April 29, 2025 • 6 mins
Frank Morano speaks with Mendte in the Morning about his campaign for City Council in a special election to fill the seat left vacant by former minority leader Joe Borelli.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, today is election day in a south Shore City
Council district. The polls are open, there's been some early voting.
So far, three thousand and seven hundred and twenty eight
people have voted. This all happened when a friend of
the show somebody here here a lot, Joseph Barelli stepped
down and now they're having a special election to fill
(00:21):
that seat. It's Cliff Hagen running, Frank Morano and Griffin
for Sella. And on the phone right now is Frank Morano.
Who are you out campaigning right now?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Frank, No Rrry, I'm sleeping in leisurely breakfast. You know
I haven't even gotten out of bed yet. I absolutely
I have been out since dark and early. I am
right now outside the Eltingville stopping shop and I haven't
even stopped to eat yet. But as someone that's met
(00:52):
me a couple of times, you know I'm not in
danger of wasting away to nothing anytime soon. So we've
been hitting the hastings were all over the place, and
so far, I have to say the reception has been
very positive and so far the turnout seems to be
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Today. The early turnout was much better than what we've
seen in other similar elections in the.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
City, and people seem pretty enthusiastic.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
So far. No one's cursed at us.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
And that's a big deal. The turnout's a big deal
because in the city council elections, especially in a special election,
a low turnout could mean anything. But right now, I've
read the post endorsement for you. We have Joe Burrelli
on the air every week. He has endorsed you. We
just had Vicki Palladino on the air. She has endorsed you. So, Frank,
(01:40):
I guess you're not taking any chances even with all
those endorsements.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Well I'm not, and obviously I'm very grateful for all
those endorsements, along with the down Isle in advance, the CSA,
which represents the Principals Citizens Union, and you know a
lot of entities that don't typically endorse Republicans, Teamster's Local
two thirty seven, the Seafarers Union. But as you alluded to,
one of my opponents is the son of the borough president.
(02:07):
So he's got this great last name and what the
borough president's been doing. He's up for reelection in November,
so he has his lawn signs all over the place
with the same font, the same color, the same slogan
as his son's lawn signs. So I think what some
people are trying to do is to make it make
folks think that you're voting for Vito Pasela rather than
(02:29):
Griffin Pasella. But I'm hoping that, in part because of
all the support that you just alluded to, that Stanton
Islanders are going to be too.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Smart for that and recognize that they're not the same person.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So I feel pretty good.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I'm pretty confident, but not over confident.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
You're from the island too, I mean, this is this
is home to you.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
No, oh, absolutely, I've lived in Staten Island my whole
life and really, and you know, Larry, since we've been
in broadcasting circles for a long time.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Together, that you know, I'm very passionate about radio and
being a broadcaster. But really the primary reason which made
me put my foot into the political pool is because
my wife, Rachel, we have a three year old son
and we want them to stay on Staten Island, and
so many folks as soon as they're able to move
off the island do that. I'd like to be able
(03:16):
to turn to him when he's an adult and say
that I did everything possible to keep him here, and
that's really what made me decide to leave radio at
least for a time. In order to run.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
You go into city council as a Republican, and Republicans
have not been able to make any headway whatsoever in
city council. What makes you think you'll be different?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Well, for starters, there are now more Republicans in New
York City Council now than at any time in the
last thirty years, And with the Common Sense Caucus, there's
actually a pretty sizable number of folks that can be
the swing vote on a lot of key things. And
the big issue, the big opportunity to make a difference,
is in the speaker's race. This is really the only
(03:58):
legislative body in the entire country where the minority members
play a significant role in picking who the speaker is.
So with the block of six Republican votes and the
block of eight or nine Common Sense Caucus votes, we
can help sway the speaker's race to picking it's not
going to be a Republican speaker, but a more moderate
(04:19):
speaker instead of someone who's a defund the police person.
Very far left wing who wants to turn New York
into New Havana. And I think that's really the opportunity.
We're going to use the leverage of the body to
pick the next speaker and have it be a speaker
that's responsive to the needs of middle class New Yorkers
and the outer boroughs.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
We're wrapping up here, Frank, but I'll let you have
the last word to talk to the voters of the
fifty first Council district.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Polls are open un till nine o'clock. I hope people
don't fall into the trap in thinking that this race
doesn't matter, or that the city Council doesn't matter, because
a lot of the disastrous things that government does are
all because of apathy. Folks should check out my webs
site see where I am on the sixty most important
issues of concern to them. Morano for Council dot com.
That's m O R A n L for Council dot Com.
(05:09):
Polls are open until nine pm tonight. If you want
to volunteer, go to that website as well.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Morano for Council dot com. Thank you, Larry Sure.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
It's always great to be on a show produced by
a Staten Islander especially.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
That's why you're on the show. That's exactly why you're
on the show. She said, Oh, he's from Staten Island.
He's from Staten Island. We got to talk to him. Hey, listen,
say hi to me. That's where I went to high school,
taught into high school.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Now, that's where that was where I went to high
school as well. Now the top of school educated person
to hold this seat in over thirty years.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Frank Murano, candidate for City Council in the fifty first
council district. Thanks a lot, Frank. I'll be at your
party in Atlantic City this year. This year, I'm gonna
make Larry.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I'm going to hold you to that.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
I'm going to hold you to that.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I promise. I shouldn't promise it.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I did.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I just did.
