NYPD Ticket Fixing Scandal Reporting Drip Drip Drip
Queens DA
True News Who Watches the Watchman, DAs Conflict of Interests
Shame On the Daily News For Ripping Off True News Story About the DA's Misconduct
Who Watchers the Watchman, Lobbyists, Grand Jury, AG - DAs Conflict of Interests With NYPD and Elected Officials
Horse-Carriage Fight Politics
Media Cover-Up of NYCLASS, Other Citizens United PACs, Mayor One NY PAC
NYC's DAs have garnered millions in off-budget dollars through state & federal asset forfeiture laws. Read our new report: http://bit.ly/2ssnl4T
The other Vance case was that of Queens political consultant
John Haggerty who was accused of bilking Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s campaign
fund for hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy his family a house. Haggerty was convicted.
A New York Daily News report from
August 2013 detailed how the Albany County District Attorney failed to act on
around 1,300 referrals from the Board of Elections. At that time the board
referred campaign finance violations to district attorneys with jurisdiction,
but with little to no prior investigation.
True News Who Watches the Watchman, DAs Conflict of Interests
Most
of the DAs and AG Have Been Elected With the Lobbyists Berlin Rosen and
Red Horse Who Work for the Mayor's Campaign for One NY PAC
True
News Has Learned: Red Horse Working for Bronx DA Candidate Darcel
Clark and A Queens DA Candidate and Has Worked for the Brooklyn and New York DAs Political
consultant Red Horse worked for Brooklyn DA Thompson campaign along
with Berlin Rosen. Both Red Horse and Advance Group worked for the
UFT's PAC United for the Future (the UFT attempted to covering up
Advance involvement by paying them through a fake company) Red Horse
worked for Manhattan DA. Red Horse worked for Brooklyn BP Adams, Bronx
BP Diaz and PA James. Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA Cy Vance. Red
Horse worked for Pitta Bishop for Brooklyn BP Adams. Red Horse worked
with George Arzt in the Queens BP campaign.
Daily News Punk Bill Hammer Rips Off True News
.@NYDNHammond on efforts to create a body that would oversee prosecutors' misconduct and mistakes: Who prosecutes the prosecutors? (NYDN) After wrongful convictions, time to create a commission that holds DAs accountable and repairs the justice system
Demands
That The Feds Take Over All Police Homicide Cases, What About Political
Corruption? Is There A Structural Problem With Local Borough DAs
Offices Who Because of Their Close Working Relationship of the NYPD and
the Political Machines That They Depend On to Elect Them. True News
would like the Daily News to answer why Albany became an organized
criminal operation? Where were the DAs? Why are the feds doing almost
all of the indictments of elected officials Were are the DAs? Since
lobbyists are working to elect DAs who is watching them? The DOI
reported that the lobbyists were running the failed 911 phone system
Did
any of them work with contractors to break the law, comptroller Liu
asked for a criminal investigation The city's prosecutors ignored. Who
is checking the millions of secret money going in luxury housing? Is
any of the money buying apartment hidden drug money, who know the DAs
give the big developers a free hand. DOI finds the Advance Group Broke
the PAC and CFB laws fine their clients and the DAs look the other way.
What happen to the investigation of another Advance Group client
NYCLASS? What about the UFT attempt to hid the Advance Group's
involvement in their United for the Future PAC? Advance and another
consultant group Red Horse who worked for the UFT PAC worked for many
other campaigns that the UFT PAC broke the law to help What about
Speaker Mark-Viverito illegal help from the Advance Group, where are the
prosecutors? Even now who will go after the individuals in the
Brooklyn DAs office who put innocent people in jail?
Horse-Carriage Fight Politics
Media Cover-Up of NYCLASS, Other Citizens United PACs, Mayor One NY PAC
How the Advance Group Conspired to Steal the 2009 and 2013 Election
CrainsNY on the Advance Groups Double Dipping
CrainsNY on the Advance Groups Double Dipping
Where Are the DAs Who Want A Raise and the AG In the Fight Against Albany Corruption?
THE NEWS SAYS: What Sheldon Silver's guilty verdict reveals about the culture of New York's Capitol (NYDN) * * Silver’s conviction should sound a loud alarm to all the players in Albany who have become so accustomed to the abuse of power that they can’t see how it infects every aspect of lawmaking, and Bharara deserves credit, the Times writes * The commission, which was created as part of the state’s most recent budget, has untilthe end of the year to issue recommendations on judges’ pay. The panel’s recommendations will automatically go into effect at the start of the state’s next fiscal year in April unless the Legislature chooses to alter them. The panel will make similar recommendations for state legislators and members of the executive branch by the end of 2016.* Outgoing Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson joined his colleagues in other boroughs in calling for a 31.5 percent raise before a commission that is expected to rule on raises for all elected officials in New York City this year, the Post reports: * Guilty Verdict in Silver Corruption Trial Sends Shockwaves Across Political Landscape (NY1) * Lower East Side Reacts to Guilty Verdict in Shelly Silver Corruption Trial (NY1) * In a Newsday OpEd, Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, a former federal prosecutor, outlined four ways to change Albany for the better following Silver’s conviction.
Here Come the PR Flacks
Daily News Ask The Commission On Judicial Conduct to Investigate DA Judge Undemocratic Machine Switch
Not so fast, yourhonor; call the cops on the Bronx Dems courtroom switcheroo (NYDN Ed) The Bronx Democratic organization designated Clark as its shoo-in candidate for DA last Thursday. At that moment, according to judicial ethics regulations, she was required to step down from the bench. Getting her coming prosecutorial career off to a terrible start, Clark failed to do so. In fact, only after repeated questions by the Daily News Editorial Board, did she submit her letter of resignation on Monday afternoon in blatant violation of Part 100.5 (B) of the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge, which states: “A judge shall resign from judicial office upon becoming a candidate for elective nonjudicial office.” Since the mandate could not be clearer, the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which retains power over Clark for 120 days after she resigns, must begin proceedings. The regulation is intended both to establish an ironclad barrier between judicial actions and politics and to eliminate the appearance that politics had infiltrated court rulings. It especially requires enforcement because the political fix that anointed Clark DA and outgoing prosecutor Rob Johnson for a Bronx Supreme Court slot of his own. The intricacies of the state election law empowered Bronx Democratic boss Carl Heastie, who doubles as state Assembly speaker, to essentially make Johnson a judge and Clark district attorney without elections. * Bronx DA Nominee Darcel Clark Addresses Controversy Surrounding Her Nomination by Democratic Leaders (NY1) * Outgoing Bronx DA to score $300K in judge salary, pension (NYP)
Heastie has denied voters an opportunity to measure Clark’s prosecutorial chops, including whether she would be as lackluster as Johnson in pursuing Bronx Democratic corruption. Arrogantly, Johnson has said he views de facto appointment to an elective judgeship as a reward by the party for decades of faithful service. But the backroom deal also demands investigation by the judicial conduct commission. Court rules state that judgeship candidates “shall not knowingly make any false statement or misrepresent the identity, qualifications, current position or other fact concerning the candidate.” Translation: No lying when running for judge . Johnson lied plenty. With his approval, Democratic operatives circulated petitions to place him on the ballot for reelection. The Republican and Conservative parties also backed Johnson for DA. He notarized his acceptance of both ballot lines while clearly angling to switch to a judgeship and make Clark his successor. And time and again he said he was running for DA. The commission must get to the bottom of the deal by taking testimony from all the finaglers — including Heastie, Clark and Johnson — under oath.
Bronx's Machine Anti-Democratic Switch is Politics As Usually In NY . . .
@bronxchronicle: Managing Editor Michael Benjamin Was First To Bring Up Crowley Taking Over Manton's Petitions * Jerry Skurnik @PrimeNewYork Minor correction - Manton withdrew after petitions were filed before Primary. Committee on Vacancies pickedCrowley*** They also nominated five others from the Bronx for judgeships, including Dianne T. Renwick, Mr. Johnson’s wife. Later, the executive board of the Bronx Democratic County Committee, meeting behind closed doors, voted to give Mr. Johnson’s spot on the ballot for district attorney to Justice Clark, a former prosecutor in Mr. Johnson’s office who has close ties to the Assembly speaker, Carl E. Heastie, the most powerful politician in the borough.*
Bronx District Attorney Candidate Defends Her Nomination by Democratic Leaders (NYT) Darcel D. Clark appealed to local Democrats to view her not as a darling of the Bronx Democratic Committee, but rather as a “daughter” of the borough.* In her first public remarks since she was nominated to run for Bronx district attorney in November, Darcel Clark appealed to local Democrats to view her not as a darling of the Bronx Democratic County Committee, but rather as a “daughter” of the borough.
Daily News Ask The Commission On Judicial Conduct to Investigate DA Judge Undemocratic Machine Switch
@bronxchronicle: Managing Editor Michael Benjamin Was First To Bring Up Crowley Taking Over Manton's Petitions * Jerry Skurnik @PrimeNewYork Minor correction - Manton withdrew after petitions were filed before Primary. Committee on Vacancies picked
No Challenges to Queens and Bronx DAs
The long-serving Queens and Bronx district attorneys appear to have easy re-elections this fall, with no challengers submitting petitions this week for the September primary, but there are some competitive races, The Wall Street Journal reports:
Will Heastie and Party Bosses Pick the DA In the Bronx? Democracy NYET!
