Friday, October 28, 2011

Ticket Fixing Arrests; LIRR IG Office Sees Nothing;



 

 

 

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NYPD Ticket Fixing Arrests . . .  Tip of the Iceberg 

Nobody Asked Me, But . . . Why are only cops from the Bronx being arrested?  Tickets were not fixed in the other boroughs?

Breaking 12:15   Cops Pleading Not Guilty in NYPD Corruption Probe(NBC) *16 New York Police Officers Charged in Ticket Scandal (NYT) * 16 Officers Plead Not Guilty In Alleged NYPD Ticket Fixing Scandal(WCBS)*  Cops Plead Not Guilty in NYPD Corruption Probe (NBC) *  Officers Jeer and Curse as Colleagues Are Arraigned on Ticket-Fixing Charges (NYT)

About 100 NYPD officers showed up at midnight to provide support as 15 of their colleagues turned themselves in at the Bronx DA’s office in the ticket-fixing scandal. A sixteenth cop had been arrested earlier in the night.  Ten of the officers are officials in the PBA. Also among those facing charges are two sergeants and a lieutenant.

  

All 16 officers in scandal surrender overnight(NYP) * Authorities Move to Charge 16 Officers After Widespread Ticket-Fixing(NYT) * Ticket-Fix Arrests Set(WSJ) * Ticket-fixing scandal: Accused cops put thousands of cases in jeopardy(NYDN) * NYPD ticket-fixing scandal: 16 cops to be arraigned on bribery(NYDN) * NYPD Officers And Civilians To Face Charges In Ticket-Fixing Scandal(NY1)

16 cops turn themselves in shortly after midnight(NYP)

Is It A Ticket Fixing Culture or A Crime? 600 Cops Show Support

 Hundreds of Cops Head to Court to Support Ticket-Fixing Suspects(DNA Info)

Oren Yaniv (Twitter)


RT : NYPD officers in hallway at BX court heckling reporters. Classy, guys.

Fortune Cookie II: How to Steal A Billion
Nobody Asked Me, But . . .  Why do we pay the MTA Inspector General office if they can't find corruption when 93 percent to 97 percent of the L.I.R.R. employees who retired were filing for and receiving disability benefits? The Feds Made the Indictments.

11 Charged in L.I.R.R. Disability Pension Scheme(NYT) * Railroads and Rubber Stamps  The government may have filled in some of the blanks over the Long Island Rail Road’s absurdly high rate of retirees on disability benefits. But we still have some questions. (NYT Ed) * The Times wonders why it took so long from the LIRR pension fraud scheme, in which 11 people were arrested yesterday, to emerge, asking whether any employees thought to blow the whistle. Said US Attorney Preet Bharara: “Employees, in many cases, after claiming to be too disabled to stand, sit, walk or climb steps, retired to lives of regular golf, tennis, biking and aerobics.”




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An Offer John Liu Could Not Refuse
Nobody Asked Me, But . . . Was the NYT helping Bloomberg get the comptroller to give up control of the pension funds by investigating and publishing corruption in Liu's fund raising operationAfter all it was the NYT story of Gov Paterson that got him to drop out of the 2010 governors race.  Was John Liu promised he would have a safe landing with his money problems if he goes alone with the mayor's plan?  Paterson hosts a radio show and has never see the inside of the court room  for what many believed was witness tampering. The Post says any plan that limits Comptroller John Liu's access to the pension fund - even just a little bit - is great news for the city.  The News is bummed that the pension reform deal doesn't include moving city workers to a 401(k)-style benefit plan or asking rookie employees to chip in for healthcare costs

Comptroller John Liu would be ceding "a tremendous amount of power" in handing over his Bureau of Asset Management to the manager of the proposed consolidated pension fund board, announced by him and the mayor yesterday Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Controller John Liu make smart deal with unions to save billions (NYDN Ed) * Mayor and Comptroller Seek Joint Management for 5 Pension Plans(NYT) * Mayor, Liu Advocate New Pension Plan(WSJ) * Staff at the New York State United Teachers union got generous salary increases, some equal to an entire year's salary to some teachers, the Times Union reports *The NYC labor unions are backing the plan, which consolidates five pension boards, and Cuomo expressed interest in it, too. (It requires Albany approval). The pension reform plan proposed by John Liu and Mike Bloomberg yesterday was hailed for being at the vanguard of municipal pension plans, and is modelled on similar plans in place at Harvard and Yale.

