The WFP and Berlin Rosen Has Played Fast and Lose With the Election Law, Data and Field Arrests #801

More de Blasio Corrupt Entanglement: The Conflict of Interests Board Ruling on Rose Data and Field Investigation Same WFP Corrupt D and F That Elected the Mayor as the Public Advocate in 2009

De Blasio’s legal defense fund mystery (NYP Ed) Even after his sitdown Friday with prosecutors from the office of US Attorney Preet Bharara, Mayor de Blasio still hasn’t explained just how he’ll pay the lawyers representing him in multiple corruption probes.  That is, whether his legal defense fund — which will cover his costs from investigations into the possible sale of City Hall favors to his donors — will take money from people doing business with the city.   Well, why not? His white-shoe law firm — which has yet to receive a penny from him despite nearly a year’s worth of legal work, essentially extending him a line of credit — itself lobbies city agencies on behalf of clients with business before the city.  Fact is, the mayor says he and his lawyers just haven’t decided how to set up his defense fund, so he’s not ruling anything out.  And while he pledges that he will “set a clear standard that is fair and avoids a conflict,” he won’t commit to getting a ruling from the Conflicts of Interest Board.  No surprise there: Back in 2009, when Councilwoman Debi Rose’s campaign was under investigation, she set up a legal defense fund and submitted it for COIB clearance.   According to Politico,

The COIB’s unpublished ruling said she needed to operate under the same restrictions as an election campaign.   In de Blasio’s case, that would mean a maximum gift of $4,950 per person — but only $400 from anyone doing city business.

And he’d have to publicly disclose the names of all donors.  Which may not be quite what the mayor had in mind. So city Comptroller Scott Stringer and good-government groups like NYPIRG are right when they say the mayor should get a ruling from the Conflicts of Interest Board.  That would be true in general, but it’s particularly called for now, given the focus of these investigations. Because the less Mayor de Blasio discloses, the more you have to wonder just what he has to hide.

De Blasio aide Emma Wolfe eyed in party-favor probe - NY Daily News 2014

Prosecutor investigating Working Families Party sought interview with de Blasioaide Emma Wolfe A special prosecutor investigating the Working Families Party’s relationship with get-out-the-vote corporation Data& Field Services wants to interview Emma Wolfe, an aide to Mayor Bill de Blasio, The Wall Street Journal reports:  Since 2012, the prosecutor, Roger Bennett Adler, has been investigating theWorking Families Party's relationship with Data & Field Services, a corporation formed by the left-leaning party to provide its candidates with get-out-the-vote staffing and expertise. Investigators are looking at whether the for-profit firm charged significantly lower fees than is typical for such service, potentially providing an unfair advantage to favored candidates.

The WFP and Berlin Rosen Has Played Fast and Lose With the Election Law, Data and Field Arrests

The Media Cover Up of Citizens United

Sugar Fix: Berlin Rosen an Unregistered Real Estate Lobbyists

NY1 Berlin Rosen and the Wiseguys Lobbyists

Berlin Rosen and de Blasio One NY PAC Slush Fund 

Moreland Investigation Ends, Media Cover-Up 

de Blasio One NY PAC Slush Fund, Berlin Rosen, Bill Hyers, Red Horse

Lobbyists Berlin Rosen Takes Over NYC Government

CM Rose Who Got Away With WFP's Data and Fields is Not Reaping Campaign $$$ From A Non Profit She Funds With $500,000 Discretionary Funds

Staten Island nonprofit donated to campaign of city pol who steered $1 million into the group (NYDN) For years, Central Family Life Center ran modest senior and youth programs out of a blue-gray cement block building on Staten Island subsidized by modest amounts of taxpayer dollars.  Then in fiscal year 2014 they hit the government-funded jackpot: a $500,000-a-year contract sponsored by City Councilwoman Debi Rose to run an anti-gun violence program. By last year, they’d taken in $1 million for this project. The Democratic pol, records obtained by the Daily News show, appears to have gotten something in return.  In the last two years, Central Family board members and staff have written dozens of checks for her campaigns, while the group’s leadership has promoted two fund-raisers for her, including one held at a board member’s place of business.  The group’s promotion of Rose’s fund-raisers raises issues about whether the taxpayer money she steered into the group wound up helping her campaign.  Council rules state that these funds “may only be allocated for a public purpose and may not support political activities (including but not limited to lobbying, campaigns or endorsements) and/or private interests."  Campaign finance records show that since 2009, the group’s executive director, Demetrius Carolina, six of 12 board members and at least three staffers have written Rose 33 checks that total $2,835.  Carolina and board member Shawn Stradford have also promoted two recent campaign fund-raisers to raise thousands more for her.  An Oct. 27 political fund-raiser for Rose was plugged on Central Family’s Facebook page and on an electronic invite site created by Stradford.  The event — listed as “I’m with Debi! Re-election Fundraiser for Councilwoman Rose” — was held at Stradford’s funeral home on Castleton Ave. in Staten Island.  Unlike typical city programs, projects funded by council discretionary funds don’t require competitive bidding or any other protocol aimed at protecting the taxpayer’s investment.  Instead, council members simply pick recipients and designate them to receive funds. In 2014, Rose picked Central Family for the first of two $500,000 grants to run the anti-run violence program on Staten Island.

Berlin Rosen and de Blasio Know Their Way Around the Election Law

Berlin Rosen Work In the Campaign Where Campaign Workers Have Just Been Arrested for Trying to Defraud the CFB Matching Fund Program

In 2009 Berlin Rosen was paid $125,000 to manage council candidate Debi Rose.  Rose's Campaign treasurer and political consultant were both indicted along with a WFP operative.  The campaign workers were arrested for lying to the CFB about undervaluing work done by a for profit company Data and Fields Services created by the Working Families Party.  The SI DA's Special Prosecutor said the Rose campaign got got "sweetheart deals on campaign services from Data and Field and NY Citizen Services. 

Berlin Rosen Ran All the Campaigns in 2009 That Received Funding from the WFP's Data and Field

Mayor de Blasio's 2009 campaign for public advocate campaign paid WFP's Data and Field $225,000 and Berlin Rosen $6,000.  Councilman Lander's campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and paid Berlin Rosen $85,000.  Speaker Mark-Viverito's campaign paid Data and Field $1000 and Berlin Rosen $75,000.  Councilman Dromm's campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and Berlin Rosen $20,000. Councilman Van Bramer's campaign  paid Data and Field $35,000 and Berlin Rosen $80,000.  Councilman Williams' campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and Berlin Rosen $125,000. Securing the WFP nomination comes with important perks. The candidates that Berlin Rosen worked for in 2009 received $466,000 from Data and Field.   Perhaps chief among them is a formidable ground game, courtesy of the party’s political-consulting arm, Data and Field Services (DFS), created in 2007. DFS works only for candidates whom the WFP endorses. The two entities are supposed to be legally separate to comply with election and campaign-finance laws, but they share office space on the third floor of the building at 2-4 Nevins Street in Brooklyn.   In 2013 Berlin Rosen work with the Advance Group for two council candidates Mark Levine and Laurie Cumbo fined for receiving mailings controlled by the NYCLASS PAC under investigation controlled by the Advance Group. Berlin Rosen's candidate Corey Johnson also received funding from another PAC the Advance Group was working for the UFT's United for the Future PAC.  The Advance PAC funded Johnson despite the fact that Advance Was working for his opponent Yetta Krukland.

Most of the Charges Against the WFP Data and Field Dismissed Judge Cites Statue of limitations 

Judge tosses most charges in Debi Rose campaign financecase; cites statute of limitations (SI Advance) A justice Thursday dismissed the bulk of the criminal charges against several members of Councilwoman Debi Rose's 2009 election campaign, accused of campaign and fiscal improprieties, ruling the charges were filed after the statute of limitations had expired.  But Justice Stephen J. Rooney let stand a felony charge of offering a false instrument for filing against David Thomas, 58, of Mariners Harbor, Rose's campaign treasurer, and against the entity Debi Rose 4 City Council, deeming they had been filed within the time limit. Rooney also allowed felony counts of grand larceny and stolen-property possession to remain against David Jones, 71, of St. George, a political consultant. The judge, who dismissed 20 of the 23 counts in the indictment filed by special prosecutor Roger B. Adler, did not rule on the weight of the evidence of any of the charges dismissed or remaining. In addition, Rooney tossed all charges against Rachel Goodman, who, Ms. Rose said, worked for Data and Field Services, the Working Families Party's in-house consulting firm. Those charges were also filed after the statute of limitations had expired – two years for misdemeanors and five years for felonies – said the judge. Charges against Data and Field Services also were dismissed.

NYP Tries to Extend Wolfe's Girl Pal Story Into the Second Day Ignores Data and Field Corruption

Saturday Update De Blasio gave aide’s gal pal added duties, raising concern (NYP) Just two weeks after hiring Stephanie Yazgi as his national ­coordinator on immigration reform, Mayor de Blasio expanded her duties to include one of his pet issues — inequality. “She may also be asked from time to time to support coordination of national efforts on inequality more broadly,” Lin wrote. “She was recently asked to provide assistance and advice on coordinating the mayoral coalition in support of national transportation issues,” Lin wrote, referring to Cities United for Immigration Action.  In another bit of convenient timing, Yazgi did not have to file a ­financial-disclosure form this year because she was hired two days ­after the filing deadline. Critics said it was more evidence that Yazgi’s position was created to boost de Blasio’s national profile as a progressive — with taxpayers picking up the bill. “It shows how much of a tin ear this mayor has,” said GOP strategist Jessica Proud, who was a spokeswoman for ex-MTA boss Joe Lhota’s 2013 mayoral campaign.

Democrats blast de Blasio’s ‘unethical’ hire of aide’s gal pal (NYP) Fellow Democrats yesterday slammed Mayor de Blasio’s decision to create a $150,000 job to promote his immigration agenda nationwide — a post handed toStephanie Yazgi, his aide’s girlfriend. “It does raise questions when you don’t advertise the position and you’re hiring the partner or relative of someone in your administration,” state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens) said of Yazgi, 38, becoming the national campaign director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. Republican Assemblyman Joe Borelli of Staten Island called the situation “alarming.” Bill de Blasio’s rancid $150,000 hire (NYP Ed) Formally, Yazgi is the “campaign director” at the mayor’s Office of Immigration Affairs. Yet the job description says the work is about “overseeing the mayor’s national organizing effort on immigration, specifically the Cities for Action on Immigration coalition.” That’s not even lobbying — it’s schmoozing for de Blasio’s national political efforts, far removed from city business. And Yazgi’s experience is in just such political work, particularly union-oriented. Then, too, City Hall admits it originally meant to use private donations to fund the position, but opted to bill the taxpayers when the expected grant met “delays.” Sorry: No immigration bill has had a chance of passing Congress for at least a year. Anyway, what’s the point of hiring a progressive labor-union specialist to lobby a Republican-run Congress? The last time City Hall got so deep into doubletalk, it was defending the employment of Rachel Noerdlinger, who was billed as the first lady’s chief of staff but in fact was Al Sharpton’s eyes-and-ears on Team de Blasio. It took weeks of Post exposés of multiple Noerdlinger scandals to finally prompt her ouster. Is Stephanie Yazgi going to be déjà vu all over again? * The Post calls the hiring of Stephanie Yazgi, who has personal ties to a top de Blasio advisors, “rancid” and compares her hiring to Rachel Noerdlinger, an ally of Al Sharpton who eventually was forced to step down: 

Job for Wolfe Girl Pal What About Wolfe's Data and Field Campaign Corruption?

Gal pal of top de Blasio aide hired for cushy $150K-a-year gig (NYP) Mayor de Blasio created a $150,000-a-year job to boost his national immigration agenda — and then the cushy position was handed to the live-in girlfriend of one of his most trusted aides, The Post has learned. Stephanie Yazgi, 38, the longtime partner of senior mayoral aide Emma Wolfe, 35, was hired in May for the unadvertised position of “campaign director” in the mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “That’s just a made-up position,” said one Democratic insider. “It makes no sense. They create a position for her for $150,000 that’s a redundancy.” As the Council Raises $$$ to Defend Those Indicted in A Conspiracy to Rip Off the City's Public Funding System the Media Continues to Cover-Up 

Council Watch: Emma Wolfe Despite Being Given Immunity from Prosecution Refused to Talk to the Special Prosecutor 

If the case is so vaporous, then why did top Bill de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe refuse to talk to the special prosecutor about her role managing the WFP’s campaign machine?  She was given immunity from prosecution, so she isn’t protecting herself. (CouncilWatch) Well to listen to Donovan Richards and Laurie Cumbo, we can’t trust the process because it is corroded with racism.  Cumbo, just one year on from her impassioned justification of anti-Jewish violence in Crown Heights, now claims that the investigations into Debi Rose’s campaign treasurer “have racial motivations.”  Earlier that same day, Cumbo held a press conference to expound her thesis that Rachel Noerdlinger, Chirlane McCray, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Letitia James have all been victims of a conspiracy, a “growing, growing attack particularly on women of color.”  Who is behind this conspiracy?  Unnamed forces of reaction, one presumes.* Investigator wants to speak with Mayor de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe in Working Families Party probe(NYDN) * NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio created a $150,000-a-year job to boost his national immigration agenda, and then gave the post to the live-in girlfriend of one of his most trusted aides, Emma Wolfe.

