Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Judge Says Independence Party Stinks

What Is the Independence Party Hiding?

State judge sealed a courtroom as he conducted a hearing in connection with Manhattan prosecutors' request to find the Independence Party in contempt of court for allegedly failing to cooperate with requests for information from a grand jury.  Why haven't Prosecutors charged the Independence Party with any crimes? They accused ihe party in a lawsuit of helping to cover up Haggerty's alleged theft. Very strange. Judge Criticizes Independence Party on Monitoring Money


Poorly Gaming the Court
The party has refused to return a million dollars to prosecutors that the mayor paid to the party to pay politically operative John Haggerty to run election day security.  Haggerty was indicted by the NY DA for using that money to buy a home.  Asked why the party was willing to give the money back to the mayor and not prosecutors, the party lawyer quipped, "They like the mayor." Party leader MacKay said he's looking forward to a full hearing before the judge. "If there's a victim in this very strange case, we're the victim," he said. * Judging Independence: "There was nothing to suspect that ballot security wasn't done at that time," said the party's state chairman. [WSJ]

True News PM News Update
News Since the Morning Papers
Hevesi sentencing – and five others – on hold (TU)



Goodbye Carl Kruger
Joshrobin Josh Robin (Twitter)
Excl - Brooklyn State Senator Carl Kruger turning himself in to US Atty tomorrow, say sources. On ny1 soon w details.* Sources: Brooklyn Senator To Be Arrested On Federal Charges (NY1) * Capitol Confidential » Carl Kruger will surrender to prosecutors Thursday * Brooklyn Senator to Turn Himself In (NYT) * B'klyn Dem will turn himself in to face corruption charges (NYP) *  Carl Kruger's Russian Secrets  State senator's big stash attracts the FBI (Village Voice) * Carl Kruger's Mighty Campaign Warchest Draws FBI Attention (Village Voice) * Kruger is well-known in the Russian belt that runs through his Brooklyn district.  Last December Kruger pleaded for leniency on behalf of Nikolai Dozortsev -- a reputed "high-ranking member of Russian organized crime" -- following his money laundering conviction.   Although Dozortsev faced twenty years in prison Brooklyn federal judge Frederic Block sentenced the Ukraine-born lad to only five. *  Report: New York State Sen. Carl Kruger Faces Federal Bribery Charges


 

State Sen. Carl Kruger to surrender to feds on bribery charges, cashing in on hospital merger (DN)

 

Brian McLaughlin's Rats the Late Queens Crap: Two-Ton Tony in more trouble

 

State Senator Kruger And Assemblyman Boyland Expected To Face Corruption Charges (NBC)

Another Assemblyman Was Paid by Hospital

Family 'money tree' Scandal-hosp jobs (NYP)

 Richard Lipsky Blog




Why Was the Mayor's Campaign Involvement?
The Independence Party was promised an extra $100,000 from the mayor campaign as "icing on the cake," to do the Haggerty money transfer.  From listening to the judge, DA and press you never know the Bloomberg campaign was involved.  Where are the Haggerty emails that the post wanted to look?  * Independence Party in hot water over Bloomy donation (DN)


In court papers, the party argued that freezing funds could cause the party to collapse. This is an off election year there is nothing for the party to do.  * Judge Restricts Party's Spending(WSJ)

 More on Bloomberg $750,000 to Haggerty

New York Corrupt Political Parties(True News)


City GOP pols' $lasher move  Bid to cut campaign match (NYP)

Why Not Put In Jail Incumbents Who Waste Matching Funds 

Candidates No Longer Personally Liable For Wasting Matching Funds, Thanks To New Court Decision(CHN) * Living Wage: "[I]t's up to Quinn to make sure this anti-job foolishness doesn't get too far."(NYP)



Press and Bloomberg Cover For Corrupt CityTime Contract

 911: Changing software now will delay Bloomberg's plans for a major upgrade. [Crain's]

 

 

What are the 2013 Mayoral Candidate Doing to Create Jobs, Jobs, Jobs in NYC? 

