NY's Political Party Crime Culture
Organized Crime Politics
Ballot Corruption by Political Mob Bosses
The leaders of New York’s Political Mob are the City’s party leaders who exist with the Tammany Hall power control template, unchallenged and unaccountable to the voters in New York’s broken down election system. Their headquarters is the Board of Elections. Political mob bosses soldiers are campaign consultants who also operate as lobbyists and have the same relationship with the voters as Bernie Madoff had to his investors. In this war the 4th estate are enablers of the politcal mob boses covering campaigns only as horse race and simply reprinting the candidate’s press releases. In this swamp culture the political party leaders have become the new gangs of New York. Protect by the DA who need them to get elected. .NY Political Parties for Sale: Ballot Corruption(True News) * Tammany’s Ballot Control Again and Again (TN) * Organized Crime Politics - Episode Two: The Rigged Election System * The DN argues against a special election, which would enable major party bosses to pick the candidates.
Working Families Party
Did the WFP and Others Develp A Company Field and Data Services to Scam the Campaign Finance Law?
Working chutzpah Party(NYP Ed) * The Working Families Party is calling for . . . cleaner government by calling for public financed campaigns. A rich irony: Violating campaign-finance rules is precisely what the WFP itself has been repeatedly accused of doing. Lingering Questions On The WFP (CHN) * Behind The Working Families Field Operation: Candidates Pay Salaried WFP Employees As Independent Contractors, In Addition To Data & Field Services (CHN) * Continuing contempt of court(NYP Ed)
Other Scams to Rip Off the CFB
Sheldon Leffler, Former Councilman, Is Convicted in Campaign Fraud Scheme(NYT)
Sheldon Leffler Hit With $400G Fine
Queens pol Albert Baldeo busted for using straw campaign donors ...
Pay to Play Indy Party
Not So Independent Party From Senate GOP and the Real Estate Board . . . The Establishment Cult
Pay to Play Liberal Party
Raymond B. Harding Pleads Guilty in Pension Fund Corruption (NYT)
Raymond Harding -- onetime chair of the
now-defunct Liberal Party -- to collect $800,000 in illegal fees as
part of a sham pension-fund transaction in return for political fixes
favoring both Hevesi and his son DRAINING THE SWAMP
Conservative Party
Indictment Over Bloomberg Campaign Funds (NYT)
GOP chair Ragusa said he was aware of multiple investigations into Cooper’s actions at the park
Pay to Play Crowley
A Court, Not Votes, Sustains a Political Machine in Queens (NYT)In 1998 Newfield reported that Frank Bolz III, chairman of the Queens Democratic Party's law committee, is the single biggest recipient of assignments from Nahman - collecting $178,050 for 47 paid guardianship appointments since 1992.
Former Yonkers GOP boss Zehy Jereis has admitted paying employees off the books to avoid payroll taxes.
Highest Paid Lobbyist
The top ten lobbyists by compensation were:
Kasirer Consulting ($6,059,486), James F. Capalino & Associates ($3,317,406), Constantinople & Vallone Consulting ($2,507,500), Bolton-St. Johns ($ 2,390,266), Greenberg Traurig ($2,334,294), Manatt, Phelps & Phillips ($2,067,481) Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson ($1,971,509), Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel ($1,889,915), Parkside Group ($1,729,036), and Davidoff Hutcher & Citron ($1,629,390).
The Last Person to Try to Reform New York's Political Machine was Senator Kennedy in the 60's
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BOE Count
The BOE Plan for A Citywide Runoff
As a backup, nycboe says it will conduct runoff with all
paper ballots #nyc #2013, meaning worst case boe to hand count thousands of
ballots
As part of runoff plan, nycboe will increase the number of
voters per scanner. Officials say may mean waits to vote are longer #nyc #2013
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Campagin 2013
NY1 Online: City Councilwoman Letitia James Touts Campaign For Public Advocate
“I basically see my role as the public advocate [as] someone who can introduce legislation, someone who can legislate–I’ve done that–and someone who can agitate–and I’ve done that as well. So litigation, legislation and agitation, I’ve got those down.”
