Where Did Kruger Bribe Money Come From?
The Media Does Not Answer That Question
Judge Jed S. Rakoff: "Mr. Kruger had entered into “extensive, long-lasting, substantial bribery schemes that frankly were like daggers in the heart of honest government.
The NYP Said: Kruger sold his not-inconsiderable political influence for $500,000 in payoffs, intervening on behalf of a high-profile lobbyist’s clients and several health-care execs. . . Kruger sold his not-inconsiderable political influence for $500,000 in payoffs, intervening on behalf of a high-profile lobbyist’s clients and several health-care execs. . . The former state Senate Finance Committee chairman sponsored legislation beneficial to the bribe-payers and tried to steer millions of dollars in government funds to them.
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4 The NYT Said Which Lobbyist Paid the Bribes But Not Mentioned Who the Paid Them
"In one case, the government said, the lobbyist Richard J. Lipsky paid about $267,000 to the two companies and an additional $26,000 to Dr. Turano personally. Of that money, about $168,000 was paid in exchange for official action by Mr. Kruger, the government said. In return, Mr. Kruger assisted Mr. Lipsky and his clients, including sponsoring and supporting legislation, directing state grants and writing to state officials, prosecutors said. Mr. Lipsky pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy in January, two weeks after Mr. Kruger had admitted his guilt."”Former State Senator Is Sentenced to 7 Years in Vast Bribery Case(NYT) * The New York Times’ Michael Powell feels a twinge of sympathy for former Sen. Carl Kruger, despite the politician’s irritating victim complex
Answer: Nobody?
Ratner paid his lobbyist Lipsky $4000 a month. Lipsky plead that he paid Kruger $250,000 in bribes. The FBI found $100,000 in cash in Lipsky apartment and $4,000 in "crisp" bills in his suit pocket. In the second case of Ratner lobbyist found guilty Ratner lobbyists Zehy Jereis was paid 60,000 was found guilty fo bribing Yonkers City Councilwoman Sandy Annabi $160,000.
The media has never asked where who paid the Kruger and Annabi bribe money and so far the feds have not answered that question either. Kruger Gets Prison Term(WSJ) * Former State Senator Kruger To Serve Seven Years In Prison(NY1)* Ex-State Sen. Carl Kruger gets 7 years(NYDN) * Kruger is scheduled to surrender to prison authorities on June 26, which also happens to be the date for federal primaries in NY.* The Daily News: Give us a break. No one has ever produced evidence that Kruger did anything out of altruism rather than self-interest.//This is a man who ran a shakedown scheme out of his Senate office — funneling upward of a million dollars to firms controlled by his “intimate associate,” Michael Turano, who got two years.//A hospital bought Kruger to lobby the Health Department. Liquor stores and beer distributors bought Kruger to push legislation. Real estate developers bought Kruger to arrange multimillion-dollar state grants. (DN)
Mayor and Ratner Distract On Kruger Sentencing Day With Promise of 2000 Jobs
Bloomberg Promises 2,000 Jobs at the Barclays Center, Sort Of (NY Mag) * Bloomberg Defends Living Wage Act Veto During Barclays Center Tour(NY1) * Barclay's Center Job Numbers Questioned(Epoch Times) * Barclays Center bringing 2,000 new jobs to Brooklyn(WABC) * Ratner, Bloomberg provoke little skepticism about "2,000 jobs" announcement; recruitment efforts begin next week; Ratner admits more potential delay on first building(Atlantic Yard Review)
How Bruce Ratner Wins Approval for his Projects (True News)
Not Only Ratner The 1% Funded By the Government Always Walk With Fines And Not Jail Time 2nd construction exec to admit overbilling (NYDN)
Amigo Prison Reunion Coming
Espada's Lawyer Continues Closing Arguments At Corruption Trial(NY1) * Closing Arguments(WSJ) * Pedro Espada spent most of his corruption trial buried in books, only looking up when prosecutors presented a slideshow entitled “Bid Rigging Scheme.”
NYP Call Public Financed Campaigns Sleaze Blames Liu
How to make Albany sleazier(NYP Ed) The speaker, you see, wants to let statewide pols in on some of the public-finance action that their counterparts in the city now enjoy. .
His Treasurer Indicted
Liu hasn't been charged with anything but, David Chen of the New York Times writes, the "charges filed against Hou suggest that she was taking instructions from Liu as she was carrying out the allegedly fraudulent fund-raising scheme." Comptroller’s Former Campaign Treasurer Is Indicted(NYT) *Former Liu Campaign Treasurer Indicted In Straw Donor Scheme(NY1)
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You Paid $578.34 A Vote For A Meaning Less Election Last Week
2012 Election NY1 Online: Congressman Rangel Has No Worries About Primary * Judges hearing a case challenging the validity of the 63rd state Senate district created in this year’s maps were skeptical that the new seat was unconstitutional(TU) * An attorney for the Senate Democrats argued it’s “not the result that’s irrational; it’s the methodology”*Campaign for Primary Accountability is seriously looking at getting involved against Rep Rangel, a spokesman said. * Nick Perry gets a primary challenger(C&S) * Qns. Rep. Ulrich announces candidacy for state Senate(NYP) *Roll Call writes: “If there’s a slight lean to the overall House outlook in New York, it’s probably in Democrats’ favor, with a possible net gain of one seat.”
