Bruno party: urges staff of CMA Consulting to turn up the "righteous indignation" noise

by: robinia

Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 09:20:35 AM EST

Joseph Bruno, the former senator indicted last week, sent out a personal letter to his employees at CMA Consulting last Friday, emphasizing: "If there was ever a time to be righteously indignant, that time is now." The missive arrived  by e-mail from Bruno the day before CMA's holiday party at Prime at Saratoga National Golf Club, where Bruno was spotted  "laughing, joking and shaking hands like nothing had happened," another source said. About 250 people attended the 25th anniversary of CMA bash and Bruno gave a short speech.

If there were ever a time to counter the lies of those who want to maintain a corrupt and dysfunctional system of highly-centralized governance... that time is now.

Is a Joe Bruno Indictment Coming Soon?

by: robinia

Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 15:33:52 PM EST

However, Liz has some "Bruno Pals" leaking that it is, indeed, likely to come soon.  Those of you who hold a shred of hope that law enforcement and prosecution in this country are not politically-motivated will despair about the reason for the timing, in Liz's "observsers'" estimation:

Observers surmise prosecutors want to wrap up the Bruno probe before President-elect Barack Obama takes office next month and brings in his team.

I'd observe that the decision about what kind of indictment to bring may have less to do with what the investigation found than with what the departing "team" thinks their partisans can get away with....

The Most Corrupt State? North Dakota; Is New York One Of The Top?

by: robert.harding

Thu Dec 11, 2008 at 13:20:50 PM EST

North Dakota.

That's right. The USA Today used public corruption convictions per 100,000 residents as their basis for this report and found that North Dakota with 8.3 corruption convictions per 100,000 residents is the most corrupt state in the United States. Other challengers for the title include Louisiana (7.7 corruption convictions per 100,000 residents), Alaska (7.5 corruption convictions per 100,000 residents) and Mississippi (7.3 corruption convictions per 100,000 residents).

But if you go by total corruption convictions, New York is a serious contender for most corrupt state in the country. According to the report, over the last 10 years, New York has had 704 convictions. That is second only to Florida, who had a staggering 824 convictions during the same time period. New York has a rate of 3.6 corruption convictions per 100,000 residents, but that's because we have so many people. By comparison, North Dakota only had 53 convictions. But they also have 639,715 residents. New York has over 19 million people.

Simon wrote the other day asking if we deserved to be considered one of the most corrupt states. If we go by the USA Today model, we are in the middle of the pack. But if we go by the number of convictions, only Florida beats us out. While our rate is low based on our population, 704 convictions is still a lot. That averages to about 70 per year and that's nothing to be happy about.

So what model do you go by? The USA Today model, which is based on the number of convictions per 100,000 people? Or the number of convictions? Or would you use something else?

Don't count us out

by: Exile on Ericsson St.

Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 15:21:40 PM EST

A former Supreme Court Justice of the Third Judicial Circuit of the State of New York was charged today with attempted extortion and federal program bribery, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced. Thomas J. Spargo, 65 was charged in an indictment returned today by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of New York.

According to the indictment, while Spargo was a state Supreme Court Justice in 2003, he allegedly solicited $10,000 from an Ulster County, N.Y., attorney who had cases pending before the judge. The indictment further charges that Spargo solicited the money by causing the attorney to fear that Spargo would use his official acts and influence to harm the attorney if he was not paid and, conversely, to help the attorney if he was paid.

(h/t TPM)

We don't even qualify for the corruption contest?

by: simonstl

Tue Dec 09, 2008 at 19:29:40 PM EST

Over at Talking Points Memo's corruption contest, they seem to have left New York entirely out of the running.

Is that because we deserve it - Tammany's gone quiet, as have many of its Upstate emulators - or just because we haven't held up a proper spotlight in a while?

They're discussing Illinois, Louisiana, and Alaska, with an outraged reader adding Rhode Island, which I suspect wins for the northeast. I'd add New Jersey to that mix for the northeast... and Pennsylvania's had its moments... where's New York?

So what do you think? Are we in the top ten? Twenty? Fifty?

Update: we get noticed, but I'm not sure TPM understands that "Supreme Court" means something different in New York than in many other states. Hmm...

Feds are still probing Boss Bruno

by: devtob

Sat Nov 29, 2008 at 00:30:45 AM EST

The feds aren't looking at that, though they should.

According to the Sunday Times Union, the feds are still calling people to testify before a grand jury in Albany, focusing on Bruno's alleged profiteering from horse-breeding deals.

More, below.  

