Sunday, January 8, 2012

Quinn has no regrets about Larry's money

From the NY Times:

A slightly testy City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn on Wednesday defended her decision not to strip Councilman Larry Seabrook of control over more than $350,000 in discretionary funds in the coming budget cycle, even as he awaits a second trial on corruption charges related to his use of such funds.

When she was asked, at a news conference before Wednesday’s Council meeting, whether the critique had given her any second thoughts, Ms. Quinn offered a one-word answer: “No.”

“We used to have a process in the City Council where basically Council members made requests to fund groups in their district, and it was a little bit of an honor system — there was the assumption that those were groups were qualified to do the work,” she said.

“We no longer have an honor system. We have a verification system, where the groups that are seeking funding from the Council are taken through an aggressive vetting process.”

In Mr. Seabrook’s case, Ms. Quinn said, none of what has been alleged “could have happened under the system we now have.”

“What we’re trying to do with member items is support many groups out there at the local level who are doing the work well, and make sure the money is scrubbed thoroughly, so it is going to those groups,” she said. “And I stand by that process.”

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Scrubbed thoroughly I bet. Sounds perfectly legit to me, how about you?

Anonymous said...

Candidate Ms or Mr Tweed for Mayor? Is Quinn a transgender?

Anonymous said...

"Is Quinn a transgender?"

No, Chris Quinn is a lesbian. Do you have a problem with that?

Anonymous said...

Oh sweeties stop nitpicking!!!

Anonymous said...

It's not "nitpicking". There is a big difference between being transgender and being a lesbian. Anyone with any awareness or knowledge of the LGBT community would understand this difference.

Anonymous said...

Look the bad attitude of Quinn's approach - my way or the highway will not engender (sic) to the greater NYC population. Few people know her outside her district and few outside her district would put up with her answer - it won't fly. Her district needs the I am a dictator approach because her community was trampled upon until Stonewall arrived. But she needs a different approach if she is to represent everyone else and if she defends dirty Pols actions and controls the dough.

Anonymous said...

Gay or transgender, she gets their vote.

Anonymous said...

Face it, this is all about political pandering and butt kissing.
Quinn helps those who help her. Look at Leroy Comrie, Quinn needs his and Seabrook's support in the Afro community for her mayoral run. Comrie, by the way, took home over $1 million for his district this year. Look at Dominic Recchia, he was appointed Chairman of the New York City Council Finance Committee by Quinn and got $1.6 million for his district. Look at Lew Fidler, he was made Assistant Majority Leader by Quinn and got about $1.25 million for his district.
Typical politics: to get along go along.

Anonymous said...

"Gay or trangender, she gets their vote."

That's a big assumption--that people only vote based on one isssue. Is that how you vote? I think most people choose who to vote for based on many different factors--the person's record, his/her positions on various issues and a comparison of that person with the other candidates.

Anonymous said...

"Look at Leroy Comrie, Quinn needs his and Seabrook's support in the Afro community for her mayoral run."

What is the "Afro community"? I've never heard of this community. Is it a group of people who prefer Afro hairstyles?

Anonymous said...

"What is the "Afro community"? I've never heard of this community. "

Of course you haven't heard of it. You're a part of the Ostrich community who keep their heads buried in the sand.

Anonymous said...

"You're a part of the Ostrich community who keeps their heads buried in the sand."

You can call me names all you want, but your comment still doesn't explain what the "Afro community" is. An "Afro" is a hairstyle. I'm very familiar with NYC politics and I've never seen any group of people who are organized politically based on their hairstyle.

Queens Crapper said...

Afro=African. As in Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-American. Is is not just a hairstyle.

Anonymous said...

QC, the correct way to describe the community referred to by the commenter as the "Afro community" is "African-American community". It is insensitive to shorten it to "Afro" as the commenter did.

Anonymous said...

isn't LGBT, HOMOSEXUALISM, TRANSGENDERISM ,now being taught to the public school elementary pupils ?

Anonymous said...

If you mean tolerance and acceptance of all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, that should be taught to all children in the schools. I'm sure nobody could disagree with that.

Anonymous said...

"..."African-American community". It is insensitive to shorten it to "Afro" as the commenter did."

INSENSITIVE??? You're calling this insensitive??? Please read some of the other references to minorities that appear here.
Jeez, (or is that insensitive to Christians?) grow up!

Helen said...

For more on Quinn, don't forget the links to True News from ChangeNYC.Org on the right sidebar here at Queens Crap.

Mr. QC ~ Thanks for this post.

A parent of two NYC school kids said...

Anon. No. 16 -

Not in the NYC public school my kids went to. Which schools do your kids go to?

Anonymous said...

Didn't someone in a different post here complain about the coverage that the Times gives to Quinn? She doesn't look too good in this article.

Anonymous said...

It's not "nitpicking". There is a big difference between being transgender and being a lesbian.

So what's the big difference? Why is transgender not in the lesbian camp. And what about the gays, are they not represented by lesbians in her district? Seems to me there is division or derision for non-lesbians including mainstream ordinary folks and families by Quinn.

Anonymous said...

"Gay or trangender, she gets their vote."

Of course Quinn get's their vote she is queer and that is her base. But that base is only 40K people in the city. The rest of the city - millions are not queer and do not understand nor condone queer behavior - it's legal yes and people can do what they want as long as queer sensibilities remain sequestered in the pockets of well known Manhattan areas and Jackson Heights. I don't think it's going to fly if Quinn became mayor and forced Queer sex education on children in public schools. Let's start right there with Quinn's perceived elect-ability city-wide -bring on the transgenders heading up deputy Mayoral posts!

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 22:

"But that base is only 40K people in the city."

Have you done a count? Are you sure about that?

"The rest of the city - millions are not queer and do not understand nor condone queer behavior - it's legal yes and people can do what they want as long as queer sensibilities remain sequestered in the pockets of well known Manhattan areas and Jackson Heights."

I take it you don't visit parts of Brooklyn very often.

Anonymous said...

The 40K queer population number has been batted about often before - sure some areas that appear heavily gay probably are. What the census turn up next time is anyone's guess if sexuality is a question then.

No denying the great majority of NYC citizens are not Queer. Thus Quinn needs to step up and address she can represent the rest of the larger world in NYC and she better do this fast as this will not occur in a NY minute.

Anonymous said...

Rest assured that the census will never include that question. So you're just guessing about any community that you're talking about.