Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Not yet reported in the Larry Morrish-Hynes coverage — his “Brooklyn District Attorney Neighborhood Office” or "outreach center" had no recorded official address

A source close to one of the investigations discloses that investigators can’t find the addresses of  32 “Brooklyn District Attorney Neighborhood Office[s]” or any of the leases for such offices

Same source indicates that investigations of DA Hynes’ operations and finances are mushrooming  —  including audits by NYS and NYC Controllers   


Larry Morrish and Jack Malone were present along with DA Hynes to at the opening of a new Brooklyn District Attorney Neighborhood Office at 224 Brooklyn Avenue in late May 2008.  Can any other address be associated with the so-called thirty-two (32) neighborhood offices operated by the Brooklyn DA prior to leaving office at the end of 2013 ?  That is a question that seems to be perplexing investigators looking into several financial questions associated with the operation of the Brooklyn DA’s Office for several years prior to the end of 2013.

As the Sunday NY Post was quoted  in my post below: “Among the issues being looked at is whether Hynes’ opening of the 32 outreach centers was only a political p.r. effort. The centers were closed this year. ***  Morrish said he worked in Bay Ridge and did ‘outreach to present the services of the DA’s office to the community.’  He wouldn’t disclose his salary. Records show he wasn’t on the city payroll....” ( See “Hynes probe looks at payments to cronies” by Isabel Vincent and Melissa Klein, 6/22/14 [http://nypost.com/2014/06/22/hynes-probe-looks-at-payments-to-cronies/]).”  Not reported by the NY Post was what “outreach center” or “Brooklyn District Attorney Neighborhood Office” Mr. Morrish operated out of while he “...worked in Bay Ridge....”

Millions of dollars were expended in the operation of these thirty-two (32) Brooklyn “District Attorney Neighborhood Offices” or “outreach centers.”  Where were they ?  Who received rent or properly recorded and reported expenses in lieu of rent ?

My source also indicated that both the New York State and New York City Controllers were likely to mount full audits of the Brooklyn DA’s Office finances for an undisclosed period of time prior to the end of 2013. It had previously been reported in the New York Times and other media outlets that the U.S. Attorney, the New York State AG’s Office and the NYC Department of Investigation are looking or have been looking into these matters  —  and the DOI has completed one report on its earlier investigations ( See “ Inquiry Widens Into Hynes’s Spending as Prosecutor” by Stephanie Clifford, 6/17/14, NY Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/18/nyregion/us-attorneys-join-inquiry-into-spending-of-prosecutor.html?_r=0]). According to Stephanie Clifford’s report in the NY Times, since both Federal and NY State funds might have been misused and/or misapplied by the former Brooklyn DA, both could exercise jurisdiction. Furthermore, since these funds have come from a variety of agencies, auditors, inspectors and/or investigators from various agencies also will be giving close scrutiny to the finances of the Brooklyn DA’s Office.

26 comments:

  1. I remember scandals from the past of pols putting phantom employees on the payroll.
    Phantom offices is a new one.

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  2. A lot of people knew about the community offices scam for a long time. Why didn't it become a scandal or even a problem until after the Brooklyn DA lost in 2013? Also lots of the Hynes "political" email went to important people like Judith Kaye -- why haven't the public been told about that?

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  3. When it all comes out Judith Kaye wll be shown to be the real political operative behind scandal.

    Larry Morrish is small potatos, or is it potatoes?

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  4. Sol Wachtler, Judith Kaye and Barry Kamins -- Hynes was Bench-pressing all of them with his "political" emails -- with a lot of very "frank" conversation about the people running against Hynes. The Bar and the Bench have a lot to answer for in the growing Hynes scandals.

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  5. Focus, focus, focus.... !

    My post was about two things: 1) the leaked non-location of the 32 local community offices that were supposedly operated by the DA's Office, asking where Larry Morrish worked in Bay Ridge...; and 2) mentioning that several Federal and NYS investigations were looking into various aspects of the finances of the Brooklyn DA's Office before the end of 2013.

    The Hynes emails to various high up past and present people in the NYS judiciary might be interesting, but they have little or nothing to do with this post.

