Three weeks ago True News point out that if the governor called a special election to fill the Weiner seat one man corrupt Queens boss Joe Crowley would pick the next congressman from the 9th district. Today the NYT & Daily News called the party rules which go back to boss Tweed that allow one man rule undemocratic. The NYT did not get into why Albany does not want to change the party rules. Incumbents get help when challengers pop up from Board of Elections which is controlled by the county leaders. Most time those the BOE makes sure challengers cannot make it passed what the NYT called "not great" NY political parties ballot access rules. The NYT could have demand that the city's DOI commissioner Rose Gill Hearn stop delaying her investigation of the BOE former Commissioner Gonzalez's reported attempt to fix the ballot in a special election. City Hall News wrote in October 2010 that Gonzalez Firing, DOI Investigation, Could Ease Awaited Bloomberg BoE Power Play. The NYT also did not talk about how the same party rules give the party leaders control who become a Supreme Court Judge in the state. Or about all the corrupt coming out of party leaders selling access to their ballot lines.
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| True News Wags NYT |
The NYT did say: "This scam is even worse in state races in New York. Citizens Union reported recently that a third of the Legislature was first anointed as candidates in these back-room, special-election deals. Mr. Cuomo didn’t have to hand those six open seats to the bosses. State law says that the governor can call a special election to fill open seats in the Legislature or wait until the next election. Mr. Cuomo should have allowed the state races to go through the normal process. He can now start making amends to New Yorkers by pushing to change the state’s special election laws, so the voters, not party bigwigs, get to choose who represents them" The Daily News says: " Long term, Cuomo aides say there's another solution: to persuade legislators to rewrite the law under which they were, in effect, appointed to office so the governor would be required to call for open primaries whenever possible. As if Lopez and Crowley would sit still as their power was voted away. Right. Sure. Dream on."
For Democracy Can the NYT & Daily News Act Like Harper's Weekly
For the NYT Own Good They Should Put As Much Energy Into Cleaning Up NY's Elections From Boss Run Scams as the Paper Put Into the Passage of Gay Marrage. New York’s Especially Undemocratic Elections Now that the governor has ordered special elections, party leaders, not the people, will get to choose the candidates to run for a House seat and six State Assembly seats. (NYT Ed) * Campaign against the Tweed Ring
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Holtzman Taking CityTime Lobbying Payoffs and Wants Weiner Seat
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As reported by City Hall on Friday, the Queens Democratic Party is seriously considering picking former congresswoman Liz Holtzman as the Democratic nominee in the race to replace Weiner. But one big problem for Holtzman could be her recent lobbying work on behalf of the giant defense firm SAIC, the main contractor on the scandal-scarred CityTime project. In the first four months of 2011, Holtzman was paid a whopping $80,000 to lobby the comptroller's office and mayor's office on CityTime.* "Holtzman could likely be trusted not to run against Crowley or Rep. Gary Ackerman." * The Bringing Down of Liz Holtzman * CityTime Payroll Scandal a Cautionary Tale(WNYC) * Elizabeth Holtzman Thinks She’s Ideal for Weiner’s Seat(NYT) * The Special Election Timetable (YNN) * Elizabeth Holtzman Interested in Running for Weiner's Seat(Forward) * NY9: “Whoever wins the seat may have little time to enjoy it.” [Jewish Forward Daily] * Candidates interviewed by the Brooklyn/Queens GOP include: Would-be GOP candidates in NY-9: Asher Taub, Andy Sullivan, Juan Reyes Tim Cochrane, Col. Fred Britton, Steve Schiffman, Robert Turner. NOT interviewed: NYC Councilman Eric Ulrich, Assemblyman Doc Hikind, Civil Court Judge Noach Dear.
Weiner Gone What Happens to the 2013 Mayors Race
Staking Out Slot In Race for Mayor(WSJ) * NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio believes he’s well-positioned to take over Weiner’s mantle of the middle class/outer borough champion in the 2013 NYC mayor’s race. Developers' Dollars (Gotham Gazette)
Will Weiner Problem End Brooklyn Jewish Congressional District Tradition?(True News)
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Special Interests Now Using Direct Mail and TV Ads to Lobby Government Policy
Business groups in Albany are increasingly forming lobbying coalitions that emulate the successful strategies of organized labor, helping push such spending to $18.8 million last year, the Wall Street Journal says
Albany Lobby Efforts Shift Spending by third-party coalitions jumped to $18.8 million in 2010 from $2.2 million in 2008 (like the business-backed, pro-Cuomo Committee to Save NY) (WSJ)
Council Passes Budget to Fund Indicted CM Political Pal
How does the Daily News reporters write that Seabrook's efforts to send pork to the program could get snagged by the new screening process Speaker Quinn implemented after a Council slush-fund scandal, when the council has already passed the budget which included the Seabrook money in it?
