Thursday, November 15, 2012

Vito Lopez Non Profit Government Funded Empire Begins to Fall

 Why is the City and State Still Funding Bushwick Ridgewood With Member Items Funds?
Does Fisher Plea Include Ratting on Lopez?

Vito Lopez crony Christiana Fisher to plead guilty of lying to feds (NYDN) Fisher was campaign treasurer of disgraced Brooklyn Democratic boss and his former girlfriend. Fisher. Lopez’ fibbed to the feds about the salary she was being paid to run the non-profit Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Center Council that Lopez founded.  Fisher is expected to plead to one misdemeanor count of filing false information in response to a subpoena from the Manhattan U.S. Attorney, according to two sources familiar with the matter. It is the only charge against Fisher and carries a maximum sentence of six months, the sources said. Fisher is accused of having “recreated” missing documents at the non-profit to justify hiking her salary to a jaw-dropping $607,024 in 2010. She claims she was working a 35-hour week.
Breaking Vito' Non Profit Bookeeper Plea
Longtime Vito Lopez Aide Will Plead Guilty To Federal Charges Of Faking Pay Records (NYDN) * Guilty Plea Expected From Ex-Director With Ties to Lopez
* Lopez ally pleads guilty to duping feds(NYP) * Guilty plea entered by ex-nonprofit director(WSJ)
* Christiana Fisher, Director With Ties to Lopez, to Plead (NYT) *Ex-Director of Agencies Controlled by Lopez Pleads Guilty to Contempt
 



Brooklyn Dems Made Vito Lopez Who Headed Democrats for  Pataki and Giulinani Their Leader

Now Brooklyn Boss Seddio is Trying to Remove Felder From the Democrat Party?
The Brooklyn Democrats are infuriated by Senator-elect Simcha Felder’s decision to conference with the Republicans, and are exploring ways to legally expel him from their ranks. 

 What about all the dems who supported him like Councilman Greenfield and Hikind? What about all the dems through out the city who have gone against democratic candidates throughout the years like former Congressman Flake and Senator Smith?


Why Not Remove An Elected Official From the Party for Sexual Harrassiment or Corruption?

Is anyone thinking what removing Felder from the Democratic Party will do to the south Brooklyn area where the GOP has won a senate seat and congressional seat last year and has lost democrat leaders like Weiner and Kruger?  Removing Felder from the Democratic Party how will that effect the othordox community which still has most of it members registered in the party?  How will that effect Eric Adams who is trying to gain orthodox support for his boro president race? Why is there no effort to remove Vito Lopez from the democratic party for sexual harrassiment? Or why has there been no effort to remover the the countless other elected democrats who have gone to jail for corruption from the party?


The Felder Mel Brooks Inquisition Begins

The NYP Hits Felder Accuses Him of Selling His Principles Like Espada . . .  But Never Makes Clear in the Editorial What the Principles He is Selling Are
The devil went up to Albany(NYP) The Brooklyn pol’s marketing of his principles is just par for the course in Albany. Who can forget the last time Senate Republicans purchased seats from Dems? That was back in 2009, when Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada sold their loyalties to Skelos & Co., ending Democrat Malcolm Smith’s reign as majority leader.  


