London in New York

TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE:  Bribery & Fraud Scheme Is Emblematic of the Proliferation of Corruption Under Christine Quinn’s Leadership of the NYC Council & Quinnberg’s Three Terms at City Hall

“The arrests this morning point to a culture of corruption that permeates our city and state — corruption fueled by career politicians who put personal advancement before public service,”

- John Catsimatidis, Republican Candidate for Mayor

John Catsimatidis may be right when he points to the ‘Culture of Corruption’ being responsible for the latest bribery and fraud scandal involving the effort of Senator Malcolm Smith to get on the ballot in Queens and the Bronx in the 2013 Mayor’s election. The scandal may seem on the surface to have ensnared mostly Republicans, including a political operator  with ties to the Greek American super market magnate and philanthropist,  almost making ‘Slush Fund Queen’ and ‘Crony Capitalist’ enabler Boss Quinn, the woman who has full time white collar criminal counsel seem clean in comparison. But New Yorker’s actually paying attention know better.

For one, those who know ‘Cats’ know a man who is a true New Yorker, one that is warm, generous as well as a man who made it here from humble roots and who in earnest is running to try to lead New York City.  Catsimatidis is not a corrupt, malicious or bullying man. He has and continues to support thoughtful leaders on both sides of the aisle. And whether you agree with his vision or not or have another horse in the 2013 Mayor’s race,  his vision for the future of New York City is more inclusive than exclusive and more principally thought out than Quinn’s platitudes on the campaign trail which show a rather unsophisticated understanding of how to create economic growth and prosperity for a wider segment of the population throughout the city, including the Outer Boroughs.  QUINN IS NOT FOR QUEENS:  or the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island or even Upper Manhattan.   Quinn’s  policies  [See: The Brooklyn Rail: The Quinning Strategy] seem to have a root in the politics of self enrichment or crony capitalism [where the singular purpose is to 'git r done' for her sponsors] more than they do in sound economic theory and actual capitalism; and/or in the belief that it actually leads society to the same place. It does not. Quinn’s crony capitalism undermines the fabric of society and confidence of the general public in their business and political leaders for the wheels of capitalism to run through one politico’s sticky fingers.

There is simply no getting around the fact is that these emerging scandals and investigations, can and ultimately should be tied back to and reflect more on the character and fitness for office of  Speaker Quinn, who is far from detached from the existing political reality in New York City, than it should John Catsimatidis who was likely simply duped by an associate.   Christine Quinn is in the eyes of many observers, the embodiment of the culture of political corruption in New York City and thus very much the source of inspiration for the sea of corruption that has sprouted under her leadership as Speaker of the New York City Council. As a Registered Democrat I can better vouch for the character and integrity of the Republican John Catsimatidis than I can the Democrat, Christine Quinn.  It really is that simple.

THE QUINNBERG POLITICAL MACHINE has been in control of City Hall and the NY City Council for 12 years, not content with that legacy they are reaching for control of the next 12 years. This scandal is but a swamp in a sea of political corruption inspired by and during Boss Quinn’s corrupt reign of the New York City Council. THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION has been seeded and fueled by the persistent overreaching of Bloomberg and Quinn over the last 12 years and especially the last 5. They are now focused on effectively blocking and taking out any would be challengers to their rule over New York City. Bloomberg’s Billionaire pals want and prefer an autocratic leader like CHRISTINE QUINN for her ability to BULLY people, including Democrats and those who express dissent into corners, even if it means skirting the law. For example, Bill Thompson is not autocratic but rather a consensus builder and Bill De Blasio and John Liu are likewise thoughtful reasonable men who are not hostile to democratic principles of governance. BUT, the crony capitalists behind QUINNBERG want a BOSS or BULLY and QUINN, the self proclaimed ‘pushy broad’ is eager to suppress democracy to “get things done” for her sponsors.

From the Defeat Christine Quinn Facebook page:

“Quinn’s former “legislative researcher” was arrested this morning for taking bribes. Three of Quinn’s Council Members have been imprisoned, and another, Dan Halloran [See, NY Times: "Daniel J. Halloran III, a Queens councilman, boasting that he could extract tens of thousands of dollars from the City Council to be used as a bribe."], was arrested yesterday. And, even though Quinn’s “office” assigned millions in the Council budget to fake charities, which Quinn used as a slush fund, she has not been indicted and imprisoned with the others. Why is she being protected? Did Bloomberg call off the Department of Investigation’s probe [of Quinn] after Quinn overturned term limits?”

and pegging Boss Quinn to the core of corruption:

“Quinn shares blame for a system that all but begs pols to go rotten — namely, the “member item” game, which lets council members dole out public funds (i.e., pork) at their discretion. . . Member items are inherently corrupt. They let pols buy loyalty and votes. They also tempt them to steer taxpayer money to themselves and folks of their choosing. . . Quinn herself saw fit to grant Bronx Democrat Larry Seabrook $350,000 in pork, even as he faced federal charges of funneling it to phony groups he controlled.”

According to the New York Times:

“At issue is Ms. Quinn’s oversight of a pot of Council funds, worth nearly $400 million in 2012, that she doles out to lawmakers each year, to use largely at their own discretion to finance programs in their districts. The system has provided the speaker with leverage to reward and punish lawmakers as she sees fit; she chooses how much money each lawmaker gets to allocate. But at one period during her tenure, in 2008, misuse of the funds led to a federal investigation and the arrests of several council Members and aides.

The earmarks, often referred to as member items, have been criticized by civic groups, and Mr. Halloran’s suggestion that he could exploit the system was quickly seized on by Ms. Quinn’s opponents.

“This has reached an unsustainable point,”Bill de Blasio, the public advocate and a Democratic mayoral candidate, said at a news conference where he called for the earmarks to be eliminated. “The system is broken beyond the ability of small reforms to fix it.”

