Sunday, April 21, 2013

True News Weakend Revie w

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Campaign 2013


Reporter Does A Favor for Thompson Who Says Property Taxes Too High
Hack Reporter Fails to Ask Candidate How the City Will Pay For Will Less $$$ the Expired Union Contracts, Rising City Workers Health Care and Pension Costs!

Shocking News NYP Seifman Says Candidates Believes Property Taxes are Being Manipulated to Jack Up Tax Collections
Dem joins Lhota prop-tax smack(NYP) But a startling thing happened a couple of weeks ago at a Democratic mayoral forum: Thompson charged that property assessments were being “artificially manipulated” by the Bloomberg administration to jack up tax collections. Lhota, the leading Republican mayoral contender, has said much the same thing. 

It is Unreal How Seifman Has Gotten Away Will Spinning Candidates, Elected Officials and Lobbyists Crap for Years Without Ever Being Questioned
Thompson dropped his bombshell at the Three Parks Independent Democratic Club during a lengthy attack on higher water rates, parking tickets and inflated rents. As a result, it went unnoticed by the large crowd. The administration hit back as hard at Thompson as it did at Lhota earlier. “Mr. Thompson is flat-out wrong,” said Finance Commissioner David Frankel. “Finance uses industry ‘best practices’ to assess properties in compliance with state law. To suggest otherwise is irresponsible.” As evidence, Frankel sent along a chart showing that the city took down the market value of Class 1 properties — one-, two- and three-family homes — between 2008 and 2011.
Dismissing opposing opinions and dominating debates
'He’s smart, he’s feisty, he’s tough': Past rivals warn potential foes that Anthony Weiner is a campaign trail bully

 

 


Clueless Business Leaders Leading Clueless Candidates
NYC business leaders, worried about post-Bloomberg future, offer plan for candidates(NYDN)
The business coaltion Partnership for New York City has met with every mayoral candidate but doesn't plan to issue a formal endorsement





  
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Teflon Corrupt Party Bosses

NY Elected Officials and Candidates Protect Party Bosses
 
Bloomberg Says They Are Party Bosses are the Causes for NY Corruption

"The only way to stop the spate of crooked pols and fix New York's “broken” political system is a public uprising against greedy party bosses" 
                Mayor Bloomberg  
6-10 Candidates For Queens BP  and Not A Single One is Running Against the Corrupt Rule of Boss Crowley 
The Candidates for BP have said noting that has more of the people they elected in jail that in office. Brian Mclaughlin, Tony Seminerio, Shirley Huntley (list in formation). Today's Queens Democratic machines still use the Surrogate Court (True News) *   A Court, Not Votes, Sustains a Political Machine in Queens (NYT) *  In 1998 Jack 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. * True News: A Takeover Of Journalism by Lobbyist and Politicians * Corrupt Queens' Machine(Blog)




 

 

Getting Rid of Disgraced Vito Lopez Who Has Already Lost Most of His Power Will Reform Little
The Making of A State Senator?
In Brooklyn many of the progressives have made peace with the New Party Boss Seddio as They Continue to Attack Vito Lopez. Problem is getting rid of Lopez who no longer has power beyond winning a council district, will not reform the epidemic of corruption among NY elected officials, the incumbent protection election law, the corrupt BOE or the corrupt Way Judges are selected, ETC.
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Campaign 2013

Can You Imagine What de Blasio Would Say If A Bloomberg Staffer Had Tweeted Hate Speech?


de Blasio Staffer Hate Speech
Bill De Blasio’s tweeting twits(NYP) Just what is it about Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, a mayoral wannabe, that attracts such publicly vulgar-mouthed staffers? Last week, The Post revealed that de Blasio aide Anthony Baker was behind Twitter posts slurring Jews and City Council Speaker Chris Quinn. Earlier, this paper reported that another staffer, Kicy Motley, posted comments such as “F--k. The. Police.” She also used profanity to bash the NAACP and actually “rooted” for Chris Dorner, the ex-LAPD cop-turned-cop-killer. Baker reportedly quit voluntarily — and Motley actually got to keep her job.



Park Slope, ‘Cradle of Candidates’(NYT)
At a mayoral forum, three Democrats pointed to the Brooklyn neighborhood, now a case study in gentrification, when asked about the last place they had rented.




