Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Queens Dems worked with Padavan on corrupt land deal

From the NY Post:

Members of the Indian cultural group, including Koshy and Sanu Thomas, went to Padavan and pitched a community center to hold “community activities and social gatherings,” including picnics, dances, weddings and holiday celebrations. They targeted two chunks of land on Creedmoor’s 98-acre campus and drew up plans.

So Padavan and then-Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Queens) rammed through separate legislation to OK the sale through a three-day message of necessity. That passed in July 2006. When the sale took longer than expected, Padavan and Weprin authored another bill in 2007 to extend the timetable for the sale by a year.

The group showered Padavan and Weprin with campaign contributions. Members donated at least $2,850 to Padavan and $2,510 to Weprin for his City Council and Assembly runs between 2000 and 2009. Group members also gave $1,600 to Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens), Mark’s brother, for his 2009 city comptroller bid. Sanu and Koshy Thomas shelled out the lion share of the group contributions.

Padavan, whose daughter-in-law is Indian-American, went on a crusade to get the land sold. He hounded state dormitory authorities to approve the deal without the usual attorney general review, according to state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens). Sale of state land is usually conducted through an auction to the highest bidder, or granted to public entities. Since 2006, the Creedmoor parcels were the only sale of state Dormitory Authority land to be pushed through with special legislation, according to state records.

Clark introduced a bill in January to grant the group roughly 6 acres to eliminate the state’s concerns about the patchwork of property. Last month, as the legislative year was winding down, she and Assemblyman Weprin visited Avella in his office and asked him to co-sponsor it. When he refused, she got downright “threatening,” Avella said, and later publicly slammed a “freshman senator” for not knowing his place. Clark then went to Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) to co-sponsor a bill, which he did last month.

Local civic associations are up in arms over the development’s monstrous apartment buildings, which are slated for area seniors. The towers are too tall for the area’s zoning, and the group is trying to get a variance by using obscure examples from those granted in the dense sections of the South Bronx.

It’s not a difficult to see, in Sanu Thomas, the beginnings of a New York politician in the mold of Pedro Espada or Vito Lopez. Espada started a non-profit health clinic in The Bronx, then, when elected to office, steered millions in contracts to it, enriching himself. He will now stand trial for embezzlement.

If the Indian Culture and Community Center gets its land, it could be a low-cost way for Thomas to have a non-profit that “gives back to the community” while it potentially pays his friends and cultivates voters that put him on the City Council or in state government. Decades from now, will Sanu Thomas be steering taxpayer “member items” to these groups?

Thomas already has learned one lesson of New York politics. Any criticism is not motivated by the misuse of public funds, or suspicion about private deals, but racism.

38 comments:

Gary the Agnostic said...

One hand washes the other. Why am I not surprised?

Anonymous said...

Isn't this guy the Executive Secretary on community Board 13

Anonymous said...

I though that Frank was supposed to really care.

About himself maybe.

I never liked his pompous finger pointing arrogant manner.

He reminds me of a typical self serving old Roman Senator at the twilight of their republic.

His sense of entitlement continued growing and growing as he kept getting re-elected.

NOBODY should be allowed to remain that long in any public office!

TERM LIMITS FOR ALL OF THESE ALBANY CARPETBAGGERS!

Anonymous said...

Frank Padavan weill spend his last years in jail just like Tony Semenerio.

Mark my words.

Anonymous said...

Frank Padavan had a hand in every overdevelopment in the last twenty years.

He destroyed Northeast Queens and deserves to go to jail for everything he has done. I hope he does.

Anonymous said...

Colonel Padavan !!!!!!
You think bubba is gonna salute you in jail or make you bend over and get the soap ?

Anonymous said...

And this guy Padavan, the great weekend warrior, had the balls top have his crony threaten the Little Neck parade volunteers, cause they didnt "invite" him to this year parade. His crony even said Padavan should be the Chairman next year.

Chairman ? from where ? Danamora upstate ? The only parade Padavan will be marching in is the one to the shower room so they could make the old guy take it.

Anonymous said...

What a disgrace Frank Padavan is. 40 years of harassing our community and now we are done with him once and for all. Good riddance ! Its time for real community leaders like Al Centola.

Anonymous said...

The voters spopke and threw that bastard Padavan out on his ass. What a joke he has become now. I assume dozens of dirty deals will come to light now that Padavan cant threaten anyone. We need a investigation of this land deal, so we can find out what money changed hands.

