Meet Woman #1. In interviews this week, neither Mr. Liu’s lawyer, Paul L. Shechtman, nor his campaign spokesman, George Arzt, would characterize Ms. Ru’s relationship with Mr. Pan
Quiet Aide to Liu Helped Build a Donor Base Now Under Scrutiny(NYT) Mei Hua-Ru, Comptroller John Liu’s director of planning and his most aggressive gatekeeper, has emerged as a central figure in the federal investigation into whether Liu accepted thousands of dollars of illegal campaign contribution . . . Ms. Ru is also described as tough and determined. Some community leaders call her Mr. Liu’s “white gloves,” using a Taiwanese term for someone whose job it is to tackle unpleasant tasks so a superior can maintain a clean image. “She does not fund-raise during working hours, After work on her own time, she’s a volunteer for the campaign,” Arzt said.
Meet Woman #2. Liu Appoint Political Funky With No Art Experience to MoMa Board
Art of fund-raising(NYP) Liu gave his adviser plum MoMA job. City Comptroller John Liu’s top political adviser also is his appointee to the prestigious Museum of Modern Art’s board of trustees — stocked full of New York’s deep-pocketed elite, documents show.
Flack Artz Dances
“Seto has a deep interest in the rich cultural traditions of the museum and is one of the few Asian-Americans on the board,” said Seto’s spokesman, George Arzt.
Julia Harrison Defeated Ms. Ru For District Leader Three Years Ago
Pol's last laugh at her critics Today John Liu is in the middle of a federal campaign finance investigation, dashing his mayoral dreams and threatening his political future. Meanwhile Julia Harrison was recently reelected as Democratic District Leader. “Every dog has his day,” Harrison says. “In 2000, John Liu, the arrogant little pup, walked into my living room here and announced that my political career was over. I showed him the door.”
More trouble for Liu: The comptroller hired two top officials from MF Global to help oversee the pension fund
TNPM Extra: Boyland removes his person Facebook page
Boyland is Another Lawmaker That See A Closed Hospital As A Way of Making Money, Rather Than A Place to Try To Help Sick People
Queens Pol Tony Seminerio, 75, Dies in a Federal Pen - New York ...
Indictment slaps state Sen. Carl Kruger with bribery charges
Judge Blocks Giuliani Plan To Sell Hospital in Queens - New York Times
St. Vincent's Hospital Sold to Rudin Management
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NYT Finally Connect: Community Problems Are Caused By Elected Officials
NYT says in the eight years he was in Albany, records show Assemblyman William Boyland Jr. did little to help alleviate the crime and poverty that runs rampant in his Brownsville, Brooklyn district. A Lawmaker Back in Trouble, in a District That Knows Despair(NYT) The federal complaint issued on Tuesday said that Mr. Boyland negotiated $250,000 in bribes. The Capitol, a political newspaper, reported that Mr. Boyland filed per diems — fees intended to repay his expenses while in Albany — on several days when he was meeting with undercover agents in Brooklyn. * Mayor: Boyland Had No Influence to Sell (WSJ) * ‘Bribe’ pol’s tax outrage(NYP) * Newly indicted Assemblyman William Boyland has taypayers foot bill for defense Feds: He sought bribes to pay lawyers; News finds taxpayers get legal bill(NYDN)
TNPM Update Assemblyman William Boyland's chief of staff busted on bribery and conspiracy charges: feds(NYP)
Seabrook's Not Talking
Councilman Declines to Testify at His Corruption Trial(NYT) The defense in Councilman Larry Seabrook’s corruption trial rested yesterday, after calling only two witnesses, the Times says. Seabrook himself declined to take the stand * Prosecutors say girlfriend of accused City Councilman Larry Seabrook gave dubious testimony(NYDN) * Prosecutors Pile On The Allegations As Closing Arguments Commence In Seabrook Trial(NY1)
TNPM Extra: Defense blasts 'so-called evidence' against Seabrook (NYP)
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5Bronx DA'S prosecution of the NYPD ticket-fixing scandal could be derailed after the NYP learned the lead detective in the case had leaked “sensitive information” to an indicted IA officer
Lead detective may have divulged information to indicted former cop (NYP) The NYPD is considering filing departmental charges against its lead ticket-fix detective after discovering he leaked sensitive information to a former Internal Affairs cop who is now under indictment in the sweeping case, The Post has learned.
The DN derides the state BOE’s post-election vote counting method as “loony,” and urges Assembly members meeting today to “end the insanity
NYP: Read Andy’s lips: Maybe new taxes * Andrew’s moving lips (NYP Ed) * The NYP editorial board called the Governor “disingenious” for dodging a question from Fred Dicker about raising taxes
As Economy Lags, Cuomo Reconsiders Tax Stance(NYT) * Cuomo Eyes Policy Shift on New Taxes(WSJ) * Cuomo mulls higher taxes on wealthy, casinos(NYDN) * On top of potentially raising taxes, or rewriting the tax code if you prefer, Governor is also taking a hard look at casino gaming in the state.* Committee to Save New York member and Real Estate Board of NY President Steve Spinola says the committee will “clearly be opposing tax increases.” * Sen. Gustavo Rivera credited Occupy Wall Street with influencing Cuomo’s new thinking on taxing the rich.
azipaybarah Azi Paybarah (Twitter) My analysis: The 'Post' knocks the pedestal out from under Andrew Cuomo
MF Global Executive Part of NYC's Pension Reform Team . . . To Replace Liu?
