Media Spin: A Broken City
Sunday UPDATED
Hank Morris has become the fall guy for the raiding of the pension funds. The people who hired him walk away using their White House connection like Gov Bill Richardson or are so well protected by their connected friends that we no long hear their names in articles about the pension scandal. In other words we read in news reports there was a pension scandal, companies pay fines and agree to new rules of conduct but the people who caused the scandal like Steve Rattner who hired Morris don't even get mentioned in stories about the scandal. Rattner who hired Morris has yet to be charged of any crime while Morris waits trial AG wants state crack down on 'pay-to-play' in pension fund *** NY Cuomo: 4 firms OK pay-to-play ban for pension *** Do campaign contributions help win pension fund deals? USA Today
Pension Standards Cuomo is pushing as part of its probe into the pension fund a voluntary code of conduct. Under the code, the firms caught hiring Morris as a middleman have agreed not to use middlemen to help set up meetings or get business with a public pension fund. So far 7 firms have agreed to 4.5 million back to the pension fund.
Censured Media Coverage: It Not All the State Pension Fund
By reading the media reports and the spins coming from the controller campaign you would not know that Rattner and Morris made millions off the NYC pensions funds. The question is how Morris can commit a crime with the state comptroller and not the city comptroller when Rattner hired Morris to buy influence in both comptrollers offices, is just not addressed by the media.
Media Comptroller Disconnect Causes Corruption On a much simple level how can the Editorial Boards of the NYTimes and Daily News not hold the candidates running for NYC to the standards of Cuomo's new code of conduct is beyond common sense. The fact that none of the comptroller candidates have agreed not appoint middlemen like Morris should be making wood on every editorial column in every major papers *** In Race for Comptroller, There's Money to Spend
Breaking News Sunday Governor Paterson bucks President Obama: I'm still going to run in 2010***Paterson Dismisses Obama's Call to Drop Campaign (WNBC) Feds arrest suspect in bomb plot *** U.S. Agents Arrest Father and Son in Terror Inquiry *** Prez thinks Paterson must go *** Obama Said to Request That Paterson Drop Campaign *** The President's Very Big Week *** RNC Chairman Michael Steele thinks it's because Paterson is black.
WFP and Data and Field Services A Victim? Everyone is outraged at the efforts of the WFP to bring lobbyist consultant company into the campaigns of candidates they support, but Corruption of the election system is nothing new - in fact it goes on almost everywhere in campaigns. Bill Lynch who works for John Liu comptroller campaign and Cy Vance Manhattan DA campaign makes millions as a lobbyist for the same special interests who will need those candidates for future favors. Those millions that Lynch makes, power and connections they generate gives Lynch an advantage over a consultant just running campaigns. George Artz who also helped Vance is making millions as a lobbyist for the special interests. Bolton St. John's Emily Giske who along with Quinn use the mostly government funded Highline and the non profits from that neighborhood as jobs programs for their friends and a bank to raise campaign funds is no different that WFP efforts to pump outsidel money into their candidates campaigns. Evan Stavisky from Parkside works on dozens of campaigns each year. Parkside is in the middle of the City Council member item corruption investigation with Giff Miller and Quinn. Parkside revieved more non profit business than another other lobbyist in the city. They even work for Bloomberg's interests as a lobbyist for Willis Point, paid illegally by the city. How can Parkside be investigate by DOI (controlled by the mayor) at the same time it is doing the mayor's bidding to redevelop Willis Point?
Data and Field copied the lobbyist consultant position that was created over the last 25 years to pump money and power into campaigns. The lobbyist consultant up until Data and Field bought influence with special interests mostly developers so they can get the needed approval and low cost grants from government to make billions.
