Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Johnny's living the high life

From the NY Post:

It's good to be the comptroller.

As the pension time bomb ticks, city Comptroller John Liu took in the Yankees' home opener, a whiskey tasting with the British consul- general and countless photo ops with community groups.

A 250-day schedule of the city's top financial watchdog -- obtained by The Post under the Freedom of In formation Law -- suggests he spends more time chasing his mayoral dreams than sniffing out budgetary waste and confronting the city's mounting financial troubles.

While Liu attended just one of the dozen meetings of the city's biggest pension fund in his first eight months in office -- and ducked out of that single NYCERS meeting after just 15 minutes -- he did find time to attend two stickball parties and a dragon-boat event, meet with foreign diplomats, take in a preview of MoMa's Matisse exhibit, drop by the grand opening of the restaurant Valentino's on the Green, and hit an endless circuit of galas, award dinners and press conferences.

In fact, Liu regularly showed up to as many as seven grip-and-grins a day that had little or nothing to do with his comptroller duties.

Elected comptroller last year, the Flushing-based Democrat is custodian of the city's five pension funds and their $100 billion in assets. Underfunded, snakebitten by years of stock-market losses and with mounting annual obligations -- $6.8 billion this year and expected to double in six years -- the pension system threatens to bankrupt the city.

"The absence of business groups, academics, and financial-service professionals on his schedule is startling," said a fellow Democrat who has met with Liu this year and reviewed his schedule. "He's showing no intellectual curiosity. There are a lot of labor meetings, but that's it."

Political observers say Liu's schedule is less about auditing agencies and managing pensions than about crafting a campaign strategy for a possible mayoral run in 2013.

In particular, it shows an interest in rallying support from gay and Irish New Yorkers -- two constituencies thought to support City Council speaker and potential mayoral-race rival Christine Quinn.

42 comments:

georgetheatheist said...

The article failed to mention that Liu spends a great deal of time being photographed kissing Al Sharpton's ass.

Anonymous said...

C'mon are you for real.

Liu is doing a very good job.He is the ONLY city pol with the gumption to stand up to bloomturd,and he uncovered the vast Citytime scandal;which is the largest scandal thus far during bloomturds tenure.

Liu for Mayor,he's got my vote.

Anonymous said...

Oh and by the way,it's tuesday now and my street still hasn't been plowed.

Anonymous said...

Guess what? It isn't going to be plowed anytime soon, union slowdown
from DSNY,payback for not hiring from the 6063 exam list. -400 under
headcount.

They said "Do more with less." lol
go and burn your garbage in your
backyard, going to be awhile also
before they resume garbage collection.

Anonymous said...

Anyone gotta match?

Anonymous said...

john is a snow job.......

Anonymous said...

How is Liu's schedule different than the other politicians? Why focus on him only?
the Post should have obtained the schedules of the other pols to compare.

Anonymous said...

How is Liu's schedule different than the other politicians? Why focus on him only?
the Post should have obtained the schedules of the other pols to compare.

My point exactly.The NY POST and the DAILYNEWS seem to attack Liu at every turn,especially when he's running for office like the DN did with the sweatshop fiasco attacking his mother.That was terrible.And Liu called them on it at the NY1 debate.

Why doesn't the Post or DN look into Sheldon Silver's schedule or Christine Quinns.

Queens Crapper said...

I'll tell you why. Because Quinn and Silver are leader of their respective chambers and Liu is the money guy with no business being at senior centers or schools.

Anonymous said...

I'll tell you why. Because Quinn and Silver are leader of their respective chambers and Liu is the money guy with no business being at senior centers or schools.

That's where your WRONG crapper.Many senior centers and afterschool programs get city-subsidized funds for after-school programs and access-a-ride buses(the latter being a scandal ready to pop itself).So Liu is going to see for himself before he audits, as opposed to his predecessors who never audited CityTime or anything else.

It's the comptroller's job to conduct these audits and sometimes field trips are necessary to make sure taxpayer money is being spent where it was originally intended.

Queens Crapper said...

Please give me a break. Johnny's out there to get publicity for himself. Going to photo ops like the Yankees home opener, whiskey tasting with the British consul-general is not part of his job.

He should have been at the pension fund meetings, as the Post points out.