Why  not Throw Out Hikind Who Has Endorsed Many GOP Candidates Throughout the Years, Including  Al D'amato For Senate Over Schumer?
 Brooklyn Democratic leaders are looking at ways to expel state Sen.-elect Simcha Felder after Felder decided to side with Republicans in their leadership battle for the Senate, the Post reports * The NY Post calls Felder, an Orthdox Jew, the “devil” for his soul-selling, side-switching ways. *UPDATE: Felder: "The Democratic party doesnt sound very democratic today..." cc: * Frank Seddio Is Not Pleased(YNN) * “I’m disappointed, yes, but people can always change their minds,” Senate Minority Leader John Sampson said on Inside City Hall.* Meanwhile, Brooklyn’s Democratic chairman, Frank Seddio, is looking for ways to “expel” Mr. Felder. As others have noted, one wonders if they will do the same with breakaway Democratic Senator Diane Savino, who represents parts of southern Brooklyn, or District Leaders Charles Barron and Dov Hikind, who have used their positions to promote the Freedom Party and Republican Party respectively.* Senator-elect Simcha Felder’s boss, NYC Comptroller John Liu, declined to criticize his fellow Democrat for siding with the Republicans.  Why not go after Cuomo who endorsed two upstate GOP state senate candidates? * Lew Fidler Unloads Further on Simcha Felder(NYO) * Senate Democrats just don’t seem to be able to catch a break. Senator Rubén Díaz is now among the crowd of the chamber’s Democratic legislators who won’t commit to caucusing with their party. It should be noted Mr. Díaz has been a staunch defender of Minority Leader John Sampson, so a defection would seem most likely if Mr. Sampson were replaced.*  Sen. Joe Addabbo sees silver lining in Senate GOP keeping control: "I'm tired of changing offices"  * Control Of State Senate Still Unclear(NY1)

Shocking: The NYP Has An Epiphany That Albany is For Sale
Shocking the NYP Says Today Albany is for Sale
The publication added, “And it’s not just seats for sale — but actual legislation, too. (Never mind Gov. Cuomo’s boasts of having ended sleaze and dysfunction in state governance.)”



The Fight to Control Albany NY1 Online: State Senate Minority Leader Makes The Case For Democratic Control * New York State United Teachers spent roughly $4.5 million in this year’s elections,the money going toward polling and advertisements, and mostly supporting vulnerable Democrats, the Times-Union writes: * Sampson: Democrats Have A Mandate, And I’m Their Leader(YNN) * Sampson: GOP Creating “Chaos,” “Dysfunction” in Senate





Daily News Joins True News in Mocking the BOE for Its Pep Rally Crazy
The Board of Elections botched the presidential vote, but cheers itself(NYDN Ed) Partisan hacks are the only ones who think they did a great job
Of course, “excellent” has quite a different meaning in the board’s Bizarro World.
Does it mean that voting was smooth and efficient? No.
Or that no one waited in line for hours? No.
Or that the polls opened on time? No.
Or that results were tabulated instantly and without error? No.
What “successful election” means to the board is that Election Day is over and all its patronage workers will get paid.

5
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Yesterday's True News

NYC's BOE Baghdad Bob Epidemic
We Did A Great Job Pep Rally
Heck of A Job Brownie . . .  The Board Meeting Looks Like A Saturday Night Live Parody 
While the media has covered daily LIPA and Cuomo has appoint a Moreland Commission commission to investigate LIPA almost nothing has been in the media about how the BOE disenfranchised New Yorkers Right to Vote



Ex-Brooklyn Councilman Stewart hit with $61,000 in fine (NYDN)


Bribe was ‘fruit’less, con-man pol admits (NYP) What a basket case! Former Queens Assemblyman Jimmy Meng admitted yesterday he tried to convince a businessman under investigation for fraud that all the man had to do to make the case go away was deposit $80,000 in a basket of fruit. * Ex-Legislator From Queens Pleads Guilty in Bribe Case(NYT) * Former Assemblyman Pleads Guilty to Fraud (WSJ) * Former Assemblyman Jimmy Meng Pleads Guilty In Federal Bribery Case(NY1) * Jimmy Meng pleads guilty to federal wire fraud charges (Queens Courier)


The Bagel Councilman May Gets 7 Years Schmead

Prosecutors Seek Prison Term for Seabrook of More Than 7 Years(NYT)


 

 

Former state Comptroller Alan Hevesi has been granted parole on his second attempt and will be home for the holidays. He’ll be released from prison Dec. 19. * Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have asked a judge to sentence former NYC Councilman Larry B. Seabrook to at least seven and a quarter years in prison for his conviction on political corruption charges in July. * Crooked Comptroller Hevesi gets parole(NYP) * Ex-State Comptroller Is Granted Parole * former NYS Comptroller Hevesi @ parole hring: " Ive been thinking about a couple of books I want 2 write"

