3/11/2013
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The Official Death of the Brooklyn
Reform Movement

Who Served the Cannolis

I think Frank Seddio may be the first Brooklyn Democratic County Leader ever to attend #CBID annual dinner!
More on Seddio

True News: Seddio: Leave the Gun Take the Cannolis (True News)

Refrom Revolution in Brooklyn(True News)

1/2/2013

True News Awards the Patty Hearst Stockholm syndrome Award to An Article in City and State about Hipsters Losing Power to the Orthodox Jews

A Dart to an article this week in City and State title RosaParks And Redistricting In Williamsburg by Alexis Grenell that blames the Orthodox Jews for blocking the hipsters of Williamsburg from willing a council seat and talking over the world. Beside the premise of her charges being totally wrong, comparing a bunch of rich kids (check out the rent in Williamsburg), who want power now to a saintly woman Ms. Parks who put her life in danger and worked her who life for civil rights is sick. The writer Grenell who is a political consultant has like Patty Hearst invented the fact that the Orthodox Jews put themselves into the 33^rd Council District to protect the man who has really block her friends political future.

The Hipsters of Williamsburg future has been kidnapped by Speaker Quinn who controls redistricitng and her partner Brooklyn Boss Frank Seddio who many of the Hipsters and those who used to be known as reformers have developed a close relationship with abandoning most of what the Brooklyn reform movement stood for. This Hipster friendship with Seddio who is rolling them for suckers, has not only lead to them losing a district leader position (Vito did that redistricting), a shot at picking up a council seat, but is also threatening to destroy a 40 year old Brooklyn reform movement that brought many qualified people into elective office and to judgeship's. There are lots of signs that Seddio is working closely with Lopez. Moving Lopez's house into a district he is looking to escape Albany from is the most obvious example how the two are still working together. There are many more unreform moves that both of them are making against the people of Brooklyn. Before you throw stones at the Jews blame yourself Ms. Grenell for being out played by you pal Boss Seddio and his pal Lopez. Also blame City and State for publishing your incorrect article.

Cult Reformers Watch the Election of A New Corruption Pope

Meade Esposito, Clarence Norman and Vito Lopez all left the job as Brooklyn Democratic Boss a little early because of law enforcement.

It is sad that those who call themselves reformers did not take the opportunity last night to set a real agenda of reform last night. It is sad that they did not look at how Seddio has benefited financially and personally from the machine. Seddio is very week in the main mission of any county leader that is to get out the vote. In the last year he lost a democratic congressional seat (in his own district) that has not been represented by the GOP in 100 years (Weprin vs. Turner), he lost the Fidler state senate race to GOP new guy on the block David Storobin. And last week he lost a civil court race in the brownstone belt to the reformers. Seddio is all smoke and mirrors, no power. So why no demands by the reformers beyond meaningless party rules changes.?

Meet the New Boss Same As the Old Boss

The new Brooklyn boss has been a longtime beneficiary of the powerful Brooklyn Democratic machine, which supported him for state assemblyman and later as surrogate court judge, a position he soon left during an investigation into thousands of dollars of donations he made to Democratic leaders and organizations before taking office. “Somewhere there are people who need a boogeyman — ‘Vito is coming’ — and I’m past that,” he told The Times. “I’m the good ghost.” Is it the new definition of the good guy who is keeping the deal between Vito Lopez, the Zalmen faction in Williamsburg, DA Hynes that covers up the sexual abuse problem exposed by the NYT. Only Charles Barron and his wife Inez voted against Seddio. Charles Barron speaking about respectibility at the County Committee meeting

No Demands Beyond Party Rules From the Reformers Led By Simon

For weeks the reformers have been trying to make a deal with new Boss Seddio if he agreed to a bunch of rule changes that have nothing to do with the real dictatorial corruption of the party office. District Leader Jo Anne Simon, only back out of a deal for a position to co-chair the Rules Committee because of strong opposition of some Central Brooklyn Independent Democratic members. Simon dropped her challenge to the party chairmanship. Simon only gave a general warning to Seddio to do the right thing. "Mr. Seddio make the Brooklyn party less opaque and more participatory, particularly as it goes about influencing choices for judges and legislative positions," Simon said “Frank has a lot of support.” Do the reformers believe in a special class of insiders who pick judges and elected officials and have access to the spoils of power if they are included in the mix.? Or do they do they want to open up the system to the average citizen? Before last night’s vote, both Seddio’s opponents – Assemblyman Karim Camara and District Leader Jo Anne Simon – conceded the race to the former assemblyman. (Simon and Chris Owens abstained from voting).

