Surrogate-Elect Indicted
Where's the public outrage?
"New Yorkers who can tell you the precise number of electoral votes in Ohio and Indiana give only blank looks when asked how their own local judges are selected" --Tom Robbins, Village Voice
Where is the media coverage of a court which since the days of Tammany Hall, has functioned more like organized crime than a place of justice?
Whose is Judging the Judges?
Daily News Editorial: Dead on arrival: Indicted Surrogate-elect Nora Anderson cannot take the bench *** Manhattan Surrogate-Elect Nora Anderson was in Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday, arraigned on charges of accepting excessive campaign donations from her boss, Brooklyn trusts and estate lawyer Seth Rubenstein *** Ravi Batra is pleased he sounded the alarm on Anderson *** Former state Supreme Court Justice Tom Spargo was indicted by a federal grand jury *** Surrogate's Court And Why It Should Go *** More on Anderson and the history of corruption of the Surrogate Court *** Judge Lopez Torres v. NYS Board of Elections *** Federal Judge Gleeson on how judges are made by the bosses in New York *** 2005 NYC Comptroller Audit on Surrogate Court *** Brooklyn Surrogate Feinberg Removed ***Jack Newfield on New York's Court Corruption *** Jimmy Breslin on the Brooklyn Surrogate Court
Once legendary Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko proposed changing the motto for famously crooked city from city of gardens to:
"Ubi est mea, which translates to "Where's mine?"
Chicago's Pay to Play: Calls for Governor to Quit in Scandal on Senate Seat *** SHE'S ONE NASTY BLAGOJE-BITCH: 'SENATE SALE' GOV'S WIFE SPEWED CURSES IN CALL *** The Jackson 5 - Jesse Jackson Jr. admitted that he is "Candidate 5" - who Gov. Blagojevich claimed would raise more than $1 million for his campaign war chest in exchange for getting Obama's Senate seat.
Who is Looking at New York's Pay to Play?
More than one-fifth of campaign donations in 2005 came from special interests like city contractors and lobbyists - NYU Wagner Center Report
Shake-down Brothers: Blagojevich - Children's Memorial Hospital Seminerio - Jamaica Hospital
$1M favor-selling scam - Veteran Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio was indicted for fraud yesterday after plea negotiations in his corruption case apparently broke down. Federal authorities charged that Seminerio pocketed money in exchange for access to Albany lawmakers
Council Keeps Lawyering Up: The City Council is quickly running through taxpayer money paid to two top-of-the-line law firms to represent members snagged in a slush-fund probe - staff running through the money *** What Roll Did Chuck Meara Have In Creating The City Council Speaker's Slush? In April a blogger asked that question on the blog site OnNYTurf since then there has not been one follow up story in any of the media about the council's slush fund.
More shakedown brothers of Blagojevich
Ex-union big and Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin takes plea in theft of $2M Details of his crimes include stealing from Little Leaguers, strong-arming contractors and filing phony invoices. McLaughlin plundered $95,000 from a bank account for the Electchester Athletic Association by having members send out contribution letters bearing the slogan, "A Child in Sports Stays Out of the Courts." $400,000 in kickbacks and three cars from street lighting contractors who hired his union members. Taking cash to pay for his son's tuition, the mortgage on his home in an exclusive Long Island neighborhood and rent for an Albany flat.
Assemblywoman Diane Gordon of Brooklyn was found guilty of receiving bribes of “receiving rewards for official misconduct.” She wanted a developer to build her a new home in exchange for a government contract
Clarence Norman Jr, former leader of Brooklyn Democratic Party, sentenced to one to three years in prison for extorting money from judicial candidates in exchange for party support.
Senator Guy charged in 2002 with a 25-count indictment that alleged the Senator had accepted at least $137,000 —- and allegedly solicited $250,000 -— in return for steering public-works contracts to those who paid bribes from 1995 to 2000.
The Post reported in a series of stories in August of 2007 that Hank Morris, Comptroller Hevesi's political consultant was paid millions as much as $25 million - in fees from companies that won business with the state pension fund.
Councilmember Carmen Arroyo sponsored $82,500 in Council "discretionary funds" into a South Bronx Community Corporation a nonprofit that employed both her sister and nephew.
Councilmember Leroy co-sponsored $115,000 in member items for a museum in Jamaica that lists his wife, as an unpaid vice president.
Councilman Erik Dilan funneled more than $180,000 in taxpayer money into a small nonprofit run by his wife.
Big guy at Bovis Lend Lease L.L.P., walks as Settlement Discussed in Fatal Bank Fire - lobbyist for Bovis Arzt Communications.
List of Councilmembers Who Do Business like Blagojevich is in Formation
In the meantime NY politicians could learn from the Illinois scandal
Albany - Daily News Editorial: Smith must deliver on a promise to reform Albany*** Complaining about "self-serving politics," Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith abruptly walked away from a power-sharing deal he had brokered last week with the "Gang of Three" rogue Democrats, restarting the senate leadership battle *** Paterson Adds $3 Million to War Chest *** Adolfo Carrion under fire *** The ballot counting will continue in the 11th SD race ***
Economy Sinking
MIKE'S CALL FOR NEW 7% BUDGET CUT MAY SPARK LAYOFFS - Fire and school cuts ***Atlantic Yards will go up . . . when economy does *** Even Scores isn't immune to the economic crisis *** PBA President Patrick Lynch writes in a DN OpEd that eliminating Police Academy classes is "a dangerous game with deadly consequences." *** Bloomberg hasn't reimbursed the city for private use of taxpayer-funded cars in two years *** Senate Republicans with huge Japanese, German and South Korean car plants in their backyards threatened to scuttle the proposed $14 billion federal bailout ***Buy one car get one free ***
"I don't know what Caroline Kennedy's qualifications are. "Except that she has name recognition, but so does J.Lo. I wouldn't make J.Lo the senator unless she proved she had great qualifications, but we haven't seen them yet." -- Rep. Gary Ackerman
Health Care: Hospital Officials Worry As Paterson Signals Need For More Medicaid Cuts *** FRAUDS BLED $55M FROM MEDICAID - Sloppy audits ***
Media Meltdown: REPORT: ABC, CBS, NBC AND FOX HAVING BAD YEAR... *** NYT eyes asset sales *** NPR Layoffs Looming *** Strike Out: MLB's 125th Street Tower Project Canceled ***
