Liu's Pal Cheo In Mourning for Death of Kim Jong-il
John Choe, the apologist for communist North Korea, quietly quit his $105000-a-
Running For Mayor is Like A Chess Game
De Blasio Backs Wage Bill in a Challenge to Quinn(NYT) Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has endorsed the controversial living wage bill while City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, courting the business community for a 2013 mayoral run, has not taken a position * Why NYC needs ‘a liberal with sanity’ (Koch, NYP)
Kruger Might Sing Tuesday
Sen. Carl Kruger Heads To Court For Possible Guilty Plea (City and State)
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Other winners according to Dicker: Speaker Silver, Gay New Yorkers and Congressman Turner. Losers Mayor Bloomberg for losing fight to Cuomo over taxi bill. AG Schneiderman whose first year in office has no major accomplishments according to Dicker.
Winners and losers of the year gone by (NYP) * Cuomo shows DC tough gov(NYP) Cuomo will take his first step (as governor) onto the national stage when he hosts Democratic Governors Association members at the organization’s winter conference in Manhattan next month. He’ll suggest New York should be a national model, noting he has a divided Legislature – just like President Obama – and yet has managed to get things done.
nickconfessore Nick Confessore (Twitter) Dicker back to plumping Cuomo's national prospects. Gov outta the tax-and-spend doghouse? 
Gov. Andrew Cuomo sez: My way or the highway on new cab rules (NYDN) Cuomo done negotiating, sources say, and will make take-it-or-leave-it offer on street hails, new taxis, disabled access * Kellner Makes New Veto Push(YNN) * MLC To Cuomo: Taxi Bill Means Revenue(YNN) * Sharpton To Gov.: Sign The Taxi Bill(NYDN)
Democratic fundraiser Bill Samuels wants Governor Andrew Cuomo to stop accepting corporate donations make good on a campaign promise to focus on establishing stricter rules for fundraising.
Comptroller Deficit Problems
DiNapoli: Next Year’s Deficit Will Be A Struggle(YNN) * Moody’s Warns Of MTA Payroll Tax Cut (Albany Watch)
City and State Year End Review
Superlatives (C&S)
Haggerty In Court for Sentencing Today Pays Bloomberg Back . . . Independence Party Not Charged Also Pays the Mayor Back
Ex-Bloomberg consultant sentenced for $1.1M campaign cash theft(NYP)
Ex-Bloomberg Consultant Sentenced to Up to 4 Years for Theft(NYT) * Mayor's Stolen Money in Deal(WSJ)The Queens political operative convicted of stealing from Mayor Michael Bloomberg has agreed to return $750,000 to the billionaire as a judge prepares to sentence him on Monday. As part of a deal with prosecutors, the state Independence Party, the third-largest political party in New York, has also agreed to return $150,000 in funds that a jury concluded were stolen from Mr. Bloomberg in the lead-up to his 2009 re-election. The party was not charged with a crime in the case.* Former Bloomberg Aide Convicted Of Stealing Campaign Cash Awaits Sentence (NY1) * Haggerty’s fraudulent and cynical misconduct has now been punished, and his ill-gotten gains forfeited" - @ManhattanDA Vance * Bloomberg Ex-Operative Gets Prison(NBC)
NYP Blasts Cuomo State Funding For Lopez's None Profit and Ethics Commission Pickes
Words vs. deeds (NYP Ed) The Post blasts Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ethics record, including questionable picks for his new ethics commission and state funding for an oft-criticized senior citizen center associated with Brooklyn political boss Vito Lopez
The BOE is failing to investigate ballot problems at P.S. 65 in the South Bronx, where up to 39 % of the votes for governor simply vanished
Every vote must count(NYDN Ed)
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Pol Lawyer Klein Games the Personal-Injury System . . . Represents Comptroller and Specializes in Suing City Agencies
Double-dipping lawmaker? Sen. Jeff Klein
State Sen. Jeff Klein benefitted from his “of counsel” position with a personal-injury law firm that sued city agencies while his own firm evaluated some of the same lawsuits for the city comptroller
Lawyer pol well suit-ed Firms on each side (NYP) Bronx state Sen. Jeff Klein couldn’t lose. The Democrat enjoyed a profitable “of counsel” position with a personal-injury firm that specializes in suing city agencies — while his own firm collected millions from the Comptroller’s Office to evaluate some of those very same lawsuits. Since 2006, the firm of Klein Calderoni & Santucci has received three contracts worth $2.25 million from the Comptroller’s Office to conduct so-called “50-h” hearings — preliminary reviews of suits that help the city decide if it should settle or fight.
