Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Rattner Press Spin Operations and Control of the Press Goes Into Overkill; Albany Does Nothing Again; Bloombnerg Gets Black

Media's Journalism Ethics has Melted Down In Its Blind Support of Rattner

The is no New Yorkers who has positive spin in the press more than Steve Rattner who is accused by the AG of organizing the largest rip off of pension funds in history.  Rattner has special close relationships with almost every media owner in the city.  Rattner message of bis innocence and his attacks on Cuomo have been on the media outlets for weeks own by his defender and employeer Bloomberg to defend himself.


 Rattner Says Cuomo's Lawsuit in New York Pension Case `Close to Extortion' (Bloomberg News)

Charlie Rose Talks to Steven Rattner  Quadrangle's co-founder and Obama's car czar just settled with the SEC over the pay-to-play pension fund scandal. Now, Andrew Cuomo wants a piece of him (Bloomberg, Businessweek) * Rattner Assails Cuomo Offer (N YT)

Today's WSJ acts like Rattner Has not Got his message out:

Rattner Gives 'His Side' of Story After 18 months, Steven Rattner is speaking out about what he calls "his side" of the story behind Cuomo's probe into his efforts to win business from New York state's public pension fund.(WSJ)  Dueling Remarks Escalate Feud With New York Governor-Elect; Cuomo Has Been 'Trashing My Reputation'

Rattner Friends on the Newspaper editorial board have not offered one editorial even after his guilty plea of ripping off the pension funds  . . . Financial Advisor to Both the Owner of the News and NYT

 Quadrangle says Rattner ‘failing to take responsibility for his actions’ (WNYC) 

A game of softball for Rattner (TU)

Cuomo Rattner War

"We have people in jail today who would gladly return the money if they can stay out of jail. That is not justice. Rattner robbed millions from the New York tax payers." (NY)
Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo on Rattner's SEC Settlement: 'That's not justice.' [VIDEO] * Cuomo on Rattner attack: Crooks don't say, 'Yes I'm guilty'Newsday

Not only does Rattner have special media friends, his public relations team working 24/7 he also lawyered up.  Steve Rattner will file a lawsuit seeking personal emails from Andrew Cuomo and his staff, in an effort to show his case is politically motivated. 


Cuomo’s pay-to-play state pension fund probe was partially behind Steven Rattner’s heretofore unexplained decision to leave his post as the Obama administration’s car czar in 2009. * In Midst of Lambasting Rattner, Cuomo Pitches New Law & Order Spinoff- New York Magazine * Newly released letter fuels Cuomo-Rattner '74 P'10 P'13 row The Brown Daily Herald




Groundhog Day in Albany Again
Election of a new governor who ran on changing Albany.  The probable loss of the State Senate to the republicans when the candidate who was on top of the Republican ticket was a bomb.  New York has become the lowest voter participation state in the union because of voter believe that voting does not change the culture of Albany.  If the special session yesterday to reduce the deficit was any indication the voters who stayed home were right.
* The downstate gambling operation will officially shut its doors Friday.* Much ado, little done (TU) * Paterson even failed in trying to get a longtime aide appointed to the Parole Board.* Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate Minority (?) Leader Dean Skelos and Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson were all re-elected by their respective conferences yesterday. * The vote on Sampson was done quietly and with little warning.* Labor unions are preparing for the “irony” of seeing Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo use the campaign cash they helped him amass against them during the upcoming budget battle.* The CBS’s Elizabeth Lynam has some ideas about where Cuomo might cut Medicaid spending.* Bill Hammond is depressed by the state’s failure to get high-speed rail.* "Special sessions are for one house bills," said Speaker Silver. *  Source: Senate Dem Leadership Vote ‘A Complete Ambush’ (Updated) * State Assembly is still Silver’s turf - UPDATED * They're Senate Dems’ Bank Practices ‘Unsafe And Unsound’ * Staten Islander stepping down as secretary of state Senate (SI Live) * In Albany, what a surprise: no budget voteRochester City Newspaper (blog)

Senate Dems $2.46 M In Debt

Top Lobbyist Leaves Business to Avoid Conflicts(NYT)