Mayor's Top Aide Emma Wolfe Continues to Stonewall Data and Field Investigators 

Two Charged in Campaign Finance Case(WSJ) De Blasio Aide Backs Out of Speaking With Special Prosecutor. Emma Wolfe, director of intergovernmental affairs in the de Blasio administration, was tentatively scheduled to speak with the special prosecutor on the case, Robert Bennet Adler, next week, the person said.  Emma Wolfe, director of intergovernmental affairs in the de Blasio administration, was tentatively scheduled to speak with the special prosecutor on the case, Robert Bennet Adler, next week, the person said. But in recent days, Ms. Wolfe’s attorney informed Mr. Adler’s office that she wouldn’t voluntarily speak with the prosecutor, the person said. The session was to be part of an agreement in which Ms. Wolfe would speak to the special prosecutor with the assurance that the information couldn’t be used against her, the person said. 

Ms. Wolfe declined to comment through a representative. In an interview, Mr. Adler accused the defendants in the case of “gaming” the city’s campaign-finance system in which small political donations from private individuals are matched with public funds. Ms. Wolfe, who hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing, isn’t the only member of the de Blasio administration connected to the case. Camille Rivera, a deputy commissioner in the city’s Department of Homeless Services, provided information as part of the investigation, the person familiar with the matter said. An attorney for Ms. Rivera declined to comment. Mr. Adler declined to discuss Ms. Wolfe’s and Ms. Rivera’s role in the investigation, but he did say the probe didn’t involve any alleged impropriety related to Ms. Wolfe’s or Ms. Rivera’s work since they joined the de Blasio administration this year. Ms. Wolfe was a key player in Mr. de Blasio’s 2009 campaign for public advocate and served as his chief of staff when he was in that position. She previously worked as an organizing and field director for the Working Families Party. Ms. Rivera, a longtime labor operative of Mr. de Blasio, previously worked for UnitedNY, an advocacy group.


 How the WFP Stopped the Special Prosecutor

 The Working Families Party is trying to stop an investigation of a city council election launched by Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan, the prosecutor's ex parte application to be relieved of the case, and a judge's decision to grant the motion and appoint a special prosecutor without revealing why. Working Families Party v. Fisher, 59, centers on a probe Donovan launched into a 2009 City Council campaign and apparently involves the party's use of a not-for-profit arm to promote liberal Democrats. The WFP has challenged Donovan's authority to recuse himself and Fisher's authority to relieve the district attorney without "a showing of actual prejudice based on a demonstrated conflict of interest," as mandated by County Law §701. The Appellate Division, Second Department, last August rejected the party's petition and affirmed the appointment of Adler. It held that a writ of prohibition is suitable to challenge the appointment of a special district attorney only if the special D.A. is performing a quasi-judicial function, as opposed to conducting an investigation. In another case in the past WFP lawyer Avi Schick has been trying to quash subpoenas from a special prosecutor that involve a 2009 council race on Staten Island. * Boot special prosecutor in S.I. election probe, Working Families Party tells court(SI Advance)

In Spite of Growing Dissatisfaction With the Mayor the Media Refuses to Look A the Corruption Campaign System That Got His Team to City Hall 
Media Continues the Cover-Up As Many of Those Who Benefited From Data and Field WFP Corruption Raise $$$ for Legal Costs for Those Indicted for Data and Field Corruption

A large group of New York City Council members are holding a fundraiser on Thursday to help pay legal costs associated with the prosecution into Councilwoman Debi Rose's 2009 campaign, the Staten IslandAdvance reports:  * Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan/Bronx) will host the fundraiser at Barleycorn, a bar less than a block from City Hall, between 5 and 7 p.m., according to a flier for the event. Money raised during the event will be used to offset legal fees associated with representing Rose's 2009 campaign committee. "Debi Rose 4 City Council 2009" was accused of campaign and fiscal improprieties alongside three people who worked on the bid. All three members of the campaign pleaded not guilty through their lawyers in March, as did the attorney for "Debi Rose 4 City Council 2009."  Rose was not charged herself, but the fundraiser will help her indirectly, according to Robert Olivari, a policy and political adviser for the councilwoman. Last November, a group of Council members decried the charges of campaign finance fraud in connection with Rose's campaign. They suggested that the special prosecutor appointed in the case, Roger Adler, was targeting Rose. 

Mark-Vierito 2009 Campaign Was Run By Debi Rose's Campaign Manager Berlin Rosen

In a statement, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Vvierito also defended Rose. “The U.S Attorney looked into the matter years ago and found no wrongdoing and we expect the proceedings to move forward in a fair, just and non-political way. We will be monitoring developments closely,” Mark-Viverito said.

The WFP and Berlin Rosen Has Played Fast and Lose With the Election Law, Data and Field Arrests

The Media Cover Up of Citizens United

Sugar Fix: Berlin Rosen an Unregistered Real Estate Lobbyists

NY1 Berlin Rosen and the Wiseguys Lobbyists

Berlin Rosen and de Blasio One NY PAC Slush Fund 

Who Will Guard the Guards Themselves?

Berlin Rosen Worked for the AG, DAs, PAC Other Consultant Lobbyists the Same

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.

Who Watchers the Watchman, Lobbyists, Grand Jury, AG - DAsConflict of Interests With NYPD and Elected Officials

Progressives Inc. Only Opposes Tax Breaks for Education Not Developers

Enemies of the education tax credit bash the rich — but slam the poor (NYP Ed) New Yorkers back Gov. Cuomo’s plan to help kids go to private and parochial schools — which is probably why the idea’s foes keep telling ever-fatter fibs. Thursday’s Quinnipiac poll shows that voters statewide favor Cuomo’s proposed tax credits for non-public education by two to one — rising to three-to-one in the city. They also endorse its support for giving to scholarship funds. A Siena poll shows that poorer folks and minorities back the plan most.  Hmm. Cuomo would let public-school teachers get back up to $200 for money they shell out for classrooms. Are they the “rich”?  None of these facts stop city teachers-union boss Michael Mulgrew from painting Cuomo as a reverse Robin Hood who “will do or say anything for his hedge-fund buddies.” Or the statewide union’s Carl Korn from claiming the credits would “siphon off taxpayer money for tax giveaways to the rich.”* As Albany debates whether to authorize more charter schools, parents in central Brooklynare flooding their neighborhood charters with admissions applications. A new study found 40 percent of all kindergarten-eligible kids in eight public-school districts in the heart of the borough tried to get into a charter this coming September.* In Video, Dolan Makes Appeal For Education Tax Credit (YNN)

"Defining Deviancy Down”  Today the Media Protects the Corrupt Political Bosses and the Lobbyists Who Work With Them

The NYT Columnist Jim Dwyer Attacked the  WFP's Data and Field Prosecutor After the Arrest in 2014 and Again this Week

The Media Has Not Followed Up The Advance Groups' NYCLASS Corruption Investigation and Its Illegal Involvement In the Council Speakers Race

For One Staten Island Campaign, a Special Prosecutor Instead of an Auditor(NYT) So, it is now five years since the election, and criminal charges are being brought over expenditures and filings that are routinely corrected or penalized through audits by the Campaign Finance Board. More than 40,000 similar claims made last year were denied by the board, and no one got arrested. They just were told, “No.” The Reporter for the NYT Jim Dwyer not only did not google Councilman Sheldon Leffler was convicted  in campaign fraud scheme in his race for Queens BP in 2003. Dwyer must have missed  District Leaders Albert Baldeo indictment by the U.S. Attorney for scheming to use fake names to obtain matching funds from the CFB.  Was Dwyer around in 2013 when federal prosecutors conviction Jia Hou, a former Liu campaign treasurer, and Xing Wu Pan, a fund-raiser, who used straw donors to scam the CFB.  Willy Rapfogel is sitting in jail for a scheme that used his non profit funding to scam the CFB matching funds system? * 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)

Data & Field Services was a corporation set up explicitly to accomplish the goal of dancing around campaign finance laws with WFP

A Secret Indictment Over Errors That Have Rarely BeenCrimes (NYT)  For all parties, this is a matter that could have been an episode of “The Twilight Zone,” full of weirdness: what appears to be a first-of-its-kind case brought over errors that happen in many, many campaigns across the city. Normally, these errors are caught by the Campaign Finance Board, which audits political spending. 

The Media and Prosecutors Have Been Ignoring Corruption of New York's Election System for Years

The paperwork is then refiled with the proper information. The very issues raised as crimes by Mr. Adler are “routinely addressed through the conduct of our regular post election audits,” Eric Friedman, a spokesman for the board, said in November when the first set of charges was filed. There is something freakish about the existence of a special prosecutor, bringing criminal charges over one campaign whose mistakes — if any — were more or less the same as those of other campaigns. Mr. Adler did not return a message left with his office on Thursday.CITY HALL SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT (City Hall 2009) * The NYC Working Families Party Scam UPDATED (Daily Kos)

Elected Officials Who Received Help From Data and Fields Attack Adler's Investigation

Council members defend Rose against ‘witch hunt’(Capital) Gathered in the City Hall rotunda to avoid the rain, a dozen Council members defended the Staten Island Democrat and her campaign staff, saying allegations stemming from an investigation into her 2009 campaign were baseless, political and racially motivated. During the 2009 Campaign Before WFP Took Over the City the Following Was Reported About Data and Fields Operation: No Charges Against Working Families Party - NYTimes.com * Settlement Reached in Suit Against Working Families Party (NYT) * Working Families Party = ACORN - Roger Stone: The Stone Zone ... * The Working Families Party Campaign Web | Observer * WFP candidates warned on Data and Field Services firm ...(NYDN) * Working Families Party Hits Back At NY Post Attack: Gothamist * ACORN, the Working Families Party and Political Corruption ... * Anti-WFP Suit Charges Debi Rose Didn't Pay Enough for ... (Village Voice)* WHY IS THE WFP ATTACKING A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR IN THE DATAAND FIELD SERVICES CASE? (City and State)

Today the Media Protect the Corrupt Political Bosses, Ignoring the Unfair Advantage Data and Field Gave Candidates in 2009, or PACs in 2013

The WFP Has Played Fast and Lose With the Election Law, Data and FieldArrests

The NYT, NYP and Daily News Did Not Report On Charges In Rose, WFP's Data and Field Case Yesterday

Debi Rose contends political motivation for criminal charges against campaign workers; a 'threat'to public participation in elections (SI Advance)These charges are trumped-up charges," said Samuel Gregory, the attorney for David Thomas, 57, of Mariners Harbor, after the three defendants were arraigned in state Supreme Court, St. George, on a variety of charges. "It's a political witch hunt. This would be laughable if it didn't involve decent people." Thomas, Ms. Rose's campaign treasurer, was arraigned along with David Jones, 71, of St. George, a political consultant, and Rachel Goodman, 34, Ms. Rose's campaign manager. Ms. Goodman is chief of staff for Democratic Brooklyn Councilman Brad Lander. "Rachel Goodman is flat-out innocent," Ms. Goodman's lawyer, Charles A. Ross said outside court. "This is an episode of the Twilight Zone, ... (but) we will work tirelessly and the last laugh will be ours." The defendants pleaded not guilty through their lawyers, as did the attorney for Debi Rose 4 City Council 2009, an entity which has also been indicted. A representative did not appear for Data and Field Services Inc., the Working Families Party's in-house consulting firm, which has also been indicted. "These are my friends who never did anything wrong in their life," Ms. Rose said moments before the proceeding began. "For this to be the outcome is inexcusable. This is malicious, political and, I believe, it's racial.  Outside the court, Special Prosecutor Adler said the indictment "is about playing by the rules" and denied any political motivation. * Working Families Party leaders protested outside of a Staten Island courthouse after the announcement of indictments: (NY1) @JumaaneWilliams blasts investigation of WFP 2009 Debi Rose campaigns. @NYCProgressives furious that anyone could doubt their probity. * Campaign finance flawed? Good gov't group questions indictment of ... Brooklyn Paper Goo Goos Against Going After Campaign Corruption YES Campaign finance flawed? Good gov’t group questionsindictment of Slope pol’s aide (Brooklyn Paper) * Justice, Staten-Island style: Officials hiss at prosecutorover indictment of Slope pol’s aide (Brooklyn Paper)
Who Wrote the CFB Affidavits for Rose's Treasurer
Rose Treasurer Claims Others Wrote CFB Affidavits For Him (2009 City and State)


After Two Years the NYT Has Reported on the Effect of Citizen United on Local Politics 

But the NYT Still Has Not Reported On How Citizens United Effected the 2013 Election for Mayor, Council Speaker and Council

Dark Money, Blurred Principles  (NYT Ed) Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to play the big-money, outside-influence game in a city with an exemplary campaign-finance law is disheartening.  Beware the politician who professes a devotion to goodness and idealism, and working for “the people” while quietly taking unlimited sums of cash from big donors, supposedly because these benefactors love the values he fights for and not the access and influence that buckets of money can buy. The warning applies across America’s political landscape, post-Citizens United. But, in this instance, it applies specifically to Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York because of a report in The Times on Tuesday that was — pick your adjective, depending on how generous you feel — disturbing, disheartening, discouraging, irritating or infuriating. he article found that Mr. de Blasio and his fund-raising team have quietly asked “donors in the mayor’s inner circle” to give large sums to the Campaign for One New York, a tax-exempt lobbying group known as a 501(c)(4).

