(L-R): Sen. Dean Skelos (R); Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D); Assemb. Sheldon Silver (D)
(Two indicted - both ousted - one to go???)
A painful post about a crappy situation in New York State
government, but one we are all talking about that needs to be addressed in stark
terms. NYS government in Albany in a word: Stinks.
ALBANY, NY (AP) — They (pictured above and commonly called “three
men in a room”) were Albany's most powerful men: the governor (Andrew Cuomo);
Senate leader (Dean Skelos – now ousted); and Assembly speaker (Sheldon Silver –
also ousted). Together, they negotiated billion-dollar budgets and decided
which bills passed and which ones didn't and hardly anyone else was involved.
Now, Skelos (R) and Silver (D) both face federal
corruption charges. The Gov. appears eager to focus on other
issues even as he faces questions about his ties to a major real estate firm at
the center of the newest scandal to rock New York State.
My note: at the
center of most of those scandals are the dreaded
LLC’s, their money, out of control mega-million deals, and the NY Board of
Elections who turned a blind eye and passed on reform that could have reined them
in.
"If the charges are
correct, it's deeply disturbing," is what Gov. Cuomo said following the arrest
of Skelos on charges that he extorted payments for his son from the developer
and another business. He resigned recently, and that comes on the heels of Silver
who also stepped down as Assembly speaker in January after he was charged with
taking nearly $4 million in payoffs. Both men say they are innocent and are
keeping their legislative seats but no leadership jobs.
Silver's arrest,
ironically, came just one day after Cuomo referred to Skelos, Silver, and
himself as the “Three Amigos” during
his budget presentation, which contained a depiction of the three men wearing
sombreros.
My note: Perhaps then a hearty Adiós is in order you think??
Yes, they are surrounded by the Mexican National Flag Colors
(or all that green for the money in question)
My note: Perhaps then a hearty Adiós is in order you think??
At the heart of those scandals as I said above: Millions of dollars in contributions by New York City real estate
interests, mainly funneled through the LLCs, have been cited in the cases
against Silver and Skelos, who received large contributions from Glenwood
Management, a New York City real estate firm headed by Leonard Litwin, Cuomo's
top donor.
Glenwood has been identified as the New York City company
that gave large campaign donations to Skelos using LLCs, allegedly in return
for helping continue tax breaks now worth about $1 billion annually to the
city's residential developers. Those tax breaks, along with New York City's
rent regulations, are up for renewal this year. The complaint against Skelos
alleges that he used his influence to pressure a Glenwood executive to arrange
payments for his son.
Gov. Cuomo received $1
million from limited liability companies tied to Glenwood. Cuomo said recently that he never
discussed rent laws with the company. Administration records show he
met with Glenwood executives three times to discuss rent regulations in 2011,
the last year they were up for renewal. Cuomo's spokesman said later that the
governor simply forgot the meetings.
The developer's generous
contributions were scrutinized by the anti-corruption commission appointed by
Cuomo in 2013 and disbanded a year later. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of
Manhattan, who is prosecuting Skelos and Silver, took them over. Glenwood did
not return a message seeking comment.
And, here we are today…
corruption’s cup runneth over as they say.
What is the public reaction: NY polls suggest voters
aren't pleased, i.e., a Marist College poll just released found that
three-quarters of respondents think corruption has gotten worse in New York in
recent years. Gov. Cuomo's JAR has dropped to 37 percent while ratings for the
Assembly and Senate are in the low 20’s.
This glum photo counters the happy one above sums it up better than any post or opinion piece.
B/L: The Gov. and everyone in elected office need to address this mess and related ties to big business and the tons of money that has corrupted the entire system; fix it; and end the corruption.
This glum photo counters the happy one above sums it up better than any post or opinion piece.
B/L: The Gov. and everyone in elected office need to address this mess and related ties to big business and the tons of money that has corrupted the entire system; fix it; and end the corruption.
Now would be better than later, too.
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