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St. Vincent's Hospital Gutted

Like our faith in how our democratic form of government, and our faith in politicians who falsely sell themselves as progressives, here is the former St. Vincent's Hospital, being gutted for the exclusive benefit of the 1%, in this case, for the billion-dollar enterprise Rudin Management Company and their owners.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Dan Choi's Judge Recuses Herself

Dan Choi's Judge Recuses Herself

BREAKING NEWS: JUDGE STEPS DOWN, HEARING VACATED
Tuesday, September 25, 2012,
12:00pm EST
PRESS CONTACT: press@ltdanchoi.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Only 23 hours before Lt. Dan Choi's scheduled criminal hearing, Magistrate Judge Elizabeth C. Wingo, recused herself. The recusal and unprecedented delay is based upon Lt. Choi's motion related to Government Misconduct. Over 30 officials, including Former Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina were subpoenaed to testify about their political roles in the Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell (2010) and the Tarsands Keystone XL Pipeline Protests (2011).

Lt. Choi has been on trial for over one year and is prohibited from stepping foot on the White House Sidewalk. Lt. Choi's attorney, former Army JAG Officer Capt. James E. Pietrangelo II, remarked "there is something very wrong here. We subpoenaed White House Officials and all of a sudden the hearing is cancelled." Professional Process Server Mr. Daniel Portnoy of D.C. Legal Process has "never seen this before in over 700,000 high level subpoenas served in over a decade."

The hearing tomorrow is cancelled, incurring Lt. Choi over $5,000 in legal preparation and travel fees.

Lt. Choi is still on trial for protesting Don't Ask Don't Tell in federal court, and a hearing in that separate case is still set for October 17, 2012. Further details about the rescheduling of the vacated Tarsands Case will appear on this site. The Tarsands case will likely go before the Chief Judge of the Superior Court, Chief Judge Lee Satterfield, unless he reassigns it.

PRESS CONTACT: press@ltdanchoi.org
ALTERNATE: MR. BRAD LUNA, brad@lunamediagroup.com

Anonymous Video Dump of NYPD Zuccotti Raid

From Firedoglake :

Members of the hacktivist group Anonymous have released sixty hours of footage of the raid by the New York Police Department against Occupy Wall Street on November 15, 2011. The footage posted is from the NYPD’s Technical Assistance Research Unit (TARU), a surveillance unit that is regularly present at political demonstrations to film police actions. It was posted as a torrent for download late in the evening on September 23, 2012. A tiny sample of the footage, including a statement read by a member of Anonymous, was posted on YouTube.

Here is the start of the Anonymous playlist on YouTube :

Read more about how the NYPD wrongfully use their authority and actually overstep legalities, including the Handschu Agreement.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Stonewall Democrats Neutral On Paid Sick Leave : Soon To Be Opposed ?

Stonewall-Democratic-Club-Paid-Sick-Leave-Farce, The Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City has been co-opted by New York City Council Christine Quinn and has no opinion about paid sick leave, says its president, Melissa Sklarz.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is triangulating with the Stonewall Democrats and Chelsea bar and restaurant owners to undermine public opinion for a paid sick leave bill.

To wit, look at how City Councilmember Gale Brewer made it sound like she was read to water-down the paid sick leave bill, even though it currently has 37 co-sponsors, according to Azi Paybarah. Also, witness how Stonewall Democrats President Melissa Sklarz has made a statement on Facebook, indicating that Stonewall Democrats do not have a position on paid sick leave as an issue, even though enacting such a law would be a great progressive advancement under labour and public health laws.

OWS NYPD TARU

Does Christine Quinn condone the indiscriminate NYPD TARU surveillance of the legal political activities of OWS activists ? Lawful political demonstrations are protected under the First Amendment Freedoms of Speech and of Assembly ?

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Horse Carriage Illegal Overload Payload

From eyewitness testimony from YouTube :

"On 3/22/12 at West 42nd st and 6th ave at 10:30 pm. I noted a carriage with 5 full grown adults. This is against the law. However this industry gives NO regards to the HORSES nor the LAW."

Watch the video on YouTube : Overload

Monday, September 17, 2012

Carriage Horse Driver Has Temper Tantrum Anger Meltdown

Five days after the carriage horse Oreo had an accident, activists organised a demonstration at Central Park. After activists warned tourists about the dangers of taking rides in the horse-drawn carriages, some of the carriage horse drivers became angry. One of them exploded in a fit of rage, but I only caught the tail end of his temper tantrum. Please call the New York City Council at : 1 (212) 788-7210 -- and ask for a ban on horse-drawn carriages, before more people get hurt.

