Thursday, April 3, 2008

Quinn under federal investigation

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's office hid millions of taxpayer dollars by allocating grants to phantom organizations as a way of holding the funds to dole out political favors later - bogus bookkeeping that is the subject of city and federal probes, The Post has learned.

THIS $$ IS HERS FOR THE FAKING

Among the dozens of fabricated groups that were slated to receive funds were the "Immigration Improvement Project of New York" ($300,000), the "Coalition for a Strong Special Education" ($400,000) and the "American Association of Concerned Veterans" ($422,763).

The total amount set aside in 2007 and 2008 for the fake organizations - which are each listed by name in the city budget after being inserted at the council's request - was $4.7 million. In the two years, 30 phantom groups were listed, council aides confirmed.

The money, in effect, became a slush fund for the speaker and was later used at Quinn's discretion to reward groups that were loyal to her and to fund favored council members' pet projects, sources told The Post.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Then she should have no trouble coming up with the $1 million to move and restore St. Saviours.

Anonymous said...

Clean up your damn mess, Chris!

Anonymous said...

The ghosts of St. Saviour's strike again. You should have helped, Chris. There's still time for you to release that money.

Anonymous said...

Can anybody honestly recall the last time a local politician received press coverage for something positive?

Spitzer, Paterson, Gallagher, Quinn, Hevisi...all dirtbags.

I'm desperate. Please refresh my memory before I lose all hope for our great city.

I hate all politicians.

Anonymous said...

You mean besides the breathless coverage of their fundraisers in Douching with Dee?

Anonymous said...

How many are being paid off to back Congestion Pricing? One of the pet projects that her and the Mayor were smoozing the council members for yea votes.

This could not have come at a better time. The truth always comes out!

Anonymous said...

It's the law that they have to give out all of the budget money on day one after the approval that caused this mess.

Anonymous said...

Will Melinda Katz become the next victim under investigation? Anyone have some dirt on her? I assume we'll wait & see.

Anonymous said...

Quinn doesn't look so smug now. Bad karma...trying to screw the poor and middle class. It comes right back at ya.

Anonymous said...

It's called plausible denial. Quinn tells a top staffer she wants a reserve fund. The top staffer tells a budget person to make it happen, but doesn't say or ask how. When the scheme is discovered, Quinn denies everthing and two budget staffers are made to fall on the sword for her. Quinn says she knew there was a reserve, but not about the ficticious groups. Where did she think the money for her pet projects was coming from? The Easter Bunny? Give me a break!

Anonymous said...

Quick somebody, put their finger in the dyke.

Anonymous said...

Now the feds should investigate every damn not for profit org. in NYC !

How many "historical societies"
got some of her loot for
their good behavior.....namely not speaking out against the loss of our history?

Anonymous said...

I'm tellin' ya....
Pinky ratted them all out
to cut his cushy plea bargain deal!

More will fall quite soon I expect!

Export Speaker Quinn to Holland
where she'll have no trouble finding a "dyke" to put her finger in !

Anonymous said...

I wonder which "outside law firm"
Ms. Quinn hired.....Vallone's?

I hope this piece of trash
is finished for her mayoral run!

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Quinn & Katz
ever bumped into each other at"Rubyfruit".

Anonymous said...

She even has a pigface. It's amazing how often people look like what they are.