Schumer Tells Dr. Spock Where to Find Whales
Yvette Clarke of Brooklyn said she notified the Capitol police force of threatening phone calls made to her office, after Glenn Beck’s website posted a video that appeared to show her criticizing Tea Party protesters. * Scott Stringer tried to fundraise off of his commuter tax spat with Chris Christie. *Carlo Scissura decided to drop a Brooklyn BP run to lead the Brooklyn chamber of commerce because “The chamber allows me to do everything and then some that I could have done as Borough President.” * The move has left Eric Adams in the driver’s seat. * Or, as Dan Janison puts it: The creative contrivances that produced the latest State Senate district map went on full display Thursday before New York’s top court — and it all came out sounding pretty clever, in a warped, Albany-style way. (Newsday) * Clyde Williams: ‘I Will Be On The Ballot June 26′(NYO) * Meng lies about her relationship with Multimedia(Queens Crap) * Stavisky: New District Is Much Like The Old One(YNN) * Court Drama Heats Up in Fidler-Storobin Race (NYO) * Will New Names Emerge for The Brooklyn B.P. Race?(NYO) *Congresswoman Clarke Calls Police After Receiving Threats For Anti-Tea Party Comments * Bill de Blasio Takes His Nissan Fight to Israel(NYO) * Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. slammed his colleague, Sen. Adriano Espaillat, writing: “(He) is slapping us in the face by enthusiastically supporting gay marriage – now for the whole nation. He is clearly telling all of us, once again, to take a hike because he doesn’t need our vote.”
Breaking DOJ Lines Ok DOJ: No Objection(YNN) The Department of Justice today gave what is known as “preclearance” under the Voting Rights Act to New York’s reapportionment plan, with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s office writing that it had “no objection” to the Republican-drawn Senate plan. * DOJ gives OK to Senate redistricting plan(Gannette)
* State's Redistricting Plan Advances Past Justice Dept. (NY1)
Schumer Tells Dr. Spock Where to Find Whales
* State's Redistricting Plan Advances Past Justice Dept. (NY1)
Bloomberg Fights Quinn To Prove She is Not His Puppet
Bloomberg downplayed his disagreement with Council Speaker Christine Quinn over the living wage bill he vetoed, saying he’s planning on attending her wedding and having a good time regardless of their differences.
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Cuomo Crossing the T's and Dotting the I's
The governor expects a quiet end of session (unless the legislative redistricting plan fails to pass muster in court), and threw cold water on the concept of a minimum wage hike and public campaign finance reform. * Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s reform of out-of-network medical costs is at stake as he pushes a bill to force insurers and physicians to compromise over a reimbursement mandate on insurers, the Wall Street Journal reports: http://on.wsj.com/JKDiDW * GOP Blames Cuomo, Schumer, Gillibrand For Tappan Zee Fail (NYO) * According to the Citizens Budget Commission, the 2012 enacted budget shows tax revenue fell $679 million short of the initial forecast, but that would have been $1 billion without the Legislature’s approval of higher rates on millionaires.
Bloomberg CityTime, 911 Tech Disaster Continues
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Sampson Kills Pay Raise
John Sampson KOs 50G raise to aide Paul Rivera (NYDN) Outrage forces Senate Minority Leader to scrap pay hike. State Sen. John Sampson rescinded a raise for top aide Paul Rivera after being pressured to do so by several members of his Senate Democratic conference, the Daily News reports. Thanks to the DN, Paul Rivera, a top aide to Sampson, won’t be getting his $50,000 raise after all.
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24 School to Close
DOE takes two 'politically connected' schools off the chopping block, axes 24 others (NYP) Move could displace more than 1,000 teachers * City Decides to Spare School of Second Chances(NYT) * Two Schools Given Reprieves(WSJ) * Educational Panel Votes To Close 24 City Public Schools(NY1) *NY1 Online: Walcott Weighs In On DOE School Closings * City backtracks on plans to close 2 schools(NYDN) * Education Department won’t shutter two schools Grover Cleveland (NYDN) * Parents, Teachers Outraged Over School Closings Across (WCBS)* DOE takes two 'politically connected' schools off the chopping(NYP)* MRB says he & Cuomo "basically...sort of disagree" re: if teacher evals shud go 2 parents or be public. cc: @Rweingarten * The Bloomberg administration spared two politically-connected schools from the chopping block: Grover Cleveland HS in Queens, which counts state Assembly Education Committee Chair Cathy Nolan as an alumna, and Bushwick Community HS in Brooklyn, which garnered several vocal supporters, including Quinn.