Will Heastie and Party Bosses Pick the DA In the Bronx? Democracy NYET!
Swear it, Mr. DA: Bronx prosecutor Robert Johnson owes it to hisconstituents to promise not to hand off his job to a boss-chosen insider (NYDN Ed) Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson has some explaining to do. Not via a pro-forma statement, not through a spokeswoman — but in public, for all voters to hear. The usually reliable word in the courthouse tells us that the DA, not the city’s finest, is ready to step down. And that, rather than announce it forthrightly and let all comers rush in to replace him, he intends to engineer a legal but hardly kosher political handoff to a boss-chosen insider. Crossing his heart via a press agent, Johnson denies such a plot — but those who should know say it’s true. Bronx party machine controlled by state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie gets to hand-pick a loyalist successor to run unopposed for the four-year term. An insult to the county. A fraud on the voters. So thickly did the rumors swirl, we asked Johnson directly whether he’s running for DA or judge. His office sent over a quote: “I’m running. On all three lines” for reelection in November. Forgive us if, on behalf of Bronxites, we’d like a more Shermanesque statement.
Bronx DA Unlike Silver Money Grab is Legal
Bronx DA Unlike Silver Money Grab is Legal
Unlike what Shelly Silver did, Bronx DA Robert Johnson’s greedy cash-grab is legal (NYP) Think Shelly Silver’s conviction Monday on corruption charges will prompt New York’s political class to clean up its act? Think again. Start with the fact that on the same day the former Assembly speaker was found guilty of graft, outgoing Bronx DA Robert Johnson announced he wants a raise. Retroactively. Yes, Johnson and the city’s other DAs told a review panel they deserve a 31.5 percent hike, boosting their pay from $190,000 to $250,000, going back to 2011. In a follow-up letter, Johnson wrote that he “must make prosecutorial decisions in the most difficult cases — what to charge or not to charge . . . Sometimes I must explain those decisions to the press, or to the families of crime victims.” That is, he wants a raise just for having done his job. Never mind his lousy record. Indeed, of the city’s DAs, Johnson consistently had the worst prosecution and conviction rates. On top of that, he’ll leave office at the end of the year as the beneficiary of a corrupt bargain that disenfranchised constituents — and also enriched him. By keeping mum about his plans to retire until after the primary, Johnson allowed the Bronx Democratic machine — which is effectively controlled by Silver’s successor, Carl Heastie — to put a replacement, Darcel Clark, on the general-election ballot. And since the borough is heavily Democratic, Clark won handily. At the same time, Johnson was appointed to the bench. Sweet: He’ll now get to double-dip at the public’s expense, pulling in a judge’s salary and collecting his DA pension, for a combined $300,000 a year. Yet now he wants to triple-dip, by raking in an additional six-figure windfall in back pay. He certainly gets credit for nerve. Here’s the upshot: Shelly Silver is headed to prison for what a jury says was a series of illegal acts. Yet, through perfectly “legal” means, Johnson will be able to pick the pockets of the taxpayer, to line his own. And all as Silver’s successor calls the shots in the Assembly. In New York , some things just never seem to change.* Unlike Silver, the outgoing Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson’s move to disenfranchise constituents and enrich himself are perfectly legal, which proves the political class will not clean up its act
Disgraced Former Brooklyn DA Hynes Put Political Bosses, Elected Officials and Judges in Jail
DA Vance Says He Lacks the Tools?
Manhattan DA wants to crack down on political corruption (NYP) New York state should take a page from federal authorities and get tougher on crooked pols, Manhattan’s top prosecutor said Sunday. District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said federal laws on political corruption are far ahead of state codes, allowing US Attorney Preet Bharara to clean up messes the state could just as easily be handling. Vance added that local prosecutors struggle to press bribery cases based on the current state laws. Specifically, he said, bad-acting pols get a near-free pass by simply rolling over and spilling their guts to a grand jury. Bharara has taken aim at a host of New York state politicians over the past several years — none bigger than former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Hynes Flashback New York Law School Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson handed out bonuses of up to $2,000 each to his 1,000 staffers.
The brash New York prosecutor who’s indicting left and right (Washington Post) Preet Bharara, an Obama appointee, has accused 17 big-name politicians of corruption, 10 of them Democrats.FBI Director James Comey on Preet Bharara: Imagine “if Jon Stewart was a prosecutor" “Preet Bharara’s office is not anyplace a guilty person wants to be, so you search your conscience and wipe your sweaty forehead before entering. The most powerful prosecutor in the country…occupies a four-square chamber flooded with relentless governmental ceiling light, which makes his charcoal suit all the darker and his white shirt, so stiff it could pour itself a glass of water, all the whiter.” * Assemblyman William Scarborough is asking a federal judge to dismiss evidence the FBI gleaned from his cellphone records in a criminal case alleging he wasn't in Albany while claiming reimbursements, the Times Union reports: * Assemblyman William Scarborough is asking a federal judge to throw out evidence the FBI gleaned from his cellphone records that were used to build a criminal case alleging the Queens Democrat wasn’t in Albany on dozens of occasions when he was reimbursed for mileage and hotel expenses.
More on the Manhattan DA
Are the Bronx and NY DAs Starting to Go After Political?
On Tuesday, Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson arrested former Assembly candidate Hector Ramirez along with another individual, Ana Cuevas. They were arraigned, entered pleas of not guilty, and were released on personal recognizance bonds of $25,000 and $10,000, respectively, on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Ramirez was represented by attorney Angel Cruz and Ms. Cuevas was represented by Larry Sheehan. The charges are related to the 2014 race in the 86th AD where Ramirez was accused of election fraud involving absentee ballots. Ramirez was narrowly defeated by the incumbent Assemblyman Victor Pichard. Pichardo won 86th Assembly District Democratic primary in a Bronx Board of Elections supervised manual recount by TWO votes over two-time challenger Hector Ramirez. Hector Ramirez and Ana Cuevas (Ramirez’s campaign manager in 2014), were indicted on seven counts for each allegedly false instrument submitted to The Board of Elections in the City of New York totaling 242 counts involving absentee ballots and applications for some 32-35 persons, some of whom were not eligible to vote.Bronx politician Hector Ramirez busted on voter fraud charges (NYDN) Ramirez and his allies went door-to-door in his west Bronx district duping voters into letting the veteran pol’s campaign staff vote on their behalf, a prosecutor charged as the 242-count indictment was unsealed. “Victim after victim after victim testified to the grand jury that members of the Ramirez campaign knocked on their door, including Hector Ramirez himself, and said ‘Hey, you don’t have to go to the polls for this election, just sign here,” Assistant District Attorney Pishoy Yacoub said in Bronx Supreme Court. Prosecutors found the names of Ramirez staffers in the box marked "I authorize" on dozens of the duped voters' applications for an absentee ballot, Yacoub said. Those voters never got their ballots back, Yacoub said. The Dominican-born pol then marked down at least 35 of the ballots as votes for Ramirez, who was locked in a tight Democratic primary against incumbent Victor Pichardo. A campaign aide, Ana Cuevas, was also charged in connection with the alleged scheme. he long-time political honcho had lost out on two previous bids for the Assembly seat, including a 2010 loss to Nelson Castro, who, ironically, became ensnared in his own indictment for lying to the Board of Elections. Arroyo Investigation? Former campaignworkers for Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo charged with fraud (NYDN) Betty Julien, Elbin Lopez and Luis Vargas quietly arrested Tuesday night for forging Derek Jeter (Jr.) and Kate Moss' name on reelection petitions
Will the NYC DAs Donate Their Pay Increase to Bharara for Doing Their Job?
Five of New York City’s district attorneys seek 32% pay raise in hopes of having $250G annual salaries (NYDN) *
Five of New York City’s district attorneys seek 32% pay raise in hopes of having $250G annual salaries (NYDN) *
Why Are NY Campaign Consultants Allowed to Break the Law?
