Turning Up the Heat
Secret Talks to Pass An Ethics Bill Stalled
An increasingly frustrated Gov. Cuomo plans to step up pressure by proposing his own ethics bill on the scandal-scarred Legislature to pass a tough ethics bill if an agreement isn't reached within two weeks. Andy's ethics threat on pols.
****The Speaker Sends A Message in the Media Today to Cuomo
Silver Knows When to Fold
Silver confirmed he supports requiring all lawyer-legislators to reveal their client lists and outside income.*Bob McManus wonders if Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has finally met his match in Cuomo.* Albany Ethics: “All eyes now turn to Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos” now that Silver is on board, says Vielkind. (Albany Times-Union)
True News PM News Update
News Since the Morning Papers
Councilman Wants 'Sign-Out' Sheet for Mayor Bloomberg (NBC) * Skelos: We’re A Month Behind Budget Schedule (Updated) (YNN) * Congress to Vote to Cut U.N. Security Funding Tomorrow (NYO) * Joseph Mercurio4 Hedge Fund Managers Face Insider Trading Charges (WNBC) * Freed Young Leader Energizes Egyptian Protests (NBC) * Egypt Crowds Swell to Record Numbers * Arrrests at St. Vincent's Hospital Activists Trying to Keep the Hospitals Buildings From Being Sold to Real Estate Developers *Embattled top labor official takes offensive Central Labor Council President Jack Ahern fights back to rebuild his image (Crains NY) * NY Man Charged With Putting Fake Addresses On Election Petition (TPM) * Was the Sullivan County casino dead before it even got off the ground?* The NYC Council’s pork-barrel spending is now on-line * With 14 Gone, Huntley Tops List Of Senate Democrats’ Staffer Layoffs (City Hall) * NYC Comptroller John Liu: City Finance Department Hindered Tax Collection Audit (SN) * Judges to get high end apartments at taxpayers' expense (WNYT)
Mike's Dysfunctional Begging
The so-called Tin Cup Brigade
Now that Cuomo's budget people are using the fact that the mayor saved rain day funds in past city budgets to justify their extra cuts to the city. Bloomberg can't even count on legislatures from the city to back him up. As long as there reelections remain automatic, they will be more loyal to the Albany special interests than their constituents or the mayor.
Mayor With No Political Power In Albany Becomes A Town Crier Warning All
Mike 'states' case on school layoffs (NYP) * Mayor Tells Legislature That Lost Aid Will Ensure Layoffs (NYT) * Mayor Warns of Major Cuts to Senior Centers The mayor raised the specter of shuttering more than a third of the city's senior centers (WSJ) * Bloomberg, Cuomo continue to squabble over budget plan (DN) * Albany legislators show how clueless they are when Mayor Bloomberg visits, asking for mandate relief (DN) * Bloomberg Calls On Governor To Reduce Cuts To City (NY1) * N.Y. Cuts May Close Senior Centers (Fox 5) * Bill would force Mayor Bloomberg to let public know when he leaves town (SI Advance) * State budget's brutal hits make clear city's long-term financial health depends on pension overhaul (DN Ed) * Bloomberg had a “testy” meeting with the Senate Democrats about his push to repeal “last in, first out” for public school teachers.* The state and NYC budget directors exchanged verbal barbs via press release.* The mayor advocated for pension reform and mandate relief during his short trip to Albany, which he says would save the city $1 billion.* NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio criticizes Bloomberg’s ability to be a “hands-on” manager. (He thinks Rudy Giuliani was more adept in this department). * Bill Hammond thinks Bloomberg made some good points, and that lawmakers appeared "clueless" when questioning him. * Bloomberg vs Cuomo: Mayor says Cuomo needs to honor Paterson’s promise of $650 million for NYC. Cuomo aide calls it “unrealistic.” (nydailynews.com) * Budget Wars: NYC V. NYS (DN) * Mayor Bloomberg And The Independent Democratic Conference... So Happy Together?
www.capitaltonight.com * Mayor Bloomberg testifies in secret court hearing about campaign(DN) * Man accused of bilking Bloomberg wants case tossed (WSJ) * Bloomberg Testified in Case Against Campaign Aide (NYT) * Man Accused Of Bilking Bloomberg Wants Case Tossed (WCBS TV) * “There is no crime in coming in under budget,” said Raymond R. Castello, one of John Haggerty’s team of defense attorneys. * Consultant Accused Of Ripping Off Mayor Asks For Case To Be Dropped (NY1)
True News Report New York Corrupt Political Parties 4 Sale
More Albany Crap
NYRA’s Charlie Hayward thinks the thoroughbred industry would benefit from full-service casinos in NY.* Expensive Prisons Governor Cuomo’s new budget proposes two sensible steps toward the long overdue goal of closing down unnecessary prisons. (NYT Ed) * Sen. Shirley Huntley fired 14 staffers and leads the layoffs list for Senate Democrats, post-transition back to the minority.* As did Catholic leaders, who say Catholic schools will have it worse than public schools. * IDC Skips Senate Dems’ Cuomo Dinner (YNN) * Sampson: Mandate Relief Must Happen (Albany Watch) * Sampson Brands Skelos An ‘Enemy Of Reform’ (YNN) * Senate GOP Gives Dems $15.2 M to Work With (YNN) * State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos echoed growing complaints that Cuomo's proposed budget provides too little detail and punts too many decisions to task forces - giving lawmakers scant time to negotiate: "This lacks the specificity we've seen in the past." (Newsday)
Last Year True News Wrote Jacobs Days Were Numbered
NYS Democratic Leader Jay Jacobs Will Have To Go Part II
Today Page Six insists Cuomo wants to replace state Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs with Charlie King, but a spokesperson for the governor insisted that’s “not true.” * What is Cuomo doing with Jay Jacobs? (WNYC)
Is Seabrook Still Ordering Bagels?
