New York Today: Political Lowlights

Clockwise from top left: Eliot Spitzer, Vito Lopez, Christine Quinn, Anthony Weiner, Pedro Espada, and Shirley Huntley.

Good morning on this bitingly cold Thursday.

Let’s see what political presents Santa left under the tree.

This has been quite a year for New York politics, if not for politicians:

- Carlos Danger: Anthony D. Weiner’s second round of online adventures cost him a chance at mayoral redemption.

- Vito Lopez: The assemblyman resigned in response to sexual harassment allegations. He then failed in a run for City Council.

- Charles J. Hynes: Brooklyn’s longtime prosecutor was brought down by, among other things, accusations of wrongdoing in his office.

- Eliot Spitzer: The former governor made an unexpected comeback, which was followed by an unexpected defeat.

- Pedro Espada: The former state lawmaker was denied a few days of freedom before prison. The judge declared, “I can’t trust him.”

- John L. Sampson: The former leader of the State Senate Democrats asked a friend in the prosecutor’s office for the names of cooperating witnesses against him so he could arrange to “take them out.”

- Shirley Huntley: The state senator claimed she had a broken ankle to convince colleagues to come to her house so she could tape them in a corruption probe.

- Malcolm A. Smith: The state senator was charged with trying to bribe his way onto the ballot for mayor.

- John C. Liu: The comptroller was besmirched while running for mayor when two former associates were convicted of illegally funneling money into his campaign.

- Christine C. Quinn: No major ethical lapses here. But Ms. Quinn, the Council Speaker, suffered a humiliating defeat in the mayoral race despite starting as the heavy favorite. Her candidacy touched off a fierce backlash, including the Anyone But Quinn ads.

Here’s what else you need to know for Thursday.

WEATHER

Unusually normal: cloudy with a high of 39.

Clearing tonight with a low of 29.

COMMUTE

Subways: Check latest status.

Rails: Check L.I.R.R., Metro-North or New Jersey Transit status.

Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s.

Alternate-side parking is in effect.

DE BLASIO WATCH

From David W. Chen of The Times:

- The mayor-elect and his family are on a Christmas mini-vacation, staying with relatives in Connecticut.

- Maybe the trip will help him make some long-awaited decisions, such as who will be his schools chancellor. After all, it was during a drive to Connecticut over Thanksgiving that his family decided to live in Gracie Mansion.

- Among the mixed reviews for the de Blasios’ decision to release a Christmas-Eve video about their daughter’s substance abuse: “one last campaign ad,” writes Mike Lupica of The Daily News.

- Mr. de Blasio’s pick for child-welfare commissioner was running the state’s children’s-services system in 2009 when juvenile inmates were allowed to have female guests and things got out of hand. [New York Post]

COMING UP TODAY

- A protest march against the incoming new police commissioner, William J. Bratton, starts in front of the state office building on 125th Street in Harlem and goes to the South Bronx. 6 p.m.

- A Kwanzaa celebration at the African Burial Ground near City Hall. 11 a.m. [Free]

- “A Christmas Story,” the musical, opens at Madison Square Garden. 2 p.m. [Tickets start at $53.80]

- But don’t shoot your eye out. You can also go to a free screening of the movie, in Crown Heights. 7 p.m.

- The Museum of the City of New York kicks off a week of year-end festivities, starting with a day of hot chocolate and collage-making for kids. 11 a.m. [$10, free for kids]

- The “Salute to Wildlife Ice Carving Week” begins at the Bronx Zoo, featuring professional ice carvers. [$23.95, less online]

- Last day to watch Oscar-nominated documentaries at Film Society at Lincoln Center; tonight, Alex Gibney’s “The Armstrong Lie,” and more. [$13 per film]

- For more events, see The New York Times Arts & Entertainment guide.

IN THE NEWS

- Mayor Bloomberg has been calling the family of every police officer, firefighter or other city worker who died in the line of duty during his tenure. [New York Times]

-The city has nearly doubled the number of police dogs in recent years even as it cuts the ranks of human officers. [Daily News]

- The Strand bookstore said this holiday shopping season was its biggest ever. [Daily News]

- The secret life of the man said to be behind $80 million worth of fine-art forgeries. [New York Times]

- Another Christmas-Eve announcement: Eliot Spitzer and Silda Wall Spitzer are getting divorced, in the wake of reports that Mr. Spitzer is romantically involved with a spokeswoman for Mr. de Blasio. [New York Times]

- Scoreboard: Thunder rout Carmelo-less Knicks, 123-94. Bulls gore Nets, 95-78.

Joseph Burgess contributed reporting.

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