TrueNews: New York's History of Great Senators

Friday, January 23, 2009

New York's History of Great Senators

X
X

Wagner: Building Unions * Javits: War Powers Act * Kennedy: Economic Justice * Moynihan: NY's Fair Share of Fed Tax Dollars

Gov Says Caroline Turned 'Nasty' *** A STAR IS BORN... *** Little-known congresswoman picked for Clinton seat... *** Chuck and Kirsten *** Gillibrand Is a Centrist With a Tenacious Style *** NY’s newest U.S. senator defends her record - Crain's New York ... - NY1 Video *** Source: Gov. Paterson was underwhelmed with Caroline Kennedy from the start *** Open Season on Caroline?

DEM RED 'AL'ERT ON SEN. KIRSTEN: LIBS AGHAST AS D'AMATO CHEERS PATERSON PICK *** D’Amato Takes (Near) Center Stage at Gillibrand Announcement *** Senators, past and present: Alfonse and Chuck *** Pro-gun US Senate pick makes some NY pols unhappy *** Gun Enthusiasts Applaud Paterson's Selection Of Gillibrand For ... *** McCarthy knocks Gillibrand as choice for Senate - Video *** Digg - Big Mouth Gun Hater McCarthy vs. Gillibrand *** NY-Sen: McCarthy Vows to Challenge Gillibrand *** Mayor Mike: Scolds Kirsten, but finances pro-gunners *** News Editorial: Dave's giant mistake *** Critics pounce on Gov. Paterson's choice *** Ambitious Gillibrand Disliked by Peers - nickname “Tracy Flick”—a reference to Reese Witherspoon's competitive, bubbly character in Election - Gillibrand: Tracy Flick?? *** Nannies, Taxes, Kennedy & Geithner *** Ms. Kennedy Regrets - Larissa MacFarquhar, The New Yorker *** "I do not believe Upstate New York taxpayers should pay for the excesses of Wall Street." Gillibrand *** Gillibrand says no to the bailout - New York Politics Capitol ... *** In Selection Mess, Paterson Dug Hole Deeper *** Adventures in New York Politics - Times Editorial *** DICKER: Dave Dooms Self To Lose Vs. Andy *** The Gillibrand Pick: Winners and Losers *** Is Gillibrand Too Conservative?

Background: ZENIA Mucha, the Disney exec who was once the most powerful woman in New York state, is said to have hard feelings over her breakup with her longtime boyfriend, Albany lawyer/lobbyist Douglas Rutnik - especially now that he seems to be engaged to marry another woman. Mucha, who was a top aide to Sen. Al D'Amato and then Gov. George Pataki's chief spokeswoman, had been with Rutnik at least 12 years. During that time he made a fortune lobbying the Pataki administration by exploiting his connection to her, even though he's a prominent Albany Democrat. *** Lockheed hired Douglas Rutnk, an individual with no previous lobbying experience, as a state lobbyist at a cost of $10,000 per month at the same time the Lockheed was pursuing a contract to privatize the MTA's management information system. Rutnik was, however, the companion of Zwenia Mucha, one of Governor Patak's closes advisers.

Albany $3M BRUNO 'FRAUD' *** Ex-Senate Leader Bruno Is Indicted for Corruption Video *** Former Albany powerbroker Bruno indicted on corruption ***Albany's a three-ring circus: FED INDICTMENT IN PHONY-FEE SCAM - taking bogus consulting fees and other scams - including selling a "worthless" racehorse for $80,000 to a fat-cat friend *** About two hours after his indictment on honest-services charges was unsealed in federal court today, former State Senate majority leader Joe Bruno held a press conference to proclaim his innocence and announce that he would fight back against a prosecution he called politically motivated *** Bruno Blames Everyone Else In The World For 8 Count Indictment *** Uncle Joe's pork *** Mighty Joe Bruno's fall from grace *** Bruno indictment: A little odd (Updated)

The feds say Assemblyman Seminerio set up a bogus consulting firm called Marc Consultants to collect cash from businesses - The feds were alerted to Seminerio's scheme by disgraced labor leader and Queens pol Brian McLaughlin, who has already pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges involving $2.2 million in cash, luxury cars and other perks, the Daily News reported in September *** Two-Ton Tony keeping busy - writing dozens of bills in Albany ***

Background: DOJ's Full Press Release On Bruno Indictment "Special Agent in Charge Pikus stated: "This complicated investigation has been conducted in a professional and thorough fashion, notwithstanding the significant difficulties in overcoming the lack of transparency in New York State government. The FBI will continue to root out public corruption within New York State government to ensure the integrity of the legislative process."