 


The Daily News Call Liu A Two Time Loser
 John Liu makes the same mistake twice(NYDN Ed) Controller was slapped down once before for misusing prevailing-wage power. The News admonishes City Controller John Liu for allegedly abusing his power to set prevailing wages for employees of city contractors







Bloomberg: So You Don't Like Spinach? Eat It

Campaign 2013 Sources say that Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer will no longer be running for mayor and instead will run for city comptroller, though a Stringer spokesman denied the story, the Post reports:  


If Borough President Stringer pulls out of the mayor’s race Quinn will become much stronger by picking up Manhattan voters who have her as their second choice.



Campaign 2013 Adolfo Carrion, Jr. Impresses County Chairs, But The Deal's Not Sealed Yet * Newly-Elected House Members Take Part In Orientation Process(NY1) * What The Democratic Mayoral Candidates Must Do To Win (City and State) *  Former Bronx BP Adolfo Carrion met last night with NYC’s five GOP county chairs. As previously reported, two – Craig Eaton and Jay Savino – are on board with his 2013 NYC mayoral run. The others need convincing. (He needs 3 for a Wilson Pakula).* The deadline to enter the Republican mayoral field is very close, according to Brooklyn’s Republican chairman, Craig Eaton. “The train is going to leave the station very shortly,” Mr. Eaton said of MTA head Joe Lhota potentially running. “It’s incumbent on us, as the county chairs, to make a decision within the next two weeks to 30 days.” * Another potential GOP candidate in 2013, supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, may be working with convicted felon Richard Lipsky in his opposition to a FreshDirect subsidy in the Bronx. Mr. Lipsky previously plead guilty to bribing former Senator Carl Kruger.
This blogger is not a supporter of Adolfo Carrion.com * Former Bronx BP Courts GOP For Potential Mayoral Run (NY1)

Unsurprising Headline of the Day: “Proposed City Council District Maps Protect Incumbents.”

Technology Leaders Endorse Effort to Overhaul Campaign Finance(NYT) The group is urging Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to push for a system of public financing for state elections.




Sandy-damaged SI prepares for President Obama's visit with disaster Christmas tree(NYP)






In the End Both Hervey Were Invisible to Their Problem

Exec full of excuses for LIPA sucking(NYP) * Long Island Power Authority Chairman Michael Hervey said that he has no regrets as to how the utility company handled storm recovery, and insisted that his resignation was not related to the public outcry from SandySchneiderman Subpoenas Con Edison and L.I. Power Authority Over Storm(NYT) * New York Probes Utilities Over Storm(WSJ)Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued subpoenas to both the Long Island Power Authority and ConEd, investigating whether the utility companies broke any laws by being unprepared for Sandy and the subsequent recovery


Flooding Apparently Damaged Equipment for Bike-Share Program(NYT)




NYT editorial: "NY & NJ cannot expect a whole new stimulus package in the name of Hurricane 
Some Have Power But No Heat(WSJ) As electricity returned on Wednesday for every New York City public housing resident, another dangerous impact from superstorm Sandy lingered: More than 15,000 of those residents have no heat with a cold snap descending on the region.Electricity has returned for every public housing resident, but over 15,000 remain without heat or hot water and likely will through the end of the week, as temperatures begin to drop at night*  Uprooted Students Endure Trek to Class(NYP) * Stuck Underground, as Water Rose to the Ceiling(NYT) * Gas Crisis Abates, With Rations, Special Deliveries and Refinery’s Return(NYT) New York City’s gas shortage is coming to an end, thanks in part to rationing, out of state distributors, and help from federal and state agencies

Obama Visits Storm-Ravaged Areas in New York(NYT)* Senators Ask for $1 Billion in Aid for New York Coastline(NYT) U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have asked the federal government for $1 billion in federal aid for recovery efforts along the New York coastline, including a sea wall and protective dunes* Money to Rebuild After Sandy (NYT Ed) New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will have a better chance at persuading Congress for financing if they join forces and ask for an areawide relief package.(WSJ)