Indicted pol posts no bills Adding to the long list of his other ignominious feats, indicted City Councilman Larry Seabrook (D-Bronx) managed to collect a $112,500 salary last year without introducing a single piece of legislation * Bronx Political Chatter: Cash and Carry Larry Still Getting Paid (Bronx Politic Chatter)
True News Special
What Ever Happen to the Council Slush Fund Investigation?
Here's a fun (or disturbing) way to see where your tax dollars are going: The City Council’s pork-barrel spending for fiscal 2011 is now up on the Empire Center for New York State Policy's www.SeeThroughNY.net. The new searchable database covers the $54.4 million in discretionary member items sponsored for the 2010-11 fiscal year.
Daily News Calls Markowitz A Knucklehead For Lack of Ethics
Brooklyn Borough Pres Marty Markowitz finally fesses up to ethics lapse that made him a Knucklehead (DN Ed) * Brooklyn Borough Chief Is Fined (NYT) *Brooklyn Borough President Faces Ethics Fine (WSJ) * Markowitz slapped with $2K fine using work lawyer for home deal (DN) * Markowitz fined 2G
Manhattan Puts Controls on Bike Lanes What About Brooklyn - Marty?
Transportation Commissioner Jeanette Sadik-Khan is finally backpedaling -- a little -- on bike lanes (DN Ed)
Budget Cuts: From 2 to 6 Days To Fix
Potholes from hell: Officials add to mess by furloughing road workers (DN)
A Parking Ticket Windfall as Parking Rules Resume (NYT) * DOT Furloughs Leave Cracks In City's Pothole Repairs (NY1)
Parking tickets - but no plows * Residents' big dig begins as parking rules return (DN)* Potholes pile up as snow melts (WABCTV)
Add NYPD to CityTime and MTA Contract Waste
Feds rap NYPD no-bid pacts (N YP)* Ray Kelly, Police Commissioner, Buys NYPD Gear In Secret (Village Voice)
The City Record in Now Online
How suites it is Who knew that New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman's secret ambition was to run a luxury hotel?
Mr. Met Stressed Out
Wilpon labor pain Madoff mess may affect baseball talks The Major League Baseball Players Association, concerned that owners may be unwisely investing millions of dollars in deferred compensation owed to players, will ask for stricter rules to be implemented that would better safeguard the cash and bar owners from playing fast and loose with it (NYP) * Sterling Equities uses Mets to buy real estate (Long Island Business News)
Most New York Students Are Not College-Ready(NYT) * Graduates, but Ill-Prepared New York state high-school students' college and career readiness lags far behind the graduation rates that most school districts post (WSJ) * Bronx School Latest To Test Positive For PCBs (NY1) * "No Love" In Cathie Black's Eyes * New York Students Not Ready For College; Regents Are to Blame(Village Voice)
Plan for $13.5B NJ-NY rail link (NYP) * With One Plan for a Hudson Tunnel Dead, Senators Offer Another Option (NYT) * Amtrak's Plan For New Tunnel Gains Support(WSJ) * Select Bus Service Needs Improvement, Riders Say (NY1) * MetroCards Set To Expire (Fox 5)
Law and Order Queens sex trafficker guilty (NYP) * Girl, 14, quizzed after dead baby is found under bed (NYP) * Trial starts in Diamond District 'Snatch' caper (NYP) * Third Trial for Suspect in ’96 Killings Is Under Way (NYT) * 2 Jewelry Dealers on Trial, Accused of a Fake Robbery (NYT) * Newborn Found Dead in Coney Island(WSJ) * WATCH: Video catches cops punching N.J. student while trying to arrest him * Police: Newborn Found Dead Inside Bag (NY1) * TV Station’s Founder Is Convicted of Beheading Wife (NYT) * TAKE THAT! Bag-Swinging Granny Fights Off Jewel Thieves (VIDEO) *3 Men Stabbed Inside SoHo Bar (WPIX)*SI thug attacks 2 cops, homeless man: police* Lucchese thug gets 5 1/2 behind bars for macing & mugging * Babysitter found guilty in drowning of 11-mo.-old in bucket (NYP) * Kristin Davis Wants To Stop Sex Trafficking (Gothamist)
AOL Roles It's Final Dice on Arianna
AOL's Arianna bet Net giant blows half its cash on $315M HuffPo deal (NYP) * AOL’s Bet on Another Makeover (NYT) * AOL Makes Big Bet With Huffington Post(WSJ) * NBC tried for 18 months to buy HuffPost but "could never agree on price," Jeff Zucker says *HuffPo Blogger Revolt! (NYO) * Matt Lewis Quits Aol Politics Daily For Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller, Says Huffington Is A Far-Left Liberal (Mediaite) * Arianna planning “citizen journalism” expansion at AOL
What Does The AolingtonPost Mean For The NewsBeast?
Huffington Post Readers Revolt Against AOL (The Daily Beast)
Terrorism Peter King is recruiting Muslims to testify at his hearings on homegrown Islamic terrorism. *
King: 'I Will Not Allow Political Correctness' to Stand In Way of Muslim Hearings
Olbermann Said to Be Going to Current TV (NYT)
