Sunday, December 11, 2011

True News Update 24/7 Sunday Update - Analysis Not Availabe in the Old Media

Feds Get Closer To Meeks' Indictment

Meeks’ money man eyes plea deal (NYP)

After Boyland and Seabrook defeats Feds Look to make air tight case against the congressman.

 

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Juror: Some On the Jury Seabrook Jury turned a blind eye to the evidence  . . .  What is She Hiding?

Why is this Seabrook Juror Shaken?

Seabrook jurors ‘blind to justice’(NYP) “People didn’t want to look at the evidence,” said the Westchester woman Juror, who requested anonymity. She declined to speculate as to why.  Appearing shaken, the Westchester juror insisted that, despite the deadlock, she was sure “justice was served.”7

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PA Toll Hikes to Pay For Toll Collectors Salary

Port Authority workers raking in big bucks(NYP) Warren Stevens has made $102,670 so far this year — $40,614 of it OT. With overtime paid at time-and-a-half, Stevens averaged about 20 hours of OT per week, or about 130 extra eight-hour shifts per year, an analysis of PA data shows.









The NYP Calls State Sen. Marty Golden and Assemblyman Peter Abbate Leaders of the The fat-cat frolic
The NYP says Even as Gov. Cuomo and the Legislature were hard at work last week socking New Yorkers with a multibillion-dollar tax increase, the principal beneficiaries of the heist, er, hike were lazily sunning themselves in balmy Puerto Rico at the annual convention of the New York State Public Employee Conference. Both elected officials jetted down from Brooklyn to collect a little union swag — each held a fund-raiser — before scooting back to Albany to vote for the tax hikes that should keep everybody on the gravy train for one more year.



Fracking Foes Get Fuel From Report

Hydrofracking push in New York may be derailed by contaminated water in Wyoming(NYDN)












Vito Lopez Machine's Money Infusion

Is the Brooklyn Reform Movement Dead?   . . .  Not a Peep out of anyone in Brooklyn (Not Even the Newspapers who have written dozens of stories about his corrupt)

Lopez's Nonprofit Wins State Grant (WSJ) A Brooklyn nonprofit connected to a powerful state lawmaker and under scrutiny for alleged financial improprieties was awarded $845,806 in state grants. * Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto “did not respond directly to questions about why a nonprofit founded by Assemblyman/Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez, which is reportedly under federal investigation, is slated to receive close to $900,000 in economic development cash.

Vito Lopez Uses Government Funds to Run His Machine



Bloomberg's Hiring Freeze Melts

City job freeze? Hundreds hired (NYP) The hiring freeze that Mayor Bloomberg imposed two months ago hasn’t prevented hundreds of new additions to the city’s enormous payroll.

 

 



Santa Delivers for Seabrook

The prosecutors said Seabrook used nonprofit groups as a kind of “employment program” for friends and family. Seabrook's girlfriend as the director of nonprofit organizations, received more than $300,000 in payments, prosecutors said, and then kicked back “a piece of her profits” to the councilman.


Seabrook skates(NYP Ed) The NYP uses Seabrook's walking to attack the Community Benefits Program.  The paper says CBAs are a tool for local politicians forever seeking to gain access to public and private cash that they can then use as de facto slush funds. * With Jury Deadlocked, Mistrial Is Declared in Councilman’s Corruption Case(NYT) * Mistrial in Council Corruption Case(WSJ) * U.S. Attorney To Pursue Retrial In Seabrook Corruption Case (NY1) * Mistrial declared in corruption trial of Bronx Councilman Larry Seabrook(NYDN)

 

No Comment From the Seabrook Jury

All members of the panel save the foreman refused to comment as they left the courthouse yesterday. Foreman Frank DiBrino, of Manhattan, who said the lawyers on “both sides did a great job,” attributed the panel’s division to “different views on the evidence,” but wouldn’t elaborate. DiBrino, a 46-year-old Condé Nast contract employee, also wouldn’t discuss his position on the 12 counts against Seabrook, and said he couldn’t remember how the panel voted. “It was different on different charges,” he said. “It wasn’t the same all the way down.” The eight-woman, four-man panel included five African-Americans, four whites, two Asians and one Hispanic. Five jurors live in The Bronx, and one, from Co-op City, is a Seabrook constituent . . . According to one person who was briefed on the deliberations, the jury was split 6 to 6 on the first count, which charged Mr. Seabrook with accepting thousands of dollars in illegal gratuities from a Bronx businessman whom he helped to obtain a boiler contract for the new Yankee Stadium.




