Tuesday, May 08, 2007
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS..AND ALOT OF THAT
M.T.A. Chairman Is Resigning Peter S. Kalikow, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority since 2001, announced this morning that he would resign when Gov. Eliot Spitzer names his replacement, after six eventful years at the helm of the nation’s biggest and busiest mass transit system. ........THIS IS THE GUY SPITZER SAID WOULD HAVE TO GO....DON'T LET THE DOOR SLAM YOU IN THE BUTT ON THE WAY OUT........AND NOW FOR THE IDIOT STATE LEGISLATOR OF THE MONTH AWARD..GOES TO.........Not Reading the Fine Print.........."State Senator Antoine M. Thompson of Buffalo, a freshman Democrat".........State Senator Antoine M. Thompson of Buffalo, a freshman Democrat, made a fiery speech on the Senate floor last week, denouncing a bill to increase legislators’ salaries when it came up for a vote in his chamber. He cited the lack of raises for Buffalo city workers, police officers, teachers and sanitation workers, and said, “I can’t in good conscience vote for myself, or anyone else, a raise.”
That led Senator Frank Padavan, a Queens Republican, to pose a question:
“Why did your conscience allow you to be a sponsor of this bill?”
Indeed, all 29 Senate Democrats, including Mr. Thompson, had co-sponsored the bill days earlier, but, in a speedy turnabout, almost all of them ultimately voted against the measure, as the governor urged.
“Sir, as you may know, we get information on a regular basis, and when I found out the exact content of the bill I was in complete opposition,” Mr. Thompson explained, a deer-in-the-headlights expression passing over his face.
He resumed his speech, raising his voice even louder in outrage at the bill, before Senator John A. DeFrancisco, a Syracuse Republican, rose to speak.
“Is it true that you’re saying that before giving your name as a sponsor to this bill you didn’t read it?” he asked.
Mr. Thompson asked for the question to be repeated.
Mr. DeFrancisco: “Are you saying — very simple question — that before you agreed to co-sponsor this bill you did not read it?”
Mr. Thompson: “I did not receive the information.”
Mr. DeFrancisco: “You did not read it.”
Mr. Thompson: “I did not receive the information.”
[There’s more in today’s Empire .....................ENOUGH SAID............AND HERE ARE A FEW MORE SPITZER Appointments
May 7, 2007 at 3:30 pm by Jay Jochnowitz, State Editor
A couple of appointments from the governor today:
Carl H. Loewenson, Jr., nominated for chairman and member of the New York City Convention Center Operating Corporation, which operates and maintains the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. A partner in Morrison & Foerster, he’s also on the State Ethics Comission, and is chair and member of the New York Convention Center Development Corporation, which oversees the Javits centers’ planned expansion. The post is unpaid.
Edward Reinfurt, nominated for Executive Director of the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation, set up to encourage and expand high-tech academic research and economic development. He’s been vice president of the Business Council and helped create the standards for the state’s Centers of Excellence program. He used to be director of government affairs for the Carrier Group and the Associated Industries of New York State, Inc. Salary: $136,000. ....................AND YOU HAVE TO CHECK THIS SHORT VIDEO OUT....IT IS SOOOOOOOOO FUNNY.....WATCH HOW SPITZER IS A KINDER GENTLER SOUL.........COURTESY OF THE POLITICKER " Rich Baum dreams of a kinder Eliot Spitzer, courtesy of Jimmy Siegel [added]." AND Bruno Moves To Delay '07 Primary "Saying it would be "unfitting" to hold the 2007 primary elections on Sept. 11, Majority Leader Joseph Bruno announced the Senate will later today pass legislation he is sponsoring to bump them to Sept. 18. "...........TYPICAL REPUBLICAN WAVE THE FLAG HYPE...........WHAT BETTER WAY TO HONOR THOSE LOST ON 9/11 THEN TO GO OUT AND VOTE AND EXCERCISE YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT......SOMETIMES I WONDER ABOUT BRUNO........AND FINALLY DiNapoli Seeks To Dispel Hevesi 'Cloud' .............As reported in this morning's Daily News, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is cooperating with Albany County DA David Soares investigation into a potential pay-to-play scam involving the $150 billion state pension fund, and is also taking additional steps to (as his press release puts it) "clean up remnants of a scandal." (That would, of course, be Chauffeurgate).
