You’ve got to hand it to Brooklyn Republican State Senator Marty Golden — He sure does have a pair of brass bells when it comes to holding his Christmas/ Holiday Party at the site of his family business, The Bay Ridge Manor
Marty might be having all his friends and insiders in to bring out a figgy pudding, and they won’t go until they have some — But, SSMG doesn’t seem to give a flying fig about Preet Bharara or what the U.S. Attorney’s done lately to some of Marty’s good friends of Christmas Past
Did you get your robocall invitation to State Senator Marty Golden’s holiday party at the Bay Ridge Manor ??? Well, I did !!! Given all that’s been going on with Marty Golden this year, I must say that I’m a little bit surprised.
If you are a regular follower Capital New York you already know that — last Friday's corruption conviction of former Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos knocked out another of the “three men in a room” who have controlled the Albany for years. However, unlike the guilty verdict handed down a month before to former NYS Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, Dean Skelos’ partisan opposite, the Skelos' conviction will touch off a political war that will probably dominate Albany next year; and which will most likely probably side-track any efforts at serious legislative reform in the state capital ( See “The partisan reform war launched by the Skelos conviction” by Jimmy Vielkind, 12/11/15, Capital New York/ PoliticoNewYork beta [http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/12/8585456/partisan-reform-war-launched-skelos-conviction]). Judging from outward behavior, that suits Brooklyn GOP State Senator Marty Golden just fine — because it all seems like water off of a duck's back; or in this instance, off the back of a Christmas goose.
But, as we get closer to Christmas in this Year of Our Lord 2015, might there be more than visions of sugar plums dancing inside Marty G’s head ??? Are there things that he should be more worried about than hitting his electronic breezer with messages inviting people to his annual holiday soiree ???
If you read deeper into Jimmy V’s article, cited above, you’ll see that he buries the Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Marine Park state senator both literally and figuratively. Literally – since there is only one sentence mentioning Marty; and its almost in the perfect middle of a paragraph at the perfect middle of the article. However, Vielkind’s figurative burial of Senator Golden might be more significant, because that one sentence specifically says “.... Marty Golden, a Republican from Brooklyn, acknowledged that federal prosecutors were looking at campaign money he spent at a catering hall now owned by his brother....” It’s not a quote by SSMG — but, it is about as close to a quote as you can get (about a month from now anybody will be able to put quotes around it, and then you’ll have the damn quote).
QUICK BIT OF AN ECHO ON A LOCAL BLOG
Before my favorite “fans” followers start razzing me that I’ll put up any little negative thing about Marty up there on my blog as soon as I get it, let me say that other local pundits and punters beat me to the punt on this one. One of my oldest and loyalist BSIs sent me the link to the Jimmy Vielkind article two days ago — shortly after that, he sent me a link to some commentary about that article posted by “Kip” in the Bay Ridge Journal.According to Kip — “.... Politwatchers are now waiting for the next shoe to drop, with eight Long Island senators subpoenaed during the Skelos investigation, and federal prosecutors looking into campaign money that Republican state senator Marty Golden dropped on the Bay Ridge Manor, which nominally belongs to his brother....” (See “What's Next for Corrupt Albany?” by Kip, 12/12/15, The Bay Ridge Journal [http://bayridgejournal.blogspot.com/2015/12/whats-next-for-corrupt-albany.html]).
A BOLD MOVE IN THE FACE OF A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
I must say that, if nothing else, Marty Golden sure is a bold one. He seems completely unmoved by the observations and running commentary the likes of Jimmy Vielkind, Kip, Galewyn Massey and all similarly situated carpers and whiners. I get that — and part of me even respects and likes it.On the other hand, what I don’t get is SSMG’s getting right into the grillwork of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, fresh off of some more corruption convictions, one of whom was Marty’s Republican caucus boss in the NYS Senate.
I feel that going back to the Bay Ridge Manor well – one more time – in such an open and notorious manner does not demonstrate wisdom. However, in the spirit of the holidays it does show that Marty Golden does have one big pair of brassy Christmas bells that he is tugging, moving and shaking to beat the band for the 2015 holidays.
13 comments:
Golden is either the dumbest s.o.b. in Albany, or he's already agreed to cooperate with Preet and testify against other legislators.
No prosecutor would make any kind of "deal" where a cooperating witness who had been the subject of an investigation would be allowed to continue doing what the witness was being investigated for.
It will be a good photo op for the NY Post
UPDATE: THE “PREET BHARARA IN HIS OWN WORDS” EDITION
NY TIMES & NEWSDAY REPORTS OF YESTERDAY’S RADIO INTERVIEW OF PREET BHARARA SHOW WHAT MOTIVATES THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR’S INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS
LITTLE CAUSE FOR COMFORT FOR STATE SENATOR MARTIN GOLDEN OR HIS STAFF AND OTHER INSIDERS >>> BASED ON HOW U.S. ATTORNEY BHARARA DESCRIBES THE PROBLEMS IN ALBANY
BHARARA SAYS HE’S STILL LOOKING FOR JUSTICE IN THE ALBANY CORRUPTION CASES
Everybody should know by now that State Senator Martin Golden is under an investigation that is being led by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. That's why the two articles discussed and cited below are relevant to this comments thread.
In the first, the New York Times reported that — “.... In his first interview since the verdicts, the most recent of which [against Dean Skelos] was delivered on Friday, Mr. Bharara said that the two trials hammered home the fact that the ability of lawmakers to earn outside income, coupled with a lack of transparency, weak disclosure requirements and the concentration of power in the hands of a few, is hugely problematic....” (See “Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney, Sees Lessons in Albany Corruption Trials” by Benjamin Weiser, Susanne Craig & William K. Rashbaum, 12/13/15, NY Times/ N.Y./ Region [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/14/nyregion/preet-bharara-us-attorney-sees-lessons-in-albany-corruption-trials.html?_r=0]).
