Obama Ethics Reform
New York Same Old Same Old
Despite 50,000 Financial Services workers losing their jobs with Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, most of the candidates running for office this year are using money deriving from employees of at least one of these two firms to fund their campaigns. Mayoral candidates Weiner received $2175 and Thompson received $10,000; Comptroller candidates Yassky $2000, Katz $100 and Weprin $175; Public Advocate candidates Liu $1700 and de Blasio $175. Employees of Citigroup have also given campaign money to all those candidates – over $10,000 to comptroller candidate Weprin alone. Quinn who was running for mayor before the council's member item slush fund was exposed collected over $6500 from those two Wall Street Firms. Her Mayoral campaign fund recieved over $5,500 from Citigroup workers. Dozens of other employees of banks and Wall Street firms have also contributed to these candidates.
As Attorney General, Spitzer warned everyone about abuses and won billions in settlements with most of Wall Street's financial and banking community, including Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and Citigroup.
Today’s Impertinent Question: Did any of these candidates warn their constituents or the media about the Wall Street abuses that eventually destroyed our local and national economies, causing the very people who would vote for them to lose their jobs and homes?
Obama Keeps His Ethics Promise on Day 1 “We need to close the revolving door that lets lobbyists come into government freely, and lets them use their time in public service as a way to promote their own interests over the interests of the American people when they leave.” – President Obama
The executive order that the new president signed on his first day at work represents a clean break from business as usual. Obama is making sure that lobbyists will now be subject to stricter limits than they have been previously under any other administration in history.
“If you are a lobbyist entering my administration, you will not be able to work on matters you lobbied on, or in the agencies you lobbied during the previous two years. When you leave government, you will not be able to lobby my administration for as long as I am President. And there will be a ban on gifts by lobbyists to anyone serving in the administration, as well. If you are enlisting in government service, you will have to commit in writing to rules limiting your role for two years in matters involving people you used to work with, and barring you from any attempt to influence your former government colleagues for two years after you leave.” - President Obama
The way to make government responsible is to hold it accountable. And the way to hold government accountable is to make it transparent so that the American people can see and know exactly what decisions are being made, how they're being made, and whether their interests are being well served. Yesterday the papers were full of evidence of how political self-interest in New York is very important, even to those running on platforms consisting of fixing the City's economy. As thousands of poor New Yorkers have lost their homes to the subprime mortgage crisis, two of Bloomberg's challengers have accepted money from the embattled, real estate scamming Toussie family. THOMPSON GIVES BACK TOUSSIE $$ *** Weiner got Toussie cash in mayor bid. Before Bush gave and rescinded a presidential pardon, Isaac Toussie pleaded guilty in 2001 to lying to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to get mortgages for unqualified home buyers. True News is putting together a Think Tank that will examine and report on those who have contributed to the candidates and what they are intending to buy with their contributions.
Caroline Kennedy? Post CAROLINE'S KAPUT: QUITS SENATE BID AFTER GOV SOURS ON HER TO REPLACE HILL *** Times Kennedy Withdraws Senate Bid: Ms. Kennedy did not elaborate, but a person who spoke to her suggested that she is concerned about the health of her uncle *** Times Union 11PM last night AP: Kennedy still in, or: Will somebody please go on the record here? ***Daily News Caroline Kennedy officially withdraws from race for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Senate seat *** The Impact of Caroline Kennedy's Decision *** TV cameras staked out Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand's house upstate, believing her to be a top contender for Clinton's seat. (She's still in Washington) *** Other losers in Kennedy's failed bid: Knickerbocker SKD, which ran her non-campaign; Mayor Bloomberg, who supported her early on; and Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey, who worked behind the scenes to help her *** Candidates Accept Funds from laid off Wall Street Workers *** Because of the Sabbath, Paterson’s decision will likely be Friday *** Stephanopoulos: How Kennedy Ended Bid... *** Housekeeper and Taxes Are Said to Derail Kennedy’s Bid *** Kennedy withdrawal's winners and losers
City Hall Are crime stats just a bunch of crap? *** NYC Crime: Up or Down? *** Columbia victim sues to block eminent domain *** Columbia expansion foes fight state's push to take land *** Mike girds for state aid fight *** City steps up efforts to lure tourists *** NYSEE GOES GOOGLE TO AID CITY TOURISTS *** Fordham U. expansion plan hits a bump *** Nadler/Schlesinger: An overhaul of NY's port rules would bring jobs *** Last-ditch bids to save 14 Catholic schools *** Tourist dream comes true in hi-tech center *** City Unemployment Rate Jumps to 7.2 Percent.
Wall Street Mess Brooklyn Bridge Condo Plan Is $inking *** Atlantic Yards Looks To $lash Transit Upgrade *** Hudson Yards could be in jeopardy *** National Wholesale Liquidators closing *** Sony Expects $3 Billion Loss *** Geithner pledges 'dramatic' action; 'Comprehensive plan' to lift banks... *** BANK OF AMERICA Soars After Directors Disclose Share Purchases... *** EX-TIMEWARNER HEAD TO BECOME CHAIRMAN AT CITI... *** Madoff Investors Can Expect to Get Back Next to Nothing *** What If Your Bank Collapses? *** Madoff Scandal Turns Up Heat on Financial Advisers *** Queens housing market hit hard, sales off 45% *** Carnegie Hall shrinks schedule, slashes budget *** Long cold winter for Stella strikers *** Commercial traffic and revenue is down on the Thruway *** Woman Lost Millions With Madoff, Now Cleans Houses... *** Port Authority Tries to Lure Shippers With Discounts *** Bloomberg: State’s budget unfair to NYC **** While Merrill Was Sinking, CEO Kept Personal Luxuries *** Pols Sending TARP Funds to Home State Banks.
Media Mess STOP THE PRESSES! BAM IS HOT NEWS *** FOTOG BAN LENDS POOR 'IMAGE' *** Slim Pickings: The New York Times’ new financing is desperate but not necessarily bad *** Journalism and corporate thuggery went toe-to-toe at Newsday this week, and journalism came out on top *** With new committee assignments, Republicans in the State Senate see their pay drop *** NOW EVEN MICROSOFT CUTTING JOBS.
