TrueNews: How Albany Enables Hospital Rip Offs

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

How Albany Enables Hospital Rip Offs

How Albany Enables Hospital Rip Offs

NY's hospital sickness Months after former Queens Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio was locked up for influence-peddling, one of the organizations that enabled him is attracting the attention of prosecutors. Judging by court documents, the MediSys-Seminerio partnership just may encapsulate almost everything that's wrong with the way Albany functions. . . the feds caught Seminerio on tape telling ex-Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin (who was also put away for corruption) that he got into the "consulting" business after watching folks in the health-care industry -- Rosen, specifically -- get rich off of state funds that he helped secure.* New York Hospitals Extend Hours (WSJ)

Feds Nearing Indictment Of Sen. Espada CBS 2 HD Has Learned Mail Fraud Among The Charges And That Democrats Want Him Out The Party ASAP (WCBS TV) * There's no heavy lifting for Sen. Pedro Espada foe, Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter (DN) * The Post compares “Team Obama” to Albany, and this is decidedly not a compliment * Democrats Move to Oust Espada From Party * Dems ready to give Pedro the heave-ho - NYPOST.com * Judge allows Monserrate to have contact with girlfriend again (NYP) * Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr. Sticks Up For Embattled Espada * Cuomo Declines to Chat About Espada

Crooked union official pleads guilty to racketeering Michael Brennan, a former shop steward for Local 608 of the carpenters union, faces up to 87 months in the slammer under a plea deal in which he admitted pocketing bribes from On Par Contracting, whose owner, James Murray, is cooperating with authorities

New York Struggles to Regain Unspent Matching Funds Tens of thousands of dollars that candidates initially reported as surpluses appear to have dribbled away as the city took years auditing campaigns to determine how much might be owed. There are also candidates who have seemed to be in no hurry to settle up. Today, for instance, two dozen candidates owe a total of $800,000 from publicly subsidized races in 2001, 2003 and 2005.* Quirk on Runoffs Allows Some to Keep Thousands

One Person, No Vote?New York has a lot of work to do to explain the process of casting a ballot with new voting machines before the state’s primaries on Sept. 14. (NYT Ed) * Does not compute: Board of Elections needs to fix glitch in new voting machines (DN)

An Easy CallGov. David Paterson is being urged to veto a bill that would prevent the police from keeping personal data on people who are stopped but not ticketed or arrested. Instead, he should sign it. (Herbert, NYT)

Wall Street Pays New York's Bills
Big Apple banks on 'finance' Workers and their employers in the finance industry are contributing 10 times as much in taxes to the city as the government and its employees, according to a study by the city's Finance Department (NYP) * Wall Street donors are revolting against the Democrats, partly in response to financial industry reform. * 'Pension' headaches plague city the city is now forking out $14.1 billion in pension, health in surance and fringe benefits -- about 22 percent of its $63 mil lion annual budget. That's $6 billion more than a decade ago -- and fiscal experts envision the city taxpayer tab will swell to $12.1 billion by 2016.* A former city firefighter who has a disability pension for reduced lung capacity is an Ironman triathlete.

Agent out to seduce Wills & Harry: report (NYP) * A Cold-War Spy Story (WSJ) * Russian spy ring: Pals of Anna Chapman rip ex-husband Alex Chapman for discussing sex life (DN)

PA covering up JFK crime: cops (NYP)

As Deutsche Bank Tower Shrinks, Dispute Rages on Costs (NYT)

Law and Order Makeup queen robbed (NYP) * Shot dead at B'klyn bash (NYP) * NYC is heart of international scam that preys on seniors (DN) * Shooting victim's relatives to sue NYPD for wrongful death

Terrorism NY Tirade Offers Insight on Would-Be Bomber * Imam who tipped off terror plotter Zazi is sent packing (DN) * Terror defendant scoffed at JFK security (NYP)

Media and New Tech Joes vs. 'Pros vs. Joes' Blue-collar guys sue Spike TV over 'stolen' show (NYP) * More hand-wringing over the future of CNN *Economist Photoshops Obama To Look Lonely... Magazine Defends.. * Detroit Newspapers' Home Delivery Cuts Working

Obama Decried, Used Bush Drilling Policies Obama criticized the Bush administration for being too soft on the oil industry, but he has ended up backing offshore drilling, bowing to political and fiscal realties (WSJ)

Wall St. plans payback for reg reform (Politico)

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Other Views

On October 15, 1958, veteran broadcaster Edward R. Murrow delivered his famous "wires and lights in a box" speech (VIDEO) The Last Lion of Tammany HOW JIMMY McMANUS, MANHATTAN’S LAST GREAT TAMMANY DISTRICT LEADER, HELPED TO REVIVE HELL’S KITCHEN AND THE THEATER DISTRICT c By James S. Kaplan f On January 13, 2011, the law firm of Proskauer Rose moved into 11 Times Square, which is located on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. In moving west to the final building of the City’s Times Square redevelopment, the Proskauer firm joined such other major law firms as Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Covington & Burling, Roberts & Holland, and the advertising firm of Ogilvy & Mather. That such major professional firms, along with a number of newly constructed luxury apartment buildings on 42nd Street from ninth to eleventh avenue and trendy restaurants and off Broadway theaters would be located west of 8th Avenue in midtown would have been almost inconceivable fifty years ago. Tammany Last Stand Continued

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