Queens Crapper said...

So everyone's pissed off at the guy who is already retired and no one cares about Weprin, Smith and Clark, who are still in office, abusing their power?

You folks get the government you deserve.

Anonymous said...

1) Frank Padavan put this deal togther.
2) The newspaper story said he was fixated on getting it done.
3) That smells like money changed hands.
4) Padavan was the Chair of the Committee in the Senate than ran Creedmoor for 20 years.

Padavan is the target, the rest of these jokers are bit players. padavan is the guy the Feds are going to look at.

Anonymous said...

Who says Padavan "retired" ? Last time I looked, he was thrown out on his ass by the voters. Maybe they knew something that we dont.

Queens Crapper said...

Padavan put it together but who is pushing to get it passed right now? Weprin, Clark and Smith.

Sorry, I call bullshit on your excuse.

Queens Crapper said...

The humble community center was morphing into a different beast. The group’s plans now included two, nine-story apartment towers with 126 apartments. The original two parcels were landlocked, and now they wanted a third plot to provide access to the future housing complex. So they opened up the checkbooks.

They went to Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens), whose district contains a sliver of Creedmoor. Indian group members funneled at least $2,351 in election cash to Clark in 2010. That was 13% of the entire amount she collected from individual donors that year.
Last year, Clark introduced a bill to sell the group a strip of property to give them access to Union Turnpike, and it passed. But former Gov. David Paterson vetoed it after state mental health officials blasted the proposal. It would leave Creedmoor with a patchwork of properties that would be difficult to sell at a later date, while still keeping the state on the hook for maintenance. It would also impede traffic flow on the Creedmoor campus for the existing psych services.
So Clark introduced a bill in January to grant the group roughly 6 acres to eliminate the state’s concerns about the patchwork of property. Last month, as the legislative year was winding down, she and Assemblyman Weprin visited Avella in his office and asked him to co-sponsor it. When he refused, she got downright “threatening,” Avella said, and later publicly slammed a “freshman senator” for not knowing his place. Clark then went to Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) to co-sponsor a bill, which he did last month.


Yeah, "bit players"....

Anonymous said...

Padavan is the one who made Creedmore do it. None of those other elected officials could have ever got the agency to do it. Wait til the IG finishes with their investigation on Padavan and this land deal and the only person the who will be saluting "Colonel" Padavan is a guy in the shower in prison.

Anonymous said...

"So Padavan and then-Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Queens) rammed through separate legislation to OK the sale through a three-day message of necessity."

Yes, it sounds like Padavan did this all by himself.

Anonymous said...

Frank Padavan +
Soap on a rope =
a nice time for the Crips

Anonymous said...

Frank Padavan +
State IG Investigation +
Creedmore Indian Scandal =
10 years

Anonymous said...

"Colonel" Padavan +
"that sleazy outfit" =
A LONG TIME IN PRISON :)

Anonymous said...

Frank Padavans career:

1933 - Born

1955 - Bachelors Degree - Age 22

1963 - NYU MBA - Age 30

1963/67 - Draft Dodger and Coward, Never serves in military even though country is at war

1972 - Elected to Senate

1978 - 2006 Makes believe he is in the Army joining at the age of 44. Serves with distinction at the bar in the Fort Totten Officer's Club

2010 - Loses his seat in a landslide.

2011-2021 - Serves the remaining years of his life in a prison in upstate New York

Cav said...

Damage control time!

Looks like the trolls from the offices various politicians are working overtime.

Cav said...

Correction:
Looks like the trolls from the offices of certain politicians are working overtime.

Anonymous said...

do not most of the religious organizations in Queens County conduct "community activities & social gatherings", including picnics ,dances,weddings and holiday celebrations ? Did taxpayers pay for a Chabad property in Bayside ? Were A/C & roof repairs done at S. Field Y.W.C.A. ? How many State nursing homes are outbidding potential buyers by buying private homes adjacent to their building with medicare funds ?

prior to every election the Queens Weaklies publish

photo ops of their favorite candidates,mostly democrat,
who have given "OVERSIZED CHECKS" of taxpayer dollars to the chosen large groups that are coerced to vote correctly by the Rabbi,Pastor, or Priest.

the serial pro-democrat machine have to divert the media attention from their gangster government that has already been imprisoned for stealing your taxes.