Eric Adams
Gatemouth pretty much drops the whole oppo file against Eric Adams's campaign for BK B.P.:
NY1 Online: Adams Touts Record For Brooklyn B.P. http://bit.ly/WtGhdf
Gatemouth: In 10 yrs, Eric Adams moved from Farrakhan buddy, to Gingrich GOP, to reformer w/out explanation
Squadron fires mourning consultant(NYDN)State Sen. Daniel Squadron fired
veteran political consultant Cynthia Darrison while she was mourning the
recent death of her father, and Darrison will now donate money to each
of Squadron’s two opponents in his public advocate raceTook 2 Days for this Answer
A campaign aide said Sen. Daniel Squadron didn’t know his fund-raiser, Cindy Darrison, was sitting shiva for the death of her father when he fired her over the phone.
de Blasio
Bill de Blasio said the protest outside his Wall Street fund-raiser last night was "political stunt" orchestrated by Christine Quinn. [Andy Jay Hawk]
John Liu
WSJ's Michael Howard Saul and WNYC's Brian Lehrer agree John Liu has dedicated supporters, but they don't see his path to victory with an unresolved federal probe. [WNYC]
Rivals Argue That Six-Term Brooklyn D.A. Has Lost His Credibility(NY Law Journal)
City Council Redistricting
City Council redistricting plan adopted, moves closer to final
approval | Staten Island Advance
The New York City Districting Commission today submitted the final district plan to the City Clerk for the 51 council districts. If the new City Council districts are approved, it will be the first time in 30 years there are three self-contained districts on Staten Island. [Tom Wrobleski]
The Lopez District
Gladys Santiago, a former district leader who has run for a multitude of various offices over the years, has filed paperwork for Councilwoman Diana Reyna‘s seat again. While Ms. Santiago is unlikely to have a huge electoral impact, candidate Antonio Reynoso undoubtedly would prefer a one-on-one battle with Assemblyman Vito Lopez–should Mr. Lopez indeed enter the race–to avoid splitting the anti-Lopez vote.
The New York City Districting Commission today submitted the final district plan to the City Clerk for the 51 council districts. If the new City Council districts are approved, it will be the first time in 30 years there are three self-contained districts on Staten Island. [Tom Wrobleski]
The Lopez District
Gladys Santiago, a former district leader who has run for a multitude of various offices over the years, has filed paperwork for Councilwoman Diana Reyna‘s seat again. While Ms. Santiago is unlikely to have a huge electoral impact, candidate Antonio Reynoso undoubtedly would prefer a one-on-one battle with Assemblyman Vito Lopez–should Mr. Lopez indeed enter the race–to avoid splitting the anti-Lopez vote.
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Homelessness Increasing
50,000 People Oer Night for the First Time Ever
Minimum Wage and Sick Pay Will Not Help the Homeless or the Unemployed
NYC has seen a steep increase in homeless families in the past decade, growing 73 percent since 2002, and an average of more than 50,000 families slept in city shelters for the first time in January, a record number
Wall Street and the Homeless
Interesting confluence of records: Dow reaches all-time high. So does number of NYC homeless sleeping in shelters. Reps. Joe Crowley and Nita Lowey warned this week that record profits on Wall Street are no sign of a healthy economy.
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Education
Bloomberg Academy
The state Education Department has received applications to open four charter schools in New York City as part of Bloomberg’s Young Men’s Initiative, but members of the mayor’s office have been quietly working to design the schools
Classy Mike wants to fund own schools
(NYP) Mayor Bloomberg is backing — and also wants to bankroll — the creation of four charter high schools* City Defends Gifted Policy(WSJ)The Post’s Michael Benjamin writes that New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott should be “ashamed” for allowing the United Federation of Teachers to hijack his Parent Advisory Council to lobby for their issues in Albany:
According to Forbes, Mayor Bloomberg’s net worth increased last year by $5 billion, making him the 13th wealthiest person on the planet, and putting his total worth at $27 billion, though the mayor shrugged off the numbers, the New York Post reports: * Bloomberg's Fortune Grows by $5B: Forbes(NBC)
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Hit-and-Run Laws
Server and Protect Not Respond and Protect
One Would Hope That Legislators Would Have Toughen Hit-and Run Laws Before Such A Tragic Accident
Is the death of the Glaubers a failure of Albany and City Hall failure to protect?
Pols: No more ‘flee’ passes Several state legislators yesterday demanded that New York toughen its
laws so hit-and-run drivers face more jail time for leaving the scene
of an accident.Driver wanted in family's deaths did time for slaying '50 Cent' that inspired rapper's name(NYP) * Calls to Charge Driver Grow After Couple’s Newborn Dies(NYT) * Suspect Is Sought in Fatal Car Crash(WSJ) * Driver suspected in NY crash has troubled past(WSJ) * Convicted Criminal Is Person Of Interest In Deadly Brooklyn Hit-And-Run(NY1) * Police ID Suspect Wanted In Connection With Fatal Brooklyn (WCBS) * Brooklyn deadly hit and run suspect identified, search(WABC) * Convicted Criminal Is Person Of Interest In Deadly Brooklyn (NY1) * Hit-run driver who allegedly killed parents, unborn child wants to turn self in: report(NYP) * Officer Accused in Cannibal Plot Won’t Testify, Lawyer Says(NYT) * The Brooklyn hit-and-run suspect is giving interviews but not turning himself in yet.(NY Mag) * Driver Julio Acevedo talks of death crash(NYDN) * Community Calls For Improved Safety Measures At Brooklyn Intersection(NY1) * Driver Julio Acevedo talks to NY Daily News of crash that killed young Brooklyn family(NYDN)
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Crossing Guards Job
What Does Low Pay Have to Do With A Crossing Guard Doing Her Job?
