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Stories by Richard Brownell

Richard Brownell is a New York City-based writer focusing on American politics, history, and culture.

Paterson’s Exit Opens Door for GOP

Richard Brownell wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 10:00 pm

With New York Governor Paterson out of the race, State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is the odds-on favorite for the Democratic nomination and the governorship. GOP candidate Rick Lazio still trails, but with voter anger directed towards Albany his outsider status could give him a boost in the polls.  more

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New York United Against Terror Trials

Richard Brownell wrote on February 10th, 2010 at 5:57 pm

The New York State Senate has become the latest in a growing list of elected representatives sounding off against holding the 9/11 terror trials in New York City. The Senate passed a resolution on February 9th calling upon the Obama administration to move the trials to a military location.  more

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Paterson Won’t Resign

Richard Brownell wrote on February 10th, 2010 at 12:03 am

New York Governor David Paterson shot down rumors that he was planning to resign at a press conference Tuesday, hoping to quash a controversy that has consumed Albany for several days.   more

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Questions Swirl Around NY Gov Paterson

Richard Brownell wrote on February 8th, 2010 at 2:30 pm

Rumors abound that New York Governor David Paterson may resign from office as early as tomorrow despite vigorous denials from the Governor’s office in Albany.  more

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NY Gov Race: Cuomo Planning Run Against Paterson

Richard Brownell wrote on January 25th, 2010 at 9:30 am

New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo let it leak out this past weekend that he plans to announce his intention to run for governor of New York in March.  more

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Respect Rudy’s Decision

Richard Brownell wrote on December 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

No political party should put itself in a position in which it has to rely entirely on one person to save it from oblivion.   more

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Count Rudy Out

Richard Brownell wrote on December 22nd, 2009 at 4:45 pm

Rudy Giuliani dropped a bombshell on the New York GOP by deciding not to run for either Governor or the U.S. Senate in 2010.   more

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New Yorkers Rally Against 9/11 Trials

Richard Brownell wrote on December 7th, 2009 at 12:32 pm

The growing public outrage over Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to try the 9/11 plotters in a civilian court was on full display this past weekend in New York City.  more

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New York’s Busted Budget

Richard Brownell wrote on November 11th, 2009 at 1:26 am

New York’s political leadership is unable or unwilling to curb the state’s steep and growing deficit. Governor Paterson is out of political capital, the Democrats are beholden to public sector unions that oppose cuts and the Republicans won’t agree on how big the deficit really us.  more

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New York Dems Turn on Paterson

Richard Brownell wrote on November 9th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

When Democratic New York Gov. David Paterson called for a special legislative session this week to address the state’s crippling budget woes, state Democrats initially threatened to boycott. The complete lack of respect for the state’s top elected official by members of his own party does not bode well for Paterson’s efforts to cut New York’s $3.2 billion deficit.  more

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Ship Carries Memory of 9/11

Richard Brownell wrote on November 9th, 2009 at 12:50 pm

The Navy’s newest vessel, the U.S.S. New York, carries seven and a half tons of steel from the World Trade Center in its bow.  more

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GOP Fights for Foothold in Big Apple

Richard Brownell wrote on October 30th, 2009 at 1:18 pm

Running as a Republican for the New York City Council is either a very brave or very foolish thing to do. Democrats outnumber Republicans five to one in citywide registration and control 48 of the 51 seats on the City Council.  more

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New Yorkers Flee Bad Government

Richard Brownell wrote on October 28th, 2009 at 4:20 pm

New York has been shedding population, and consequently congressional seats and political power, for decades. But this stream is now a flood. Since 2000, the state has experienced a net loss of 1.5 million people.  more

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New York City Opposes State on Natural Gas Drilling

Richard Brownell wrote on October 26th, 2009 at 3:58 pm

The Marcellus Shale geological formation in the eastern U.S. may contain up to 516 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Gov. Paterson has pushed to begin drilling, but environmentalists and the New York City Council are attempting to stall the move.  more

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Empire State Building Celebrates Chinese Communism

Richard Brownell wrote on October 1st, 2009 at 7:56 am

The Empire State Building officially recognized Communist China’s 60th Anniversary by switching its evening lighting to red and yellow for September 30th and October 1st. There is something unsettling about an iconic building like the Empire State Building allowing itself to become a piece of propaganda for a nation that remains a serial violator of human rights.  more

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N.Y. GOP Fights to Stay Relevant

Richard Brownell wrote on September 18th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

The first incremental steps in the New York State Republican Party’s journey back to relevance have been taken: Edward Cox is poised to become the next chairman of the state GOP and Rick Lazio is preparing a bid for governor.  more

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The NYPD: Anti-Muslim Bigots?

Richard Brownell wrote on September 14th, 2009 at 12:32 am

Since 9/11, the NYPD’s counterterrorism task force has ramped up its operations in order to protect the city. The task force’s actions however have often drawn the ire of the American Civil Liberties Union.   more

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Dem Furloughs, GOP Opportunity

Richard Brownell wrote on September 9th, 2009 at 9:30 am

Legislatures in 19 states are engaging in a witches brew of government worker layoffs and furloughs, higher agency fees, reduced agency resources, and higher taxes in order to meet budget shortfalls that exceed $1 billion, and in the more extreme cases $5 billion. There will be a world of hurt at the ballot box in 2009 and 2010 if these measures fall short.  more

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Vermont: Lots of Cows, Not Many Elephants

Richard Brownell wrote on August 28th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

Vermont’s Republican Governor Jim Douglas announced that he will not seek reelection next year, leaving Republicans with an open gubernatorial race in what is perhaps the most liberal state in the nation.  more

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Nothing Personal, Paterson’s Just a Bad Governor

Richard Brownell wrote on August 25th, 2009 at 1:43 pm

New York’s Democratic Governor David Paterson stated this week that the media is treating him unfairly because he is African-American, and that this is the reason for his low standing in the polls.  more

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