Grace Meng Tuesday night, saying she hadn’t decided what to do about Nussbaum’s advisory role in her campaign just yet. She would do herself a favor listening to the comments on Queens Crap about what should be done with her campaign consultant * A Takeover Of Journalism by Lobbyist and Politicians
What the Public Thinks Of Queens Machine Boss Nussbaum and His Honor Roll Buddies
Public Comment #1
" NUSSBAUM...should have gone to jail back in the Manes days when he was caught red handed in ...wasn't it a Time Warner bribery scandal? And this is the man who is "representing" the RKO Keith's owner de jour...Patrick Thompson. . . Throw ALL THE BASTARDS out!!!
Public Comment #2
When are the feds going to do a full job of cleaning out the stable...of all those old shit piles left in the corners...from Donald Manes' crooked regime? Nussbaum should be the first to be swept out. But I wouldn't dare use that piece of manure to fertilize my tomato patch.
Public Comment #3
Political manipulation and Oriental "massage" parlor advertising.... anything that the "Queens Tribune/Multi Media" can make a buck off of.....eh "Nussie"?
Public Comment #4
I am shocked ... shocked ... to find campaigns using political dirty tricks during an election. And if Lancman had hired Nussbaum first, that campaign would have dug up a straw Asian candidate to siphon votes away from Meng.
Corrupt Campaign Lobbyist Consultants Does Not Stop At Meng's Door. . . The Anti Democracy Cancer Have Overtaken the Rory Lancman Campaign 2
The Teflon Media Darling Sheinkopf Game the System and EveryoneYesterday Lancman's Campaign Strategy was to Go Silent on the Ticket Splitting Issue. His Consultant Sheinkopf Has Experience of Losing and Yes Going Silent . . .
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
From the Village Voice (Barrett, 11/10/2010)
"Sheinkopf copped a memo, too, obtaining it from an aide to the top Senate staffer, Angelo Aponte, who Sheinkopf personally installed in the key spot. He had the power to do that because the skillful Sheinkopf doubles as a lobbyist and as a political consultant, and had advised Senate Democrats in the elections that led to the 2008 majority, helping to make Malcolm Smith majority leader. Sheinkopf collected $356,741 in consulting fees from the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee at the same time that he was representing AEG and its precursor with Senate Democrats. Having worked for Bill Thompson and Mike Bloomberg most recently, Sheinkopf makes kings so he can then make deals with the kings he’s made."
While He Worked for Thompson His Partner Norman Levy Did Well With the Pension Funds
"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." (Voice) * Matt Silverstein Had Other Political Plans Besides Running For Congress (C&S) * Dirty tricks trump democracy(Queens Chronicle ) * Jeff Klein held a rather timely presser on increasing penalties for robbing pharmacies.
Quinn in A Quandry
Business Group Drops Support for Wage Bill(NYT) * City Council Reaches Final Compromise On Living Wage Bill(NY1) The Partnership for New York City dropped its support for the living wage bill in the City Council after a previously undisclosed loophole was scrapped during negotiations last night * "unacceptable"--how @chriscquinn described some of @mikebloomberg's proposed budget cuts. via @AP http://on.wsj.com/HtvxzJ #2013 * The Partnership for New York City had agreed to support the so-called living wage bill on the condition that it include a provision allowing the mayor’s office to waive the requirements in certain cases. But the waiver provision is being dropped, and so the business group is no longer on board.* Kathryn Wylde on withdrawing support for a "living wage" bill: Christine Quinn gave in to pressure from 'advocates'(Capital) Update* The blame game over the collapse of the living wage deal in NYC is well underway.