Bloomberg and Cuomo Split on Teacher Evaluations
Bloomberg: Releasing teacher ratings to parents, not public would lead to 'chaos'(NYP) * Bloomberg: Cuomo’s Evaluation Position Could Lead to ‘Chaos’(NYO) * Mayor: Can't Show Only Parents Teacher Evals(NYDN)
Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is looking for new safeguards after a $1 million bid-rigging scam. (TU)
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Loser WFP Dan Canter
Dan Cantor — The Working Families Party must of thought it was in the clear after a judge ordered the disbandment of its for profit campaign arm Data & Field Services. But amid the gear up for the 2012 elections and the attempted revival of Occupy Wall Street comes the news that a special prosector was reopening the case, which means more legal fees and more headaches for Executive Director Dan Cantor. He may want to occupy a therapists couch after this one … Or a bar stool. Winners & Losers, April 27, 2012 (City and State)
On the Road to NYC
Spaceshipped(NYP) Shuttle to buzz NYC today *Enterprise heads to city(NYDN)
City Council Is Set to Encourage Greener Buildings With Zoning Changes(NYT) * The NYC Council is expected to approve new zoning rules next week that make it easier for buildings to insulate exterior walls, install solar panels and put gardens on rooftops.
Judge Clears Crane Owner
Crane owner in clear over 2008 East 91st Street collapse (NYP) Vics’ kin rip verdict * Crane Owner Is Cleared of All Charges in Fatal Collapse(NYT) * Crane Owner Not Guilty in Fatal Accident(WSJ) * Crane Owner Cleared Of All Charges In '08 Collapse(NY1)
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The LIRR At Grand Central and Broken Escalators
MTA Focuses on Ups, Downs(WSJ) For riders on the Long Island Rail Road, the sight can seem all too familiar: the grooved steel steps and rubber handrails rising up from the platform, but not moving. The escalator is out of service. What is merely an occasional headache for commuters has emerged as a potential nightmare for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as it builds a massive new station buried about 15 stories under Grand Central Terminal.The MTA has a first-of-its-kind contract to partially privatize escalators.
Terrorist’ In City Hall Fired
Council fire fiend(NYP) The mouthpiece for Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) is a cop-hating con who served federal prison time for torching an Army recruitment center in The Bronx,City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez’s spokesman was once convicted of throwing a burning rag into an army recruitment center to protest the Iraq War UPDATE Ydanis Rodriguez Fires Controversial Council Aide(NYO) *Jumaane Williams said that he would not have fired David Segal for trying to lit an Army recruitment center on fire.
Judge Agrees to Release 2nd Man Held in Rape Case(NYT) Credibility problems with the victim were cited in the case, in which the man is accused of committing sex crimes against a Brooklyn woman over nearly a decade.
Opening the Broadcasters’ Books(NYT Ed) The public needs an online database to get a better picture of the unlimited money being spent on political ads on television.
As Transit Building Is Remade, a 'Stirring' Memorial Will Be Removed(NYT)
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The Making of the President 2012
Gingrich Is Quitting (Just Give Him a Little Time)(NYT) * Jeb Bush: The vice president pick Democrats fear most(Politico) * VP Joe Biden drew big laughs at NYU when he discussed Obama’s “big stick.”* How Twitter has revolutionized politics.* The Clintonites are avoiding donating to the SuperPac backing Barack Obama unless the Obamanauts do it first. * What Joe Biden can do for Barack Obama: attack Romney, and go to blue-collar places he cannot. *It’s White House Correspondents Dinner, aka nerd prom, weekend. Andrew Cuomo is not attending. (Politico) * As California Collapses, Obama Follows Its Lead - Joel Kotkin, Daily Beast * Romney's Fiscal Fantasy Plan - Lawrence Summers, Washington Post * A Bush League President - Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal * The GOP's Hispanic Problem - Ronald Brownstein, National Journal * Democrats Can't Hide Obama's Failings - Steve Huntley, Chicago Sun-Times * The Bush Factor and the 2012 Election - Steve Kornacki, Salon * Obama Rocks the Youth Vote by Socking Taxpayers - Wall Street Journal * Mitt Romney’s campaign manager said that the Obama campaign was like “one of those gyrating, intermittent lawn sprinklers, spewing out attacks in seemingly random directions, hoping to get somebody wet somewhere but hoping even more to talk about anything but the unemployment rate, federal debt, gas prices, or rising health insurance premiums.” * What Would Obama's 2nd Term Look Like? - Ruth Marcus, Washington Post * Obama's Problem With Independent Voters - Jay Cost, Weekly Standard * GOP Alienates Hispanics, Women & Young People - Robert Reich, Salon * Rubio Echoes Obama on Foreign Policy - Indira Lakshmanan, Bloomberg * Tracking Polls: Gallup: Obama +7 | RasRpts: Obama +1 | More 2012 Polls
Jon Stewart Tears Apart Rupert Murdoch’s Terrible Phone-Hacking Defense: He’s ‘Australian Mr. Magoo’
New York Post Kills Scoop on Kushner Connection to Manhattan Madam (Gawker)
Cheatin’ Edwards’ sneakin’ voicemails(NYP)
Mother grieves for slain son who'd be 18 Saturday(NYDN)
Brooklyn Man Charged With Public Lewdness On Subway(NY1) * Police: Man Who Performed Lewd Act On L Train Arrested(WCBS)
At a Bronx Vigil Nearly a Year After a Killing, a Man Is Shot Dead(NYT)
