Politics

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Politics is a subsection of Gothamcablenews.com

June 9, 2008

There is a video news report associated with the following article. An .avi version of the clip can be downloaded from Zshare here.

RALLIES, DENTMOBILES, AND PILLOWFIGHTS: DENT'S REVOLUTIONARY GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN

You can't take a walk in Gotham these days without seeing the enormous outpouring of support for Harvey Dent.

Lawn signs with the familiar slogan "Take Back Gotham" are visible on almost every street in the neighborhood. Window placards look down upon almost every shopping district.

And everywhere, you can see Dent supporters, young and old, of every color and background, passing out flyers and talking to Gotham voters.

And it all started with a phone call.

"I'd been trying to get Harvey Dent to run for District Attorney for months," Dent's media manager Allan Cypes said.

"But Harvey said he wasn't sure Gotham City was ready to take on crime and corruption like he wanted to. So I asked him, what if Gotham citizens prove to you that they're ready?"

When Cypes got Dent's answer that he would run for District Attorney if Gotham citizens proved they were ready for radical change, Cypes went into action.

He compiled a list of Gotham voters' phone numbers, and recorded Harvey Dent making a plea to citizens.

That's how, in early March, Gotham citizens received a phone call from none other than Assistant District Attorney Harvey Dent.

"Do you want a Gotham free from the grip of criminals and the corrupt?" voters heard Harvey Dent ask them. "Are you ready to join a crusade to take back our city?

The answer, for thousands of Gotham citizens, was "Yes."

Within days, Gotham citizens were standing outside on street corners in a petition drive to sign up citizens who pledged to support Dent's fight against organized crime. Dent posters, placards, buttons, and t-shirts became inescapable features of the Gotham landscape. And thousands of photos and videos flooded into Dent's website.

"We were overwhelmed with support," said Dent's web campaign manager Abdul Al-Maliki. "It took me hours to cull through all the emails and submissions, but it was worth it to save this city."

Harvey Dent even brought his message of change to Gotham voters outside the city. "Dentmobiles" - vans full of Dent campaign materials - visited dozens of cities throughout the United States. Hundreds of Dent supporters welcomed the Dentmobiles everywhere from Seattle to Philadelphia, and Dent's message went national.

But with all the serious talk about crime, corruption, and the future of Gotham, it wasn't all grim determination for Dent supporters. One rally of a group of Dent supporters in Manhattan turned into a massive pillow fight.

Generating a massive outpouring of support, the Dent campaign has motivated Gotham citizens to participate in politics in a radically different way then in previous elections. We'll see if it all adds up to victory on election night.


HARVEY DENT: CAN THE "WHITE KNIGHT OF GOTHAM" WIN?

As Gotham readies to vote in one of the most bitterly-contested elections in city history, can Harvey Dent really win? He hasn't been trailing in the polls for over a month. But even his most fervent supporters aren't certain of his chances.

"We've always been the underdog," said volunteer coordinator Ace DiBella. "We've taken on City Hall, organized crime, and everybody in the press who said we couldn't do it. So do I believe the poll numbers saying we're winning? Not a chance."

Even political experts in Gotham are suspicious of recent tracking polls showing Dent leading his primary rival Roger Garcetti by over 15 points.

"Roger Garcetti is a trusted name in Gotham politics," said longtime Gotham pol Sidney Shinerman. "And Harvey Dent is relatively inexperienced. I think we're moving into a second-thoughts phase, where voters are going to start to wonder if Dent is really up to the job."

What's causing the worry inside the Dent campaign? Many insiders fear legendary Gotham political shenanigans, such as ballot stuffing and improper voter rolls. "I don't believe that the syndicate that controls Gotham City will let us win," said Dent supporter Shane Broadbent of Gainsly. "But I'm going to do my best to prove myself wrong!"

The Dent campaign has also had to suffer through a political "near-death experience" - the hard-hitting, now debunked attack ads mounted by Concerned Citizens for a Better Gotham.

"We've already been crushed once by the political machine," said Gotham citizen Maureen Alton-Spitzen, who was passing out pro-Dent flyers outside of a grocery store in Granton. "Who's to say they won't pull a last-minute trick like that?"

Indeed, at the height of the smear campaign, Dent fundraising collapsed, his poll numbers hit the floor, and the campaign headquarters was closed due to lack of funds.

But all that changed on the day Harvey Dent strode into the middle of the hostage scene at Rossi's Deli and traded himself for the young Gotham woman being held captive by "smear cop" Frank Notaro.

