Friday, October 23, 2009

Reader asks for ethics probe of Ackerman

Crapster-

After feeling very angry at the September 17th Queens Tribune article and subsequent insults aimed at Republican City Council candidate Dan Halloran, I decided that I could not sit idly by and allow this insult to journalism and democracy continue without making a statement. After reading your posts and the accompanying comments, I decided that I would take this issue to a much higher level and ask for an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics of the role that Congressman Gary Ackerman played in this breach of trust and morality.

Please keep in mind that I am not stating that Congressman Ackerman is guilty of breaking any laws. That is the reason for this inquiry. Let those who can do a proper investigation locate and examine records that will or will not confirm these allegations. The attacks that were printed in the Queens Tribune were bad enough but then when I started to connect the dots, I saw a pattern of behavior that is most disturbing and needed to be addressed. These suspicions started when I found out that Kevin Kim was Cong. Ackerman’s aide prior to his run for political office.

I looked over the dozens of pages of Democrat candidate Kevin Kim’s campaign contributions and I saw names and addresses that make me feel that Congressman Ackerman may be soliciting these contributions using his position as a U. S. Congressman. I am specifically concerned about those monies coming from Asia and parts of the United States such as California, Hawaii, Texas, etc. As one of the Queens Crap commenters suggested, where will Kim’s allegiance belong, to his constituents or to those who made donations to his campaign?

I am also concerned about the potential links between the Queens Tribune, Cong. Ackerman, and sexually oriented businesses both here in Queens and in Asia. All one has to do is Google the Tribune’s executive vice president, Michael Nussbaum, and see that he was involved in a NYC parking violations scandal 20 years ago and more recently has been promoting sexually oriented clubs in Asia. The Queens Tribune is the only local newspaper in Queens that runs advertising for the sex trade and most of these ads come from Asian businesses. I was amused by the hypocrisy of publisher Michael Schenkler and staff in the October 9th edition of the Tribune that reported the devastating affects of prostitution for young girls and an accompanying editorial while the back of the paper runs ads that might be putting young ladies into harm’s way!

Another reason that I felt the need to ask for an investigation into Congressman Ackerman’s role in the 19th city council district election is that the media has been a big let down. As a graduate of the Syracuse University Newhouse School of Journalism, I am appalled at the lack of objectivism and integrity in the articles that are laughingly called news. Where did all of the gung ho investigative journalists go? While at school, I walked a beat that took me into downtown Syracuse and really looked for stories to cover. I met a lot of elected officials and law enforcement personnel and asked a lot of questions. Those efforts led me to write many articles that were published in the campus newspaper and reported on air at the campus radio station.

Today, most of the stories that I read are puff pieces and rewrites of press releases. How sad because a free society needs a free and independent press to provide information that will lead to informed decisions, especially at election time. Therefore, I felt the need to come forward and find out why the Queens Tribune and its founder Gary Ackerman need to distort issues and focus on the religious beliefs of a candidate. I believe that the voters in the 19th council district can see through this overt attempt to compromise the democratic process. However, it is also important to bring this matter to the appropriate venue to see if there was any impropriety. I am looking forward to a response from David Skaggs, Chairman of the Office of Congressional Ethics.

Crapster, I would like to personally thank you publicly for providing a forum where your readers can find information not available elsewhere. I would also like to encourage others to do something and not just bitch and complain. It is time for action and those who choose to remain silent will see that this silence will come back to haunt them in the future. Think about it. Thank you for reading this long-winded statement and I hope that many of you are inspired to pick up where I left off. By the way, I would not discourage anyone from following up on the inquiry that I made to the House Ethics Office.

With hope for a better future,

Alan Gross

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Alan Gross, you rock!

Anonymous said...

Right on!!!!! So true!!!! You rock Alan!!!!
Bravo Queens Crap!!!!

Anonymous said...

'the media has been a big let down' There is no media in NYC, Bloomberg controls the media.

Anonymous said...

Did you include his shady relationships (business and personal) with Sri Chinmoy and the Sri Chinmoy Meditation Center Church Incorporated?

Alan Gross said...

"Did you include his shady relationships (business and personal) with Sri Chinmoy and the Sri Chinmoy Meditation Center Church Incorporated?"

No, I didn't but I will leave that and other concerns up to you. Please come forward with your information. It may become very relevant.

By the way, here is the cover letter that I wrote to Ackerman:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Flushing, NY 11354
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

October 15, 2009
Congressman Gary Ackerman
2243 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

Congressman Ackerman:

Shame on you! I am outraged that you have allowed the Queens Tribune to demean a political candidate for its own purposes. It is even more disturbing that the Tribune has gone out of its way to promote your former Congressional staff member, Kevin Kim. I am absolutely flabbergasted that you have allowed this media assault to continue for several weeks without making any public attempt to put a stop to it.

Therefore, I have requested that the Office of Congressional Ethics commence an investigation of your role in the Tribune’s exploitation of religious beliefs to demean Republican candidate Dan Halloran. I am specifically interested in the financial relationship that apparently exists between the Queens Tribune, Multi-Media Advertising, and you, to determine if that is a factor in this assault on democracy.

