Saturday, April 23, 2016

Multiple investigations into de Blasio fundraising


From the NY Post:

Mayor de Blasio and his top aides coordinated an illegal fundraising scheme to help elect Democrats to the state Senate in 2014, the top investigator at the state Board of Elections accuses in a blockbuster memo that recommends the DA investigate City Hall.

In the damning eight-page report, delivered to the elections board on Jan.4, enforcement chief Risa Sugarman said the actions of the mayor, his political team and his state democratic allies led to “willful and flagrant violations” of state law.

“I have determined that reasonable cause exists to believe a violation warranting criminal prosecution has taken place,” Sugarman wrote in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.


From the Daily News:

The commissioners, during a closed-door vote, made the referral on Jan. 11, sources said, which is now part of a broader probe by the DA and Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office.

Sugarman’s memo paints a picture of a coordinated effort by the mayor and his allies — dubbed interchangeably as “Team de Blasio” and “Team Coordinated” — to deliberately circumvent legal campaign donation limits in three upstate races in what turned out to be an unsuccessful effort to help Democrats win control of the state Senate in 2014.

The memo did not spell out exactly who could be charged. Deliberately evading campaign donation limits would constitute a felony.

Unions like the powerful Service Employees International Union Local 1199, SEIU 32BJ, the state Nurse's Association, and the Communications Workers of America were among those who gave big amounts to the county committees though they never had before. Developers and powerful businessmen who had business before the city like supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis ($50,000) and Alexis Lodde ($100,000) also gave mega contributions to the county committees.

Sugarman wrote that by serving as “straw donors” that simply passed through the donations to the candidate campaigns, the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee and the two county committees may have also violated the law.


From the Daily News:

A key donor to Mayor de Blasio’s fund-raising was subpoenaed Thursday, as it became clear the growing investigation is zeroing in on whether his campaign broke rules pursuing checks from powerful interests seeking favors from City Hall, the Daily News has learned.

The Manhattan U.S. attorney and the Manhattan district attorney both demanded documents from an anti-horse carriage group that has steered hundreds of thousands of dollars to de Blasio in its effort to ban buggies from Central Park, according to a source familiar with the probe.

Supporters of that group, New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets, NYCLASS, have written checks totaling $125,000 to Campaign for One New York, a so-called “independent spending” organization de Blasio formed to support his pet causes.

Late Thursday, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. demanded documents dating as far back as 2013 from the group, which steered $100,000 to Campaign for One New York in March 2015 and hundreds of thousands more to the mayor’s 2013 campaign.


From the Daily News:

On its face, it makes no sense.

A handful of sophisticated New York developers write big campaign checks to rural backwoods political committees miles upstate.

Upon closer inspection, however, it all becomes clear.

The developers were told the money wasn’t meant to help elect some yahoo constable in Moosebreath Corners, N.Y. Instead, it would help Mayor de Blasio in his quixotic quest to flip the GOP-controlled state Senate to the Democrats.

And the developers who chose to give just happened to be seeking — or had in the past received — lucrative benefits from the de Blasio administration such as zoning changes and tax breaks.

All of this is now under investigation by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

But if he gets the boot, look who would take his place: Letticia the PA.

Anonymous said...

If diblasio was a Republican he would be in jail already, but since he is a liberal Democrat this will all be swept under the rug.

chico0100 said...

Exactly...be careful what you wish for...the do nothing Public Advocate gets to be mayor...

Anonymous said...

To really get to the root of the problem you need to get to the people that put him there - in Queens its Jimmy Van Bramer (who now is facing his own set of problems) and that big guy Honest Joe Crowley whose job is to hoover all the monies that could stay here and help the communities to pay Washington lobbyists so he could further his career at the expense of the community - but then, since he doesn't live here with us darkies but in the Big House near the Potomac who cares?

Anonymous said...

"I am shocked to find that gambling is going on here" - Casablanca

Anonymous said...

I have a question for the US Attorney and the Manhattan DA. What took you so long?

Anonymous said...

All of this is now under investigation by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

And when Preet Bharara smells blood, he will not stop...

Although even if Mayor Bill doesn't get indicted or go to jail, it might be just enough to tarnish him and prevent his re-election.

Anonymous said...

