Pete Hamill Journalism
Nobody Asked Me, But . . . It is never the action it is always the cover up and the pols never get it Panetta to CIA: We told Pelosi the truth...White House Dodges Question About House Speaker... True News tote bags, baseball caps and posters go on sale next week CASH-STRAPPED TIMES MULLS MEMBER$HIP DRIVE Desperate to cover $3.1 billion in liabilities and plunging income, The New York Times might use a bailout trick that's worked wonders for other worthy causes -- pledge cash and get a tote . . . It would be good if the press did a daily report on the mayor's opponents' campaigns or even of the weaknesses of their platforms and abilities to carry out their promises. The entire media coverage is limited to their lack of money vs the billionare. The public is also watching on their TV news, Bloomberg campaign commericals made to look like a local news report saying the mayor's economic plan is going to bring jobs to the city. How about a story about how the mayor is doing an Orwellian job on the city's voters, promising new jobs while the city is losing 250,000 this year? Mayor Bloomberg’s Rich Campaign, NYT Ed . . . Arizona's oldest continuously published daily newspaper, the 138-year-old Tucson Citizen, will publish its final print edition Saturday after its owner failed to find a buyer Tucson Citizen to Cease Print Publication . . . Obama understands old Joe Kennedy and FDR. Roosevelt picked Joe to regulate the stock market after he looted Wall Street. He said at the time you need a son of a bitch to regulate sons of bitches. Today: PoliticsObama Picks Top Polluter Lawyer To Enforce Environmental Laws . . . This development is going to make the problems of an independent press much harder WA Governor Gregoire On Why She Gave Newspapers A Tax Break *** The NYT can't catch a break IRONY: NYT Reporter Who Covered Housing Crisis Faces Foreclosure . . . More on Spy vs Spy The Integrity of the Commission on Public Integrity . . . . Zuckerman still kissing Kennedy ass in today's DN Editorial: Harvest Kennedy's legacy . . . Getting away with the crime: now it is time to fix the public relations Carlyle Settles With New York in Pension Case . . . Revenge is a dish best served cold One-time NY Pension Overseer McCall in Cuomo Probe . . . Does this mean that he is not running for governor again? Or more seriously, does it mean the 47,000 that pay most of the taxes in the state are leaving? BILLIONAIRE GOLISANO FLEES NY OVER TAX*** Sunday *** Bloomberg is right about one thing he is creating jobs, at least his campaign is The One-Man Stimulus Package . . . When will the media connect the dots: The pay to play pensiongate system is left with a record $43 billion hole, which threatens to drain the municipal budget and put taxpayers on the hook for years CITY IS FACING PAYOUT DOOM . . . .
Pensiongate
Sunday Edition
Last week True News called the way in which the pension funds are handled Organized Crime Politics & Finance. Below is one more example of the organization that rips off New Yorkers pensions. A consulting firm hired by the New York City Employee Retirement System recommends itself -- despite the objections of the city comptroller. Pacific Corporate Group, manages a fund that holds $90 million of NYCERS money and was paid $1.97 million to be the NYCERS private-equity consultant in 2008 HIRED CONSULTANTS: INVEST IN . . . US (NYP)
According to the Cuomo indictment, the NYS pension fund's now-indicted chief investment officer David Loglisci suggested that PCG contact Chris Bowers form a joint venture with a friend of his into which the retirement fund agreed to invest $750 million in exchange for passing an alleged $1.26 million in fees back to Morris, Loglisci and Dallas hedge fund manager Barrett Wissman. Wissman has pled guilty to charges in connection with the scandal and Morris has been arrested and charged (he has said he is innocent).
1994 Chris Bowers founder of Pacific Corporate Group (PCG), advised CalPERS' to invest $100 million in the Dallas private equity firm Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst. Hick's firm now known as HM Capital, was also named in the New York indictment for paying fees to Morris in exchange for investments. Two years ago, Aldus Equity (under indictment by Cuomo) advised the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board to invest $20 million in an HM Capital Fund. The Website Perwatch investigated the “$100 million closed session limited partnership deal with Hicks Muse. Former LA pension board member Al Villalobos reportedly was paid $750,000 to act as a "placement agent." for Hicks Muse allowing them to profit "by as much as $40 million a year from fees even if the deal lost money” for CalPERS (LA pension system).
Alfred Villalobos is a former deputy mayor of Los Angeles and the chairman of Arvco Capital, a Nevada firm that brokers deals between investment firms and public pension funds. Mr. Ferrer, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City in 2005, works as a consultant for Arvco.