Without jobs you do not have tax revenue; without tax revenue you do not have teachers and cops  . . . Most to the issues they get press for are social issues, not the economic problems facing the city.  We know that Quinn supports gay rights and Weiner is against a statue but what are these candidates and the others going to do about the banks moving jobs out of the city? Citigroup May Move 400 Jobs to N.J.(WSJ) * *Comptroller John Liu, NY City Council Progressives Push Living Wage Bill (DN) *

 

So Far Cuomo Bullies Albany

Everyone thought that bullies were this years politically incorrect cause.  Not true.  Cuomo has shocked the Albany mob who has gone underground with attempts to fight back.  At the request of a national consumer group, a New York state ethics body is examining whether members of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Medicaid policy team ran afoul of conflicts-of-interest laws. Ethics Questions (WSJ) All quiet on attack ad front, but Gov. Cuomo is geared to fire back at critics of brutal budget cuts (DN) * Ethics complaint: Cuomo's Medicaid-fix pros too cozy with hospitals (DN)  * The Democratic Party is running ads in support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo,few people are attacking him on the air. (TU/DN) * Democrats: "The party support for its Democratic governor comes as Democrats in the Legislature are lining up to oppose some of his programs." [Vielkind] * Governor Cuomo Phones You (YNN) * * Cuomo Calls New Yorkers: The State Democratic Party continues its tilt towards Cuomo and against the legislature... (NYO) *One Person's 'Special Interest' Is Another's 'Stakeholder' A group is challenging the Cuomo administration's embrace of the term stakeholder as a linguistic artifice meant to shield special interests. (NYT) *  Liu Wades Into Fight Over Public Employees (NYO)


Cuomo Has Captured the TV Ads Weapon That Were Used By the Albany Mob to Defeat Spitzer and Patterson 

The state Democratic Party on Tuesday put up a radio ad featuring Cuomo urging the public to pressure the Legislature into accepting his proposals to cut a $10 billion deficit. The ad aired at a time when a growing number of Democrats in the Legislature want to fight Cuomo's plan to cut school aid by $1.5 billion while allowing a tax on the wealthy to expire. A coalition of business groups, the Committee to Save New York, launched two ads in favor of Cuomo's agenda in recent weeks and has vowed to spend as much as $10 million. In a shocking development, the hospitals and powerful health care union are running ads in support of Cuomo's cuts, too. * State Democratic Party Executive Director Charlie King insists there’s no intra-party riftl; NYC Councilman Robert Jackson begs to differ.

Cuomo Puts Out A Church Fire

Gov. Cuomo has 'candid' sitdown with Archbishop Dolan, bishops (DN) * Andy & bishops talk after rift (NYP) * Cuomo's Right to Holy Communion Is a Private Matter, Bishop Says * “The governor said his Catholicism means a lot to him. Let’s let that play out,” said Buffalo Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, who met with Cuomo at the executive mansion today.

 

After Meeting Dolan Quick Cuomo Meeting With Gays

Sources: Cuomo To Begin Push For Same Sex Marriage (NY1)

*  Gov. Cuomo Meets On Same-Sex Marriage (DN)






Mayor vows crack down on cabbies who refuse fares(DN)

City Room: Cabbies Say No as the Camera Is Rolling










There was a dispute over a bill on redistricting, which was not considered on the floor. (TU/AP) *

Klein, Valesky Side With GOP On Dems’ Redistricting ‘Missed Opportunity’(YNN)



City Sells Hot Dogs Cheep
Put food permits up for auction like taxi medallions Bring in Millions for the City

Food Carts Fuel Black Market The city's competitive street-food culture has created a thriving black market for mobile food vending permits issued by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Food vending permits which the city sells for $200 are rented to other who operate the carts for tends of thousands of dollars. Transferring or renting these permits to another vendor is illegal but everyone, including the city's Health Department, acknowledges, that it happens. (WSJ)


Park Slope Bike War
Bike Lane Divides Opinions in Park Slope (NYT) *  Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan may have used shaky math to sell a Brooklyn bike lane (DN Ed) * Bikes: How the Times covers the bike lane lawsuit. [Guardian] * Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan Gets Kudos
 

 

Times Square's  Balloon Bursts

Criticism and Questions Over Plan to Move Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Out of Times Sq. (NYT) *Macy's Parade move to 6th Ave raises ire (DN)

 

 