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Why the outrage against the WFP and not the lobbyist and elected officials who the WFP copied to become a more successful campaign operation? The answer is which class are you working for. While the WFP brings the poor into the power game are targeted by the media and the elected officials, the lobbyist who represent the rich special interests are a protected class who never get exposed by the media, attacked by the good government group or investigated by the DAs. Working Families Party candidates warned about financial dealings ... *** A stench at the WFP *** House of Representatives Votes to Defund ACORN *** ACORN's enablers (NYPost Editorial) *** ACORNs stay on branch *** Paterson Freezes ACORN Payments *** Seeds of Discontent What does the ACORN story mean for the mainstream media? (Columbia Journalism Review) *** ACORN’s Family Tree Was the Baltimore video journalism? Does it matter? *** Already hobbled by recession, ACORN gets slammedby scandal (LA Times) *** Working Families Party Builds Progressive Power(The Nation) *** In 2010 Races, ACORN an Issue (CBS) *** Video: Leno goofs on ACORN *** Sunday ACORN looks to transplant here *** Louis: The ACORN witch hunt *** The ACORN Fallout - Chicago Tribune *** The current state budget has about $400,000 in projects involving ACORN
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Editorial: Bill's dollars Public advocate candidate Bill de Blasio set a bad precedent when he hired himself out in 2006 as a paid lobbyist while on the City Council (NYDN Editorial)
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Why would the Times want to fix the corrupt election system in New York when they maintain controlling power on who gets elected?
NY Times Democratic Machine
Losing millions like every other newspaper in the Internet age, cutbacks in news coverage and sections, the Boston Globe union fight, a new headquarters which threatened before a government bailout of the mortgage company GMAC to bankrupt the paper. What are year for the "Old Gray Lady." The only piece left from 'The Kingdom and the Power" era is the blind following of many New Yorkers who still vote to candidates endorsed by the paper Endorsement Power: Times Vs. Daily News *** Smith: Who Really Flexed Muscle in Yesterday’s City Primaries? The New York Times *** The Times and Clyde Vanel (Gotham Gazette) *** Are We Losing the News that’s Fit to Print? (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) *** The Times finds a pony(NY Fiscal Watch) *** New York Times Co. Discloses Bonus, Stock Option Snafus (Editor and Publisher)
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NY Has Lost it Heart The broken political system has destroyed NY culture and spirit *** Meanwhile New Yorkers Stop Voting and Working *** Campaign 2009 Disconnected from Reality While candidate promise leadership, smaller class sizes and better everything . . . New Yorkers More Indifferent Than Ever A turnout record was set on Tuesday, in a bad way *** City Unemployment Rate Exceeds 10% *** Unemployment Hits 10.3% in New York City *** Second real estate collapse coming *** Albany’s tax receipts still shrinking (NY Fiscal Watch) *** On Sunday, Station Agents Begin Leaving (AM New York) *** Teachers Union Report Finds Classroom Sizes Over Limit (NY 1) *** The State's 'Real Unemployment Rate' *** People borrowing down, state/local borrowing up (NY Fiscal Watch) *** The MTA’s looming capital derailment (NY Fiscal Watch) *** Albany’s tax receipts still shrinking (NY Fiscal Watch) *** Commercial Real Estate: Forget Extend and Pretend; It's Delay and Pray *** Fed, IRS try to limit problem loans in commercial real estate
Who Pick Our Judges One little-noticed result of last night's primary: the grandson of Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo who was charged with embezzlement earlier this year was just elected as a delegate to the judicial convention An Arroyo, Charged With Embezzlement, Will Help Pick Judges
Bo Dietl took mob $$: canary *** NYPD all mobbed up?
Pedro-son victim calls pop 'thug' *** PERMANENT GOVERNMENT IN NEW YORK CITY
Ex-adviser: Spitzer had his eye on presidency *** Gerson Borrero is skeptical of NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and his "anti-terrorist cowboys."
