From the NY Times:It turns out that the Bloomberg-Morgenthau bank-account feud is not the only pointless, losing quarrel that the mayor has picked recently with law enforcement.
Some weeks back, the state attorney general’s office sent the city a request for records of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, one of these invisible public agencies wearing the costume gowns of a nonprofit operation.
The attorney general, Andrew M. Cuomo, was looking into a report that the city, through the Economic Development Corporation, was the source of funds for lobbyists who helped persuade the City Council to condemn land in Willets Point, Queens. It is illegal for a not-for-profit corporation to use city money for lobbying.
Instead of complying with the records request, the city’s chief lawyer, Michael A. Cardozo, demanded a meeting with the attorney general’s office. Mr. Cuomo said that his investigators wanted to review the records before meeting with city officials. Mr. Cardozo balked. Mr. Cuomo said that if necessary, he would issue a subpoena.
In one of the many exchanges between the city Law Department and the Attorney General’s office, a Bloomberg administration official said that a subpoena from the state would be seen as a hostile act, and would be remembered next year, when Mr. Cuomo is expected to run for governor.
Asked about this on Tuesday, an assistant to Mr. Cardozo said that the city is now cooperating with the investigation, and tacitly acknowledged a skirmish with the attorney general.
From the Village Voice:
It's hard to imagine Nixon's legendary hit men, Ehrlichman and Haldeman, forging a better response. And Nixon didn't have $17 billion in the bank. He had to beg the Teamsters for his slush fund dough.
What's interesting about this show down was that it was the city's own top law man, Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo, handling the negotiations.
The issue at hand concerns the EDC's funding of a non-profit group it had helped form to lobby the City Council on its Willett's Point plan. Such lobbying would be illegal for a nonprofit, not to mention being a bizarre and secretive way for a mayor to try and influence the council. It's the kind of stunt- yes! - Richard Nixon might've pulled.
20 comments:
I think Cuomo is starting to earn my vote
If Cuomo can help us get Claire fitted for her orange jump suit, he has my vote. It's about time someone investigated city politicians and their shady deals. I've wondered all along where the Attorney General was. Glad he stepped up to the plate.
This might be the chink in the Bloomberg armor many people have been waiting and looking for. I still stand by my belief that there was no suitable competition to defeat him in the election...that pressure and investigations are the way to get at him.
knew something might be fishy.. I mean there must be a reason why he wanted so desperately for a 3rd term... and that is the finish and get the time to complete or clean up whatever he was doing during the 2 terms in office.
Why else will anyone want to change the law for a 3rd term.. does he like being mayor that much, or being just power hungry ...OR is it because being mayor will get him to still have access to or act on something that only mayor have easily authority to get to.
Im a former law enforcement person on a friends computer here.
Cuomo needs to call in the Feds ASAP if he wants this ball to roll.
Bloomberg can buy any judge, press, commissioner, detective or political figure he wants in the North East.
...Make evidence disappear.
This paying-off and scratching backs has been going on for years it’s hard to prove.
Anybody not "with the program" gets the ax including cops.
About time he does a real investigation. FYI Cuomo's father's law firm represents Bloomberg and Cuomo's father spoke on behalf of overturning the people's will to extend term limits. I think this is a sham. Andrew Cuomo better come up with some real convictions or I am going for patterson.
Cuomo needs to call in the Feds ASAP if he wants this ball to roll.
The FEDS are useless when we have OBAMA kissing Douchberg's ASS. WE are all living in a dictatorship. Bloomberg is robbing us and doing it freely in front of our eyes.
Bloomberg Bone Cancer 2010
Two developers contributed large sums of money to Shulman's lobbying group. On April 27 of 2007 TDC contributed $25,000 and a few weeks later, a $25,000 donation was made by the Muss Development Group. The NYCEDC gave Shulman's group over $450,000 so far. On August 17th, 2007 a $200,000 disbursement was provided from the general fund of the agency.