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NYP Says Sources Close to the Judge Blame Officials in North Carolina for Not Doing Enought to Keep Pride in Jail
Judge’s bail ruling of little matter (NYP) *Along a Block in Brooklyn, Wary Residents Ponder the Murder of an Officer(NYT) * Police Probe Owner of Gun in Cop Death(WSJ) Authorities are closely examining the account of a former Queens resident who legally purchased—but claims to have lost—the handgun that killed a New York City police officer last week. * NYC police: Suspect says woman set afire over debt(WSJ)
Farewell to Officer Figoski(NYP Ed) * Funeral To Be Held For Fatally Shot NYPD Officer(NY1)* Thousands Expected At NYPD Officer Peter Figoski’s Funeral(WCBS) * Family, friends attend slain NYPD officer's wake(WABC) * The Midnight Tour: An Overnight Shift With the 75 Precinct After an Officer's Death(WNYC)* Friends, Family, Fellow Officers Gather For Final Farewell To Peter Figoski(WCBS)* Killed in the line of duty...NYPD Police Officer Peter Figoski posthomously promoted to Detective First Grade * Former Bloomberg Aide To Serve Four Years Max For Campaign Fraud(NY1) * A Fallen Officer Is Remembered(NYT)
Confesses to elevator blaze that killed B'klyn woman who fired him(NYP) * Cornered by Attacker in Elevator, Fire Victim, 73, Had No Way Out(NYT) * Handyman Charged in Arson Death(WSJ) * My home became a murder scene(NYDN) * Update ** B'klyn 'fire fiend' held without bail in elevator torch slay; DA says he committed 'brutal murder' (NYP)
No to Self-serving Gerrymandering, Yes to Independent Redistricting(Bayside Patch)
Silicon NYC
After Yearlong Competition, Mayor Is Said to Pick Cornell for Science School(NYT) * Cornell Wins Campus Bid(WSJ) * Cornell University named winner of New York City’s 'genius' school tech competition against six other top-notch universities(NYDN) * Silicon Valley vs NYC. Bloomberg admin says "we're winning!" SJ Mercury News columnist begs to differ *Ad tech bellwether grows in Silicon Alley(NYP)* The Inside Story of Cornell Tech Campus Win (Crains) * Bloomberg says city remains in "active discussions" w Columbia, NYU and Carnegie Melon over their submissions. Hints that there'll be more.
Developers and state officials are stretching the rules of a visa program for foreign investors to encourage them to finance several project
Rules Stretched as Green Cards Go to Investors(NYT)
The Hospital That Boyland Worked For is Going Broke
Brookdale Hospital Faces Scrutiny(WSJ) Health authorities have grown alarmed at mounting signs of disorder and danger to patients at a Brooklyn hospital already reeling from major financial problems and allegations of political corruption.
OWS . . .
Police Arrest 50 NYC Protesters(WSJ) * Protesters Arrested While Seeking New Camp(NY1) * Occupy Wall Street Protesters March For International Migrants(WCBS) * Wall Street protesters march to support immigrants(WABC) * Occupy Albany and Albany law enforcement officials continue to be at odds at the Thursday eviction deadline looms. * Did NYPD Officers Talk on Facebook About Beating Occupy Wall Street Protesters?(NY Magazine) * 13 Powerful Images From Weekend’s Occupation 2.0 at Duarte Square Park (NYO) * Councilmen Ydanis Rodriguez And Jumaane Williams Call On Christine Quinn to Support Occupy Wall Street Resolution (NYO)
Why Does the NYPD Control Press Passes?
Inside Gothamist's Absurd Struggle To Get NYPD Press Passes
Note: I was, with my lawyer, Norman Siegel, who question, why the NYCPD a highly visible city agency determined "who is a journalist and who is not." My question is: Where was GOTHAMIST when we brought the suit questioning the NYPD's violation of the First Amendment. * Blogger Wants His Press Pass Back - NYTimes.com *Journalist Rafael Martínez Stood Up to Espada When Nobody Else Would and He is Still Getting Hurt
Transportation Planners Identify Worst Traffic Bottlenecks In NYC Area (WCBS)
Key state lawmakers are urging Cuomo to include health care exchange language that they’ve failed to reach a deal on in the 2012-13 budget.
Buyout Profits Keep Flowing to Romney(NYT) * Poll: Gingrich drops in Iowa, Paul takes lead (The Hill) * Newt Gingrich’s assault on ‘activist judges’ draws criticism, even from right (Wash Post) * Mitt Romney Still Makes Millions of Dollars a Year from Bain Capital (The Atlantic) * New ad by pro-Gingrich PAC defends him in Iowa (Wash Post) Latest forecast shows Paul has 44% chance of winning Iowa, Romney a 32% chance and Gingrich just 15% chance...(Political Wire) * Big Government Newt: The Gingrich Gestalt - Mark Steyn, National Review * Would Romney Really Repeal ObamaCare? - Philip Klein, DC Examiner * At Caucus Time, Obama Revs Up Iowa Campaign - Devin Dwyer, ABC News * Can Ron Paul Win New Hampshire? - Jeremy Lott, RealClearPolitics * Newt and the Revenge of the Base - E.J. Dionne, Washington Post * New Hampshire Voters Should Draft Hillary - Caddell & Schoen, Politico * GOP Iowa Caucuses: PPP (D): Paul Moves Into First, Gingrich Fades * * Gingrich Promises a 44-Stop Bus Tour to Fight Negative Ads (NYT) *
GStephanopoulos GeorgeStephanopoulos (Twitter) Check out our new political website: OTUS News. And the new political stock market – where 2012 contenders are valued 
Pelosi's expert was also a business partner(Roll Call) * Four House members got discounted home loans from Countrywide, congressional probe finds (NYDN)
Law and Order
Teen girl clings to life after Bronx shooting (NYDN)* NYPD Special Victims Chief Booted From Hunter College Sex Harass Panel - DNAinfo.com * NYPD: Suspect Who Fired At Two Queens Officers In Custody (NY1) * Judge screens video of boys' near fatal cart-toss prank (NYP) * No Bail for Man Accused of Burning Woman Alive (NYT) * Man Accused Of Donning Fake Beard, Glasses & Shooting At Cops Arrested(WCBS)
