Sunday, March 22, 2009

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Queens Eclipses Brooklyn as City's Political Crime Capital

INVITATION TO A SCAM Cuomo says that Morris, after helping Alan Hevesi win the comptroller's job in 2002, began "to exercise control over certain aspects of the [pension fund], including the alternative-investment portfolio, valued then at $9.8 billion." With Hevesi the sole trustee of the state's then-$140 billion fund, this task was easy to accomplish *** Dislike and disgust: Even by Albany standards, pension fund scandal is a turkey *** Hevesi aide faces rap in pension flap *** Latest Albany corruption scandal involves $120 billion state pension fund *** McLaughlin Guilty Of Racketeering; www.thechief-leader.com The ... *** Queens Crap: McLaughlin pleads guilty *** FLIPPING BRIAN McLAUGHLIN - former NYC Electricians Union chief ... New York Assemblyman Seminerio Indicted by Federal Grand Jury For ... *** Assemblyman Charged in Fraud Scheme - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com *** Queens State Senator-Elect Hiram Monserrate Arrested for Assault *** Unless Convicted, Monserrate Can Serve Politicker NY New York ... *** Arrested for rape, Dennis Gallagher leaves City council ... *** Investigators Raid Agency Linked to City Councilman *** Private Equity Playahs Ensnared by New York Pay-to-Play Scandal - Carlyle Group - The firm has employed political figures and notable investors. Some of these figures include former US President George H. W. Bush and former US Secretary of State James A. Baker III *** Putting Limits On Pay To Play *** New York Liquor Suppliers Settle "Pay-To-Play" Probe *** Letters to the Editor: The Tip of Quinn's Iceberg www.thechief ... *** The film that (alleged) graft made *** Sunday City probes councilman's 669G group - City investigators have seized documents from an upper Manhattan nonprofit with ties to City Councilman Miguel Martinez *** The state pension fund’s alleged (!) “alternative” ethics *** TARP Funds Get Recycled as Political Contributions


The City 3 nabbed in $300G landlord ripoff plot *** Admission hike at Brooklyn Museum *** Fire Response times will go up, sez Scoppetta *** Foe Would Loosen Mayor's Ed. Grip *** GROUD ZERODEVELOPERSEEKS BAILOUT *** INVESTIGATOR CLOUSEAU - DOI fights cuts *** 3 nabbed in $300G landlord ripoff plot *** Admission hike at Brooklyn Museum *** Downturn is 2nd body blow to businesses recovering from 9/11 *** Silver puts mayor’s Governors Isle idea on hold *** Trust tries to tap Obama stimulus cash for Pier 40 *** Vintage C cars are laid to rest *** No. 7 extension a money train *** South Street Seaport's Pier 15 Vision Revealed! *** Staten Island's Postmark In Jeopardy *** Bloomberg Thinks Infrastructure is Looking Up *** Sunday WEST SIDE 'STORIES' NEIGHBORS' HIGH-RISING ANGER AT FORDHAM U *** MORE TEACHERS ARE MISBEHAVING RECORD HIGH IN '08 *** Port Authority May Help Financing of Tower *** WTC developer Silverstein wants own bailout *** A Diverse Set of Voices Struggles to Be Heard on School Control *** Pickling the Final Pickle The emporiums of the Lower East Side, symbols of a rich tradition, ponder their future *** An Unguarded Fort, and Neighbors Who See a Risk Locals fear that the site of the decommissioned Fort Totten and its historic buildings will be vulnerable to vandalism, arson and other crimes *** Future detectives taught hi-tech & plain savvy *** To save public transit in New York, try a little honesty: We have reached crunch time in the stalled transit talks, with Albany pols deadlocked and dithering as the MTA prepares to vote this week on a "doomsday budget" that features deep cuts in service and a wallet-busting 23% transit fare hike - Lewis, DN *** Parking meter rates raised From the Times Newsweekly *** Can Weingarten Satisfy Both Teachers and Reformers?(The New Republic) *** Cartoonist’s Take on MTA Budget Gap(Matt Davies) *** The Politics of an MTA Budget Deal(Regional Plan Association) *** Why Won’t the City Recycle Plastic?(Inhabitat) *** Foreclosure hell hitting renters, too
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Road to City Hall November on Bloomberg's mind? *** Thompson Tries to Clear Avella *** Scopetta vs. Avella *** Sunday 'FAMILY'-MAN WANNABES $HELLING OUT - $10,000 from Liu and Bill de Blasio *** A ‘Back to the Future’ Moment in New York Politics - Given the number of familiar names who have returned to New York politics, the elections of 2009 and 2010 might look like reruns of those from the 1990s *** Lisberg: Bloomberg staying out of the way on MTA fare fiasco
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"More than eight million riders on New York City subways are facing drastically higher fares and longer waits thanks largely to Malcolm Smith, the Senate majority leader, and his fellow Democrats. . . . the senators have come up a plan so half-baked that it wasn’t worth their press conference." - NYT Ed
illegality *** Labor’s Smith to the Obama Administration *** Sunday DUO 'DRIVEN' FROM OFFICE - Two top executives of the State Liquor Authority quit last week in the wake of a Post report that they commuted long distances in state cars against agency rules on the taxpayers' tab *** Sunday In Albany, Budget Talks Stay in Dark *** Dumbing down the tax *** Dave hits GOP for blocking MTA plan *** Bad Albany Idea of the Month