NYT Has Not Reported On How A Small Group of Political Consultants Used Citizens United to Fix the 2013 Election

Such groups are free of federal donation limits and stringent reporting requirements because they supposedly promote “the social welfare,” not particular candidates or campaigns. The article said this group’s “social welfare” purpose was buying advertising and using social media to promote top mayoral priorities like affordable housing and greater state financing for public schools. Let’s not be naïve. The way to a politician’s heart is through his nonprofit social-welfare group, a convenient way for outside interests to avoid campaign-spending limits and public disclosure. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Committee to Save New York is another example: for a time the biggest lobbying spender in Albany, fueled by millions from secret donors in business, real estate and gambling who were eager to promote the parts of Mr. Cuomo’s agenda that included things like casino gambling and cutting taxes. Mr. de Blasio likes to present himself as a pure-hearted progressive committed to good-government ideals. In 2013, when he was public advocate, he published a report warning of the threat of 501(c)(4) organizations “to dramatically undermine the democratic process.” He was right, back then. The fund’s defense is that it needs big money to make the mayor’s voice heard, and it isgoing beyond what the law requires in disclosing all its donors and spending twice a year. That is insufficient justification for Mr. de Blasio’s decision to play the big-money, outside-influence game in a city with an exemplary campaign-finance law. It is all too easy to imagine future mayors or other officeholders who will only have to point to Mr. de Blasio’s bad example, and say: I needed the money.

Why is the Media Cover-Up the NYCLASS Investigation? OtherCitizens United PACs, Mayor One NY PAC

Organized Crime Politics: IE PACs

8 Lobbyists Consultants and Citizen United

Campaign Reform and Media Cover Up of Citizens United OnLocal 2013 Election

How the Advance Group Conspired to Steal the 2009 and 2013Election

Corrupt lobbyist: Arzt, Mercury, Advance Group, BerlinRosen, Parkside, Schlein. Kasirer, Bolton-St. Johns, D'Amato, Sheinkopf

Lobbyists BerlinRosen Takes Over NYC Government

Prosecutors Have Convicted 4 Scammers of the CFB Are Called Witch Hunters by Councilmembers Who Have A Lot to Hide

Council members defend Rose against ‘witch hunt’(Capital) Gathered in the City Hall rotunda to avoid the rain, a dozen Council members defended the Staten Island Democrat and her campaign staff, saying allegations stemming from an investigation into her 2009 campaign were baseless, political and racially motivated. “These charges are without merit. The only thing we could be charged with is electing a champion for working class and middle class people on Staten Island. We're pretty sure that that's not a crime," Bill Lipton, the W.F.P.'s New York state director, said in a statement.   Rose’s colleagues, who repeatedly described her as “sweet, nice and moral” said Adler is simply trying to make a name for himself by prosecuting the case even though the investigation has already been dismissed by the U.S. Attorney. Thomas and Jones are expected to be arraigned today.* Two WFP workersare facing charges in a campaign finance probe that many council members arecalling a witch-hunt. 

Wednesday Update NYP Pro Court Case NYT Against 

The Working-a-Scam Party(NYP Ed)In this Staten Island courtroom, two operatives from the WFP-endorsed 2009 campaign of Debi Rose were charged with grand larceny. The city councilwoman was herself deemed an unindicted co-conspirator by Special Prosecutor Roger Adler. WFP supporters jeered the charges and called the accusations a “witch hunt.” The same phrase was used at a City Hall press conference by more than a dozen of Rose’s fellow council members.Truth is, far from a “witch-hunt,” this indictment is the result of a probe that began with a Post exposé into how the WFP’s for-profit arm, Data and Field Services, did an end-run around campaign-finance law by giving sweetheart discounts to WFP-endorsed candidates such as Rose. In the progressive canon, there are few causes more sacred than New York City’s limits on campaign spending, which liberals want to impose statewide. So you might think a criminal conspiracy to get around those laws would come in for particular denunciation. But at the WFP we see the latest expression of the new progressive code in New York: Rules are for other people. * For One Staten Island Campaign, a Special Prosecutor Instead of anAuditor  (NYT) So, it is now five years since the election, and criminal charges are being brought over expenditures and filings that are routinely corrected or penalized through audits by the Campaign Finance Board.  The case would be sublimely weird even without the participation of the special prosecutor, Roger Bennet Adler, a past president of the Brooklyn Bar Association. A judge found that in an earlier stint as a special prosecutor, in a different election law case, Mr. Adler had brought in slanted witnesses and permitted hearsay only when it hurt the defendant. He also, the judge ruled, tried to use a witness’s silence against him.

Council Watch: Emma Wolfe Despite Being Given Immunity from Prosecution Refused to Talk to the Special Prosecutor 

If the case is so vaporous, then why did top Bill de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe refuse to talk to the special prosecutor about her role managing the WFP’s campaign machine?  She was given immunity from prosecution, so she isn’t protecting herself. (CouncilWatch)* Well to listen to Donovan Richards and Laurie Cumbo, we can’t trust the process because it is corroded with racism.  Cumbo, just one year on from her impassioned justification of anti-Jewish violence in Crown Heights, now claims that the investigations into Debi Rose’s campaign treasurer “have racial motivations.”  Earlier that same day, Cumbo held a press conference to expound her thesis that Rachel Noerdlinger, Chirlane McCray, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Letitia James have all been victims of a conspiracy, a “growing, growing attack particularly on women of color.”  Who is behind this conspiracy?  Unnamed forces of reaction, one presumes.

Levine: A simple case of campaign finance accounting, nothing more that this case should be handled exclusively by the campaign finance board

At City Hall, Councilman Mark Levine of Manhattan, criticized Adler for getting in the way of what he said should be an audit done by the C.F.B. “What we’re talking about here is not a case of public corruption," Levine said. "This is not a case of someone even being accused of taking bribes or enriching themselves or enriching their friends and families. We’re talking about a simple case of campaign finance accounting, nothing more than this, and it is absurd we believe that this case is not being handled exclusively by the campaign finance board.”* 2 City Council members fined thousands for acceptingimproper campaign funds from anti-carriage horse group NYCLASS (NYDN) The Campaign Finance Board slapped Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo and Councilman Mark Levine with fines of $7,868 and $8,868, respectively. Levenson is being probed by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, US Attorney Preet Bharara and the city Department of Investigation over potential misconduct in last year’s mayoral race.

The Leffler CFB Campaign Fraud Case When to Court 

CM Leffler Guilty of Campaign Fraud Scheme With the CFB

Sheldon Leffler, Former Councilman, Is Convicted in CampaignFraud Scheme(NYT) Sheldon S. Leffler, the former city councilman who represented Queens for nearly a quarter-century, was found guilty yesterday of scheming to defraud the government in his unsuccessful run for borough president two years ago.

Councilman Brad Lander, of Brooklyn, called the probe a “prosecutorial overreach” and said he faced a similar investigation. The difference, he said, was that his campaign was allowed to go through the normal C.F.B. audit process and Rose’s was not.“In my case, the New York City Campaign Finance Board was able to conduct its audit, and it was a thorough audit,” Lander said. “Unfortunately, the Debi Rose campaign has not been given the Campaign Finance Board audit it’s entitled to because, despite the fact that the U.S. Attorney closed the investigation without charges, despite the fact that all of the other Data & Field Services campaigns had their audits completed with no referrals for prosecution, despite that—she is subject to, her campaign is subject to this overreach by this special prosecutor on Staten Island.”

Progs Froth over Rose/WFP; Corey Johnson Loses Plot/Mind(Council Watch)Now it has been common knowledge since 2009, among anyone who was paying attention to city politics and the WFP, that there were irregularities in Debi Rose’s first Council campaigns.  Local North Shore ACORN operatives got involved in a way that didn’t happen in other WFP races, and eyebrows were raised. Maybe it all falls into a gray area, but for Brad Lander and the rest of his crew to pretend that investigation of Debi Rose has come out of nowhere and is purely malevolent or a politicized fishing expedition, is absurd.  

Will JCOPE Expose Berlin Rosen

A growing class of New York political consultants who enjoy close ties to elected officials but don’t register as lobbyists may well have to start doing so, in light of a proposed guidance issued by JCOPE. * The state Joint Commission on Public Ethics said consultants who take actions related to lobbying efforts must register as lobbyists, even if they do not directly ask officials to take action on bills,the Times Union reports:  * ALBANY’S TOP 10LOBBYISTS: City & State features the top 10 lobbying firms in Albany in 2014, including a summary of each and an introduction to their key players in Albany: * Queens state Sen. Tony Avella, who has been pushing a bill to require more disclosure by political consultants, is praising new guidelines from the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, the Times Union reports

Has de Blasio Ever Met A Development Deal He Did Not Like? In a policy win for de Blasio, the NYC Council approved a rezoning for a five-block stretch of east Midtown, allowing SL Green Realty Corp. to build an enormous skyscraper near Grand Central Terminal and setting the stage for much bigger changes. More here. * The New York City Council approved SL Green Realty’s plans to build a 63-story office tower near Grand Central Terminal in exchange for making $220 million in transit upgrades, The New York Times reports:  In de Blasio's NYC Building In Parks  The Brooklyn Bridge Corporation settled a lawsuit brought by a group alleging it improperly modified plans to include affordable housing in two towers and has agreed to amend its application, The New York Times reports:

Sugar Fix: Berlin Rosen an Unregistered Real Estate Lobbyists

Berlin Rosen and de Blasio One NY PAC Slush Fund 
NY1 Berlin Rosen and the Wiseguys Lobbyists
The WFP and Berlin Rosen Has Played Fast and Lose With the Election Law, Data and Field Arrests
Lobbyists Berlin Rosen Takes Over NYC Government

Moreland Investigation Ends, Media Cover-Up 

Furthermore, how do Brad Lander and the rest of the WFP know that there is nothing to see here?  Isn’t that what investigations and prosecutions are for?  Note that whenever a Democratic politician is arrested and indicted (cf. Ruben Wills), his or her colleagues withhold judgment and say that they want to let the process play out.  So why don’t they trust the process in the case of Debi Rose? (CouncilWatch)

Liu's Campaign 25 Year Old Treasure is In Jail for A CFB Scheme 

Two Former Liu Associates Are Found Guilty inCampaign-Finance Scheme (NYT) Prosecutors had charged that the defendants, Jia Hou, a former Liu campaign treasurer, and Xing Wu Pan, a fund-raiser, relied on so-called straw donors — people whose contributions are reimbursed by others — to raise money and use some of it to obtain city matching funds. Mr. Pan was found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and attempted wire fraud in relation to a straw-donor scheme. Ms. Hou, 26, was acquitted of conspiracy, but was convicted for her role in a straw-donor scheme. She was also found guilty of lying to federal agents and obstruction of justice. Most of the counts carry 20-year maximum terms, although the defendants seem likely to receive much less time.

Mark-Vierito 2009 Campaign Was Run By Debi Rose's Campaign Manager Berlin Rosen

In a statement, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Vvierito also defended Rose. “The U.S Attorney looked into the matter years ago and found no wrongdoing and we expect the proceedings to move forward in a fair, just and non-political way. We will be monitoring developments closely,” Mark-Viverito said.

District Leader Albert Baldeo Was Tried For A CFB Scheme  . . . Headed to Jail

Democratic Party Official in QueensFaces Corruption Charges(NYT)A Queens district leader and two-time candidate for the City Council surrendered to federal authorities on Wednesday to face corruption charges, including mail-fraud conspiracy and obstruction of justice, stemming from what prosecutors said were campaign-finance improprieties. The district leader, Albert J. Baldeo, a Democrat, was accused of using phantom donors to funnel illegal campaign contributions to his unsuccessful 2010 campaign for the Council as part of a fraudulent effort to increase the amount of matching funds he would have been eligible for from city, federal prosecutors said. But irregularities were uncovered in an audit by the New York City Campaign Finance Board, which passed the information along to the authorities, and no matching funds were ultimately provided to the campaign.

Johnson Campaign Was Run By Berlin Rosen Who Ran Debi Rose 2009 Campaign

“The joke of this whole thing is that besides going after Debi’s treasurer, and campaign manager who are local community people on Staten Island, Debi Rose was named as an unindicted co-conspirator, what does that mean? They couldn’t get her on anything because she hasn’t done anything wrong,” Councilman Corey Johnson said. “Roger Adler is a failed civil court judge who has never been a prosecutor and is trying to make a name of himself.”   

The most bizarre, even demented, comments came from Corey Johnson, who let loose against Roger Adler, the special prosecutor.  Johnson ranted, “Roger Adler is a failed civil court judge who has never been a prosecutor and is trying to make a name for himself. It is disgusting he is doing this to one of the finest elected officials we have in this body. Shame on you Roger Adler, go do something else with your life. Go after real criminals, not Debi Rose.” Roger Adler is not a “failed civil court judge”; he ran for civil court judge in a 2008 election and lost.  He has, however, been practicing law since 1971, was president of the Brooklyn Bar Association, worked in the Brooklyn D.A.’s office, and was three times appointed a special prosecutor, by Elizabeth Holtzman and Charles Hynes.  He was counsel to the NY Senate Investigations Committee, and was praised by Democratic Senator Craig Johnson as “a brilliant attorney and extremely fair minded.”Given that Roger Adler is almost 70 years old, it seems weird that Corey Johnson would accuse him of “trying to make a name for himself.”  After all, Adler has argued cases in front of the US Supreme Court, and appears to have had a full career.  Certainly he is at least as accomplished as Corey Johnson, the part-time hotel lobbyist and former “political editor for Towleroad,” whose signature professional accomplishment was advocating for a higher percentage of affordable housing at a parking lot.  That and lettering in three varsity sports in high school…well done, Sir! Does Corey Johnson understand that Roger Adler was given the job of Special District Attorney to investigate the Debi Rose case by Fern Fisher, the Chief Administrative Judge of the City Courts?  That Roger Adler is not running a Star Chamber where he can pick and choose whom to investigate? 

Rapfogel is In Jail For a Scheme to Fraudulently Increase CFB Matching Funds 

Rapfogel to Plead Guilty in Scheme to Steal Millions From Charity(NYT) Rapfogel was accused of colluding with Mr. Cohen and others to steal millions through a scheme that involved overcharging the council for insurance policies and then skimming off the margin in cash. He was also accused of manipulating the city’s matching-fund formula to fraudulently increase campaign contributions to politicians who gave government grants to his organization.