The White Shoe White Wash Begins After Liu Gives Up Pensions

Former NYAG Bob Abrams To Study Liu Finances(NYDN) * Liu Hires Ex-Attorney General to Review His Campaign Finances(NYT)

 

 

Queens Councilman Now Faces Only One Criminal Case  Councilman Ruben Wills resolved one of two criminal charges against him earlier this week by paying $5,000 in restitution and agreeing to avoid any criminal problems for six months.

 

 

 

 

 
Silver: When No Means Yes Means No

 "It means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less," said the Mad Hatter Silver.


‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.

Today  Silver renews call for rich tax(NYP)

March 1, 2011 NYP'S Dicker reported that Speaker Silver said 'Millionaires tax' brake Surcharge on rich ending, Silver admits The NY Observer Editors  called Silver's Courageous Concession Is a Breath of Fresh Air.  The Observer said "When Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver recently acknowledged that the poorly named "millionaire's tax" is doomed to expire at the end of the year, it was a sign that reality is beginning to sink in among Albany's leaders." * NY’s millionaire’s tax struggle is on NPR news this morning.

 

 

N.Y. Budget Gap Seen  New York state's budget is slipping into the red, a trend driven in part by higher spending on health care for the poor, said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. (WSJ) * Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said there’s “no question” a budget shortfall has developed in the current fiscal year, but the Cuomo administration declined to comment and the Senate GOP disagrees.



  

 

ZP Generators Removed

NYC is not Oakland, Mayor Bloomberg explained, yet the NYPD pulled the plug on Occupy Wall Street protestors, confiscating about a dozen gasoline cans and six generators from Zuccotti Park.  . says FDNY confiscated dozens of gas cans and six generators from ZP. Says protestors calm + cooperated.  * FDNY doing safety inspection in Zuccotti Park * FDNY takes Occupy Wall Street generators (NYP)


Bloomberg Eat Cake With Senators, Labor and Business Leaders
Mayor Bloomberg is hosting an “intimate dinner” at Gracie Mansion Sunday night for a bipartisan group of senators, labor and business leaders to discuss how the Super Committee can “go big” and cut $4 trillion worth of spending. Labor advocate Jonathan Tasini plans to protest Bloomberg’s dinner, and hopes some Occupy Wall Streeters will join him.* From Tasini’s invite to Occupy Gracie: “Come dressed as Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI, or a Peasant – and bring the family. We’ll vote for the best costumes and they will serve us all cake!” *  Sgts. Union: Get physical in Wall St. protests and we'll sue(NYDN) * Builder, environmental educator wants others to awake(NYDN) * Give us shelter  Occupiers flee to wherever it’s free(NYP) * Some See Financial Opportunity As Occupy Wall Street Grows(NY1) * The woman who was pepper sprayed at Occupy Wall Street came home to the Capital Region for a visit and stopped by Occupy Albany.* Tom Allon op-eds on why he supports Occupy Wall Street. * Footage of Scott Olsen being shot by Police at Occupy Oakland  * Occupy Wall Street Protesters March Against "Rampant Greed" In Manhattan (NY1)

 

Stephen Colbert Ridicules Media’s Overly Critical Coverage Of Occupy Wall Street

 




City Hall News WINNERS & LOSERS: This week's winners include Cy Vance, Preet Bharara, Robert Steel, Ben Lawsky and Randy Mastro, while the losers were Andrew Cuomo, Dennis Walcott, Ray Kelly, Marty Markowitz and Joseph Parkes:

 

 

Senate Dems: A ‘Supermajority’ Of Voters Want Indy Redistricting(YNN)

 

 

 

Cuomo took his same-sex marriage push national, saying not state truly has marriage equality until all of them do, adding: “We will not rest until it is a reality.” 


