Cityfile: New York's Most Notable and Influential

Robin &hearts Chuck | We've been on the edge of our seats wondering who public access porn queen Robin Byrd would be supporting in the 2010 elections. But she seems to have finally come to a decision, so you can now "lie back and get comfortable," so to speak. More

NYMag's 'Power Dozen' | This week's issue of New York has come up with a list of the 12 most powerful people in town. (Well, the 11 most powerful behind Michael Bloomberg, that is.) They are (in no particular order): Al Sharpton, Howard Rubenstein, Sheldon Silver, Stephen Ross, Jamie Dimon, Herb Pardes, Anna Wintour, Andrew Cuomo, Mike Fishman, Chuck Schumer, and Rupert Murdoch. [NYM]

How much does it cost to take the sting out of commuting around New York? $144,014. That's how much Senator Chuck Schumer spent between October 2008 and March 2009 on travel, more than any Senator but one. (Republican John Cornyn of Texas spent more, after dragging 59 of his staffers to a retreat in St. Michaels, Maryland). According to Politico.com, Schumer took 25 chartered flights to various locations around New York State, most within 30 minutes of an international airport, at $1,000 to $7,000 a trip, running up a travel tab that's ten times more than some of his colleagues.More

Working on Michael Bloomberg's reelection campaign might just be the best job in town. He's got lots of money to spend, of course. (He's already shelled out more than $18 million since Jan. 12 despite little in the way of competition.) And then there are those rides aboard his jet, where expensive wine and sushi is always on the menu. He's paying his campaign staff pretty well, too, as Jason Horowitz discovered. And he's generous about looking beyond what others might consider unfortunate career blemishes. Take Bradley Tusk, the mayor's 35-year-old campaign manager, for example. Tusk once worked for Chuck Schumer's communications office and for Mayor Bloomberg at City Hall. But then he took a job as deputy governor of Illinois under now-disgraced Rod Blagojevich, and then left to join Lehman Brothers as a senior vice president. (We all know how that one turned out.) But Tusk has bounced back nicely. He's now making $27,500 a month to run Bloomberg's campaign. And he's not the only one doing well. A roundup of some of Bloomberg key campaign staffers—and their salaries—below. More

Lycée Français de New York honored Dior president Sidney Toledano at its 10th annual gala at 7 World Trade Center on Friday night. The event, which was co-chaired in part by by Olivier Sarkozy and his wife Charlotte, attracted Eric and Sandra Ripert (left), Robbie Myers, Bernard Aidan, Bettina Zilkha, Catherine Malandrino Glenda Bailey, Cathy Horyn, Kassy and Liya Kebede, Delphine and Reed Krakoff, Susan Fales-Hill, Yannick Noah, Virginia Smith, Alejandra and Jeffrey Kluger, Stacey Bronfman, Assouline and Martine Prosper, Fabrizio and Maryane Freda, and Veronica Bulgari. [PMc, FWD, WWD, NYSD]More

• Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick may seem really happy and content with life, but it's just a carefully-constructed façade that is now crumbling to pieces because Broderick can't stop himself from cheating. Or at least that's what the Star is claiming after it caught sight of SJP socializing with a real estate broker, something you wouldn't even think of doing unless you were planning to leave your husband and move out on your own, right? [Star]
• Peter Cook has filed charges against Christie Brinkley for refusing to hand over son Jack's passport so the two can go on a school trip to Egypt. [P6, OK!]
• Disgraced Lehman CEO Dick Fuld and his wife Kathy needed help using JetBlue's check-in kiosk in Palm Beach, poor things. [P6]
• Paris Hilton says she's not a slut because she's only had sex with "a couple of men," which, by that standard, means you're still a virgin. [The Sun]More

Happy Birthday | Tina Brown's party earlier this week to celebrate the launch of her new site, The Daily Beast, could have just as easily served as an early birthday bash: The famed editor turns 55 today. Indie film powerhouse Christine Vachon is turning 46. Bjork is 43. Goldie Hawn is 63. Publicist Mara Buxbaum is 41. Retired football player Michael Strahan is celebrating his 37th. Actress Cherry Jones is 52. Real estate developer Daniel Brodsky is 44. Norman Siegel, civil rights lawyer and perennial candidate for public office, is 65. Congresswoman Yvette Clark is 44. Nicollette Sheridan is 45. And actress Marlo Thomas is 71. Weekend birthdays after the jump. More

♦  With so many companies looking to tap into the $700 billion bailout, it's clear there won't be enough to go around, and a lot more work (and cash) is going to be needed to fix the problem. [WSJ]
♦  The latest company to convert itself into a bank to tap into government funds: American Express, which earned approval from the Fed to become a commercial bank yesterday as it seeks to cover rising credit card defaults. [Bloomberg]
♦  GM's possible bankruptcy was a major topic of conversation at the White House yesterday when Barack Obama met with George Bush. Meanwhile, shares of GM fell to $3.36 yesterday, its lowest level since 1949. [WSJ, Bloomberg]
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There have been reports of very long lines at the polls this morning. More than 400 people were already assembled outside P.S. 9 in Prospect Heights when the polls opened at 6 a.m. Confusion reigned outside the Hell's Kitchen polling station at 520 West 45th Street, where lines reportedly snaked around the block. Elected officials have had to patiently wait their turns. Chuck Schumer passed the time on a Brooklyn sidewalk chatting on his cell phone. Michael Bloomberg was No. 270 in line when he turned up on the Upper East Side this morning and he spent 45 minutes chatting with reporters and aides before getting a chance to make his pick. One person ahead of him? Eliot Spitzer. [NYT, WNBC, NYP, NYO]

Spottings | Liv Tyler pushing her son in a stroller outside their West Village townhouse ... Chuck Schumer and Al Sharpton walking through Midtown ... Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos filming a cooking segment with their son for Live with Regis & Kelly ... Lauren Hutton wearing shorts and sneakers on a walk downtown ... Rumer Willis posing in a party dress outside the David Letterman show ... Madonna's kids, Lourdes, Rocco, and David, playing in Central Park with the nanny ... and Brody Jenner leaving a dinner at Cipriani Downtown.

• Naomi Campbell pleaded guilty today to all six counts in connection with her assault on a police officer at Heathrow back in April. A sentencing date hasn't been set, but she's looking at a maximum six-month prison sentence and a $10,000 fine. We bet garbage duty in New York's looking a whole lot better now. [Daily Telegraph]
• In their pre-trial divorce hearings yesterday, Christie Brinkley claimed ex-hubby Peter Cook was addicted to internet porn and trolling swingers websites. Christie thinks the case should be public; Peter thinks it should remain private. A judge should decide today. [NY Post]
• Ivana Trump swears she and new husband Rossano Rubicondi are doing great, even though they haven't been spotted together in months. She says it's because he's an aspiring singer and he's recording an album in Florida. Of course he is! [Rush & Molloy]

At Least He Can Invest in a Decent Suit | Chuck Schumer took home $467,000 last year, according to documents released today. It's a career high, notwithstanding the recession underway. And it's thanks to you, New York! The rise was attributed to Schumer's wife's new job as vice chancellor of city-funded CUNY. [NYP]

And You Thought Chuck Listened to the Oldies | We'd sure like to take a peek at Chuck Schumer's iPod. Speaking to reporters this week, the nebbishy senator took to quoting Amy Winehouse while describing the Senate standoff between Democrats and Republicans: "It's sort of like that song. Democrats say, 'Let's legislate,' and [Republicans] just say, 'No, no no.' They need rehab, I guess." Guess Amy knows who she can call the next time she has visa trouble. [Politico]