Councilmen Jumaane Williams of Brooklyn and Donovan Richards of Queens said the timing of the investigation is questionable given the controversy over the Eric Garner case on Staten Island, and accused the prosecutor of discrimination. “It’s no coincidence that this is happening around the Eric Garner trial and this thing is about to heat up these particular forces as well,” Richards said.  Donovan Richards linked the indictments to the Eric Garner case, perhaps not understanding that the current investigation has been going on for almost two years, and that the matters under investigation happened almost six years ago.  Richards noted cryptically, “we just have to watch with a keen eye, with a keen sense on what is happening and when it is happening and why it is happening.”  Indeed.

2 political operatives charged with campaign-finance crimes were cheered in court Monday

Political operatives charged with campaign-finance crimes(NYP) Two political operatives charged with campaign-finance crimes were cheered in court Monday by their Working Families Party allies. Campaign manager David Jones and treasurer David Thomas were charged with grand larceny in connection with the 2009 race of Councilwoman Debi Rose, the victorious WFP candidate, who became Staten Island’s first black lawmaker. Rose was named an unindicted co-conspirator after special prosecutor Roger Adler alleged that a subsidiary of the party, Data and Field Services, provided discounts to her campaign. Rose’s supporters packed the courtroom at Richmond County Criminal Court and called the prosecution a “witch hunt.” Engelmayer called the ex-pol’s work as a government rat “historic” when sentencing him to two years’ probation that includes 500 hours of community service.* The state Board of Elections’ four commissioners balked at granting "special investigator" status to its new independent enforcement counsel, Risa Sugarman, and three former law enforcement officers who have been hired to handle campaign finance probes, the Times Union reports:  * Criminal Complaint in Working Families Party investigation

Media Shrinks Coverage of the Data and Field Scandal Charges As "Witch Hunt". . .  NYT Nothing   

The Daily News Joins the 1692 Witch Hunt In their Coverage of the Data and Field Coverage

Council members sayCouncilwoman Debi Rose and WFP are targets of ‘political witch hunt’ (NYDN) Council members blasted a Staten Island prosecutor for bringing charges against two campaign operatives of Rose. The criminal case charges that an arm of the Working Families Party funneled services to Rose’s campaign at illegally discounted prices. City Council members angrily slammed a criminal case targeting the campaign of Councilwoman Debi Rose and the Working Families Party, calling it a “political witch hunt.” More than a dozen fellow pols came to Rose’s defense after two campaign operatives were charged by a Staten Island special prosecutor who alleges an arm of WFP funneled services to Rose’s campaign at illegally discounted prices. “There is nothing here that merits criminal prosecution,” said Councilman Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn). He stressed that the U.S. attorney probed campaigns around the city, including his own, that used the WFP-affiliated Data and Field Services, and closed the investigation without charges. But Staten Island special prosecutor Roger Adler charged operatives David Jones and David Thomas with grand larceny and election law violations. Both pleaded not guilty Monday.* Colleagues defend Councilwoman Debi Rose against 'witch hunt' Staten Island Advance * Democrats Imply Racism Is Behind Prosecution Against Councilwoman's ... New York Observer  * Council members defend Rose against 'witch hunt' Capital New York

Only the State Island Advance Covers the Arrests and the Charges

Judge releasesmembers of Councilwoman Debi Rose's 2009 campaign without bail (SI Advance) Two members of Councilwoman Debi Rose's 2009 election campaign were released on their own recognizance in Stapleton Criminal Court on Monday, eliciting applause from the many supporters who packed the courtroom. David Jones worked as a political consultant to Ms. Rose (D-North Shore) and David Thomas was the treasurer for her campaign. Both are charged with campaign finance fraud.Special prosecutor Roger Adler filed a criminal complaint last month against the two men. The complaint alleges that Jones was paid $5,000 for his services but didn't have a contract, as required by campaign finance law. Thomas is charged with working with Data and Field Services, the Working Families Party's in-house consulting firm, to provide false documentation about campaign contributions, both underreporting and overreporting campaign finances. The criminal complaint alleges that he "filed false, and inaccurate campaign finance reports" to get more money from a  Campaign Finance Board program that provides pubic funds to campaigns. Thomas also is charged with underreporting the fair market value of goods and services and "in kind" services, a violation of  New York State election laws and New York City Campaign Finance Board rules and regulations.Adler, addressing the allegation that the charges are "trumped up," said, "This is not a witch hunt. This is a serious criminal complaint charging major allegations of campaign and election law fraud in 2009." He called attention to the grand jury, saying it will decide whether to bring charges. "It's my hope that these allegations, which are currently pending in the grand jury, will result in criminal charges that will hold everyone accountable for their alleged misconduct." Asked why he presented the charges before the grand jury made its recommendation, Adler said, "There were legal issues that required us to take this step today. The complaint was filed back in October and we're here today moving forward from this point on. ... The hope is that the grand jury will speak as to what it believes ought to be done."

  More On the WFP the New Progressive Machine

Berlin Rosen and de Blasio Know Their Way Around the Election Law

Berlin Rosen Work In the Campaign Where Campaign Workers Have Just Been Arrested for Trying to Defraud the CFB Matching Fund Program

In 2009 Berlin Rosen was paid $125,000 to manage council candidate Debi Rose.  Rose's Campaign treasurer and political consultant were both indicted along with a WFP operative.  The campaign workers were arrested for lying to the CFB about undervaluing work done by a for profit company Data and Fields Services created by the Working Families Party.  The SI DA's Special Prosecutor said the Rose campaign got got "sweetheart deals on campaign services from Data and Field and NY Citizen Services. 

Berlin Rosen Ran All the Campaigns in 2009 That Received Funding from the WFP's Data and Field

Mayor de Blasio's 2009 campaign for public advocate campaign paid WFP's Data and Field $225,000 and Berlin Rosen $6,000.  Councilman Lander's campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and paid Berlin Rosen $85,000.  Speaker Mark-Viverito's campaign paid Data and Field $1000 and Berlin Rosen $75,000.  Councilman Dromm's campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and Berlin Rosen $20,000. Councilman Van Bramer's campaign  paid Data and Field $35,000 and Berlin Rosen $80,000.  Councilman Williams' campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and Berlin Rosen $125,000. Securing the WFP nomination comes with important perks. The candidates that Berlin Rosen worked for in 2009 received $466,000 from Data and Field.   Perhaps chief among them is a formidable ground game, courtesy of the party’s political-consulting arm, Data and Field Services (DFS), created in 2007. DFS works only for candidates whom the WFP endorses. The two entities are supposed to be legally separate to comply with election and campaign-finance laws, but they share office space on the third floor of the building at 2-4 Nevins Street in Brooklyn.   In 2013 Berlin Rosen work with the Advance Group for two council candidates Mark Levine and Laurie Cumbo fined for receiving mailings controlled by the NYCLASS PAC under investigation controlled by the Advance Group. Berlin Rosen's candidate Corey Johnson also received funding from another PAC the Advance Group was working for the UFT's United for the Future PAC.  The Advance PAC funded Johnson despite the fact that Advance Was working for his opponent Yetta Krukland.

Why Has Only CM Rose Taken the Fall For Doing Business With the WFP's Data & Field?

In the 1800's Thomas Nash Covered the System That Elects New Yorkers . . .  2014's Media Cover Up the Corruption of the Shadow Government That Controls Elections and Forces Voters to Boycott Elections

Councilwoman Deborah Rose 2009 campaign paid the WFP's for profit company $40,000 and the Berlin Rosen consulting firm $125,000.  The money paid to Data and Field has now resulted in criminal charges against those running her campaign for conspiring to defraud the city’s taxpayer-funded Campaign Finance Board. According to the NYP the councilwoman herself will be named as an un-indicted co-conspirator in an 18-page criminal complaint that special prosecutor.  The SI DA's Special Prosecutor said the Rose campaign got got "sweetheart deals on campaign services from Data and Field and NY Citizen Services. 

Mayor de Blasio's 2009 campaign for public advocate campaign paid WFP's Data and Field $225,000 and Berlin Rosen $6,000.  Councilman Lander's campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and paid Berlin Rosen $85,000.  Speaker Mark-Viverito's campaign paid Data and Field $1000 and Berlin Rosen $75,000.  Councilman Dromm's campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and Berlin Rosen $20,000. Councilman Van Bramer's campaign  paid Data and Field $35,000 and Berlin Rosen $80,000.  Councilman Williams' campaign paid Data and Field $55,000 and Berlin Rosen $125,000.

Mayor's Top Aide Emma Wolfe Continues to Stonewall Data and Field Investigators 

Two Charged in Campaign Finance Case(WSJ) De Blasio Aide Backs Out of Speaking With Special Prosecutor. Emma Wolfe, director of intergovernmental affairs in the de Blasio administration, was tentatively scheduled to speak with the special prosecutor on the case, Robert Bennet Adler, next week, the person said.  Emma Wolfe, director of intergovernmental affairs in the de Blasio administration, was tentatively scheduled to speak with the special prosecutor on the case, Robert Bennet Adler, next week, the person said. But in recent days, Ms. Wolfe’s attorney informed Mr. Adler’s office that she wouldn’t voluntarily speak with the prosecutor, the person said. The session was to be part of an agreement in which Ms. Wolfe would speak to the special prosecutor with the assurance that the information couldn’t be used against her, the person said. 

Ms. Wolfe declined to comment through a representative. In an interview, Mr. Adler accused the defendants in the case of “gaming” the city’s campaign-finance system in which small political donations from private individuals are matched with public funds. Ms. Wolfe, who hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing, isn’t the only member of the de Blasio administration connected to the case. Camille Rivera, a deputy commissioner in the city’s Department of Homeless Services, provided information as part of the investigation, the person familiar with the matter said. An attorney for Ms. Rivera declined to comment. Mr. Adler declined to discuss Ms. Wolfe’s and Ms. Rivera’s role in the investigation, but he did say the probe didn’t involve any alleged impropriety related to Ms. Wolfe’s or Ms. Rivera’s work since they joined the de Blasio administration this year. Ms. Wolfe was a key player in Mr. de Blasio’s 2009 campaign for public advocate and served as his chief of staff when he was in that position. She previously worked as an organizing and field director for the Working Families Party. Ms. Rivera, a longtime labor operative of Mr. de Blasio, previously worked for UnitedNY, an advocacy group.

For 2 Years True News Has Been Calling WFP A Criminal Enterprise Now Criminal Charges

Data and Field Conspiracy Indictment
Election results in criminal charges for Working Families Party(NYP) The Post has learned that a lengthy investigation into a 2009 City Council race on the island has resulted in criminal charges against two individuals and two political operations — including an arm of the left-leaning WFP. The Staten Island legislator backed by the party — Councilwoman Debi Rose — was named an un-indicted co-conspirator in an 18-page criminal complaint that special prosecutor said defrauded the city’s taxpayer-funded Campaign Finance Board. Rose supporter David Jones, and Rose treasurer Thomas were also charged with grand larceny for campaign finance shenanigans. * Councilwoman Debi Rose campaign, Working Families Partyaccused of campaign finance fraud, report says (SI Advance) Adler alleges that Ms. Rose's campaign got "sweetheart deals on services," according to the Post, and the councilwoman's campaign and its treasurer, David Thomas, lied about it in filings with the Campaign Finance Board and state Board of Elections.The complaint also alleges that the Rose campaign paid $7,200 to NY Citizen Services, a group to mask the involvement of the left-wing political ACORN group. ACORN staffer Peter Nagy worked on Ms. Rose's campaign for three months under a " sweetheart contract (that) was below market value," the complaint said. The complaint also alleges that WFP gave more than $500,000 to Data and Field Services from February 2009 to January 2010 and that Thomas, along with Data and Field Services, WFP, various unions and members of Ms. Rose's campaign worked together to file false campaign filings to the state Board of Elections and city Campaign Finance Board.  Brooklyn Councilman Brad Lander, an WFP ally, said, "The U.S. Attorney's Office looked at this four years ago and found no wrongdoing. Adler should stop tilting at windmills."

The Charges Against WFP's Data and Field That Prosecutors Charge Give An Unfair Advantage Against Their Rivals 

The criminal probe centers on whether a consulting firm set up by the Working Families Party, Data & Field Services, undercharged favored candidates for campaign services in 2009.Roger Bennett Adler, has been investigating the Working Families Party's relationship with Data & Field Services, a corporation formed by the left-leaning party to provide its candidates with get-out-the-vote staffing and expertise. Investigators are looking at whether the for-profit firm charged significantly lower fees than is typical for such service, potentially providing an unfair advantage to favored candidates. In 2009 the WFP created Data and Field as a for profit company to give them competitive advantages in campaigns. Roger Adler, which alleges that Data and Field Services, a WFP-run political consultation group, secretly providing discounted services to Rose's 2009 council campaign, which is illegal under the city's campaign finance rules, according to the Post.

Last Year True News Reported That the Media Was Covering-Up the Investigation

Three years ago, the Staten Island district attorney, Daniel M. Donovan Jr., submitted a secret application to state court requesting that it appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Working Families Party and that same Staten Island race. Two years after that, a state judge secretly appointed Roger Adler a democrat with conservative leanings as special prosecutor.* Settlement Reached in Suit Against Working Families Party (NYT 2010) * A Liberal Party Faces Inquiries Without End (NYT, 2013) 

The prosecutor, Roger Adler, accused Data and Field Services, a subsidiary of the left-leaving WFP, of secretly providing discounted services to Rose’s successful 2009 Council campaign. Such discounts aren’t allowed under the city’s campaign finance rules, where candidates are limited in what they can raise and what they can spend. The complaint said Rose’s campaign got sweetheart deals on services that included get-out-the vote operations, voter lists and the services of campaign workers. 

