Kennedy calls Brown, Illuzzi takes offense on his behalf

On Monday, political gossip-slinger Joe Illuzzi reported that Caroline Kennedy had called Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, apropos her interest in filling Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat:

We believe it is presumptuous of Caroline Kennedy to have called the Mayor of Buffalo.

One could extrapolate it was an intimidation tactic. Caroline Kennedy using her name & $$$ in an attempt to get the Mayor to take his name out of consideration for Clinton’s Senate seat.

Number one: The good news is our Mayor doesn’t get intimidated.

Number two: Mayor Byron Brown is far more qualified as a local Councilman, NYS Senator & Mayor of a large City to represent the State of New York in the Senate of the United States.

In fact, a source tells AV, Kennedy called every Democratic mayor and county executive in the state to discuss her interest in the Senate seat, not just Brown—who is not, in any case, on any current short or even long list of candidates to fill Clinton’s seat. In fact, our source says that Governor David Paterson, who will choose Clinton’s successor, is annoyed at Brown and his political team for continuing to insert his name in the mix.

In addition to Kennedy—who visited Brown at City Hall on Wednesday—US Representatives Steve Israel of Long Island and Kirsten Gillibrand of Albany remain strong candidates.

—geoff kelly