Read more : Here's Video Of New York's "Angriest" Carriage Horse Driver by James King

Christine Quinn has no opinion about the misuse of authority by NYPD Deputy Inspector Ed Winski

Updated ! Sign the Change.org petition that calls on Commissioner Raymond Kelly to fire Deputy Inspector Ed Winski.

Systematic suppression of the Constitutional rights of lawful political activities of activists, politicians, and journalists to observe police actions against Occupy Wall Street protesters.

Deputy Inspector Edward J. Winski, on orders from City Hall : Mayor Michael Bloomberg and approval (either tacit or express) by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn engages in use of police force, misuse of authority, no professional, lack of respect and courtesy, not to mention abridgment of the Constitutionally-protected Freedoms of Speech and Assembly, to thwart the lawful political activities of citizens. Note how police officers selectively pick activists from within a crowd and use force to make false arrests. One person also provides testimony that a legal observer is arrested by the NYPD.

In this video, some activists deliver first-hand witness accounts of Deputy Inspector Winski misusing his official authority for the sole purpose of interfering, thwarting, and destroying the rights of these activists. The intent of Deputy Inspector Winski can solely be to destroy any chance activists have to peacefully and lawfully assemble and express themselves.

According to the video's description on YouTube, the above video was filmed on September 15, 2012 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and it shows "some of the major events," which took place during livestreamer Luke Rudkowski's live broadcast at the "Occupy Wall Street #S15 action."

And no amount of independent monitoring, oversight, community regulation, not even the existence of the Civilian Complaint Review Board or Internal Affairs investigations, can correct the abuse of authority when it is ordered by and/or is carried out with the tacit or express approval of the politicians, who give orders to NYPD. Here is past evidence about how Deputy Inspector Winksi and the NYPD have misused their authority against peaceful and lawful #OWS activists, I'm sure this can't be the rest of it.

To change the system, you have to join community organising efforts to challenge the oppressive conditions, which violate citizens' rights, and this includes taking action to vote out of office the politicians, who give these orders to NYPD.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Christine Quinn NYPD Lombardo Overpopulation Endagers Democracy Sustainability

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, one of the few publicly elected politicians, who are directly accountable to voters, who can issue orders to the NYPD, has no opinion about the satirical "National Geographic" YouTube video about the governance problems caused by the rampant over-breeding of NYPD Lombardos, which is destabilising the sustainability of our democratic form of government.

Quinn Has No Opinion On Fracking

NYPD Arrest Protesters At Occupy The Pipeline Demonstration ; New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn Has No Policy Position On The Dangers Of Fracking.

NEW YORK, September 6, 2012--At the 8:30 am protest against construction of a Spectra fracked gas pipeline at Gansevoort and Hudson River Parkway, Monika Hunken and Sandra were arrested by the NYPD.

They were among five activists who climbed over the low concrete barricade surrounding the drilling site and sat down in the dirt in front of a backhoe, thus blocking the machine from operating ; at first Hunken announced that they would leave the pit, but then she and Sandra Coponen changed their minds and returned to the pit facing arrest. The backhoe was adjacent to the drilling rig itself, which was fenced in by a high wire mesh fence. The rig had been in operation prior to the sit-down action.

The Spectra pipeline is delivering Marcellus shale potentially radioactive gas containing native radon; in addition, the hydrofracking process pumps 5 billion gallons of water laced with 600 toxic chemicals into the shale to extract the gas. The Henry Hudson Parkway is owned by the state and not the city ; Mayor Bloomberg's supposed "girl-friend" Diana Taylor known for her involvement with Bloomfield Properties graces the board of Hudson Parkway, too. The Spectra pipeline will run in the vicinity of a children's playground in the West Village. In the interests of clean air, clean water and public health, activists are urging Governor Cuomo to step up to the plate and ban hydrofracking in New York State and Mayor Bloomberg not to enable its arrival and dissemination In New York City.

Filmed by Liza Béar. Press inquiries: lizajbear@gmail.com; 646-246-1869.

Friday, September 14, 2012

NYTimes Media Bias Newscast featuring Suzannah B. Troy as Christine Quinn

Suzannah B. Troy mocked the media bias by editors, including Carolyn Ryan, at The New York Times, which promotes the mayoral candidacy of Christine Quinn.