About seven months after Mr. Ferrer made the introduction, Arvco earned $100,000 in fees and a $10 million investment from Mr. DiNapoli’s office for one of its clients, Craton Equity Partners After Introduction From Ferrer, Firm Earned $100000 From State ... The private equity firm Apollo Management, which is run by renowned financier Leon Black, paid a placement-agent fee in 2007 to Nevada-based (and Ferrer business partner) Arvco Capital after the New York pension fund invested $350 million, even though the state has invested with Mr. Black's firm since 1996. Arvco's chairman Villalobos is a former official at the California Public Employees' Retirement System, one of Mr. Black's biggest investors. Apollo declined to comment and Arvco didn't return a call.
Road to City Hall BLOOMY GIVES 'EM HAIL BASHES 'UNCOLLECTIBLE' 50ó TAXI-RIDE FEE (Leadership) *** MILLION$ FOR MIKE'S EASY RUN *** CONTROL FOE OF '02 NOW BACKS MIKE Queens Assemblyman William Scarborough *** Bloomberg Spends $18.6M on Campaign, Feeding Staff *** Israel won’t primary Gillibrand in 2010 *** Bloomberg Spending Twice as Much as He Did in ’05 Campaign *** Bloomberg Spending Twice as Much as He Did in ’05 Campaign *** Campaign Filings Trickle In *** If Bloomberg Wants to Buy the Election, Let Him Really Pay for It(The Indypendent) *** Elliot Sander a Victim of Politics(Regional Plan Association) *** Sudden Challenger to Gerson Raises $70,000 in First Two Weeks *** Sunday *** Rangel Endorses Thompson For Mayor *** HOME' SHOPPER RUDY A STADIUM COLLECTOR *** Lisberg: Lucrative campaign loopholes The city built a dam two years ago to stop the flood of special-interest money pouring into campaigns - but it's already sprung a leak. A close reading of campaign finance reports shows that Stephen Green has given $4,950 four separate candidates so far *** Obama billions a real stimulant for Mayor Mike *** Ruiz: Mayor is one for all - except the homeless
The City B'KLYN ARENA VICTOR RATNER: WE'RE READY TO DIG *** Plus: Atlantic Yards project faces fresh hurdle *** Appeals Court Dismisses Suit Against Atlantic Yards ***
HERO COP'S BRAVE STEP walk out of hospital after four-month battle to save his life *** COPS MAKE CASH OF THE DAY GO FISHING IN QNS. FOR STOLEN ATMS *** FLU-PRINCIPAL WIFE RIPS 'SLOW' MOVES *** TIM TO TAKE A TIMEOUT Geithner's grandiose plan to rid banks of their toxic assets is being delayed yet again *** Queens foreclosures still highest in the city From NY1 *** Developers get around Dutch Kills rezoning From the Daily News *** The Story Behind Those Commerce Bank Pens *** Video: Calatrava's WTC Transport Hub *** Coney's Cyclone to Get Rival Rollercoaster? *** NYC Is Running Out Of Area Codes *** ALSO: Silverstein facing uphill struggle downtown *** Brooklyn logs biggest residential deal of ‘09 *** Local IT job losses seen bottoming out *** Minorities Hit Hardest by Foreclosures in New York *** Dredging of Pollutants Begins in Hudson *** Minorities Hit Hardest by Foreclosures in New York *** Reclaiming a River If the dredging of the Hudson to rid it of contaminants is successful, the cleanup will add another chapter to the long and improbably triumphant rebirth of a great river, NYT Ed *** Seabrook Vs the Mayor Rikers Island Inmate May Have H1N1 Flu vs NY Councilman's Role in Sister's Hiring Is Examined *** Ratner: Atlantic Yards To Break Ground This Year *** Chinatown Looks for a Way to Survive and Thrive *** Driver Shortage Slows MTA Busses *** Daly: Health commish Frieden tried to do right thing *** Gossip from New York's real estate community ***Sunday *** Tulane Doctor Is Expected to Lead Health Dept. Dr. Thomas Farley, an advocate of government efforts to promote wellness, is much like his departing predecessor *** In New York Public Housing, Some Concern Over a Wall Streeter at the Helm *** INSULT TO INJURY AT 'BERN'ED SHUL FUROR AS TOP BOARD SEAT SET FOR MADOFF MAN J. . Ezra Merkin *** TWU WANTS $TIMULUS, TOO *** 18 'SWINE' SCHOOLS ON