Another Quinn Problem
Crane Operators and New York Spar Over Licensing Rules(NYT) After a fatal accident, the city, which wants operators under a national license, and the union, which doesn’t, each say its standard is tougher. The fight between the city and the union representing crane operators over licensing may pose a problem for Christine Quinn, who may be forced to choose sides in her run mayor,
Election 2012 In Binghamton, Bob Turner hit Kirsten Gillibrand over gas prices. * Karim Camara is pushing for the DOJ to overturn Senate lines. * Liz Crowley collected the Mason Tenders’ endorsement. * Source: Towns Cancels On AFL-CIO Screening At Last Minute [UPDATE](C&S) * Long Calls On Gillibrand To Denounce ‘Working Mother’ Jibe * Lancman Lands Bricklayers Nod, Breaking Crowley’s Building Trades Streak (C&S) * Jeffries Builds War Chest for Challenge to Towns (WSJ) * Lancman on His Tier VI Vote: ‘My Light Doesn’t Flicker’(NYO) * Ed Towns, Who Said There’d Be “No Going Negative,” Appears to Be Going Negative (C&S) * Congressional Switcheroo Possibilities End April 20th(NYO) * Camara to Justice Dept.: Don't Pass the State Senate's Maps(WNYC) * Hotel Workers Union Endorses Meng for Congress(WNYC) * De Blasio’s Communications Director Leaves(NYT) RT @grynbaum: .@BillDeBlasio, uber-foe of Super PACs, loses key staffer to....a Super PAC * Grace Meng Campaign Fires Back Over Tier VI(NYO) * The Times of Israel gives some love to longshot NYC mayoral candidate Tom Allon, noting he’s the only Jewish candidate in the 2013 race (so far) to replace Bloomberg.* Towns hasn’t released his first quarter numbers yet, but he has hired a consultant for his potential re-election campaign: Hank Sheinkopf. Asked if Towns is indeed running, Sheinkopf said: “No one, including the already anointed candidate of Manhattan’s one percent, Mr. Jeffries, is a candidate until petitions are filed. So we shall see what happens.”
Breaking: Judge on the Fidler Storobin Case Changed Yesterday Schmidt Out and Martin in- Case Postponed to April 19th
No Court Decision Made In Special Brooklyn Senate Election(NY1)
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Another Titanic Goo Goo Reform Failure . . . It Sister Ship the SS Independent Redistricting is Still Sinking
Wealthy Group Seeks to Reform Election Giving in New York(NYT) A well-heeled coalition is pushing to enact a public financing system for elections in New York State. Media mogul Barry Diller, Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes, restaurateur Danny Meyer, philanthropist David Rockefeller Sr., ex-Mayor Ed Koch and a host of unions, investment bankers and others are joining forces to push for public financing of elections. Irony alert: Rich NYers to spend big $ ($1M) to get big $ out of politics, pushing public campaign financing system. * The wealthy and high-profile folks behind the public campaign financing group NYLead are prepared to spend up to $1 million on their push, and will start sending mailers into the districts of four senators deemed potentially “receptive” to the proposal – Marty Golden, Steve Saland, Greg Ball and Mark Grisanti.
NY Lobbyist Wins the Lottery In NY's Big Gamble
MGM Resorts International, the Las Vegas-based casino giant, inked a $15,000-a-month contract with Kasirer Consulting late last month to lobby for a shot at a full-fledged casino in New York. Like the other big players, MGM is taking a close look at New York City, even with Manhattan off the table and Genting angling for an exclusivity agreement for its racetrack casino in Queens. Among the entities MGM expects to lobby are the New York City Council and the mayor. “New York (City) could be a very interesting market, and that’s the reason we included that in Kasirer’s possible areas in which they’d be involved,” said Alan Feldman, a spokesman for MGM.
Other Lobbyist Will Do Well Also In the Fight to See Which Gambling Whales Get the State's 7 Slots
“I can’t tell you whether that’s the way it’s actually going to work. I don’t know what the Legislature is going to do.” But Feldman said there is room for more than one casino in the city if gambling is legalized. “I think that the powers that be, both in the city and the state, realize that in addition to what Genting is talking about, there’s still potential to do more,” he said. “So part of this is having a conversation about the size of the market.”
