Monday, April 9, 2012

Queens Machine Tries to Split the Jewish Vote

Fox 5NYDN)City and State Pick Up On A Story Broken in True News Saturday Candidate’s Late NY-6 Bid Brings Talk Of A Queens Democratic “Plant”(C&S)
A fourth candidate has jumped in the NY-6 Democratic primary in northeast Queens – and the move is already prompting questions about whether the Queens Democratic Party is actually attempting to siphon away Jewish votes from a rival candidate, Assemblyman Rory Lancman.

Gottlieb currently an employee at the Board of Elections has no federal campaign account, no campaign website and waited several weeks into petitioning into order to begin. City and State reports that Queens Democratic sources said that before Gottlieb entered the race, Meng backers attempted to recruit Matt Silverstein, a Democratic state committeeman who is also Jewish, to run for the congressional seat in order to split the Jewish vote.

 Lancman Blasts ‘Sham Candidacy Of Long-Time Party Hack’ (NYO) * Candidate’s Late NY-6 Bid Brings Talk Of A Queens Democratic “Plant” [UPDATED] * Jeffrey Gottlieb Was Previously Gathering Signatures for Grace Meng (NYO) * Lancman Blasts ‘Plant’ In NY-6 (YNN) * Gottlieb now has a one page web site   * Dan Halloran Blasts Gottlieb’s Entry; Liz Crowley Passes (NYO) * Queens Dem party official: is 'lying' re: recruitment of 2nd Jewish candidate(Capital) *Rory Lancman Charges: Get The Fake Out Of the Race. UPDATED(NYDN) * Gottlieb campaign claims they almost have enough signatures to be on the ballot. * Gottlieb's website was registered on the same day as Ed Koch's endorsement of Lancman. * His work in the Board of Elections could conflict with his campaign.* Lancman blasts new candidate as ‘party hack’ (Times Ledger)* Queens Democratic Party Executive Secretary Michael Reich thinks Assemblyman Rory Lancman’s claim that the party recruited a second Jewish candidate to run in NY-6 is a “sucker’s holler.” * Lancman: Gottlieb Is ‘One of The Hackiest Hacks in All of Hackdom’(NYO) * Queenswide: Gottlieb called 'sham candidate'Queens Chronicle * Lancman Accuses Queens Dems of Foul Play(Patch)  * NY1 Online: Lancman Rips Queens Democrats For New Candidate (video)



Queens MachineGate
After losing the David Weprin race for congress last year Boss Crowley is leaving nothing to chance.  If his cousin is not splitting enough votes to elect Meng find someone who will.  Who is paying GOP political consultant Jay Golub to collect Gottlieb signatures.  Golub is president of a company called GSP consultants.  Disgraced ex-Councilman Dennis Gallagher works as a lobbyist for Golub's GPS in to a recent NYP article.  Golub and Gallagher help elect Peter Koo with many believe with the help of the Queens Democratic Organization after their candidate was defeated in the primary. So Golub seem to be functioning as a secret operative for Crowley.  That can explain why Koo backed Weprin and change to a democratic a few months ago.  Golub and company seems to connected to both the Queens Democratic and Republic Parties.  Golub's GPS was also paid by the Queens GOP to run the state committee campaigns against the Haggerty team.  One of the candidates on the Ragusa side that Golub helped was Steven Grave the BOE colleague of Gottlieb that was suspended by the board for attempting to take a bribe from a vender of voting machines.

Pinky Dennis Gallagher is a Lobbyist Do You Think He Knows GOP's Graves . . .
Who is the Secret BOE Lobbyist?

All DOI has to do is expose who was the lobbyist who Graves want to receive the $1.250,000.  The chances are that lobbyist is a BOE lobbyist insider or Queens GOP operator who know where the commissioner who run the board bodies are buried.  Note the sting tapes on Graves were made by the BOE vender not DOI.  The second case involves the former head of the BOE Gonzalez who left the board right after a scandal of ballot fixing was disclosed in a Queens special election.  DOI said over a year ago that it was investigating what happen.  That investigation could be revived to force Gonzalez to rat on his former board members.  It is interesting to not that Gonzalez lawyer Stanley Schlein is also the registered lobbyist for the same company that Graves tried to shake down, Dominion Voting Systems.  

Queens Crap Reports about Gallagher, guess who he was hanging out with on Easter eve?

