Ricatto's apparently always been a jerk

Here's a nice little blast from the past from the Queens Tribune:

These usually tranquil residential streets in Forest Hills are being transformed three nights a week into a nightclub parking lot, attracting thousands of guests, hundreds of cars, and nerve-racking noise until as late as 5:30 a.m.

The parties are held at the Forest Hills Country Club, on 70th Road and Sybilla Street, which by day is populated by women playing mahjong by the pool, swimmers, sunbathers, and a summer camp. Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and sometimes Monday night, the club is rented out to various party promoters and transformed into an after hours bar and discotheque.

The owner of the club, Michael Ricatto, says that they have been renting the facilities out for parties for nearly two decades. The only difference, he says, is that the patrons of the recent events were black and not white.

"The real problem isn’t noise, it’s racism. We want to get along with the community, but we do not want to stop doing black parties."

Ricatto added that if he could he would have parties every night, but if "we are unable to continue with the parties and have to close the place down, then we will build low-income housing on the site and have the last laugh on the neighborhood."

Amazing. Not only did Ricatto pull an O'Neill's, but he threatened to turn the area into a ghetto. You folks in the 32nd Council District should keep this in mind on February 24th when you head to the polls (in case his unlicensed driver's "accident" and then lying about suspending his campaign weren't enough to sway you).

Daily News questions Ricatto's "hiatus"

From the Daily News:

Republican Mike Ricatto is back on the campaign trail, spending big bucks to win the Feb. 24 City Council special election.

But did the deep-pocketed businessman from Ozone Park ever really suspend his campaign, as he vowed to do shortly after a tragic accident involving his campaign bus?

But during the interval his campaign was supposedly on hold, Ricatto paid a weekly newspaper $900 for ads and a computer consultant to launch his Web site, which went live during that time period.

The day after Ricatto suspended his campaign, McClelland hinted that Ricatto might bow out. "We don't know how we are going to move forward," McClelland told The News on Jan. 7.

But, the next day, Ricatto's campaign submitted a Certificate of Acceptance to the city Board of Elections. The document formally states his candidacy.

When asked about the filing, McClelland initially dodged the question, explaining the campaign office remained open only to notify supporters that a Jan. 8 fund-raiser had been cancelled.

McClelland later said the paperwork was filed to meet a deadline. "If we didn't do it and we decided to go forward, we would be unable to do so," he said.

Why would Ricatto be listed as a member of the Queens Village Republican Club if he's from the HoBeach area?

Ricatto resumes campaign

A city council candidate resumed his campaign Saturday, four days after a boy was struck and killed by his campaign bus in Queens.

Nine-year-old Ibrihim Ahmed was on his way home from school when he was hit at the intersection of Cross Bay Boulevard at Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park Tuesday afternoon.

A spokesman for Ricatto said they were waiting until after the child's funeral to resume campaigning.

Queens Campaign Stalled By Fatal Bus Accident Resumes

Ricatto campaign vehicle kills 9-year old

Child dies under wheels of RV
BY TONIA N. CIMINO and PETE DAVIS

An eight-year-old was struck and killed by an RV emblazoned with "Mike Ricatto Special Election 32nd City Council District" as he crossed the street.

The accident happened at Woodhaven Boulevard and Liberty Avenue, between Rockaway Boulevard and Liberty, at about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6.

A police source said that the child, reportedly a young boy, had his skull crushed. The source also told The Courier that the boy, who attended P.S. 63, was with another child when the fatal accident occurred.

"I saw a limp body covered with a white sheet," said a worker who answered the phone at P.C. Richard - located across the street from where the incident took place. "There were a whole bunch of police and ambulances," said the employee, who did not give a name.

The vehicle remained on the scene, and the driver, said the source, who had a suspended license, has been arrested.

Visit www.queenscourier.com for updates on this story.

May God bless this poor child's family. (For those of you who don't know, Mike Ricatto is a developer who doesn't live in the district but is who Serf Maltese put up to run for the seat because the other Republican in the race, Eric Ulrich, helped Tom Ognibene instead of Anthony Como in last June's special election.) Allowing an unlicensed driver to take the wheel of an oversized campaign vehicle is exactly the type of poor judgment we've come to expect from the Maltese crowd.

Special election update

News from the Queens Crap team:

- Anthony Como's campaign manager, Maspeth grease monkey Rick Metzger, accosted Tom Ognibene's campaign manager, Eric Ulrich, and attorney, Gabe Tapalaga, at the Trinity Lutheran polling site this morning. "Wait til you see what we do to you after Anthony gets in," Metzger was quoted as saying. The campaign also called the VP of the Juniper Civic last night. When she said there was no way she would vote for Tony No Neck, Metzger got on the phone and tried to intimidate her. (It didn't work.)

- Dennis Gallagher showed up at Trinity Lutheran with a young woman in his car. Quote from an observer: "Couldn't believe how fat and bloated he looked. A big bald head, a big face, a big protruding belly and a Hitler mustache, life ain't too kind to those who plead guilty to 'forcible touching!' And, the inane perpetual smile that we had seen in the past was gone!"

- Como's team drove around in an antique firetruck campaigning. Only problem is that the vehicle is not registered and has no license plates. See video.



- Ober volunteers were going door to door to businesses along Metropolitan Avenue asking to place campaign posters in the windows, when a bunch of thugs appeared suddenly and told them their presence was unwanted.

- Out of a survey of 7 polling locations in Middle Village, Maspeth, Glendale and Ridgewood, it was noted that Ober has a massive volunteer effort in place, with at least 3 people at each polling site. Crowley had 1 single person at Trinity Lutheran and none anywhere else. Ognibene had one person there as well. Como had limited volunteers, although his signs, posted on easels owned by a Queens Crap developer, are everywhere.

Here's a first person report:

"Dear crappy,

At 1pm this afternoon, I went out to vote at I.S. 119 in Glendale. The polling volunteer told me I was only the 44th voter for this day, and the youngest she has seen (21 years old). She commented that turnout was extremely low for a special election that has received a lot of attention over these 6 weeks in this district.

As I entered the station, Ober's 2 volunteers, who were quite friendly, approached and handed me a piece of literature and gave a short speech on his history. On the other hand, Como's person (yes just 1), simply handed me a piece of literature without saying anything. No sight of either Crowley or Ognibene's people.

Bottom line, I voted for Charles Ober, as he is the strongest candidate of the four. He has no ties to anyone who can cause corruption in politics and he cares about this neighborhood and district. VOTE OBER: A genuine candidate.

Sincerely,
Alexander M.
Glendale"

Overall, turnout has been extremely low, with mainly seniors coming to the polls and with their minds already made up. None of the candidates were seen at the polling sites.

Click here for an update.