Daily News Says Thompson Pay the Fine
Thompson’s cam-pain po$ters(NYP) Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson owes over half-a-million dollars in fines for campaign poster violations, the New York Post says. After a judge rejected every defense, his lawyers are weighing another appeal* Bill Thompson must stop trying to weasel out of paying fines (NYDN Ed) Owes a half-million dollars for littering city with mayoral campaign posters. Now that a judge has rejected his defense arguments, ex-comptroller Bill Thompson should cough up the money he owes in poster violations, the News demands * Former NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson owes the city $594,375 in fines for putting up 7,925 illegal posters in the 2009 mayoral race – a sum nearly equal to all the campaign cash he has on hand for his next campaign in 2013. His attorney, Jerry Goldfeder, is weighing another appeal. Weak Liu Powers Being Pick Off
Mayor Bloomberg is moving to regulate pay of unionized city trade workers, taking the power away from the City Controller (NYDN) Mayor blames Controller's office with approving 'inflated deals' that have cost city $680 million over last decade. Bloomberg dumped a century-old rule allowing the comptroller to set wages for certain employees, the Daily News reports. Unions representing carpenters, plumbers and other trades will now have to negotiate their salaries * John Liu’s Campaign No Longer Collecting $800 Checks(NYO)
Senate Dems Want Their Pork member Items
State Senate Dems Enraged After Cuomo Cuts Their Member Item Funds(NY1) * OLD PORK OR NEW? CUOMO, LEGISLATURE SPLIT ON DEFINITION: All the money for community theater groups, film festivals and little leagues Gov. Andrew Cuomo vetoed yesterday was, by the governor's definition, new pork barrel spending by the Legislature, and therefore had to go. But lawmakers would beg to differ. Cuomo trims more than $642,000 in pork from state budge. 13 Assembly member items axed. Spox: "Let's keep this in perspective. It's $55,000 out of a $132 billion budget. It's not even a bacon bit." * Legislators contended the spending was simply a re-authorization of previously promised money. (C&S) * Cuomo did approve some member items.
Dems Lesson Taught, Lesson Learned?
Cuomo vetoes 'pork' items, as well as education funds (BN) As of April 2, Cuomo planned no line-item vetoes of the 2012-13 budget. Obviously, he's changed his mind since then.* The Times-Union cheers Cuomo for vetoing over a hundred pork projects, arguing that they don’t belong in the budget at this time * Andrew Cuomo breaks out the veto pen(Dem and Chron) * The Senate Democrats are particularly enraged with Cuomo. Out of the $640,000 in line item vetoes, 99 of the 122 – $412,000 or roughly two-thirds – were programs for Senate Democrats.* Only 12 vetoed member items targeted Senate Republican reappropriations and were valued at $152,000.
Capital Tonight 
Cuomo Creates Insurance Exchange(YNN)
Dumb Statement of the Day Goes to SKD Lobbyist
Quinn Lobbyist
Hilary Rosen, a managing director of the SKD Knickerbocker D.C. office, who drew the opprobrium of national Republicans, and defensive admonishments from the White House, when she said that Mitt Romney's stay-at-home wife Ann "has actually never worked a day in her life." * Hilary Rosen Defends Her Ann Romney Comment: ‘I Love Stay At Home Moms’ And ‘This Is Not About Ann Romney’ *Who is Hilary Rosen?(Wash Post) * “She should have come to my house when those five boys were causing so much trouble,” Romney, a mother of five and grandmother of 16, told FOX News channel. “It wasn’t easy…My career choice was to be a mother. We have to respect women in all those choices that they make.” * First Lady Michelle Obama defended stay-at-home moms. * Former First Lady Barbara Bush: “Five boys is a handful, trust me. Raising George Walker was not easy.” * DNC strategist Hillary Rosen (who works at SKDKnickerbocker) issued a statement apologizing to Ann Romney for saying she “never worked a day in her life,” calling her words “poorly chosen.”* Obama calls Rosen comments "ill-advised statement by somebody on television."
What Will NYC Next Mayor Do to Replace the Lost Wall Street Tax Revenue?
