Sunday, April 6, 2008

News has Christine's number

Quinn says she had no idea from where the money came. Who can be bothered with such details when it's so nice giving to voter-pleasing causes? And when it's even nicer to be able to buy allies on the Council by saying "yes" and to punish enemies by saying "no."

Every year, the Council gloms tens of millions of dollars for distribution to causes and organizations favored by members. A couple of thousand items long, the list represents naked vote-buying, courtesy of taxpayer dough. With virtually no check on whether any of the money is well spent.

Setting aside phantom cash, totaling $4.7 million under Quinn, was a way for the Council to keep the money flowing as the budget year progressed. Or so we have all just learned because - wouldn't you know it? - federal prosecutors and the Department of Investigation began asking questions about - yes, that's right - possible corruption.

Quinn says that, answering the queries, she discovered the phantoms and that they had existed since long before she became speaker. She reported them to authorities. She also hired a high-priced law firm and fired the allegedly guilty parties.

(One of whom immediately went to work for a lobbyist who is Quinn's close friend. Small world.)


Christine Quinn's phantom menace

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was this how she got the council to vote for congestion pricing?

Hmmmmm.

Anonymous said...

Maybe "Dykes" Lumber Co.
will hire her when she's kicked out!

What a nasty looking mug on that self serving bitch!

I wouldn't want to be her "bottom" !

Anonymous said...

She never knew her staff "disobeyed" her instructions?

Which staffer? The one who instantaneously got a job with her favorite lobbyist? I guess that was punishment!

Did she graduate from the Hillary school of lying before, during and after being caught?

You ripped us off. You lied. Now, get the hell away from us!

Anonymous said...

Brassy and abrasive, and shifty.

A typical product of the clubhouse deals - the Queens clubhouse had a big say in her nomination.

Anonymous said...

Who set up the bogus organizations? Follow the money, check budget modifications for each fiscal year since 2001. Determine which organizations actually got the funding that was allocated to the bogus organizations.

Budget modifications are usually made at the request of a Council Member and are submitted to the Finance Division of the City Council.

Anonymous said...

No doubt that lobbyists are involved in this "three-card-monty" with taxpayers dollars.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure that "Parkside"
is in the middle.

Many not for profit orgs
are "suggested" to use their
rather expensive lobbying services,
if they expect to see some decent funding come their way
(i.e. Flushing Town Hall, etc.)!

Anonymous said...

Clean up your damn mess, Chris!

Anonymous said...

Is she using The Parkside Group for her Mayoral Campaign? If not, it would be just like those bastards to dig up "dirt".

Anonymous said...

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/04/liu-tees-off-on-quinns-socalle.html