Lobbyist Watches Lobbyist . . . What A Joke: The Public Integrity Commission

Lobbyist Watches Lobbyist . . .
What A Joke
The Public Integrity Commission

If you want to know what a joke the State's Public Integrity Commission is just look at their decision to fne and punish ormer Deputy Mayor Bill Lynch, a top adviser to Gov. Paterson, with a $10,000 fine for failing to report nearly $400,000 in lobbying payments from Columbia University. Lynch, under terms of a settlement with the commission, also agreed to an unprecedented arrangement under which a lawyer from Greenberg Traurig LLP will oversee his firm's future compliance with the state lobbying law. Albany's Public Integrity Commission goes after Lynch for not reporting lobbying fees from Columbia, and now lets Lynch hire a monitor. Mark Glaser (a registered lobbyist) who works at Greenberg Traurig, and they represent....Columbia! Gov aide ethics slap (NYP) * Lobbyist, Monitor Thyself * It was a great year to be a lobbyist. (Politico)

Mad As Hell Vote Stay Home in 2010? Giuliani would have been a lock for the vote to clean up Albany. With him out of the race and Lazio not that well know, unless a major name enters the senate race, able to survive Gillibrand guard dog Ron Emanuel, the made as hell vote might stay home like it did in the 2009 municipal elections. Reelecting most of the incumbents. Rudy nixes Senate bid* Giuliani Decides Against a Run for the Senate * Giuliani to announce he will not run for U.S. Senate *** Rudy out of the running: What it means for G.O.P.

Here Comes the Fund this Not That Game Education groups yesterday blasted the Paterson administration's decision to approve a $50 million state Capitol renovation at the same time schools face a freeze in state aid. Ed groups kick gla$$ The thousands of students who are protesting the ending of the free transit pass program if they more media connected leaders would ask how the city could come up with billions to build the extension of the 7 subway line and not a few million to pay for the bus pass program. Why are we building a train to the W. Side Yard for a development that because of all the vacancies in the city office market will not have funds to build for decades. Why? The City Council missed that little fact that the city is spending over a billion to build a subway line at the same time the MTA is cutting transit services when it passed the latest Westside Yard development plan yesterday. No. 7 train extension on track * Glass ends year half full in office market (Crains NY) * Rezoning Will Allow Railyard Project to Advance * Bloomberg’s Related (Cos.) Events

Grade F New York Senators What are we chopped Liver? asks the Daily News describing how badly New York is getting hit in the health care bill Dave and Mike: Med plan would be bitter pill for NY *** Dave and Mike: Med plan would be bitter pill for NY *** Bloomberg called the Senate health reform bill a "disgrace", and joined Gov. David Paterson to say it could cost the state $1 billion and cause 100 health clinics to close *** Health care bill is prescription for disaster, say N.Y. pols *** Bad medicine for N.Y.: Health bill provision that socks state for $1 billion must go (NYDN Ed) *** On the federal health care bill, Michael Bloomberg said, "It will be very devastating to health care in this city." *** "It is really a disgrace and we've got to make sure that we fight before the bill is finally passed," Bloomberg said * The Post blames Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand for not doing more.

Council Votes to Expand Vito's Political Machine Bushwick Senior Citizens Center Vito Lopez's political machine and others will make and spend millions on this new tin box Housing Plan Approved for Broadway Triangle *** Growth of a New-Age Political Machine (Bushwick Senior Citizens Center) , All in the Lopez family. More on Vito's rule and still much more

TopTens CrainsNewYork.com's most popular articles of 2009 ***2009 Hall of Shame Inductees*** Top Politics Stories of 2009 - RealClearPolitics

Election 2010 Several Challengers Eyeing Race Against Embattled Queens Assemblywoman *** Giuliani will endorse Rick Lazio for governor today in what the Buffalo News describes as a "major blow" to Erie County Executive Chris Collins *** That’s good news for Kirsten Gillibrand and bad news for Chris Collins. (Hmm, could Giuliani be the third Antichrist? Discuss.) (Buffalo News) *** Paterson: Albany Would Have Made Giuliani Balder *** Paterson 'Surprised' Rudy Won't Seek Senate Seat

Inside City Hall W. Side going Yard *** Pols save 5-minute 'grace' *** Armory deal officially dead *** FDNY vet to be new commish *** 40-Year Veteran Chosen to Lead the Fire Dept. *** Mayor Has New Critics in Debate on Accounts *** Divided Council Renames Street After Sean Bell *** Council Overrides Veto, Blocking Plan for Armory Mall *DA Probing EMTs Accused of Not Helping Dying Woman** 2 E.M.T.’s Suspended *Family Of Dead Pregnant Woman Speaks Out(WCBS)** EMTs suspended amid claims they didn't help dying pregnant woman *** City Council gives 'Bah! Humbug!' to Bloomberg with triple veto override *** Queens man files suit against city for negligence in fire snafu *** Forty-one Council members voted in favor of renaming a Queens street in memory of Sean Bell*** Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. has big plans for the Kingsbridge Armory.*** Bloomberg's criticism of Robert Morgenthau's hidden bank accounts have "boomeranged," and now the mayor is coming under fire from Bill Thompson and John Liu *** Two EMTs Suspended After They Allegedly Ignore Dying Woman *** Building the Stage Inaugration *** Liu and Thompson Tag-Team on Bloomy Bank Accounts *** Court Shoots Down City Deal With Private Schools

