Ben] Charlie Rangel has no intention of stepping down, and does not think reporters should be in the position of suggesting he should. Also: "I think the reporter should crawl from under his rock and apologize to my son." [ CNN] Condi invited Hillary to dinner. [ First Read] A conservative blogger supports Brian Higgins' idea to tear down the Buffalo Skyway ...

ALBANY—Representative Brian Higgins is the New York delegation's choice to take over a spot on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, filling a seat vacated by retiring Representative Mike McNulty, another upstate Democrat. According to a congressional staffer, Higgins expressed interest in the seat last month during a meeting of the New York delegation, whose approval is ...

ALBANY—Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, leader of that chamber's Republican conference and one of the loudest advocates for upstate New York, sent a letter this morning to David Paterson offering his thoughts on who should succeed Hillary Clinton in the senate. He asked for "the highest standards of public openness, transparency and bi-partisanship" in selecting a new Senator, as well ...