Gadfly Alan Flacks Has Reforms for Brooklyn Boss Seddio

Simon and the other reformers would have done more for reform if they demanded that Seddio support the 5 reforms being pushed by gadfly Alan Flacks:1. True campaign finance reform. 2. More term limits, but "long," that is, say four terms.3. No Gerrymandering.4. Emphasis on judicial reform
(selection). 5. Abolition of the judicial nominating convention (either direct election or appointment, but no middlemen/women) The Flacks Report

Other Reform Ideas To Open the Democratic Party to More People . . . It Not Only the GOP that Represses Voting and Participation

1. Prohibit state and federal elected officials from being elected to district leader positions (city elected officials already banned from party. positions, since the Koch Citisource scandal).
2. Term Limits for Part Positions (Some party leaders remain in office for decades).
3. Allow early voting for party positions on the internet (NY has the one of the lowest voting rates in the county. Early voting on the internet for party positions will lead to early voters for elective office on the voting method is proven).
4. No endorsement to any mayoral, council president or councilmember who does not pledge to end the corrupt practice of member items.
5. No endorsement to any candidate for state office that does not support public financing of all state offices including District Attorneys (city office)
6. No endorsement for any state candidate that does not support term limits for state offices.
7. No Endorsement for councilmenbers who accept Lulus
8. No Endorsement for any state office seeker who opposes reducing the amount of signatures to get on the ballot.
9. No Endorsement for any state official who accepts contributions for more than $2000
10. Establish a citywide DA to get around borough DAs who will not investigate the pols or political machines who get them into office and help they get reelected

Vito Lopez crony Frank Seddio takes job of disgraced Brooklyn Democratic Party boss (NY DN)

* Longtime Lopez Colleague Chosen to Lead Brooklyn Democrats(NYT) * Brooklyn Democrats Elect Seddio As New Leader(NY1) * New Brooklyn Dem Leader Promises Change(NBC) * Brooklyn Democrats Get New Leader(WNYC) * Who’s the Boss: Frank Seddio(NYC Informer) * Lopez out, Seddio in as county chairman (WABC) * New Brooklyn Dem Leader Promises Change(NBC) * Brooklyn’s new Democratic boss is Frank Seddio (Brooklyn Paper) * Who's the Boss: Frank Seddio(City and State) * Seddio to replace Lopez as Brooklyn Democratic leader (News12)*

Brooklyn's new Democratic boss is Frank Seddio(Brooklyn Daily

Frank R. Seddio to Take Over Disgraced Brooklyn Democratic Leader Vito J. Lopez(Vos Lz Neias)

For a moment real journalism returned to New York

Now is the Time to Reform the Political Parties in NYC

The Last Person to Try to Reform New York's Political Machine was Senator Kennedy in the 60's

Calls for Lopez's Resignation(Gotham Gazette)

Lincoln Restler's Push Poll With No Transparency

Brooklyn councilman calls foe’s poll ‘gutter politics’(CrainsNY)

“What’s your opinion of Steve Levin?”
“What’s your opinion of Vito Lopez?”
“Did you know Councilman Levin was Vito Lopez’s chief of staff?”

These were the types of questions residents of Brooklyn’s 33rd Council District were asked in a recent poll commissioned by Lincoln Restler, the scrappy Brooklyn reformer expected to run against Councilman Steve Levin this year. The poll, which was first reported by OrthodoxPundit last week, seems to be an indication that Mr. Restler’s campaign is essentially underway.Mr. Restler confirmed that he paid for the poll. He would not say how much it cost. His state campaign account doesn’t report any spending on polling. He has yet to register a campaign account with the city’s Campaign Finance Board, which some insiders say could prove problematic because any significant expenditure triggers a requirement to file. “It’s gutter politics,” Mr. Levin said.
[UPDATE, 4:44 p.m.] Mr. Restler responded to Mr. Levin’s comments, as well as the implication that his poll could be in violation of city campaign finance rules. “I am not a candidate for office at this time and I’m simply exploring my options. It’s hypocritical that Steve has chosen to open his mouth about this but continues the months of silence on the disgusting sexual harassment allegations against his boss and mentor Vito Lopez.”* Mr. Restler Confirms Poll; May have Violated Law(http://orthodoxpundit.blogspot.com/)

Quinn Lopez and the Brooklyn Machine