Instead, he attended "stickball parties and a dragon-boat event, meet with foreign diplomats, take in a preview of MoMa's Matisse exhibit, drop by the grand opening of the restaurant Valentino's on the Green, and hit an endless circuit of galas, award dinners and press conferences."

Instead he should concern himself with crunching the numbers like his job description says. Standing there silently yesterday during the mayor's press conference while he spewed forth his bullshit about the storm response will come back to haunt him, too.

Anonymous said...

Yea well I really doubt Liu agreed with what the mayor said.It wouldn't be prudent for any pol to make faces or grab the microphone from the podium,or is that what you wanted him to do?

And is it in the job description that the comptroller has to LIVE at the office?Ofcourse not.Government offices open at 9am and close at 5pm.And I'm pretty sure that Valentino's had their grand opening after 5pm.

The mans allowed to have a life ya know..

jim said...

this guy is a bad, bad guy...You know at first, he made his entire office stand up and greet him as mr. comptroller every time he walks in? Shameless self-promotion...a terrible guy...This irish guy will NEVER be won over by this clown!

Queens Crapper said...

Mr. Liu had no business being at the press conference and if he disagreed with the mayor, he should have sent out a release stating so.

He's a fool and apparently has minions posting here trying to defend him. Out of that entire list you picked up on Valentino's. Now explain the rest of it.

Lou said...

Liu Lius, Get yer Liu Lius here! Get 'em while they're hot!

Anonymous said...

Well I don't work for Liu - but I'll admit I'm more active in city politics than most New Yorkers but that's my perogative.And I'm sure I'm not the only commenter here who is.

Were a city of immigrants, a city-wide elected official meeting with a foreign diplomat is not so surprising.MoMa exhibit?Well what time was he there?Probably after 5pm.

Liu at a Yankees game?Based on the fact he is a former Flushing councilman,that is surprising;guess you nailed him there.

Anonymous said...

what fools ye mortals be.
if only NYC had voted in David Weprin, a candidate that has a record of standing up to the Gloomberg.

David Weprin went toe to toe with the mayor over tolls for vehicles entering Manhattan below 96th street. Who came up with crap like that? It didn't happen thanks to him. Weprin ran against Lui last year.

the glad handing comments about John Lui are from his office staff. they won't have a job if Lui is out.

Anonymous said...

the glad handing comments about John Lui are from his office staff. they won't have a job if Lui is out.

Jokes on you bud,I'm not even a city employee let alone a liu staffer.Some people just think he's a good and effective pol,how the hell do you think he got more votes than bloomberg!

Anonymous said...

And comment7 wasn't even me

Anonymous said...

I hear his Cul de Sac Neighbor Charles Apellian is helping him out.

Anonymous said...

How is what Liu doing Different from Halloran? Both limelight hounds, looking for every newsclip they can find. At least Liu took care of his own and his neighborhood when he was a councilman. Why not use Taxpayer money to promote themselves. It is the American Way.

Right

Queens Crapper said...

Once again...

"While Liu attended just one of the dozen meetings of the city's biggest pension fund in his first eight months in office -- and ducked out of that single NYCERS meeting after just 15 minutes -- he did find time to..."

Explain.

Anonymous said...

How is what Liu doing Different from Halloran? Both limelight hounds, looking for every newsclip they can find. At least Liu took care of his own and his neighborhood when he was a councilman. Why not use Taxpayer money to promote themselves. It is the American Way.

Crapper I am a ardent supporter of Haloran also.The above anonymous quote wasn't me.I guess I need to create a name/url for myself on this blog.Once again,I would never attack Halloran,he's the best.

nycsleuth said...

Heres my name/url from now on so you know who to address.

Queens Crapper said...

I guess no one can answer why Johnny shirked his responsibility with regard to the pension hearings but had time to do all that other shit. As for Halloran, he has been calling attention to issues in his district and you know this because they have been featured on the blog.

Anonymous said...

Do we know the schedule of Liu's presumed opponents for Mayor, namely De Blasio, Wiener, Quinn? To be fair, shouldn't the Post article have compared Liu's schedule to theirs?

Queens Crapper said...

When the Post feels like writing about them they will. This time, it was Johnny's turn. I don't see the point in justifying bad behavior by pointing to others' bad behavior.