 

 

Transparency is Always A Good Thing

7 More Insurers End Objections on Rate Filings(NYT) * Insurers Agree to Share Data(WSJ)

 

NY's Glass Ceiling

Women only held 15.9 percent of high-level leadership roles in New York state's largest corporations, up from 14.7 percent in 2006, according to a soon-to-be-released study examined by the Wall Street Journal:









NYC’s first casino, which was approved by the Legislature in 2001 only to be delayed by false starts and influence peddling

 Sex’ machines(NYP) Cash & Carrie at Aqueduct racino

Experiencing Las Vegas, in Queens(NYT) * Place your bets, gamblers! Aqueduct racino now open in Queens(NYDN) * Aqueduct Racino Lights Up, Opens To Public (NY1)





 Judge allows city to delay upcoming firefighter exams(NYP)

 

 

 

 

 

City Mulls Approving Two New Campuses(WSJ) *  Elite Universities Vying For NYC Tech Campus Opportunity(WNYC) * NY1 Online: Cornell’s President Makes A Pitch For NYC Campus

 

Walcott: City must step up, fix schools that Bloomberg founded(NYDN)


Digital power struggle divides Daily News staff (NYP)

 

U.S. and N.Y.C. Unite to Aid Jamaica Bay(NYT) * City And Federal Officials Team To Clean Jamaica Bay(NY1)









Oprah Goes Jewish

Shul girl Oprah Visits Brooklyn rite site (NYP)








‘Bundlers’ for Obama Have Active Ties to Lobbying(NYT) * President Obama is getting around his pledge not to accept campaign cash from lobbyists by having lobbyists bundle contributions for him. * Obama's Chief of Staff, Unplugged - Roger Simon, Politico * Romney Appears Unstoppable in NH - Cillizza & Blake, Washington Post * Herman Cain: Today's Barry Goldwater - Jeffrey Kuhner,Washington Times * Obama's Plans to Help Borrowers Are Good Steps - San Francisco Chronicle * Obama Shouldn't Move to the Center - Mann & Ornstein, The New Republic * GOP Wants to Deprive Poor & Middle Class - Eugene Robinson, Wash Post

 

 Unlike U.S., Banks Told to Take 50% Haircut - Erlanger & Castle, NY Times * Europe's Rescue Plan - The Economist * Did Europe Get it Right? For Once: Maybe - Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch * Why Hasn't Govt Spending Worked? - Allan Meltzer, Wall Street Journal

 

 

Jon Stewart On Romney, Perry And Cain: ‘In The Race To Be The Craziest, There Can Be Only One’

 

 

Watch a Bronx Guy Get Pummeled for ‘Snitchin’’ (NY MaG)





Linda Stasi: Ponzi schemer and family should no longer be small-screen darlings(NYP)

 

Officer Says He Thought Someone in Sean Bell’s Car Was Returning Fire(NYT)

 


Police: 8 year old groped in NYC(WSJ) * Police Seek Suspect In Alleged Sexual Assault On Young Queens Girl(NY1)

 

 

 

I’m a Romeo, not a rapist(NYP)

 

 

 Law and Order

Guilty Plea to Kidney-Selling Charges(NYT) *Kidney broker pleads guilty(NYP) *2nd autopsy of woman found naked, gagged & hanged will look for foul play(NYDN) * Contractors paid thugs to throw acid, attack workers, court papers show(NYDN)Queens DA needs more time to probe possible wrongful conviction(NYDN) * Thug slugs off-duty cop(NYP) * Fatal shooting ‘self-defense’(NYP) * 4 wealthy NY couples accused of Medicaid fraud(WSJ) * In Drug-Planting Trial, Defense Says Officer Is Not Corrupt, but a Reformer(NYT) * Man Charged With Rape Testifies About His Encounters(NYT)* Team DSK is fighting dirty: maid (NYP) *  East Harlem grandmother died brutal death: DA (NYP) *  Parking spot 'puncher' to go to trial Monday in coma-inducing assault (NYP) * Queens Teenager Accused Of Sexual Abuse To Be Tried In Family Court (NY1)


Thomas E. Dewey(C Span) Thomas Dewey became nationally famous for prosecuting racketeering cases in New York