Follow us on Facebook : We Protest Media Bias In The New York Times

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Protest Against NYTimes Media Bias That Promotes Christine Quinn

Two dozen activists returned to the headquarters of The New York Times on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, to protest what activists describe as media bias that promotes Christine Quinn for mayor. Instead of investigating the machine politics in City Council, The New York Times publishes stories about which café Council Speaker Christine Quinn takes brunch, or how great she is at baking pies. The newspaper of record is promoting Speaker Quinn as if she were a reality show star, rather than holding her accountable for her political record. Activists look for an explanation from the editors at The New York Times, including from Carolyn Ryan, who activists say has a central role in promoting Speaker Quinn.

Suzannah Troy Joins Protesters Against NYTimes Media Bias

The political blogger Suzannah B. Troy dressed up as Christine Quinn and mockingly thanked The New York Times for the journalism published in The Times, which promotes Speaker Quinn's political campaign.

Two dozen activists returned to the headquarters of The New York Times on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, to protest what activists describe as media bias that promotes Christine Quinn for mayor. Instead of investigating the machine politics in City Council, The New York Times publishes stories about which café Council Speaker Christine Quinn takes brunch, or how great she is at baking pies. The newspaper of record is promoting Speaker Quinn as if she were a reality show star, rather than holding her accountable for her political record. Activists look for an explanation from the editors at The New York Times, including from Carolyn Ryan, who activists say has a central role in promoting Speaker Quinn.

Follow us on Facebook : We Protest Media Bias In The New York Times

Monday, September 10, 2012

Stop and Frisk Activists Monitored By Police ; Identified on NYPD Poster

Activists Christina Gonzalez and Matthew Swaye saw an NYPD poster labeling them "professional agitators" at a police precinct during a community meeting, reported WNBC. Ms. Gonzalez and Mr. Swaye, who live up in Harlem, were at NYPD's 30th Precinct when they saw the flyer labeling them as "professional agitators." It states that the couple often posted video of police conducting stop-and-frisk incidents to YouTube, and "cast officers in an unfavorable light." The paper also lists the couple's address, the WNBC report added. "I spent a lot of my life working as a peace activist, and to be associated with violence or something criminal is troubling," Mr. Swaye told WNBC. (Source : WNBC)

It is not known how the NYPD took the photos of the activists, or how much other information the NYPD has collected on Ms. Gonzalez and Mr. Swaye. It is illegal for NYPD to collect intelligence about peaceful activists.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Christine Quinn Never Supported Term Limits : NPR

GREENE: We were outside, in the blistering heat - right outside your office a few minutes ago, just talking to people about your future in politics and...

QUINN: I hope they were kind. (Laughter)

GREENE: They were kind. Some actually didn't know you, which was really interesting. The last person we talked to said, "I am not going to support her because I hold her accountable for giving Mayor Bloomberg a third term." Do you regret that at all?

QUINN: No, I don't regret that decision at all. I mean, I've never been a supporter of term limits. The charter gives us the power to make changes through legislation - or the voters, through a voter change. And I really felt, given the horrible, horrible fiscal situation we were in, voters deserved the chance to keep the elected officials they had, or not.

So I don't regret that at all. But I do respect the fact that for some people, that is a deal-breaker. And for some people - they feel very, very strongly about it. And I respect that.

Christine Quinn Handschu Agreement

Note how NYPD filmed the evacuation of Liberty Square/Zuccotti Park :

Are NYPD Intelligence Division violating terms of the Handschu Agreement ?

On September 6, 2012, activists against the Fracking Pipeline that is proposed to run through the West Village organised a demonstration along the West Side Highway. At that protest, a white shirt police officer was caught video taping lawful political activities of the protesters. If the protesters were only engaged in lawful political activities on September 6, as it surely does appear, then does the monitoring of the protesters by the NYPD not violate the Handschu Agreement ?

The Handschu agreement is a court ruling from the case Handschu v. Special Services Division, 605 F.Supp. 1384, affirmed 787 F.2d 828, that brought about guidelines that regulate police behavior in New York City with regard to police monitoring of citizens' political activity (Wikipedia).

A large coalition of activist groups accused police of compiling information to punish and repress lawful dissent, according to Wikipedia.