Two SI Prosecutors Have Worked to Indicted the Data and Fields Scam After Being Cleared By the Justice Department

Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas and examined mountains of records before shrugging and advising that they had found no whiff of wrongdoing. The New York City Campaign Finance Board, whose staff deliberates with the speed of a Bleak House barrister, has examined the finance reports of many candidates supported by the party and has found no grand violations.

The complaint charged the campaign and its treasurer, David Thomas, with lying about the scheme in filings with the CFB and state Board of Elections. “Beginning in 2009 and continuing up to the filing of this complaint, the Debi Rose Campaign provided false and misleading documentation to the CFB in an effort to both obfuscate, and conceal, `in kind’ campaign contributions, and coordinated campaign goods and services provided by various labor unions for which `fair market value’ was neither paid, or accurately reported,” the complaint said. The WFP is bank-rolled by the city’s major labor unions. Described as a “political consultant,” Jones was paid $5,000 in city matching funds after both he and his wife contributed $625 to the Rose campaign.

But the complaint said Jones had no written contract — as required by the CFB — to justify the payment.

Lawyers for the WFP Spent Years Trying to Block Charges Against the Party and Data and Field
Are WFP Case Subpoenas Legal?(YNN) A key union affiliate of the Working Families Party is questioning the legality of the latest round of subpoenas issued by a special prosecutor investigating the labor-backed organization’s 2009 campaign activities. In an Aug. 5 letter to the special prosecutor, Roger Adler, the attorney for political action committee of the Communications Workers of America noted that by sending a July 1 subpoena to the union’s political arm, Adler was “proceeding as if that were a valid grand jury subpoena.” * WFP lawyer Avi Schick has been trying to quash subpoenas from a special prosecutor that involve a 2009 council race on Staten Island

“David Jones, in turn, knowingly and criminally possessed the stolen $5,000,” the complaint said. The complaint said NY Citizen Services, paid $7,200 by the Rose campaign, was actually a front group to mask the involvement of the left-wing activist ACORN group. ACORN staffer Peter Nagy worked on the Rose campaign for three months under a “ sweetheart contract (that) was below market value,” the complaint said.

The complaint noted that the WFP pumped over $500,000 into DFS from February 2009 to January 2010.

The complaint said Thomas conspired and acted “in concert” with staffers from “DFS, WFP, various labor unions, and members of the Rose campaign to file false and inaccurate campaign filings with both the state Board of Elections, the CFB, and knowingly attempted to cover up those violations.” Adler said he hoped the case will shake up the political establishment and deter campaign corruption. “These shenanigans are sickening people. The effort to clean up corruption begins with the little campaign in the smallest borough in the city,” he said. Rose referred calls to her lawyer, who could immediately be reached.  The defendants are scheduled to appear in Richmond County Criminal Court Monday.



The WFP Record Of Playing Fast and Lose With Campaign Finace Has Caught Up With Them  

A complicated web of coordinated activities, shared resources and staff, and quiet money transfers between the Working Families Party, a secretive private company called Data and Field Services and at least six current Council campaigns, as well as Bill de Blasio’s campaign for public advocate, appears to have found several ways around the strict city campaign finance laws. Upwards of a million dollars, and possibly more, are involved, with over $1.7 million in matching funds comprised of taxpayer dollars already disbursed and more are potentially at stake.While 2013 was a great year for the WFP 2014 is turning out to be a nightmare.  The WFP the 2014 campaign season betrayed by its standard-bearer, losing the senate to the GOP, weakened by dissension in its ranks and burdened by the legal expense of defending itself against a sprawling charges. The Campaign Finance Board still hasn’t released an audit of the Rose campaign, which attracted special scrutiny because of a related lawsuit filed against it.he hiring of outside counsel also demonstrates the potential conflicts within city government that could arise out of the investigation.  But issues reports on other campaigns Date and Field worked in including, Bill de Blasio, Brad Lander, Daniel Dromm,  Jumaane Williams and Melissa Mark-Viverito. Roger Adler, alleges that Data and Field Services, a WFP-run political consultation group, secretly providing discounted services to Rose's 2009 council campaign, which is illegal under the city's campaign finance rules, according to the Post. The chairwoman of the Campaign Finance Board, Rose Gill Hearn, was appointed by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg on his second to last day in office last year. She had been running the Department of Investigation.  "The potential violations by the WFP and Data and Field are twofold:  (1) that campaigns are not paying full market value for services; and (2) the potential for non-independent expenditures due to DFS’ close affiliation with the Working Families Party and its affiliates.* The WFP party settled a civil lawsuit in 2010 brought by former Rudy Giuliani aide Randy Mastro, who  alleged that the party violated campaign finance laws. The agreement led to the separation of Data and Field Services from the W.F.P.

Mayor Bill de Blasio helped found the Working Families Party back in 1998, and one of his top aides Emma Wolfe has reportedly been sought for questioning by Mr. Adler. Emma Wolfe, who served as a W.F.P. operative in 2009.  Mr. de Blasio was also a client of Data & Field Services during his successful 2009 run for public advocate.  Data & Field Services,  operated out of the same office of the labor-backed Working Families Party Investigator wants to speak with Mayor de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe in Working Families Party probe(NYDN) 

WFP Investigation Results in Indictments Against Official's Ex-Aides 

An investigation into the Working Families Party that dates to 2009 allegations of campaign finance issues has resulted in the indictment of two former aides to City Councilwoman Deborah Rose Inquiry Into Working Families Party Spurs Charges Against Official’s Ex-Aides (NYT) A years long inquiry into the party, the influential left-leaning group that helped fuel the rise of Mayor Bill de Blasio, has resulted in the indictments of two former aides to Deborah L. Rose, a Staten Island city councilwoman. A years long investigation into the Working Families Party, the influential left-leaning group that helped fuel the rise of Mayor Bill de Blasio, has resulted in the indictments of two former aides to a Staten Island city councilwoman. But the special prosecutor, Roger Bennet Adler, said on Wednesday that he ultimately chose not to seek criminal charges against the party itself, or any of its top officers, in a case involving campaign finance issues that date to 2009. It is the latest twist in an arcane but notable episode in New York City politics, and the Working Families leadership said it viewed the outcome as a vindication after years of innuendo about improprieties. Mr. Adler was appointed in 2012 and had spent several months presenting evidence to a grand jury. Opponents accused the Working Families Party of circumventing campaign finance laws by supplying some of its candidates with discounted services — such as staff members to hand out fliers or knock on doors — through its for-profit arm, called Data and Field Services. Candidates in New York City are held to strict spending limits, so giving a discount would confer an advantage. Party officials maintain they did nothing of the sort.* WFP Claims Victory in Special Prosecutor Probe (YNN)

9 of Rose Council Members Defend Her 

COUNCIL-COLLEAGUES-ISSUE-STATEMENT-IN-SUPPORT-OF-COUNCIL-MEMBER-DEBI-ROSE. "Councilmember Rose deserves exactly what the rest of us got: a timely audit of her campaign by the NYC Campaign Finance Board, and not an unjustified criminal prosecution. "Moving forward with prosecution, without an audit, when the U.S. Attorney has investigated and found no wrongdoing, is an abuse of prosecutorial discretion. It is an effort to criminalize normal political activity."The CFB extensively audited the eight other 2009 campaigns that contracted with Data and Field Services (then an affiliate of the Working Families Party). They found no wrongdoing to refer to a prosecutor. In most cases, they did not even levy a fine.

A Ruling By the CFB Seems to Differ With the Councilmembers Statement In Support of Rose The the CFB Found No Wrongdoing or Breaking of Campaign Finance Laws in the Data and Field Operation

Wolfe 2009 WFP Operative 

A major CFB ruling last week took aim at the possibility of even more WFP money secretly aiding favored candidates. In essence, the board ruled that any expenditure that the party’s nonprofit arm makes in support of DFS-affiliated candidates can’t be considered an independent effort — and therefore must also be disclosed as an in-kind contribution. That followed recent reports in City Hall News that found no discernable dividing line between normal WFP operations and those the party had farmed out to campaigns via DFS. The report discovered that checks sent to DFS were apparently cashed directly by the WFP, while employees expressed extreme confusion as to which arm they actually worked for. (NYP, 2009)  The CFB Ruling on Data and Field * "Based on information acquired by the Board to date, it is the Board’s understanding that DFS exists as an arm of the Working Families Party. Both organizations are located in the same space and share employees; DFS was created by Working Families Party staff; and there are no apparent firewalls between them. In light of the close affiliation, the Board presumes that any activity undertaken by the Working Families Party on behalf of campaigns using DFS as a vendor is non-independent. Therefore, these activities must be reported and accounted for by campaigns as either an in-kind contribution from the Working Families Party or an expenditure. "In determining whether expenditures by an outside party are non-independent, the Board applies the factors in Rule 1-08(f). The Board makes no determination regarding violations at this time. Every campaign will be afforded the opportunity to be fully heard regarding potential findings of violation."*Nofirewalls: Working Families Party straddles thin line between party, nonprofit (NYDN)  The labor-backed party uses its aggressive field operation to get its favorite candidates elected - then pushes them to vote its way on issues like paid sick leave for workers, higher taxes on the rich and tougher rent regulations. It also operates a rent-a-campaign company, Data and Field Services, which sells its canvassing and voter turnout services to candidates it endorses. The organization is a lobbying and advocacy nonprofit group focused on the same goals as the party - but with far less scrutiny of what it spends and receives. "The Working Families Organization works closely with the Working Families Party to advance progressive policies," said Dan Levitan, spokesman for both. "The Working Families Organization is involved in no campaign-related activity." That line can get blurry, though, and hard to enforce - especially when the Working Families Organization spends money to push an issue that a Working Families Party-backed candidate supports. The organization's 2007 tax return - its most recent available, as provided by Levitan - shows it took in $658,000, almost all of it from unions. The largest by far was the national Service Employees International Union, donating $358,000.  The party spent $700,000, largely on "study and formulation of improved nonpartisan public policy through coordinated use of volunteers."  What does that mean? Who knows? * Campaign Finance Board retains attorney in probe (CrainsNY) The criminal probe centers on whether a consulting firm set up by the Working Families Party, Data & Field Services, undercharged favored candidates for campaign services in 2009. The Campaign Finance Board has recently been using the law firm, Debevoise and Plimpton, in dealing with Mr. Adler’s probe, sources said.

The WFP in 2009 Had A Sophisticated Hidden Structure That Included More Than the Data and Filed Arm

Nofirewalls: Working Families Party straddles thin line between party, nonprofit (NYDN, 2009)* A City Hall’s (City and State) investigation into what few seem to realize: the political party and Data & Field Services are not the only two arms of the Working Families. There are, in fact, four arms: a political party, a for-profit and two different kinds of non-profits, each of which is separate and distinct under the law. This five-part examination by City Hall into the Working Families Party’s accounting methods and finances has shown that together through these four arms, the Working Families has the benefits of a political party (legitimacy in voters’ minds, ballot line), a non-profit (tax-exemptions, uncapped donation limits and tax deductions) and a for-profit (no disclosure requirements, ability to collect fees backed by taxpayer-supported matching funds from candidates).

Live Blogging All Weekend On the WFP Data and Fields Charges

True News Wags the NYP On Acorn 
True News Has Reported That WFP Real Power Is How It Plays Fast and Loose Breaking Gaming Breaking Campaign Finance Laws . . .  Data and Field (2009), NYCLASS, United for the Future PACS (2013)

Rebranded ‘ACORN’ trying to help Dems win state Senate(NYP) A campaign arm of the rebranded, left-wing group ACORN is spending hundreds of thousands to help Democrats win control of the state Senate and protect traditional, union-controlled public schools. The new political-action committee is called New Yorkers for Good Jobs and Good Schools and is run by Jonathan Westin, executive director of NY Communities for Change — formerly known as ACORN. In a separate move, the UFT steered $100,000 to the Monroe County Democratic Party to help win an upstate Senate seat. The heavy spending comes as a furious high-stakes, big money battle rages for control of the Senate, where issues ranging from raising the minimum wage to charter school expansion could be decided next year depending on whether Democrats or Republicans are in the majority. UFT President Mike Mulgrew defended the union’s financing of the Good Schools PAC. Powerful interests on each side of the Senate fight are exploiting New York’s porous campaign-finance laws to funnel as much money as they can into races, said a government watchdog. Donors can give 10 times more money to a political party than the $10,300 contribution maximum for a Senate candidate. The party committee then uses the funds on behalf of a candidate — thus skirting the lower candidate contribution limits. “They’re using every loophole available. The local upstate political parties are getting all this money from downstate interest groups. And there’s an increase in spending by these independent expenditure groups,” said Bill Mahoney, a researcher at the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Son of NYCLASS, Data and Field . . . 
Hey Hey Hey  Daily News What Happen to the Investigations?

