The charges by the U.S. Attorney and one of the Republican mayoral candidates spotlights the corrupt nature of how the city’s Republican leaders tried to peddle their support to various potential mayoral candidates
George T. McDonald clearly states that he was stunned while at a “sit down” with five Republican County Leaders, they told him that everyone of them needed money. According to Mr. McDonald, the process of selecting a Republican candidate for mayor was more about what the county leaders needed from that candidate than what was in the best interest of the Republican Party ( See “A G.O.P. Candidate Heard His Party’s Message: To Run, You Pay” by Michael M. Grynbaum, 4/2/13, NY Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/nyregion/transactional-politics-for-new-york-citys-gop.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&]). Also Mr. McDonald said the five Republican County Chairmen told him they wanted to support a mayoral candidate who could make significant contributions to their party organizations. According to the NY Times, calls to each of the Republican Chairmen for a response to Mr. McDonald’s charges were not returned.
Since the Times’ article appeared, its main charge was publicly denied by only one of the Republican County Chairmen, Dan Isaacs, who said that the McDonald version of what happened at their meeting was “...absolutely categorically untrue.... [t]he only questions that were asked of him that night was [sic], ‘Do you have the money to dependably run a race for the mayor of the City of New York?’.” (“McDonald Not Done With Isaacs” by Liz Benjamin, 4/4/13, YNN/Capital Tonight [http://capitaltonightny.ynn.com/2013/04/mcdonald-not-done-with-isaacs/]). For his part, George McDonald is sticking by his guns — “I stand by my statement to the New York Times.... I will serve the people and won’t be beholden to party leaders for patronage, donations or favors.... No more bribes. No more scandals. No more patronage. No more sellouts....”
In addition, to the charges made against all five Republican County Leaders, McDonald clearly stated that, in spite of Leader Dan Issacs’ early “endorsement” of John Catsimatidis, Issacs was an early GOP County leader to favor allowing State Senator Malcolm Smith to participate in the GOP mayoral primary. If you believe Mr. McDonald on that point, the almost inescapable conclusion is that Brooklyn GOP Chairman Craig Eaton would have to be the “County Chairman #1” mentioned in the federal complaint concerning Democratic State Senator Malcolm Smith’s attempts to get the GOP Wilson-Pakula.
UPDATE: Bay Ridge Republicans and Democrats slam “the web of bribery and corruption” exposed by the arrests connected to State Senator Malcolm Smith’s desire to run for mayor on the Republican line (See “Both sides of the aisle slam `culture of corruption'.” by Paula Katinas & Raanan Geberer, 4/4/13, Brooklyn Eagle [http://brooklyneagle.com/articles/both-sides-aisle-slam-culture-corruption-2013-04-04-140000]).
ReplyDeleteThe most notable comments by a prominent Brooklyn Republican were those of Bob Capano. Capano said, “The right to run for mayor on my party's line is not for sale. Unfortunately, we see all too often career politicians putting personal advancement ahead of public service, and this needs to end.”
Bob Capano, a Bay Ridge resident, is a key operative helping John Castimatidis in his run for mayor. Capano has served on the staffs of both Republican and Democratic office-holders, most recently as the Brooklyn District Director for former Republican Queens-Brooklyn Congressman Bob Turner. In addition, Bob Capano is a former Republican candidate for the NYS Assembly and the NYC City Council; he also was once the President of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club.
According to the report in the Brooklyn Eagle, Castimatidis and some of his supporters were advised by law-enforcement officials that an investigation was in progress; and that Catsimatidis and those supporters cooperated fully.
Notably absent from the Geberer & Katinas article in the Brooklyn Eagle were any comments by Republican State Senator Martin Golden or Kings County Republican Chairman Craig Eaton. To date, neither Eaton nor Brooklyn’s only in-county elected Republican official, Marty Golden, have made any significant public comments about this massive REPUBLICAN corruption scandal — that is, aside from Eaton’s terse and self-serving denials of involvement and knowledge
Sen. Golden must make a statement, his silence is deafening. He must condemn the events of this week and call on Eaton to resign both privately and publicly.
ReplyDeleteUPDATE:
DeleteTHE SCHEME TO OBTAIN A WILSON-PAKULA AUTHORIZATION FOR STATE SENATOR MALCOLM SMITH PROBABLY INVOLVES STATE SENATOR MARTIN GOLDEN AND/OR SOMEONE ON HIS STAFF AS MUCH AS IT DOES EATON ---- THEREFORE, HOW COULD GOLDEN CALL FOR EATON TO RESIGN ?
State Senator Martin Golden or someone on his staff had significant communications with at least one of those already charged with wrong-doing in the federal complaint involving State Senator Smith.
I have been told that at there had been at least one communication between at least one of the individuals charged in the federal complaint and State Senator Golden or at least one of his staff members. The purpose of that communication specifically dealt with obtaining a Wilson-Pakula authorization for State Senator Malcolm Smith.
Chairman #1 is Dan Isaacs. Chairman #2 is Phil Ragusa.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the comment entitled, "Anonymous April 5, 2013 at 1:18 PM
DeleteGalewyn April 2nd Response *** You have a way with words...." did not originally appear as a "Reply" to the comment immediately above, it was the comment that appeared immediately after the above, but at the margin flush left, as an original comment and not a reply comment. That comment was moved because I believe it was not properly placed at this location, and that it needed to be moved to a more sensible location.
The whole comment, "Anonymous April 5, 2013 at 1:18 PM
Galewyn April 2nd Response *** You have a way with words...." and two (2) responding comments now appear in the comments thread to the Tuesday, April 2, 2013 post, “WILL CORRUPTION PROBE REACH CRAIG EATON AND MARTY GOLDEN OR THOSE AROUND THEM ?” All three (3) items appear under a “Galewyn Massey” notation explaining the newly placed comment and two (2) replies
UPDATE: CATSIMATIDIS TALKS ABOUT SCANDAL DURING INTERVIEW WITH SLIWA
ReplyDeleteHear the John Catsimatidis interview by Curtis Sliwa from 4/4/13 ( See LINK to Sliwa’s show >>> http://sliwonics.com/sliwa/4-4-13%20Curtis%20with%20John%20Catsimatidis.mp3 0.).
Among other matters, Curtis Sliwa asked John Catsimatidis about the charges against Vincent Tabone, Vice Chairman of the Queens GOP and formerly a key operative of the Catsimatidis Campaign. Mr. Catsimatidis indicated that he was shocked and saddened by what happened to Mr. Tabone, whom Catsimatidis described as a good family man. The candidate and supermarket mogul also said that Vincent Tabone had been fired him from the Catsimatidis campaign and that he had been suspended without pay from his employment at Gristedes.
The Republican candidate then shifted the focus toward the culture of corruption prevalent at the New York City Council. He noted that there are virtually no checks and balances on the supermajority enjoyed by Christine Quinn, as boss of the council. He went on that many items funded by the City of New York were completely uncontrolled except by local Councilmen, including somebody like Dan Halloran, who laughed at any notion of oversight. Catsimatidis then suggested that instead of a special IG for the NYPD, there should be an Inspector General to specifically oversee the City Council.
John Catsimatidis said he disagreed with State Senator Martin Golden, who refused to fund certain traffic cams to control speeding. According to Catsimatidis, if properly used around dangerous intersections, the traffic cams could save lives and he would use them in that way.