Cover Up City Knew Shulman was Using EDC Funds to Lobby
Daily News October 5, 2008
Willets Point group claims Claire Shulman is lobbying illegally
From the Daily News Article in 2008:
City law defines lobbying as efforts to influence elected officials or the Planning Commission on issues such as zoning or real estate "subject to city regulation."
At the Planning Commission hearing on Willets Point in August, Shulman said: "I hope you will strongly consider adding your voices to those people supporting this project."
Shulman has vowed to meet every Council member before they vote on the plan next month.
The City's Answer to Willets Point Group Claiming in 2008 that City Funds were being used to lobby the Planning Board and the City Council
"The spokesman noted the city funds dozens of similar groups that "promote local economic growth and job creation." Daily News October 8, 2008
What did the City Clerks Office Find with their Investigaiton in 2008?
"Acting City Clerk Michael McSweeney declined to comment. But a source said the City Clerk's office is "looking into it." DN October 8, 2008
The Daily News should ask for the files of the City Clerks investigation. Did they write a letter to the mayor's office looking into to the illegal lobbying charge?
Willets Point I: Should Former Queens BP Shulman File As Lobbyist? NY Observer February 22, 2008
"Former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman has been pushing hard for the city-led plan to redevelop Willets Point, leading an advocacy group, the Flushing, Willets Point, Corona Local Development Corporation (which is funded in part by the city), and pushing elected officials and community leaders to support the multi-billion-dollar redo of the 61-acre manufacturing and auto-repair district by Shea Stadium. " Observer 2/22/08
“The LDC has always and will always meet all requirements of the lobbying law, and we’ll check with the city clerk's office,” said Evan Stavisky, a partner at Parkside. The law says that anyone who expends, incurs or receives more than $2,000 in lobbying compensation and expenses should register. " Observer 2/22/08
Willets Pt. Landowners Charge Shulman Is Unregistered Lobbyist Queens Gazette October 8, 2008
"Shulman's most recent action as LDC president on behalf of the Willets Point plan was an appeal to every city councilmember urging each one to vote in favor of the redevelopment plan when it comes before the council in November for a final vote. If the council does not approve it, the plan cannot go forward. . . In addition to her appeal to the council, the WPIRA letter says, Shulman is also allegedly lobbying state and federal lawmakers promoting the project and seeking their support. Efforts to reach Shulman for comment on the WPIRA charges, either at the LDC or at the Parkside Group, which handles the public relations of the LDC, have been unsuccessful.
Just before the Gazette went to press yesterday, former Assemblymember Barry Grodenchik, a spokesman for Shulman, told the Gazette that the former borough president, indeed, was a lobbyist. "We are updating our city filing and are moving to update our state filing," he said.
Grodenchik added that there was no conflict between Shulman's lobbying for the city and being president of the LDC, which strongly advocates for the Willets Point project.
"It's a community job, not a government job, and part of her job is to advocate for this major improvement in Corona [the Willets Point project]," Grodenchik said" Queens Gazette, October 8, 2008
Cover Up Mayor plays dumb on money he funnelled to Claire *** City Says It Paid Former Queens Beep and Lobbyist for "Outreach," Not Lobbying *** Noticing New York: Will It Come? What the Bloomberg Administration ... *** METRO MATTERS; Same Challenges, Different Cuomo - The New York Times *** Queens Crap: The third world of Queens *** Queens Crap: Times exposes Bloomberg-EDC-Parkside-Shulman corruption *** Biz owners file complaint against Shulman over lobbying, Parkside ... *** Sparks fly over Willets Point eminent domain at Public Advocate TV debate
Sinking Ship of State Suozzi father is law partners with Paterson father, its like the rats running of the ship before it sinks PATERSON PAL SUOZZI: GOV'S A GONER *** PATERSON PLAN FROM REV. 'ALE' The Rev. Al Sharpton yesterday weighed in on the tension between President Obama and Gov. Paterson, and even took a page out of the president's playbook. In the wake of a falling-out... Sharpton joked that he should take Paterson and The Post's reporter out for some brews *** Cuomo or Gov Rudy Can Cuomo Convince Paterson to Give Up? *** Lupica: Paterson full of excuses *** Pressure mounts for Gov. Paterson to go (Daily News) *** Gov. blindsided by S.I. Sen. Savino: Lack of vision not race the issue *** Paterson Fans The Flames *** Poll: Paterson Definitely Still Trails Cuomo 23 to 65% *** Paterson: My Governorship Is Not an Accident *** Dominic Carter wants an apology from David Paterson *** More Albany BS THE ESPADA 'STIMULUS' *** Friends of Pedro are in the money *** As Voter Disgust With Albany Rises, So Do Calls for a New Constitution