St Patrick's Day Parade March In Line

St. Patrick's Day Parade Getting in Line With Others (NYT) * Hoboken Reels From Wild St. Patrick's Parade (WSJ) 

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Before
School's Chancellor

We Told You Not to Take the Job

 Pols rain on Cathie's plan to grab principals' rainy-day funds (DN) * New Strategy Weighed for Failing Schools (NYT) * Downtown Charter School Hits Opposition(WSJ) *  Ed. guy is bad habit Druggie: Rehire me *  The cost of bad teachers It's the kids who pay the price (NYP) * Schools: Looking to expand Hewbrew language charter schools. [Tablet]




Rise Seen in Black Victims A 31% spike in murders of African-Americans in 2010 accounted for all of last year's nearly 14% citywide increase in homicides. (WSJ)


* Number of city homicides fall this year (NYP)
Sixty one percent of the victims were black, 27 percent Hispanic and 11 percent white.





Law and Order   Raging elderly man killed by neighbor (NYP) * Bus-hit victim loses his $1.8M (NYP) * For Hoboken, a Day of Revelry Is Overwhelmed by Lawlessness * I was American Apparel exec's slave (NYP) * Man Is Shot Dead in Dispute at Barber Shop in Brooklyn (NYT) * Off-Duty Correction Officer Fatally Shoots Man In Barbershop (NY1) * A Barbershop Fight Turns Deadly(WSJ) * Child Rape Trial Begins for Radio Host(WSJ) * Pals give pitch in for alarm system for robbed nail salon owner (DN) * First drunk driver rightly punished for not putting alcohol-detecting ignition cutoff switch in car (DN Ed) * At Least Two City Parks See Rise In Crime (NY1) * Housing executive says he would aid kid-porn suspect again (DN) * NY TV exec sentenced to 25 to life for beheading wife (NYP) * Springtime for Ja Rule: Gun-slinging rapper to stay out of jail until June to finish album, taxes (NYP) * NYC man pleads guilty to deliberately scalding infant (SI Advance) * Bodies Found In Flatbush May Be Missing NJ Couple (WPIX)






NYT  Hits Kings Past IRA Support

For Lawmaker Examining Terror, a Pro-I.R.A. Past (NYT) * Fair to Muslims?Representative Peter King’s hearings are an opportunity to educate Americans about the Islamic community’s diversity and faith. (NYT Op-Ed) *  Rep. Pete King must keep probe of violent Islamic fundamentalism focused on facts, nothing but facts (DN Ed) *  Jon Stewart: Has Rep. Peter King Met His Terrorist Sympathizing Past Self? *King: Hearing Hysteria Isn’t My Fault (YNN) * Civil Rights Groups Protest Upcoming Congressional Hearing On Terrorism (NY1)* Stringer Says King's Hearing Make U.S. Less Safe: One day after Bill de Blasio stepped into the void - created i... 

 



911 Terror Mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed Trial and Location Still Unclear And Still Set for New York

Cry for Gitmo goon's trial  O's 9/11 indecision (NYP) * Unswift & uncertain trial (NYP Ed) * The Prison That Won’t Go Away President Obama’s promise to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay has crumbled. (NYT Ed)  * NYPD detective confronted subway terror suspect, FBI agent testifies (DN) * Suspect's Qns. 'jihad' car crash (NYP)

 

Using the Press and Politics to Improve TV Ratings

Spitzer for Mayor — the poll. (CNN) *  Donald Trump will decide on a presidential run by June. (SOP)







DRAMA: 'SPIDER-MAN' Civil War As Investors, Producers Fight... 

What We've Learned from the Spider-Man Debacle (Gawker)







Pregnant Woman Charts Kindness Of Subway Commuters



Goldman Sachs' Gupta Made the Call and Walks Free To Date

Seasoned Prosecutors Prep for 'War' For the next 10 weeks, prosecutors will battle Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam in courtroom 17B in lower Manhattan. But they will win or lose the insider-trading case in a nearby "war room." (WSJ) * S.E.C. Chairwoman’s Ethics Under Fire - NYTimes.com * Jury chosen for Galleon Group founder's insider trading trial (NYP) * *Click here: $45 Million insider trading case begins - Video - Business News (CNN)