Fairway's Free Campaign Ad for Quinn
Quinn Appearance In Fairway Ad Raises Questions, Critics Say(NY1) A commercial for Fairway Market from earlier this year trumpeted the Red Hook store’s reopening post-Hurricane Sandy. But it also prominently features City Council Speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn. * Marty says it’s time to put a woman in charge(Brooklyn Paper)

 

6m
Quinn has her own personal tweeding unit

. arrived, just after attacked her in absentia for wanting to keep Ray Kelly as police commissioner *  "one day one, we will no longer have ."--. cc:
Liu challenges de Blasio about why doesn't plan to abolish . "People need safety [&] constitutional rights," de Blasio says.* Sal at : Rhetoric is just rhetoric. You have to follow the money. My opponents campaigns are weighed down by developer $ * . accuses Bloomberg admin of rying to privatize public assets, close public schools. "It’s bankrupt & it must be stopped."

 Audience Rule (Against Quinn) at Mayoral Forum
Before she was cut off, called plan to lease land for luxury housing "terrible."People just don't trust plans suddenly coming out of City Hall, ie esp after 12yrs of doing abso nothing * City Hall's rationale behind plan is "we need $ for ". 1) sitting on $. 2) other places to find $. *“: Heckler interrupts speaking, brings her to a halt. trying to get hostile audience under control.”* theme emerging at : Bloomberg has NO credibility with residents.* . says he has to leave. one woman boos. BT notes he was here early. cheers. * At Mayoral Forum, Hostility Toward Quinn, Even Before Her Arrival



Bribery collars unleash political fallout(Bronx Times)







Brian Lehrer/NYU panel with mayoral candidates on affordable housing  

Former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s attempted comeback makes things awkward for Sen. Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton.  

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Liu's Trial

 Jurors’ Ethnicity at Issue in Trial of Ex-Aides to Liu (NYT)

Liu Discusses Undercover Videos In Case Against His Former Fundraiser(NY1)


While talking to NY1 Friday, City Comptroller John Liu displayed a business card. "My wife asks me to hold onto it as a good luck charm," he said. "But this turns out to be a bogus business card." The card says Richard Kong. Liu met him at a August 2011 fundraiser. He wasn't a businessman. He was really an undercover FBI agent.


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NYT Pushes Campaign Reforms

New York Reform = Public Financing By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Gov. Cuomo should not let a good scandal go to waste.  This week Cuomo announced several important proposals to end the political lawlessness, from hardening bribery laws to getting rid of New York’s ridiculous election restrictions imposed by the state’s political parties.  But he left out the most crucial reform of all: public financing of elections, which is essential to encouraging competition for legislative offices and reducing the influence of big money on the state’s politics.*  Editorial: Albany's campaign finance reforms fall flat - Newsday

The Only Power the Minor Parties Have Is to Sell Their Ballot Line . . .  Ending Wilson-Pakula Would End That
NYT: "Some of the governor’s proposals have been needed for decades. One would scrap the 66-year-old Wilson-Pakula law, which gives state parties the sole power to determine whether nonparty members can run in their primaries, with permission often given in exchange for contributions. That law has been widely abused, most recently by State Senator Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, who was arrested as part of a scheme to pay Republican leaders for a chance to run in their New York City mayoral primary this year."

Bloomberg Spent Millions to Buy Wilson-Pakulas to get on the IP and GOP Ballot Lines in 2001, 2005 and 2009
The Times’ Michael Powell writes that Mayor Michael Bloomberg deserves some of the blame for engendering a culture of corruption in New York City: Mr. Powell wrote. “[W]hen he decided that his professed love of term limits was silliness and that he would like the Republican Party nomination, he spread cash the way a farmer spreads manure in spring.”* The TU calls the Senate GOP’s claim that public campaign financing begets corruption “hollow.”



NYT Says Give BOE Enforcement Power to AG 
Mr. Cuomo also proposed setting up an independent enforcement unit to oversee state election laws. As useful as this enforcement unit sounds, it would make more sense if he simply granted the attorney general the authority to investigate election law violations, as he recommended doing in his 2010 campaign for governor.




Why the Delay In Starting Public Finance? 
What Can be Done to Stop Smith Type Abuse?
State legislators have already come up with bills to provide matching funds for small contributions to candidates. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has proposed creating a voluntary system of public financing with a match of $6 to every $1 raised in small contributions. Unfortunately, the bill would cover only the comptroller race next year. Legislative races would not be covered until 2016; the governor’s race, not until 2018.

51m
Don't disenfranchise honest political discourse when the real corruption in is incumbent-favoring gerrymandering & member items abuse.