None other than Council Member and GOP congressional candidate Dan Halloran! Dan was hosting karaoke at a Whitestone pub, and posted photos of the merriment on Facebook. For some reason, the last photo was mysteriously deleted from the Councilman's page early on Easter Sunday. Too bad for them that I had already seen it and downloaded it. Queens Dems & Queens GOP: it's just one big embarrassing hack orgy, isn't it?




As Political Bosses Fixed Elections and A Lobbyist Connected to A Major BOE Pay to Play Investigation Remains Anonymousthe Main Stream Media See and Reports Nothing


While the Blogs Give the Real Deal about the Fix in the 6th, the old Media Rely on the Hired Flacks to Report Fluff on the Race


Districts Blur Ethnic Lines(WSJ)  In her bid to be New York's first Asian-American in Congress from the state's first district with a plurality of Asians, Assemblywoman Grace Meng stopped by a Flushing law office last week for an important endorsement from the Italian-American Political Action Committee.  Later, her campaign said, she held a conference call with Greek-Americans, trotted out endorsements from Hispanic politicians and had a meeting with a prominent Indian-American political organizer. On Saturday, the Chinese-American went to a Passover Seder. 

 

Spoiler Liz Crowley Also

Confessions of A Political Insider(Queens Politics) Less than three weeks ago, political insiders were abuzz with different theories on why state Sen. Toby Stavisky’s Chief of Staff, Avi Fink would  manage Liz Crowley’s campaign for Congress even after Grace Meng received the County nod. Avi Fink really enjoyed working on the Hill or Weiner; he made a lot of friends particularly with County and desperately wanted to get back in. After the Weiner disaster, an opportunity opened up to work as Toby Stavisky’s Chief of Staff. In summation, County made Fink an offer he couldn’t refuse: leave Toby now and we’ll get you back on the Hill.

 


UFT Tries To Boss Quinn Around
Blackjack Mulgrew (NYP Ed)  That’s what City Council Speaker Christine Quinn must be wondering this week — after the United Federation of Teachers boss publicly ordered her to fire her political consultant.  “If I’m Chris, I’d be asking myself: Maybe I don’t want to be working with these people,” said Mulgrew, referring to her consulting firm, SKDKnickerbocker. * Reform supergroup to take on unions(NYP) * A school-reform super-group is forming to counter the power of the teacher’s unions. 



Public Advocate Bill De Blasio says city should cut business ties with car wash in labor probe (NYDN)  City paid Lage Management Corp. $170G for cleanings despite investigation alleging it cheated workers out of wages






Election 2012
Embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel has hired two Latino operatives – including former Sen. Hiram Monserrate’s onetime staffer, Mike Nieves – to work on his primary campaign.* Rangel staffs up with scandal hardened operatives(C&S)  * John Liu sounded confident of his mayoral odds while speaking in Staten Island. * At least to candidates are vying for Councilman Dan Garodnick’s seat. * Joyce Johnson explains her path to victory in the Rangel race. * Erik Dilan was on the Perez Notes. * Lincoln Restler Has A Challenger (NY1) * Rep. Charlie Rangel will make his first public appearance tomorrow after spending weeks out of the public eye while nursing a back injury.




NYP: Deal to Make Teacher Evaluations Available to Parents Only
Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver are nearing a “secret” deal on teacher evaluations that would allow parents to see new teacher-evaluation report cards but ban their release to the general public  Deal near on ‘secret’ teacher evaluations(NYP) Cuomo and state lawmakers are closing in on a deal to give parents full access to the new teacher-evaluation report cards, while banning their general release to the public * Waffling Walcott(NYDN) Holding Up the deal how to make parents keep the info public. The Post’s Andrea Peyser calls Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott “Willy Loman” and “Cathie Black II” for supporting a reported deal that would limit the release of teacher-evaluation report cards * After Release of City Teachers’ Rankings, State Lawmakers Weigh Limiting Access(NYT)

 

John Liu shifted his rhetoric about his 2013 plans rather suddenly.