Republican strategist sentenced to two years for illegalcoordination | Campaigns & Elections
The Advance Group also faces a CFB probe into an outside-spending campaign the firm ran on behalf of the United Federation of Teachers under the name "Strategic Consultants, Inc.," and separately, NYCLASS gave donations to the anti-Quinn efforts far above state-imposed limits.United Federation of Teachers' super PAC had paid more than $370,000 to a fictitious political consulting firm "Strategic Consultants Inc.," which was actually the well-known Manhattan consulting firm the Advance Group. Advance Group puts logo on phony firm's invoice( CrainsNY)* The advance group got paid $28,000 by gay city council candidate Yetta Kurland at the same time the firm work for the City Action Coalition PAC, which on its website touts itself as supporting candidates who oppose gay marriage and abortion rights.Advance was on both side of the Kurland race. The firm also secretly worked to have been promot Johnson’s candidacy through an IE paid for by the UFT via a company called Strategic Consultants—apparently a dummy shell corporation set up to obscure the Advance Group’s double-dealing. "Questions Raised Over U.F.T. Campaign Filing" [Beth Fertig]* * UFT under fire for apparently trying to hide identity of consulting firm(NYDN) *UFT paid $370,000 to fake consultant (CrainsNY)* Advance Group puts logo on phony firm's invoice( CrainsNY)
UFT Advance Secret Relationship Secret Illegal Relationship During the 2013 Campaign
The Advance Group also faces a CFB probe into an outside-spending campaign the firm ran on behalf of the United Federation of Teachers under the name "Strategic Consultants, Inc.," and separately, NYCLASS gave donations to the anti-Quinn efforts far above state-imposed limits.United Federation of Teachers' super PAC had paid more than $370,000 to a fictitious political consulting firm "Strategic Consultants Inc.," which was actually the well-known Manhattan consulting firm the Advance Group. Advance Group puts logo on phony firm's invoice( CrainsNY)* The advance group got paid $28,000 by gay city council candidate Yetta Kurland at the same time the firm work for the City Action Coalition PAC, which on its website touts itself as supporting candidates who oppose gay marriage and abortion rights.Advance was on both side of the Kurland race. The firm also secretly worked to have been promot Johnson’s candidacy through an IE paid for by the UFT via a company called Strategic Consultants—apparently a dummy shell corporation set up to obscure the Advance Group’s double-dealing. "Questions Raised Over U.F.T. Campaign Filing" [Beth Fertig]* * UFT under fire for apparently trying to hide identity of consulting firm(NYDN) *UFT paid $370,000 to fake consultant (CrainsNY)* Advance Group puts logo on phony firm's invoice( CrainsNY)
The New York State United Paid Berlin Rosen $44,000 in 2012/13
Are the Bronx and NY DAs Starting to Go After Political?
Will They Go After Systematic Corruption or Will They Know Off Challengers to the Machines
As True News Broke Yesterday Bronx DA Indicted Machine Challenger Ramirez for Absentee Ballot Fraud
Board of Electionsdeclares Victor Pichardo winner in controversial Bronx Assembly race (NYDN) The board said after paper ballots were counted, Pichardo beat Hector Ramirez by 82 votes. Ramirez, charging fraud, says he will file a civil suit against Pichardo and the board * Bronx Chroncile) * A Tainted Outcome In Bronx Assembly Race? *Bronx DA Still Has 86AD In His Sights (Bronx Chroncile) * Bronx DA Johnson Indicts Former Assembly Candidate Hector Ramirez (Bronx Chroncle)
Hector Ramirez has been arrested on voter fraud charges in his failed 2014 Assembly bid, with authorities alleging that he and his allies duped voters into letting his campaign staff vote on their behalf
Catsimatidis Staffer Indicted Over Ulrich Flyer
Former Catsimatidis staffer indicted over Ulrich flyer (Capital) A member of former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis’ campaign staff has been charged with two counts of filing a false instrument by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, Capital has learned. The staffer, Kathy Huang, was indicted in late April on charges she attempted to cover up the fact that an October 2013 mailer paid for by the Catsimatidis campaign did not have mandatory language identifying the party who paid for its creation. The mailer targeted Councilman Eric Ulrich, who was then in the midst of a re-election campaign. “There are two sides to Republican Eric Ulrich: He says one thing in the community and votes the opposite way in City Hall,” the flyer stated. In April 2014, the city’s Campaign Finance Board fined Catsimatidis and Huang nearly $11,500 over the mailer. The fine for not placing a “paid for by” notice on the mailer was less than $1,500 of that fine.* John A Catsimatidis - New York City Campaign Finance Board * A member of former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis’ campaign staff has been charged with two counts of filing a false instrument by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, in connection with an October 2013 mailer that targeted GOP NYC Councilman Eric Ulrich.* NYC CFB Chair Rose Gill Hearn says there’s “still time for lawmakers to pass comprehensive and robust ethics and campaign finance reforms before the end of this legislative session in June.”
True News Who Watches the Watchman, DAs Conflict of Interests
Shame On the Daily News For Ripping Off True News Story About the DA's Misconduct
Daily News Punk Bill Hammer Rips Off True News
.@NYDNHammond on efforts to create a body that would oversee prosecutors' misconduct and mistakes: Who prosecutes the prosecutors? (NYDN) After wrongful convictions, time to create a commission that holds DAs accountable and repairs the justice system
Demands That The Feds Take Over All Police Homicide Cases, What About Political Corruption? Is There A Structural Problem With Local Borough DAs Offices Who Because of Their Close Working Relationship of the NYPD and the Political Machines That They Depend On to Elect Them. True News would like the Daily News to answer why Albany became an organized criminal operation? Where were the DAs? Why are the feds doing almost all of the indictments of elected officials Were are the DAs? Since lobbyists are working to elect DAs who is watching them? The DOI reported that the lobbyists were running the failed 911 phone system
Did any of them work with contractors to break the law, comptroller Liu asked for a criminal investigation The city's prosecutors ignored. Who is checking the millions of secret money going in luxury housing? Is any of the money buying apartment hidden drug money, who know the DAs give the big developers a free hand. DOI finds the Advance Group Broke the PAC and CFB laws fine their clients and the DAs look the other way. What happen to the investigation of another Advance Group client NYCLASS? What about the UFT attempt to hid the Advance Group's involvement in their United for the Future PAC? Advance and another consultant group Red Horse who worked for the UFT PAC worked for many other campaigns that the UFT PAC broke the law to help What about Speaker Mark-Viverito illegal help from the Advance Group, where are the prosecutors? Even now who will go after the individuals in the Brooklyn DAs office who put innocent people in jail?
Conflict of Interests Board Investigates the Speaker Where Are the Prosecutors?
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How Can Robbing New Yorkers of Their Voting Rights, Their Democracy Be Considered None Criminal?
| PARKSIDE PRINTING 538 JOHNSON STREET BROOKLYN, NY 11237 | 11,648.00 | PETIT | 23-MAY-11 | CITIZENS FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY RICHARD A. BROWN | 2011 July Periodic | F | District Attorney | N/A | Queens |
| PARKSIDE PRINTING 538 JOHNSON AVE BROOKLYN, NY 11237 | 10,545.00 | PETIT | 22-MAY-15 | CITIZENS FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY RICHARD A. BROWN | 2015 July Periodic | F | District Attorney | N/A | Quee |
The DA Clark Campaign Has Just Filed A Financial Report But Only $208.77 in Expenses and No Red Horse
True News Has Learned: Red Horse Working for Bronx DA Candidate Darcel Clark and A Queens DA Candidate and Has Worked for the Brooklyn and New York DAs
Red Horse Lobbyist Consultants Who Got Away With Scamming the CFB in 2013 Caught In Petition Fraud in 2015 for A SI DA Candidate
Candidate for StatenIsland DA says opponent collected fraud campaign signatures (WPIX) Joan Illuzzi is running as a Republican for Staten Island District Attorney. Mike McMahon is running as a Democrat and Independent for the same office. Both submitted approximately 4,000 signed petitions to have their names listed on the ballot, but Illuzzi’s campaign has questioned the accuracy of several of the signatures submitted by McMahon’s camp.
The Following Were Red Horse Clients and Supported By A UFT PAC That Redhorse Also Worked for
The CFB Fined the Advance Group for Working for Two Council Candidate and the NYCLASS PAC. The CFB Has Ignored Advances, Red Horse and Berlin Rosen Working for Both candidates and the UFT PAC United for the Future Which Funded the Candidates the Consultants Worked For
The UFT paid $252,233 to campaign consultant Red Horse Strategies to Help Run There PAC United for the Future Which Funded The Following City Council Candidates
Councilman James Vacca
Councilwoman Annabel Palma
Councilman Daneek Miller
Councilman Richard Donovan
Councilman Antonio Reynoso
Councilman Richard Torres
Councilman Richard Torres
A Tale of Two CFBs: Albanese vs Campaign PAC NYCLASS, UFT's United for the Future
The political organization that raises money for Mayor Bill de Blasio's issue-advocacy campaigns has hired longtime political operative Nathan Smith as its director, several sources told Capital. Smith, a founding partner of Red Horse Strategies, will oversee Campaign for One New York, which raised $1.76 million in private funds for the mayor's universal pre-kindergarten program last year. Smith has close ties to the de Blasio administration, having worked with the mayor's intergovernmental affairs director, Emma Wolfe, in winning a Democratic majority in the State Senate in 2008. (PoliticoNY)
Red Horse Works for de Blasio One New York PAC Slush Fund
Lobbyist Consultants in the City Council Campaign
Red Horse is Also Working in A Council Campaign in Queens Barry Grodenchik
Queens Democratic Party, Frank Bolz, collected $528 for petitioning expenses
Connective Strategies, a consulting firm run by Tyquana Henderson Ali Najmi
major chunk of Ms. Lynch’s cash has ended up in the pockets of BerlinRosen, a powerful consulting firm known best for helping Mayor Bill de Blasio win his 2013 mayoral race. For campaign mail and staff, Ms. Lynch has paid BerlinRosen about $52,000 Other Red Horse Clients Brooklyn Boro Presidents: Eric Adams, Ruben Diaz Jr., Melinda Katz, Jessica S Lappin, Julie Menin, Daniel L Squadron, Letitia James, Reshma M Saujani, Comptroller Scott Stringer, NYSDSC, Cuomo
Lobbyists Not Pols Attend de Blasio's Fund Raiser
Politicians stay away from de Blasio’s re-election fund-raiser (NYP) Among those notably absent at the Sheraton Times Square Thursday night were city Comptroller Scott Stringer and Public Advocate Letitia James, potential de Blasio rivals in 2017. Sources at de Blasio’s fund-raiser said it was attended by no more than 150 people — most of them lobbyists. The de Blasio campaign put the count at 300 and said it raised $1 million. “There were a lot of lobbyists,” said one person who was there. “I didn’t see one elected official.”