Cuomo on A Reform Bill
Debate is a bitch? Gov. Cuomo: NY legislative bills get in the way |


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Queens GOP Civil War


On September 14th True News Was First to Tell You That There Was A Major Effort by  Republican District Leaders to Dump Queens GOP Boss Phil  Ragusa

We Now Have the Letter They Are Sending Ragusa Demanding He step Down
At the meeting the leaders agree to send a letter to cox asking for the removal of the Queens GOP County Leader for corrupt activities. The other day Republican activists — including veteran consultant E. O’Brien Murray — called for Queens County GOP chairman Phil Ragusa to step down. They are going after the corruption of the former VP of the party and Vinny Tabone who was arrested last week for trying to sell the ballot line to Malcolm Smith who was also arrested. Queens GOP Executive Director Robert Hornak Quits Board Of Elections After Shakeup(TU) * What About the Sworn Papers Filed in Court by Ragusa to Save His BOE Commissioner?(True News)

Letter Demanding Ragusa Resign
The most recent letter follows reported first in True News of several missives in which current GOP mayoral hopeful John Catsimatidis and former Republican elected officials rallied to Ragusa's defense and accused Ulrich and team Lhota of grandstanding politics.

Hon. Phil Ragusa, Chair
Queens County Republican Party
24-55 Francis Lewis Blvd
Whitestone, NY 11357
Dear Chariman Ragusa
    We the undersigned members of the Republican State Committee, respect and appreciate your many years of service to the Republican Party in Queens County.
    We are concerned about the future of our party.  The latest public corruption scandals have called into question in your ability to lead our party during these very difficult times.  For the good of the party, we are asking you to step down as Chairman.
    We believe that the only way to bring lasting peace and unity to Queens GOP is to elect former Congressman Bob Turner as out new county leader.  We understand that decisions like these are not east to make, but we trust that you will put the best interest of our party about all other considerations and resign your office.
The Letter has been signed by 16 Queens State Committee leaders in the following districts 23(2), 24, 27(2), 28(2), 29, 30, 31(2) 32(2), 35, 38(2) 

More on the Queens GOP Civil War(True News)

Former Staten Island GOP chairman Robert Scamardella endorses Lisa Giovinazzo(SI Advance)


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Week in Review

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Tuesday

Mayoral Candidates are Not Turning On New Yorkers
Candidates Fail to Inspire After 2 Months of Debate
Yesterday True News
Good Sign for Weiner After Months of Debates Not One Candidate Has Gained Traction



de Blasio: Staffer Hate Tweets
A staffer in NYC Public Advocate/mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio’s office quickly resigned from his city post yesterday after The Post uncovered a string of his vile tweets targeting Jews, women and cops.






Quinn granted $100,000 in city funds in each of the last three years to a housing advocacy group, so that they can use the money to lobby for more affordable housing, a pillar of Quinn’s mayoral campaign 

Quinn Funds Housing Group With Member Items That Pushers for Her Mayoral Campaign Housing Plan
 [image]City Grant Aids Quinn Housing Plan (WSJ)The City Council speaker's affordable-housing proposal is attracting resistance from many low-cost housing advocates, but one of them has become the plan's most active supporter. one of the groups has become the plan's most active supporter. The Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development has lobbied city officials on the issue and produced a series of reports warning of the dangers of losing cheap apartments, laying out the benefits of permanently affordable housing.
*









Sister team ponies up to oust Quinn(CrainsNY)
The two business owners are funding a negative ad campaign targeting Ms. Quinn













The NYT is Leading the Weiner Roll Out

Strategists Assess What a Weiner Candidacy Would Do to the Mayoral Race(NYT) In campaign offices around the city, aides are awaiting polls that could offer a more precise gauge of Mr. Weiner’s political appeal, should he declare his candidacy for mayor. Anthony Weiner Dodges Sexting Questions in First Post-Scandal TV Interview(NY Mag) * Weiner, Exploring Possible Mayoral Bid, Issues Policy Booklet With Familiar Ring(NYT)


Working With Political Corrupt Albany While Fighting Corruption
The state Legislature resumed session yesterday after two bribery scandals rocked the state Capitol earlier this month.
The Albany Machiavelli(NY Mag)*
AP: "now says even legislative bills get in the way of legislating in Albany."
* Tom Precious: “Unlike any governor in recent history, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has institutionalized a new style of policy-making: throw out broad-brush ideas, sprinkle in a few basic details, and wait until the very last minute to propose the legislation for the public and rank-and-file lawmakers to scrutinize.


