Monday, July 16, 2012

The City Council Is Responsible for the Corruption At the BOE and Can Reform the Place If It Wanted Too

Council Already Has the Power to Reform the Board of Elections

From the 2002 Green Book Page 150

"The 10 commissioners of Board of Elections are appointed by the council upon recommendations of the two major political organization of the 5 boroughs. . .  Vacancies are filed by the council for unexpired terms."

Quinn Does Not Have to Hold Hearing on BOE Corruption, All She Has to Do is Fire BOE Commissioners She Appointed

If Quinn does not have the power to fire as some say she can refuse to appoint anyone else to the Board until they reform. Quinn get three names to select one for each appointment.  She can easily use the appointment power to select a director (now vacant) of the Board who will reform the mess. NYC Council to hold hearing on vote counting woes "The Board of Elections' inability to accurately tally and report the results of last month's congressional primary in a timely manner threatens the credibility of the democratic process," City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said in a statement Thursday.


Quinn Who Appoints the BOE Commissioners Received No Blame From the Media About the Rangel Miscount . . .  The NYP Does Not Even Understand She Has This Power Over the BOE
The Post worries the city’s Board of Elections will screw up next year’s mayoral races and urges Gov. Cuomo to overhaul the “incompetent” agency.  The NYP should demand that Speaker Quinn fire the entire Board if they refuse to reform. Thanks for the warning(NYP) It’s even publicizing its incompetence in advance: In a letter to Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders, board members recently claimed they might not be able to conduct a possible runoff election in the required timeframe after the 2013 primary. It’s even publicizing its incompetence in advance: In a letter to Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders, board members recently claimed they might not be able to conduct a possible runoff election in the required timeframe after the 2013 primary.


Media Double Standard: NYP Attacks A Candidate for Connection to Sex Ads But Ignores A Political Consultant Queens Newspaper Owner

Qns. state Assembly candidate profits from prostitution ads in his newspaper(NYP)A Queens Assembly candidate who publishes a Korean-language newspaper is profiting from ads for a prostitution ring on the paper’s back pages

Political Thuggery Rules, Journalism Loses

There are 47 sex ads is this weeks Queens Tribune which endorses the candidacy of Grace Meng. It no surprise that the paper pushes Meng after all her consultant is one of the owners of the paper.  What is shocking is that not one of the old media papers has pick up any of the blog stories about Nussbaum or the ticket splitting he has used in this campaign.  This means that the media has become an enabler of thuggery politics and the corrupt it breeds.
 
There has been a lots of crime in queens politics and the promise of much more to come. It is totally hypocritical for the papers and journalist to cover protest against the Village Voice against sex ads in that paper but not to say a word of the Queens Tribune which does the same thing and is involved in campaign elections.  Many journalist have known for a long time about how the Tribune is used as a tool of the Queens machine and have remained silent. It is dysfunctional that they can believe they are doing their job as reporters by keeping the ways the queens machine uses the journalism as a campaign tool.  It also a dereliction of duty of a reporters mission as journalist not to report how consulting firms and lawyers some republican work together with the Democratic Queens Machine and the Tribune worked to give Grace Meng a good chance of winning Tuesday.  We have to reform the state elections laws as the NYT called for this weekend, but we also have to reform the way the press covers politics to restore democracy to New York.  It is the press not doing its job to uncover corruptions not the Nassbaum, Boss Lopez and Crowley that has made NYC the capital of corruption. True News: The Media Allows Nussbaum to Pimp His Ride * True News: True News: Nussbaum Unplugged A New Organized ... * True News: The Queens Chronicle Asks Why is A Sex Sex Trafficker ... * True News: NYT Political Coverage of the 6th by Ignoring The Thugs ...

 

The Selling of Weiner: Next Up the Checkers Speech?

Cuomo AG to Gov, Weiner PA to Mayor?
. would actually be the fave for public advocate in '13 if he ran, for many reasosn * Unnamed sources say Anthony Weiner is talking to former staffers and politicos about how to run for mayor next year because his multi-million dollar warchest isn't eligible for 6:1 matching funds after 2013. [Annie Karni] * Weiner's back on Facebook. [Zeke Miller] * "If nothing else, the buzz showed that Mr. Weiner was still capable of generating chatter in a mayoral field that seems to be solidifying despite its lack of star power." [Kate Taylor] * Dem sourcs. Weiner can't win 4 mayor, but "He might be able to win a congressional seat…he might be able to win a council seat." * Greg David thinks a run for NYC public advocate would be a waste for former Rep. Anthony Weiner.

From last year where told many lies. E.g. "Someone tweeted on my account, and it wasn't me."