UFT WATCH LIST *** SPACE INVADERS PAY DIDDLY SQUAT CITY HANDS $5M BLDG. TO '80S ARTS CREW *** 90 YEARS IN SAME APT. MORNINGSIDE HTS. HOME WHERE HEART IS *** PILING ON THE TAXES NYERS PAYING EXTRA MONTH'S RENT IN NUISANCE FEES New Yorkers are being nickel-and-dimed to death by cash-strapped state and city governments. In fact, it costs city residents roughly $1,500 a year -- about an extra month's rent *** Conductorless trains gain steam The MTA has quietly revived efforts to run more subway trains without conductors - a controversial cost-cutting move that got put on the shelf three years ago, the Daily News has learned *** Daly: Tree drama drives Brooklyn woman nuts *** Show biz is slow biz in NYC *** Contractors, developers owe city millions in fines *** Office of Environmental Remediation created to clean up brown fields From GlobeSt.com *** Memories of Stickball and Egg Creams at Queens Reunion
“A politician like the mayor or the governor or the comptroller has a certain number of seats on the board, the unions have a certain number of seats on the board,” Siedle said. “None of them really know what the hell they’re doing, and then they all go in a room and make sausage." Edward Siedle, a former SEC attorney
Pay to Play SEIU Spending Pays Political Dividends *** Cuomo and Carlyle: Who Wins? Michael Wolff, Newser *** Assembly Posts Member Item List *** Former Federal Pensions Chief Faces Criminal Probe *** New York City's Fire Pension Bans Middlemen, Joining Two Others *** Former LA pension board member may have broken ethics law *** The Lopez-Sander dust-up, Ratner lobbying, and the Weinstein case: why so little coverage? *** The Lopez-Sander dust-up, Ratner lobbying, and the Weinstein case: why so little coverage? *** For Former Labor Trustees, an Unregulated Role in Pension Fund Management “Revolving door” helps many firms access billions of dollars *** Lobbyists Skirt Disclosures on Stimulus Lobbying *** Who’s Lobbying Who on the Stimulus *** Watchdog Eyes Conduct at SEC
Albany Albany Young Dems didn’t know about criminal case against its former president, Benjamin Jakes-Johnson - convicted on child porn *** The Case of the Missing Lieutenant Governor *** Some of our state leaders need to ‘count to ten’By Alan Chartock *** Sunday *** 32,000 GOT PAY BOOST DURING GOV'S 'FREEZE'
President Obama CENSUS PICK: IT'S HEADCOUNT ONLY *** GOPER CHINA ENVOY *** AP source: Obama to name Utah gov envoy to China *** O PUTS HALT TO GILLY FOE *** BAM GIVES GITMO TRIALS NEW LIFE *** Obama hails efforts on clean energy, health care *** Obama revives terror tribunals - with changes *** White House: No interviews of court candidates yet *** The Pope's Stand in Obama's Notre Dame Controversy *** Obama After Bush: Leading by Second Thought *** Obama Picks Schumer Aide as U.S. Attorney in Manhattan *** Senate Bid Abandoned, at Obama's Request *** Work Halted on Helicopter for President *** Obama Aims to Trim Party's Money Gap *** California Crisis May Force Drastic Government Overhaul *** Gibbs dodges Pelosi question *** Saturday VIDEO: Obama touts health and energy *** Obama clears field for Gillibrand in NY *** VIDEO: Obama meets Phillies *** Playbook: Axelrod on NPR quiz show *** Biden carries big debt *** Obama Adds Africa Trip to Official Travel Intinerary *** Pro-Life Activists Converge on Notre Dame to Protest Obama Speech *** Ex-Astronaut Is Top Candidate to Run NASA *** First Lady Michelle Obama urges graduates to give back to their communities *** Sunday *** Obama Can’t Turn the Page on Bush Until there is true transparency, revelations of the unresolved eight-year nightmare will keep raining down drip by drip, Rich, NYT *** Bush's Afterlife In Texas: "I'd Make A Good Ghost" *** Obama Makes GOP Rival Ambassador *** CHINA, BOND VIGILANTE WHO WILL STOP OBAMA'S PROFLIGATE SPENDING? THE GREAT WALL *** Obama: Early to mull more troops in Afghanistan *** Obama plans July stops in Russia, Italy, Ghana *** Changes: Energy, health care 2 areas Obama cites