De Blasio Fights for a Democratic State Senate With Calls,Cash and Ads (NYT) Mayor Bill de Blasio has taken a leading role in the state’s Democratic campaign, encouraging contributions from A-list donors and dispatching top strategists. The mayor’s phone calls are generating a lot of signed checks. The mayor’s allies have infused hundreds of thousands of dollars into the state Democratic effort, with the donor list reading like a carbon copy of his most loyal supporters. Unite Here, for instance, a labor union run for years by a cousin of Mr. de Blasio’s, John Wilhelm, donated $100,000 this month. In some ways, the effort is an attempt to replicate the formula from Mr. de Blasio’s victory in the mayoral race last year. Emma Wolfe, a top aide who helped lead Mr. de Blasio’s mayoral run, has taken a leave from City Hall to coordinate the Senate effort. Ms. Wolfe works some days from the headquarters of the United Federation of Teachers, one of the mayor’s closest labor allies.“The mayor and his team have made no secret this is a priority for accomplishing a lot of the things they want to accomplish,” said Michael Woloz, an influential city lobbyist — and Mr. de Blasio’s top bundler in the mayoral race — who facilitated the taxi donations. * Top de Blasio supporters funded anti-Quinn group(CrainsNY)* Call him Dollars Bill(NYDN)

 Is the NYT Trying to Mislead New Yorkers on the WFP? 

Does the Staten Island WFP Investigation Have Anything to Do With Wolfe Taking Time Off From City Hall?

Top @BilldeBlasio aide @emmawolfe will take time off fromCity Hall to help key state Senate Dem candidates.(NYT)

2009 WFP . . . Data and Field . . .  Wolfe . . .  
Connecting to 2013 Spending Limits 

Investigator wants to speak with Mayor de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe in Working Families Party probe(NYDN) Roger Bennett Adler sent a letter in September to Emma Wolfe, de Blasio’s director of intergovernmental affairs, asking for a sitdown, according to sources. The investigation is examining whether the party’s now-dismantled for-profit arm, Data & Field Services, gave cut-rate prices to Working Families candidates, giving them an unfair advantage in elections. The investigation is examining whether the party’s now-dismantled for-profit arm, Data & Field Services, gave cut-rate prices to Working Families candidates, giving them an unfair advantage in elections.

Prosecutor investigating Working Families Party sought interview with de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe

A special prosecutor investigating the Working Families Party’s relationship with get-out-the-vote corporation Data & Field Services wants to interview Emma Wolfe, an aide to Mayor Bill de Blasio, The Wall Street Journal reports:  Since 2012, the prosecutor,                                                         Roger Bennett Adler, has been investigating the Working Families Party's relationship with Data & Field Services, a corporation formed by the left-leaning party to provide its candidates with get-out-the-vote staffing and expertise. Investigators are looking at whether the for-profit firm charged significantly lower fees than is typical for such service, potentially providing an unfair advantage to favored candidates. 

WFP Lawyering Up To Stop An Investigation

According to people familiar with the matter, Mr. Adler last fall sought an interview with Ms. Wolfe, who was then deputy manager and political director of Mr. de Blasio's mayoral campaign and is now his director of intergovernmental affairs. There were discussions with an attorney representing Ms. Wolfe to arrange the interview, but the interview has yet to take place, these people said. Ms. Wolfe was a key player in Mr. de Blasio's 2009 campaign for public advocate and served as his chief of staff when he was in that position. She previously worked as an organizing and field director for the Working Families Party. The party has said its support for candidates in 2009 was legal and is seeking to have Mr. Adler removed from the investigation, arguing in court papers that the process used to select him was unlawful. The Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, is slated to hear arguments in the case on Tuesday. The Manhattan U.S. attorney's office probed the party's ties to Data & Field Services in 2010, but that probe has ended. Dan Donovan, the district attorney in Staten Island, also began investigating and later recused himself from the probe. Mr. Donovan's request for a special prosecutor, which was granted, is under seal.  Joe Dinkin, a spokesman for the party, said the legal requirements for appointing the special prosecutor weren't followed."The appointment should be voided and the matter returned to the DA," he said.

More On the WFP the New Progressive Machine

WFP Tries to Duck Subpoenas to Delay Case Which is Close to Statue of Limitations

Are WFP Case Subpoenas Legal?(YNN) A key union affiliate of the Working Families Party is questioning the legality of the latest round of subpoenas issued by a special prosecutor investigating the labor-backed organization’s 2009 campaign activities. In an Aug. 5 letter to the special prosecutor, Roger Adler, the attorney for political action committee of the Communications Workers of America noted that by sending a July 1 subpoena to the union’s political arm, Adler was “proceeding as if that were a valid grand jury subpoena.” But in an Aug. 4 interview with Capital New York, Adler said “Grand Jury Number Two” in this long-standing case would not be impaneled until Friday, Sept. 5. That was consistent with a claim made in an email to the CWA PAC attorney, James Reif, of Gladstein Reif and Meginniss, in which, Reif wrote to Adler, “you stated that the Richmond County Grand Jury will begin taking testimony on September 5, 2014.” An attorney for Staten Island Councilwoman Debi Rose confirmed to The Staten Island Advance Aug. 5 that Rose had also received a subpoena, is not a target of Adler’s investigation and would also be “cooperating fully” with the special prosecutor.According to the Advance, Adler had also issued subpoenas to the WFP itself, the NYC Campaign Finance Board, 32 BJ SEIU, and District Council 37.

 How the WFP is Trying to Stop the Special Prosecutor

 The Working Families Party is trying to stop an investigation of a city council election launched by Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan, the prosecutor's ex parte application to be relieved of the case, and a judge's decision to grant the motion and appoint a special prosecutor without revealing why. Working Families Party v. Fisher, 59, centers on a probe Donovan launched into a 2009 City Council campaign and apparently involves the party's use of a not-for-profit arm to promote liberal Democrats. The WFP has challenged Donovan's authority to recuse himself and Fisher's authority to relieve the district attorney without "a showing of actual prejudice based on a demonstrated conflict of interest," as mandated by County Law §701. The Appellate Division, Second Department, last August rejected the party's petition and affirmed the appointment of Adler. It held that a writ of prohibition is suitable to challenge the appointment of a special district attorney only if the special D.A. is performing a quasi-judicial function, as opposed to conducting an investigation. In another case in the past WFP lawyer Avi Schick has been trying to quash subpoenas from a special prosecutor that involve a 2009 council race on Staten Island. * Boot special prosecutor in S.I. election probe, Working Families Party tells court(SI Advance)

The New Powerful WFP Machine and the Data and Field Cover-Up

Winds of A Major WFP Investigation

New York City’s Campaign Finance Board is employing high-powered law firm Debevoise and Plimpton in connection with a special prosecutor's probe into the labor-backed Working Families Party, Crain’s reports  Special prosecutor, Roger Adler, was set to empanel a grand jury Sept. 5 and had issued subpoenas. Campaign Finance Board officials may be called to testify.  The criminal probe centers on whether a consulting firm set up by the Working Families Party, Data & Field Services, undercharged favored candidates for campaign services in 2009. The Campaign Finance Board has recently been using the law firm, Debevoise and Plimpton, in dealing with Mr. Adler’s probe, sources said.New York City’s Campaign Finance Board is employing high-powered law firm Debevoise and Plimpton in connection with a special prosecutor's probe into the labor-backed Working Families Party

Will de Blasio be Subpoenaed?

The Campaign Finance Board audits all campaigns for City Council, borough president and citywide offices, and is known for scrupulously going through candidates' expenditure reports. Staten Island Councilwoman Deborah Rose, one of the WFP-backed candidates in 2009, won a Democratic primary for her seat nearly five years ago—but the Campaign Finance Board still hasn’t released an audit of the campaign, which attracted special scrutiny because of a related lawsuit filed against it.he hiring of outside counsel also demonstrates the potential conflicts within city government that could arise out of the investigation. Mayor Bill de Blasio helped found the Working Families Party back in 1998, and one of his top aides Emma Wolfe has reportedly been sought for questioning by Mr. Adler. Mr. de Blasio was also a client of Data & Field Services during his successful 2009 run for public advocate. Those potentials conflicts would make it more difficult for the CFB to use the city’s corporation counsel, Zachary Carter, who was appointed by Mr. de Blasio. The chairwoman of the Campaign Finance Board, Rose Gill Hearn, was appointed by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg on his second to last day in office last year. She had been running the Department of Investigation.

Will the WFP's Data and Field Cover Up Be Exposed By These Two Men?

Subpoenas issued in alleged WFP campaign finance abuse probe(NYP)

A 5-year-old investigation of the Working Families Party is back on track with a special prosecutor issuing subpoenas in his probe for alleged campaign abuses. “This is not meant to be a fishing expedition,” said Roger Adler, who was appointed when Staten Island DA Dan Donovan recused himself from the case. “It’s meant to be targeted to people who have relevant information.” Adler is looking into allegations that City Council member Debi Rose, who was backed by the WFP, received improper support from the party’s for-profit campaign arm, Data and Field Services, during the 2009 election that made her the council’s first black lawmaker from Staten Island. According to a lawsuit filed by voters against the party, the WFP’s campaign arm provided discounted consulting and get-out-the-vote services to Rose’s campaign that were never disclosed, a violation of campaign-finance laws. Adler said he has issued subpoenas to the WFP, the Campaign Finance Board, SEIU Local 1199 and the Communications Workers of America.* Albany County DA David Soares says he’s cooperating fully with the federal probe into the Moreland Commission’s demise.

 Rose Campaign Paid $100,000 + to Berlin Rosen the Spokesman for de Blasio One NY Fund

Here Comes the WFP Investigation Melt Down  

A special prosecutor has begun issuing subpoenas in the long-stalled investigation into the 2009 campaign activities of the Working Families Party, with a grand jury scheduled to be impaneled next month. (Capital)

WFP, Acorn 2.0 and the New Progressive Machine

The WFP Has Played Fast and Lose With the Election Law

Will the WFP's Data and Field Cover Up Be Exposed By These Two Men?

Subpoenas issued in alleged WFP campaign finance abuse probe(NYP)

A 5-year-old investigation of the Working Families Party is back on track with a special prosecutor issuing subpoenas in his probe for alleged campaign abuses. “This is not meant to be a fishing expedition,” said Roger Adler, who was appointed when Staten Island DA Dan Donovan recused himself from the case. “It’s meant to be targeted to people who have relevant information.” Adler is looking into allegations that City Council member Debi Rose, who was backed by the WFP, received improper support from the party’s for-profit campaign arm, Data and Field Services, during the 2009 election that made her the council’s first black lawmaker from Staten Island. According to a lawsuit filed by voters against the party, the WFP’s campaign arm provided discounted consulting and get-out-the-vote services to Rose’s campaign that were never disclosed, a violation of campaign-finance laws. Adler said he has issued subpoenas to the WFP, the Campaign Finance Board, SEIU Local 1199 and the Communications Workers of America.* Albany County DA David Soares says he’s cooperating fully with the federal probe into the Moreland Commission’s demise.

More On the WFP Investigations 

It Not the Size of the Party Its the Way They Conduct Campaigns The .0003% Potemkin WFP Party

There  is no doubt that the WFP is the most powerful party in New York  politics today, after taking over City Hall and making the govern of the  empire state gravel on video to gain their support.  What is at question  is who does the Working Families Party represent and how do they  operate.  In a city that has 8,337,000 residents, the WFP has 2529  active members that voted in the 2013 election, just .0003% of NYC  voting population.  Political parties in NYC were designed by district  to give a voice to each neighborhood in the city.  At the height of the  Tammany Hall Democratic Party, there were over 400 clubs representing  the neighborhood in the city. Many in the same neighborhood competing against each other.  There’s   was more to the Tammany Hall story than corruption. Tammany Hall’s  leaders delivered social services and took care of the residents of  their district problems. They massaged justice at a time when the poor  did not have access to public defenders. They gave food and jobs to  those who need them.  In short Tammany Hall power came from delivering  services to the  voters.  Political parties today like the WFP gain their power by  controlling ballot access, campaign  consultants, lobbyist and money.   Bloomberg paid  millions for the GOP and Independent party line when he was mayor.   Malcolm Smith tried to buy  the GOP line from two party leaders who are under indictment.  Not only are registered voter in the Independence Party not receiving the services that Tammany Hall democratic were provided at the turn of the century, but as the Daily News proves over and over again those IP  registered voters have no idea they belong to a real party, they think they are just independent.   

The NYT Reports on the Ending of the WFP Investigation in 2010 But Not the Opening of It Again in 2014

No Charges Against Working Families Party - NYTimes.com(2010)

Ruling: Special Prosecutor Can Probe Working Families Party(WSJ)

Court rules prosecutor can investigate Working Families Party New York Post

State's Court of Appeals upheld appointment of special New York Daily News‎

Court of Appeals: DA Donovan correct in recusing himself from ... SILive.com
Appeals court allows special prosecutor in WFP probe Capital New York

Bharara Talks Corruption

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said that the culture of corruption in Albany will only change when the public says enough is enough, Gannett Albany reports:

WFP's Lawyers and Political Operatives Have Worked Hard to Stop the Data and Field Investigation

According to people familiar with the matter, Mr. Adler last fall sought an interview with Ms. Wolfe, who was then deputy manager and political director of Mr. de Blasio's mayoral campaign and is now his director of intergovernmental affairs. There were discussions with an attorney representing Ms. Wolfe to arrange the interview, but the interview has yet to take place, these people said. Ms. Wolfe was a key player in Mr. de Blasio's 2009 campaign for public advocate and served as his chief of staff when he was in that position. She previously worked as an organizing and field director for the Working Families Party. The party has said its support for candidates in 2009 was legal and is seeking to have Mr. Adler removed from the investigation, arguing in court papers that the process used to select him was unlawful. The Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, is slated to hear arguments in the case on Tuesday. The Manhattan U.S. attorney's office probed the party's ties to Data & Field Services in 2010, but that probe has ended. Dan Donovan, the district attorney in Staten Island, also began investigating and later recused himself from the probe. Mr. Donovan's request for a special prosecutor, which was granted, is under seal.  Joe Dinkin, a spokesman for the party, said the legal requirements for appointing the special prosecutor weren't followed."The appointment should be voided and the matter returned to the DA," he said.* Attorneys for the Working Families Party had argued in court that Donovan failed to demonstrate a conflict of interest that would warrant his recusal and had challenged subpoenas issues by Adler seeking party documents and communications dating back to 2008.