NYPD Ticket Fixing Plea Deal?

‘Tix fix’ officer eyes deal (NYP) The disgraced NYPD officer at the center of the Bronx ticket-fixing scandal might cop a plea. Alleged crooked cop José Ramos has been offered a deal — 18 years behind bars, with five years’ post-release supervision — in exchange for pleading* Tix-fix cop gets sentence fix: plea deal shaves 50 years to 18(NYDN) * Officer Linked To Ticket-Fixing Scandal Denies Plea Deal (NY1) * DA Offers Deal to Cop in Ticket Fix Case(NBC)




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Ridiculous: NYP Uses Consultant Who Took the 5th to Judge Liu's Conduct

“The perception is bad. The city’s chief fiscal officer should be more careful,” said political consultant Hank Sheinkopf. “It is inappropriate for the comptroller to have his judgment called into question.” (NYP)  It not just the NYP all the media regular quotes this guy. The Village Voice called Sheinkopf the "Best Political Quoter of 2011"

The NYP Fails to say that the lobbyist political consultant Sheinkopf took the 5th when asked questions by the NY former state Inspector General Joseph Fisch about the AEG scandal which is being investigated by the feds as part of the AEG investigation.  The Feds are also investigating a Board Of Election (the cesspool of political corruption) contract for new machines that Sheinkopf was a lobbyist for. Feds investigate switch by Board of Elections ... - New York Post  

 

NYP Moral Expert Sheinkopf A Business Partner Of Hevesi Pension Fund Operator

In 2010 Wayne Barrett wrote in Village Voice about Sheinkopf's getting funds from operators doing pension business with Hevesi. "Norman Levy “received a half-million dollars” in 2006 payments from Bill Howell, a major pension fund placement agent, and “appeared sometimes to be Howell’s partner” in controversial deals with the fund, according to a source familiar with the transactions. Investigators concluded that they were splitting fees, and not disclosing it. The payments to Levy - whose conviction for running a parking-ticket-fixing-scam decades ago was also overturned on appeal - were allegedly tied to his introduction of Howell to a principal of Global Strategies, a consulting firm whose client, Intermedia, was seeking millions in city and state pension fund investments. Howell made the placements and shared the fees with Levy, who appeared to be listed as an employee of one Howell entity. Sheinkopf received payments from Levy shortly after Levy was paid by Howell. "




Cuomo Takes Victory Lap

Cuomo, Praised for Tax Deal, Takes Victory Lap to City(NYT) * Cuomo and the Spirit of Occupy - Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation * Barron calls tax deal "It's one of them Ponzi schemes(Capital)

Cuomo's Mixed Messages

Cuomo Signs New Jobs Effort Into Law But Isn't Sold On Livery Cab Bill(NY1) * Cuomo Sends Mixed Signals on Transit(WNYC)




Daily News Says Cuomo must deliver taxi reform for the five boroughs(NYDN Ed)

* Livery Drivers Begin 10-Day Rally For Legal Street Hails(NY1)



 

 

LOSING NY-9: IS BLUE-COLLAR BROOKLYN TURNING RED? (Brooklyn Magazine)

 

 

 

 

 

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Wayne Barrett Reports of Al Sharpton's Voting Wrongs

Al Sharpton’s Past Ties to Vote Fraud Taint His Fulminating (The Daily Beast)  Fulminating against GOP charges of vote fraud perpetrated by minorities, Sharpton conveniently ignores his own involvement in a case that forms the centerpiece of the right’s campaign.*  NEW YORK; STEALING AN ELECTION (NYT 1982) * Election Officials Needed as Whistleblowers (TPM) * SNL Mocks Al Sharpton And His MSNBC Show * Rev. Al deep in the red(NYP) The Rev. Al Sharpton’s nonprofit paid him nearly $242,000 — even as it carried $1.6 million in debt, according to documents obtained by The Post.

 

 

OWS . . .  