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  6. Morrish spoke to reporters and said he did outreach.
    Where was he reaching from?
    The Bay Ridge Manor?

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  7. UPDATE: THE “HYNES’ TWISTING AND TURNING IN THE WIND” EDITION


    ACCORDING TO THE NY POST, THE JUDGE JOHN PHILLIPS CASE MOVES TO CENTER OF CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS


    NEW BROOKLYN DA INVESTIGATES OLD BROOKLYN DA ABOUT POSSIBLE MISUSE OF FORFEITURE FUNDS AS ERSATZ “RESTITUTION” IN PHILLIPS CASE


    The headline at the top of today’s NY Post article, “DA probing Hynes for alleged improper use of forfeiture money,” doesn’t even begin to tell the story (See “DA probing Hynes for alleged improper use of forfeiture money” by Josh Saul, 6/25/14, NY Post [http://nypost.com/2014/06/25/da-probing-hynes-for-alleged-improper-use-of-forfeiture-money/]). According to the Post, Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson is investigating his predecessor and former political opponent Charles “Joe” Hynes for payments made to the Estate of former Brooklyn Civil Court Judge John Phillips. Of particular interest is a check for about $25,000 that was sent to a representative of Phillips’ estate during Hynes’ 2013 campaign for re-election — during that campaign, Hynes’ opponent had specifically questioned Hynes’ handling of various matters involving Judge Phillips and his property. It needs to be noted that at the time in 2001 when Phillips’ many properties were taken from him by “court appointed guardians” starting with Hynes’ former chief of staff, they were worth many millions of dollars, probably totaling more than ten million dollars.

    Who would have expected that the investigations into the possible illegal use of forfeiture funds by the DA’s Office while it was operated by Mr. Hynes would come full circle back into an earlier scandal involving the looting of the property of Judge John Phillips after Phillips had been declared incompetent after the connivance of DA Hynes and several of Hynes’ operatives in 2001 ? At the time that Hynes’ operatives raided Phillips’ home in the middle of a night in 2001, Phillips was planning to run for DA against Hynes in the 2001 Democratic Primary. The DA candidate who replaced Phillips in the 2001 primary, Sandra Roper, was subsequently prosecuted by Hynes, as well, but the charges were dropped by the special prosecutor who took over the case.

    Several times during his race against Hynes in 2013, DA Ken Thompson brought up the Phillips and Roper cases; and during the 2013 campaign Thompson said that, if elected, he would look into various aspects of those cases.

    Today’s report by Josh Saul in the Post says, “Hynes’ office sent Boykin a check marked “ASSET FORFEITURE” for $24,493.06 on July 8, 2013 as restitution for crimes committed by Long Island housewife Maria Albertina — who pleaded guilty to grand larceny in 2006 — bilking Judge Phillips and others out of their homes. *** Boykin and his lawyer characterized the check as “hush money” meant to quiet them down during Hynes’ campaign against DA Ken Thompson and said they should have been paid as soon as Albertina pleaded guilty....”

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  8. The Hynes scandal is just starting to unravel and it involves many Bay Ridge Republicans.

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  9. “Anonymous said... June 24, 2014 at 1:03 PM,” your comment above left out some key names from Charles Hynes’ "’political’ emails -- with a lot of very ‘frank’ conversation...” At or near the top of that list is Mario Cuomo, the former governor and father to the current governor and Joseph Bellacosa, a long-time close friend of Charles Hynes and key player at the New York State Court of Appeals, both as a judge and a behind the scenes mover and shaker.

    Earlier attempts to discredit a senior ADA, who had access to and disclosed many of Hynes' emails, only delayed the process of establishing her bona fides and the validity of the emails. Her negative treatment by the Hynes' PR people will only make her a more devastating witness later on, if things get that far.

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  10. The above comment is from an insider with knowledge of the Judith (we sell our votes for a raise by the legislature) Kaye.
    But I'm getting lost on who this ADA was that Hynes tried to discredit.

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  11. BACKFILL: THE “JUST WHO IS LARRY MORRISH” EDITION


    LARRY MORRISH HAS BEEN LONG AND WIDELY KNOWN AS “A BAY RIDGE ACTIVIST,” BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ?


