Quinn's Council Slush Fund Cover Up Into 4th Year, Its DOI Fault

DOI Corruption Coordinator

The epi center of City Council slush fund member item corruption is the very agency designed to prosecute it the city's Department of Investigation.  It is simply not doing its job.  In fact the commissioner of DOI Rose Gill Hearn is doing all she can to drag her feet on most politically connected city corruption.  Over three years ago DOI said they were conducting an investigation of Speaker Quinn City Council slush fund scandal.  I wonder if Quinn puppet like support for the mayor's agenda has something to do with the long stalled DOI Slush Fund Investigation. Does DOI know the names of the City Council Members and mayoral aides that got their tickets fixed by the NYPD? 'CityTime' out State to nix contractor's new pacts(NYP) . Ms. Gill Hearn had proof of corruption in the CityTime contract in 2003 and did not act.  There are news reports that several Whisleblowers came to DOI with corrupt goings on at CityTime which was also ignored. DOI: Investigations are Political (True News)

31 Days After Bloomberg Says CityTime Did "A Pretty Good Job" He Now Wants Our Money Back

 What happens if mayor takes the CityTime to court and put Bloomberg on the stand to ask him if he believes the contractor did a good job?

 #Bloomberg: We Want The $600 Million We Lost In The #CityTime Payroll #Scandal Back.. http://nydn.us/jplRfY * Bloomberg Wants $600 M. Refund From CityTime Contractor(NYO) * Bloomberg demands refund from CityTime contractor(NYP) * NYC has 47,000 private contracts. Here's the "jaw-dropping" story of what happened when it dropped the ball on 1(WNYC)

Mayor Mike Bloomberg says city did 'pretty good job' with CityTime ...(NYT)

Quinn Almost Breaks Her Fake Slush Fund Reform - Budget Passed Today

Speaker Boxed In By her Own Transparency  Rules

The City Council has postponed its vote on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's $66 billion budget until Wednesday morning, giving New Yorkers a full day to review the council's annual list of pork barrel spending. It was ready to vote last night until a report brought up the Speaker Quinn's reform three years ago to release the list of member items council pork 24 hours before a vote on the budget. City Council Postpones Budget Vote * City Council Approves $66 Billion Budget: By a vote of 49-1, the City Council today signed off on its $66 billion... 

 

 Gov't Funds Councilmembers Used to Get Re-Elected

Albany Has Not Had Member Items for the Last 2 Years.  Why is the council spending 50 million this year on a corrupt filled slush fund when that money can be used to hire more teacher, cops and stop some cuts?

2011 City Council Slush Fund - Schedule C

What Happen to the Council Slush Fund Investigation?(True News)

Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, which was founded by Assemblyman Vito Lopez, the Brooklyn Democratic Party chairman, got a total of $687,000.  Council grants $600G in earmarks to group caught in Vito Lopez federal corruption investigation(NYDN)

 Vito Lopez Uses Government Funds to Run His Machine (True News)

State IG Ellen Biben has re-opened an AEG-related probe into former Senator-turned-lobbyist Carl Andrews. *The Council restored $541,649 in funding to NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio’s office and nearly $6.5 million to the offices of the five borough presidents.

 

 Despite facing corruption charges, Bronx Councilman Larry Seabrook is slated to receive about $362,000 in member item money from City Council Speaker Christine Quinn this year

CM Seabrook under Indicted for Stealing Member Items Hands Out More Funds This Year

Seabrook, a Bronx Democrat who has pleaded not guilty, has asked that nearly $400,000 in total be directed to 13 organizations in the fiscal year that begins Friday, records showed. The funds are a fraction of the nearly $50 million in so-called "member items"—derided by critics as "pork"—that the council plans to ...Indicted Councilman Hands Out Cash(WSJ)

 

After Coming Wall Street Job Cuts Next Year the City's Budget Will Be in More Red Ink

Don't Celebrate New Budget Rainy Day Fund Gone For Next Year

Wall Street Wielding the Ax The trading slump on Wall Street has battered profits and is about to cost some people their jobs.(WSJ)

This Year Budget

NYC Budget: "reduce the number of public school teachers, lay off workers and cut back on caseworkers for the homebound elderly." [CBS]* The NYC Council approved the $66 billion budget, 49-1, with the lone “no” vote coming from Charles Barron.

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NYT's Maureen Dowd's astounding interview with Cuomo: "So governor, are you afraid your're going to hell?" 