About Bruno Indctment Lino T in new york said...
"I and and many New Yorkers remember this crud's attempt at abolishing rent stabilization in 1997.I saw three old people in my building and one in a local restaurant in tears over the prospect of losing their homes, just so this ideological degenerate could pay of the republican's debt to the landlord lobby....I hope he spends the rest of his life miserable in some dank prison cell far from his "historic" barn and horses.If I believed in Hell I'd be wishing him there. "

Opinions Everything New Yorkers need to know about the fundamentally corrupt nature of Albany was on display yesterday as Gov. Paterson finally bestirred himself and named a replacement for ex-Sen. Hillary Clinton- post ed *** A Very Old Story Albany corruption - Times Editorial *** King of sleaze Bruno -News ED *** McMahon: Dems have a taxing plan ***

Obama Plan to End Pork, Lobbying and Pay to Play "Instead of politicians doling out money behind a veil of secrecy, decisions about where we invest will be made public, and informed by independent experts whenever possible. We’ll launch an unprecedented effort to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending in our government, and every American will be able to see how and where we spend taxpayer dollars by going to a new website called recovery.gov." - President Obama

Washington Obama To Reverse Abortion Policy *** Senate OKs Several Obama Nominees *** Senate OKs several Obama nominees, waits on others *** Obama Calls For Quick Passage Of Stimulus Bill *** Obama pitches his plan to reverse economic slide *** PRESIDENT TAKES ON RUSH LIMBAUGH IN NEW MEDIA WAR *** Obama Presses for Quick Jolt to the Economy *** Firms That Got Bailout Money Keep Lobbying *** Obama bashes financial giants for blowing bailout *** Google Will Have the President's Ear *** America's Next Step - Mikhail Gorbachev, International Herald Tribune *** Barney Frank's Hypocrisy - Boston Herald *** Tensions Between America and China Are Rising - The Economist *** Hey Obama, What About North Korea? - Donald Kirk, Asia Times *** Latin America's Tempered Obama-Mania - Frida Ghitis, WPR *** Blagojevich: I'm the victim of plot to raise taxes *** Mayor Daley Calls Blago 'Cuckoo'... *** Blago: Corruption charges are like 'Pearl Harbor' *** Blago's Top Lawyer to Quit *** NYT: Rahn Emanuel 'second most powerful man in country'... *** Fort Leavenworth is on list of possible new homes for Guantanamo captives *** Politicians Asked Feds to Prop Up Ailing Bank *** Emissions Fight Squeezes Obama *** Calif. Jobless Rate Jumps to 9.3%

City Hall FEDS IN PROBE OF LATEST DEUTSCHE BLDG. ACCIDENT *** JFK to get bird detection radar *** Home sales down 45% in Queens *** Giuliani Calls Police Cuts a 'Terrible Mistake,' But Not in Reference to Bloomberg *** More Details Emerge About Plans For Coney Island Amusement District *** 'Obama' heroin seized *** Bronx Zoo to take down Skyfari *** Mike begs Albany for $1.6B but says he may hike taxes *** GOP: Take a Hike, Mike *** 'E-ZER PASS' EYED FOR CASHLESS TOLLS *** LIBERTY CROWN MAY OPEN

Media Mess Madoff Sons Are Scrutinized *** GE Hits Lowered Profit Target *** Bidding Starts on Lehman Japan As... *** SURVIVE: CITI Raises $12 Billion in Largest Offering of FDIC-Guaranteed Debt... *** Credit Crisis Is Leaving Charities Low on Cash *** The Rich Still Want to Own Newspapers - Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, FT *** When No News Is Bad News: A former managing editor of The Chicago Tribune probes the collapse of the newspaper industry and tries, mostly in vain, to find hope for the future of journalism *** Slate's summary of what's in the major U.S. newspapers.A summary of what's in the major U.S. newspapers. Slate's Summaries of what's in Time, Newsweek, etc.

Health Care Mess Change in Medicaid Rules May Pose Stark Choice for the Chronically Ill *** Women’s Health, Ungagged *** Why can't Obama 'just say no' to smoking?