Inspector Clouseau "For more than 50 years, it has been against the law for charities to contribute to politicians. This news appears not to have reached Albany. More than 80 tax-exempt charities have been doling out money to helpful state politicians. . . . Some of the charities said they simply “goofed,” even though they appear to have received favors from politicians they supported. Charities should know better; the illegal money, meanwhile, should be returned." NYT Ed
Obama's Volunteers Redeployed President seeks to leverage 2008 campaign energy into a grass-roots force for legislative reform

President Obama Bloomberg Talks Infrastructure With President In D.C. *** New Deficit Forecast Casts Shadow on Obama Agenda *** Obama overture elicits yawn from Iran *** Iran Spurns Obama *** Mike & Ahnold's $$ Pitch *** Obama makes pitch for budget priorities *** Toxic asset plan expected to be unveiled soon *** Iran's supreme leader dismisses Obama overtures *** Obama urges states to use recovery money carefully *** Obama Eyes Toxic Takeover *** Obama overture elicits yawn from Iran *** Digging 'First' Garden *** Mentally disabled bowling star: 'I can beat the president!'... *** Top 10 gaffes by ObamaBiden... *** Bush and Obama Share One Thing: A Publisher *** Will Deficits Sink Obama’s Plan? *** TNPM Administration Seeks Increase in Oversight of Executive Pay *** This is Not What Americans Voted For - David Warren, Ottawa Citizen *** Dems Must Choose: For or Against Labor? - Christopher Hayes, The Nation *** Sunday O'S NEW SLAP AT WALL ST *** IRAN SLAPS O OLIVE BRANCH *** Obama defends Geithner, focuses on passing budget *** Administration wants to buy up banks' toxic assets *** Obama pursues agenda despite bonus brouhaha *** Biden pokes fun at his boss during Gridiron *** Has a ‘Katrina Moment’ Arrived?
Until Barack Obama addresses Americans’ anger with his full arsenal of policy smarts and political gifts, his presidency and our economy will be paralyzed - Rich, NYT *** Toxic R Us
The tableau of Michelle Obama hoisting a pitchfork on the South Lawn and warning that the commander in chief would be commandeered into yard work left me wondering if the wrong Obama is in the Oval - Dowd, NYT *** President Obama is new 'King of all Media' *** Obama will call for increased oversight of 'executive pay at all banks, Wall Street firms and possibly other companies'... *** Obama Hits Back At Cheney In "60 Minutes" Interview *** Obama Criticizes Guantanamo Release Decisions *** Is Obama's Environmental Agenda Losing Out? *** Obama's absence felt at Gridiron dinner