Congress GIVING CREDIT ONLY WHERE IT'S DUE by CAROLYN MALONEY *** NANCY PANTS ON FIRE WATERBOARD CLAIM A LIE: CIA BOSS *** Analysis: Democrats' risky focus on torture *** Pelosi draws response from CIA, criticism from GOP *** Dems' climate bill shy on tax credit help *** McCain: US gun limits wouldn't stop drug cartels *** CIA Director Panetta Rebuts Pelosi's Charges (Washington Post) *** L.I. Congressman Won’t Take on Gillibrand *** Guns, Geysers and Mr. Reid An amendment to a credit card reform bill giving people the ability to pack a handgun in national parks is just the beginning of Harry Reid’s problems in holding the Democrats together, Collins, NYT *** CIA Chief Rebuts Pelosi on Briefings *** Specter Suggests Changes to Union Bill *** Health Care Hits a Snag in Senate *** Sessions Favors Judge For High Court *** Pelosi backpedals on CIA claims *** GOP plans 450 climate bill changes *** Dems: Franken isn't enough *** Ron Paul's son running for Senate *** Obama says change has come to Washington *** The McCarthy Hearings The Gun Lady’s search for someone else to take on Kirsten Gillibrand *** Sunday *** Conservatives Map Strategies on Court Fight *** Environmentalists Attack House Global Warming Deal ***
Pelosi Weakened by CIA Fight
GOP GINGRICH: Pelosi 'Lied,' 'Despicable,' 'Dishonest,' 'Vicious,' 'Trivial'... *** PoliticsRepublican Insiders: Cheney Is Hurting The Party *** Alaskan Gov. Palin Defends Miss California USA *** Sunday *** Cheney, Master of Pain The question of what Nancy Pelosi knew or didn’t, or when she did or didn’t know, is irrelevant to how W. and Cheney broke the law and authorized torture, Dowd, NYT
Wall Street Mess ROTH STEPS DOWN AT VORNADO *** GM CUTTING DEALERS *** ALL'S WELLS FOR BUFFETT *** BAIR BLITZES BANK BOSSES Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair predicted some bank chief executives will be replaced in the next several months *** Barclays confirms suitors are calling *** Macy's shuffle could boost NYC clothier *** Testing Wall St.’s Waters, but Not Getting In Too Deep *** Barclays’ Asset Management Unit Draws Interest *** S.E.C. Lawyers Investigated for Insider Trading *** Insider Trading Probe at SEC *** Soros Fund Increased Its Retail Holdings *** Insurers Back Away From TARP *** Slow Day Ends Worst Weekly Loss for S & P's 500 Since March *** Sunday *** Goodbye, Bank Chiefs? *** FAMILY FEUD AT DILLARD'S SAGA OF AILING RETAILER
Health Why Obama Isn't Funding Needle Exchange Programs *** Health Lobby's Stimulus Victory *** H1N1 Virus: The First Legal Action Targets a Pig Farm *** Fears of Swine Flu Close Three More Schools *** Health Plans Would Add to Controls on Insurers *** Dems: Don't push health care too far *** VIDEO: Obama touts health and energy
International India’s Ruling Party Set for Decisive Victory *** Falling Gas Prices Deny Russia a Lever of Power *** A Fraud Case Tarnishes Austrian Family’s Empire *** Congress Coalition Leads India Vote *** School for Scandal The Parliament expense scandal threatens to be as corrosive as anything seen in Britain for decades *** WSJ Opinion: Success of Pope's Israel Trip *** BusinessNew Report Lists Top 10 Happiest Countries In The World *** Russian Police Arrest Scores of Gay Rights Protesters *** Carnival Cruise Lines to resume visits to Mexico this month *** A New Way to Predict Alzheimer's? (And Ways to Ward Off Memory Loss) *** Pressed on Palestinian state, Netanyahu changes the subject - to Iran *** Sunday *** QUEEN 'DEEPLY TROUBLED' BY POLS' EXPENSES MESS... *** World Watches for U.S. Shift on Mideast *** Surprise Result in Indian Elections *** Moscow Gay Rights Activists Arrested *** Parliament Pay Rocks U.K. *** CHINA GROWTH: NO MIRACLE GOVERNMENT SPENDING NO LONG-TERM SOLUTION *** China getting 'sex' theme park *** 2nd Brit pol fired over money mess *** Kuwaiti Women Win First Parliamentary Seats
It is Not Only Blago
in the Windy City