DiNapoli said he has hired the Manhattan firm of Mintz Levin (et al) to audit and review all activities of Jack Chartier, ex-Comptroller Alan Hevesi's former chief of staff, while he was at OSC. That effort will be headed up by Bridget Rohde, former chief of the criminal division of the United States Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, who will share her findings with Soares........TOM IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS PROMISED TO DO..CLEAN UP THE HEVESI MESS...........THAT'S IT FOR NOW........ANDY
That led Senator Frank Padavan, a Queens Republican, to pose a question:
“Why did your conscience allow you to be a sponsor of this bill?”
Indeed, all 29 Senate Democrats, including Mr. Thompson, had co-sponsored the bill days earlier, but, in a speedy turnabout, almost all of them ultimately voted against the measure, as the governor urged.
“Sir, as you may know, we get information on a regular basis, and when I found out the exact content of the bill I was in complete opposition,” Mr. Thompson explained, a deer-in-the-headlights expression passing over his face.
He resumed his speech, raising his voice even louder in outrage at the bill, before Senator John A. DeFrancisco, a Syracuse Republican, rose to speak.
“Is it true that you’re saying that before giving your name as a sponsor to this bill you didn’t read it?” he asked.
Mr. Thompson asked for the question to be repeated.
Mr. DeFrancisco: “Are you saying — very simple question — that before you agreed to co-sponsor this bill you did not read it?”
Mr. Thompson: “I did not receive the information.”
Mr. DeFrancisco: “You did not read it.”
Mr. Thompson: “I did not receive the information.”
[There’s more in today’s Empire .....................ENOUGH SAID............AND HERE ARE A FEW MORE SPITZER Appointments
May 7, 2007 at 3:30 pm by Jay Jochnowitz, State Editor
A couple of appointments from the governor today:
Carl H. Loewenson, Jr., nominated for chairman and member of the New York City Convention Center Operating Corporation, which operates and maintains the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. A partner in Morrison & Foerster, he’s also on the State Ethics Comission, and is chair and member of the New York Convention Center Development Corporation, which oversees the Javits centers’ planned expansion. The post is unpaid.
Edward Reinfurt, nominated for Executive Director of the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation, set up to encourage and expand high-tech academic research and economic development. He’s been vice president of the Business Council and helped create the standards for the state’s Centers of Excellence program. He used to be director of government affairs for the Carrier Group and the Associated Industries of New York State, Inc. Salary: $136,000. ....................AND YOU HAVE TO CHECK THIS SHORT VIDEO OUT....IT IS SOOOOOOOOO FUNNY.....WATCH HOW SPITZER IS A KINDER GENTLER SOUL.........COURTESY OF THE POLITICKER " Rich Baum dreams of a kinder Eliot Spitzer, courtesy of Jimmy Siegel [added]." AND Bruno Moves To Delay '07 Primary "Saying it would be "unfitting" to hold the 2007 primary elections on Sept. 11, Majority Leader Joseph Bruno announced the Senate will later today pass legislation he is sponsoring to bump them to Sept. 18. "...........TYPICAL REPUBLICAN WAVE THE FLAG HYPE...........WHAT BETTER WAY TO HONOR THOSE LOST ON 9/11 THEN TO GO OUT AND VOTE AND EXCERCISE YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT......SOMETIMES I WONDER ABOUT BRUNO........AND FINALLY DiNapoli Seeks To Dispel Hevesi 'Cloud' .............As reported in this morning's Daily News, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is cooperating with Albany County DA David Soares investigation into a potential pay-to-play scam involving the $150 billion state pension fund, and is also taking additional steps to (as his press release puts it) "clean up remnants of a scandal." (That would, of course, be Chauffeurgate).
DiNapoli said he has hired the Manhattan firm of Mintz Levin (et al) to audit and review all activities of Jack Chartier, ex-Comptroller Alan Hevesi's former chief of staff, while he was at OSC. That effort will be headed up by Bridget Rohde, former chief of the criminal division of the United States Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, who will share her findings with Soares........TOM IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS PROMISED TO DO..CLEAN UP THE HEVESI MESS...........THAT'S IT FOR NOW........ANDY