Why Donate to True News Keep Real News Alive. Put simply, True News -- and the truth – cannot do more and could even end without financial help from the people who want to hold the government accountable for their actions. As you know True News, without any support, has fought to keep the real NYC’s investigative and analysis reporting era of great journalism alive. True News is a living memorial to publisher John Peter Zenger who was jailed in 1733 by the King for reporting to New Yorkers what was going on in their city. It is also in the tradition of the Ben Bradlee generation that believes that all reporters would not be doing their job if they did not follow the story until they got to the truth. Today’s reporters copy press releases from elected officials and lobbyists hired by the special interests who want to control the message. The lost circulation of newspapers has created a generation of young reporters who not only rely on elected officials and lobbyists for stories, but don’t even Google to find the historical context or, more importantly, the truth behind the stories they write. In this era of sell-out journalism, the public has become disconnected, powerless and trapped by a permanent government that has turned against them. The media blames an apathetic public for not voting even after democratic consultants act like an Orwellian 'Big Bother' threatening them to vote or be looked into. True News reports that the reason for the decreasing turn-out is the public no longer feel their votes matter. If you value hard hitting Investigative Journalism, don't let True News go the way of the Passenger Pigeon. The Newfield, Barrett, Kempton, Hammel of yesteryear are no more. Local TV news limits itself to good looking women and men reading about breaking fires and crimes, with few exceptions. What's left that isn't tabloid is a wasteland of superficial news, driven by political and corporate PR machines, sowing the fertile seeds of corruption public and private hand in glove. Despite the soft news we see, standard bearers play a significant albeit vestigial role. Newspapers constantly pick up stories from True News (without crediting us of course) avoiding the costs to investigate themselves. Without True News, the New York Press and this blog's over one and half million readers will be utterly lost in the wilderness. Only True News is explaining: How Blacks, the Poor and the Middle Class are Being Pushed out of Brooklyn Because of Albany's Tax Breaks for Luxury Developers and Apartments Gives Details How Lobbyists and Developers Run A Secret Shadow Government that Also Controls Elections With Big Money and Their Control Over the Media Investigates How Political Party Bosses Have Been Replaced By Lobbyists' Privatization of the Tammany Hall Machine Reports How the WFP and the Elected Officials Who Are Supported By Them Have Abused and Aggressively Broken Campaign Finance Laws. True news is not funded by special interests like the other news blogs. True News has been self-funded all these years. True News does not make nice with sitting politicians, developers, lobbyists to fund it or to provide its young clueless reporters with story ideas. True News wants nothing more than to scratch out a modest living in its aim to investigate, connect the dots, and get to the truth of every newsworthy story. To carry on in this mission, True News needs funding from people like you -- People Who Want Better Journalism in order to learn what is really going on in their government and fight the corrupt politicians. It's been written about True News Those of you who have an involvement in the dangerous game of politics, it may be of interest to know who’s telling the truth these days, and, whether the articles we read are real or imagined disinformation, emanating directly out of a governmental PR department. No genuine journalist would ever rely on such a source for the truth. As publisher of the SoHo Journal, through personal experience, take it from me that it is possible to become a political target for simply writing about the truth. And the mainstream media and writers eat their own for sales— as well as take orders from their masters— corporate, financial and political masters. Always pay attention to the agenda. Read between the lines. That is the basis of real reporting and political comprehension. Not the rehashing of a press release. OWS had a handle on this reality as well. Pay attention to the current daily blog written by Gary Tilzer. His True News is one of the few remaining sources for political investigative reporting. His fearless reporting of the truth in political circles is worth noting. Contributors names are confidential

Other Views

On October 15, 1958, veteran broadcaster Edward R. Murrow delivered his famous "wires and lights in a box" speech (VIDEO) The Last Lion of Tammany HOW JIMMY McMANUS, MANHATTAN’S LAST GREAT TAMMANY DISTRICT LEADER, HELPED TO REVIVE HELL’S KITCHEN AND THE THEATER DISTRICT c By James S. Kaplan f On January 13, 2011, the law firm of Proskauer Rose moved into 11 Times Square, which is located on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. In moving west to the final building of the City’s Times Square redevelopment, the Proskauer firm joined such other major law firms as Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Covington & Burling, Roberts & Holland, and the advertising firm of Ogilvy & Mather. That such major professional firms, along with a number of newly constructed luxury apartment buildings on 42nd Street from ninth to eleventh avenue and trendy restaurants and off Broadway theaters would be located west of 8th Avenue in midtown would have been almost inconceivable fifty years ago. Tammany Last Stand Continued

Send News Tips to True News

True New NYC@aol.com

"I don't care a straw for your newspaper articles, my constituents don't know how to read, but they can't help seeing them damned pictures." Boss Tweed

"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." Thomas Jefferson

The Internet is a large-scale version of the "Committees of Correspondence" that led to the first American Revolution

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. ” -Thomas Jefferson

“Nearly all the newspaper accounts published at the time were manufactured by journalists at a distance, and were not only inaccurate in their facts but intentionally misleading.”
- George Orwell (Homage to Catalonia)

Gene Kelley in “Inherit the Wind” described the job of a newsman: “Comfort the afflicted; and afflict the comfortable.”

In the beginning of the last century, Lincoln Steffens and Jacob Riis were the muck rakers. Steffens tried to rouse the public to take action against the misdeeds of government and corporate leaders. Jacob Riis, a Danish immigrant, was the pioneer of photo journalism. He took his camera into the miserable tenement slums of the city. Depicting the plight of the poor, he wrote a book called “How the Other Half Lives.”

"Through the years of the 20th century even the most mercenary of newspaper owners were, above all, conscious of their duty to inform the public and they backed their reporters to the hilt. It was not just a matter of right or wrong---but common sense. The ethics of good journalism in this era, alas, seems to have been forgotten." Gabe Pressman

"A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues." Theodore Roosevelt

As a 19th-century Manhattan politician once observed, “no man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.”

"Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock." — Ben Hecht

Kempton once said, "There's no excuse for kicking somebody unless he's up." Murray Kempton used to kick people who were up all the time, and though he was half their weight and underpaid it was beautiful to watch. Quite beautiful.

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations. - George Orwell

There is no final reliance but upon us; Democracy rests finally upon us. - Walt Whitman