‘Law & Order: SVU’ Imitation Occupation Draws Real Protesters, and City’s Ire(NYT) * PHOTOS: Male Models Pose For Controversial Occupy Wall Street Photo Shoot(Huff Post) * Police Evict Occupy Boston(The Daily Beast) * Boston Police Evict ‘Occupy’ Protesters (NYT) * Cops clear Occupy Boston camp; 46 arrested (NYP) * Occupy Wall Street: The View From China(The Atlantic) * VIDEO: OWS Occupies Movie-Set Replica of Itself, for Real(Mother Jones) * Occupying East New York (New York Magazine) *Occupy vs. Big Labor(Slate) * Raid ends longest-standing occupation camp(Slate)



 

Longer Standardized Tests Are Planned, Displeasing Some School Leaders(NYT)

List of Schools Targeted by City for Closing Is Up to 19(NYT) * DOE Adds Seven To List Of Planned School Closures(NY1) * Closing public schools is the way only to end the cycle(NYDN Ed) * Bloomberg’s kids just aren’t learning (NYDN)

 

 

Port Authority Spends More on Overtime(WSJ)

 

 

City may face suit in fatal crane collapse after letter casts doubt on Buildings official Michael Carbone's statements(NYDN)

 

 

 

Businesses Get New Leases On Coney Island Boardwalk(NY1)

 

 

 

 

From televised debates to Letterman, free media helping to define GOP presidential contest



The Debate

Initial Reaction to the Debate (TPM) * Bachmann invokes Cain, 9-9-9 plan (The Hill) *  Newt Gingrich Doubles Down On Palestinians Are An ‘Invented’ People During GOP Debate * Iowa Republican debate: Winners and losers(Washington Post) * Romney fails to score knockout punch on Gingrich in latest GOP debate Winnipeg Free Press * GOP rivals gang up in going after Gingrich in Iowa debate (MiamiHerald) * Race Reshaped, Rivals Target Gingrich in G.O.P. Debate(NYT) *Romney seeks $10000 bet during GOP debate(CBS News) * Front-runner Gingrich on defense in debate(Newsday) 

A look at key moments in the Republican debate(Atlanta Journal Constitution)Gingrich comes under attack in GOP debate(Wash Post) * Gingrich fights off rivals in Iowa debate(Reuters) * Des Moines Republican debate decisive?(Wash Post) * Analysis: Winners and losers in the latest GOP debate(Houston Chronicle) * Romney becomes focus of debate -- and not in a positive way(MSNBC)* Newt Gingrich blasts it out of park! (Politico) * Gingrich Slams Romney: You Didn’t Become A Career Politician Because You Lost To Teddy Kennedy * Gingrich Gets Through Debate Unscathed While Romney Doesn't(NPR) * Iowa Debate: Winners and Losers (CBS News) * Two Romneys: Wealthy Man, Thrifty Habits(NYT) * Assailed by Rivals, Gingrich Fires Back(WSJ) * Newt Gingrich becomes political piñata at feisty GOP debate in Iowa(NYDN) * Newt Stands His Ground On 'Invented People' Remarks(Huff Post) *  Gingrich Unbloodied, Unbowed in Debate - Alexander Burns, Politico * Mitt's $10,000 Bet Could Haunt Him - James Oliphant, Los Angeles Times * Debate Highlights Fluid Iowa Race - Scott Conroy, RealClearPolitics * Republican debate: 7 takeaways(Politico) * Five Takeaways from Saturday's Debate - 2012 Decoded * Rick Perry: Mitt Romney’s $10,000 Bet Was ‘Out of Touch’(ABC) * $10,000 Bet a Bad Moment for Romney - Kathie Obradovich, DM Register * Romney's Inevitability Is Long Gone - Michelle Cottle, The Daily Beast *  Ron Paul, Spoiler? - George Will, Washington Post * Will Newt's Fiery Rhetoric Go Too Far? - Maureen Dowd, New York Times * Obama Promises to Spend Even More If Reelected - Matt Welch, Reason * G.O.P. Debate Reverberates Going Into Final Stretch(NYT)

Chuck Todd (Twitter) Brand new NBC/Marist polls debuting on . SC and FL. Includes 2-way and 3-ways tween Newt-Mitt and Newt-Mitt-Paul. NBC/Marist SC poll: Newt 42, Romney 23, Ron Paul 9  NBC/Marist FL poll: Newt 44, Romney 29, Paul 8.