The Lobbyist's Shadow Government
NY1 Berlin Rosen and the Wiseguys Lobbyists
Foreign Ownership of NYC Real Estate and the Lobbyists Who Work for Them
NY1 Berlin Rosen and the Wiseguys Lobbyists
Foreign Ownership of NYC Real Estate and the Lobbyists Who Work for Them
Advance Also Did Mailings for the Speaker During Her Campaign Through Their PAC
Mark-Viverito Received Mailings From NYCLASS . . . Two Council Members Were Fined Because Advance Worked for Them and Gave Them NYCLASS PAC $$$
One ambiguity is that Ms. Mark-Viverito was not running in an election regulated by the city Campaign Finance Board, but rather in a leadership race within the council. City council members fined over money from anti-horse carriage group(NYP)Two city council members were slapped with hefty fines for accepting prohibited campaign contributions from a group at the center of the Central Park horse carriage brouhaha. Freshman member Laurie Cumbo (D-Brooklyn) was fined $7,868, and newbie Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) was fined $8,686 by the city’s Campaign Finance Board for accepting over-the-limit funding from a “prohibited source.” The board found that the funding source for both campaigns – New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Street (NYCLASS) – was too intertwined with the candidates’ consultant, The Advance Group (TAG).Campaigns are prohibited from coordinating with third-party groups that make “independent” expenditures. Yet TAG president and lobbyist Scott Levenson was political director for NYCLASS, and both groups shared the same office space.
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AG Power Struggle With Gov and DAs
AG Looks to Go Over the Head of the DAs and Start His Campaign for Governor
FridayBrooklyn D.A. Rages Against Special ProsecutorProposal for Eric Garner-Like Cases(NYO)* WFP Sides With AG on Special Prosecutor Ask(YNN)
Wed - A Police Killing Puts Heavy Expectations on a Prosecutor(NYT) District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson, who was elected partly on the platform of being a reformer, is overseeing an investigation into the death of Akai Gurley.
Wed - A Police Killing Puts Heavy Expectations on a Prosecutor(NYT) District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson, who was elected partly on the platform of being a reformer, is overseeing an investigation into the death of Akai Gurley.
Schneiderman Wants Power To Probe Deaths By Police(NYO)*
More On the Booklyn DA Office
Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson, who was elected partly on the platform as a reformer, is facing high expectations in overseeing the investigation into the police shooting death of Akai Gurley
Jay Z joins forces with Cuomo in wake of Eric
Garner death(NYP) *
NYT Supports Transfer to Independent Prosecutor, NYP Calls the AG Move Clownish, Daily News Says Wait
The request set off a potential struggle between the state’s top two elected officials and with local district attorneys, some of whom strongly oppose the move. Officially speaking, Cuomo’s office is “reviewing” the AG’s request. * Given the recent failures to indict the police officers involved in the deaths of civilians, there should be a law that automatically transfers to an independent prosecutor all cases in which a civilian is dead at the hands of the police, the Times writes: * Send in
More About Albany and the Cops
Lovett: State Senate Republicans pose roadblock to post-Eric Garner justice system reform(NYDN) Gov. Andrew Cuomo has promised a review of the justice system after a grand jury failed to indict the cop who killed Eric Garner, but state Senate Republicans pose a roadblock to any reform—with one prominent member saying that the very same system “worked,” the Daily News’ Ken Lovett reports: * Cuomo should veto a measure that would allow unions representing police and other civil-service employees across the state to insist on collective bargaining of disciplinary procedures affecting their members, Empire Center New York attorney general wants power to investigate cases where cops kill unarmed civilians * Stewart-Cousins: Consider Criminal Justice Reforms In Special Session(YNN)* * Senate Democrats announced proposals to better investigate deaths of unarmed civilians at the hands of police, including a special prosecutor, an investigative office and police body cameras, Gannett Albany reports:
The Same DAs That Protect Cops Also Protect Pols and Lobbyists and Corrupt Campaign PACs Who Elect Them
99% of the Corrupt Cases Against New York Elected Officials Have Come From the Federal Government
Insiders describe it as an inherently “political animal” that can often have trouble indicting members of the party—which in New York City is the old Democratic Party leaders and the New Privatized Lobbyists Machine —that controls who serves in the local legal system. To some extent, every Democratic district attorney has close relationships with Democratic Party leadership. With the singular exception of then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s takedown of Hevesi in a pension-fund scam, virtually all the New York anti-corruption action since 2006 has been undertaken by federal prosecutors and the FBI. Local DAs remain as quiet as the proverbial church mouse. And that’s especially true of Albany County DA David Soares, who by virtue of geography and the law is particularly well-positioned to pursue corruption. Albany Corruption
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The Feds Sent Over A Dozen Queens Pols to Jail and the NYT Says the Problem With DA Brown is That He Has Been In Too Long?
Elections Are Easy for Queens Prosecutor; Critics Call This a Problem (NYT) Robert A. Brown, 83, has been re-elected to the prosecutor’s job six times since 1991, with no opposition, and detractors say that is a sign of lingering machine politics in New York . The challenger, a former state legislator threatening the party favorite, was kicked off the primary ballot in a district attorney race in Queens after a judge ruled that the signatures he had gathered were not valid. The man, seeking to beat Richard A. Brown, lost an appeal, paving the way for Mr. Brown to easily defeat a Republican in the heavily Democratic borough. That was in 1991, and it was the last time Mr. Brown faced an opponent for the office. Mr. Brown has been open about his struggles with Parkinson’s disease — and rumors that his office is increasingly managed by his top associates have done little to churn up opposition. However, in an era when criminal justice reform is an increasing part of the conversation in New York City, and district attorney seats in Brooklyn and Manhattan have turned over in recent years — or, in the case of Staten Island and the Bronx, will on Jan. 1 — some people have begun asking where Mr. Brown’s challengers are. Some legal professionals and government watchdogs compared Mr. Brown’s absence of challengers in Queens with the situation in the Bronx, where Robert T. Johnson, the district attorney since 1989, announced, after winning an uncontested primary in September, that he would seek a judgeship. The move allowed Democratic leaders to select a replacement candidate, and, by default, the next top prosecutor. “District attorneys in New York are virtually like Supreme Court justices: They’re there forever,” Doug Muzzio, a professor of public affairs at Baruch College
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DAs Not Only Protect the Pols But the Lobbyist, Special Interests and Political Machines That Elect Them
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Demands That The Feds Take Over All Police Homicide Cases, What About Political Corruption?
Why Are NYC's DAs Not Indicting Pols?
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The Feds Sent Over A Dozen Queens Pols to Jail and the NYT Says the Problem With DA Brown is That He Has Been In Too Long?
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But unlike Mr. Johnson in the Bronx , who presided in a courthouse with extensive delays and was criticized for a seeming reluctance to aggressively pursue corruption cases, Mr. Brown has a solid reputation. Statistics highlight his office’s successes. In 2014, Mr. Brown’s staff had the highest percentage of convictions in the five boroughs after arrests for violent felonies and domestic violence, a point of pride for the office. The borough’s average arrest-to-arraignment time that year — just over 18 hours — was the lowest in the city. The voters in Manhattan and on Staten Island have had more choices in recent elections. Cyrus R. Vance Jr., a Democrat, was elected district attorney in Manhattan in 2009 after defeating two others in the primary. He succeeded Robert M. Morgenthau, who served for 35 years before retiring at 90. On Staten Island , Michael E. McMahon, a Democrat, defeated a Republican for the post last month. But change did happen in Brooklyn after the longtime incumbent, Charles J. Hynes, a Democrat, was ousted by voters in 2013. He had been in office since 1990. His successor, Ken Thompson, a fellow Democrat, announced in 2014 that the office would stop prosecuting most low-level marijuana cases. Mr. Thompson also set up a Conviction Review Unit, and 17 convictions have so far been overturned.* The last time Queens DA Richard Brown, who has been re-elected six times, faced an opponent was 1991. He’ll become NYC’s longest-serving prosecutor in January. In an era when criminal justice reform is an increasing part of the conversation in New York City, and district attorney seats in Brooklyn and Manhattan have turned over in recent years, some
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Demands That The Feds Take Over All Police Homicide Cases, What About Political Corruption?