Road to City Hall AN UGLY ENDORSEMENT The quid pro quo behind District Council 37's endorsement of Bill Thompson for mayor couldn't be more clear. As The Post reported, the city's largest union asked candidates, "What is your position on the revision of the Taylor Law?" Thompson's answers show where his sympathies lie. And it's not, apparently, with the public *** What you expect the paper endorsed Yassky for congress in a minority district. Does Schumer and daddy Yassky the developer still have influence with the NYT Editorial Board, you bet For New York City Comptroller Four strong Democrats are running, but the one most suited to do the job, with skill, intelligence and independence, is David Yassky, a City Council member from Brooklyn (Has anyone noticed how early the paper is giving some of its endorsements this year. Will it help their candidates or will it be old hat by the time the primary occurs *** Neverland from NY Magazine Can Bloomberg Lose? *** Sweatshop ads still on Monday morning City controller hopeful John Liu touts youth in sweatshop - only ... Daily News continues against Liu Liu is still sweating out the truth in factory story *** Liu doesn't pull punches on Yassky in questionaire *** Yassky also gets the Crain’s endorsement [subscription] *** Katz and Yassky want Liu to clarify his claims about working in a sweatshop *** Return of the Public Advocate When Bloomberg wins, he'll be facing something new: a fierce watchdog
UPSTATE BLUES: CITY DEMS SWITCH VOTER REGISTRATIONS *** NYT continues it campaign against Christie N.J. Democrats Pounce After Christie’s Misstep
City's Economic Melt Down Five Experts on the City's Economic Forecast *** CITY DEALING TO MAKE LUXE CONDOS CHEAPER *** Last WTC Beam To Return To Ground Zero *** Is Our Teachers Learning? New York City's worst teachers still get paid. According to Steven Brill of The New Yorker, the so-called "Rubber Room," the room that houses teachers with complaints of misconduct or incompetence against them for as long as it takes for a hearing, which can be three years *** Steve Cuozzo of the Post unloads (again) on Janette Sadik-Kahn’s treatment of Time Square *** The company charged with overhauling the city’s traffic lights is suing after being fired *** The City always has money to bailout developers!
Washington Obama’s Team Is Lacking Most of Its Top Players *** New Unit to Interrogate Key Terrorism Suspects (Washington Post) *** WashPost Launches 'POTUS Tracker' To Analyze Obama's Schedule *** Change is Tough: Obama Supporters Must Fight - Mike Tomasky, Guardian *** 'Is He Weak?' - Jim Hoagland, Washington Post Obama Saved the Economy - E.J. Dionne, Washington Post *** Thuggish Behavior by Washington Politicians - Washington Times *** Hugo Chavez Has Put Obama on the Defensive - Washington Post *** Obama to Visit China in November - Los Angeles Times *** Freshman Democrat Wielding Reform Power - Washington Times *** The End of Bi-Partisan Outreach? - Steve Benen, Political Animal *** Michelle Obama's Shorts - James Joyner, Outside the Beltway ***
Obama’s New Interrogation Unit
Health Care Journalists, Left Out of Debate Media Notes The staying power of "death panel" claims illustrates traditional media's impotence *** Insurers Set To Reap Financial Windfall From Health Care Reform *** Kurtz: Media Was Impotent In Face Of "Death Panel" Rumors *** Mr. Market Chokes on Obama's Health Plans - Caroline Baum, Bloomberg *** What Went Wrong on Health Care Reform? - Thomas Schaller, Salon *** Fight for the 'Public Option' - Philadelphia Inquirer *** Tom Daschle: Man Behind Insurance Co-ops - Allison Kilkenny, HuffPo
International U.S. Military Says Its Force in Afghanistan Is Insufficient *** Fraud Allegations Mar Afghan Vote (WSJ) *** Lockerbie Fallout Spreads to London (WSJ) *** Admiral Mullen and Amb. Eikenberry on Afghanistan - Meet the Press *** The West Gives Karzai One Last Chance - Con Coughlin, Daily Telegraph *** More Troops Needed in Afghanistan ***
Great Britain’s Lockerbie Connection
Wall Street Mess Remember me? Wall Street repackages debt for sale *** With Dad Laid Off, Finding Ways to Hold On *** Arrest Over Software Illuminates Wall St. Secret Ultrafast stock trading relies upon computer programs that take years to develop and are closely guarded secrets *** Budget Pain Spreads To Energy-Rich States *** Goldman's Tips Reward Big Clients *** Policy Makers Seek to Learn From 1937's Stalled Comeback *** Makers of Military Drones Take Off *** The Meltdown Fall Guys *** Reaganism Is a Failed Economic Belief - Paul Krugman, New York Times *** Risk of a Double-Dip Recession is Rising - Nouriel Roubini, Financial Times *** Rise of the Super-Rich Hits a Wall - Leonhardt & Fabrikant, New York Times *** Watch Out for Collapsing Commercial Real Estate - Powell & Lowry, IBD *** Most Failed Banks Doing It Old School Way - Floyd Norris, New York Times *** N.Y. Post: Madoff's Got Cancer
Media and New Tech HALLMARK HURT BIG-NAME CHANNEL IS FACING BIG-TIME PROBLEMS *** Defying an Industry Trend, Warner Is Easily the Top Producer of TV Shows *** This Week in Magazines: Jenny Sanford Exacts Revenge, Newsweek Provides Helpful Alien Advice *** Bankrupt Media: J.P. Morgan Now Biggest Publisher In US *** Basterds Can't Save Weinsteins *** Wikipedia To Add Editors For Articles On Living People