    SOME THINGS ABOUT LARRY MORRISH THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REPORTED IN ONE PLACE BEFORE



    Larry Morrish has done lots and lots of things for a very long time; just try looking him up on the internet. Even if you add in Charles Hynes and/or Marty Golden to your search, you’d still have a very long list indeed (See e.g.: https://www.google.com/search?q=Larry+Morrish+Marty+Golden&oq=Larry+Morrish+Marty+Golden&aqs=chrome..69i57.21096j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8 [About 278,000 results (0.73 seconds)]; or https://www.google.com/search?q=Larry+Morrish+Charles+Hynes&oq=Larry+Morrish+Charles+Hynes&aqs=chrome.0.69i59.10006j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8 [About 604 results (0.30 seconds)]; or https://www.google.com/search?q=Larry+Morrish+DA+Hynes&oq=Larry+Morrish+DA+Hynes&aqs=chrome..69i57.20313j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8 [ About 90,200 results (0.51 seconds)]; or
    https://www.google.com/search?q=Larry+Morrish+Marty+Golden+Joe+Hynes&oq=Larry+Morrish+Marty+Golden+Joe+Hynes&aqs=chrome..69i57.21935j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8 [About 39,100 results (0.70 seconds)]; or
    https://www.google.com/search?q=Larry+Morrish+Marty+Golden+Charles+Hynes&oq=Larry+Morrish+Marty+Golden+Charles+Hynes&aqs=chrome..69i57.45731j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8 [About 283 results (0.80 seconds)]). That’s thousands upon thousands of results....

    In any case, it’s fair to say Larry Morrish has done so many things over the years.

    [THIS COMMENT IS CONTINUED BELOW]

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  12. [CONTINUED FROM THE COMMENT ABOVE]

    Here are an example of just a few (many from searches with specific parameters differing from those above):
    Based on comments by then District Attorney Charles “Joe” Hynes, Larry Morrish was a key operative in both his primary and general election campaigns in 2013 (See “Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes concession speech [Primary]” published on You Tube, 9/11/13, You Tube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieiv7wOCU3g]; see also “Joe Hynes Concession Speech in Bay Ridge [General]” published on You Tube, 11/7/13, You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9kRoIoTvUw]). At both concession events, Larry Morrish was among the first persons mentioned by DA Hynes for Morrish’s efforts on behalf of the campaign.
    As was pointed out in and earlier comment elsewhere on this blog, Larry Morrish was instrumental in fund raising for DA Hynes. At two different 2013 Hynes fund raisers in Bay Ridge, Zoe Koutsoupakis, one of the sponsors at both events, specifically thanked “[Hynes’] staffers Larry Morrish and Jack Malone” for giving her and others the opportunity to host ( See “Second fundraiser for D.A Hynes exceeds expectations” by Melissa Stumpf, 5/29/14, Home Reporter/ Sunset News [http://www.homereporternews.com/news/second-fundraiser-for-d-a-hynes-exceeds-expectations/article_5b6e8cc6-c88b-11e2-9672-001a4bcf887a.html]; see also “Fundraiser for D.A. Hynes” by Thomas Nocera, 3/13/13, Home Reporter/ Sunset News [http://www.homereporternews.com/news/general/fundraiser-for-d-a-hynes/article_062229d6-8c03-11e2-a7a4-001a4bcf887a.html]).
    In his very own column for the Home Reporter/ Spectator, Larry Morrish recently told us that in the day, he worked in the 4th Avenue Bay Ridge office of a U.S. Congressman (See “Unsung Bay Ridge: Aim high” by Larry Morrish, 6/18/14, Home Reporter/ Spectator [http://www.homereporternews.com/opinion/unsung-bay-ridge-aim-high/article_4d1f5f72-f735-11e3-b1]).
    In 2006 Larry Morrish was described as a life-long resident of Bay Ridge, and that hosting the BCAT “View from Bay Ridge”show gave him a chance along with Chuck Otey “to show the rest of Brooklyn why we love Bay Ridge and to bring up any cultural or civic concerns we wish to highlight....” (See “Light Shines on Original BCAT Show” by by Phoebe Neidl, 12/21/06, Brooklyn Eagle [http://50.56.218.160/archive/category.php?category_id=27&id=10310]).
    In 2008 Morrish “organized” the Bay Ridge Saint Patrick’s Parade that honored his boss DA Charles “Joe” Hynes as its Grand Marshall ( See “Bklyn marchers going green” by Helen Klein, 3/20/08, Queens Times Ledger [http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2008/12/20080320-archive268.html]).
    On or about 3/15/10 Larry Morrish was described as a “Community Activist, and Founding Member, Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade
    (See “Golden Honors those of Irish Heritage” 3/15/10, GERRITSENBEACH.NET [http://www.gerritsenbeach.net/2010/03/16/golden-honors-those-of-irish-heritage/).
    Morrish has long been associated with events connected to the Third Avenue Merchants Association including street fairs and parades, On October 26, 2013, Larry Morrish was honored by the Association and given an award as a “Pioneer” – at that event Morrish was described as an “Independent Business Consultant” ( See “Third Ave. Merchants pay tribute to business pioneers” by Paula Katinas, 10/29/13, Brooklyn Eagle [http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/third-ave-merchants-pay-tribute-business-pioneers]). At that time the “Independent Business Consultant” was also employed by the Brooklyn DA’s Office and actively working on the Hynes 2013 Campaign.