Campaign 2012  Quinn Raises Maximum for Possible Primary Runoff(WSJ) * Bill Thompson lags in mayoral fund-raising(NYDN) * Grace Meng joins the bullet microstamping push(NYDN) * Bill de Blasio and Christine Quinn are scrubbing their Wikipedia page in advance of their mayoral campaigns. * Morgan Pehme profiles Kirsten Gillibrand, and notes that has a career trajectory similar to Barack Obama’s.  * Dan Janison recalls some political moves that foreshadowed Sen. Owen Johnson’s retirement. * Cuomo raised $5.8 million and has $19.3 million in his campaign account. (GNS) * Attn . NYPIRG: "Leonard [Litwin's] LLCs have given the Governor $250,000 so far this election cycle" *  
Jeffrey Gottlieb Running Unopposed For Queens Democratic Leadership Position(City and State) * Christine Quinn is already focused on fundraising for a possible general election.* Democratic State Sen. Jeff Klein is surprisingly running with the support of the Bronx GOP. * Dean Skelos now has a war chest of more than $2 million.* Charles Barron's FEC filing is odd. Totals don't add up, healthy typos, late money from Ed Towns & his staff:  * John Catsimatidis, likely GOP candidate for mayor in 2013, gave Rangel $4,000* James Vacca, net contributions for 6 months ending 7/11/12: $115,100 * Daniel J. Halloran , net contributions for 6 months ending 7/11/12: $9,270 *
Congress members scrub their Wikipedia pages too. [Andrew Kaczynski] *51 candidates filed disclosures with the Campaign Finance Board. Details: * IDC Pac Has More Than $300k Cash On Hand(YNN)
* Gianaris Has $1.6M, Gives Heavily To Dems(YNN)
* Real Estate Mogul Leads List Of Cuomo’s Top Donors(YNN) * spox: "Stringer today announced that his campaign has raised a total of $3.67 million 4 a mayoral run" ( Sen. Klein on , says Dems need to hold Addabbo's seat, Oppenheimer's seat, and could win Alesi and Storobin's old seat to win majority 's $430,000 total is the lowest of any of the major mayoral candidates. Only Tom Allon raised less.& With Fundraising Numbers In, Queens BP Race Heats Up(NYO)  * INBOX: Simcha Felder raised $229,000, $525,000 OH for run in "Super Jewish" Senate district. Tischler has $97.89. Nothing from Storobin.*
Liz Crowley Spent The Least Per Vote In NY-6 Race
Liz Crowley Spent The Least Per Vote In NY-6 Race(City and State)* Domenic M. Recchia , net contributions for 6 months ending 7/11/12: $228,691
* The KrugerBucks will abide while he’s in prison(TU)
* NYC Sept. Primary Contests(RM8)
* John Liu Continues Dropping Big Bucks on Legal Bills(NYO) 
* Vito Lopez has $1.2 million
* The Senate Democrats have about $750,000 on hand to fund their re-match with the Republicans – far less than the majority’s $5.4 million. * NYC Councilwoman Liz Crowley spent the least per vote – $68.51 – in the NY-6 Democratic primary. * David Storobin’s fundraising total: $150,000.
Rising pension costs may help explain why Bloomberg admin has cut the # of cops

While the Media Focuses On Weiner Erection the Media Does Not Ask the Mayoral Candidates How NYC Will Find the $$$ to Prevent More Cuts the its Police Force



Pension tension & the crime spike(NYP) Crime is up — and cops are down. City taxpayers are paying so much for yesterday’s crime-fighting that they can barely afford today’s. It gets harder to keep New York safe as the number of cops falls. Little more than a decade ago, in 2000, the city had 40,451 police officers. Today, it’s 34,413 cops — an 18 percent drop. . .  What happened? Yes, Wall Street collapsed, and tax revenues plummeted. The city thought things would be better by now — and they aren’t. But the other huge factor is cops’ pensions.* Investigation to nowhere  State's much-touted pension-padding probe dropped without any findings * Per capita, New York has fewer corporate headquarters than other major American cities. 



Mike: NYCLU Do Something About Shootings

Mayor: NYCLU Does Not "Do Anything" To End Need For Stop-And-Frisks(NY1) * 8 more shot in under-gun city(NYP) *Not safe enough’(NYP) * Eric Dinallo, a 2010 AG candidate and veteran of Eliot Spitzer’s AG office, asks whether stop-and-frisk is constitutional.* A very cool WNYC data map reveals that the NYPD doesn’t recover the most guns in the neighborhoods where they perform the most stop-and-frisks. 

 



Cuomo's Transparent Email
Gov. Cuomo uses BlackBerry pin-to-pin messaging system to contact key staffers when they can't talk on the phone (NYDN) Governor refuses to use email. Though Cuomo promised to have most transparent government in state history, pin-to-pin leaves no lasting paper trail * Lawmakers Angry At DiNapoli Over Privacy Breach | New York Daily News * A much touted investigation started by then AG-Andrew Cuomo into public employees padding their pensions with overtime has been dropped, and critics say the whole thing was merely to pad Cuomo’s resume for his gubernatorial run.* A Romney VP pick could be announced as soon as this week.   * And the Obama campaign has taken a page from the GOP and learned that staying above the fray isn’t enough.  * Michael Tomasky wonders where the Bain story will go next.   * Obama justified the look at Romney’s past, saying, “elections are about choices.”