City crossing jobs are dead end
(NYP) Low pay and the odd split shift has kept the city from filling all
school crossing- guard posts, officials say. The NYPD said it is still
recruiting crossing guards for all precincts, but especially in
Flushing, Queens; Bushwick, Williamsburg and..___________________________________________________________________________________
NYS Government
Cuomo on Fracking
Cuomo Clarifies Report (WSJ) Gov. Andrew Cuomo acknowledged Monday that discussions with
his former brother-in-law, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., on a controversial
form of natural-gas drilling didn't sway any decisions he has made on
the practice.* Gov. Cuomo confirmed a report that he
had spoken with his former brother-in-law and environmental activist
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but denied that Kennedy derailed the imminent
approval of natural gas drilling in the state, the Associated Press reports: * Cuomo said there's no timetable for when he'll make a decision about fracking. [AP] * IDC proposes 24-month moratorium on fracking(TU)
Minimum Wage
The NYS Assembly overwhelming passed legislation to raise the minimum wage to $9.00 a hour by a vote of 101-44.
Budget
Star Crackdown Minimum Wage
The NYS Assembly overwhelming passed legislation to raise the minimum wage to $9.00 a hour by a vote of 101-44.
Budget
From The Morning Memo: There Is No Budget(YNN)
More closed-door negotiations with Cuomo about the state budget. [Zack Fink]
More closed-door negotiations with Cuomo about the state budget. [Zack Fink]
NY seeks to crack down on STAR tax break double-dippers * Senate Republicans want Cuomo to use some of his $2.5 billion in discretionary funds to pay for middle class tax breaks in the new state budget, including a return to the STAR property tax rebate checks curtailed in 2009.* The Republicans’ tax cut push is complicated by the their power-sharing deal with the IDC.
Taxes
The Times-Union writes that giving New Yorkers a tax cut through the Family Tax Relief Act is fiscally irresponsible considering the state has yet to resolve costly issues surrounding Medicaid:
Guns
State Senate Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos said that his colleagues would be pressing for changes to the state’s new gun control law, namely to keep the 10-bullet maximum magazine size intact, The Buffalo News writes: * The News’ Bill Hammond observed a pro-gun protest at the state Capitol and takes issue with the inflamed rhetoric of some of the protestors who are “spoiling for battle with their own government”:* “I believe the governor is going to be pretty firm about seven bullets — unless it’s in the home,”--GOP st sen Skelos http://bit.ly/WsjqyU * Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said he expects significant changes to the SAFE Act – specifically a provision that lowers the number of bullets in a magazine from 10 to seven.* But Cuomo said he’s open only to “technical” fixes in the law.* And Silver said he doesn’t foresee any “major changes happening.”* In the strongest sign of progress on federal gun control since Newtown, a bipartisan group of senators, including Kirsten Gillibrand, announced an agreement that would, for the first time, make gun trafficking a federal crime.*Silver Doesn’t Close Door On Tweaking Gun Control Law(YNN) * 50 NY Counties Consider Rejecting NY SAFE Act, The Strictest Gun Law In the Nation
Gambling
State lawmakers were skeptical yesterday that legislation on the siting of new casinos would be a part of the state budget, though Cuomo rejected those comments as speculative and left open the possibility, the Times-Union writes:
Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
State officials approved more than $1 million in public money — in addition to $5.3 million already disclosed — to settle sexual harassment claims against state workers over the last four years.
Health Care
Cuomo wants to rearrange how health care programs are funded, making them more results-based. [Rick Karlin]
More Toll Hikes?
