Bloomberg's double standard

From Neighborhood Retail Alliance:

Now here's a dude [Bloomberg] who came after the football player Plaxico Burress hammer and tongs for carrying an illegal firearm, after the hapless Burress literally shot himself in the foot. A warning? After all, Burress only managed to hurt himself for his own illegal stupidity. Not happening with Savonarola Blomberg. When it comes to the issues he deems important, it's throw the book at 'em. But, when it comes to a situation where the interests of one Michael Bloomberg are being advanced, the potentially illegal activity is reduced to a technicality it seems.

But, in the end: “A five minute meeting [with an elected official] does meet the threshold,” [Sid Davidoff, President of the Advocacy Association of New York] said. “If you’re attempting to affect legislation, then it is lobbying.” The question then is not whether Shulman and the LDC lobbied, but whether they were allowed by law to do so. As WPU told the paper: "A complaint brought by Willets Point United, a collective of landowners in Willets Point opposing eminent domain, sparked the controversy. “Our lawyers informed us that she broke state corporation laws, that she lied to the IRS, filled out fraudulent tax returns,” said Jerry Antonacci, head of WPU. “You can’t tell me this lady is a veteran of politics and doesn’t know the law.”

Here's the crux of the matter. The incorporation papers for the LDC proscribe lobbying. The LDC's filing with the Federal government to obtain it's tax exempt status-signed by Claire herself-specifically denied any lobbying effort, in spite of what the former Queens BP now is proclaiming from the roof tops; in effect, placing Shulman squarely in a perjured situation.

So, with all of this swirling around, and the issue of the city government possibly funding an illegal effort to wrench long established businesses from their land in the forefront, it is incumbent on Mr. Cuomo to act expeditiously-since the money to the LDC is still, at least as far as we know-still flowing from the city's coffers. In this case, justice delayed is really justice denied-and if Cuomo won't act, it may be necessary to appeal this to a higher law enforcement authority to see just how technical this violation of law might really be.