New York Senators Seek Aid for Flood Defenses (WSJ) * Schumer, Gillibrand Want Congress To Fund Programs That Protect From Flooding (NY1)* Sandy May Cost Insurers Up to $25 Billion(WSJ) * City Housing Buildings Back On Grid After Lengthy Storm Outage(NY1) * MTA Continues Efforts To Restore Remaining Subway Service(NY1) * Army National Guard Continues To Aid In Recovery Efforts(NY1) * NY1 Online: Deputy Mayors Defend City’s Response To Storm * It’s not clear what kind of legal case Schneiderman could build agains the utilities.* Staten Island Man Accused of Sexually Abusing FEMA Inspector(NY Mag)


WATCH never before seen video of superstorm Sandy's flood waters filling train stations(NYT) * Schneiderman Hits 13 Gas Stations With Price Gouging *Special Parade Views for 5,000 Hit Hard by Hurricane(NYT) * One of Brooklyn's last blacked out buildings(NYDN) * (WCBS) * Obama Praises NYPD Lieutenant Who Assisted Family Whose (WCBS) * Queens-Midtown Tunnel reopens tomorrow(NYP) *
WATCH as Superstorm Sandy floods PATH stations(NYP) *
Obama tours New York region after Hurricane Sandy(WABC) *
Obama to Staten Island: 'We are going to be here until the (SI Advance)
President Obama brightens spirits in Staten Island's New(SI Advance)
Obama praises NYPD Lt. who helped parents of two Staten(SIAdvance)
Human Waste Continues to Pour into NY Harbor After Sand (NBC)
Obama Visits Storm-Ravaged Areas in New York(NYT)
Bloomberg Chooses Results Over Hugs as City Rebounds(NYT)
Clash Over Future of Wood From the Storm-Torn Rockaway Boardwalk(NYT)
Financial District’s Recovery Is Patchy, With People Still Barred From Their Homes(NYT)
State Accuses 13 New York Gas Stations of Price-Gouging(NYT)
Rebuilding the Rockaways(NYT)
Businesses On Front Street Struggling To Recover Post Superstorm(WCBS) 
And So It Begins: FEMA Starts Issuing Financial Aid Rejection …(WCBS
Power, heat return to Far Rockaway building(Fox 5)
Tow Company Investigated for Price Gouging After Sandy(NBC)

Veterans Raise Concerns Since Manhattan VA Hospital Is Closed Indefinitely(NY1)


 
 
Daily News Exclusive: Gov. Cuomo creating three commissions to prepare NY for climate change  * Insisting the “national paralysis” won’t stop New York from addressing climate change, Cuomo unveils plans to crate three commissions to look at preparedness, response and infrastructure improvements so the state will be ready “to face Mother Nature’s inevitable fury.”*  New York’s congressional delegation is annoyed with Cuomo for failing to give them a heads up before he went public with his $30 billion disaster aid ask from the federal government.* Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have asked for up to $1 billion in federal aid to repair and fortify at least 120 miles of coast from Montauk Point to Rockaway Beach hit by Sandy. They say this is just phase one of a multi-billion dollar rebuild effort.* Governor Andrew Cuomo apparently blindsided the congressional delegation by asking for $30 billion in federal aid without discussing it with legislators first. “The entire delegation is annoyed,” one congressional source told the Daily News. “There is a high level of ire.” *Emergency Rooms: Many Hospitals Still at Risk from Future Storms(NYO) * Cuomo's Three Commissions Tackle Improving Infrastructure For Changing Climate(NY1)
 


 
. poll shows 71% of Queens residents like stadium plan, despite 60% knowing little to nothing about it
SUNY wants 13% aid increase




The Journal News called the details of the Thruway Authority’s proposed 45 percent toll hike for commercial vehicles “too fuzzy.”  

