Showing posts with label Kendall Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kendall Stewart. Show all posts

Monday, October 20, 2008

Two More Councilmembers Team Up For Bloomberg

Yesterday's news saw the somewhat depressing fact that two more members of the Council decided to say yes to the Mayor and no to our democratic process. Helen Sears and Kendall Stewart brought the "yes" side to sixteen votes and ten away from passing the bill. Meanwhile, those who are against the legislation only need seven more votes, so technically the push against Bloomberg is working thus far. For the sixteen left undecided, let's see what they might have gleaned from Sears and Stewart's reasoning.

From The NY Daily News:

Stewart's statement (released Saturday):

"When my constituents elected me into office, it was to represent them and make the best possible decisions for our community. Currently, we are faced with an issue that will have an immense impact not only on my district, but on the entire city. I take my responsibility to hear from the public and make tough decisions seriously."

"This issue has received extensive debate, and I have concluded that the right decision is to support the extension of term limits. This is not an easy decision, but it is ultimately what is in the best interest of our great city."

"I have worked hard on behalf of my district for the past six years, helping them solve problems big and small. Now, as we face extraordinary and difficult times, is the time to keep those in office who are experienced and knowledgeable in city government. I have worked to get results for my constituents, and I remain dedicated to serving the public each and every day."

Sears' statement (released today):

"I have listened carefully to the arguments presented by those both in favor of the bill to extend term limits and those opposed. It is my sincere belief that it is in the best interest of the city of New York to extend term limits from 2 terms to 3. This decision was not made easily, but it is the right one.”
Stewart either buys the Mayor's "Only I can save New York" thinking or is using it as a lame excuse to cover for other reasons, such as wanting to run for his third term in 2009. Sears doesn't even try in her statement, perhaps since the Post outed her as being a top recipient of the Mayor's slush fund. With a vote coming as early as this week but more likely next, there will definitely be a lot of lobbying at City Hall for those crucial undecideds. Bloomberg has plenty of them working on his side, so if you support the right of the people to rescind or keep term limits, then pick up the phone and call your Council member (especially if they are undecided) and make sure they vote the right way.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

More Corruption Found At City Hall

Well at least this time it only involved a couple of staffers, but the late-breaking story about two council aides to Kendall Stewart of Brooklyn is another blow to the credibility of the City Council and New York politics in general. Asquith Reid and Joycinth Anderson were found to have embezzled nearly $150,000 that was going to go to an after-school program. Jeez, you'd think with all of the slush funds down at City Hall that these two crooks could have stolen money from that instead of kids who need something to do after the bell rings.

From WNBC:

"It was a part of the conspiracy that Reid and Anderson ... unlawfully, willfully and knowingly, having devised a scheme and artifice to defraud," according to the indictment. The pair allegedly misappropriated funds associated with the "Donna Reid Memorial Education Fund."

According to an indictment, the pair have been diverting funds since April 2005, with Reid allegedly sending $31,000 to relatives and friends in Jamaica via Western Union wire transfers. He was also accused of spending $18,000 on a hall used for events for a political club and more than $3,000 on campaign literature.

This indictment does not name any other council staff or members. Speaker Christine Quinn has been under fire for the way certain funds were put under false names in the budget so they could be held in reserve and allocated later. The indictment mentions "holding codes" where the city council "held money under fictitious names" and then distributed the funds later to certain nonprofits associated "with certain councilmembers." But the indictment does not say if prosecutors consider this act criminal.

Well Speaker Quinn might think of this as a way to get the pressure off of her own misgivings, but she would be wrong. This is a culture of corruption that festers around City Hall as much as it does up in Albany and down in Washington. Thankfully next year we get to replace two-thirds of the Council and hopefully that will get rid of the stench. Of course it is the culture that needs to be changed and accountability and transparency that needs to be added, not empty pledges of such things.