Talk Bronx New York

The Democratic Party organization in the Bronx has been rocked by internal warring so intense that it has been operating in the last week with two headquarters and two leaders claiming to be the legitimate head of the party. And, for a time, neither side quite knew how to resolve the impasse. That is likely to change before long.

The group led by Assemblyman José Rivera, who has chaired the party for the last six years, filed papers in the state Supreme Court in the Bronx this morning to ask that Mr. Rivera be affirmed as the chairman of the Bronx Democratic organization.

The Rivera group is seeking to get the court to invalidate any claim by a faction of rebel elected officials to have their leaders recognized as the officers of the party. The two factions held back-to-back meetings on Sept. 28 with the rebel group electing Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie as the chairman of the party.

Jerry H. Goldfeder, the lawyer for the group led by Mr. Rivera, said that he and “and the current leadership of the Bronx County organization believe they won fair and square and that they were elected under proper procedure.”

Mr. Goldfeder added that there was a 10-day period after the party meeting under the election law to bring the matter before the court. “If it’s necessary for the court to resolve the dispute as to who won,” he said, “we had to begin a court case no later than Oct. 8.” Read more..

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A Rift Among Bronx Democrats at Annual Dinner

In many ways, Thursday night’s Bronx Democratic County dinner at the Marina Del Rey waterfront catering hall was typical. The powerful figures of Albany — Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo — were there to honor the party chairman, Assemblyman Jose Rivera. Various aspirants for citywide office were there, too.

But the dinner was as notable for who didn’t attend as for who did — exposing a deep rift in the Bronx party.

Among those who declined to appear were State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and his son, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr. Also absent were Assemblymen Carl Heastie and Michael Benjamin as well as City Councilwoman Helen Foster.

Many dissidents fault the leadership of the 72-year-old Mr. Rivera, explaining that they are upset he chose to endorse Maria Matos for a Civil Court judgeship, selecting her over their choice, Elizabeth Taylor. Another point of tension is Assemblyman Diaz’s plan to run for Bronx borough president next year — with his strongest competitor being Mr. Rivera’s son, City Councilman Joel Rivera.

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