Dent was instantly dubbed Gotham's "White Knight" and the incident resuscitated his moribund campaign. Ever since, Harvey Dent's campaign rallies have been mammoth affairs, with thousands of Gotham citizens vying to hear the candidate rail against corruption and crime.

But will all that excitement make a difference come election day? "All that clapping and cheering can't put Harvey Dent in the District Attorney's chair," said media manager Cypes. "The only thing that matters is who goes to the polls and who they vote for."


HOW YOU CAN VOTE IN GOTHAM ELECTIONS

Not living in Gotham? Can't make it to a poll on election day? You can still vote! Head to www.gothamelectionboard.com right now and make your voice heard! The polls close at 11:59 on June 12th.


The digital revolution is touching every part of our lives. This year, it's even turned Gotham politics upside down. Thousands of Gotham citizens - in the city and outside - are taking advantage of a new law allowing online voting.

"We had to do something to deal with the question of absentee voters," said City Councilwoman Manya Alarnian. "And we believe that permitting secure, tamper-proof voting online will broaden the pool of voters and raise Gotham voter turnout which had hit rock-bottom in recent years."

And voters seem to be responding. The Gotham Election Board reports that interest in the online voting has skyrocketed in recent weeks. A spokesman said that the office has been flooded with voters from all over the world that want to remain connected to Gotham politics.

"This is great news," said prospective voter Regina Filleps, a longtime Gotham citizen who can't make it back to the city on election day. "I am working outside of Gotham for a little while because I couldn't find a good job in the city, but I still want to help improve the standard of living there by making my voice heard. After all, I grew up in Farrow!"

GEB staffmember Edmund Schnii visited the Gotham Retirement Villa to help ensure that their decreased-mobility residents wouldn't be counted out on election day. "These people aren't too old to vote," said Schnii. "They just need a little push in the right direction."

June 13, 2008

HARVEY DENT WINS IN LANDSLIDE

Harvey Dent's massive win over incumbent Roger Garcetti and challenger Dana Worthington rocked Gotham City yesterday. Dent amassed over 70% of the vote, a number not met in a major contested race in recent history.

"This is a huge blow-out, frankly," said longtime pol watcher Walt DeFabrizio. "Nobody expected the sheer size of Dent's victory."

The size of Dent's win puts him in a powerful position as he takes office and attempts to crush organized crime syndicates, sources close to the candidate told GCN.

"The voters showed that they are demanding a true break with the past, a true war on crime and corruption," said Allan Cypes, media manager for the Dent campaign. "The extent of the victory will strengthen Harvey's hand when he runs into bureaucratic obstacles to his agenda."

The Dent Victory party was a scene of pandemonium and joy as thousands of supporters watched their man rack up the enormous victory. One man began crying as the networks called the election for Dent.

"I can't believe we did it," said Sly Kramert, a grocery store owner in East End as tears fell on his Dent for DA t-shirt. "I didn't think they'd let us win, but we did it!"

The party took on the feeling of a wild concert, as city headliners took the stage and played rock tunes, gospel numbers, and anthems devoted to Harvey Dent.

At one point, Dent's "brigade of teenagers" - known as the "Dent-teens" - entertained the crowd with a rap song entitled "Harvey is the Dude."

Buttons, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and even Dent boxer shorts sold out quickly. By the end of the party Dent supporters lingered outside the hotel, refusing to go home.

"We have nowhere else to go," said Gotham coffee-shop worker Jeanie Lurinsky, 23. "The Dent movement is our family now, we all worked so hard for him!"

In his victory speech, Harvey Dent directly addressed the criminals and corrupt officials he's been campaigning against. "I tell Sal Maroni, The Chechen, the corrupt cops, I tell them all today - I'm coming after you. It's time for you guys to be scared, not the people of Gotham."

"SAVE BATMAN" PROPOSITION DEFEATED

Are Gotham city streets safe for…Batman? After the loss of Prop D, they may have gotten a little less safe. Gotham police have just heard the voters speak out on vigilantes. And their message? Don't save Batman, arrest him.

Prop D was the most bitterly contested proposition on the ballot. Major rallies sponsored by the controversial group "Citizens for Batman" in support of Prop D hit every neighborhood in Gotham in recent weeks.

But by a narrow margin of 51-49, voters defeated Prop D, which would have required police to make arresting vigilantes its "lowest priority."

Gotham's Police Union was the center of the No on D movement. "We knew if we just got our message out - that nobody can take the law into their own hands - the Gotham citizens would act wisely. And they did." union head Sylvio Annavariano told GCN.