Bronx Councilman Larry Seabrook's efforts to send pork to unlicensed program under scrutiny(NYDN) * Bronx Councilman Joel Rivera Now a Real Estate Broker Too (NYO)
Will NYC campaign law be next to fall?(NYP)
NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn still leads the 2013 pack in developer dollars.
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Nearly 1 in 10 judges are now leaving annually,a new study shows
Pay Frozen, More New York Judges Leave Bench(NYT)
The NYP calls Bloomberg a lame-duck and says up to Cuomo to fix NYC's schools. Closing failing schools, to open better ones (charters) and to hold teachers accountable. * Former Gov. Paterson in awe of Gov. Cuomo's success(NYDN) * The Post deems Cuomo’s decision to pull out of the federal Secure Communities program an “impotent pander.”* Albany's Unfinished Business: Health exchange, DNA collection, air ambulance.* Governor Cuomo and the Hydrofracking Controversy * Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the DEC report on hydrofracking shows “balance.”
Brooklyn Bishop Urges Catholic Schools to Reject Cuomo, Legislature(NYO)
Schools still cheat with no-bid custodial deals: suit The city's Department of Education has continued to privatize the cleaning of dozens of its public schools through no-bid contracts -- despite a 2004 court order forbidding the practice, a lawsuit charges.(NYP) * Janitors 'clean up' Top 20 school scrubbers pull in 140G-plus(NYP)
Bloomberg Pushes Building Wallmart in NYC
As It Campaigns to Build in the City, Wal-Mart Donates $4 Million for Summer Jobs
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The city Education Department to eliminate more than 100 sites serving free breakfast or lunch to school children
City cutting number of sites serving free school food over summer (NYDN) * Summer School Classes Begin Tuesday(NY1)
Same-Sex Couples Begin Marriage Application Process (NY1)
The Daily News uses an unusually personal editorial about the experiences of a disabled tourist to call for more wheelchair-accessible taxis in New York
Bone disease can't stop Karl Nguyen but New York's lack of handicapped-accessible cabs almost did (NYDN Ed)
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No More TP Rationing on Coney Island
Coney I. 'stall' tactics get the flush(NYP)
Law and Order
Victims reporting rape jumps 16% in New York City(NYDN)
"Prosecutors are no Longer Certain There Was A Crime."
Investigator: Dismissal a 'certainty'(NYP) *In Hospital Report, Housekeeper’s Graphic Account of Attack (NYT) * Strauss-Kahn to Face New Sex Complaint in France(NYT) * Strauss-Kahn Case Seems Set to Collapse(WSJ) * Sex-Crimes Unit's Lapses Trip Up Cases(WSJ) * Ex-IMF Chief, Writer Trade Legal Threats (WSJ) * French author plans attempted rape complaint vs. Dominique Strauss-Kahn(NYDN) * Sex Crimes Unit: A critical view of the record inside the Manhattan DA's office. * Hotel maid in Strauss-Kahn case sues NY Post for libel - Reuters * DSK: Manhattan DA raising money off DSK coverage. [Twitter] * Mayor Bloomberg changed his mind about perp walks. * Cyrus Vance’s double standard (Roger Stone)
Mafia wife does mob's dirty work: feds(NYP)
Clemens ready to fight as perjury trial opens Wed(WSJ)
'Fraud' twist in Village clan's horror(NYP) * A Bloodbath in a Country Home, Then a Siege on a Vengeful Man(NYT) * Suspect Killed in Gun Spree(WSJ) * Suspect in Pennsylvania country home shootings shot dead (NYDN * SWAT Team Kills Alleged Shooter Of NYC Family(NY1) * Two 'up-skirt pervs' nabbed(NYP) * AG Eric Schneiderman and the state Insurance Department are turning up the heat on the life insurance industry in a so-called “death policy” probe.* Mata and Moreno's Previous Late-Night Incident (Village Voice)
Terrorism Terror suspect brought to New York City to stand tria(NY1)
Bam recruits Corzine to woo back Wall $t.(NYP) * Obama administration officials are offering to cut tens of billions of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid in negotiations to reduce the federal budget deficit, but the depth of those cuts depends on whether Republicans will accept new taxes.* What to watch for in President Obama’s fundraising totals (Wash Post) * Financial Reform: Republicans Fight To Dilute Wall Street Regulations(Huff Post) * Group of bond investors plans to challenge BofA's $8.5 (WSJ)
Kerry share of Jewish vote: 74%. Obama share: 78%. Current Obama approval among Jews: 60% (Slate)
Why newspapers can’t stop the presses Internet adv rates still much lower than print Ads
Rupert Murdoch Meets His Ahab Nick Davies and the Guardian spear the media mogul(Slate)
The rise and fall of Rebekah Brooks
The hacking scandal engulfing News International has finally claimed its biggest scalp – that of Rebekah Brooks, who was for years RupertMurdoch’s favoured lieutenant. Andy McSmith charts her career(The Dependent)