Judge Ends Bloomberg's 911 Cover Up

Judge has ordered that city release consultant's report on 911 system. says city is reviewing its options.* Bloomberg ordered to turn over '911 CPR' analysis (NYP) * Judge Rules 911 Call Center Report Must Go Public(NY1) * Judge Orders New York to Release Report on 911 System(NYDN) * Judge Tells Bloomberg to Release 911 Report(NYT)

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Cuomo pledge 2 hire 'best & the brightest' 4 his admin has repeatedly led him 2 the Legislature"

Cuomo turns to Albany to stock his cabinet (NYDN) Some of Gov's choices have drawn criticism Cuomo’s habit of picking scandal-scarred politicians from the state Legislature to serve in his cabinet, including Assemblymen Peter Rivera, Sam Hoyt and Darryl Towns, is raising eyebrows in the political arena.  Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says Cuomo’s “getting the best and the brightest” by hiring top administration executives from the Legislature. But some of the former lawmakers he has picked have scandal scars.* Andrew Cuomo has turned to the legislature–a body he used to deride as corrupt and dysfunctional–to stock his cabinet. * The Auburn Citizen finds the Committee To Save NY’s record spending “a little troubling,” says Cuomo’s pledge to rid Albany of special interest influence will “ring hollow” if this continues.

Albany 

Dean Skelos is still against the minimum wage.  

Cuomo and the Legislature found $1 million in a nearly flat budget to change the way buses are inspected in New York following a bloody year on the road.

 

 

State Legislature is full of members who broke their word on redistricting (NYDN)  Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos leads the big parade of two-timers



 

 

 

After 3 Ratner Lobbyists Are Send to Jail He Keeps Hiring More Lobbyists
Forest City Ratner's 2011 city/state lobbying: 50% jump, with big contract to Kasirer; in Congress, D'Amato's firm lobbied for EB-5, and even got paid for not lobbying
Forest City Ratner may not be among the state's top ten in lobbying expenditures any more, but the firm still dished out more than $500,000 in 2011 to influence legislation and official action in Albany and New York City. The total represents a nearly 50% increase over its spending in 2010, according to online lobby data  How Bruce Ratner Wins Approval for his Projects(True News)

 

Queens population growing rapidly(NYDN)

 

Peninsula Hospital’s last gasp (NYDN) Doctor at Far Rockaway facility seeks injunction to stop closure * Plug is pulled on Peninsula Hospital(NYDN)

* For the Elderly, Emergency Rooms of Their Own(NYT)






Medical-Pot Debate Rises in Albany(WSJ) State lawmakers are renewing a push to legalize medical marijuana, the Wall Street Journal says. State Sen. Diane Savino, a member of the Independent Democratic Conference allied with the Senate Republicans on several issues, plans to co-sponsor a soon-to-be-released bill * Newsday argues that Cuomo’s pledge to issue an executive order clearing the way to establish a health insurance exchange for New York is the right thing to do * Sen. Diane Savino, a key IDC member, is set to sponsor a medical marijuana bill, re-igniting debate over an issue Assemblyman Dick Gottfried has been pushing for years to no avail.* Cuomo: No Time On Med Mar This Session(YNN) * Cuomo: Medical pot won't pass in 2012(Fox %)

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Judge Brookfeild Had A Right to Evict

Owner Had Right to Clear Zuccotti Park, Judge Says(NYT) * A criminal court judge in Manhattan said that Brookfield Properties was within its rights when it evicted Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zuccotti Park. * Protesters Hold 'Spring Training' at Zuccotti Park(NYT)

 

 

 

Libraries Rethink Their Role in City(WSJ) All three of New York's public library systems are conducting or planning expansive renovations that reflect a shift in whom they serve, and how. And books, in many cases, are no longer the focal point. All three of New York's public library systems are conducting or planning expansive renovations that reflect a shift in whom they serve, and how, the Journal says. And books, in many cases, are no longer the focal point

 

MTA “Bus Time” makes its debut(Fox 5)







Pols push park, pay & move(NYP)City drivers are about to get a rare parking break. The City Council is set to fast-track new legislation that would allow drivers to use unexpired muni-meter time at multiple spots citywide without the worry of being ticketed. * City’s Pay Phones To Be Replaced By New Futuristic Mode(WCBS) * City discovers ticket to more parking   Despite a 710,000-plus reduction in parking tickets across the city last year, the Bloomberg administration took in an extra $7 million in fees, partly from meter maids issuing more expensive summonses,* City to Install ‘Smart Screens’ in Some Public Phone Booths(NYT) * NYC Phone Booths to Turn into Smart Screen Stations(NBC) * Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn both support a bill that would allow drivers to use unexpired muni-meter time at multiple spots citywide, without the worry of being ticketed


Local Lawmakers Prepared To Trash Mayor's Waste-To-Energy Ideas(NY1)

 


Behind the Steering Wheel and Not a Grammarian in Sight(NYT)  The street sign said, “No standing April to October.” On Oct. 2, it sure would be handy if “to” meant until October, not through October. What’s a driver to do?