The Times’ Michael Powell examines the ethics reforms that the Cuomo administration passed in 2011 in the wake of the Malcolm Smith corruption scandal. “This legislation,” the governor declared, “will help end an era of corruption in Albany.” Mention ethics reform, and Dean G. Skelos, the Republican leader in the State Senate, and Sheldon Silver, the Democratic Assembly leader, pace about like suspicious cats with wrinkled noses. And the governor sounds a bit plaintive of late.”



Smith's in the Carl Kruger Seat  . . .  Next Stop After A Ratting Kruger Cell

Dems move disgraced Smith to the ‘crook’ seat(NYP)
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Wednesday Thursday

Compromised  Election Reform

 Without the Pressure of the Reform Movement the Self Interests of the Albany Pols Will Determine Any Changes to the Election Law . . .  Even In An Environment of Abuse and Corruption







Cuomo Has A Plan to Save Cross Endorsements Without the Party Leaders
Spoil the bosses’ party: gov(NYP)  Cuomo yesterday proposed stripping political party bosses of the power to cross-endorse favored candidates. Cuomo Adds Election Law Office to Anticorruption Proposals(NYT)





Third Party Leaders Like Conservative's Long Oppose Getting Rid of Wilson-Pakula
State Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long opposes eliminating cross-endorsements. “What’s wrong is the crooks who are in office who try to game the system,” he recently told The Post.




Will Silver Save Wilson-Pakula?
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and his fellow Democrats yesterday unveiled their own plan to create a taxpayer-backed campaign-finance program. The Silver plan would prohibit spending public campaign money on food, gifts, defense lawyers and challenges to opponents’ nominating petitions.

IDC Klein Wants to Limit His Opponents Senate Dems Ability to Raise Money 
“IDC’s campaign reform would aid…IDC.”

The Independent Democratic Conference's recent campaign finance reform plan would greatly enhance the conference's own electoral prospects by eliminating the rival Senate Democrats' ability to give unlimited money to preferred candidates, Crain's Insider reports



Weiner Does Well Against Nobodies Who Say Nothing . . .  None of the Field Has Gain Any Traction in the Polls in Months . . .Quinn has Fallen from 37% to 30% Without Weiner in the Race
Weiner’s poll rising: Trails only Quinn among mayoral Dems(NYP) The Marist poll is the first to include Weiner, and shows him pulling 15 percent of the Democratic vote in a hypothetical race — trailing only Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who garners 26 percent. Liu receives 12 percent of the vote, and de Blasio and Thompson get 11 percent apiece.

For Quinn, Weiner Is the Possible Candidate Who Must Not Be Named(NYT)





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Friday

Liz Hotlzman's firm paid $410,000 to lobby NYC.gov to keep
paying CityTime cost overruns. . . Meanwhile, Christine 
Quinn thwarted City Council investigations into CityTime
. . . Is Liz Holtzman's endorsement of Quinn payback
for keeping the CityTime lobbyist
checks rolling ????




 The new “in” thing to do in Albany: Half-jokingly check your colleagues for wires. “You run into them, and you feel them up and down,” said Assemblyman David Weprin. “You’ve got to make light of it some days.”








Vito Lopez Campaign Committee Holds Fundraiser As He Weighs City Council Run(NY1)









“It’s now or never for me, in terms of running for something”?
Weiner’s windfall(NYP Ed) Weiner realizes that unless he runs this year, he’ll lose out on a $1.5 million cash windfall. Under the city’s campaign laws, taxpayers provide a 6-to-1 dollar match for mayoral candidates with donations totaling at least $250,000 from 1,000 or more contributors.

State officials spend a 'startling' near-$7 million of campaign cash on legal fees in nine years amid cavalcade of corruption scandals
An analysis done by the Daily News and the New York Public Interest Research Group shows that since 2004, twenty elected officials have spent nearly $7 million in legal fees related to criminal and ethical investigations against them, the New York Daily News reports Some of the politicians have spent more than $1 million, a Daily News/New York Public Interest Research Group analysis shows. Big spenders include former Gov. David Paterson, convicted former Controller Alan Hevesi, former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, former state Sen. Carl Kruger and Assemblyman Vito Lopez.