Is There A Structural Problem With Local Borough DAs Offices Who Because of Their Close Working Relationship of the NYPD and the Political Machines That They Depend On to Elect Them
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| Grand Jury System On Trial |
Grand Jury
Favors Cops
Grand Jury System, With Exceptions, Favors the Police in Fatalities(NYT) The recent grand jury decisions to bring no charges against white police officers who killed unarmed black men in New York and Missouri illustrate how the justice system can favor the police, often shielding them from murder or serious manslaughter charges.
Cable Pundits say it is a conflict of interests to have police which work together with DAs to investigate the police. True News has asked why DAs have not investigated political corruption and how the lobbyists are breaking the election law. 99% of the political corrupt cases against NY's elected officials have come from federal prosecutors. There is a dirty little secret of city district attorneys going back to the days of Tammany Hall rule that that they do not go after the political machines and elected officials that elected them.
Special Prosecutor Politics 1986 vs 2014
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state should look into whether special prosecutors should handle cases where unarmed civilians are killed by police after a number of lawmakers said they will push legislation to require the change, the Daily News reports: * 'WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE WHOLE SYSTEM': Eric Garner case spurs state, federal leaders to seek reforms to boost public confidence in justice system(NYDN)* @NYGovCuomo response to #EricGarner decisiondelayed, "disappointing"
A Special Prosecutor in Howard Beach in 1986
While the old political machine pulled out the people it gave services to the consultants depend on manipulate voters with spin. It is also now becoming clear that all of these campaign consultants will brake election laws and organize conspiracy with others to elect their candidates to office are getting a free ride. Which is exactly why the the FBI and the CFB are investigating the Advance Group for their role in the NYCLASS PAC.* Holder said that in addition to the department’s own investigation, it would also conduct a complete review of what local investigators gathered during their investigative process..@KarimCamara announcing legislation for special prosecutor to deal with police cases
@TishJames: there is a conflict of interest between local prosecutors and getting indictment against police b/c they work together #maddow
DAs Have the Same Conflict of Interests When It Comes to Political Corruption . . .And They Ignore It
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Political consultant Red Horse worked for Brooklyn DA Thompson campaign along with Berlin Rosen. Both Red Horse and Advance Group worked for the UFT's PAC United for the Future (the UFT attempted to covering up Advance involvement by paying them through a fake company) Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA. Red Horse worked for Brooklyn BP Adams, Bronx BP Diaz and PA James. Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA Cy Vance. Red Horse worked for Pitta Bishop for Brooklyn BP Adams. Red Horse worked with George Arzt in the Queens BP campaign.
Did Silver Pay the Berlin Rosen and the WFP to Keep the Albany DA Away?
Was the Albany DA Elected to Protect Silver and His Staff Against Sexual Abuse and Other Corruption?
Was the Albany DA Elected to Protect Silver and His Staff Against Sexual Abuse and Other Corruption?
A capital veteran describes a telling dimension of Silver’s destructive stranglehold on government. The story begins in 2003, when Silver’s chief counsel was charged with rape and marched out of Assembly offices in handcuffs. Although District Attorney Paul Clyne was a fellow Democrat, Silver was furious at being embarrassed. “He was fuming,” the Albany vet says, “and swore he would get a DA in there he could control and who would never embarrass him.” Silver found his candidate for the 2004 election, little-known lawyer David Soares, and engineered the support of the upstart Working Families Party. Against heavy odds, Soares upset Clyne in the primary and triumphed again in the general election. To this day, Soares remains the Albany DA, yet never finds anything amiss in the Legislature. Soares paid Berlin Rosen $30,000 in 2012. Berlin Rosen's Alex Navarro-McKay as a WFP operative helped Soares get elected as Albany's DA * Cuomo attaches ethics reform laws to state budget voting (NYP)
The FBI May Have to Expand Their Investigation into A State Senator’s Campaign Account to Speaker Silver
“State and federal investigators want to know whether former state senator George Maziarz’s campaign account secretly bankrolled his chosen candidates for local offices in Niagara County
Why Isn't the AG and the Manhattan DA Enforcing the Election Law?
The CFB determined under its rules that the Advance Group’s work on behalf of both Council candidates and the supposedly “independent” anti-carriage PAC really amounted to illegal coordination between the campaigns and NYCLASS. The board properly fined Cumbo and Levine. And its crackdown on the out-of-bounds campaign spending by NYCLASS has done the city a huge favor, by providing a badly needed glimpse into the big money play that successfully swung the 2013 city elections. Using funds from donors that included UNITE HERE — a union chaired by Mayor de Blasio’s cousin John Wilhelm — NYCLASS slimed mayoral rival Christine Quinn into oblivion.Now the FBI is probing the funding of the attacks on Quinn, and de Blasio’s flip-flop that led to his vow to ban the horses. The CFB needs to stay vigilant, making every effort to hold NYCLASS, the Advance Group and sponsored candidates to account for their actions in the 2013 campaign. Among the others benefiting from NYCLASS spending was Melissa Mark-Viverito, who took free services from the Advance Group in her successful bid to become City Council speaker.
The SI DA and SI Assemblywomen Complicated Dance
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Elected officials, legal experts and police officers differed on Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan ’s handling of the grand jury that declined to indict the officer involved in Eric Garner ’s death, the Wall Street Journal reports:
NYT Reports Staten Island See Risks Cops Take
NYT Reports Staten Island See Risks Cops Take
Staten Island, where Eric Garner died, is home to thousands of police officers, and in the neighborhoods where they live, the same video that sparked outrage around the city was seen as a snapshot of the daily risks that police face, the Timesreports:
In May and June 2014, Pledge 2 Protect paid $78,000 to Advance Group, a Manhattan political consulting firm that ran a campaign last year helping to bring down a de Blasio rival, former Council Speaker Christine Quinn; $20,000 to the Black Institute, a nonprofit founded by de Blasio ally Bertha Lewis; $20,000 to Gladstein Neandross and Associates, a California environmental consulting firm; and $7,000 to Rubenstein Public Relations.Boutique law firm Marquart & Small doesn't seem like the sort of business that could give $690,000 to a lobbying group. It has three employees, is just a year old and operates out of a shared "work collective" office in Manhattan's Flatiron district.
Ever Notice How the Advance Group, WFP and Bertha Lewis Always Finds A Loophole and Forms A Group
Yet within six months of its founding, the fashion, arts and media specialist law firm had given that amount to a nonprofit called Pledge 2 Protect, which is fighting the building of a waste-transfer plant on the Upper East Side. Marquart & Small made its initial, $177,000 donation just two weeks after the limited liability partnership was formed in July 2013. But there's a way a startup law firm could muster that kind of money: if it were acting as a "pass-through" to shield Pledge 2 Protect contributors from public scrutiny. Lobbying compliance lawyer David Grandeau, who represents Pledge 2 Protect, wouldn't say whether Marquart & Small is a conduit for donors but pointed out that only the "first level" of funding given to lobbying groups must be disclosed.
G.O.P.Consultant Pleads Guilty in PAC Case(NYT)
The UFT PAC Paid Advance Through the Fake Group Strategic Consultants Inc. $370,000
PACs are A Crime on the Book Because Prosecutors Who Look the Other Way
Feds Bag Consultant Who Illegally Coordinated Campaigns and PACs
Feds Investigating the Advance Group
The UFT Broke the Law With Advance and None of the Prosecutors Noticed
Why Did the UFT's PAC United for the Future Hire the Advance Group? Was It Part of A Conspiracy to Coordinate their PAC and the Campaign Consultant?
The UFT PAC Paid Advance Through the Fake Group Strategic Consultants Inc. $370,000
Her campaign also got support by two PACs controlled by the Advance Group, NYCLASS and the UFT PAC United for the Future that the UFT tried to hid Advance Groups involvement in with a fake made up company called Strategic Consultants Inc., that CrainsNY found was located in the offices of Advance. Your can bet the farm that with Mayor Bloomberg last minute appointment to the CFB Rose Gill Hearn, his former DOI Commissioner, the finances of Advance client Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo and others are in the middle of a hot hot hot investigation that the media is completely missing. * UFT under fire for apparently trying to hide identity of consulting firm(NYDN)
UFT Controlling Government By Breaking the Election Law . . . DAs Don't Notice?
Cover-Up Of Campaign Consultants Advance Group/Red Horse Involvement in UFT PAC United for the Future, Which Conspired To Break Election Law to Control Council
How Campaign Consultant Lobbyists and The PACs They Controlled Broke the Election Law and Got Away With It and Built A Shadow Government
The UFT PAC Paid Advance Through the Fake Group Strategic Consultants Inc. $370,000
Nothing Has Happen - Five Months Ago the Daily News Wrote:
UFT under fire for apparently trying to hide identity of consulting firm(NYDN)The city’s powerful teachers union is under fire from good-government groups for apparently trying to hide the identity of a consulting firm it was using to boost union-backed candidates. "The listing of the phony firm, 'Strategic Consultants, Inc.,' in campaign filings, obscured that Advance Group was being paid both to promote candidates for the United Federation of Teachers' independent political action committee, and working as the main campaign consultant for several of those same candidates."