Did you think that this incident would be ignored by the public and media? Judging from the reaction from the letters printed in the Tribune as well as other local media, this is a gross miscarriage of justice and will hopefully focus attention on the fact that Mr. Halloran is a candidate worthy of the office that he is seeking, and that his religious beliefs should not be made into a campaign issue. The constituents of the 19th Council District deserve a representative who will look out for their interests, irrespective of his or her religious beliefs.

I hope that the Office of Congressional Ethics begins the investigation as soon as possible, and I am looking forward to the results of the inquiry. You should be ashamed of yourself for allowing your friend Michael Schenkler to use the publication that you founded in 1970 for such nefarious purposes. There is no defense for such behavior.

Respectfully,

Alan Gross
Cc: Cong. Pelosi, Cong. Boehner

Please note that I also sent my concerns to House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner. The last thing that I want to have happen is that this matter be swept under the carpet. Isn't it ironic that Ackerman was forced to resign from the House Ethics Committee 17 years ago?

www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1017795.html

georgetheatheist said...

You know, you gotta laugh.

I just read Schenkler's editorial "Halloran: Disciplined Cop Out of the Broom Closet" in the current Tribune.

"There is no relationship between business with our affiliated company [Multi Media headed by Mike Nussbaum] and our recommendations for elective office."

Are you kidding me? Schenkler and Nussbaum take dumps in the same men's room. Their offices in the Trib building share the same wall. They can hear each other's farting.

"Sadly, Dan won't talk to the Tribune..."

Sadly, hypocrite Schenkler won't talk to Queens Crap: Mike, for the umpteenth time, please explain the rationale for the whore ads in your advertising section. The Tribune's promotion of prostitution.

georgetheatheist said...

"We suggest that journalists from larger papers with extensive law firms pursue the truth about Dan's 'full blown incident'."

And of course, Mike, Ackerman's shenanigans.

Alan Gross said...

George,
It gets better. There is a full page Kevin Kim ad on page four of the Trib this week. The ad states, "Grew up in Bayside, attended neighborhood public schools." I went to the website that I found in the ad www.votekevinkim.com/about-kevin-kim. I found this interesting piece of information, "Kevin grew up in Bay Terrace, and is a proud product of the NYC public school system (P.S. 150, I.S. 25, Townsend Harris H.S. at Queens College)." Guess what? P.S. 150 is located in WOODSIDE (not Bay Terrace or Bayside). I think we have a serious disconnect here, don't we? Please explain that Mr. Schenkler..oh wise one!!!!

Anonymous said...

Didn't Congressman Ackerman go on a fund raising (?) junket to Taiwan with Tommy Huang (and others?) in the late 70s or early 80s?

And what about all those checks that Gary bounced? Did he ever pay the money back?

The House bank closed shortly thereafter and Ackerman resigned from his position on the ethics committee.

Calling the Dept. of Homeland Security!

We've got to start keeping tabs on all of this laundered money that's floating around lest it wind up in the hands of terrorists!

Anonymous said...

Let's all follow Alan's lead and write our own letters!

Ackerman's shenanigans stink and are quite possibly ILLEGAL too

How about setting up an on line pettition to censure Ackerman "Crappy"?

Anonymous said...

Is this for real or just one of the funniest skits ever presented on Saturday Night Live?

Anonymous said...

This is rich!

http://wonkette.com/179432/devoted-pornography-supporter-gary-ackerman-accidentally-votes-for-morality

Hee! Hee! Hee! Hee! Hee!

Anonymous said...

http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2008/01/is-gary-ackerman-anti-christian.html

Anonymous said...

Is this for real or just one of the funniest skits ever presented on Saturday Night Live?

-----------------------------------

Are you real or just another clueless troll? If you would remove your head from your ass once in a while, you might just see the light! What's it like when you cut one with your head buried in your butt?

A. Researcher said...

It's amazing what you can find on the internet. All you have to do is ask!!!
www.nytimes.com/1987/06/28/nyregion/queens-political-tools-ad-agency-and-papers.html

Anonymous said...

'Is this for real or just one of the funniest skits ever presented on Saturday Night Live?'


Hey Ruffles, I think it is too late to defend your boss. I know that you are probably beginning to worry about losing your job. You have a right to be paranoid. With your skill sets, you'll be asking us if we want fries with that in no time!

Anonymous said...

You have to love the absence of intelligent dialogue in most of the comments posted on Queens Crap. I see a lot of insults and childish name calling but not much substantive discussion.

This blog could well be called "Idiots on Parade."

Anonymous said...

You mean like you just did, idiot?

Anonymous said...

www.nytimes.com/1987/06/28/nyregion/queens-political-tools-ad-agency-and-papers.html

WOW! That should put some salt into old wounds. Right, Toby? It is interesting to note that some things don't change after 22 years..and some things do.

Anonymous said...

The nefarious activities that often fall between the cracks of "news coverage" in rags like the "Trib" wind up being brought to light on "Queens Crap".

You cockroaches can't hide from "The Crapper"!

General Ulysses Simpson Grant was once accused of being a drunk.