Bill Thompson, Bill de Blasio and John Liu Closing Notices

Polls for the New York City mayoral race are finding that between a third and half of Democratic voters still have not formed an opinion of Democratic candidates Bill Thompson, Bill de Blasio or John Liu, partly due to a lack of name recognitionVoters Favor Best-Known in Early Polls(WSJ)





Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz announced that he would be endorsing Democratic candidate Christine Quinn for mayor, citing her help during Hurricane Sandy and her commitment to reviving the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Daily News 
538 Weiner Long Shot
New York Times‘ poll guru Nate Silver isn’t hot on former Congressman Anthony Weiner‘s “remote” odds of becoming mayor. “


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NYPD Muslim Surveillance

Will One of the Wimp Journalist Ask the Mayoral Candidates What They Think on the NYPD's Muslim Surveillance Policy and the Ring of Steal Camera Program


In Light of Boston We Wonder What the Opponents to NYPD's  Muslim Surveillance Operation Feel Today . . .  We Know What the NYP Thinks NYPD vindicated(NYP)








Our liberty is protected by watchful guards(NYDN Ed) Surveillance cameras broke the case of the marathon bombing. DN: "As with every other field of life, technology will be vital to helping police enhance public safety .."Radicalization is real, and the US .. escaped its virulence only through luck & the vigilance of law enforcement"* Surveillance cameras a tool for deterrence (Boston Globe)

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Boston Massacre
Boston bomb suspect awake, responding to authorities(CBS)
London Newspaper Reports Sleep Cell Directed Brothers
The FBI was last night hunting a 12-strong terrorist “sleeper cell” linked to the Boston marathon bomb brothers. Police believe Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were specially trained to carry out the devastating attack. More than 1,000 FBI operatives were last night working to track down the cell and arrested a man and two women 60 miles from Boston in the hours before Dzhokhar’s dramatic capture after a bloody shootout on Friday. A source close to the investigation said: “We have no doubt the brothers were not acting alone. The devices used to detonate the two bombs were highly sophisticated and not the kind of thing people learn from Google. “They were too advanced. Someone gave the brothers the skills and it is now our job to find out just who they were. Agents think the sleeper cell has up to a dozen members and has been waiting several years for their day to come.” * Boston bombing suspects likely planned other attacks: police commissioner * NBC's Pete Williams: No charges will be filed against the Boston bombing suspect today* Bombing suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev had video of a Jihadistgroup on his YouTube channel.(CNN) * Cornered Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev may have shot himself, investigators think: report(NYP) 6:30PM Sources: Boston Bombing Suspect May Never Speak Again(WCBS) 11:00PMBombing suspect responding to questions(MSNBC)
* Officials Say Bomb Suspects Appeared Set to Attack Again(NYT)




Seeds of hate planted in US; dead Boston Marathon bombings suspect was radicalized by local Muslims, uncle says(NYP) *  We let bomber slip by: King(NYP)
Pals’ license to kill(NYP)
Fighting thugs with hugs(Goodwin, NYP) Mr. President, these are Muslim terrorists * Task Force To Question Injured Teen(WSJ) * Russia Distances Itself From Suspects(WSJ) * Homegrown or imported, terrorism against us is here and now(NYDN Ed) We must us every tool to defeat this savage enemy* Boston Police: Tsarnaev 'in no condition to be interrogated'reports(Politico) * Surveillance video from Boston Marathon shows bomb suspect dodging blast: Mass. gov(NYP)
* Surveillance video from Boston Marathon shows bomb suspect dodging blast: Mass. gov(NYP)
6:30PM Pete Williams on says fed officials say suspect beginning to respond to a few questions, mostly in writing b/c of throat wound


NYC and London
Tributes to Boston, extra security at London Marathon: A defiant, festive mood prevailed Sunday as the London ...(WABC) * All Clear Given After Bomb Squad Called In During Central Park Race (WINS) * Silence in London, Then a Run for Boston(NYT) * Security High As Runners Take Part In Two Races Around The(WCBS) * Two Sunday Running Events in Manhattan Are Minor, but Security Isn’t(NYT)



Motives Still Unclear
Second Boston Marathon bombings suspect in custody; siblings' motives for massacre remain unclear(NYP)
* Inquiry on Bombing Shifts to Suspect’s Russian Trip(NYT) * Suspects With Feet in 2 Worlds, Perhaps Echoing Plots of Past * After capture, questions turn to suspects’ possible motives(Wash Post)

CITIZEN VIGILANCE WON THE DAY: Watertown homeowner finds suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in boat 












A 2-day trail of blood(NYP) * A Battle of Hunker Hill (NYP) 1 million Beantown folks spent frightening day in lockdown* WATCH: Police Press Conference In Watertown, Mass After Suspect Captured* Republican senators urge Obama to hold Boston bombing suspect as enemy combatant(NYP) * ‘Talent, Guts And Glory’: Watertown Police Chief Tells CNN The Riveting Story Of Bombing Suspect Capture * From an oceanof evidence, two suspects emerged(Wash Post)
* Infrared let cops look right at cowering suspect(NYP)
He partied with pals after blast(NYP) * Life in America Unraveled for Brothers(WSJ) * Surviving Boston Bombing Suspect Hospitalized As Questions Persist (CBS)
* Boston Marathon bombing suspect partied with pals after attack(NYP) * Bomb suspect faces intense questioning(Boston Herald)