City’s Unemployment Rate Dipped in October The city’s unemployment rate dropped to 9.3 percent in October from 9.5 percent in September, according to the report, which does not reflect the effects the storm had on the metropolitan region’s economy (NYT)



NY’s idiotic DMV take$ the ‘high’ way(NYP)Three Buffalo lawmakers admonished the Department of Motor Vehicles for overpaying a contract to a company that will produce new driver’s licenses when that extra money should be going to Sandy recovery efforts, The Buffalo News reports: * Sen. Mark Grisanti criticized the DMV’s plan to switch to black-and-white driver’s license photos.
 


School’s out for jeans and jeggings (NYP) Teen fashion staples like jeans and jeggings aren’t simply banned from one Queens high school — wearing them can get students suspended, The Post has learned.

Greyhound Clears Hurdle in Effort to Enter Chinatown Bus Market(DNAINFO)


$200 Million Gift, and a New Name, for Mt. Sinai Medical School (NYT) Carl C. Icahn is adding $150 million to the $50 million he already gave to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Manhattan, which will be renamed in his honor. * Carl Icahn gives $200 million to NY medical school(WSJ)


FBI found classified information on mistress's computer, gov't documents in home: sources(NYP) * Base boot for general busybody(NYP) *Veteran F.B.I. Agent Helped Start Petraeus Inquiry(NYP) * Petraeus's Last Days: Libya, Then Affair(WSJ) * Benghazi Hearings to Shine Light at Attacks(WSJ) * FBI Agent’s Shirtless Photo Was Decidedly Unsexy(NY Mag) * Petraeus claims he never passed classified info to mistress(NYP)
* David Petraeus Tells HLN’s Kyra Phillips: I Didn’t Pass Classified Information  * How Mean Girls Explains the Petraeus Scandal(NY Mag)




Obama Details Lines of Battle in Budget Plan, and on Libya(NYT) * Obama Presses For Higher Taxes, But Adds Caveats(WSJ)
This Time, Obama Has Leverage - Jonathan Cohn, The New Republic
Same Old Obama - Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard
ObamaCare Battlefront Shifts to the States - Grace-Marie Turner, Forbes
President Finesses Questions on Petraeus - Howard Kurtz, The Daily Beast
Hushed-Up "News" Explodes With a Fury - Victor Davis Hanson, NRO
Steamed Obama Defends Rice's Libya Remarks - Brown & Gerstein, Politico
Republican Future Lies With Governors - Josh Kraushaar, National Journal
How, Not Whether, to Raise Taxes - Ezra Klein, Washington Post
Obama's Heavy Tax Hikes: An Unbalanced Plan - James Pethokoukis, AEI

U.S. Must Avoid Europe's Toxic Tax Fix - Matthew Melchiorre, USA Today
Letter to Geithner: How to Dodge Debt Crisis - Allan Sloan, Washington Post
Doc Shortage Could Crash Health Care - Nisha Nathan, ABC News
Beware of False GOP Rebranding Efforts - Alex Pareene, Salon
Democrats' Down-Ballot Struggles - Michael Barone, DC Examiner
Energy Independent After All? - Robert Samuelson, Washington Post
Obama's Nightmare in the Mideast - Thomas Friedman, New York Times
General Failure - Ralph Peters, New York Post

President visits storm-ravaged Staten Island as part of NYC tour(NYP)