Well, today is election day in a south Shore City
Council district. The polls are open, there's been some early voting.
So far, three thousand and seven hundred and twenty eight
people have voted. This all happened when a friend of
the show somebody here here a lot, Joseph Barelli stepped
down and now they're having a special election to fill
(00:21):
that seat. It's Cliff Hagen running, Frank Morano and Griffin
for Sella. And on the phone right now is Frank Morano.
Who are you out campaigning right now?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Frank, No Rrry, I'm sleeping in leisurely breakfast. You know
I haven't even gotten out of bed yet. I absolutely
I have been out since dark and early. I am
right now outside the Eltingville stopping shop and I haven't
even stopped to eat yet. But as someone that's met
(00:52):
me a couple of times, you know I'm not in
danger of wasting away to nothing anytime soon. So we've
been hitting the hastings were all over the place, and
so far, I have to say the reception has been
very positive and so far the turnout seems to be
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Today. The early turnout was much better than what we've
seen in other similar elections in the.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
City, and people seem pretty enthusiastic.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
So far. No one's cursed at us.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
And that's a big deal. The turnout's a big deal
because in the city council elections, especially in a special election,
a low turnout could mean anything. But right now, I've
read the post endorsement for you. We have Joe Burrelli
on the air every week. He has endorsed you. We
just had Vicki Palladino on the air. She has endorsed you. So, Frank,
(01:40):
I guess you're not taking any chances even with all
those endorsements.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Well I'm not, and obviously I'm very grateful for all
those endorsements, along with the down Isle in advance, the CSA,
which represents the Principals Citizens Union, and you know a
lot of entities that don't typically endorse Republicans, Teamster's Local
two thirty seven, the Seafarers Union. But as you alluded to,
one of my opponents is the son of the borough president.
(02:07):
So he's got this great last name and what the
borough president's been doing. He's up for reelection in November,
so he has his lawn signs all over the place
with the same font, the same color, the same slogan
as his son's lawn signs. So I think what some
people are trying to do is to make it make
folks think that you're voting for Vito Pasela rather than
(02:29):
Griffin Pasella. But I'm hoping that, in part because of
all the support that you just alluded to, that Stanton
Islanders are going to be too.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Smart for that and recognize that they're not the same person.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So I feel pretty good.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I'm pretty confident, but not over confident.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
You're from the island too, I mean, this is this
is home to you.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
No, oh, absolutely, I've lived in Staten Island my whole
life and really, and you know, Larry, since we've been
in broadcasting circles for a long time.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Together, that you know, I'm very passionate about radio and
being a broadcaster. But really the primary reason which made
me put my foot into the political pool is because
my wife, Rachel, we have a three year old son
and we want them to stay on Staten Island, and
so many folks as soon as they're able to move
off the island do that. I'd like to be able
(03:16):
to turn to him when he's an adult and say
that I did everything possible to keep him here, and
that's really what made me decide to leave radio at
least for a time. In order to run.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
You go into city council as a Republican, and Republicans
have not been able to make any headway whatsoever in
city council. What makes you think you'll be different?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Well, for starters, there are now more Republicans in New
York City Council now than at any time in the
last thirty years, And with the Common Sense Caucus, there's
actually a pretty sizable number of folks that can be
the swing vote on a lot of key things. And
the big issue, the big opportunity to make a difference,
is in the speaker's race. This is really the only
(03:58):
legislative body in the entire country where the minority members
play a significant role in picking who the speaker is.
So with the block of six Republican votes and the
block of eight or nine Common Sense Caucus votes, we
can help sway the speaker's race to picking it's not
going to be a Republican speaker, but a more moderate
(04:19):
speaker instead of someone who's a defund the police person.
Very far left wing who wants to turn New York
into New Havana. And I think that's really the opportunity.
We're going to use the leverage of the body to
pick the next speaker and have it be a speaker
that's responsive to the needs of middle class New Yorkers
and the outer boroughs.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
We're wrapping up here, Frank, but I'll let you have
the last word to talk to the voters of the
fifty first Council district.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Polls are open un till nine o'clock. I hope people
don't fall into the trap in thinking that this race
doesn't matter, or that the city Council doesn't matter, because
a lot of the disastrous things that government does are
all because of apathy. Folks should check out my webs
site see where I am on the sixty most important
issues of concern to them. Morano for Council dot com.
That's m O R A n L for Council dot Com.
(05:09):
Polls are open until nine pm tonight. If you want
to volunteer, go to that website as well.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Morano for Council dot com. Thank you, Larry Sure.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
It's always great to be on a show produced by
a Staten Islander especially.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
That's why you're on the show. That's exactly why you're
on the show. She said, Oh, he's from Staten Island.
He's from Staten Island. We got to talk to him. Hey, listen,
say hi to me. That's where I went to high school,
taught into high school.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Now, that's where that was where I went to high
school as well. Now the top of school educated person
to hold this seat in over thirty years.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Frank Murano, candidate for City Council in the fifty first
council district. Thanks a lot, Frank. I'll be at your
party in Atlantic City this year. This year, I'm gonna
make Larry.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I'm going to hold you to that.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
I'm going to hold you to that.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I promise. I shouldn't promise it.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I did.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I just did.
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