New York Economic Melt Down NY's budget crunch: charters can help *** Dave and Mike: Med plan would be bitter pill for NY *** Dave and Mike: Med plan would be bitter pill for NY *** New York Ranks in Last Place in Happiness Rating *** Tenants Struggle as a British Landlord Goes Bust *** Health care bill is prescription for disaster, say N.Y. pols *** Bad medicine for N.Y.: Health bill provision that socks state for $1 billion must go (NYDN Ed) *** Health care reform bill: Numbers for New York State are sickening *** Bloomberg called the Senate health reform bill a "disgrace", and joined Gov. David Paterson to say it could cost the state $1 billion and cause 100 health clinics to close *** School districts could face a $2 billion shortfall when the stimulus cash runs out, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warned *** Your property taxes will probably go up when the stimulus money runs out *** Surprise: NY State Wasted $100 Million In Medicaid *** State Comptroller's Medicaid Audits Find $100 Million In Waste (NY1) *** Study Finds Unemployment Rate Varies Across City's Neighborhoods (NY1) *** Gov. David Paterson went after Shen Superintendent L. Oliver Robinson, a named plaintiff in the lawsuit against Paterson’s payment delays. (TU) *** The Comptroller warns that the state could face a stimulus hole that’s $2 billion deep on 2011-2012. (TU) *** NYRA’s president says the failure to reach an Aqueduct deal imperils Belmont’s spring meet and maybe even Saratoga summer racing. (TU) *** Stores Fear 'Super Saturday' Shoppers Lost For Good *** A Quiet End for Boys Choir of Harlem *** DiNapoli: Health officials bungled $92M in Medicaid claims *** State Comptroller's Medicaid Audits Find $100 Million In Waste *** Consumer Affairs Dept. Finds Bait-And-Switch Ads Among Local Used Car Dealers

Law and Order ID 'thief' has plastic op *** The FBI fumbles again FBI linguist with a "secret" security clearance has been caught passing classified documents to a blogger (NYP Ed) *** 'Piggy' roasted by Astor judge *** Crook judge free *** DA probes EMTs in mom's death *** Brooke Astor’s Son Is Sentenced to Prison *** Lawyers Tried to Brighten Grim Courtroom Image of an Aged Thief *** Astor son likely heading to prison-for-the-elderly *** The time of his life: Brooke Astor's thieving, abusing son is getting off easy (DN Ed) *** New police tape designed to keep gawkers from sullying crime scenes *** Boston mom calls 911 over son's video game habit *** Cuomo is Representing Paterson, DiNapoli, Megna Against Ed Groups *** It's been three years since Alan Hevesi pleaded guilty *** Brazilian Court: American Boy Must Be Returned To Father

More City News Brooklyn Flea finds new winter home in Fort Greene *** Girls Blossom - and learn: Bed-Stuy storefront turns troubled girls into entrepreneurs

White House Relief at last for 'tarmac captives' *Stiff Fines Are Set for Long Wait on the Tarmac** Obama to Name Chief of Cybersecurity*** Immigration Enforcement Fuels Spike in U.S. Cases *** Inadequate Oversight Cited in Weatherization Program *** Taxpayers Help Goldman Sachs Reach Height Of Profit In New Skyscraper *** I'm doing the best I can for black Americans, Obama says *** Obama Claims Two Unsightly Triumphs - George Will, Washington Post *** Road to Failure in Afghanistan - Rodric Braithwaite, Financial Times *** Hillary Clinton, Kissinger on Sec. of State Job - Jon Meacham, Newsweek *** Obama and the Invisible Workingman - David Paul Kuhn, RealClearPolitics *** President Obama responds to Danny Glover’s criticism that he’s not doing enough for African-Americans. (DN) *** Meet your new federal cybersecurity chief. (NPR) *** Minority Farmers Seek Redress, Claim USDA Discrimination - Wash. Post*** For Obama, Getting Deal Trumps Transparency - Lynn Sweet, Politics Dly *** President Rejects Criticism on Health Bill - Scott Wilson, Washington Pos *** Obama Tries to Rally Smaller Lenders