Nate Silver (Twitter) Correction: seems like the $10,000 bet is the ONLY thing that people are remembering from the debate. Not good for *Romney. * My debate grades. Pretty high all around. Bachmann A, Perry A-, Gingrich A-, Santorum B+, Paul B, Romney B-
Larry Sabato (Twitter) So it's obvious: Newt wasn't jostled from frontrunner's perch tonight. Only negative TV ads or Newt himself can reverse his course.


TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads(Huff Post)








Colbert Invites John Lithgow To Perform Dramatic Reading Of Surreal Gingrich Press Release

 

 

 

Barney Bipartisan Wheeler-Dealer

“He Kept His Word”(Purdom, Vanity Fair) Congress will lose more than a sense of humor when Barney Frank retires. It will lose one of the last of the bipartisan wheeler-dealers, a species we need more than ever.

 

Timeline: The Best Government Money Can Buy (Mother Jones)

 

 

 

 



 

Baldwin 'Apologizes' to Himself

Alec Baldwin Lampoons His American Airlines Incident On Weekend Update

VIDEO: Alec Baldwin's surprise 'SNL' visit after airplane tantrum * Alec Baldwin pokes fun at airplane tantrum on 'SNL'(NYP)





NYPD halts ticketing of Times Square Elmo and other costumed critters in the Midtown tourist destination(NYDN)





Europe Divided

Britain Saves Itself From Europe - Niall Ferguson, The Daily Beast * German Vision Prevails in Europe - Erlanger & Castle, New York Times * Cameron's "No" Bad for Britain & Europe - Timothy Garton Ash, Guardian * Europe's Latest Try - New York Times

 

 

 

This Week Buzziest Videos

Rick Perry’s Big Gay Ad, Trump’s Onscreen Tantrum, and More (The Daily Beast) Viral Videos From Rick Perry’s big gay ad to Trump’s onscreen tantrum, see our countdown of the week’s buzziest videos.

 

 

Press Agent—But Still President No President has monitored his public image with more zeal than LBJ(Columbia Journalism Review)

 


 

 

 

Corzine and the Regulator  

Both Corzine and Gensler worked at Goldman back in the day, and the word is that Corzine personally lobbied Gensler to delay the implementation of new rules that would have helped prevent Corzine from raiding his own clients' funds.*MF Global Missing Money Case Continues(Fox 5)

MF Global probe uncovers shady pre-fall trades(NYP)* Taibbi: Corzine's Cozy Relationship With Regulator Probed(Rolling Stone)

 

Murdoch paper hacked HUNDREDS of people: Scotland Yard  * News of the World: UK Police Put Phone-Hacking Victims At Around 800(Huff Post)




 

Library President Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor(WSJ)

 



 

 



In Bags at J.F.K., Handlers Found Niche for Crime(NYT) A baggage handler at Kennedy Airport was the leader of a drug-smuggling ring, and his associates were other airline workers.





NYPD detectives still draw on experience — sketch artists bring witness accounts to life (NYDN)






117 kid victims and 85 arrests in Jewish enclave(NYP)

 

Suspect Wounded After Alleged Subway Groping(WSJ) * Off-Duty Officer Shoots Alleged Groper In Harlem Subway Station(NY1) * Suspected groper shot, captured by off-duty cop inside a Harlem subway station (NYDN)*  Alleged Harlem Groper Charged With Sex Abuse, Child Endangerment(NY1) * Sources: MTA Supervisor Stabbed Co-Worker(NY1) * Queens Man Charged With Murdering Former Roommate(NY1) * Kelly: Officer Who Shot Alleged Harlem Groper Feared For His Life(NY1)* Mom In Hudson River Tot-Toss Case Enters Insanity Plea (WCBS)* Ex-roomie shot dead (NYP) * Thief cornered in tunnel(NYP) * Transit honcho knifed(NYP) * Woman fatally shot, man injured at Bronx nightclub(NYP)

Law and Order

Graffiti expert can't confirm that ex-cop is "Neo"(NYP) * Lying lawyer slapped(NYP) * Mob rat-a-tattle(NYP)* NYPD: Woman Shot To Death In Jamaica, Queens * Ex-Attorney Gen. Defends NYPD. From charges of entrapment in terror arrest.