Fighter with a hidden hatred
 Cheers to you, police(NYP)RT Uncle Ruslan Tsarni tells : Boston bombing suspect 'was used by his older brother' * Uncle of suspects tells CNN suspect 1 was radicalized recently, by an "Armenian" Muslim. So many details to still come out.* F.B.I. Interview Stalled Citizenship(NYT) * Bombing suspect’s YouTube playlist evolved in path toward radicalism(Wash Post) * Deadly MIT shooting was heartless ambush(Boston Herald)
Widow of slain suspect returns home(NYP) * Doc tried to save bomber(NYP)


 ‘Born to be a cop’(NYP) Officer Sean A. Collier, 26, of Somerville, Mass., was responding to a disturbance near the MIT campus in Cambridge when he was shot dead inside his squad car about 10:30 p.m. on Thursday. His gun was never drawn.

Victim ID’d the bomber(NYP) A man who lost both his legs in Monday’s attack helped investigators narrow their search for the Boston Marathon bombers. Jeff Bauman awoke in the hospital after a homemade bomb ripped apart his legs — and immediately described one of the men who...* Release of Images Was Turning Point(NYT) * Services held to honor victims of Boston Marathon bombings(NYP)

'From the heart': Red Sox star Ortiz won't be fined by FCC for rousing 'this is our f----ing city' speech in Boston (video)  * Big papi swearing at red sox game  * Did the Manhunt Send America Over the Edge?(New Yorker) * WATCH: A Very Special Guest Leads Red Sox Fans In 'Sweet Caroline' Sing-A-Long * ‘This is our f--king city!’(NYP)



‘Bomb’ cleric fanned flames(NYP) Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, posted a YouTube video of fiery Sheik Feiz Mohammad, who had encouraged children to become martyrs for Islam, it was reported yesterday.  In 2007, a British documentary called “Undercover Mosque” showed footage of him saying children should be “soldiers defending Islam.’’ * The unfinished war(NYP Ed) *  FBI to Face Questions Over Past Probe of Older Bombing Suspect(Times) * Boston Marathon attack investigation looks at suspects’ friends: 2 men who share BMW with a novelty... * Chechen Insurgents Claim It's All A Conspiracy (Buff Feed)

Boston Marathon attack investigation looks at suspects’ friends: 2 men who share BMW with novelty ‘TERRORISTA #1’ license plate were hauled out of their apartment



NYC Run
Backpacks and Bags Banned at Sunday's Central Park Race, Organizers Say(DNAINFO)




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Education

Exam error shuts 2,700 out of gifted and talented progr (NYDN)
More in New York City Qualify as Gifted After Error Is Fixed(NYT)
Nearly 2,700 students were wrongly told they were not eligible for seats in public school gifted and talented programs because of errors in scoring admission tests.

The Man Who Saved CUNY(NYT Ed)

Murry Bergtraum HS student fight caught on video(NYP) 
Sour note: UFT ousts renowned youth band (NYP) The teachers union has given an acclaimed Brooklyn youth band its marching orders: Hit the bricks! The Soul Tigers Marching Band, which led the 2009 Thanksgiving Day Parade and performed at the US Open tennis tournament, has been told there will be..

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Commissioner's Abuse of Power


Khan’s wave of paranoia (NYP)  City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan was so convinced her neighbor was spying on her family with a video camera that she pulled strings at One Police Plaza to get cops to search the man’s apartment, law-enforcement sources told The NYP

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Mental Health

Watertown Daily Times | Mental health professionals object to NYSAFE Act’s effects
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Sandy

Flood of deals! (NYP) Going once, going twice . . . Sold! The city couldn’t find the owners of 535 vehicles abandoned after Hurricane Sandy and has begun auctioning them off* Number of NYC bike riders up after Hurricane Sandy(NY1)
 
Wrecked Beaches Could Aid Plovers(WSJ)Superstorm Sandy's flattening of some of the region's oceanfront dunes may have paved the way for a resurgence in shorebirds, especially the endangered piping plover.