Congress Democrats Face Challenge in Merging Health Bills *** Watergate's Role in the Health Overhaul *** A Bill Well Worth Passing The Senate health care reform bill has some imperfections, but is worthy of support from lawmakers (NYT Ed) ***How Nebraska's Insurance Companies Stand To Profit From Nelson's Compromises *** For the Uninsured, a Ray of Hope - Richard Cohen, New York Daily News *** American Patients, Get Ready to Wait - Sally Pipes, RealClearPolitics *** What the Senate Bill Accomplishes - Jonathan Cohn, The New Republic *** Seizing the Moment on Health Reform - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post *** Don't Expect House to Kill the Senate Bill - Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics *** Not a Shining Moment - San Diego Union-Tribune *** Defense Bill Earmarks Total $4 Billion *** Public option tensions linger *** Senate health bill aftershocks begin (Politico) *** Dodd primes pump in bid to survive *** Health bill complicates debt picture * Next hurdle: Persuade public *** Senators Overseeing Health Debate Get Dose of PAC Money - USA Today *** Tax Exemption a Bright Spot for Insurers - Wall Street Journal *** Sunrise votes nudge health care bill forward Tues. ***PM Senate Agrees to Morning Vote Dec. 24 *** Blue Dog' Democrat To Switch Parties, Become Republican *** Senate Health Bill is Launch Pad - Jacob Hacker, Politico *** HARKIN SAYS VOTE BRIBES 'SMALL STUFF'...

Political Parties GOP blasts 'kickback' health fix *** McC not flipping 'lid' over Palin *** Steele's Speaking Fee Draws Ire *** Kamikaze Democrats? Probably Not - Kevin Drum, Mother Jones *** Dems Will Regret Rahm's Wager - William McGurn, Wall Street Journal

Wall Street In Brit fit, Goldman sees Spain *** Citigroup returns are rotten *** S&P 500 investors set to lose money for the decade *** Morgan Stanley CEO Mack again declines bonus *** The Protocol SocietyThe success of an economy depends on its ability to invent and embrace a new set of instructions (Brooks NYT) *** Pay Czar Agrees To Boost Unnamed AIG Exec's Pay Package By $4 Million *** Twenty Market/Political Surprises for 2010 - Doug Kass, Infectious Greed *** Stocks Next Year: More Gains As 'Pessimism Bubble' Pops - Jeff Cox, CNBC *** Is Criticism of the Bernanke Fed Justified? - Mark Thoma, MoneyWatch *** Wishing You & Yours a Very Geithner Christmas - Michael Maiello, Forbes *** 10 Ultimate Stock-Pickers' Stocks for 2010 - Greggory Warren, Morningstar *** FBI Probes Hack at Citibank *** Delinquencies Rose in November *** Foreclosures Top 1 Million *** Why Lefties Are Wrong on Health Care *** Will Jobless Funds Go Broke? *** AIG Exec Gets $4M Raise *** TARP Repayments Lead To Huge Fees For Bailed-Out Banks *** For Too Many Nonprofits, Charity Starts at Top - Charlotte Observer *** Recovery not as strong as previously thought AP

Pay to Play Wall Street Galleon Founder and Hedge Fund Manager Plead Not Guilty in Insider Case


Environment China & US carbon copies on UN pact *** China Defends Climate Talk Stance *** City dries and cleans stinky marsh stretch called 'Everglades' *** A Copenhagen Postmortem - David Corn, Politics Daily *** Time for a Climate Change Plan B - Nigel Lawson, Wall Street Journal *** Copenhagen: Better Than Nothing - The Economist *** Environmentalists are not happy with the state's consistent sweeping of EPF funds *** Green groups protest the state’s use of the Environmental Protection Fund to help close the budget deficit. (GNS) *** Sierra Club's Pro-Gas Dilemma - Wall Street Journal *** E.U. Blames Others for ‘Great Failure’ on Climate

International Israel Said to Respond to Hamas on Prisoner Swap *** China, Cambodia and the UighursChina and Cambodia had a responsibility under international law to allow an investigation into a Uighurs’ asylum case to be completed (NYT ED) *** FT.com /Middle East / Politics & Society - Iran woos Arab states as sanctions loom *** Pakistani cop dies stopping bomber's attack on press club *** World Sorely Misses Sakharov - Cathy Young, RealClearPolitics *** Mexico Ramps Up Drug War*** Honda Plans New Plant in China *** Eurostar Back on Track *** Jesus-Era House Discovered in Nazareth *** Ahmadinejad dismisses secret doc *** Eurostar queues shorten to offer light at end of tunnel BBC New *** Lithuanian spy agency set up secret prisons for CIA

National New Jersey College Is Beset by Accusations *** States' jobless funds are being drained in recession *** A Long History of Sexism in Politics - Sally Denton, Los Angeles Times *** In Detroit, Grounds for Church Planting *** Report: California’s DOT Stimulus Jobs Data Inflated - Sacramento Bee

Media and New Tech Twitter tweets out a profit: report *** News Corp. raises stake in Sky Deutschland ***The Science of Managing Search Ads ***Africa Israel to Cut Debt on NYT Building ***Tracking Vital Signs With a Phone ***Apple's TV Proposal Gets Nibbles ***Yahoo to Shut Down for Week ***Apple Plots New TV Service ***Report: TMZ Launching Sports Website *Jake Tapper, Terry Moran Guest-Hosting "This Week": Who Should Replace George Stephanopoulos? (POLL) *** The Barbarians at iPhone's Gate ***At Jersey Shore, Thumbs Down For 'Jersey Shore' (WCBS) ***Rick Sanchez Gets New Show "Rick's List" On CNN ***Bush Think Tank Producing Show For PUBLIC TELEVISION