 MTA’s ‘$waps’ have backfired: report(NYP)

Decamping to Queens(WSJ) With rents rising and vacancy falling, nonprofits and arts groups are calling up movers and heading off from Midtown South for less expensive quarters, sometimes as far away as Brooklyn and Queens.

 

 

Hardhat who lost life deserves memorial at station(NYDN)* Crane firm gets testy(NYP) * Work resumed on the 7-Train expansion after the deadly crane accident. * Businesses frustrated by subway work(Fox 5)

 

100 Years Ago, a Disaster Captivated the City(NYT)

 






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 The Making of the President 2012
Newt: I’ve ‘Mitt’ my match(NYP) * ‘Super PAC,’ Eyeing General Election, Aims Blitz at Obama(NYT) * Why Ron Paul matters more than Newt Gingrich (Wash Post) * Newt Gingrich admitted Mitt Romney is “far and away the most likely Republican nominee.” But he vowed to remain in the race for just a little longer in hopes of helping shape the GOP platform. * Mitt Romney has a lengthy to-do list now that he is the all-but-inevitable GOP nominee.  * Newt Gingrich thinks he’ll be getting delegates from New York. * He wants a starring role in the Republican convention.* Two Terrible Weeks for Obama" - Hugh Hewitt, Washington Examiner * Why Santorum Won't Stop - Bill Schneider, Politico *  7 Questions for Mitt About Mormonism - Jeffrey Weiss, RealClearReligion * Obama Job Approval: Gallup 45% | Rasmussen 49% | RCP Average 48%

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 Wallace Last of the Mohicans

Mike Wallace, CBS Pioneer of ‘60 Minutes,’ Dies at 93(NYT) * Colleagues, friends react to Mike Wallace's death(WSJ) * News Legend Mike Wallace Dies At 935(WCBS) * Colleagues, Friends React To Death Of Mike Wallace(Huff Post)

 



8 NYPD officers have been shot at this yr

Detective released from hospital after saving partners' lives in shootout(NYP) * Detective Wounded In Easter Sunday Shooting Heads Home(NY1)* Det. Kenneth Ayala, Officer Injured In Brooklyn Shootout(WABC)


Injured cop makes like Superman in B'klyn apartment shootout(NYP) * Four Officers Are Shot in Brooklyn; Assailant Is Critically Wounded(NYT) * Four Police Officers Wounded In Shootout With Brooklyn Hostage Suspect(NY1) * Staten Islander one of 4 NYPD officers wounded in Brooklyn(SI Advance)
 
The gun lobby "has scared Washington silent"
Time D.C. wakes up on guns(NYDN)* In a DN OpEd, Mayor Bloomberg uses the latest NYPD officer shootings to push Washington to “stop cowering before the gun lobby” and stop the flow of illegal firearms to criminals. * Mayor Renews Call For Stricter Gun Laws In Wake Of Officers' Shooting(NY1) * Even as Violent Crime Falls, Killing of Officers Rises(NYT)


Bad Timing for A Piece Going After Kelly

What’s Eating the NYPD? (NY Magazine)  Ray Kelly has built the best police force in the country. Now it is turning on him. *   Ray Kelly and the momentum of current stop-and-frisk policy(Capital)



 Law and Order
 

Mobster cuts deal, TV show takes hit(NYDN)


Karate hero runs off rapist(NYP) * Man shoots MS-stricken wife6(Fox 5)* Man Shot Dead Inside Queens Liquor Store(WABC) * Police: Man Groped, Punched Woman On Queens Street (NY1) * Considering the Victims of a Sexual-Misconduct Nightmare(NY1) * Plea deal in works in fatal hit-and-run?(Fox  5) * Man saves woman being attacked in Queens(WABC)* Kung Fu "Hero" Saves Woman from Sex Assault(NBC) * Cops on hunt for groper after attacks in Manhattan(NYP)

Strip Club Cams Show Robbery Suspect(NBC)
 

Manhattan judge won't reduce massive $2M bail after Gristina's 4th plea(NYP) * Accused madam in court for third bail hearing (NYP) * Judge Denies Accused UES Madam’s Bid For Bail Reduction(WABC)