Vel�zquez and Dilan Clash in Debate Among Four Seeking House Seat

Ms. Velázquez and Mr. Dilan took part in a forum on NY1’s “Inside City Hall,” along with the two other candidates in the June 26 Democratic primary for New York’s redrawn Seventh Congressional District, which includes parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.

Dan O’Connor, an economist who is making his first bid for public office, criticized Ms. Velázquez for voting for the bank bailout and against auditing the Federal Reserve, noting that much of her campaign war chest came from the banking industry.

“At the end of the day, whoever writes the checks in Washington writes the policies,” said Mr. O’Connor, who called the role of money in politics a more pressing issue than the economy.

Ms. Velázquez responded that a watchdog group had said she was among the members of Congress least influenced by money.

The fourth candidate, George Martinez, a hip-hop artist and Occupy Wall Street activist, called his rivals “model politicians of a broken system.” He said Ms. Velázquez had been timid about pushing for progressive policies and asked Mr. Dilan about donations he has received from real estate developers.

“I’ve always voted the conscience of my district,” Mr. Dilan responded. Ms. Velázquez said she had secured federal money for public housing and small-business loans.

Ms. Velázquez was asked by the moderator to describe an instance in which she “broke with a political establishment.”

Ms. Velázquez, who was endorsed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday, replied: “I’ve been independent, I’ve been progressive, and basically, I have no relationship with the party boss from Brooklyn.”

Mr. Dilan has denied Ms. Velázquez’s accusations that he is challenging her at the behest of Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, the head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.

Mr. Dilan accused Ms. Velázquez of being virtually “appointed” by party bosses when she was first elected 20 years ago.

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Seeking more luxury suites, DNC might move Obama convention speech to stadium (Daily Caller)

With Democrats struggling to reach their $36.6 million fundraising target for the Democratic National Convention  in August, plans have emerged to move the event’s final day to the 74,000-seat stadium where the NFL’s Carolina Panthers play, reports the Charlotte Observer. That move will allow fundraisers to sell access to more luxury suites.

Democratic sources told Bloomberg News that Obama advisers are conscious of the political downside that could be associated with the move, but not because of the spectacle of a big-dollar cash grab. Party officials are instead concerned because Bank of America — one of the president’s most recent corporate whipping-boys — is the arenas named sponsor.

In October, Obama criticized the bank for its plan, which was later scrapped, to impose a $5 monthly fee on customers who use debit cards.

“People have been using financial regulation as an excuse to charge consumers more,” Obama complained on Oct. 6.

Charlotte businessman Cameron Harris, who is among the top fundraisers on the convention’s host committee, told the Observer that making Bank of America Stadium the site of Obama’s acceptance speech “was a possibility … from the very beginning.”

The committee is hamstrung by new fundraising restrictions, reportedly imposed by Obama himself, which prohibit them from accepting money from corporations and lobbyists.

But they still plan to raise up to $15 million in “in-kind” contributions from companies, and cash from wealthy individuals. The committee is also accepting unlimited funds from nonprofit organizations, including charitable foundations associated with the president’s corporate supporters.

Another member of the host committee, who spoke to the Observer on condition of anonymity, insisted that the Democrats will manage to meet their fundraising goals.

“Are they working hard and losing sleep over it? Yes,” the source said. “But they didn’t seem at all desperate. … I don’t have inside information, but I think they’re over halfway there, though.”

David is The Daily Caller’s executive editor. Follow him on Twitter

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