The AG and the DAs By Not Enforcing the Election Law Has Enabled Lobbyists and Special Interests to Legalize Bribery Though PACs
PACs are A Crime on the Book Because Prosecutors Who Look the Other Way
The CFB determined under its rules that the Advance Group’s work on behalf of both Council candidates and the supposedly “independent” anti-carriage PAC really amounted to illegal coordination between the campaigns and NYCLASS. The board properly fined Cumbo and Levine. And its crackdown on the out-of-bounds campaign spending by NYCLASS has done the city a huge favor, by providing a badly needed glimpse into the big money play that successfully swung the 2013 city elections. Using funds from donors that included UNITE HERE — a union chaired by Mayor de Blasio’s cousin John Wilhelm — NYCLASS slimed mayoral rival Christine Quinn into oblivion.Now the FBI is probing the funding of the attacks on Quinn, and de Blasio’s flip-flop that led to his vow to ban the horses. The CFB needs to stay vigilant, making every effort to hold NYCLASS, the Advance Group and sponsored candidates to account for their actions in the 2013 campaign. Among the others benefiting from NYCLASS spending was Melissa Mark-Viverito, who took free services from the Advance Group in her successful bid to become City Council speaker.
Question for NYC District Attorney: "Who will guard the guards themselves?"
G.O.P.Consultant Pleads Guilty in PAC Case(NYT)
Is the Manhattan DA Not Investigating Advance Because of A Conflict of Interests With Red Horse?
The Reporter Who Broke the Advance Groups Phony Logo Corruption Story Laid Off By CrainsNY
Feds Bag Consultant Who Illegally Coordinated Campaigns and PACs
Feds Investigating the Advance Group
Is the Manhattan DA Not Investigating Advance Because of A Conflict of Interests With Red Horse?
Manhattan DA Vance Consultant Red Horse Broke the Law Along With Advance Working for the UFT PACs United for the Future that did mailings for the same Council Clients that both firms represented
Political consultant Red Horse worked for Brooklyn DA Thompson campaign along with Berlin Rosen. Both Red Horse and Advance Group worked for the UFT's PAC United for the Future (the UFT attempted to covering up Advance involvement by paying them through a fake company) Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA. Red Horse worked for Brooklyn BP Adams, Bronx BP Diaz and PA James. Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA Cy Vance. Red Horse worked for Pitta Bishop for Brooklyn BP Adams. Red Horse worked with George Arzt in the Queens BP campaign.
The Reporter Who Broke the Advance Groups Phony Logo Corruption Story Laid Off By CrainsNY
Crain’s New Yorklays off 40 percent of editorial staff, Including Chris Bragg. CrainsNY reporter Chris Bragg has done a great investigative job exposing how lobbyist/consultant the Advance Group was on both sides of many campaigns by using IE PACS and fake to run the UFT PAC. The Advance Group is also the lobbyist for the NYC Hotel and Motel Trades Council.
Several payments that a UFT super PAC sent to a fictitious political consulting firm “Strategic Consultants” have the Advance Group logo on their invoices
Advance Group puts logo on phony firm's invoice( CrainsNY) Last week, The Insider broke the news that the United Federation of Teachers' super PAC had paid more than $370,000 to a fictitious political consulting firm "Strategic Consultants Inc.," which was actually the well-known Manhattan consulting firm the Advance Group. An open records request that came back on Tuesday from the City Campaign Finance Board (and is embedded below) offers fresh and somewhat amusing evidence of the connection between the two: Many of the invoices the agency received from Strategic Consultants have the Advance Group logo on them.
Why Did A UFT PAC Pay A Fake Group to Do Business With Advance?
Why Did the UFT's PAC United for the Future Hire the Advance Group? Was It Part of A Conspiracy to Coordinate their PAC and the Campaign Consultant?
The UFT PAC Paid Advance Through the Fake Group Strategic Consultants Inc. $370,000
Her campaign also got support by two PACs controlled by the Advance Group, NYCLASS and the UFT PAC United for the Future that the UFT tried to hid Advance Groups involvement in with a fake made up company called Strategic Consultants Inc., that CrainsNY found was located in the offices of Advance. Your can bet the farm that with Mayor Bloomberg last minute appointment to the CFB Rose Gill Hearn, his former DOI Commissioner, the finances of Advance client Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo and others are in the middle of a hot hot hot investigation that the media is completely missing. * UFT under fire for apparently trying to hide identity of consulting firm(NYDN)
The AG and the DAs By Not Enforcing the Election Law Has Enabled Lobbyists and Special Interests to Legalize Bribery Though PACs
PACs are A Crime on the Book Because Prosecutors Who Look the Other Way
The CFB determined under its rules that the Advance Group’s work on behalf of both Council candidates and the supposedly “independent” anti-carriage PAC really amounted to illegal coordination between the campaigns and NYCLASS. The board properly fined Cumbo and Levine. And its crackdown on the out-of-bounds campaign spending by NYCLASS has done the city a huge favor, by providing a badly needed glimpse into the big money play that successfully swung the 2013 city elections. Using funds from donors that included UNITE HERE — a union chaired by Mayor de Blasio’s cousin John Wilhelm — NYCLASS slimed mayoral rival Christine Quinn into oblivion.Now the FBI is probing the funding of the attacks on Quinn, and de Blasio’s flip-flop that led to his vow to ban the horses. The CFB needs to stay vigilant, making every effort to hold NYCLASS, the Advance Group and sponsored candidates to account for their actions in the 2013 campaign. Among the others benefiting from NYCLASS spending was Melissa Mark-Viverito, who took free services from the Advance Group in her successful bid to become City Council speaker.
NYT Silent On Local Impact of Citizens United Has Enabled the Coordination Between PACs and Campaigns to Be Taken Over By Lobbyists
Even After Two Councilmembers Were Fined
The NYT has written several times on the national impact of Citizens United but never on the impact of that special interests big money supreme court decision on the 2013 NYC election. Not Even after the CFB fined two city council members who were helped by the Advance Group campaign consultant who used the Citizens United PAC they controlled to help their candidates. Both the Daily News and NYP which reported on the fines, limited their coverage on the fines without comment on how far the CFB could go. Nobody except this blog is doing the investigative reporting that shows the depth of corruption of the Advance Group and the Citizens United PACS in the 2013 city elections. Or about how Berlin Rosen and the One New York PAC coordinated with a candidate in the 52nd. Have these PACs made NY government worse (if that is possible)? Have these PACs and lobbyist consultants committed crimes? Have these groups legalized bribery
Lobbyists the New Kings of NY Have Free Rein on Runny Government
They move government without having to disclose their activities. Call them clever, call them stealthy.Like Ms. Cunningham, Mr. Rosen is not a registered lobbyist. Yet he regularly meets with government officials. The mayor's schedule from his first five months in office shows Mr. Rosen was in at least nine meetings and on two calls.BerlinRosen understands how issues play out in the public sphere, its clients say.
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Bob Master, a political director of the Communications Workers of America District 1, a BerlinRosen client, said the firm's value for his union is its public-relations prowess. "They know how things are going to play in the media, or how to find the leverage points in a particular situation," Mr. Master said. "It has nothing to do with lobbying."
Two City Council members were slapped with fines Wednesday for taking off-limits contributions from animal rights group NYCLASS, which bankrolled Mayor de Blasio's mayoral campaign for his pledge to ban horse-drawn carriages. Council members Laurie Cumbo (D-Brooklyn) and Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) have to pay back money they were given by New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets because they shared the same political consultant — the Advance Group — as the anti-carriage group. One ambiguity is that Ms. Mark-Viverito was not running in an election regulated by the city Campaign Finance Board, but rather in a leadership race within the council. City council members fined over money from anti-horse carriage group(NYP)Two city council members were slapped with hefty fines for accepting prohibited campaign contributions from a group at the center of the Central Park horse carriage brouhaha. Freshman member Laurie Cumbo (D-Brooklyn) was fined $7,868, and newbie Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) was fined $8,686 by the city’s Campaign Finance Board for accepting over-the-limit funding from a “prohibited source.” The board found that the funding source for both campaigns – New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Street (NYCLASS) – was too intertwined with the candidates’ consultant, The Advance Group (TAG).Campaigns are prohibited from coordinating with third-party groups that make “independent” expenditures. Yet TAG president and lobbyist Scott Levenson was political director for NYCLASS, and both groups shared the same office space. Councilman Rodriguez was also a client of the Advance Group and got mailing from Advance's PAC United for the Future and was not fined by the CFB
The Advance group was paid by democratic candidate Yetta Krukland $28,000 and the IE NYCLASS that Advance paid for $30,000 in mailings to promote Yetta Krukland. The UFT PAC which Advance Was Working for United for the Future funded Krukland Opponent Corey Johnson. Krukland fired Advance during the campaign. The following Berlin Rosen clients were funded by Advance's PAC United for The Future: Elizabeth Crowley.Donovan Richards, Rory Lancman, Steven Levin, Mark Levine, Ydanis A Rodriguez, Austin I Shafran (Not Elected), Kirsten J Foy (Not Elected)
Advance— Orchestrated the anti-Quinn political action committee and NYCLASS' own efforts to undermine Ms. Quinn's bid.