Cuomo’s whip coming down(NYP)  Gov. Cuomo will put the New York Racing Association out of its scandal-scarred misery “promptly” after the historic Saratoga Race Track meet that...Cuomo will overhaul the New York Racing Association and appoint new board members to the group after the historic Saratoga Race Track concludes this coming weekend. Andrew Cuomo is set to disband the scandal-scarred New York Racing Association and replace it with a 17 member board picked by the governor and legislative leaders.  * Schneiderman declined to make public a report on NYRA, Jim Odato writes. (TU) 




MTA heading your way with good news! (NYDN) Expect restored service on various lines ... and a permanent G train expansion. The MTA will permanently extend the G-train in Brooklyn and Queens, and allocate tens of millions of dollars to restore service on buses, trains, and subways throughout the region’s transit system. The G-train has been expanded permanently to Church Ave in Brooklyn. 










Malpractice Safety Net Missing From New York Hospitals(NYT)Several of the city’s hospitals are partially or completely uninsured for malpractice because cannot afford the policies, forcing the institutions to draw cash for settlements from other reserves





New Charters Proposed for Manhattan(WSJ) The city has proposed six new charter schools run by former councilwoman Eva Moskowitz open by 2013, bringing the number of Success Academies operating in the city to 18











For Local Residents, a Mission to Clean Up the Gowanus Canal(NYT)

 

 



Clare Schulman Gets Away With It
The city’s Economic Development Corporation will restructure in order to lobby legally after the state attorney general’s office found the agency worked inappropriately with local development groups, Crain’s New York reports: * Liu seeks EDC shakeup for Willets lobbying (Times Ledger)







Tens of thousands of people cheat New York State out of an estimated $150 million each year through unemployment insurance fraud, 97 percent of whom are not criminally charged, the Buffalo News discovers: http://bit.ly/PZtyeW



Union Efforts Over Conditions at Grocers Split 2 Immigrant Groups(NYT) Union groups for Latino immigrant workers are battling immigrant Korean grocery store workers for wage increases in Brooklyn and Queens. A union drive among the workers at small supermarkets in Brooklyn is about to set up a clash between two immigrant groups: Latino employees and Korean owners.




Will Basketball Bring Hooters to Brooklyn?
New Nets Arena Proves a Magnet(WSJ) When the Nets win a game at the new Barclays Center, where will the after-party be held? That's a question on the mind of numerous bar and restaurant owners as they invest in locations around the arena that's scheduled to open this fall in Brooklyn.


Obama wedding registry fund-raising strategy not a hit with brides(NYP)* Egyptians taunt Hillary Rodham Clinton by chanting 'Monica, Monica'(NYP) * In Tracing Romney’s Role at Bain, a Convoluted Timeline(NYT) * Mitt Romney’s Complaints(NYT Ed) He is not coming clean with voters about his career at Bain Capital, and President Obama has no reason to apologize for demanding answers.* Video: Obama: 'We won't be apologizing to Romney'(The Hill) * Romney says Obama attacking him because he prefers not to defend his own record:(AP) * The Obama campaign requires reporters to get pre-approval for their quotes AFTER they receive them from various aides and surrogates, but BEFORE they print them. The quotes are often sanitized, tightened up or outright rejected.* Election Is About the Rich vs. the Rest - Paul Krugman, New York Times

The Evolution of Reporters Into Stenographers Is Nearly Complete (Mother Jones)* Team Obama's Best & Brightest - Hugh Hewitt, Washington Examiner * Obama Believes We Owe Our Success to Govt - Erick Erickson, Red State * In Pawlenty, Romney Finds Down to Earth Appeal - Jeff Zeleny, NY Times * Why Mitt Will Pick Condi Rice - Charles Johnson, Big Government * Bobby Jindal's Stock on the Rise - Nia-Malika Henderson, Washington Post * Obama Weakening Welfare Reform? - Alex Pareene, Salon *Battleground Virginia - Robert Stacy McCain, The American Spectator * History Destroys Claims for Obama Jobs Plan - San Diego Union-Tribune * Obama defends attack ads: (Politico) * Could Romney stand to learn a little something from the late Geraldine Ferraro?


Wall Street Guys Not Worried
Geithner yawned at epic fraud(NYP) Tim Geithner had evidence of a financial crime of epic proportion — so he wrote a memo. That’s about the only way you can sum up the then-New York Fed boss’ actions several years ago, when he was confronted with fairly compelling evidence that banks under his direct supervision were manipulating Libor — a key benchmark of global finance.* Missteps Doomed Barclays' Leaders(WSJ) * States Join Libor Probe(WSJ) * Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating whether the state experienced losses from interest-rate manipulation by financial institutions involved in a transatlantic banking scandal that threatens the global economy, Crain’s New York writes: * Schneiderman’s office is using questionable logic in denying the public a report it received from NYRA about its handling of horse operations, the states’ top Freedom of Information lawyer said. * How the Banks Rigged Libor - Peter Gumbel, Time



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