PENSION REFORM PLAN’S LINK TO MF GLOBAL QUESTIONED: As more details filter out about the collapse of MF Global – the major derivatives trading firm that crashed under a $1 billion cash shortfall last month – a New York City union leader is questioning why two of the company’s top officials are leading efforts to revamp the city’s $120 billion pension fund system (CHN) * City Hires Ex-MF Global Chief(WSJ)
Former Bx. Borough President Carrion agrees to pay $10K fine for architect deal (NYP) * The NYC Conflicts of Interest Board fined former Bronx BP Adolfo Carrion $10,000.
Rep. Yvette Clarke Still A Big Spender On Travel (NYDN)
Occupy Protesters Mobilize for Obama's Visit(NYT) * After tent cities fade, Occupy turns to specifics(WSJ) * Jackson Browne, Third Eye Blind to Perform for OWS (NBC) * Movement Moves From Tents To Office Building Next To New York Stock Exchange (VIDEO)
Bloomberg's Police
CapitalTonight Capital Tonight (Twitter) UNC students angry w Bloomberg for The Education Mayor?
Fox News gets 24-hour, seven-day-a-week NYPD protection, while other networks do not.
State's Testing Chief Resigns(WSJ) One of the State Education Department’s top testing officials was forced out after he prematurely released details about the plan to lengthen reading tests for grades 3 to 8 * State schools testing boss up and quits
Two schools have been eliminated from the city’s competition to build a new applied sciences campus, leaving Stanford, Cornell, NYU, Carnegie Melon and Columbia still in the running, the Daily News says:
Dock Workers Union: Reverse Racial Profiling
Told to Diversify, Dock Union Offers a Nearly All-White Retort(NYT)
Real Racial Profiling 4 Million New Yorkers Have Been Stopped-And-Frisked(Huff Post)
PA’s $$-hike lie takes a toll(NYP)
Gov. George Pataki editorializes in the News that Cuomo is doing the right thing by being deliberative on hydrofracking, and calls out opponents to the drilling method for trying to politicize the issue * “Ban Fracking Now” was the rallying cry for about a dozen downstate lawmakers before yesterday's Manhattan hearing on the drilling procedure, though a few acknowledged the long odds in pressuring Gov. Andrew Cuomo to keep the industry out of the state. “Obviously this crowd here, would we have liked to have seen a ban on hydrofracking? Yes,” said Sen. David Carlucci, whose hydraulic fracturing moratorium bill failed to pass. “We know under the current circumstances, it doesn't look like that's going to happen.” He said that he'll continue to push for adequate regulatory resources and public health protections, and to make sure many of the new industry jobs expected are local. Other lawmakers said that if there's no ban, they want regulations to be so strict that they essentially prohibit fracking. “In order to ensure safety, the restrictions and regulations will have to be tremendously strong, and hopefully provide a disincentive to the companies to want to abide by them,” said Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal. “There are other places to frack in this country. They don't have to do it here.” * Hydrofracking Opponents Flood Public Hearing(NY1)
Residents Express Concern Over Health Problems From Second Avenue Subway Project(NY1)
Greta Van Susteren Draws Scrutiny Over Husband's Herman Cain Ties(Huff Post) * Herman Cain plays victim card(NYDN) * GOP candidate Newt Gingrich coming to Staten Island(NYDN) * Obama goes on fundraising blitz through(NYDN) * Obama Raises $2.4M During Visit To NYC(NY1) * Ron Paul Campaign Releases Brutal Newt Gingrich Attack Ad *Gingrich Will Meet Trump (Political Wire)
Charges Set for Insider Probe(WSJ) Federal authorities are pursuing charges against individuals at three prominent investment firms, including a large mutual-fund company, in a new phase of a high-profile insider-trading case that has shaken Wall Street. * Former Chase Bank executive says banks are responsible for nation’s economic collapse.
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Gambino and Bonanno Teamed Up With the Russian Mob
State probing Apple's deal for a new store in Grand Central (NYP) Post exposé sparks scrutiny of MTA, lease
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In Police Trial, Ruling Urges Firing of Detective in Sean Bell Case (NYT) * Detective Who Fired First Shot At Sean Bell Expected To Face Dismissal, Source Says(NY1)
Law and Order
Man Accused in Killing Spree Pleads Guilty(NYT) * NYPD questions babysitter who disappeared with...(NYDN) * Wanna buy gun at show? No prob! (NYDN) * Escaped fugitive nabbed(NYP) * Burglars terrorizing West Village(NYP) * Ex busted in gal’s slay(NYP) * AG Eric Schneiderman arrested 10 unsuspecting gun sellers as part of a sting operation.