Congress Dodd Blames Treasury Department for Bonus Loophole *** Honest To Dodd, I'm A Victim *** Dodd's AIG problem *** Chris Dodd, AIG: Sen. Dodd's Credibility is Shot *** For Rangel, a Complicated Relationship With A.I.G. *** On Politics Farmington: Dodd, Facing Opposition, Pushes Back *** Top GOPers Hit Brakes On Bonus Tax *** Feinstein seeks block solar power from desert land *** Senate Republicans brake rush to tax AIG bonuses *** The AIG Backlash: Has Congress Flipped Out? *** DCCC Tops NRCC in February Fundraising - CQ Politics *** Dodd Says He's Pressing to Keep Seat - The Hill *** Sunday DODD'S A DUD VOTERS *** Crowley to Seek Top Spot at New Democrat Coalition *** Democratic Leaders Prep Members for Recess *** GOP Tying AIG to Reid *** Pelosi Blames Senate, White House for Bonus Loophole in Stimulus *** AIG fallout burnishes some, taints others *** Democrats still prize Bush as a bogeyman months after election *** Obama’s picks and GOP angst are creating a primary boom


National US Post Service looks for new ways to cut losses *** Will Seattle close the door on open government? *** Gaggle: Palin Says No Thanks to Stimulus *** Foundations Adjust as Detroit Falls *** N. Korea Confirms Holding Journalists *** `Hillary: The Movie,' now showing at Supreme Court *** On Eve of Retirement, Cardinal Breathes Life Into Debate on Priestly Celibacy *** California Unemployment Hits 10.5 Percent In February


Wall Street Mess Toxic Asset Plan Foresees Big Subsidies for Investors *** Madoff To Remain In Jail Until Sentencing *** Ruth Madoff, Paparazzi Bait *** The Problem With Flogging A.I.G. *** Stay way outta sight, jittery AIG execs told *** Who knew what about AIG, and when? *** High degree of anxiety at job hunt *** Judge Rules Merrill Bonuses Fair Game *** Record Hedge Funds Close In '08 *** High degree of anxiety at job hunt *** Bailed out Citi to spend $3M+ on office renovations *** REGULATORS SEIZE CONTROL OF 2 CREDIT UNIONS *** Stimulus for casinos? Reid seeks to clarify... *** Starbucks: Losing Steam In The Recession? *** US to Purchase Toxic Assets *** Bankers Decry Witch Hunts *** New York’s ports see decline in cargo traffic *** Labor union eyes AIG’s Wall Street building *** Bailouts help expose culture of greed *** AIG Didn't Disclose $53 Million in Bonuses: Official *** TNPM For A.I.G. Executives, Here Comes the Tour Bus *** After Bonusgate, what next? *** Tax Code Mustn't Be Used as Weapon - Miami Herald *** Are We a Banana Republic? - John Hinderaker, Power Line *** Sunday Protesters visit AIG officials' lavish Conn. homes *** Drive-By A.I.G. Protest on Fairfield’s Elite Streets *** Small Businesses Face Challenges Amid Recession *** East Side dry cleaner helping jobless *** From anger to madness: A class-warfare crazed government mob is running amok *** Trading clothes to save cash *** Orlando 'Tea Party' rally draws thousands... *** Detroit Tries Muscle: The Return of the Camaro *** Goldman Sachs, Welfare Queen
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Media Melt Down Tucson Citizen to publish at least 1 more week *** Express-News Lays Off 133 Employees *** Our Advice: If Colbert Calls, Don't Even Think About It - SF Chronicle *** Sunday NEWSPAPERS HIT - mandatory two-week furloughs? *** PERKS NOT IN VOGUE: RECESSION HAS CONDé NAST CUTTING THE FAT *** A Scrappy Local Paper Ponders Its New Parent Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has purchased The Brooklyn Paper *** CNN's Rough Ratings March: Trailing Even MSNBC, HLN In Prime Demo *** Chicago Tribune Twitter-izes Its Masthead