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CBID Gives Quinn A Dubious Distinction
NY Daily News
May 19, 2008

At their 39th anniversary dinner last night, the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats presented the club's "tarnished fork" award to Council Speaker Christine Quinn in light of the ongoing slush fund scandal.

The award, which the club gives to the person or groups it deems to have most betrayed reform and "progressive Democratic values," was given in abstentia, as Quinn wasn't on hand to receive it. (more after the jump)

"We have a process that we go through of deciding which Democrat will get the award, usually we focus on Democrats since we're a Democratic club, it would be too easy to pick a Republican," said CBID President Chris Owens.

"This year, we could have done the tale of two Vitos, with (Rep.) Vito Fossella and (Assemblyman) Vito Lopez, but the committee that was doing this decided that the Quinn situation was just a little too outrageous and needed more attention."

CBID First Vice President Lucy Koteen compiled a series of statements made to the media by Quinn as the scandal as unfolded that "highlighted the increduality" of her claims, Owens said.

There actually is a physical "tarnished fork" award. It's not just a concept. It features (what else?) a framed and mounted silver fork.

"It's a beautiful little thing," according to Owens, who promised to try to rustle up a photo. Until then, we will just have to content ourselves with the invite from the event, which lists the evening's honorees.

Past recipients have included Lopez, the Brooklyn Democratic chairman, with whom Owens has had a longstanding feud; Lopez' predecessor, Clarence Norman, and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Clinton won the tarnished fork in 2006 due to her "yes" vote on the Iraq War. (Recall she was facing a primary challenge that year from an anti-war candidate, Jonathan Tasini, whom she refused to debate, all-but ignored and trounced on election day).

On hand for last night's CBID dinner were a number of elected officials, including Quinn's potential 2009 mayoral opponent, Comptroller Bill Thompson, but he wasn't there at the end of the night when the tarnished fork was presented.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer was also on hand - a Clinton supporter in a largely Barack Obama crowd - and predicted the Democrats will win the White House this fall with more than 300 Electoral College votes.