For the last year, the NYPD and the Bloomberg administration have been monitoring the Occupy Wall Street movement since before activists began their occupation in Liberty Square. In 2011, NYPD used camcorders to videotape protesters during a march against the execution of Troy Davis. On one occasion in 2012, Occupy activists caught the NYPD engaged in monitoring the lawful political activities by #OWS.

Because New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is one of the handful of city politicians, who can give orders to NYPD, what kind of oversight, approval, or objections has she made about any illegal monitoring acts by the New York Police Department ? Would it be considered surprising if word began to spread that Speaker Quinn is now using officers from the NYPD Intelligence Division for security at protests ?

Bolton-St. John's Salary

Bolton-St. John's is a lobbying firm headed by Emily Giske, pictured at left, who influences legislation and tries to win slush fund allocations on behalf of wealthy special interest clients, like KFC, the fried chicken fast food chain.

The firm and its lobbyists also try to fake grassroots campaign strategies in the name of business development.

This is only the "average" information reported by Lead411 ; it cannot be exactly known how much money Ms. Giske actually takes home. But she is definitely kept busy, winning slush funds for one of her major clients, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, which has received millions of taxpayer dollars that have been funneled in the name of "capital financing" from the New York City Council in the last two budgets, according to The New York Times. Another of Ms. Giske's clients, KFC, is part of the parent holding company, Yum! Brands ; KFC stood to keep making lots of gravy, after Ms. Giske lobbied New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to kill, then delay, the water down the living wage bill.

The following is the salary information available from Lead411 :

DESCRIPTION SALARY AVERAGE
Lobbyist * $ 129,143
Average Employee ** $ 58,880

NOTES

* This doesn't include fat expense account allowances, taxi reïmbursements, and profits (if you are a partner).

** Includes administrative assistants, clerks, receptionists, and Starbucks runners.

"Lobbying City Hall is a significant business for Ms. Giske’s firm, Bolton-St. John's. In recent years, the company has reported earnings of $2 million to $3 million annually while lobbying the city government, billing its clients nearly $15 million in the six years since Ms. Quinn was elected speaker," wrote The New York Times.

Read more : Running For Mayor After Your Friend Cashed In On You Being Speaker

Friday, September 7, 2012

Christine Quinn Jamestown Properties Update

On Wednesday, while New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was appearing at the Democratic National Convention, the City Planning Commission approved the expansion of Chelsea Market.

Jamestown Properties and others, who have an interest in the expansion of Chelsea Market, are amongst Speaker Christine Quinn's largest campaign donors.

The approval of the zone-busting plan would allow developers to build new office towers atop the Ninth and Tenth Avenues of the building, NY1 has reported.

"The City Council has until October 29 to hold public hearings and vote on the final plan. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is eyeing a run in the 2013 mayoral election, has the market in her district. By Wednesday, Quinn had not said publicly if she supports the plan or not," concluded the NY1 report.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Advocating All The Way To The Bank

LGBT activist and blogger Michael Petrelis has posted exclusive information about the salaries of "every LGBT and HIV/AIDS nonprofit" on his blog, as part of his campaign for transparency and accountability from various agencies, who raise money to do work for the LGBT community and for people living with HIV/AIDS. In his research effort, Mr. Petrelis demanded from our social service organizations to release a minimum of 3-5 years of IRS Form 990's. Mr. Petrelis examined many tax returns for our advocacy and service organizations to identify the number of executive directors who've broken the $300,000 salary ceiling in the past few years. Following is an excerpt of his research :

Here are the highest-compensated executives, ranked by their last known or reported annual salary:

1. Gail Barouh: $421,200
2. Kevin Frost: $388,000
3. Michael Weinstein: $380,000
4. Chad Griffin: $379,000
5. Craig Shniderman: $374,000
6. Lorri Jean: $364,000
7. Morris Dees: $343,000
8. Richard Cohen: $339,000
9. Karen Pearl: $318,000
10. Joe Solmonese: $306,400
11. Kevin Cathcart: $300,200
12. Jerome Radwin: $300,000

Below are abbreviated fiscal profiles, arranged alphabetically, on the executives and the agencies they lead or ran before stepping down and moving on to another job. I've included three years' worth of their reported compensation and the agency's revenue, along with cumulative totals of salaries.

Transparency grades are also given, to praise the groups that post 990s on their sites and to publicize those that post a paltry single return or zero 990s, to spur them to get with the transparency program.

Read more : $300K+Plus Club : 12 Gay & AIDS Executives' Pay