BlackRock's Bond Shortcut(WSJ) BlackRock plans to launch a trading platform this year that would let the world's largest money manager and its peers bypass Wall Street and trade bonds directly with one another.* Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos plans to push for another tax cut for small businesses that he believes could save companies $185 million a year, the Post
Robert Caro’s Big Dig(NYT) A must-read profile of Robert Caro today
Pay to Play Yankee Stadium
Yankees Giveth Money, Get A Stadium(YNN) • The Yankees contributed $50,000 to the Bronx Democratic County Commit¬tee from 2005 to 2010. • Top Yankee officials contributed a total of $25,600 to the campaigns of city and state politicians key to the stadium’s development. They made these gifts from 2003 to 2006. • Assembly Member Jose Rivera, former head of the Bronx Democratic County Committee, and his children received $8,850 in campaign contributions from the Yankees between 2006 and 2008. • Republican Senator Joseph Bruno, then majority leader, received $18,000 from the Yankees between 2006 and 2008. • The Yankees paid more than $300,000 in the first quarter of 2006 to the Mirram Group, a firm run by Roberto Ramirez, a former Bronx As¬sembly member and chair of the Bronx Democratic Party who had long-term relationships with Bronx elected officials. This was the single largest lobbying fee registered in the city in 2006.
Bloomberg’s top 10 reasons why Hollywood should “look to the Big Apple for all your film and television production needs.”
New York City rents have reached an all-time high. * Rent in Manhattan is at an all-time high. How have you been affected? Tweet us your stories (AMNY) * Skyrocketing rents in NYC hit a decade high (NY Metro)
Education
Two Years In, Federal Grant Program To Improve Struggling City Schools Has Derailed(NY1) * Plans to Close 26 Schools Will Proceed Regardless of Financing(NYT)* CBS 2 Exclusive Investigation: NYC’s Moldy Classrooms * AG: Founder Of Troubled Brooklyn Charter School A Tax Cheat(YNN)
Can Parents Keep A Secret. . . Do They Want Too? Teacher Evaluations
Gov’s teach grade dilemma (NYDN) * Making teacher evaluation data widely available to public a knee-jerk reaction, says Gov. Cuomo Cuomo in talks with lawmakers to limit release of grading system's findings * "Criminal prosecution of parents who publicize 
Manhattan BP, NYU Laud Scaled Back Campus Expansion Plan(NY1) * NYU’s expansion plan gets well-deserved nod from BP Scott Stringer (NYDN Ed) Politics of land use create unnecessary obstacles The Daily News gives credit to Manhattan Borough President for “seeing the big picture” in the NYU expansion plan * Cutting Scott Stringer: Critics Claim Borough President’s NYU Compromise Falls Short, Some Prepare Legal Action(NYO)
Will someone please buy 'The Village Voice' back from Phoenix? (Capital)
If Bloomberg were serious about gun control he'd not be giving so much $ to NY Senate Repubs who are blocking the legislation.
NRA Going Guns-A-Blazing To Stop Ammunition Microstamping(WCBS) * The Post knocks Bloomberg for traveling to Washington, D.C. to advocate for stricter gun laws, arguing that he’s ignoring pressing matters in the city * Bloomberg Leads Anti-Gun Law Campaign(Fox5) * Mayor Bloomberg calls for end to 'Stand Your Ground(WABC) * Bloomberg criticizes 'stand your ground' laws: "The @NRA should be ashamed of themselves." * Bloomberg launched a campaign to reform or repeal “stand your ground” laws in 25 states, saying: “Let’s call it by its real name, vigilantism. They justify civilian gunplay.”
Evicted From Park, Occupy Protesters Take to the Sidewalks(NYT)
LIRR Discovers Lightning
Lightning That Halted L.I.R.R. Got Help From Workers’ Error, Report Says(NYT) An investigator says an ill-chosen part contributed to the extended shutdown of the rail service in September. * One Worker, Wrong Part—LIRR Outage(WSJ)
Library Lends Out E-Readers(WSJ) Queens Library * 
Cameras installed at Queens Library branch(NYDN)
Jamaica Bay salt marsh island rebuilt(NYDN)
Ousted Museum Group Angry Over Breakup(WSJ) Not long ago, the president of the Brooklyn Museum sat in his office with leaders of a women's volunteer group that had been raising money for the museum since 1948. He told them the group was being dissolved.
