Friday, March 20, 2009

'GRAFT' JUST LIKE BAD OL' DAYS OF TAMMANY


'GRAFT' JUST LIKE BAD OL' DAYS OF TAMMANY

Unregulated derivatives blew up Wall Street

Unregulated campaign consultants have destroyed New York City

Good Government: Citizens Union reported lobbying firms were created to do work in Miller’s Council “More political consultants in New York have taken on the second role of lobbyists over the last five years, prompting good-government advocates to press the city's ethics board to revive attempts to regulate the practice. An analysis by Citizens Union, a nonprofit policy group, shows that half of the top 10 consultant-lobbyists last year earned no money from lobbying in 2001, but gradually adopted the practice, sometimes lobbying the same public officials they helped elect. Altogether, those 10 firms earned $32 million from lobbying and consulting from 2002 to 2005, according to the analysis, which the group intends to present today to the Conflicts of Interest Board.” -NY Times, Feb. 3, 06

Pay to Play Aides to Hevesi Indicted in Kickback Scheme *** Two Charged In Alleged State Pension Fund Scandal *** Defunct finance titan helped set MTA on crash course *** AIG CEO Gives Cuomo Names Of Bonus Recipients *** Bloomberg to Cuomo: Leave Bonus Recipients ALONE! *** the albany project:: 123 Counts: Hank Morris Is Going To Prison *** Yonkers Tribune : A.G. Cuomo Announces Sweeping Indictments in Pay ... *** AG: Pay to play scam -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY *** Albany corruption scandal over $120B pension fund*** Former comptroller's aides accused of kickbacks *** DEM DUO IN $30M PENSION 'SCAM': 123 'PAY TO PLAY' RAPS *** Hevesi Aides Indicted in Kickback Scheme *** Latest Albany corruption scandal involves $120 billion state pension fund *** N.Y. Dems got fat 'bonus' from insurer, too CFB and Morris Hevesi’s Stumble At CFB Could Prove Costly BY JOHN TOSCANO www ... *** New York News - Hankering for a Loophole - *** Political Animal Behavior 101 A call for the House ethics committee to investigate the large donations to defense appropriators made by the PMA Group should be supported, not discouraged - NYT Ed *** Ex-Liberal Party Chair Ray Harding and former Council President Andrew Stein received fees from companies named in the indictment *** TNPM After the Morris Indictment, Paterson Considers Pension Fund Oversight *** Thompson also a lobbyist magnet rom the NY Post: City Comptroller William Thompson, a Democratic mayoral hopeful, has received more than $83,000 in donations to his war chest from lobbyists with city business during the time he has been considered a likely contender for City Hall, a review of records shows *** Weiner's pay-to-play?
From the Daily News:Rep. Anthony Weiner is directing $238,000 of this year's federal budget to a Brooklyn nonprofit whose backers have showered him with campaign contributions, records show.


DEMS FARE GAME FOR PATERSON Democratic state Senate leaders have no feasible plan to deal with the MTA's gaping $1.2 billion shortfall, and "don't want to make the tough decisions" to fix the problem...


Albany Scorn Trails A.I.G. Executives, Even in Their Driveways *** Defunct finance titan helped set MTA on crash course *** Paterson blasts state Senate over 'hijacking' MTA bailout *** MTA rescue plan sidetracked as Smith says budget takes priority *** Answer this letter: High-powered New Yorkers demand state Senate leaders save the MTA *** AIG GAVE $100K TO NEW YORK DEMOCRATS *** AIG donated big to NY Dems *** AIG donated $100K to NY Dems before bailout *** Eliot Spitzer To Make Appearance On Fareed Zakaria GPS Sunday *** I miss Elliot Spitzer *** Spitzer talks AIG, hooker scandal's impact on family in interview *** BAIR BREAKS RANKS: FDIC CHIEF CHALLENGES GEITHNER, TREASURY PLAN *** Weak Economy Has Landlords Dropping Rent Prices *** The Power Authority is planning a rate hike and bonuses to their employees *** Despite a hard hiring freeze, the state payroll is up 8,000.


The City City’s Public Hospital System to Cut Jobs and Programs *** City's Public Health System To Cut 400 Jobs *** Lenox Hill bows to pressure on surgery center *** Plans gel for interim Coney Island amusements *** Developer cuts tower from 76 stories to 38 ***
JAVITS REJIGGERED
: $1B CUT FROM EXPANSION PLAN *** TASTE FOR 'TAVERN': MANY EYE LANDMARK *** $12B BITE OF THE APPLE: Congress' planned 90 percent tax on bonuses paid by bailed-out companies will snatch $12 billion at the very least from employees of firms that are based in New York City *** B'KLYN'S NEW GUN FOR HIRE: POL TAPS PISTOL PACKER TO PROTECT STAFF *** Weak Economy Has Landlords Dropping Rent Prices *** Feds: NY head of MS-13 gang among two charged with murder *** LIRR ridership down by a million people *** Tribute for first NYer to die in Iraq war *** N.Y. Dems got fat 'bonus' from insurer, too


Road to City Hall Charter schools mobilize parents for pro-Bloomberg offensive *** TNPM Thompson Attacks Bloomberg as A.I.G. Defender