President Lincoln's response was something like..."Then give me more generals like Grant"!

Likewise...then lets have some more "idiots" uncovering many more real stories like they have already done so diligently on "Queens Crap".

"Ruffles" you can take a lesson in investigative reporting from some "Queens Crap" posters.

You really need to go back to school and brush up...if you can spare the time to get off your knees servicing your bosses.

Jerry Rotondi said...

Good job Alan!

I'm glad to sign my name in support
of your efforts.

Alan Gross said...

Crapster,

I am glad that I came to this site to voice my concerns. The support has been very much appreciated. I find the links that people posted to be very telling and the information supports my belief that there is cause for concern and an investigative body needs to examine the Queens body politic. If I had the opportunity to look either Schenkler or Ackerman in the eye right now, I would tell them that if they did nothing wrong, then they have nothing to fear. Right?

The 22 year old article about the Ackerman/Stavisky feud was priceless! Also, I laughed out loud when I discovered the lie about Kim and his background. How could he grow up in Bayside and attend a Woodside public school? The people of the 19th district deserve a good leader and Ackerman & Company's political machine should not be allowed to make a choice that should be left to the constituents. The truth is out there and can be found on Queens Crap. Thank you to those who have provided interesting links of valuable information. The trolls are getting very nervous, aren't they?

Anonymous said...

Let's take a look at Hackerman's campaign contributors:

www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2010&cid=N00001143&type=I

Top 5 Industries, 2009-2010, Campaign Cmte
Industry Total Indivs PACs
Real Estate $28,700 $26,700 $2,000
Insurance $20,900 $0 $20,900
Building Trade Unions $15,500 $0 $15,500
Public Sector Unions $14,500 $0 $14,500
Securities & Investment $14,400 $3,900 $10,500

It seems like real estate and construction love Gary!

an informed insider said...

Those contributions from Taiwan (late 70s-early 80s) were never recorded by Ackerman.

I think it's time to phone the IRS!

Anonymous said...

Kim is Ackerman's Korean connection.

There's a lot of money coming in from Seoul...more than enough to buy a U.S. Congressman!

Could Nussbaum be peripherally connected to sex slave trafficking?

Look at all of those smut ads the Trib keeps running.

Anonymous said...

What have the unholy three...Ackerman, Nussbaum and Shenckler...been hiding all these years?

Secrets, secrets, secrets...dirty ones?

It's most likely that Kim is their current money man.

Anonymous said...

This is one of the better posts! Maybe now Schenkler will realize the difference between using a hatchet and a pen. He should have known "write" from wrong. I am sure that his old friend Gary Ackerman is very pleased with all of the mud that has been stirred up. Way to go Mike! I hope that the future Councilman Dan Halloran will do as good a job as Tony Avella in representing the community. At least most of Halloran's donations came from that community.

"Nussy" said...

I feel so left out. :-(

www.nytimes.com/1987/08/08/us/queens-consultant-convicted-in-cable-tv-bribery-scheme.html

Anonymous said...

Im sure they will do as good a job as they are for Rangel

Anonymous said...

That is great work!! We need more citizens like the Crapster and Alan Gross!

Anonymous said...

As a local news reporter, it is sad for me to see the Queens Tribune reduced to a political joke.

For all the blame directed at Ackerman, Schenkler, and Nussbaum, I feel that Mayor Bloomberg also has a hand in the deteriorating state of the local print weeklies.

There was once a rule for newspapers not to endorse candidates until the week before election day.

But most of our borough's weeklies endorsed Bloomberg by late August, before the democrats had their primary.

I suppose that if the mayor can break (term limits) rule,s newspaper editors can follow his lead in breaking professional norms.

Only the Forum West sticks out for not (yet?) endorsing Bloomberg.

I believe that the Tribune made a huge mistake handing out its endorsements so early. It's like hanging out Christmas decorations in October. It's tacky.

Because of my ties to the Trib, I prefer to remain anonymous.

Anonymous said...

re:P.S.150,in woodside......that might have been a typing error. if kim went to I.S.25 and lived in bay terrace,he probably went to P.S.159 at 33 rd avenue/205 street,dist.26. P.S.169 is a dist.25 school.

i have heard that his family, who are wealthy queens developers,own multiple dwellings locally.

Alan,you have bolstered my faith in this generation's patriotism.my generation sacrificed 37,000 American
lives, to give Kim's ancestor's the freedom to choose their leaders. the chinese and n.korean marxist's tried to enslave all of korea's citizens in 1950-53.

Anonymous said...

My night vision TV recording system will pick up any overzealous Kimster trying to put one of his signs on my lawn and it'll be on "You Tube" in a flash!

Anonymous said...

My night vision TV recording system will pick up any overzealous Kimster trying to put one of his signs on my lawn and it'll be on "You Tube" in a flash!

Ha! My lawn had 2 Kim campaign posters stuck in with spikes. I live in the 20th council district! Kim's supporters are morons! You get what you pay for.

Anonymous said...

P.S. 150 was a mistake?
I don't believe it!

It seems that Dukun Kim has much more to hide than his handlers have been acusing Dan Halloran of!

You following all of this Congressman Gary?