Utopia on the Hudson Told by his dad to get off the canvas, Andrew Cuomo learned what the big picture really means (Dowd, NYT) * Cuomo put in a call to the NY Times’ Maureen Dowd, reveals he didn’t expected to win the gay marriage fight, is “troubled” to be at odds with the church, mostly abstains from taking Communion, 3talks at least once a day to his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo. On a White House run, he says: “If I’m breathing in 2016, I’ll be happy.”*   Members of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s cabinet hit the hustings and the airwaves today as part of the post-session victory lap/what-comes-next tour. * Cuomo leads the nation’s government in his approval rating, which is 64-19, 20 points better than NJ Gov. Chris Christie’s, according to a new Q poll.* With all the 2016 speculation, Greg David reminds us that Cuomo must first be re-elected in 2014, and has angered some key constituencies on the left.*Most bills in Albany pass in party-line votes.*  Cuomo, who now has a huge and excited base of millions of volunteers, activists and donors across the country, can press a button and raise millions."* Polls: Cuomo is very popular.A Catholic blog takes a dim view of Maureen Dowd’s interview with Cuomo.

Will One Corrupt Queens Boss Pick the What has Traditionally Been the Brooklyn Jewish Seat?

Up To Cuomo and State Law

Gov. Cuomo can strike a blow for democracy and against bossism by avoiding rigged special elections(NYDN)

One Corrupt Political Boss Will Pick the Next Congressman

Will Weiner Problem End Brooklyn Jewish Congressional District Tradition?

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Indian Point told by Cuomo top aide the governor wants it shut down

Cuomo to Indian Point: Drop Dead

Cuomo Takes Tough Stance on Nuclear Reactors(NYT)

Hydrofracking: Hinchey and Schneiderman want answers from gas companies. * Mayor Bloomberg is at odds with Cuomo over the potential closure of Indian Point.

 

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Has Lame Duck Bloomberg Lost His Fire In His Belly?

Strategy: "Bloomberg's puzzling budget strategy." * Unions: Mulgrew and Roberts run the show; Bloomberg ineffective negotiator. 

 

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Eduction: Stay the Course Wallcott

New Schools Chief Stays the Course(NYT) * Principal plagiarizes graduation speech at School for Writers and Artists(NYDN) * Bronx teen journeys from military camp on Ivory Coast to high school graduation(NYDN) * Schools' Efforts To Remove PCBs Get $30 Million More From City(NY1) * The governor will definitely veto a bill that would allow school districts to borrow as much as $1 billion, to cover pension contributions, according to his aides. * Custodians, School Employees Accused of Bilking City Out of $500K 9WNYC) * Principal at Lehman High School Is Out grade fixing (NYT)

Teachers sue over new state ratings system(NYP)*  Union Challenges State on Use of Tests in Teacher Evaluations(NYT) * Union Sues State to Stop Teacher Evaluations(WSJ) * The state approved more charter schools, even as the co-location argument rages in NYC.

No Fault 4 2 in Fireman's Deaths

Breaking Second Acquittal in Deutsche Bank Fire Trial (NYT)

Deutsche death-blaze defendant beats rap(NYP) * Foreman Acquitted in Deadly Deutsche Bank Blaze(NYT) * Contractor Cleared in Fatal Tower Fire(WSJ) * One Defendant Acquitted In Deutsche Bank Fire Trial(NY1) * Deutsche Bank juror's hug scrutinized by prosecution(NYP)

 

 

 

The see-no-evil board John Liu Does the city's Conflicts of Interest Board understand what a genuine conflict of interest even is? The board ruled that neither Liu's blistering rhetoric at a union rally denouncing the Central Park Boathouse, nor the fact that he accepted thousands in campaign cash from that union, should impede the official audit of the restaurant by him.(NYP Ed)

 NYP Vs. John Liu (True News)

Harlem Lawyers Fast-Tracked For Judgeships(NYDN)

9/11 lawyers won't get single penny from fund for first-responders(NYDN) * WTC fund master Sheila Birnbaum to limit lawyer fees, encourage pro bono work for ill 9/11 victims(NYDN)

Rent stabilization is a lifeline for NY(NYDN)

 

 

 

Food Trucks Shooed From Midtown(NYT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 MTA elevators and escalators have faulty monitoring systems: report(NYDN)

 

Weiner Got to End Up With Dr. Drew On A Reality Show  . . .  He Needs A Paycheck

Weiner to do hard time in rehab(NYP)