Moynihan Station, Maybe The “general agreement” announced this week, that Amtrak will move its operation into the old Farley building, is a major step forward (NYT Editorial)
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On the Road to City Hall Quinn may endorse Bloomberg *** Thompson Welcomes Paterson’s Backing, but Can It Help? *** For Runoff Candidates, a Scramble for Money *** NY-Sen: Gillibrand still comparatively unknown; Pataki competitive, sorta. *** Queens Councilman Hangs On By Single-Digit Lead In Votes *** Sunday Bloomberg mailer attacks Thompson with fuzzy facts *** Recount to begin in Baez City Council race *** Stewart, Davila won't go down without recounts *** 88 Minutes With Mark Green A disappointing primary night for the never-say-die former — and still just possibly future —public advocate (NY Magazine) *** Mayor Bloomberg Builds His Nanny State Utopia (Jacob Weisberg, Slate) *** Mike's buried secrets dug up *** 27% of the statewide electorate don't really know what to say about Gillibrand *** Christie Maintains Lead Over Corzine
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Inspector Clouseau Whistleblowers On the Waterfront Exposing patronage at a watchdog agency (Robbns, Village Voice)
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Washington Obama vs. the Lobbyists (Mother Jones) *** Obama Banking Too Much On Banks (Mother Jones) *** Obama's first dance at the U.N. (Politico) *** A Public Option
Overhauling the student-loan business (New Yorker) *** Missile defense shift redirects billions in government contracts (The Hill) *** Pres. Obama Weekly Address (September 19, 2009)
In this week’s address, Pres. Obama talks about the need for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency and discusses next week’s G-20 economic summit of world leaders in Pittsburgh *** Parties Watching 2009 Races for Clues (Rothenberg Political Report) *** Obama: Change, Not Race, is Heating Debate - (Chicago Tribune) *** The Scourge of Racism Persists - (Bob Herbert, New York Times) *** Obama Finds Worldwide Star Power Has Its Limits (Washington Post) *** The Edwards Saga Continues (The New Republic) *** Values Voters Want Huckabee ***VIDEO: Obama's Major Sunday Talkfest in 93 seconds *** VIDEO- Obama On CBS: "Rambunctious" Outbursts Are "Catnip To The Media" *** The Democrats' Hypocrisy - Debra Saunders, San Francisco Chronicle
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National California Unemployment Rate Reaches 12.2%... *** August Joblessness Hit 10% in 14 States and D.C. *** 42 states lose jobs in August, up from 29 in *** State Unemployment Borrowing Tops $15 Billion *** L.A. gets union concessions *** Virginia Moves Back to the Right - Fred Barnes, Wall Street Journal *** Campaign Money and the Chief Justice - Stuart Taylor, National Journal
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International Former Iraq Security Contractors Say Firm Bought Black Market Weapons, Swapped Booze for Rockets *** Obama's Mideast envoy returns with little *** Missile defense winners and losers *** Barack Obama is Gambling With Europe's Security - The Telegraph *** Courage in Iran - Times of London *** Sunday UN's Israel frame-up (NYP Editorial) *** Russia Says It Won’t Deploy Missiles Near Poland *** UK General: Failure in Afghanistan Would "Intoxicate" Terrorists (The New Republic) *** A Better Defense for a Safer Europe - Robert Gates, New York Times *** President Turns Cool on Israel - Nolan Finley, Detroit News *** The War on Terror Goes On - Wall Street Journal *** Billions for a US-Mexico border fence, but is it doing any good? (Christian Science Monitor)