Padavan remained a free citizen for 38 years in public office because no one in the opposition party could convict him of a crime. because he never committed a crime.

the Constitution says that a citizen is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.the serial anti-conservative commenters have no proof , but they sure have thrash texting capabilities.

Avella's allegations in this article using adjectives like,"SHOWERED,CRUSADE,HOUNDED,& RAMMED leaves one suspect .

Anonymous said...

Old man said:"the Constitution says that a citizen is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."

Do try to remember that when you get revved up for another senile rant against "Commie dems" and such.

Anonymous said...

"What a disgrace Frank Padavan is. 40 years of harassing our community and now we are done with him once and for all. Good riddance ! Its time for real community leaders like Al Centola".

I agree, Al Centola needs to run.

Padavan did nothing but write letters about letters from the constituents and then waited for a letter to forward the letter with another letter from the agency to the constituent.

Anonymous said...

which commie dems names do you wish to post ? do you want to start with the commies convicted in a court of law of espionage , for stealing and transferring our ATOM BOMB
secrets to the comrades in the U.S.S.R ?

why not remind our ypung readers of Q.C., who they were?

Anonymous said...

Padavan voted "NO" on the Albany bill to elect three forced busing NYS Regents members in March 11,1975.
The 8-12 GRADE WHITE PUPILS IN N.E.QUEENS , WOULD HAVE BEEN FORCE BUSED TO CAMBRIA HGTS.

WHEN MOST OF THE LOCAL QUEENS DEMOCRATS VOTED "YES", THE DEMOCRAT PARTY NEVER GOT MY VOTE AGAIN.

Padavan with a 5 dem. to 1 gop registration in Queens was reelected for 38 years. You whiners should be cleaning your own house out of thieves.

Anonymous said...

We're whining? You're still going on about the 2008 elections!!!

Julius Henry Mary said...

Anon no. 26:

What is a ypung reader?

Anonymous said...

Ok, you asked for it: FDR was the number one commie agent with Harry Dexter White as his controller and the Rosenbergs and the entire CUNY faculty as their conduits. The Stavitsky family has a long commie history. http://www.conservapedia.com/Harry_Dexter_White

Anonymous said...

According to a extreme right-wing website. What does someone with credibility with mainstream America say?

Anonymous said...

You chose to forget the 2010 election.In queens, THREE conservative's ousted the incumbent democrat .
In the U.S, FIFTY-FIVE conservatives ousted the incumbent democrat/rino
congressmen .

Your 2008 "MESSIAH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER has spent his way into ONE TERM in 2012 .......

Anonymous said...

These Repugligoons always want to annihilate Indian Treaties, trying to extend unbridled free market pollution chaos into the realm of the pristinely primitive Indians instead of return to the rest of us the same fundamental rights that the Indians enjoy under their collective pristine society. Shades of James Watt and Jack Abramoff.

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 31:

In your dreams. Start thinking about who your candidate will be in 2016.

Anonymous said...

...The candidate who will have to run against Andrew Cuomo....

Anonymous said...

Maybe someone should look at the $500,000 deal cut by Dan Halloran, Christine Quinn and one of his big contributors for a mini park on Francis Lewis Blvd. Something fishy going on there! Take my word for it.

Anonymous said...

$500,000. is peanuts compared to the $3 to$10 million spent on the I.S.25 school yard conversion. which was stupidly planned and is presently unused by any local teens.

You can add the school yard of P.S. 159 in Bayside, which was locked 24/7 ,by the principal and custodian, until CM Halloran negotiated its unlocking for local citizens to enjoy .
the toddler section is still locked by the principal. And the teens cannot play a full court basketball game ,because of the newly planted sibling trees( 19 died and were replaced),cutting across the court.

A painted track ,which no one runs on,is used for bike riding. A small section of fake grass is used to play simulation soccer .

cost approx.$3-4 million dollars.

planyc tax money and maybe stimulus or tarp spent with poor planning.

the CM was Avella & the NYS Assemblywoman was Carroza. The mayor was the rino.

Both spaces lost their softball fields because of planted trees and stupidity.

Anonymous said...

Padavan's gone....
but that devil Weprin is still around....and that dynasty has been fucking Queens in the ass for decades!

Save a piece of rope for him and hang him by his nuts from a gibbet!

Queens voters have got to be the dumbest of the whole damn lot!

They keep those whelps the Weprins in office and keep on getting butt fucked!