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NYC Government
Sequester toll for city: $800M, budget pain(NYDN)
NY city: Some red light camera tix may be dropped(WSJ)
Soda Ban FAQ: How NYC's Large-Drink Rules Work(WSJ)City Budget Director Says Nonprofits May Have Abused Private Pension System(NY1)
Bloomberg's budget director said the city stopped paying into the pensions of some private day care and cultural institution employees because they overbilled the city. [Sally Goldenberg]
Residents Sue FreshDirect Over Move to the Bronx(NYT)
Findings add to fight against waste transfer station(NYDN)
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Sandy
Seperation of Church and State, Maybe
A First Amendment Storm(NYT) The First Amendment does not allow a Hurricane Sandy
exception to pay for the rebuilding of damaged houses of worship with
federal money.Representatives Christopher Smith, a New Jersey Republican, and Grace
Meng, a New York Democrat, that would authorize the Federal Emergency
Management Agency to make direct grants to churches, mosques, synagogues
and other houses of worship “without regard to the religious character
of the facility or the primary religious use of the facility.” George W. Bush’s administration, which accelerated government backing
for “faith-based” social service programs, did not order FEMA financing
for church reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina. It is troubling that
two-thirds of the House Democrats went along with the new measure, and
that only two Democratic lawmakers, Jerrold Nadler of New York and Bobby
Scott of Virginia, vocally challenged the dismantling of the
church-state barrier. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, an
influential voice on Hurricane Sandy aid, has also endorsed the measure. The First Amendment does not allow a Hurricane Sandy exception to pay
for the rebuilding of damaged houses of worship. The Senate should let
the bill die.
NYC residents affected by
Superstorm Sandy are finding that insurance payments are falling well
short of what they need because of loopholes in policies, while victims
are swamping legal clinics in search of help
Sandy Stirs Legal Mess(WSJ) The backlog of insurance claims resulting from superstorm
Sandy may be easing, but now home owners are confronting an array of
thornier issues. * Schumer: Army Corps Of Engineers To Help Rebuild S.I. Shores(NY1) * Bloomberg on his Rockaway hecklers: "They've been dealt a bad hand by God." [Dana Rubinstein]*
Left
high and dry by insurers, homeowners reluctantly borrow Sandy rebuilding funds(NY World) The Small Business Administration is seeing a steady flow of
loan applications from homeowners who had flood insurance but are seeing
coverage fall far short of the totals needed for rebuilding. But not everyone
is prepared to go into debt to restore their homes.
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Hospital Closing
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UFO or Drone
Pilot Reports Drone Flew Close to Jetliner Near J.F.K.(NYT)
FBI investigating unmanned aircraft spotted near JFK International Airport in New York | http://bloom.bg/13EUwOI
FAA investigating report of drone spotted near JFK(WABC)
FBI Seeks Operator of Unmanned Aircraft Near JFK(NBC)
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Washington
A Stealth Tax Subsidy for Business Faces New Scrutiny(NYT)
Sequestration's Political Risks for Obama - Michael Shear, New York Times
What Obama Should Do Now - Robert Reich, Huffington Post
McConnell, Boehner Mopping the Floor w/Obama - John Feehery, The Hill
Lipstick on an Elephant - Frank Rich, New York Magazine
Conservatism and the Racism Smear - Peter Berkowitz, RealClearPolitics
Sequester, Held in Contempt - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
Obama's Dishonest Budget Politics - Thomas Sowell, Investor's Business Daily
Welcome Back to Reality, Newt - Howard Kurtz, The Daily Beast
How Conservatives See Liberals - Michael Lind, Salon
Larger Spending Cuts Would Help the Economy - Michael Boskin, WSJ
Limp Recovery Questions Bernanke's High Self Regard - Jeff Snider, RCM
A Scientist's Misguided Crusade - Joe Nocera, New York Times
Freakshow Lessons From Rodman's NoKo Visit - Benny Avni, New York Post
Don't Laugh, Experts Say Rodman Trip May Be Useful - Scott Conroy, RCP
Voting Rights Act Not a "Racial Entitlement" - Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald
Liberals Should Support Armed Self-Defense - Jeffrey Goldberg, Bloomberg
It's Not the Wealthy Who Are Fleeing California - Allysia Finley, WSJ
The Next Phase of the Obama Green Agenda - Wall Street JournalWhat Obama Should Do Now - Robert Reich, Huffington Post
McConnell, Boehner Mopping the Floor w/Obama - John Feehery, The Hill
Lipstick on an Elephant - Frank Rich, New York Magazine
Conservatism and the Racism Smear - Peter Berkowitz, RealClearPolitics
Sequester, Held in Contempt - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
Obama's Dishonest Budget Politics - Thomas Sowell, Investor's Business Daily
Welcome Back to Reality, Newt - Howard Kurtz, The Daily Beast
How Conservatives See Liberals - Michael Lind, Salon
Larger Spending Cuts Would Help the Economy - Michael Boskin, WSJ
Limp Recovery Questions Bernanke's High Self Regard - Jeff Snider, RCM
A Scientist's Misguided Crusade - Joe Nocera, New York Times
Don't Laugh, Experts Say Rodman Trip May Be Useful - Scott Conroy, RCP
Voting Rights Act Not a "Racial Entitlement" - Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald
Liberals Should Support Armed Self-Defense - Jeffrey Goldberg, Bloomberg
It's Not the Wealthy Who Are Fleeing California - Allysia Finley, WSJ
Dow Jones High on Fed Steroids - USA Today
Worm Diplomacy - Chicago Tribune
Hit & Run Killer Must Be Brought to Justice - New York Daily News
Hooker: I lied on Sen. Robert Menendez
(NYP) A 23-year-old escort from the Dominican Republic who had claimed that
New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez paid her for sex now says she was given
money to lie — and, in fact, has never even met him* Lawyer Says Woman Lied About Sex With Menendez(NYT) * Daily Caller Says Washington Post Can't Keep Its Prostitutes Straight(NY Mag) * AUDIO: Sen. Menendez Speaks Out After Woman Recants Story (WCBS) * Dominican Judge Orders Menendez to Appear in Court (NYT) Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was spotted enjoying her downtime on the streets of Chelsea.