As Bruno Rides Off Into the Sunset, FBI Looks More and More Closely At the Horses

by: robinia

Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 09:58:14 AM EDT

Is there influence-peddling in the Bruno "circle of horsie friends" that results in Bruno not giving honest public service.  You bet.  More folks bet all the time, I guess.  The decisionmaking that Joe Bruno does on racing franchise, gambling regs and taxes on gambling, economic development, member items, and other state policy issues can represent conflict of interest possibilities with Bruno's private business activities (both farm and consulting business).  This needs speedy and energetic prosecutorial attention, not PR management.  Please get Joe's theiving gang off our backs quickly!

Now, compare that thought with this from the TU article:

Much of the investigation has focused on horse racing, an industry Bruno has staunchly supported and in which he has a deep personal interest... A source briefed on the investigation said the FBI has built its investigation around the "honest-services" provision of federal statutes, a one-sentence amendment Congress inserted into federal law 20 years ago to close a loophole in its laws defining mail fraud and wire fraud. The broadly written law prohibits anyone from depriving the public of an inherent "right to honest services."

I leave it up to you to determine whether the Bush Justice Dept. has been engaged in "speedy prosecution" or "PR management," but, should you need resources in weighing that ponderable, check out this on the recently-released Inspector General report on the Bush Justice Dept.'s politicization.

More on the FBI probe, and some interesting related horsey-type factoids, follows.

The "Powers" that Were: What Does this Albany FBI Raid Have To Do With Abramoff & "Friends"?

by: robinia

Wed Jun 11, 2008 at 08:48:16 AM EDT

I, and probably others in this community (Devtob comes to mind) immediately started musing about whether this FBI investigation might be linked to the Bruno&cronies investigation (which seems to be moving at a snail's pace...).  But, turns out we were thinking too small.

Nah, this is about federal level corruption, apparently-- although it is connected to another investigation: the one on the network of corruption engaged in by Jack Abramoff.

And, it involves a golden-oldie NYS Congressional bad-boy, ex-Congressman John Sweeney . You remember, the guy whose wife called the cops on him because an argument at their house was getting scary.... and then, months later, got picked up by a NYS trooper speeding drunk up the Northway with a young woman sitting on his lap.

Republican party corruption and influence peddling is a way of doing business, top to bottom.  I sincerely hope that the party is able to cast aside all those tainted by connections to influence-peddling.  But, let's be honest: while law enforcement and the justice system clean out the rot in Republican leadership, there will be a void of Republicans who are both experienced and untainted by the spread of corrupt networks.  They will have to nominate "some dude," as per Phillip's insight on Staten Island.  Best leave governance in the hands of the Democrats while the GOP gets their house cleaned by the FBI and their Public Integrity unit.

UPDATE Well, really this is a "back-date," but... When trying to fit a new piece in that ever-growing puzzle known as "Portrait of the Abramoff Mob," I find this old graphic from the NYT a great help.  Thanks to Maven, who dug it back up for me when I had lost track of where it went.  Maybe together we can update it with enough new cronies to tempt the NYT to print an updated version, including a "NY Sphere?"

Is Joe 'bout To Go?

by: robinia

Thu May 29, 2008 at 16:11:07 PM EDT

And that Republican-Senate-staffer blog John Ross showed us shows a lot of restless natives on the Republican reservation, to say the least....

As Joe hisself says:

"You gonna keep your job tomorrow? Are you? Are you going to be working next week?"

Go ahead, Joe.  Make my week.

The land of paid committee people

by: simonstl

Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 12:44:28 PM EDT

You know, I could probably have an easier time getting people to work election day if I paid them, but somehow I'm extremely extremely glad that this Philadelphia practice isn't how it works here:

The dispute centers on the dispensing of "street money," a long-standing Philadelphia ritual in which candidates deliver cash to the city's Democratic operatives in return for getting out the vote.

Flush with payments from well-funded campaigns, the ward leaders and Democratic Party bosses typically spread out the cash in the days before the election, handing $10, $20 and $50 bills to the foot soldiers and loyalists who make up the party's workforce....

Carol Ann Campbell, a ward leader and Democratic superdelegate who supports Obama, estimated that the amount of street money Obama would need to lay out for election day is $400,000 to $500,000.

"This is a machine city, and ward leaders have to pay their committee people," Campbell said. "Barack Obama's campaign doesn't pay workers, and I guarantee you if they don't put up some money for those street workers, those leaders will most likely take Clinton money. It won't stop him from winning Philadelphia, but he won't come out with the numbers that he needs" to win the state...

Hardscrabble neighborhoods across the city have come to depend on street money as a welcome payday for knocking on doors, handing out leaflets and speaking to voters as they arrive at polling places....