Brawlin' maids are ready for a dust-up The next foreign big shot who tries to have his way with the hotel help is in for a big surprise. Staffers and management at Manhattan's ritzy Pierre hotel took self-defense classes with a second-degree-black-belt instructor yesterday

Aspiring Rapper on Light Pole Stops Times Square Traffic(NYT) * Editorial: The Finest's not-so-finest hour(NYP)

Taiwanese Cartoon Takes On Same-Sex Marriage

Backs off oath to perform gay pal's nups(NYP) * Gay Couples Losing PerksThe legalization of gay marriage in New York means some couples may have to walk down the aisle for the most practical of reasons: to hold onto their partners' health insurance and other benefits.(WSJ) * Long Island plans mass gay wedding for next month(NYDN) * Political Movers Celebrate Their Efforts For Same-Sex Marriage Bill(NY1) * The state Department of Correctional Services is re-writing its rules about conjugal visits following the gay-marriage law’s signing by Cuomo.* Weddings: So far, nobody has asked Sharpton to officiate their gay wedding. [Twitter] * President Obama called New York’s same-sex marriage vote “a good thing,” but stopped short of endorsing the measure himself.

 

City Pool Season Officially Starts Wednesday(NY1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Law and Order

 Truman star running back killed on graduation day(NYP) * Star Athlete Killed Hours After High School Graduation(NYT) * NYC student fatally stabbed hours after graduation(WSJ) * Truman HS football star Isayah Muller stabbed to death just hours after graduation ceremony (NYDN) * Father of HS football star started fight that killed son: cops(NY1)

Cops  Try to Stop Accuser From Talking at Their Sentencing
Axed officers eye free pass(NYP) * Lawyers for 2 Ex-Officers Ask Judge to Bar Accuser From Speaking at Sentencing(NYT) * Sentencing Delayed After Acquittal in Rape Case(WSJ)

Elderly can-collector, 86, is caught in gang crossfire and hit by stray bullet(NYDN) * Pop-Up Pianos Stolen, Vandalized (Village Voice)

Subway fare evaders beware: NYPD on the hunt

Jury to Hear Recordings, Not Witness, on Murder(NYT) * Teenager Charged in Gang Case Surrenders(NYT) * Video Shows Brazen Bushwick Copper Theft, Police Say(NYT) * Plea Deal Puts Teen on Path to College(WSJ) *Accused pharmacy killers 'showing no remorse whatsoever'(NYDN) *Woman sues dog owner for beachhouse bite(NYDN) * Castration case prompts judge to order release of gruesome photos(NYDN) * Mobster jailed for illegal gambling goes all in with request to go on pro-poker circuit(NYDN) *  Dad sentenced to 100 years for torching pregnant ex-girlfriend and Qns. apartment where 2 kids were trapped(NYP) * Two Men Allegedly Set Brooklyn Subway Booth On Fire (NY1)

 Sour note: 500-lb public piano stolen from Bronx park(NYDN) * Jewish suspect in hate-crime rap was attacked first: family(NYDN) * Brooklyn Man Faces Assault, Hate Crime Charges(NY1)  

Street Piano Vanishes (and With It, Free Fun in the Bronx)(NYT)

Terrorism  Raid by Coalition Forces Ends Attack on Hotel in Kabul(NYP) * NATO Copter Ends Kabul Hotel Siege(WSJ) * AP: Three Men Convicted In Bronx Temple Plot Sentenced To 25 Years

  

 

 Is the the End of the Village Voice?

Founded 1955

Village Voice writers threaten strike on Friday(WSJ) * Gonzalez: Gil Spencer, larger-than-life newsman, always got the story(NYDN) * NY Daily News rumored to be eyed for takeover by DNA Info website. Owner Mort Zuckerman says: "Never heard of them"

 

Big Banks: No Jail Just Pay A Fine If You Get Caught

$8.5 Billion Deal Near in Suit on Bank Mortgage Debt(NYT) * BofA Nears $8.5 Billion Settlement(NYT) *  The Man That Got Away Subprime prosecutors hunt small game.(Slate)

 

Jon Stewart v. Fox Round 3: Stewart Plays His Own Offensive Accent Highlight Reel

 

 

 

Colbert On Bachmann’s Gacy Gaffe: ‘People May Think You’re A Clown…But You’re Deadly Serious’

 

 

News Corp. bought MySpace in 2005 for $580 million. Sold it today for $35 million. (NYT)