But disappointment shattered what was supposed to be a victory celebration in Gotham Square. Citizens for Batman head Brian Douglass summed up the crowd's reaction.

"We're shattered. We thought that everybody could see that Batman is a hero for doing what needs to be done. But I guess something went wrong," said CFB head Brian Douglass.

Inside sources at City Hall told GCN that there will be no change in policy regarding Batman. "Our stated policy will stand - Batman will be arrested on sight for multiple violations of the law," said one source close to Mayor Garcia.

Gotham voters also voted on ten other propositions. Prop A's school and library bond measure passed with a healthy margin. Prop B's sick leave and pregnancy leave for government employees was defeated narrowly.

Voters approved Prop C, forcing landlords to pay $5,000 to certain evicted tenants. Prop E - the "Gotham Goes Green" measure - won with a healthy margin.

Prop F, which offered non-violence offenders non-prison alternatives, also passed. Prop G's "Casino on the waterfront" measure was defeated narrowly.

The city will no longer be allowed to "dump" mentally ill patients onto skid row, as voters passed Prop H outlawing the practice. Prop I passed overwhelmingly, providing funds to rebuild the infrastructure of the Narrows.

Prop J was approved, setting up a fact-finding commission to investigate the Narrows Attack and the city's much-derided response. And Prop K went down to defeat. If passed, the measure would have guaranteed a 15% payraise for Gotham cops over the next three years.

There is a video news report associated with the following article. An .mov version of the clip can be downloaded from Zshare here.

THE ROAD TO VICTORY

Harvey Dent's overwhelming victory in the Gotham District Attorney's race shocked political insiders - and showed how Gotham supporters salvaged his campaign at a moment where Dent looked politically dead.

When Dent announced his campaign, he was almost immediately hit by devastating charges of corruption and prosecutorial malfeasance. The group "Concerned Citizens for a Better Gotham" released television attack ads using Gotham cops to paint Dent as a man prosecuting innocent cops in an attempt to gain political power.

"Those charges were incendiary," said longtime political observer Walt DeFabrizio. "At the time, I thought there was no way Dent could recover."

But Dent did recover - with the help of his grassroots supporters. Thousands began to investigate the shadowy group behind the attacks. This grassroots investigation uncovered ties between the group and mob associates. Tipped off by Dent's supporters, GPD's Internal Affairs Division initiated a probe into the conduct of several police officers involved in the attack ads.

Ensnared in the tug of war between the mob and the Internal Affairs investigation was GPD Officer Frank Notaro. Notaro, who appeared in an attack ad against Dent, began to cooperate with Internal Affairs but grew frightened when his partner and his family was killed in a car bombing.

Notaro traveled to reputed organized crime hangout Rossi's Deli to confront mob associates in an incident that turned into a hostage situation. It was there that Dent seemed to become an unstoppable force in Gotham.

When Dent exchanged himself for the hostage held by a police officer who had taken part in the bogus smear campaign, Dent earned himself the title "The White Knight of Gotham." A huge shift in the electorate seemed to occur overnight. Dent took the lead in polls, and never gave it up until his huge victory on election day.

June 20, 2008

GARCETTI RUMORED TO TURN STATE'S EVIDENCE

In a stunning turn of events, former District Attorney Roger Garcetti is rumored to have turned state's evidence in a corruption probe.

Garcetti, who was formerly reported to have been indicted in the probe, will form the lynchpin of Dent's case against purported mob kingpin Sal Maroni.

Sources say Garcetti is suspected in involvement in a corruption ring that reached into the upper reaches of City Hall and the battered police department.

Garcetti is said to have operated in mob circles with the codename "Iceman" and is purported to have played a major role in several criminal conspiracies.

"The extent of Garcetti's alleged involvement is a surprise, but not the fact that he had mob ties," said Walt DeFabrizio, long time Gotham political commentator. "Garcetti has been dogged by rumors of mob connections for years."

DeFabrizio said Garcetti may have turned state's evidence in an act of vengeance. "There's no way he's going to let himself get taken down. If turning state's evidence keeps him out of jail, he's going to spill the beans."

One source told GCN that Garcetti may have made connections with the mob while he served as legal counsel to the policeman's union.

Only time will tell whether those beans form a trail that leads to mob involvement in the GPD, kickbacks, bribes, money laundering, or any number of other crimes. But one thing is for certain - this is one mob trial that will certainly keep Gotham jumping for weeks and months ahead.