Only Staten Island Prosecutors Are Willing to Cross the WFP

Since 2009 Lawyer for WFP Have Been Trying With Much Success Stopping Investigations into Data and Field

Pol stonewalls suit on WFP campaign(NYP)A City Council hopeful won’t cough up documents related to whether the Working Families Party is scamming the campaign finance system — because the case could involve “criminal liability,” according to documents released yesterday. The bombshell development was revealed at a court hearing where lawyers for the WFP and the campaign of Staten Island candidate Debi Rose tried to get a suit against them tossed.* No Charges Against Working Families Party - NYTimes.com * Who'll dare to probe the WFP? | New York(NYP)

Like its ACORN partner, the WFP has responded to allegations by announcing an investigation of itself. With all respect to former Chief Judge Judith Kaye, whom the WFP tapped to lead the internal review, no one but an outside prosecutor will be able to hold the party accountable.  On the local level, the best hope rests with Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan, a Republican. Spurred by an election lawsuit filed by Randy Mastro, a top aide in the Giuliani administration, Donovan’s office has “begun a preliminary review” of Debi Rose’s WFP-boosted campaign for City Council, say sources.Rose’s lawyer refused to provide documents requested by the Mastro suit, citing his client’s Fifth Amendment right to not implicate herself in a crime. The councilwoman-elect later insisted that the Fifth wasn’t her actual grounds for refusing to cooperate with the demand for records — but failed to give another reason.Among the local prosecutors, incoming Manhattan DA Cy Vance has the most resources and largest staff. But is he willing to provoke the outrage of organized labor? A case emerging with the other Democratic DAs isn’t promising. “I need a complaint,” says Brooklyn DA Joe Hynes, who was endorsed by the WFP. State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who has been silent on the WFP matter, could open a civil case against the party’s shell corporation. And, under a statute that has been used in rare circumstances, the attorney general may ask the governor for the power to criminally prosecute abuses of election law. Aspiring to be a more radical version of Boss Tweed, the WFP is an election or two away from becoming too powerful to stop. The choice facing Democrats and prosecutors is reminiscent of that line from “The Untouchables”: “Mr. Ness, everybody knows where the booze is. The problem isn’t finding it; the problem is who wants to cross Capone.”

 2009 : Bill de Blasio's campaign used political consulting firm Data & Field Services, which operated out of the same office of the labor-backed Working Families Party. (City & State) * 2011 : Scott Levenson has close ties to the Working Families Party (City & State) * No firewalls: Working Families Party straddles thin line between party, nonprofit (NYDN 2009) * ACORN sowed seeds for de Blasio - The Advance Group* Data and Field Services - New York Daily News * The NYC Working Families Party Scam UPDATED(Daily Kos, 2009)

 More About WFP Data and Field 

WFP, Acorn 2.0 and the New Progressive Machine

NYCLASS, United for the Future PACs in 2013, Like Data and Field in 2009 Also Gave Unfair Advantage to WFP Candidates

It is clear that the WFP completed the Wal-Martization of NYC politics in the 2013 municipal election. Data and Field was not longer available to the WFP so they developed a close working relationship with two PACs, NYCLASS and United for the Future. A PAC funded by the UFT. We know that the Advance Group is under FBI and CFB investigation for their role in running NYCLASS.  We also know that two council members have been fined for their campaigns being run by Advance and receiving mailings by the Advance run PAC NYCLASS.  The CFB said the campaigns of Laurie Cumbo and Mark Levine (both WFP endorsed) were illegally coordinated and received unfair economic advantage. Melissa Mark-Viverito another WFP candidate also was funded by NYCLASS.   What is unclear is if the CFB or the FBI is looking at the unfair advantage other WFP endorsed candidates received by PACs connected to their campaign consultants. The same political consultant that benefited from Data and Field Berlin Rosen were side by side with Advance in the 2013 WFP campaigns of fine candidates Mark Levine, Laurie Cumbo.  Berlin Rosen also worked in the campaigns of WFP candidates funded by the UFT Advance run United for the Future PAC: Corey Johnson, Kirsten J Foy, Rory Lancman and Ydanis A Rodriguez.    The Advance Group involvement in the UFT PAC United for the Future was covered up by the UFT who paid the consultant though a fake company.  The following additional WFP candidate received funding by the United for the Future PAC: Rosie Mendez, Vanessa L Gibson and Alan Maisel. Red Horse another consultant that worked for United for the Future PAC also got funding for two of their WFP back candidates Ritchie Torres, Paul Vallone.r

A special prosecutor has begun issuing subpoenas in the long-stalled investigation into the 2009 campaign activities of the Working Families Party, with a grand jury scheduled to be impaneled next month. “Having met with the people who operate—or should I say conduct—grand jury operations in Staten Island, what will now be called Grand Jury Number Two will be impaneled on Friday, September 5,” said Roger Adler, the special prosecutor, during a phone interview. Adler declined to provide specifics on who was being subpoenaed, but did mention the political action committees of the member unions that make up the Working Families Party, as well as officials with the city’s Campaign Finance Board. At least one of those unions, 1199 SEIU, acknowledged through its political director, Kevin Finnegan, that it is cooperating with subpoenas and has retained counsel.

Other W.F.P.-affiliated unions thought to be of interest, such as the Hotel Trades Council and 32BJ, declined to comment on whether they too had received subpoenas.Adler had previously served subpoenas to party officials in 2013, and previously this year requested a meeting with Mayor Bill de Blasio’s director of intergovernmental affairs Emma Wolfe, who served as a W.F.P. operative in 2009.The new round of activity from Adler’s office comes nearly two months after the state Court of Appeals denied the W.F.P.’s request to invalidate Adler’s appointment as special prosecutor. Adler was appointed by chief administrative judge Fern Fisher in 2012, after Staten Island district attorney Dan Donovan, a Republican, recused himself from the investigation into the labor-backed party.

The W.F.P. reshuffled its legal counsel after losing its case in the state’s highest court. Gone is Avi Schick, who served as counsel in Eliot Spitzer’s attorney general office. The party has now retained Jonathan Bach of Cooley LLP to represent it in its latest dealings with the special prosecutor.

Adler’s investigation focuses on the 2009 City Council campaign activities of the Working Families Party, and whether the party provided discounted services to Staten Island-based city councilwoman Debi Rose’s campaign. The party settled a civil lawsuit in 2010 brought by former Rudy Giuliani aide Randy Mastro, who  alleged that the party violated campaign finance laws. The agreement led to the separation of Data and Field Services from the W.F.P.

2009 WFP . . . Data and Field . . .  Wolfe . . .  
Connecting to 2013 Spending Limits 

Investigator wants to speak with Mayor de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe in Working Families Party probe(NYDN) Roger Bennett Adler sent a letter in September to Emma Wolfe, de Blasio’s director of intergovernmental affairs, asking for a sitdown, according to sources. The investigation is examining whether the party’s now-dismantled for-profit arm, Data & Field Services, gave cut-rate prices to Working Families candidates, giving them an unfair advantage in elections. The investigation is examining whether the party’s now-dismantled for-profit arm, Data & Field Services, gave cut-rate prices to Working Families candidates, giving them an unfair advantage in elections.

Prosecutor investigating Working Families Party sought interview with de Blasio aide Emma Wolfe

A special prosecutor investigating the Working Families Party’s relationship with get-out-the-vote corporation Data & Field Services wants to interview Emma Wolfe, an aide to Mayor Bill de Blasio, The Wall Street Journal reports:  Since 2012, the prosecutor,                                                         Roger Bennett Adler, has been investigating the Working Families Party's relationship with Data & Field Services, a corporation formed by the left-leaning party to provide its candidates with get-out-the-vote staffing and expertise. Investigators are looking at whether the for-profit firm charged significantly lower fees than is typical for such service, potentially providing an unfair advantage to favored candidates. 

WFP Lawyering Up To Stop An Investigation

According to people familiar with the matter, Mr. Adler last fall sought an interview with Ms. Wolfe, who was then deputy manager and political director of Mr. de Blasio's mayoral campaign and is now his director of intergovernmental affairs. There were discussions with an attorney representing Ms. Wolfe to arrange the interview, but the interview has yet to take place, these people said. Ms. Wolfe was a key player in Mr. de Blasio's 2009 campaign for public advocate and served as his chief of staff when he was in that position. She previously worked as an organizing and field director for the Working Families Party. The party has said its support for candidates in 2009 was legal and is seeking to have Mr. Adler removed from the investigation, arguing in court papers that the process used to select him was unlawful. The Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, is slated to hear arguments in the case on Tuesday. The Manhattan U.S. attorney's office probed the party's ties to Data & Field Services in 2010, but that probe has ended. Dan Donovan, the district attorney in Staten Island, also began investigating and later recused himself from the probe. Mr. Donovan's request for a special prosecutor, which was granted, is under seal.  Joe Dinkin, a spokesman for the party, said the legal requirements for appointing the special prosecutor weren't followed."The appointment should be voided and the matter returned to the DA," he said.

 2009 : Bill de Blasio's campaign used political consulting firm Data & Field Services, which operated out of the same office of the labor-backed Working Families Party. (City & State) * 2011 : Scott Levenson has close ties to the Working Families Party (City & State) * No firewalls: Working Families Party straddles thin line between party, nonprofit (NYDN 2009) * ACORN sowed seeds for de Blasio - The Advance Group* Data and Field Services - New York Daily News * The NYC Working Families Party Scam UPDATED(Daily Kos, 2009)

More About WFP Data and Field 

WFP, Acorn 2.0 and the New Progressive Machine


WFP Winning in the Street, Blocking In Court

A political investigation shrouded in mystery reached the Court of Appeals Tuesday in a case that could determine if the judiciary will stop an investigation of charges of illegal in-kind help by the WFP to defraud the city's public financing system. This court hearing came months at the WFP and their partners in the progressive unions used the Citizens Unions PAC and the city's public campaign finance system to take over City Hall, and at the time the party is pressuring Cuomo to adopt a public campaign finance system statewide.


WFP's Lawyers Attacking the Prosecutors 

The Statan Island special prosecutor is looking into if the WFP skirted campaign finance rules by providing services to endorsed candidates at discounted rates, thus defrauded the city's public financing program. Special prosecutor Adler said the underlying campaign finance issues transcend the Working Families Party matter. "The public needs to know that people gaming the system will be held accountable," he said. "Accountability is important to ensure that … people will not be able to game the system and take unfair advantage and unlawfully affect elections. The investigation deals with the fairness of the council campaign and whether or not the campaign finance system was gamed during the 2009 election. That is what the grand jury needs to resolve."

 How the WFP is Trying to Stop the Special Prosecutor

 The Working Families Party is trying to stop an investigation of a city council election launched by Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan, the prosecutor's ex parte application to be relieved of the case, and a judge's decision to grant the motion and appoint a special prosecutor without revealing why. Working Families Party v. Fisher, 59, centers on a probe Donovan launched into a 2009 City Council campaign and apparently involves the party's use of a not-for-profit arm to promote liberal Democrats. The WFP has challenged Donovan's authority to recuse himself and Fisher's authority to relieve the district attorney without "a showing of actual prejudice based on a demonstrated conflict of interest," as mandated by County Law §701. The Appellate Division, Second Department, last August rejected the party's petition and affirmed the appointment of Adler. It held that a writ of prohibition is suitable to challenge the appointment of a special district attorney only if the special D.A. is performing a quasi-judicial function, as opposed to conducting an investigation. In another case in the past WFP lawyer Avi Schick has been trying to quash subpoenas from a special prosecutor that involve a 2009 council race on Staten Island. * Boot special prosecutor in S.I. election probe, Working Families Party tells court(SI Advance)


What Was Argued  At the Appeals Court Hearing 

Last Tuesday, WFP's lawyer Avi Schick, counsel for the WFP, stressed that the party is not questioning Adler's investigation. Rather, he said it is challenging Fisher's authority to replace the district attorney. During oral arguments, Judge Victoria Graffeo questioned why the WFP cares if Donovan or Adler investigates. Judge Eugene Pigott seemed troubled by the secrecy of the matter. Judge Robert Smith hinted more than once that Schick might want to move to unseal the record to find out just why Donovan recused himself. Judges also questioned whether the target of an investigation should be permitted to choose its own prosecutor, and whether the WFP, if it gets Donovan restored and then finds he had a legitimate reason for stepping aside, could then seek to have him removed. The District Attorneys Association of the State of New York appeared amicus curiae in support of Donovan. In its brief, the group said that "justice is not served when a district attorney is put in a position where he or she believes there is a conflict of interest but recusal is not permitted." Interestingly, none of the issues before the Court of Appeals would stop the investigation from going forward. Rather, the most the Working Families Party can hope for is an order shifting the case back to Donovan. A six-judge panel will hear arguments late Tuesday afternoon. Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman has recused himself for unstated reasons.* Judge Fern A. Fisher appointed Roger Bennet Adler special prosecutor in January 2012. * A decision in the appeal is not expected for weeks.

The Media Ignores Efforts to Block An Investigation Into the Most Powerful and Successful Party in New York

The News Blog City and State under their former name City Hall did a 5 part investigation of Data and Field. That investigation for unknown reasons have been taken off the internet. But the following are some of what was in the City and State investigation: The NYC Working Families Party Scam UPDATED - Daily Kos *   The incestuous relationship between Working Families Party & Data & Field Services * ACORN, the Working Families Party and Political Corruption, Part I (Brightbart) * The Working Families Party Scam - Huffington Post * Breaking: WFP/ACORN Takes The Fifth On Corruption Suit. * Alleged Corruption In Obama's Working Families Party: 'Inside The DFS Experience' * Meet Avi Schick, New York’s New Steamroller (NYO) * Manhattan federal prosecutors previously launched a criminal probe into the matter but closed the case in 2010 with no charges being filed, according to published reports.