He'll get off just like Andy and a Hillary.

Anonymous said...

OH OOHHH!! SOMEBODY IS IN TROUBLE. QUIT WHILE YOU STILL CAN DIBLASIO...

Anonymously Grey Gardens said...

Tragically, both Bill de Blasio and his pal, Letitia James are SEASONED, criminal sociopaths (and worthless political fungus), of epic, humanitarian fail!

Worse, their entire, handpicked 'Friends & Family' staff members are just as heinous---as the entire, city government, raw sewage plant not only continues to betray public trust and integrity with impunity---but, they now DEVALUE all honesty itself---to pathologically treasonous, traitorous, derelict and ruinous effect---and, the public be eternally duped, bilked, scammed and damned!

Finally, the corruption is so entrenched and systemic---that, REVOLUTION is the ONLY SOLUTION, as the de Assio administration (by default election), is now New York City's WORST (and most corrupt), in the history of all previously corrupted administrations---and, one that FAR SURPASSES Boss Tweed, and Tammany Hall---which now seems QUAINT by comparison!

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 2: If that's the case, explain Sheldon Silver and Malcolm Smith.

Anonymous said...

No worries about LJ taking over, by the time deBlas gets to trial we'll have a new election.

Jerry Rotondi said...

God bless Preet Baharra!
He's on those crooked cops and now he's on Der Wilhelm,
Only the feds can clean up dirty NYC!
Leaving it up to NYC officials, police, and pols is like assigning the fox to guard the hen house!
Things are lookin' up for a change!

Anonymous said...

If only we had a person with real integrity, like Christine Quinn as mayor.

Anonymously Grey Gardens said...

Christine Quinn as mayor, Anonymous??? Please tell me that your post was an attempt at dripping sarcasm---she was ONE OF THE MOST voracious, predatory, rapacious, monstrously self-serving THIEVES of them all---to pathologically treasonous, traitorous and ruinous effect!

Then, after losing 2013 mayoral election (as promised to the 'Unmighty Quinn' by her demigod, Mike Bloomberg---for which she was never qualified to serve in the first place---much less as city council speaker!), she disappeared into the faux, ivory towers of Harvard University, ostensibly to receive remedial training (and moral instruction), in the field of public ethics and integrity (this, after dishonestly serving as city council speaker, where she abrogated the rights of public referendum for her subjects when she appointed her pal, Mike Bloomberg, to an illegal third term as mayor, by monarchy rule, no less!)---fundamental topics that even the average kindergartner could grasp with ease!

So, please tell me that biting sarcasm was the reason for your posted comment above---and, nothing else!

JQ LLC said...

The chickens are coming home to roost on Park Row.

Mayor Big Slow De Faustio and his minions might be the biggest and dumbest of all time, they really must have thought that the Citizens United decision exempted them from operating a superpac in a government office. This might turn out to be the first instance of criminalizing stupidity, or at least to write up legislation to do so.

ron s said...

The problem when DeBlasio leaves (convicted or not), is that the crop of Democratic and Republican possible successors is even more freakish than the fifteen cretins that tried to run for president on the Republican side this year.
Find me one competent and intelligent contender...........

JQ LLC said...

The Dems and the Development And Tourism Industrial Complex are already primping Jimbrowski Von Bramer for mayor Re: Queens Progress story from last week.

Anonymous said...

I wonder when Stringer will come out and announce his Mayoral run

Anonymously Grey Gardens said...

Ahh, yes, Scott Stringer---a bastion of hypocrisy who runs his 'Friends & Family' patronage mill at the Comptroller's Office with such a willful disregard, that the systemic dereliction of public duty, corruption, dishonor, disloyalty, lies, cover-ups, and taxation without representation are now OPENLY practiced---and, without consequence!

I'm still waiting for Stringer's mentally incompetent Director, Ingrid Sotelo, to provide me with help, regarding an audit that I requested of their office, in which her letter to me states that "...the Comptroller's Office is willing to help..." in which she ends her letter with, "...there is nothing that we can do," a clear contradiction and disgrace that devalues all honesty itself (seriously, I couldn't make this stuff up, even if I tried)!

Face it, New York City residents---the entire system is rigged for epic, fiduciary, ecological and humanitarian fail---and, only getting worse by the hour!