    [CONTINUED IN THE COMMENT BELOW]

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  13. [CONTINUED FROM THE COMMENT ABOVE]

    So in a very brief search we can see that Larry Morrish, the activist, has been a fund raiser and campaign operative for former DA Charles “Joe” Hynes , an events coordinator, a BCAT television host, a local newspaper reporter/columnist, multiple Bay Ridge parade(s) organizer, founding member of the Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a congressional staffer and an “Independent Business Consultant” ... Oh ! And of course, according to Federal investigators and the Sunday New York Post and the Sunday News, he’s an operator of a DA Hynes’ Brooklyn District Attorney Neighborhood Office operating in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and paid out of the Brooklyn DA Assets Forfeiture Fund.

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  14. Larry Morrish lives in Staten Island and Hynes lives in Breezy Point Queens.

    Look at all the Bay Ridgites !!

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  15. Where is Jack Malone in all this?

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  16. BACKFILL: THE “JACK MALONE CONNECTION” EDITION

    WHAT “SAM MALONE” WAS TO “CHEERS” – JACK MALONE WAS TO PEGGY O’NEILL’S AND OTHER JOINTS IN BAY RIDGE

    More important than anything else, Jack Malone has had a long-term association with Larry Morrish, Marty Golden and Charles “Joe” Hynes. The public side of all that had much to do with the Ancient Order of Hibernians, The Great Irish Fair, The Bay Ridge Saint Patrick’s Parade Committee, and countless other committees and councils that met at various locations over the years, including at Lorelei’s and the Bay Ridge Manor.

    With respect to the post above and the prior post on this blog, Jack Malone has had a long-time connection with the Brooklyn District Attorney Neighborhood Office program. No investigation of the activities of that entity would be complete without getting Jack Malone’s side of it, since he was sort of the gatekeeper to the whole thing.

    This item was contained in an obscure post dated 3/16/11:

    “...If you would like to find out more about the DA’s programs in your area, contact your community specialist, Jack Malone at (718) 250-4921.
    *** Join DA Hynes on YouTube, Facebook & Twitter and keep up to date on what’s happening
    in your area or stop by a DA’s Neighborhood Office in your area! ***
    King's County District Attorney's Office
    Charles J. Hynes, District Attorney
    Renaissance Plaza, 350 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
    (718) 250-2001 * TTY# (718) 250-3072
    www.brooklynda.org”
    (See “District Attorney HYNES SPONSORS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE CONFERENCE
    posted Mar 16, 2011, 6:03 AM by Marilyn Aybar [ updated Mar 28, 2011, 6:26 AM ], The Ditmas Home School Connection [https://sites.google.com/a/iditmas.org/home-school/home/districtattorneyhynessponsorsteendatingviolenceconference]).