Anonymous said...

I guess no one can answer why Johnny shirked his responsibility with regard to the pension hearings but had time to do all that other shit. As for Halloran, he has been calling attention to issues in his district and you know this because they have been featured on the blog.

Not really I get my info directly from halloran...

Anonymous said...

This is why I'm moving to the Isle of Long.

Anonymous said...

Liu or Quinn as Mayor; time to leave NYC

nyc sleuth said...

Liu or Quinn as Mayor; time to leave NYC

It's going to be Liu,and thankfully Quin won't bother running because she'll be in jail by then.

Liu in his short time has city comptroller has accomplished more than his 3 predecessors combined.

A. Post said...

I'm a post. John Liu is definitely dumber than me!

Anonymous said...

Crapper I am a ardent supporter of Haloran also.The above anonymous quote wasn't me.I guess I need to create a name/url for myself on this blog.Once again,I would never attack Halloran,he's the best.


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

WHILE THE LORD OF THE RINGS HAS " been calling attention to issues in his district" HE STILL LOOKS FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP INTO THE PRESS REGARDING ISSUES THAT DO NOT HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON HIS DISTRICT. BESIDES, HAS HE RESOLVED ANY OF THOSE ISSUES HE HAS BROUGHT ATTENTION TO? NOT!!!

WHY DID OUR COUNCILMAN GO ON A LECTURE TOUR IN BULGARIA? WHO PAID FOR IT? WHY DID HE CRITICIZE THE AMBASSADOR? DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS NOW A STATESMAN, HE COULD HAVE SET OFF AN INTERNATIONAL ISSUE WITH A COUNTRY THAT IS AN ALLY.

HE CRITICIZED THE AMBASSADOR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, IN A PUBLIC FORUM, IN HIS COUNTRY!!!

LET ME KNOW WHEN DAN GETS RESULTS. PADAVAN TOWARD THE END USED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO ISSUES(as evidenced by the letter addressed to Padavan TWO years later from DOT Comm, McCarthy appologizing for taking so long to get back to him. This was printed in the papers), HE JUST NEVER GOT RESULTS. SO NOW WE HAVE AN OLD TIRED INEFFECTIVE POLITICIAN IN DAN HALLORAN?

I agree that he does some good things but again let me know when he gets results.

PLEASE.

Anonymous said...

Back to John Liu. He's the best comptroller a billionaire's money can buy.

Lucas10012 said...

The CityTime scandal is not going to go away. What ever the city did or failed to do - before, during and after the snow storm - is just a diversion for Bloomberg and his cronies (and city hall lackeys).

Anonymous said...

Sorry, but anyone who's been keeping a real eye on Liu from the time he became the first Chinese-American elected to the City Council KNOWS he's had an angle. While there is nothing wrong with ambition, there is a time and a place. Do it when you are on record as running for mayor, AFTER you've had a proven track record as comptroller.

Anonymous said...

Liu run for mayor?

Hell...that boy wants to be president some day.

He's said so himself!

Better get a hairpiece Johnny.

Your rapidly balding pate is reflecting too much light into the camera lenses!

From the rear view...Liu's cheeks (facial that is) are wider than his neck.

Check it out next time he visits your nabe.

Too much dim sum!

Anonymous said...

City government is far too busy "plowing" its citizens in the ass!

Anonymous said...

Who paid for Liu's entry to these events? Did he have to be there, was there some ceremonial reason for him to be there? Lets find this out!

Informant said...

Liu is Tommy Huang's cousin!

Maybe Jimmy Meng can confirm this well known "rumor"...what the rest of the Chinese community won't dare to...lest they face the wrath of Liu!

LBC said...

"Informant said...
Liu is Tommy Huang's cousin!

Maybe Jimmy Meng can confirm this well known "rumor"...what the rest of the Chinese community won't dare to...lest they face the wrath of Liu!"

I've seen this many times on this site. Do you have any shred of evidence . . . other than they're both Asian? I've seen other people say that Tommy is married to a Liu, but Liu is a common Chinese name, maybe the equivalent of "Jackson." Pls some evidence or stop saying this because you just look uneducated.

Anonymous said...

Isn't Liu sucking Hwang's dick these days?