How did Maxwell Street turn into Clout Street? PART TWO of a Sun-Times investigation: It was Chicago's melting pot. Jews. Blacks. Irish. Koreans. Poles. Mexicans. When City Hall agreed to tear down the Maxwell Street market in the late 1990s and help build a "campus town" for the University of Illinois at Chicago, it provided fortunes the politically connected. PART ONE: Affordable housing illusion *** Political insiders hit paydirt in Maxwell Street makeover
National CO-PILOT'S GRIEVING KIN INSIST: 'REBECCA WAS A PRO' *** DEATH AIRLINE IN NEW SCARE WHEELS COME OFF ON BUFFALO-CRASH ROUTE *** Airline industry changes raise safety issues *** Farms and Immigrants A new immigration bill is a model compromise, mixing pro-business pragmatism with a commitment to protecting workers, NYT Ed *** Bill Would Guarantee Up to 7 Paid Sick Days *** Abortion opponents find rallying point *** Pro-gun bloggers: a rifle in one hand, a laptop in the other *** Atlanta 911 center remains under fire 17-minute response time for West End blaze exposes system glitches, staffing shortages *** Astronauts Pull Off Tricky Hubble Repair *** Filly Finishes First at Preakness *** California’s Economic Woes Shake Up Governor’s Race as Voters Seek Answers *** Sunday *** Commuter Pilot’s Life Defies Glamorous Stereotype *** Preakness Sees Sobering Drop
Change in alcohol policy contributes to a nearly empty infield, another blow to the troubled event *** Hospital Fined for Octomom Leaks *** High court heads to busy finish, Souter retirement *** New bffs, Al & Newt, rally for education *** Gay-Marriage Issue Awaits Court Nominee *** Economic Woe Rattles Race for Governor of California
Media & New Tech Times Mulls Paid Web Content Plans *** Times Reveals Two Possible Ways to Make You Pay Online *** PBS Weighs Religious Show Ban *** Geffen Is Seen as Still Eager for Times Stake *** Tucson Paper to Stop Printing Saturday *** MediaTucker Carlson, Dana Perino Join Fox News As Contributors *** WaPo's Pearlstein Writes Letter To Buffett: Now Is The Time To Buy Newspapers *** Television's Fuzzy Future: Traditional TV Is Being Squeezed Out Of The Picture *** NYT Considers Charging By The Word Online! *** Martha Stewart To Begin Testing Paid Videos Online *** Mika Defends Joe In Letter To NYT *** WA Governor Gregoire On Why She Gave Newspapers A Tax Break *** U.S. attorney's office: Stay off Drudge! *** Times Considering Two Paid Web Options(Editor & Publisher) *** 'Tampa Tribune' Hikes Price *** J-Schools Must Change, Add 'Specialization' and Second Major *** Newspapers Tweeting Like Crazy--But What Are the Rules? *** The 11 Essential Social Media Stories This Week *** J.P. Morgan Analyst Gives Boston Globe Hope *** Hitting the Tweet Spot News outlets should use Twitter to reach elusive and valuable audiences *** Meetings, Version 2.0, at Microsoft
People and Places Politi-quotes: The week in one-liners *** VIDEO: This week in video *** Sunday *** A Producer for the N.E.A. Rocco Landesman’s experience as a theater owner and producer will provide a bolder vision for the endowment and national arts funding, NYT Ed
Blog Report Bloomberg’s Misguided Shelter Rent Policy(Coalition for the Homeless Blog) *** Meet the 1,400 Jobless Teachers Who Still Get Paid(The New Republic) *** The Saga of Khalil Gibran Academy(Rethinking Schools) *** Williamsburg Waterfront Rezoning Four Years Old This Week(Brooklyn 11211 via Brownstoner) *** The 33rd District Council Forum(Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn) *** School Spending ‘Restraint’ is All Relative(NY Fiscal Watch) *** A Review of the City’s Plan for WiFi in Parks(NYCwireless) *** Bay Ridge Journal Changing Tastes, From Lingonberry to Baba Ghanouj (Bay Ridge Journal) ***Sunday*** WiFi May Come Back To NY Parks (Queens Crap) *** In Spite Of Tanking Manhattan Rents, Brooklyn Biz Stays In Brooklyn (Bayridge Journal) *** Dems Slam Padavan Over McLaughlin Letter (Lost In The Ozone) *** Willowtown Spring Fair Opens In The Heights (Brooklyn Heights Blog)