What the WFP's Data and Field Case is About

In 2012, Brooklyn attorney Roger Adler, a Democrat, was appointed as a  special prosecutor to probe allegations that Working Families had been manipulating state and city election law. Critics of WFP have charged for years that Data & Field Services (DFS) has provided heavily discounted consulting work for Working Families candidates, essentially giving them in-kind contributions without publicly disclosing it. The NYT editorial in 2009 Questions for Data and Field, wrote: "For example, the company charged City Councilman Bill de Blasio of Brooklyn $5,000 for lists of voters. Officials from other campaigns have complained that sophisticated voter files like those often used by the Working Families Party could cost $25,000 to $40,000. If there is such a differential — and lists can vary considerably — the extra should be counted as a campaign contribution and as part of the cap on allowed spending."  In 2010, Working Families agreed to settle a civil lawsuit on the issue but didn’t admit wrongdoing, paying $100,000 for legal bills to Randy Mastro, a former Giuliani deputy mayor who brought the suit. It also signed a court agreement that DFS would end its association with the party. In 2011 Supreme Court Judge Anthony Giacobbe found Data and Field Services in contempt of court for not complying with the court's February, 2010 order, which we explain in some detail here. Data And Field Services Held In Contempt(NYDN) The upshot is that DFS was required to do a number of things the court felt it didn't do. Instead, it changed its status from for-profit to non-profit, decided the costs of its own services rather than getting an estimate of fair market value, didn't make sure board members had the required degree of independence from the WFP and failed to get an independent evaluation of the software it uses for its clients. * In Feud, Working Families Party Turns Tables on Prosecutor(NYT, 2013) * Working Families Party back under investigation | Crains (2012) * NY Political Parties for Sale: Ballot Corruption 2009 Election Probe Emerges Again(WSJ)* The Death Of DFS (Updated)(YNN) * WFP Concedes Admits No Wrongdoing  (Capital) * Kaye Report - Working Families Party * No Charges Against Working Families Party - NYTimes.com * For Working Families Party, Inquiries Without End (NYP) * Dan Cantor's Machine - The American Prospect

WFP, Acorn 2.0 and the New Progressive Machine

Corrupt Lobbyist Sheinkopf Says the WFP is Corrupt . . .  Rebuild the Liberal Party

Dems adviser urging Cuomo to forget Working Families Party(NYP) A long time Democratic political strategist and current member of the state party is urging Gov. Cuomo to forget about the Working Families Party and focus on creating his own liberal third party. Hank Sheinkopf told The Post it would look bad if Cuomo sought and accepted the line given the party’s current state. “The guy who put Hevesi in jail could be part of a party under investigation,” Sheinkopf said speaking about a 2009 federal probe into the party regarding campaign related services. Sheinkopf, a well know Democratic strategist, said he was speaking not on behalf of the state party–where he was hired to do consulting work—but rather on his own. Accepting the WFP line, in its current state, would give Cuomo’s challenger, republican Rob Astorino, real ammo in the campaign, Sheinkopf said. Instead Sheinkopf believes Cuomo should form his own liberal party minority line “a party that doesn’t put pressure on the middle class”. “He has the popularity and resources,” Sheinkopf said of Cuomo’s potential to garner the necessary 50,000 votes to keep a smaller liberal party line in future elections.

Acorn 2.0, Inc (NY Communities for Change)

]

New Tammany Hall GOTV Field 2013
NYCC, Reincarnated Acorn, Rises in de Blasio’s New York(NYO)One of the country’s best known community organizing groups, it crumbled rapidly four years ago, after right-wing activists, posing as a pimp and prostitute, secretly filmed Acorn workers providing them tax advice. But it turns out that Acorn’s exile was only temporary. The very same agitators are now whispering into the open ear of the new mayor, under the name New York Communities for Change. NYCC, which is battling to raise the wages of low-income workers and eventually unionize them, increase affordable housing and beat back the charter school movement, is also entwined with the influential Working Families Party. n the early stages of the mayor’s race.* Housing Activists Rally At City Hall(NYDN) The "Real Affordability For All" launch includes leading progressive groups like Make the Road New York and New York Communities for Change, and is billing itself as the "largest affordable housing campaign in the city." The Black Institute was also paid $23,000 for polling last October by then-state Sen. Eric Adams' campaign for Brooklyn borough president. Mr. Adams faced token opposition for the seat and won handily.

Were the PACS, NYCC and WFP Working Together in the Primary in Violation of the CFB Spending Caps?

NYCC launched a valuable vote-pulling operation in minority neighborhoods where a gawky white candidate like Mr. de Blasio, even with a black wife, might not have held supreme appeal. A 501(c)(4) nonprofit that can participate in political activities without revealing its donors, NYCC has proven most potent in predominantly black areas in central Brooklyn and southeast Queens, where voter turnout is heavily Democratic and deceptively high.  Where the WFP begins and NYCC ends can be difficult to discern. The two organizations are headquartered in the same Nevins Street building, one floor apart. Jonathan Westin, the successor to Mr. Kest at NYCC, who died in 2012, sits on the WFP’s executive board. And their political aims, from unionizing fast food and car wash workers to combating the power of the real estate and banking industries, are all but identical.

WFP's Special DA Appeal

State's Top Court to Hear Working Families Party Case

Matter of Working Families Party v. Fisher, 2013-996, a case that could determine whether the "actual prejudice" standard needed to disqualify a district attorney is applicable when the prosecutor himself asks to be replaced. The appeal arose after Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan asked to be relieved for reasons that have never been publicly disclosed. Justice Fern Fisher, deputy chief administrative judge for New York City, appointed Roger Bennett Adler as special district attorney. But the Working Families Party challenged Donovan's request to be removed from the case as well as Fisher's authority in granting the request. The Appellate Division, Second Department, in August rejected the party's claims (NYLJ, Aug. 8).  On Tuesday, the Court of Appeals granted leave, without comment. A long-running political/legal battle involving the Working Families Party and the appointment of a special district attorney to pro

What the WDP Case is About

In 2012, Brooklyn attorney Roger Adler, a Democrat, was appointed as a  special prosecutor to probe allegations that Working Families had been manipulating state and city election law. Critics of WFP have charged for years that Data & Field Services (DFS) has provided heavily discounted consulting work for Working Families candidates,  essentially giving them in-kind contributions without publicly disclosing it. The NYT editorial in 2009 Questions for Data and Field, wrote: "For example, the company charged City Councilman Bill de Blasio of Brooklyn $5,000 for lists of voters. Officials from other campaigns have complained that sophisticated voter files like those often used by the Working Families Party could cost $25,000 to $40,000. If there is such a differential — and lists can vary considerably — the extra should be counted as a campaign contribution and as part of the cap on allowed spending."  In 2010, Working Families agreed to settle a civil lawsuit on the issue but didn’t admit wrongdoing, paying $100,000 for legal bills to Randy Mastro, a former Giuliani deputy mayor who brought the suit. It also signed a court agreement that DFS would end its association with the party. In 2011 Supreme Court Judge Anthony Giacobbe found Data and Field Services in contempt of court for not complying with the court's February, 2010 order, which we explain in some detail here. Data And Field Services Held In Contempt(NYDN) The upshot is that DFS was required to do a number of things the court felt it didn't do. Instead, it changed its status from for-profit to non-profit, decided the costs of its own services rather than getting an estimate of fair market value, didn't make sure board members had the required degree of independence from the WFP and failed to get an independent evaluation of the software it uses for its clients. * In Feud, Working Families Party Turns Tables on Prosecutor(NYT, 2013) * Working Families Party back under investigation | Crains (2012) * NY Political Parties for Sale: Ballot Corruption 2009 Election Probe Emerges Again(WSJ)* The Death Of DFS (Updated)(YNN) * WFP Concedes Admits No Wrongdoing  (Capital)

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CFB Cover-Up in 2009 

Why Did the CFB Hold Up Rose's Audit And Complete Audits Of Other Candidates Who Did Business with Data and Field? 

Staten Island Councilwoman Deborah Rose, one of the WFP-backed candidates in 2009 that received services from it Data and Field company, won a Democratic primary for her seat nearly five years ago—but the Campaign Finance Board still hasn't released an audit of the campaign, which attracted special scrutiny because of a related lawsuit filed against it.  According to a press release put out by 9 council members in support of Councilwoman Rose, "The CFB extensively audited the eight other 2009 campaigns that contracted with Data and Field Services (then an affiliate of the Working Families Party). They found no wrongdoing to refer to a prosecutor. In most cases, they did not even levy a fine.)  Besides Debi Rose WFP's Data and Field work in the following 2009 campaigns: Bill de Blasio, Brad Lander

Berlin Rosen Causes New Yorkers to Face Cheney Like Fake Reality (Brainwashing) and the Privatization of Tammany Hall Corruption




De Blasio-allied group defends LICH deal to brownstone Brooklyn
(Capital)  The outside group that advocated for Mayor Bill de Blasio's pre-K plan is sending out a mailer praising a deal that resulted in a dramatic downsizing of Long Island College Hospital in Cobble Hill. The Campaign for One New York is the new iteration of UPKNYC, the advocacy group run by the mayor's former campaign aides that spent more than $1 million promoting the mayor's universal pre-K plan. When its name change was announced in May, the group's spokesman, former de Blasio campaign aide Jonathan Rosen, told the Wall Street Journal that it would "build on the grassroots energy of UPKNYC and last fall's  campaign to support the mayor's bold, progressive agenda as it continues to move forward — building the affordable housing we need, fighting inequality, and ensuring that every child receives a great education." The mayor got arrested during his mayoral campaign protesting the prospect of the hospital's closure. *True News:The Privatization Of The Tammany Hall



Sugar Fix: City Hall's Inhouse Lobbyist Political Consultant Lobbies for Developers






Real Estate developers now understand if you want to get an OK for your housing plan hire Berlin Rosen. BerlinRosen's current and recent clients include Two Trees Management Negotiations between Mr. de Blasio’s team and Mr. Walentas’s firm took place over the last few days. The two men share a mutual adviser: Jonathan Rosen, one of the mayor’s top political hands and the chief executive of a public affairs firm, Berlin Rosen, that counts Mr. Walentas’s company as a client.


Twitter / BerlinRosen: Congratulations to whole team ...

Apr 24, 2014 - Congratulations to whole team @TwoTreesNY on the approval of Domino Sugar Refinery. Amazing project for NYC. Proud to be a part of it.   


Lobbyists BerlinRosen Takes Over NYC Government

More on the Secret Shadow Government

NYT Covers-Up Lobbyists Berlin Rosen and Shadow Government Out of Mayor's Slush Fund 1NY Story 

A video touting de Blasio’s pre-k program was sent from a City Hall address, under the city seal, to a list of de Blasio’s campaign supporters, among others, raising questions among legal experts and good-government groups about whether it was an appropriate form of official communication, The New York Times writes

WFP Left and Real Estate & Their Lobbyists (damaged by Bharara) Only 2Actors Still Standing 

 The Post’s Fred Dicker writes that state Democrats are campaigning to move Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the left by threatening a primary in 2018, with Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner among the candidates being floated Cuomo pressured to move further left (NYP) Mayor de Blasio’s startling attack on Gov. Cuomo last week was the opening round in a new and coordinated effort to force Cuomo further to the political left — under threat of a primary challenge in 2018, senior Democrats have told The Post. “Round 2,” as some are calling it, begins later this year when de Blasio and other left-of-center Democrats and their union allies plan to challenge Cuomo to deliver on a bevy of longstanding “progressive’’ promises, including a higher minimum wage, the “Dream Act’’ for illegal immigrants, public financing of elections and — most significantly — the retaking of the state Senate by Democrats next year. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recent public criticism of Gov. Andrew Cuomo is part of a “new and coordinated effort” to get the governor to move further to the political left, according toFred Dicker. * Assembly Republicans remain on margins under Heastie (Capital) * Hochul: Cuomo-de Blasio Rift ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (YNN) * The case for Cuomo's'transactional' model of politics (NYDN) NY1’s Errol Louis writes in the Daily News that while de Blasio should be lauded for criticizing Cuomo’s transactional politics, the mayor offers no better solution to deal with the longtime methods of business in Albany

WFP the New Progressive Machine, Is it Corrupt At Its Core?

The WFP and Berlin Rosen Has Played Fast and Lose With the Election Law, Data and Field Arrests

SI Special Prosecutor WFP Grand Jury Extended

The NYT Reports Who Is Behind the Demonstrations But Does Not Report the Groups Created to Influence Who New Yorkers Vote for

How Fringe Groups Control Politics In NYC

Special prosecutorRoger Bennet Adler’s probe  into Working Families Party extended (NYDN) Grand jury examining whether Data and Field Services illegally provided campaign services. The investigation into whether the Working Families Party violated election laws in 2009 will continue for at least a month into 2015. The grand jury convened in the matter was set to expire Dec. 21, but a judge extended it through the end of January at the request of special prosecutor. In an interview Wednesday, Adler didn't rule out indictments. He also said it's likely there will be a grand jury report that could recommend legal and policy changes "that would improve the campaign finance system and election law enforcement." "It's beneath the dignity of a political party," he said. "It's indecent and I think it's inappropriate. This should play out without the name calling. Let the grand jury do its thing and the result will speak for itself."