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MTA

Subway Trains Soon to Stop Again at a Gowanus Station(NYT)

Nearly two years after closing for repairs, and one year after it was expected to reopen, the Smith-Ninth Street subway station in Brooklyn will return to service next Friday morning, transit officials said.* Smith-9th Street Subway Station to Reopen Next Week (WSJ)

Senior VP Of Subways Nominated To Head NYC Transit(Ny1)

Elected officials blast MTA for neglecting Rockaways with (NYDN)
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Electric Taxis


Electric-Taxi Experiment to Begin in New York

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Economic Loss
How many jobs and how much economic revenue would come from an ice rink as opposed to a shopping Mall at the Kingsbridge Armory?
Profoundly sobering: nearly half of NYC residents poor or near poor in 2011, city says, a huge and frightening figure(NYT)


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Midtown

A Modern City in East Midtown?(NYT)
At its most fundamental level, the problem with the so-called East Midtown planning study is that it’s not a plan. The best path toward ensuring the future of the area may well be that of preservation.



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NYC History

Beyond the Melting Pot

Beyond the Melting Pot was one of the most influential books published during the 1960s. This second edition includes a new 90-page Introduction, "New York City in 1960," in which the authors, with all their previous depth and verve, examine the turn of events since 1963, the date of the first edition. Their concerns are directed to such developments as the rise of militant black demands and the response to these of the city's peoples and political structures; the decline of Catholic power in Lindsay's New York and the rise in power of Jews and WASPs; the growth of a black middle class and the economic and political difficulties of the Puerto Ricans.The authors note that events and further study have led them to change their views on several matters, and these points are clarified in the Introduction. Nevertheless, most of their perceptions and their central thesis (that "melting pot" assimilation does not happen) remain as valid as ever.  

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Media

Photo: Annie Leibovitz Photographs Watergate’s Storytellers for the Scandal’s 40th Anniversary






The Post Won't Apologize. So This Website Did It For Them(Huff Post)

Murdoch defends the New York Post



Hackers crash CBS Twitter feeds(NYP)

Koch Brothers Eye Huge Newspaper Buy(Huff Post)
"the papers could serve as a broader platform for the Kochs’ laissez-faire ideas"  

Hubble telescope takes stunning new nebula photo...

We want CNN to be great. That's why we care about its screw-ups, says in Monday column:  

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Washington

Sunday
Obama ends a wrenching week with defeat on gun control and fresh specter of terror raised by Boston bombing

Newtown Victims' Families Slam Senators For Gun Control Failure (Huff Post)
Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani said failure to the address mental health aspect weakened the gun control vote in Washington, D.C. last week.

Inquiry Shifts to Tsarnaev's Russian Trip - Schmitt & Schmidt, NY Times
Suspect's YouTube List Evolved in Path to Radicalism - Will Englund, WP
Be Meaningful or Be Quiet - John Dickerson, Slate
Fighting Thugs With Hugs - Michael Goodwin, New York Post
The Boston Bombers Were Muslims. So? - Megan Garber, The Atlantic
There Is Only One Faith That Wants to Kill You - Bill Maher, Real Time
How Thatcher Would Have Fixed the Crisis - Matthew Lynn, MarketWatch
Obama's Weakness Exposed in Gun Defeat - Maureen Dowd, NY Times
On Gun Laws, Congress Betrays Our Faith - Ruth Marcus, Washington Post
Could Obama's Gun Push Cost Dems the Senate? - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
How to Put America Back Together Again - Tom Friedman, New York Times
Five Myths About Abortion - Rickie Solinger, Washington Post
The Meaning of the Gosnell Trial - Sohrab Ahmari, Wall Street Journal
Women and the "Good Enough" Life - Elsa Walsh, Washington Post
Questioning the Mission of College - Frank Bruni, New York Times
Britain Remembers a Great Briton - Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal
Al Neuharth's Legacy Lives On - Richard Benedetto, RealClearPolitics

Marathon Attack Victims: Symbols of a City - Boston Globe
Immigration and Fear - New York Times
Why the Rush on Immigration Reform? - Washington Times
D.C. Charter Schools Deserve Fair Funding - Washington Post