Edison ’s StephenNislick pushes real estate agenda with mayor (Real Deal) Among other things, the developer is pushing for an extension of the 7-train to New Jersey.
Daily News Reports A Conflict of Interest Violation During the Speakers Race But Does Not Do A Follow Up or A Demand to Enforce the Law
Daily News Charges Against Mark-Viverto
Daily News Charges Against Mark-Viverto
EXCLUSIVE: City Council Speaker candidate Melissa Mark-Viverito may have violated city ethics rules(NYDN) Mark-Viverito, an East Harlem councilwoman, accepted unpaid assistance from the Advance Group, a prominent lobbying firm working to further her candidacy (Daily News 11/27/2013)
Mark-Viverito Drops Advance
Melissa Mark-Viverito Drops Advance Group forSpeaker Bid(NYO) Ms. Mark-Viverito insisted today that this was not the case but out of an “abundance of caution,” the relationship would end. Melissa Mark-Viverito Drops Advance Group for Speaker Bid - Blogs(TU)
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Nobody is Enforcing the City's Conflict of Interests Law
Mayor's Slush Fund "One New York Conflict" of Interests Money
De Blasio’s ‘conflicting’ accepted donations(NYP)A nonprofit launched by Mayor de Blasio accepted money from at least two donors that his mayoral campaign had rejected because they had city contracts, a Post review found.Joseph and Chris Termini, owners of the yellow-school-bus companies Hoyt Transportation and Dak Transportation, respectively, each donated $4,500 to de Blasio’s mayoral-transition campaign in December. But their checks were returned just weeks later. The campaign refused to say why, but rules don’t allow firms doing business with the city to donate to the kitty of those about to take office — out of conflict-of-interest concerns.Yet the mayor’s Campaign for One New York — a cheerleading group that backed Hizzoner’s push to tax the wealthy for the expansion of universal pre-K — had no qualms accepting $10,000 from the Terminis in April. The Terminis, who have contracts with the school system, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Dan Levitan, a spokesman for both the mayoral campaign and Campaign for One New York, declined to explain the discrepancy. But the mayor said he saw no problem because the two campaigns had different goals.
The NYT is Counting On an Un-Elected Prosecutor to Clean Up Albany
It’s not just Mr. Bharara’s job to clean up Albany. It is up to the voters to decide whether to go on endorsing business as usual. As the indictments and embarrassments continue (26 at latest count since 1999), New Yorkers will have to decide if their representatives are politicians they can trust, including Mr. Cuomo. * U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara appeared on PBS’ “Charlie Rose” and said his office will succeed in cleaning up corruption in Albany where the Moreland Commission failed “because if other people aren’t going to do it, then we’re going to do it,” Gannett Albany reports
* Bharara: “We are the people who do our jobs" (LoHud) * Bharara and Schneiderman Do Lunch(YNN)
Feds Would Have Used Rapfogel to Take Down Others . . . AG Politics = Containment
AG Does Nothing to Clean Up Albany
William Rapfogel, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's pal, gets 10 years for defrauding charity (NYDN) The 59-year-old is sentenced Wednesday for his role in a $9 million scam. The former head of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty previously admitted his guilt, paying back $3 million.
More on the Rapfogel Scandal Timeline
Hochul Discusses Moreland Commission While Campaigning in Queens(NY1) Things aren't exactly coming up roses for the Cuomo campaign these days, but while the governor keeps a low profile following a rebuke from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, his running mate, Kathy Hochul, is suddenly seemingly everywhere, backing Cuomo's position that he did not interfere with his anti-corruption commission.
"When the Republican district attorney in Onondaga says that there's been no interference, I'm going to take him at his word," Hochul said."I had breakfast in Harlem this morning up at Sylvia's. Nobody asked me about it," Hochul said. "They want to know what the governor can do for them, help with jobs, help with education." Indeed, that is now apparently the party line, echoed by other Democrats campaigning alongside her Friday."The people that I represent, they care about affordable housing, they care about opportunities for their kids," said City Councilman Rory Lancman of Queens. Ironically, the Cuomo campaign had earlier been accused of keeping Hochul out of public view thanks to her conservative-leaning views on issues like immigration. In Queens, she emphasized her support for the Dream Act.* Reporters Roundtable: Cuomo's "bag of tricks" won't work against Bharara(NY Now)* How did Cuomo keep hidden that he had hired criminal defense attorney for 2 whole months ?* Moreland mess erodes Cuomo’s fear factor(Capital) * A lesson of Watergate, 40 years on, for Andrew Cuomo(TU)
Now the AG Has No Comment After the Meal With the U.S. Attorney . . . AG No Comment on the Independent Moreland Commission
When Governor Andrew Cuomo created the Moreland Commission to investigate public corruption, he was assisted by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who deputized 23 of the 25 commissioners with subpoena power. Earlier this year, Schneiderman argued in court documents that the commission was independent. "The attorney general had a critical role here," said John Cahill, the Republican candidate for state attorney general. "Once the executive order was signed, the commission, the investigation really was in the hands of the attorney general, as he states clearly in his papers that this was an independent investigation.""The attorney general had a critical role here," said John Cahill, the Republican candidate for state attorney general. "Once the executive order was signed, the commission, the investigation really was in the hands of the attorney general, as he states clearly in his papers that this was an independent investigation." "He needs to come forward and tell the people of New York, the people that he serves, what he knew about this investigation, what he knew about the political interference," Cahill said. "These deputies were required to report to the attorney general on a weekly basis. Was that done? Did he know about political interference? If he did know, what did he do about it?* Attorney general stays quiet on Moreland panel Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
What Did the Weekly Reports of the Moreland Commission to the AG Say About the Governor's Staff?
The attorney general did receive weekly reports from the commission, although it's unclear what was in those reports. People familiar with the commission's work say they are unlikely to document instances of interference. However, others say it's also unlikely Schneiderman would not have heard about the Cuomo administration's interference. What he did, if he knew, remains unclear.* VIDEO: Schneiderman stays mum on Moreland Commission probe (LoHud)
Is the Party Line Covering Up Corruption . . . You Bet
Hochul Discusses Moreland Commission While Campaigning in Queens(NY1) Things aren't exactly coming up roses for the Cuomo campaign these days, but while the governor keeps a low profile following a rebuke from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, his running mate, Kathy Hochul, is suddenly seemingly everywhere, backing Cuomo's position that he did not interfere with his anti-corruption commission.
NYT Look At the Effect of Lobbyists on States Corruption Investigation But Ignores Stopped Corruption Investigation Caused By Local Lobbyists In NY
New report asserts that lobbyists act to thwart states'corruption and fraud investigations(Progressive Queens) States' attorneys general are now being openly targeted by lobbyists in an effort to quash investigations of corporations, according to an explosive report published by The New York Times.Attorney General Eric Schniederman (D-NY) has been being lobbied by his ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, who had previously served as a key campaign consultant to Attorney General Schneiderman. For months, Attorney General Schneiderman had at first refused to release any e-mail communications between his office and Ms. Cunningham, then, under pressure, the attorney general released some e-mails, but not all, claiming a privilege to withhold some communication where, in some instances, Ms. Cunningham had advised his office in a capacity that was analogous to that of a state employee, an assertion that some government reform activists found difficult to believe.
Whereas The New York Times looked at the role of lobbyists being able to sway various states' attorneys general, no scrutiny was paid to whether Attorney General Schneiderman has been similarly influenced. As Progress Queens has previously reported, serious questions exist as to why state prosecutors have not prosecuted anybody for wrong-doing in connection with the Aqueduct Racino bid-rigging scandal, the unaccounted-for grants totaling $500,000 that were made to the Corona-Elmhurst Center for Economic Development, and the city's troubled Emergency Communications Transformation Program that is intended to upgrade the 911 emergency call system. The Aqueduct scandal involved prominent lobbyists, including Hank Scheinkopf and Frank Sanzillo ; the Center for Economic Development controversy involved the powerful consultant, Luis Miranda ; and the ECTP affair involved the influential lobbyist, George Arzt.
Since the state attorney general and local district attorneys must run for public office, all of the state's top prosecutors must rely on corrupting influence of campaign consultants and campaign donors to win elected office. Once a prosecutor relies on the advice of campaign consultants, that opens the door to potential lobbying, because, in New York , campaign consultants often double as lobbyists. For example, Ms. Cunningham, Mr. Scheinkopf, and Mr. Arzt each act as campaign lobbyists and have done or can also do lobbying work. The report in The New York Times failed to examine whether local district attorneys also fell prey to lobbyists and other outside pressures. Progress Queens has been asking the district attorneys for Manhattan and Queens why do their offices fail to prosecute corporate and political or campaign corruption, but prosecutors hide behind office policies that forbid them to discuss any investigation.
Both the Advance Group and Berlin Rosen worked for Comptroller Stringer and CM Mark Levine and Laurie Cumbo were fined for his connection to Advance. Berlin Rosen also worked for NYS AG Schniderman. Mayor de Blasio and Comptroller Stringer. Brandford worked with Berlin for the AG and for Comptroller Stringer along with the Advance Group.