    Jack Malone is indeed a person who could tell many stories about many people.

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  17. UPDATE: THE “DOMINOS FALLING” EDITION

    GEORGE ARZT’S EBT TESTIMONY IN JABBAR COLLINS CASE COMING ATTRACTIONS OF WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF HYNES

    That loud sound you heard was a Hynes’ campaign spokesman breaking the sound barrier. — Or, to put it another way, Question: “What does Hynes’ spokesman sound like when he really speaks ?” Answer: “Like a domino falling." Question: What does a domino falling sound like ?” Answer: Like the roof falling in.”

    According to a report in today’s NY Post, “The campaign spokesman for embattled ex-Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes says an adviser — whom authorities say was paid out of criminal forfeiture cash — held weekly campaign meetings with the then-DA and top crime-fighting staffers during his failed re-election bid....” ( See “Hynes’ ex-spokesman testifies advisor held weekly meetings” by Josh Saul, 6/26/14, NY Post [http://nypost.com/2014/06/26/hynes-ex-spokesman-testifies-advisor-held-weekly-meetings/]). The “campaign spokesman” is George Arzt and “adviser — whom authorities say was paid out of criminal forfeiture cash” is Mortimer Matz. Arzt also answered, “Yes,” when asked if Matz “provided campaign advice” at those meetings.

    Also very interesting is a part of Arzt’s testimony indicating that these campaign meetings were held in the Manhattan offices of the court-officers union, which is headed by Dennis Quirk, a key man for Hynes – and another very long-time friend and political associate of State Senator Martin Golden.

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  18. The campaign meetings held every week at 11:00 AM over in Manhattan were attended regularly by ADA and Hynes' Confidential Assistant Mary Hughes. She was driven cross town from her home on Sutton Place by Executive ADA Mary Faldich who dutifully waited in the car for Mary Hughes to come out of the meeting. They then would bring back to the Crime Prevention Bureau the campaign work that needed to be done - whatever particular tasks were assigned at the time. The Crime Prevention Bureau was the defacto Hynes' campaign Bureau. Jack Malone and Larry Morrish as well as some other Bay Ridge folks could regularly be found on 19 in the Hughes fiefdom.

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  19. Will Morrish become the John Dean or G Gordon Liddy of Asset Forfeiture scandal?

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  20. Does Breezy Point have an extradition treaty with US?

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  21. The comments seem to indicate it was common knowledge there was corruption in Hynes office.

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  22. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS ! ! !

    NY POST LOOKS LIKE IT IS PILING ON HYNES IN A VERY NONPROFESSIONAL WAY

    Buried in the middle of a New York Post article for today is this: “Hynes was accused of using $219,000 confiscated from crooks by his office’s Money Laundering bureau to pay for work done by a political consultant....” (See “Hynes ducks deposition in wrongful imprisonment case”
    by Selim Algar. 6/26/14, NY Post [http://nypost.com/2014/06/26/hynes-ducks-deposition-in-wrongful-imprisonment-case/]).

    “[H]is office’s Money Laundering bureau...”

    Where did this term come from; and how did it get by the Post’s editors ?

    Seriously ! — I mean “Seriously !” Is the Post trying to make former Brooklyn DA Charles “Joe” Hynes look like the victim of their nonprofessional overreach here ?

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  23. Post being unprofesional?

    Impossible Watson

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  24. This isnt a complicated scam.

    Hynes confiscates money from drug dealers.

    Instead of turning money over to the city Hynes uses money to pay campaign expenses.

    The only question is are the other DA's doing this.

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  25. That's a good question....

    BUT, IT CERTAINLY IS NOT THE ONLY QUESTION....

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  26. Another good question is this: Exactly how many of these "Asset Forfeiture Fund" checks were passed out by then Brooklyn DA Hynes' right-hand-guy Dino Amoroso from his nest on the 19th Floor at 350 Jay Street ? Non-ADA types were observed in and around Dino's office on 19 throughout 2013 prior to the primary and general elections. Were some or all of them there to get checks ?

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