5
5
5Election 2012: The Mommy War
Mitt, Bam in major kiss-up to women(NYP) * Romney Taking Steps to Narrow His Gender Gap(NYT) * Mitt Romney's Women Surrogates Voted Against Pay Equity Enforcement, Blasted Feminism(Huff Post) * Democratic Strategist Goes After Ann Romney(Huff Post) * The lack of competitiveness in the April 24 GOP primary, thanks to the departure of Rick Santorum, makes the D&C wish the whole thing were scrapped to save money.
Ann Romney gets drafted into the war on women, joins Twitter (Atlantic Wire)* Obama's Campaign Will Take the Low Road - Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal * Romney's Long-Odds Looking-Glass Strategy - Jill Lawrence, National Jrnl * Key Numbers Break Romney's Way - Michael Barone, Washington Examiner * Romney, Obama Camps Ratchet Up Focus on Women - Erin McPike, RCP * Can Obama Be Beaten? - John Cassidy, The New Yorker * Obama's "Buffett Rule" Is a Gimmick - Dana Milbank, Washington Post * Gingrich Unloads on FOX News in Private Meeting - Scott Conroy, RCP * Democrat defends Ann Romney comments amid firestorm(CNN) * Hilary Rosen throws Mitt Romney a lifeline in ‘war on women’(Wash Post) * Ann Romney urges respect for women's choices as Rosen apologizes(NYP) * Ann Romney’s Mommy War Becomes GOP Rallying Cry in Record Time (Gawker) * Axelrod expresses no qualms at targeting Rosen, a 'friend'(CNN) * Obama Team Cheers RomneyCare Anniversary - Stephanie Condon, CBS * Ann Romney and Working Moms - Hilary Rosen, Huffington Post
First Lady Michelle Obama Braves An Interview With Stephen Colbert
Jury selection to begin John Edwards' trial(CNN)* For John Edwards, isolation is a symbol of his downfall(Wash Post)
Law and Order
Arrest No. 35? ‘Hot’ stove (NYDN)
Son accused in woman's beating death gives emotional jailhouse interview(NYP)Teen Who Brutally Killed Mother: "I Don't Remember Anything"
Accused mom killer on Rx cocktail(NYP) * Epilepsy Medicine Is Cited in the Killing of a Woman(NYT) * No Bail in Fatal Beating(WSJ) * Manhattan Teacher's Son Arraigned On Murder Charges(NY1)
Granny ‘hit-run’ driver all clean for day in court (NYP) * Accused hit-and-run driver sports clean-shaven look at (NYDN)* Staten Island hit-run client in the right, his lawyer i(SI Advance)
Cashman gal throws court tantrum against order; phone call 'identities' exposed(NYP)* She told Cashman of suicide(NYDN)
6 Charged With Running Drug Ring From Bronx Day Care Center(NYT)* Nine Alleged Coney Island Drug Dealers Nabbed By Authorities (NY1) * Convictions Face New Review(WSJ) * 
Feds asked to probe 1972 slaying of cop at mosque(NYDN) * Pimp of hooker slain by serial killer pleads guilty(NYDN) * Brooklyn man kills girlfriend, jumps off roof to his death(NYDN) * NYPD hunting suspects who filmed knifepoint robbery(NYDN)
* 
Porn store robbery spree(NYDN)* Shady real estate agent(Fox5) * Feds bust Bronx-based prescription drug ring(WABC) * Suspect wanted in sex assault of 11-year-old girl(WABC) * Woman in a wheelchair beaten, robbed(WABC) * Cops Seek Suspect in Queens Sexual Assault of Girl, 11(NBC) * Bust iPad thief, but 2 cops hurt (NYDN) * Shooter dead after East Harlem pharmacy robbery (Metro NY) * Cop breaks wrist arresting alleged iPad thief (NY Metro) * Armed bandit killed during wild gun battle as he tried to rob East Harlem pharmacy: sources(NYP) * Cops: Female Police Impersonator Robs UWS Woman, But Is Captured On Video(WABC) * First A Well-Dressed Groper, Now The NYPD Seeks ‘Couture (WCBS)
