Saturday, April 10, 2010

Another questionable grant from Smith

Smith ripped for saying ye$ to yuppies
By CARL CAMPANILE, NY Post

State Senate President Malcolm Smith steered a $150,000 grant to a well-heeled, politically connected business group -- as the state grappled with the worst budget crisis in decades, The Post has learned.

Smith's legislative largesse benefited the Council for Urban Professionals Institute, a Manhattan not-for-profit whose stated goal is to advance "the agenda for urban professionals and their communities."

Its members and sponsors include AT&T, AIG, BET, Black Rock, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Verizon, and its 2008 tax return reported net assets of $646,851.

Government-watchdog groups blasted Smith's decision.

"The members of this group are successful businesspeople. Why do they need to raise $150,000 from taxpayers when they could raise it among their members?" said Lise Bang-Jensen, an analyst with the Manhattan Institute's Empire Center for New York State Policy.

The group also hired Albany lobbyist Jacqueline Williams, formerly of the Long Island law firm Suozzi, English -- whose partners include Basil Paterson, father of Gov. Paterson.

Smith declined to comment.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wise up Queens County vote these slimeballs out.

Helen said...

NY, NY has the highest cost of living in the U.S.A. courtesy of politicians like this.

Anonymous said...

Malcolm Smith shouldn't be voted out - he should be BOOTED OUT along with a one way ticket to jail!!!