Street money is an enduring political practice in Philadelphia and cities including Chicago, Baltimore, Newark and Los Angeles.

Does this happen in New York State too, somewhere? Just curious.

Efrain Gonzalez: The 'Hardest Worker'

by: phillip anderson

Mon Feb 18, 2008 at 07:33:51 AM EST

Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper and Senator Efrain González Jr. recorded more travel expenditures last year than any other lawmakers in their respective houses, according to records obtained from the state comptroller's office.

Ms. Hooper, a Long Island Democrat and the deputy majority leader, billed the state $36,452 in 2007, more than any of the other 211 legislators. Only four lawmakers billed more than $30,000 in per diem payments, mileage, train tickets and taxi fare; totals in the $15,000-to-$25,000 range were typical.

Ms. Hooper charged the state the per diem for working in Albany on dozens of Saturdays and Sundays. She charged the full per diem for 18 consecutive days in February and, after the session ended, for 12 consecutive days in July, according to her travel vouchers, which were obtained through a Freedom of Information request.

...

Mr. González, a Bronx Democrat, filed the highest travel expenses in the Senate, billing $34,268.

Don't worry though. Gonzalez can explain. He's the "hardest worker." No, really. He said that.

"That makes me the hardest worker," he said in an interview, adding that he frequently traveled to Albany, even in the legislative off-season, to meet with state officials in different agencies.

"The real stuff is done here," said Mr. González, whose expenditures also included reimbursement for working on many weekend days. "It changes the dynamic if you do things personally and build working relationships. That's the way real life is."

Well, OK then. If you say so. The problem is, there isn't all that much going on in Albany on the weekends.

Barbara Bartoletti, the legislative director of the League of Women Voters of New York State, expressed shock at Ms. Hooper's billing.

"Is outrageous too strong a word?" she said. "Very little goes on in Albany on the weekends. Nothing's open. It's not plausible that she's working here on the weekends, because the state government isn't open. That's extraordinarily troubling."

Want to know what else is troubling? It troubles me that a man who is facing a CENTURY in federal prison for literally robbing the public blind is in a position to be billing the public for anything.

Ideas on empowering oppressed locals against GOP corruption?

by: bythepeople

Tue Jan 01, 2008 at 08:37:28 AM EST

We have a situation over at RochesterTurning. One of the local towns (which is also a village) elected a Dem mayor, against all odds, and one Dem board member.

This town is full 'o corruption and cronyism.  The mayor's brother claims false arrest by the village police, then the town board awards him $10k, behind the scenes in "executive session". But they tell community organizers there's no money for playground equipment.  Protection rackets, polluted village water wells, retribution for those who speak out.

The village has been bled dry by this corruption, and it is a sad little place now with high crime and higher taxes (it's the highest taxed town in NY state, and definitely the highest in Monroe County).

As we post about this on RochesterTurning, folks are coming out of the woodwork to list their own personal experiences with the corruption. Check out these comments on a post about potential voter fraud in the village (oh yeah, forgot that there's voter fraud as well).

The question is, what do you do with all these stories?  We're trying to investigate the most compelling/egregious of them, but having families, jobs, etc, we can't do the mainstream media's job for them.  

Thoughts?

Joe Bruno sees "ghost of Christmas Future," quits consulting firm

by: robinia

Fri Dec 21, 2007 at 15:45:28 PM EST

Now, those newspapermen over at the Cap Con blog at the Times Union are not being so charitable.  They seem to think that, well, the timing was intended to bury the story, as per:

Bruno wouldn't disclose his precise role with the Connecticut-based firm, and he doesn't take note of that in his press release, which is went out in email at 2:52 pm on , in classic capitol style, the Friday before the Christmas holiday begins.

Bruno has, by his own admission, also been under FBI investigation for his consulting work outside of the state legislature. The senator has long maintained that such work is his own business, separate from his "part time" duties as a lawmaker.

We'll know what really happened by whether Tiny Tim lives or not, eh?

Cult leader delivered for Boss Bruno

by: devtob

Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 20:39:37 PM EDT

As in, what did Boss Bruno do for Newman, with state taxpayers' dollars, in return for Newman's granting Independence Party endorsements to endangered Republican senators downstate?

Which Newman did, in every instance.

Details below.

Boss Bruno and the cult leader

by: devtob

Sun Oct 07, 2007 at 16:20:56 PM EDT

It seems that troopers were keeping track of Bruno's Manhattan travels on the taxpayers' dime during the Pataki regime.

One particular detail in the accompanying story leaped out -- troopers took Bruno to a meeting with Fred Newman, who is described as a political operative "who sometimes appears on television talk shows," six weeks before the 2004 election.

Yeah, that Fred Newman.

