Good news for those of us who enjoy consuming the products of barbarous torment:

On the verge of introducing legislation tomorrow that would ban foie gras from city restaurants and food markets, a city council member decided to pull in the reins and investigate the matter further. "I'm generally sympathetic to humane issues," the city council member who was proposing the ban, Alan Gerson, said, "but there are a lot of people on both sides of the issue." Mr. Gerson said that a phone call he received from a constituent aided in his decision not to introduce the legislation.

Councilman Gerson represents SoHo, NoHo, TriBeCa and the Washington Square area: Who do you reckon the constituent was? We're guessing Drew Nieporent or David Bouley, but we're open to suggestions.

Council Member Puts Foie Gras Ban Aside For Now [NYS]

Earlier: Wacky Animal Fans Want To Take Away Your Right To Consume The Product Of Torture

1:50 PM on Tue Nov 28 2006
By balk
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8 comments

Comments

Swordfish at 02:00 PM on 11/28/06
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Hizzoner, natch.
hermanmelville at 03:08 PM on 11/28/06
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I tell you it will be more tolerable for the Fejee that salted down a lean missionary in his cellar against a coming famine; it will be more tolerable for that provident Fejee, I say, in the day of judgment, than for thee, civilized and enlightened gourmand, who nailest geese to the ground and feastest on their bloated livers in thy paté-de-foie-gras.
The One at 03:28 PM on 11/28/06
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This douchebag is my councilman and I think you may have found the very first and only photo of him where he's not looking pensive as he poses in front of the WTC site.
schvitzatura at 03:35 PM on 11/28/06
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Stick a freshly cut whole lobe goose liver Périgord
and a jar of cornichons in Gerson's bed à la Jack Woltz's Khartoum...
jmchez at 04:24 PM on 11/28/06
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Geez! Let's see. besides a ton of restaurants, The Food Network has its studios in that district and The French Culinary Institute also has its school there.

The Culinary Mafia is not an organization to be riled up without consequences. Obviously, Mr Councilman decided that ignoring PETA paled in comparison to having his meals spit and pissed on every time he ate out.
yourfriendandneighbor at 05:01 PM on 11/28/06
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What's inhumane about overfeeding? I do it voluntarily all the time.
Claudia at 12:09 PM on 11/29/06
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The constituent in question is BobdG who blogs on the Ruhlman.com blog, who besieged Gerson's office after I blogged the story with links to Gerson 's office and the rest of the City Council. The NON-constituent who chewed his office's ear off by phone and e-mail was ME, however. And then I cranked up my councilman, my parents', my sisters' and my brother's (with their permission). I also e-mailed all my other fellow NY foodies and eGullet.org. So that was my jihad de jour.
Claudia at 10:59 AM on 11/30/06
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Yesterday, I incorrectly identified BobdG (Bob Del Grasso), a fellow blogger at ruhlman.com, as the constituent who called Gerson's office to oppose the ban. While Bob DID call Gerson, he is not a constituent - the actual constiuent was another fellow Ruhlman blogger, Robert Buxbaum. Although I was the one that instigated the e-mail and phone "jihad" by alerting my fellow bloggers and NY foodies (at ruhlman.com, as well as e-gullet) and mercilessly called and e-mailed Gerson and all the councilmen representing me and my family across several districts, I am giving the credit to Robert, since I technically am not in Gerson's district.