 Saturday
That Spineless Gun Vote(NYT) Even the personal pleas from a survivor of Columbine can’t trump the power of the N.R.A. on Capitol Hill.
Mayor's 2014 Gun Push(WSJ)
Seven Questions About the Boston Bombers - Bergen & Rowland, CNN
How Friday's Drama Unfolded - Warrick & Horwitz, Washington Post
After Boston, We Must Not Live in Fear - Michael Tomasky, Newsweek
Boston's "Co-Exist" Bombers - Mark Steyn, National Review
That Spineless Gun Vote - Joe Nocera, New York Times
Failed Gun Laws Would Have Changed Nothing - Nick Gillespie, Reason
Senate Vote May Signal '16 Problems for Gun Lobby - Ron Brownstein, NJ
Deck Is Stacked Against Obama in 2014 - Fred Barnes, The Weekly Standard
Part-Time Work Becomes Full-Time Wait - Catherine Rampell,
How Republicans Learned to Love Taxes - Donna Brazile, Detroit News
Justin Amash, One to Watch From Michigan - George Will, Washington Post
GOP Now Bearish on Sanford's Chances in S.C. - Scott Conroy, RCP
Scary Cruz Control in the Senate - Dana Milbank, Washington Post
Irresponsible Speculation About Right-Wing Violence - P. Klein,Examiner
Inside the Mind of a Terror Suspect - Charles Blow, New York Times

The New Yorker:: Cover Story: “Shadow Over Boston” via
Boston's Terror & Children of the Fault Lines - Fouad Ajami, Bloomberg
Texas Blast a Reminder of Small-Town Values - Rod Dreher, USA Today
Common Sense Goes AWOL on Guns - Boston Globe
Perils of a Petulant Presidency - New York Post
Washington's Fuel-Efficiency Folly - Detroit News
Service for Boston Reaches for the Light - Christian Science Monitor

 

TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads(Huff Post)
Questioning the Mission of College - Frank Bruni, New York Times
Justin Amash, One to Watch - George Will, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
About the ObamaCare "Train Wreck" - Ezra Klein, Washington Post
Middle Way Between Amnesty & Deportation - Conn Carroll, DC Examiner
How Much of an Outlier Is Gosnell? -The American Spectator
The Benefits of Church - T.M. Luhrmann, New York Times
How Do You Change a Diaper at 30,000 Feet? - Rachel Simmons, Wash Post
Britain Remembers a Great Briton - Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal
The Washington Post Smears Ted Cruz - John Hinderaker, Power Line
Heidi Heitkamp Betrayed Me on Gun Control - Bill Daley, Washington Post
The Kennedy Meth - Larry Getlen, New York Post
Sunday Panels: Meet the Press | This Week | Face the Nation
The Empty Chamber (New Yorker) Just how broken is the Senate?
Boston bombs: Obama lulled America into false confidence over terror threat(telegraph.co.uk)
Harry Reid Should Have Allowed a Filibuster on Background-Check Gun-Control Bill(Vanity Fair)
No Bully in the Pulpit(Dowd, NYTWhy doesn’t 90 percent of America equal 60 senators?
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Law and Order

NYPD ‘red’ light (NYP) NYPD supervisors have been put on red alert: Don’t discriminate against carrot-top cops! An anti-bias message went out this month to Manhattan sergeants and lieutenants, who were told that redhead harassment would not be tolerated.
After Arrest in Rapes, Another Man Is Sought in 2nd Brooklyn Case(NYT)

Broken Justice in the Bronx (NYT) By THE EDITORIAL BOARDUnconscionable delays plague criminal courts in the Bronx.

No Crime?
No Charges for Police Commanders Over Actions During Protests(NYT) One deputy inspector was accused of randomly pepper-spraying Occupy Wall Street protesters, and another was accused of punching a man.* Pepper Spray Officer Spared(WSJ)
 Manhattan DA Will Not Prosecute Two NYPD Officials Accused Of Assaulting OWS Protesters(NY1) * Cops caught pepper-spraying, punching OWS protesters will (NYDN)

 

Decades Later, State Seeks Release of Report on Attica Uprising(NYT) Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman is planning to ask a judge to release the entirety of a review of a deadly 1971 uprising at Attica and the state’s retaking of the prison.



Man Wanted for Rape in Brooklyn(WABC)
Suspect Arrested, Charged In Connection With Three Brooklyn Rapes(NY1)

One by One, 30-Odd Not Guilty Pleas in Betting Case(NYT)
Poker princess pleads not guilty to operating ring(NYDN)

City Corrections Officer Arrested Stealing at Macy's, Cops Say

Hugh Jackman 'stalker' is indicted(NYDN)
Lockup date for Astor son(NYP)

Man Commits Suicide in Police Custody on Staten Island(DNAINFO)

Three Teens Wanted For Multiple Robberies Near Fort Greene Park (NY1)
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Terrorism


Son-in-Law of Bin Laden Denied More Phone Calls(NYT)
Lawyers for Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, said one monthly phone call was not sufficient to remain in contact with family members who live in three different countries.