More below. 

The Last Year For Judicial Conventions? Let's Hope So

by: phillip anderson

Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 11:00:11 AM EDT

The process by which party bosses in New York pick their nominees is completely antithetical to the very notion of democracy. It is opaque and so often robs citizens of any say in choosing who serves them. As the Brennan Center for Justice's excellent site tells us, the Second Circuit court of Appeals has described the process as "byzantine...and unconstitutional".

The US Supreme Court has agreed to review the decision of the Appeals judges next week, meaning that hopefully this will be the last year in which sleazebags like Vito Lopez will be installing their cronies on the bench or that party bosses will cross endorse their lackeys straight to every line on the ballot. From the Daily News editorial:

Lopez and the leaders of the party organizations in the other boroughs control Supreme Court posts by making it impossible for an outsider to get on a ballot, let alone get elected. A Brooklyn federal judge and three federal appeals judges have declared the system to be so rigged that it unconstitutionally deprives members of the public of any say over who serves them.

The party chiefs will nonetheless carry on with this year's round of appointments because the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to let them defend their closed way of doing business. The political organizations in Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens will join Brooklyn in perpetrating the sham. And next week, the high court will hear their arguments as to why they should be allowed to continue. But that must be the end of boss rule over New York's courts.

Next week, the Supremes will hear arguments put forth by groups like the Brennan Center on one side and attorneys for the Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens machines on the other. How one can defend these practices is beyond me, but defend them they will.

I know which side I'm on.

(P.S. Reform NY has a great "best of" collection of quotes from the amicus briefs filed by parties on all sides of the issue here.)

Corruption Diagramming Software or Techniques?

by: bythepeople

Fri Jul 20, 2007 at 23:08:58 PM EDT

Let's say, hypothetically, that you were running a local progressive blog who wanted to shine a light on the corrupt cockroaches who inhabit our fair county.  And you wanted to drive a stake right through the freakin' heart of said corruption, which happens to center on the binary star system of the local GOP and Conservative parties.

Let's say, and this is ONLY the WILDEST of assumptions, that they use the various local governmental bodies, authorities, etc, as parking lots for political patronage, or to reward political donors.  Let's say for a decent-sized metro area, it sure looks like a small town old boy network, incestuous as all get-out, with all kinds of weird interconnections.

How in the heck is the best way to diagram that kind of thing?  I want to show things like:

"this person in county government is also on the board of this authority, whose husband is president of this company which got money from the county and from the authority, who made a donation to the local GOP right before they got the money, etc...."

See? Words just don't cut it.  I want cool software, or at least a cool method of diagramming this kind of stuff, so all our research and tips can fall into a meaningful presentation that other people, like, say, voters and local newspaper editors can look at and go "Holy CRAP!  WTF????"

Help me, Obi-TAP Kenobi, you're my only hope. All of this being TOTALLY hypothetical, BTW.  My county is the epitome of open, ethical government. Honest!  They told me so!  :-)

Reform, right-wing-wingnut style

by: robinia

Tue Jun 12, 2007 at 11:03:50 AM EDT

Good Ridddance

by: phillip anderson

Fri Jun 01, 2007 at 10:58:44 AM EDT

Appeals court sinks jail-me-not Norman

Clarence Norman's get- out-of-jail-free card has expired.

An appeals court yesterday turned down Norman's pleas to set aside felony convictions for campaign corruption, forcing the disgraced former Brooklyn Democratic Party chairman to surrender and serve two to six years in prison.

"The Appellate Division confirmed the convictions," said Norman's lawyer, Richard Mischel. "Obviously, we're disappointed."

Norman must report back to Brooklyn Supreme Court on Tuesday, when Judge Marty Marcus will order his sentence carried out, Mischel said.

In January 2006, Marcus rejected Norman's pleas to consider his lifetime of public service before sentencing him to prison for soliciting more than $10,000 from a lobbyist and not reporting it, then pocketing a $5,000 check intended for his reelection committee.

See ya.

Trial Date Set For Senator Gonzalez

by: phillip anderson

Tue May 22, 2007 at 16:27:21 PM EDT

Legally-embattled State Senator Efrain Gonzalez will enjoy at least six more months of innocence when a federal judge in Manhattan recently set his trial date for Nov. 26 .

Gonzalez faces nine separate counts ranging from mail fraud to embezzlement for allegedly funneling more than $400,000 in government grants (known as member items), through three non-profits, back into his own pocket.

I'm sure you'll remember what Senator Gonzalez was accused of doing with that money. For those who may have missed it, he allegedly used all that loot to buy houses in the Dominican Republic and to prop up his cigar business.

What a piece of work.