MTA Chairman goes to DC to block LIRR strike, de Blasio family flying to Italy to escape LIRR strike

de Blasio family flying to Italy for luxurious 10-day vacation of Italy's finest tourist destinations practically on eve of possible LIRR strike

Italian vacation will feature stops in Rome, Naples, and romantic Venice -- meanwhile, LIRR straphangers face possible strike and commutes from Hell. The lure of Italy in summer is too great for the de Blasio family, who are expected to depart on July 18 for a 10-day Italian vacation, even as the deadline of a potential strike by Long Island Railroad workers is set for two days later -- on July 20.

RELATED Mayor de Blasio, family will take a 10-day vacation away from the city to Italy (The New York Daily News)

MTA Chairman goes to DC, seeking federal help, Mayor de Blasio calls travel agent

Last Wednesday, a delegation of New York Congressional Representatives -- including three from Long Island -- said that Congress won’t get involved in negotiations for new labor contracts for LIRR employees. “We’ve made it clear to both sides that neither should count on congressional intervention,” said Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY). "Hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders would have to work from home, stay with friends in the city, carpool or take a crowded shuttle bus to a Queens subway if a strike moves forward," The New York Post reported.

RELATED Congress will not help the MTA avoid an LIRR strike (The New York Post)

Suburban Long Island commuters are on their own ; meanwhile, WNYC wonders how a strike may impact the race for governor

THE POLITICAL FALLOUT OF A RAIL STRIKE CAN BE SERIOUS : The last time LIRR workers walked off the job, it contributed to Gov. Mario Cuomo losing his reelection campaign in 1994, WNYC reported. Facing discontented Democratic voters, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is busy trying to help LIRR union officials and the railroad to strike a new deal to forestall the need for a union strike. If Gov. Cuomo can't avert a strike, then he faces the prospect of a dire political fallout that could cost him his gubernatorial reelection campaign -- much like his own father faced under similar circumstances exactly 20 years ago. "Despite his efforts, Mario Cuomo didn't win his bid for a fourth term. According to Newsday, he lost Nassau and Suffolk Counties by 115,018 votes — and the statewide election by 173,798 votes." How convenient that Mayor de Blasio, who got elected with the help of many unions, is rushing out of town to miss all this political and commuter drama. Will his absence be construed to mean that he doesn't care about LIRR workers, if a strike does take place ?

RELATED With LIRR Strike Looming, It's 1994 All Over Again (WNYC)

BOE Scandal in Charles Rangel and Adriano Espaillat Congressional Race

Board Of Elections Defends Its Work In Disputed Congressional Primary

From NY1 :

As State Senator Adriano Espaillat continues his legal challenge of his primary loss last week to incumbent Congressman Charles Rangel, the city Board Of Elections says it is not to blame for the disputed results.

Rangel reportedly had a 2,300-vote margin of victory on primary night, but that lead has since dwindled to just 802 votes. The Espaillat campaign says roughly 2,100 absentee and affidavit ballots still need to be counted.

Initially, 79 election districts reported a complete lack of votes in the Democratic primary.

Elections officials say the zero-vote tally was entered when police officers could not read the handwritten totals or election inspectors failed to add up the votes. The incomplete count was then shared with the media.

"There's a process that we have to follow in order to do the re-canvas and make sure that every vote is counted and that's what we are charged with," said Pamela Perkins of the Board of Elections. "We are not charged with explaining election night results, because they are not our results."

Espaillat also claims valid ballots are not being counted and some voting machines were broken.

These errors have made the BOE subject to criticism from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, good government groups and newspaper editorial boards, but the board's commissioner said the agency did its best.

"It's unfortunate, but I think that the campaigns are launching incredibly vicious attacks of the hardworking men and women of the Board Of Elections. They're based on absolutely nothing but a conspiracy theory," said BOE Commissioner J.C. Polanco. "The reality is that we have hardworking men and women at the Board Of Elections who work tirelessly to make sure that each one of these ballots gets counted."

Good government groups also question why the initial election results were so erroneous.

"Other states have managed to give unofficial results on election night that are darn close if not completely accurate to the end official tally because they use modern technology in a modern way. It's embarrassing that New York refuses to do that," said Susan Lerner of Common Cause New York.

The BOE is beginning its count of the remaining votes on Thursday.