By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — From candidates threatening Albany lawmakers with baseball bats, to botched primaries and ill-gotten World Series tickets, 2010 has been quite a year for local politicians.
The Midterm elections, which gave Andrew Cuomo the keys to the governor’s mansion and ushered in a new Republican-controlled State Senate, dominated much of the bandwidth, coining the catchphrase "The Rent is Too Damn High!" and making tea partier Carl Paladino — the Republican gubernatorial nominee — a household name.
The year ended with Mayor Michael Bloomberg dodging bullets from critics who slammed his choice of Cathie Black as the city's next schools chancellor and blasted the city’s sluggish response to a massive post-Christmas blizzard that has many New Yorkers still shoveling out.
While there were many notable contenders, here are DNAinfo’s top picks for political blunders of the year:
1) The Roll-out of the City's New Voting Machines
The Board of Election's roll-out of the city's new voting machines was blasted as a "royal screw-up" by the mayor after voters encountered machine malfunctions, long lines, error messages, tiny type, and other issues during the September primary. The snafus prompted the firing of Board of Elections Executive Director George Gonzalez ahead of the general election.
2) Candidate Carl Paladino's "Homophobic" Remarks
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino's campaign was deeply tarnished after he told a group of Rabbis in Brooklyn that children shouldn't be "brainwashed" into thinking it's okay to be gay. The speech prompted harsh criticism from city lawmakers and boos from Columbus Day Parade-goers, who said the comments were homophobic.
3) The CityTime Scandal
The CityTime scandal reached new heights when four project contractors were charged with stealing $80 million while working on the automated payroll system, designed — ironically — to prevent fraud. The charges prompted the resignation of the city's payroll chief.
4) Gov. David Paterson Drops His Bid for Reelection
Gov. David Paterson dropped his bid for reelection in February following allegations that he had intervened in a domestic violence case involving one of his top aides, David Johnson.
5) Florida Pastor Threatens to Burn Korans on 9/11 Anniversary
Florida Pastor Terry Jones threatened to burn copies of the koran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, as tempers raged over a plan to build the Park51 mosque and community center near Ground Zero this fall. Jones did not follow through with his plans.
6) Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel is Censured for Ethics Violations
Harlem's legendary Rep. Charles Rangel was censured by the House of Representatives for a series of ethics violations, including failing to pay taxes on rental revenue from a home he owned in the Dominican Republic. Rangel had desperately pleaded with his colleagues to reduce his punishment to a reprimand.
7) The 2010 Gubernatorial Debate
Jimmy McMillan got the whole city shouting "The rent is too damn high!" after he stole the show at the circus that was the New York Gubernatorial debate at Hoftstra University. Other memorable moments: Kristin Davis, the self-professed "Manhattan Madam," making a compelling case for raising revenue by legalizing marijuana and Carl Paladino's bathroom break.
8) Governor Paterson Fined for Accepting Free Yankee Tickets
Talk about expensive seats. Gov. David Paterson was slapped with a $62,125 fine by the New York State Commission on Public Integrity for illegally soliciting five free tickets to a Yankees World Series Game. His lawyer maintains he did nothing wrong.
9) Carl Paladino Brings Out the Infamous Baseball Bat During His Concession Speech
Failed Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino promised early in his campaign to bring a "baseball bat" to clean out Albany. Instead, he brought one to Buffalo for his widely panned concession speech.
10) City Hall's Handling of the Cathie Black Appointment
Mayor Michael Bloomberg shocked everyone — including Hearst publishing executive Cathie Black — when he chose her as the City's next Schools Chancellor. The decision to appoint someone with no education experience and with no apparent public search prompted weeks of protest by lawmakers and parents as well as a failed lawsuit to halt her takeover.
