Lodged Like A Piece Of Dirt In The Eye Of The Beholder

Grandstanding politican or co-optative businessman? Co-optative businessman or grandstanding politician? They’re both crazy:

The graffiti grudge match between Queens Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. and hip-hop designer/entrepreneur Marc Ecko has a long history.

The two have been clashing over the pros and cons of graffiti art since last August, when Vallone tried — and failed — to squelch a Chelsea street party organized by Ecko that featured graffiti artists tagging mock subway cars.

This week, Ecko won a preliminary court skirmish involving an anti-graffiti law that Vallone championed.

A Manhattan federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against a provision barring people age 18 to 20 from possessing spray paint or broad-tipped markers. The ruling is being appealed.

Ecko instigated and is financing the suit, which names the city, Mayor Bloomberg and Vallone as defendants.

. . .

Vallone said that Ecko — who went from spray-painting T-shirts to becoming a megamerchandiser of video games and hip-hop fashion — is posing as a freedom-of-speech champion to promote his merchandise.

“He’s not defending free speech; he’s trying to sell his games and clothing,” Vallone huffed. “It’s a big scam.”

[Ecko’s lawyer Daniel] Perez countered, “If anybody knows a thing or two about getting headlines, it’s Peter Vallone. He’s the son of a political titan . . . and he’s got bigger things in mind than being in the Council.”