June 27, 2008

MAYOR GARCIA FIGHTS FOR 2016 INTERNATIONAL GAMES

Mayor Anthony Garcia's push to bring the 2016 International Games to Gotham may boost his popularity if successful, Gotham politicos told GCN.

"There's nothing that makes cities more proud than snagging the Internationals," said longtime politico Walt DeFabrizio. "If Garcia brings them to Gotham, there's no way he'll be beat if he runs for another term."

Garcia's push to bring the 2016 Internationals to Gotham City switched into overdrive this week. Dozens of International officials toured Gotham in preparation for its initial report.

But Garcia was careful not to let expectations get out of control.

"We still are one of many cities in the running, but the important part is that Gotham City finally is getting its recognition as a world-class city," said Garcia.

Sources told GCN that the Mayor is taking advantage of international sympathy for Gotham after last year's terrorist incidents. "There's a natural desire for the world to rally around Gotham, and the Mayor is hoping that has an impact," the source said.

International Games observers say that Gotham City must be considered a long-shot, due to the city's reputation as a hive of crime and corruption.

IGC officials met for three days in closed doors meetings with the Mayor before heading out into the city. Busloads of the international bigwigs visited the "mega-stadium" being built near the docks.

"The Mayor is pulling out all the stops," DeFabrizio said. "He wants the Internationals as part of his legacy."

The IGC's initial review should be published sometime later next week.

July 3, 2008

ONE MONTH AFTER, DENT KEEPS GOLDEN IMAGE

Defying the law of political gravity, District Attorney Harvey Dent is still riding high after his dizzying ascent to power in Gotham City.

With crime rates continuing to fall, Dent's standing continues to go up, making him the most popular District Attorney the city has ever had, according to a GCN poll of 319 Gotham adults.

Harvey Dent now has an approval rating of 81% of the public. Over 65% of adults polled said they believe that Harvey Dent will succeed in his efforts to crush organized crime and official corruption.

Dent's sterling reputation comes on the heels of a hotly contested election that hit a tender nerve with Gotham citizens everywhere.

As the city experienced startling levels violence and crime, people are looking for a hero who could help turn things around, said Gotham politico Walt DeFabrizio.

"People need a hero in tough times. Some said Batman was the hero, but he's just too controversial to really play the part," said DeFabrizio. "But Dent seems like the real thing."

Where Batman can only prevent or stop crimes on a small scale, the District Attorney's office has the scope and reach to seek out and prosecute the worst and most complex of criminal activities.

Whatever the reason, Gotham's love affair with Harvey Dent shows no sign of slowing. "Usually, the honeymoon is over by now," said political commentator Fillmore Delaney-Roberts. "But Harvey Dent really knows how to work the media to his advantage. It doesn't hurt that he's also proving to be one heck of a good D.A."

Dent has set forth an ambitious program of rooting out violence, corruption, and mob activity throughout Gotham. If he can retain his golden image, he just may have the political capital to do it all.

July 10, 2008

DENT TAKES ON "BIGGEST TARGET YET" - MARONI

It may be the biggest fight Gotham has ever seen.

In a corner courtroom downtown, Harvey Dent is facing alleged mob boss Sal Maroni in the first major prosecution of Dent's stint as D.A. The high-profile case seeks to link Maroni with systemic corruption within the GPD.

Since taking office, Dent has followed through on campaign promises to target crime in Gotham, but this is the "biggest target yet," according to a statement issued by the D.A's office.

The star witness in the case has turned out to be none other than former District Attorney Roger Garcetti, who turned state's evidence to avoid prosecution in the corruption scandal. Garcetti testified that he received orders from Maroni through Albert Rossi, a mob associate. In gripping testimony, Garcetti laid out a dramatic story of pay-offs, corrupt deals, and midnight meetings. One juror laughed out loud when Garcetti told the court what his codename was among the mob - "Iceman."

Dent plans to put the alleged Garcetti-Maroni intermediary Albert Rossi on the stand. Long known as the owner of Rossi's Deli, Mr. Rossi was most recently in the news when he was arrested along with two other men for harassing voters outside of a polling station on Election Day.

"This is the beginning of the end for corruption in the GPD," Dent said at a morning press conference.

"When the twelve good men and women of the jury find Maroni guilty, they'll have succeeded in chopping off the root of the department's problems. That will be a great day for Gotham and I'm looking forward to having a front row seat"

That moment, if it ever arrives, is still many days away. With the trial just beginning and a list of witnesses that runs into the dozens, the city of Gotham may have to wait several weeks before the case goes out for jury deliberation.