In 2008, over $80,000 was used to lobby NYC Executive and Legislative branches as well as the City Council. Elected officials that were mentioned as “targets” included Congressmen Ackerman and Crowley, NYC Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, City Councilman John Liu and others. I also noted that 2 members of Community Board #7, Chuck Apelian and Gene Kelty, were also mentioned as targets. Did anyone else on Community Board #7 get greased? Let us not forget that the meetings were run by that pair and they strongly advocate for the Willets Point approval process even though it is far from the best interests of the community they are supposed to represent.
How is this legal, ethical, and/or moral? I hope they nail Bloomturd and all of his accomplices!
www.nyc.gov/lobbyistsearch/search?lobbyist=Flushing+Willets
+Point+Corona+LDC
Click "VIEW DETAILS"
"Bloomberg Bone Cancer 2010"
Every time I see a post like that I laugh my ass off.
Thanks anonymous.
:)
AG Cuomo's investigation should focus on the involvement of Barry Grodenchik, the single-term Flushing Assemblyman who had previously been Shulman's right hand man during her years at Borough Hall, and who later became the Parkside lobbyist who was then assigned to look after Shulman and the proposed Willets Point redevelopment.
Grodenchik may know as much as Dan Doctoroff does, concerning how the plan was hatched to set up Shulman's LDC to do lobbying, paid for by funds provided by NYCEDC.
However, Grodenchik was Governor Mario Cuomo's Queens Regional Representative. Given Grodenchik's affiliation with AG Cuomo's father, the AG may hesitate to go after Grodenchik to the appropriate extent. New Yorkers must insist that AG Cuomo's investigation include Grodenchik.
Grodenchik's bio has disappeared from the Parkside web site. Perhaps he is in hiding.
Shulman's LDC is incorporated under Section 1411 of the NYS Not-For-Profit Corporations Law, which specifically prohibits lobbying activity. Shulman personally signed the certificate, so there can be no claim that the LDC was unaware of the applicable law. AG Cuomo must determine Grodenchik's participation in the formation of Shulman's LDC.
Excellent!!!! Thanks for posting. I love Quuens Crap!!!
next look into bloomturds
"special interest" PLEASE!!!!
Boy, you can get a more complete picture of this story on the Queens Crap blogsite than with other media. Some of the comments and that link to the city lobbying site were eye openers. Happy Birthday Crapper!
Elected officials that were mentioned as “targets” included Congressmen Ackerman and Crowley...
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Are they getting some too? I guess those who keep saying BRING IN THE FEDS finally have a leg to stand on!
Oops....better watch that reference about a "chink" in Bloomberg's armor....politically incorrect (ha, ha, ha)!
But there is that Chinese connection ...TDC and Wellington Chen...to watch out for.
Maybe the scope of the investigation should widen.
Ah yes the EDC - the ones that told the community that the 350 year old millstones at Queens Plaza are just fine after they ripped them out and piled construction debris around them.
Have a funny feeling the George n Jerry Show is in for a repeat...
In one of the many exchanges between the city Law Department and the Attorney General’s office, a Bloomberg administration official said that a subpoena from the state would be seen as a hostile act, and would be remembered next year, when Mr. Cuomo is expected to run for governor.
What is meant by that threat? That Cuomo won't be getting the mayor's precious endorsement? More likely that the mayor will use as much of his money as necessary to back Cuomo's opponent and to dig up plenty of dirt about Cuomo and air it 24/7. Bet on it.
And primadonna said:
Every time I see a post like that ["Bloomberg Bone Cancer 2010"] I laugh my ass off.
I'll laugh my ass off when it (B-berg bone cancer) actually happens. Karma, Hizzoner.
Every time I see a post like that ["Bloomberg Bone Cancer 2010"] I laugh my ass off.
Zat'z not nice! Need help finding your azz?
As I understand it, several bolts of orange material have been ordered by the Department of Corrections. However, if Stavisky and/or Shulman are brought to justice, they will have to triple the order!
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