Christie a party fave: Jeb(NYP) * Jeb Bush Tells Hannity The GOP Needs One, Singular… Female Spokesperson: ‘The World Is Changing’
Booker's Road to Senate Rarely Taken(WSJ)
White House cancels tours due to sequester (Wash Post)
Obama's post-sequester approval rating recovers -- a little (Wash Post)
QE Causing Growth of Income Inequality - Thomas Pascoe, Daily Telegraph
Obama's Powerless Post-Partisan Presidency - Ryan Lizza, The New Yorker
The Sequester: A Long-Term Win for GOP - Andrew Stiles, National Review
Health Care Will Be an Obama Legacy - Julian Zelizer, CNN
ObamaCare Plans Will Be Bare Bones and Expensive - Scott Gottlieb, RCM
John Boehner: Master Negotiator? - Noam Scheiber, New Republic
Warren Buffet's Economic Confusion - Ira Stoll, Reason
Same-Sex Marriage & the Long Arc of History - Cass Sunstein, Bloomberg
To Rodman & Media, North Korea Is All a Game - Dan Gainor, FOX News
Jerry Brown: The Once & Future Gov - Harold Meyerson, American Prospect
Our Extinction Event Is Coming Fast - David DesRosiers, Washington Times
Video Highlights: Hume | Williams | Bush | Maddow | Carolla | More
President Obama reacts to the death of Hugo Chavez -
Jon Stewart Destroys ‘F**king Incompetent’ Congress For Allowing Sequester Cuts To Go Through
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Guns
GOP takes aim at bullet law
(NYP) ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo’s seven-bullet limit on gun magazines is under
fire from state Senate Republicans. Senate GOP leader Dean Skelos of
Long Island said yesterday that he believes 10-bullet magazines should
remain legal for New Yorkers___________________________________________________________________________________
Law and Order
Sicko’s secret recipe: 'Cannibal' searched Google for ways to cook women(NYP) * Prosecution Rests in Cannibalism Case; Defense Asks for Officer’s Acquittal(NYT)* Prosecutors Show More Graphic Media, Ends Case Against Accused NYPD "Cannibal"(NY1) * Molloy: 'Cannibal cop's' defense is the fantasy here(NYDN)* Cannibal cop' won't testify at trial; fetish Web site creator wanted 'Facebook-like place for kinky fantasies'(NYP) * Officer Accused in Cannibal Plot Won’t Testify, Lawyer Says(NYT) * Defense Rests In NYPD ‘Cannibal Cop’ Trial; Closing Arguments (WCBS) * Defense Argues "Cannibal Cop" Did Not Want To Kill, Eat (NY1) * Police Wait After Pledge to Surrender in Fatal Crash(NYT) * Defense Rests as Officer Declines to Testify(NYT)New MTA Fare Beater Crackdown Effort Nabs 18 on First Day(NBC)
Suspect Linked To Two Livery Cab Robberies In The Bronx
Queens DA Richard Brown served a subpoena via
\Woman in fur pulls cab heist(NYP) A woman wearing a scowl and a white fur coat is wanted for robbing a
livery-cab driver in the Morris Heights section of The Bronx Sunday,
police said last night.
Man may have beheaded mom for phone: relative(NYDN)
Tot’s killer is caged(NYP)
Victm of illegal stop-and-frisk gets $15G settlement from (NYDN)
Cop-killer's prison gal tested positive for drugs while pregnant(NYP)
After 3 Arrests, Debate Over Students’ Conduct at an Elite Bronx High School(NYT)
