Friday, February 3, 2017

Civics to de Blasio: Pay for your own lawyers!

From the Queens Chronicle:

Although the city’s paying for the lawyers is legal, civic activists in the borough say that the embattled mayor — who has personally hired a lawyer paid in campaign funds to represent himself— should not be relying on public funds to pay for the attorneys.

“It’s another example of the mayor wasting taxpayer money,” Juniper Park Civic Association President Bob Holden told the Chronicle. “He’s done it on so many other issues. It really seems almost unethical.”

Queens Civic Congress Executive Vice President Richard Hellenbrecht recalled another scandal-tarnished lawmaker who used public funds on attorneys while he was being probed.

“Look at Chris Christie over in New Jersey, who spent a couple of million dollars in taxpayer money fighting the Bridgegate situation,” he said. Christie, however, had taxpayers foot the bill for his own criminal defense lawyer, unlike de Blasio.

“I think that money should go for things the city needs,” Community Board 8 Chairwoman Martha Taylor, who is also a member of the Jamaica Estates Association, said. She added that the money could go toward “improvement or maintenance” work.

It is possible that the public’s footing the bills in situations like the de Blasio administration’s could be banned eventually. State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said he would “look into” legislation prohibiting the practice.

The Queens lawmaker, who will not re-endorse de Blasio for re-election, has heard complaints from constituents not happy about public dollars going to pricey attorneys.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

De Blasio, who has hired his own criminal defense lawyer with campaign funds to represent him as an individual, said the taxpayer money for legal fees is for city employees.

... and where does he think the 6:1 match for campaign funds that afford him his lawyer comes from? God's weekly beatific dropping of mana from the sky for progressive causes?

Anonymous said...

Yes please pay for your own legal woes. You not us caused this. I see no help from NYC or NYS when I have legal woes. All I see is the city taking every single dime from me. Never can catch a break. You took enough from the tax payers.
You have the money so pay up. Dig deep in those pockets and you will be amazed on what you find.

(sarc) said...

Why would these useless politicians shoot themselves in the foot, knowing that with all their activities, there is always the possibility that they may be involved in the next investigation.

There will be NO legislation submitted or voted upon...

JQ LLC said...

“It’s another example of the mayor wasting taxpayer money,” Juniper Park Civic Association President Bob Holden told the Chronicle. “He’s done it on so many other issues. It really seems almost unethical.”

Not almost, it IS unethical. Which this corrupt mayor, taking his cues for the scurrilous fundraising for his superficial progressive goals, Pre-k, affordable housing, and the Koch Brothers style grabbing for state senate seats has led to this pathetic solicitation.

De Faustio should just go ask his neoliberal greedhead cabal of predatory developers, vulture venture firms and oblivious celebrity friends for money his lame defense.

Anonymous said...

Joe Abadabado is starting to wise up, putting some distance between him and DickBlasio. What's next, no more photo-ops with Dizzy Lizzy?

Anonymous said...

And has anyone looked into whose name is on the deed of the house that the mayor "owns"?

Anonymous said...

To Third Anonymous: Look for Jerkoff Addabbo, Jr. (both father and son jerked Queens County to ruin!), to soon be in handcuffs HIMSELF. Sadly, when I look at that fat rodent face of total political worthlessness, it both angers and saddens me to know that even animals themselves could never behave with such 'NAKED GREED' and depravity.

Yet, We the People continue to pay the ultimate price for their total dereliction of public duty, higher taxes and arrogance (as a constituent, Addabbo's ugly-and-rude, 'Friends And Family' city payroll staff would regularly hang up the phone on me and my equally livid neighbors whenever we demanded this shithead's help, but instead received a hang up and taxation without representation)!

He's a filthy disgrace of an arrogant, evil coward. Men have been hanged for LESS!

Anonymous said...

don't tease us like that
i got a tingle when i read joe in handcuffs
been hoping for him to go away for years
no ones been able to beat him
you know something we don't?
thought he was more careful than the rest
not smarter
just more careful

Anonymous said...

Civics can bellow all they want. Most really have no power except the power of their mouths.
Then we have Queens Civic Congress. Have you noticed how machine politicians walk all over them?
The ONLY TIME any citizen has any real power is at the polling place. After that, it's too fucking late!
Vote wisely. Do you research on a candidate as carefully as you would do selecting your next smart phone.
Otherwise, bend over. The great Democratoc Queens machine is just waiting to bugger you in the tookas!

Anonymous said...

Not only is this filthy low life a total disgrace of depraved indifference, but he has set a new precedent in unmatched defiance and arrogance that even surpassess the hyper-arrogance of his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, a/k/a the devil incarnate of them all!

MEN HAVE BEEN HANGED FOR LESS!