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Wall Street & Economy Larry Summers, the top White House economic adviser, on Friday accused financial lobby groups of using “death panel” type scare tactics to try to block the creation of a consumer financial protection agency *** FBI, Justice Dept. probe BofA's Merrill deal *** The Economy The 100 People, Places, and Things That Got Us into This Mess (Vanityfair) *** THE BAILOUT, ONE YEAR LATERHow Your Money Got Wasted on Golf Junkets and Worse (Vanityfair) *** Obama's Unwise Tire Tariffs - (New York Times Editorial) *** Sunday Real Men Tax Gas There is something wrong when our country is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan, but can’t even talk about a gasoline tax to reduce our dependency on oil (Friedman NYT) *** Is the Recent Rally Irrational Exuberance? ***
Friend, Can You Spare a Dime? *** Henry Paulson's Longest Night - Todd Purdum, Vanity Fair
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The Real "Death Panels" How Many Thousands Of Claims Do Health Insurance Companies Deny? No One Knows *** WATCH: Maher Rips Baucus Bill: "I'm Going To Start Going To Town Halls And Screaming Now" *** WATCH: Rachel Maddow Nails South Carolina Health Care *** Obama's media blitz to sell healthcare carries big risks *** Schumer Can Stop BaucusCare With One Sentence (Albany Project) *** Baucus Reached Out to GOP and Got His Hand Slapped - The New Republic *** Center for Responsive Politics Health Care Tools Help You Follow the Money (Open Secrets. Org) *** Howard Dean Blasts Baucus Healthcare Bill *** Dems Don't Need GOP to Pass Health Care - Cynthia Tucker, Atlanta JC *** How Will the Nation Pay for Health Reform? - Des Moines Register
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Pay to Play Commercial Banks Lobby Federal Government to Save Billions on Derivatives *** Major Obama Campaign Bundlers Nominated for Ambassador Posts in Australia, Luxembourg
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Media and New Tech U.S. Backs Google in Web Fight FCC Proposal on Internet Traffic Is Seen as Boon for Consumers, Blow to Phone Firms *** Government Urges Changes to Google Books Deal *** Fox Ad on Protest Coverage Draws Rivals’ Fire *** John Stossel: Working At ABC Was "Frustrating" *** Fox News Ad Draws Protests (Kurtz Washington Post) *** The Godfather: Irving Kristol R.I.P. - (Myron Magnet, City Journal) *** Len Downie Urges Bailout for News Media *** Sunday Even Glenn Beck Is Right Twice a Day President Obama — and our political system — are being tested by a populist rage that is no less real for being shouted by a demagogue from Fox (Rich NYT) *** Plugged-In Age Feeds a Hunger for Electricity *** New CNN TV Spot Takes Aim At FNC's Ad *** Andrew Breitbart Takes on Big Media - Jennifer Harper, Washington Times *** Media frenzy over Yale murder draws criticism Christian Science Monitor) *** Journos Losing Jobs at Three Times Rate of Average Workers (Editor and Publisher)
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Blog Report Rounding up the press non-coverage (Atlantic Yard Report) *** High Line Uses Wood from Rainforests(The Indypendent) *** New York Second Biggest Hub for Tech Innovators(InformationWeek via NYConvergence) *** Albany Tax Receipts Continue to Shrink(NY Fiscal Watch) *** Al Vann Backers Upset That He's Being Called Lazy and Out-of-Touch (Brooklyn Ron) *** Russian Billionaire To Bail Out Ratner? (Brownstoner) *** Berardelli Says: Bill Thompson Stole My Tagline (Sheepshead Bites) *** City Council Mopping up the Blood (NY Council Watch) *** Bill in Congress for Public Funding Gains Co-Sponsors (Ballot Access News)
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Local News & Papers Plant to close, but Stella D'oro workers fight on (Riverdale Press) *** Democrats give Councilman Koppell support to run for third term *** MARGARET CHIN WINS BIG IN DISTRICT 1 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. (Soho Journal) *** Who Knows Brooklyn?
Two historians battle over a borough (New Yorker) *** Quinn fends off two challengers to take the primary (Downtown Express) *** Four’s the charm for Chin as she topples Gerson (Downtown Express) *** Monserrate Case Up To A Judge (Queens Tribune) *** Change Has Come: New Faces, Minority Contestants Made Primary Night A Queens Win (Queens Tribune) *** A Recession Driven Suicide In Manhattan