Who Will Investigate Berlin Rosen Who Worked for Brooklyn DA Thompson, AG Schniderman, de Blasio and the Council Speaker?
Berlin Rosen Worked With the Advance Group for the Two Councilmembers Fined By CFB
The Advance Group Represented Yetta Krukland and the PAC It Controlled Contributed to Its Opponent Represented By Berlin Rosen
de Blasio NYCLASS Advance Group Pay to Play
Edison Hires the Advance Group Six Days After de Blasio Became Mayor, Where is the Prosecutors?
Edison is also pushing a plan to extend the No. 7 train from Manhattan 's West Side, where it owns properties, to a Secaucus, N.J., site, where a major Edison parking facility sits next to a New Jersey Transit hub. Six days after Mr. de Blasio's inauguration in January 2014, Edison inked a $7,500-a-month lobbying contract with Manhattan-based Advance—which had orchestrated the anti-Quinn political action committee and NYCLASS' own efforts to undermine Ms. Quinn's bid. Advance's political consulting activities during the campaign season are now reportedly being investigated by the FBI, and last week NYCLASS was for violations stemming from its work with Advance.* Nislick &Feldman ('spender") held personally "LIABLE" for $26K @NYCCFB Hearing
Advance— Orchestrated the anti-Quinn political action committee and NYCLASS' own efforts to undermine Ms. Quinn's bid.
Chris Bragg @ChrisBragg1 Days after deBlasio inaguration, Edison Properties inked the Advance Group to lobby him (CrainsNY)
Who Guards the Guards Themselves?
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Since the state attorney general and local district attorneys must run for public office, all of the state's top prosecutors must rely on corrupting influence of campaign consultants and campaign donors to win elected office. Once a prosecutor relies on the advice of campaign consultants, that opens the door to potential lobbying, because, in New York , campaign consultants often double as lobbyists. Political consultant Red Horse worked for Brooklyn DA Thompson campaign along with Berlin Rosen. Both Red Horse and Advance Group worked for the UFT's PAC United for the Future (the UFT attempted to covering up Advance involvement by paying them through a fake company) Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA. Red Horse worked for Brooklyn BP Adams, Bronx BP Diaz and PA James. Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA Cy Vance. Red Horse worked for Pitta Bishop for Brooklyn BP Adams. Red Horse worked with George Arzt in the Queens BP campaign. Berlin Rosen not only help elected Schneiderman to his AG position, both it partners worked for him when he was state senator. * Preet Bharara has become well-known in New York for prosecuting the state’s top political players. This month, the Manhattan U.S. attorney might be better known as the hottest ticket in town when it comes to law-school commencement speakers.
Berlin Rosen Worked for the AG Other Consultants for the DAs
Who Watchers the Watchman, Lobbyists, Grand Jury, AG - DAsConflict of Interests With NYPD and Elected Officials
Two City Council members were slapped with fines Wednesday for taking off-limits contributions from animal rights group NYCLASS, which bankrolled Mayor de Blasio's mayoral campaign for his pledge to ban horse-drawn carriages. Council members Laurie Cumbo (D-Brooklyn) and Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) have to pay back money they were given by New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets because they shared the same political consultant — the Advance Group — as the anti-carriage group. One ambiguity is that Ms. Mark-Viverito was not running in an election regulated by the city Campaign Finance Board, but rather in a leadership race within the council. City council members fined over money from anti-horse carriage group(NYP)Two city council members were slapped with hefty fines for accepting prohibited campaign contributions from a group at the center of the Central Park horse carriage brouhaha. Freshman member Laurie Cumbo (D-Brooklyn) was fined $7,868, and newbie Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) was fined $8,686 by the city’s Campaign Finance Board for accepting over-the-limit funding from a “prohibited source.” The board found that the funding source for both campaigns – New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Street (NYCLASS) – was too intertwined with the candidates’ consultant, The Advance Group (TAG).Campaigns are prohibited from coordinating with third-party groups that make “independent” expenditures. Yet TAG president and lobbyist Scott Levenson was political director for NYCLASS, and both groups shared the same office space. Councilman Rodriguez was also a client of the Advance Group and got mailing from Advance's PAC United for the Future and was not fined by the CFB
The Advance group was paid by democratic candidate Yetta Krukland $28,000 and the IE NYCLASS that Advance paid for $30,000 in mailings to promote Yetta Krukland. The UFT PAC which Advance Was Working for United for the Future funded Krukland Opponent Corey Johnson. Krukland fired Advance during the campaign. The following Berlin Rosen clients were funded by Advance's PAC United for The Future: Elizabeth Crowley.Donovan Richards, Rory Lancman, Steven Levin, Mark Levine, Ydanis A Rodriguez, Austin I Shafran (Not Elected), Kirsten J Foy (Not Elected)
Advance— Orchestrated the anti-Quinn political action committee and NYCLASS' own efforts to undermine Ms. Quinn's bid.
Edison ’s StephenNislick pushes real estate agenda with mayor (Real Deal) Among other things, the developer is pushing for an extension of the 7-train to New Jersey.
Berlin Rosen Worked With the Advance Group for the Two Councilmembers Fined By CFB
The Advance Group Represented Yetta Krukland and the PAC It Controlled Contributed to Its Opponent Represented By Berlin Rosen
de Blasio NYCLASS Advance Group Pay to Play
Edison Hires the Advance Group Six Days After de Blasio Became Mayor, Where is the Prosecutors?
Edison is also pushing a plan to extend the No. 7 train from Manhattan 's West Side, where it owns properties, to a Secaucus, N.J., site, where a major Edison parking facility sits next to a New Jersey Transit hub. Six days after Mr. de Blasio's inauguration in January 2014, Edison inked a $7,500-a-month lobbying contract with Manhattan-based Advance—which had orchestrated the anti-Quinn political action committee and NYCLASS' own efforts to undermine Ms. Quinn's bid. Advance's political consulting activities during the campaign season are now reportedly being investigated by the FBI, and last week NYCLASS was for violations stemming from its work with Advance.* Nislick &Feldman ('spender") held personally "LIABLE" for $26K @NYCCFB Hearing
Advance— Orchestrated the anti-Quinn political action committee and NYCLASS' own efforts to undermine Ms. Quinn's bid.
Chris Bragg @ChrisBragg1 Days after deBlasio inaguration, Edison Properties inked the Advance Group to lobby him (CrainsNY)
Who Guards the Guards Themselves?
Since the state attorney general and local district attorneys must run for public office, all of the state's top prosecutors must rely on corrupting influence of campaign consultants and campaign donors to win elected office. Once a prosecutor relies on the advice of campaign consultants, that opens the door to potential lobbying, because, in New York , campaign consultants often double as lobbyists. Political consultant Red Horse worked for Brooklyn DA Thompson campaign along with Berlin Rosen. Both Red Horse and Advance Group worked for the UFT's PAC United for the Future (the UFT attempted to covering up Advance involvement by paying them through a fake company) Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA. Red Horse worked for Brooklyn BP Adams, Bronx BP Diaz and PA James. Red Horse worked for Manhattan DA Cy Vance. Red Horse worked for Pitta Bishop for Brooklyn BP Adams. Red Horse worked with George Arzt in the Queens BP campaign. Berlin Rosen not only help elected Schneiderman to his AG position, both it partners worked for him when he was state senator. * Preet Bharara has become well-known in New York for prosecuting the state’s top political players. This month, the Manhattan U.S. attorney might be better known as the hottest ticket in town when it comes to law-school commencement speakers.
Berlin Rosen Worked for the AG Other Consultants for the DAs
Almost the Entire Council is Infected With PACs That Advance Worked for 31 of the 51 Members, Including the Speaker
Candidates Funding By Advance's NYCLASS PAC: Yetta Krukland (Advance Client), Councilman Mark Levine (Advance Client), Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo (Advance Client)
Candidates Funding By Advance's United for the Future PAC: Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Inez Dickens (Advance Client), Corey Johnson (Berlin Rosen Client) (running against Advance client Yetta Krukland), Mark Levine (Advance Client), Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo Councilman Ydanis Rodríguez, Paul Vallone (Mercury Client), Rosie Mendez, Councilman Andrew King, Councilman James Vacca (Red Horse Client), Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson (Red Horse Client), Councilwoman Annabel Palma (Red Horse Client), Councilman Costa Constantinides, Mark Weprin (Hudson TG), Councilman Daneek Miller (Red Horse Client), Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (Hudson TG), Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (Berlin Rosen Client), Councilman Richard Donovan (Berlin Rosen Client), Councilman Eric Ulrich, Councilman Antonio Reynoso (Red Horse Client), Councilman Brad Lander, Councilman Mathieu Eugene (Advance Client), Councilwoman Inez Barron, Councilman Jumaane Williams, Councilman Alan Maisel (Brandford), Councilman Mark Treyger (Hudson TG), Councilwoman Debra Rose (Brandford), Councilman Steven Matteo, Councilman Robert Jackson (Boro President Candidate), Councilman Vincent Ignizio
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