More bad news for Senate Dems: debt (DN)

Cuomo: State government failed the people once again (DN)

State GOP Paid Big Tusk Bucks To Bloomberg Operative

Tusk

Tusk Double Talk
Some Pigs are More Equal Than Others
Reformer with Koch's NY Uprising and a lobbyist with the Aqueduct bid * Tusk casino: Bloomy aide in Aqueduct bid (NYP) * The Times suggests shutting down the NYC OTB for good might be better for everyone * The Lottery Division is re-starting its assessment of the last Aqueduct racino bid after a judge lifted AEC’s TRO * Mayor Bloomberg’s Secret Weapon | The New York Observe).
Prior to signing back on with Bloomberg, Tusk worked primarily for Democrats (he did a stint with former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and ended up testifying against him).  
 

Wag the Control of the Senate
True News Said It First Last Weekend

32 GOP to 30 DEM Or 31 to 31 
7 District on Long Island Will Decide the State Senate
Today
Control of the state Senate comes down to Craig Johnson/Jack Martins.

Thompson Concedes (Updated)




Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. ultimately failed to show up at the Capitol yesterday, citing a family emergency. 




 

Bloom Put His Education Public Relations Mouthpiece in Place

She's in the Black (NYP) * With Deal, Bloomberg’s Pick Wins Helm of City Schools (NYT) The Public School Bargain Will the relationship between the next schools chancellor and her chief academic officer be a true partnership? * Black Gets Approval to Head Schools(WSJ) * Bloomberg: Schools Deputy Will Follow Black's Lead * State Education Commissioner Grants Waiver For Cathie Black (DN)* The dual post method of running a public school system has had mixed success outside New York.* Cathie Black Meets The Media, Pt 2: 'That was Yesterday, Today is Today, and I am the New Chancellor' [Video] * Teachers To March On Hearst Tower, Demand To Be Named Cathie Black's Replacement* Black is putting the whole waiver controversy behind her, saying: “That was yesterday.”

 

Rangel Spanking Will Not Fix Corrupt Washigton One Bit

Rangel in DC for 'D-Day'(NYP) *House Censure: Humbling to Some, but Not All (NYT) * Rangel is hoping his punishment comes in writing, and not in public.* The Times does a deep dive on the past censure cases.



 New York's Economic Meltdown

OTB on track to glue factory(NYP)

OTB says it will shut down Friday


 

New York Has Lost LaGuardia's Message

La G plane-ly worst airport (NYP) The airport named in honor of New York's most popular


 

 

High Cigarette Tax Bleeding the Budget 

Butt-tax blowback How pathetically predictable: Albany raises taxes on cigarettes to such onerous levels that purchasing them legally becomes all but unaffordable. (NYP ED)

  Feds eye delay for new $27.5 million street signs (DN) 

 More Economic Problems

Struggling city hospitals stage musical fundraisers (DN) * Department of Finance lays off more than 120, including disabled workers, as it hires new managers (DN)


When Pigs Run Basketball Teams

New York Loses Allure as Basketball Mecca(WSJ)


Construction Giant Admits Fraud Over Minority Firms Schiavone Construction Company agreed to forfeit $20 million for evading rules intended to help disadvantaged subcontractors. (NYT) * Contractor Settles Claims(WSJ) * Mobster rats out construction firm (DN)

WTC Builder Could Get More U.S. Aid(WSJ) * Bloomberg is considering using tens of millions in leftover federal stimulus cash to help WTC developer Larry Silverstein.


U.S. Seeks Tunnel Refund From N.J. (WSJ)

911 Bill Sen. Chuck Schumer pledged a vote will be held on the Zadroga bill. * There is still no agenda for the Congressional lame duck session.

 

Community Garden Advocates Seek Better Protections (DN)




Nydia Velazquez on the Passing of Stephen Solarz

Steve Solarz (1940-2010) and the making of Senator Schumer | Capital New York





WikiLeaks dump: Innocents may die as 'closet' allies of U.S. get cold feet in fight against terror (DN)