Video Highlights: Obama | Krauthammer | Rather | Paul | Miller
Welfare Spending, in Its Many Forms, Mushrooms - Orange Cty Register
Obama Makes a Strong Case on Taxes - New York Times
"Go After Me" - New York Post
Nancy Pelosi Stays On - San Francisco Chronicle
Warren Buffett: Republicans need to put "country over party"(Huff Post)
Mitt Romney is blaming his loss on Nov. 6 on “Obamacare” and other “gifts” he says the president handed out to African Americans, Hispanics and other core supporters.
Obama and McCain Feud Over Envoy(NYT)
Rubio gently rebuts Romney:(Politico)
G.O.P. Governors Meet to Regain Their Footing, and Whisper of ’16 Race(NYT)
Two Catholics Schools Shut Down By Sandy Share A Crowded(NY1)
Obama's Outrageous Defense of Susan Rice - Kirsten Powers, FOX News
Libya Conspiracy Theories Make No Sense - Kevin Drum, Mother Jones
Silencing General Petraeus - Andrew Napolitano, Reason
Spyfall: Petraeus's Impact on National Security - Barton Gellman, Time
GOP Governors Criticize Romney's Lack of Vision - Reid Wilson, Natl Jrnl
U.S. Must Avoid Europe's Toxic Tax Remedy - Matt Melchiorre, USA Today
Wake Up, Boehner: The Dems Won - Leo Gerard, In These Times
"Obama Part 2" a Lousy Sequel - Michael Goodwin, New York Post
Inconvenient Truths for the GOP - E.J. Dionne, Washington Post
The ObamaCare Debacle - Michael Tanner, National Review
Attack on Power Grid Could Cause Broad Hardship - Matthew Wald, NYT
Video Highlights: Petraeus | Frank | Powers | Tapper | Schultz | More 
 

Corzine to blame(NYP)


Israel
Israeli strike a bull’s-eye(NYP) * Rockets Fired From Gaza Kill 3 Israelis as Attacks Surge(NYT) * Another Israel-Gaza War?(NYT Ed) * Gaza Attack Kills Three Israelis(WSJ)
* Rocket Attacks and Airstrikes Resume in Gaza Conflict(NYT) * Egypt Torn Between Allies in Gaza and Treaty With Israel(NYT) * New York elected officials presented a united pro-Israel front amidst the current violence. (Cap NY)* Protesters Take To NYC Streets As Israelis, Palestinians(WCBS)





WATCH: Jon Stewart Rips The BBC

Uproar at BBC Brought Procedures, Then a Failure(NYT) Rules set up after a 2004 crisis put more responsibility for delicate decisions in the hands of rigid hierarchies. * Man Smeared By BBC Speaks Out(Huff Post) * Man Smeared By BBC Speaks Out(Huff Post)
 
 'His brand is damaged': 'Today' will die unless Lauer leaves, NBC insider says as embattled show's ratings sink 

Law and Order
Murder rap 33 years later(NYP) * Grand Jury Indicts Man in ’79 Killing of Etan Patz(NYT)
On Deadline, Indictment in 1979 Case(WSJ) * Former Assemblyman Pleads Guilty to Fraud (WSJ) *Accused murderer Pedro Hernandez changes story at court appearance; will plead not guilty * Man Arraigned In Etan Patz Case Will Plead Not Guilty, Lawyer Says(NYP) * Lawyer Says Suspect in Patz Killing Will Plead Not Guilty(NYT) * Etan Patz's Alleged Killer Made a False Confession, Lawyer Says(DNAINFO)
Jose Ramos, former suspect in Patz murder, ordered to stand trial for 'misleading' cops(NYP)


 Slay fiancé rips killer (NYP) “You son of a bitch!”  A Manhattan chef who came home last November to discover his fiancée’s raped and slashed corpse blasted her murderer yesterday in a scorching — and at times heartbreaking — victim-impact statement as the monster was sentenced.



Report: Stops As Part Of NYPD Stop-And-Frisk Program Down 30 Percent(NY1)
Crying killer (NYP)An ex-cop convicted of murdering his wife blubbered like a baby yesterday before a judge sent him away for up to life behind bars.


iPad heist at JFK(NYP)

Suspect Charged With Sexual Assaults On Two Queens Girls(NY1) * Body found in Forest park(NYDN) *
Convicted sex offender arrested in assault on girls(WABC) * Man Charged for Sexually Abusing Girls, 4 and 92(NBC) * Suspect Charged With Sexual Assaults On Two Queens Girl (NY1) * Fatal Brooklyn Accident Kills One, Injures Another; Alleged Driver Charged(NY1)

Terrorism Grand jury indicts Nafis on Federal Reserve bomb plot(NYDN)* Man gets 5 years in prison for aiding terror group(Fox5)