In the Times story, Mr. Bharara went on to say, “It would be, I think, irresponsible not to spend some time talking about what those things, what those trials, have taught us, and what those cases may mean for how everyone can get good government.... All I’m saying is that what we offer in terms of the debate is the facts that were exposed in the cases that we have brought.... I think that people should take a look at what that showed..... The corruption in the State Legislature in Albany has not been episodic.... It’s been systemic, and if nothing else, the trials [of Silver and Skelos] revealed that there’s a deep culture problem, and a matter-of-factness about how at least these two defendants, who’ve now been found guilty, went about their daily corrupt business with barely a thought about it....”
The Times’ reporters made specific note of the following: “.... Mr. Bharara, whose office has won the convictions of about a dozen current and former state legislators in his six-year tenure, said his public corruption investigations were continuing, but he would not discuss them....”
In a parallel report on the interview in Newsday, amid specific references to the Shelly Silver and Dean Skelos cases, “.... Bharara said a key impetus for [his recent prosecutions of NY State legislators] was the decision of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the two leaders to kill a Moreland Commission investigating legislative ethics.... But he declined to comment on speculation that Cuomo may be his next target. ‘I don’t answer hypotheticals,’ he said. Bharara declined to comment on whether Cuomo should convene a special session of the legislature to enact ethics reforms — ‘That’s not for me to say’ — but did say[proposed changes to] New York’s system of having part-time legislators who can earn outside income deserved consideration.... ‘There is something to be said for the fact that it’s a little bit harder to get away with bribery, a little bit harder to get away with extortion, if there are more strict limits on outside income,’ he said....” ( See “Preet Bharara: ‘Deep problem’ of corruption in Albany after Skelos, Silver convictions” by John Riley, 12/14/15, Newsday/ Region/State [http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/preet-bharara-deep-problem-of-corruption-in-albany-after-skelos-silver-convictions-1.11227054]).
Perhaps ominously, the Newsday article closed with this quote of Mr. Bharara’s: “.... ‘We will be looking at all the ways we can make sure that justice is done.’...”
Sounds more like someone reading the articles is letting their antipathy towards Golden lead them to some unwarranted conclusions.
RESPONSE: THE "YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THE TRAIL OF BREADCRUMBS BEFORE THE BIRDS CAME" EDITION
PREET B'S REPEATED USE OF THE WORDS "OUTSIDE INCOME" IN CONNECTION WITH HIS SINGLING-OUT THE GOVERNOR'S SHUTDOWN OF "THE MORELAND COMMISSION" AS THE INITIATING MOTIVATION OF HIS OVERALL INVESTIGATION, TOGETHER WITH HIS MENTION OF "ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS" ARE THREE POINTERS IN THE DIRECTION OF SSMG
One, two, three.....
Enough said.....
"Outside income" can refer to almost the entire every single other member of the Legislature.
AN INTERESTING POINT: THE "I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT AS A 'FACT' !!! ???" EDITION
TO: "ANONYMOUS SAID... AT 9:57 AM"
How do YOU know that " 'Outside income' can refer to almost the entire every single other member of the Legislature [sic]...." ???
I assume that by "other" you mean everyone except Marty Golden --- thereby conceding that Golden does have "outside income"; how do you know that ??? and what exactly is the source and amount of that that outside income ???
And as for the "others" what is your source of that information ???
The Silver case will not stand up on appeal.
Its all a stunt. Preet has turned out to be another Maurice Nadjari
RESPONSE: THE "MAURICE NADJARI" EDITION
YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT THAT ALL THAT PREET BHARARA IS DOING IS A "STUNT" --- BUT, SO FAR, HE'S NOT YET IN THE "MAURICE NADJARI" CATEGORY
Let's harken even further back and and say that it's much more likely --- "It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, ... And this was the reason... long ago..." -- AND -- "...Nevermore..."
-- EAP
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: THE "MARCUS & MARTY SHOW" EDITION
WITH CAMEOS BY DAN DONOVAN, BORIS PINCUS AND MR. G. DAVIDZON
THEY SAY THAT BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER --- THE SAME MUST BE TRUE OF RINOs AND >>>FORMER<<< GOP DISTRICT LEADERS
Did you know that recently-elected Assemblywoman Pam Harris's latest staff hire is none other than former Republican and former Republican district leader Marcus A. Nussbaum ??? That's what one of my more reliable Democrat sources told me.
What's more, word has it Mark Treyger convinced Marcus to turn over a new leaf, and exchange his GOP credentials and become a card-carrying Democrat!
It wasn't that long ago that a photo of the now notorious Marcus Aurelius Turncoat was taken with two notorious Brooklyn RINOs, Dan Donovan, Marty Golden and another former GOP District Leader Boris Pincus --- with everybody pleased as punch at their photo-op with Grigory Davidzon
To be fair you should point out that Marcus Nussbaum is a creation of Lucretai. She recruited him she held his hand and got him elected district leader. He would go back and forth between the Libertarian and Working Families Party lines if he thought it could help get him elected to something. The guy was never a real Republican to begin with, he did absolutely nothing as district leader. Good Riddance!
Marcus is just like Lucretia and Arnaldo Ferraro - a double crossing liar. Considering that Ferraro is also someone who switched parties for his own personal benefit, he should appreciate Nussbaum. And Lucreta who brought him into local politics once again showed that her ability to judge character is about as failed as her own
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