post, that have caused Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera so much grief as many have suspected. It turns out that the person supposedly behind this is none other than her opponent Mark Gjonaj. According to what I'm hearing, Gnojaj hired an opposition research person to dig up dirt on Rivera, and that he is ultimately responsible for the leaks to the New York Post. The source also tells me that Gnojaj, lost any chance he had of securing an endorsement from Velazquez, when he received the support of Senator Ruben Diaz. Velazquez, does not share some of the Reverends positions on certain issues, which ultimately led her to not endorse Gjonaj.