The President Barack Does Burbank: Tells Leno he was stunned by bonuses... *** VIDEO: Obama defends Geithner *** Obama Makes History On 'Tonight Show' *** Treasury Boss: I Pushed For Aig Loophole *** Latest Albany corruption scandal involves $120 billion state pension fund *** Barack's sorry for 'insensitive' Special Olympics dig *** Bam Envoy Sat On AIG's Board *** Seeks to Lower Expectations... *** Jokes About Being a Bad Bowler: 'It's Like the Special Olympics'... *** WATCH: Obama On Tonight Show With Jay Leno *** BARACK'S FUNNY BUSINESS JESTS ON LENO AS GOPERS RIP ECON 'NEGLECT' *** PREZ REACHES OUT TO IRAN *** Obama reaches out to Iran with video message *** Obama returns to campaign-style tactics for budget *** HHS names health technology coordinator *** Obama asks patience, guarantees better days ahead *** Schwarzenegger, Rendell to W.H. *** Robocalling against Obama in Florida *** Can Obama win in Afghanistan? *** *** WATCH: Obama Records Direct Message To Iran, Offers Greeting In Farsi *** Does It Matter What Geithner Knew When? *** LIRR ridership down by a million people *** Obama Must Find His Inner Dirty Harry - Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg *** The Unbearable Lightness of Obama Administration - Peggy Noonan, WSJ *** Geithner on the Hot Seat - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post *** Geithner on the Hot Seat - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post *** For Obama, Clock on Iran Is Ticking — But How Fast? - Tony Karon, Time *** Barack Obama’s Election Campaign Runs On and On - The Economist *** Wise Up, Mr. Geithner - Los Angeles Times *** A Year After Race Speech, Silence - Politico *** Insurance Change for Veterans is Dropped - New York Times *** Republicans Regroup on Health Care - CQ Politics


Congress Connecticut Senator Draws Voters’ Ire for His Bonus Role *** House Passes Bill For 90% Tax On AIG Bonuses *** PAYBACK TIME: HOUSE EASILY OKS BONUS TAX *** Dodd's political stock tumbles in Connecticut *** House passes bill taxing AIG and other bonuses *** Democrats blame each other on AIG bonuses *** DN Editorial: Pelosi's pitchfork
The vote by Congress to tax Wall Street bonuses out of existence was economic populism run amok. This was legislating by rage, fear and panic *** Plan to Let Judges Alter Loans Stalls *** The Journal News is not impressed with Rep. Eliot Engel, saying he should have known better than to accept a tax break for his Maryland home *** Barney Frank Plays Madame Defarge in AIG Drama - Mona Charen, NRO *** Should Dems Worry About Obama Disconnect? - Stu Rothenberg, Roll Call *** Republicans Regroup on Health Care - CQ Politics


National Private inspections of food companies seen as weak *** U.S. Travel Spending Sinks Sharply *** Case Against Gun-Store Owner Dismissed *** Government Versus Confidence - Michael Gerson, Washington Post *** TNPM CNN Ratings Have Collapsed -- Currently 4th in Cable News...


Wall Street Mess Scorn Trails A.I.G. Executives, Even in Their Driveways *** SHOCK: A.I.G. Sues Government For Return Of $306 Million In Tax Payments *** CITI spending millions on headquarter renovation... *** Citigroup's Insane Office-Renovation Plans
*** BAIR BREAKS RANKS: FDIC CHIEF CHALLENGES GEITHNER, TREASURY PLAN ***
Lawyer Asks Appeal Panel to Grant Bail for Madoff *** Ruth Madoff takes a stroll - but cuts it short *** SUPER PUMP: $1 TRILLION CREATED OUT OF THIN AIR... *** GE's Ceo: We Will Be Profitable *** Wal-Mart Is Paying Bonuses *** AmEx Put On Creditwatch *** Jobless Rates Keep Climbing *** CRUELLA DE KRILL: ANNTAYLOR BOSS TAKES HITS AS FASHION FIRM FLOUNDERS *** Lawyer Asks Appeal Panel to Grant Bail for Madoff *** FEDEX plans more cost cuts as it posts 75% drop in profit... *** Hedge Funder Now Delivers Pizza *** Grand Central Ends Trump's 'Racket' *** CITI COULD BE SPLITSVILLE: NEEDS SHAREHOLDER OK TO SHRINK SHARES OUTSTANDING *** Perverse Cosmic Myopia As the global financial system is collapsing, leaders are unable to focus on the immediate crisis. Instead, they take refuge in projects that are years and decades away - Brooks, NYT *** G.E. Makes the Case for Its Finance Unit *** F.D.I.C. Chief Urges Changes in Financial Oversight *** BofA Turns Over Bonus List *** AIG's Top Asia Executive to Retire *** What About The Other $1B in Bonuses? - Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake *** TNPM For wonks and insomniacs: AIG bonus terms on line!


International Fragile Signs of Hope Emerging in the Gloom of Mugabe’s Rule *** Regulators Worldwide Scrutinize Bankers’ Pay *** Netanyahu Seeks More Time to Form Government *** U.S. Courts Former Afghan Warlords *** Turkey Nears Deal on Aid This Month *** EU Rebuffs Calls to Increase Stimulus *** Values for Sustainable World Economy - Merkel & Balkenende, Der Spiegel *** Israel's Fight Is Our Fight - Rupert Murdoch, Jerusalem Post


Media Mess City’s Public Hospital System to Cut Jobs and Programs *** Gannett CEO Pay Package Slashed 60% *** TMZ Turns Its Cameras On Politicians *** A PRETTY THIN PORTFOLIO: CONDE NAST PUBLISHES ITS SLIMMEST MONTHLY EVER *** Newsprint Firm Tries to Revamp Debt to Avoid Bankruptcy *** CNN Ratings Have Collapsed -- Currently 4th in Cable News... *** TNPM STRUGGLE: TIME offering 'customized' experimental magazine...