“These things happened on her watch,” Mr. de Blasio added

Feigning shock and dismay, deeply corrupt City Council Speaker and 2013 Candidate for Mayor stated:

“These allegations represent a reprehensible abuse of the public’s trust,” City Council Speaker and Democratic mayoral candidate Christine Quinn said in a statement. “If true, then the full weight of the legal system should be brought to bear on all parties implicated.”

Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s attempted defense of Quinn at this late hour is simply not enough. As posited on the Defeat Christine Quinn Campaign Facebook page:

“After trying for months to distance from Quinn because their close relationship could hurt her in the Democratic primary, Bloomberg publicly describes her as “a person of enormous integrity.” Taking a leaf out of Quinn’s book, Bloomberg is trying to have it both ways. If and when Quinn is indicted for corruption, will Bloomberg rescind the many public comments he has made about Quinn’s “honesty” and “integrity?” -

As stated further in the Perdido Street School blog:

“I don’t see how the billionaire mayor with the questionable integrity and his billion dollar slush fund/PAC coming in to defend the City Council speaker with the questionable integrity and the slush fund helps Christine Quinn in the Democratic primary.

Doesn’t it just remind people of how scummy Quinn has been with the slush fund and how scummy Quinn has been in overturning term limits?”

WHO THE FBI MAY HAVE MISSED IN THEIR POLITICAL STING OPERATION IN QUEENS: BILL RUDIN & CHRISTINE QUINN

CRONY CAPITALISM = INSURANCE AGAINST FREE MARKET FORCES PROVIDED BY POLITICIANS (Christine Quinn) WHO PROVIDE FAVORS FOR MONEY TO SELECT PEOPLE (Bill Rudin) TO INSURE ONE BUSINESS MAN’S SUCCESS (Bill Rudin) OVER HIS WOULD BE COMPETITORS (Other NY Real Estate Families)

There is a very real perception that a man who is a special friend of the outgoing Bloomberg Administration is working behind the scenes to install the next administration at City Hall. The man working to install the Slush Fund Queen as the next Mayor of New York City may just be either one of the most coincidentally fortunate men, a highly effective lobbyist, developer and philanthropist or in the alternative one of the most corrupt men in city politics; or perhaps even all of the above. So who is Bill Rudin? And are he and his family guilty of ‘influence peddling’?

Questions to consider:

• Is “influence peddler” – Bill Rudin the Jack Abramoff of Democratic City Politics?
• Has NYC replaced Chicago as the most corrupt city in America?  FBI investigation definitely leads us to think so.
• Do NYC Democrats Understand the risk of the Appearance of Criminal Impropriety of the Rudin/Quinn Alliance? : Do Democrats know and understand that the Rudin/Quinn alliance of rigged schemes and blatant pay 4 play city politics creates the appearance of corruption that causes an erosion of the public trust and in the end may cause the collapse of the local Democratic Party?
• Have we ever elected a Mayor who had full time white collar criminal counsel from their activities in one office while running for higher office?

Bill Rudin is the leader of the Rudin Real Estate dynasty. He also leads a non-profit front organization called – Association For A Better New York,  ”a coalition of business, labor, non-profit and political leaders focused on exploring and implementing ideas that keep the city moving forward” and otherwise “dedicated to the constant growth and renewal of New York City’s people, businesses and communities” – according to the organization’s website.  Given its activities in recent years ABNY under Rudin has blurred the lines between advancing the interests of Bill Rudin and the Rudin Real Estate Family, its member organizations and that of all New Yorkers. How does your influence peddling advance the interests of New York City if your creative alliance with select politicians you are able to create or solidify business opportunities for your eroding empire? It does not. All it does is to thereby create the impression, in the wider public, of your simply being a beneficiary of some rigged schemes that fortify your clan’s financial fortunes at a time when the bottom is falling out for many of your fellow citizens. This is not capitalism, nor is it the purpose of non-profit organizations but instead it reeks of Crony Capitalism, which in effect undermines confidence in the system as a whole.

Witness the courage of artist, citizen and activist Suzannah B. Troy who confronted Bill Rudin about his St. Vincent’s Condos:

One must examine the ethics and morality behind those who  targeted, collapsed and ultimately gutted (including the willful destruction of St. Vincent’s Hospital Chapel) St. Vincent’s Hospital, to feed the interests of one man’s Real Estate Empire in the face of widespread community opposition, and with the assistance of certain societal elites and politicians who turned a blind eye towards the community. In its hour of need, this man gained inside access to St. Vincent’s Hospital posing as a friend and business savior who would build a new mixed use residential/medical facility modernizing the hospital to make it more efficient and profitable while building a revenue generating luxury residential component on the property.

Simultaneously, however, through the creative use of PR, this same man and forces aligned with him waged a war against the character, integrity and continued necessity of  St. Vincent’s Hospital which led to its total collapse. Once collapsed,  through his cronies on local zoning board, Rudin was able to get a waiver so that ALL the land long zoned for community use,  could be converted to luxury condos against the will of the West Village community. Quinn’s Sponsor was thus able to insure a timely long term stream of revenue to the spendthrift Rudin clan which was rumored to be on the ropes financially, according to certain unnamed societal sources.

IF IT LOOKS LIKE A CROOK, SMELLS LIKE A CROOK….

The question is when will the FBI turn turn its investigation to Bill Rudin and Christine Quinn and not simply those swimming with her in the political swamp which is New York politics? Because you see: if it looks like a crook, smells like a crook, has white collar criminal counsel like a crook and her co-conspirators (whether Democrats or Republican) start dropping like flies – tell you what, I am pretty sure that she is a big fat freaking crook.

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EPILOGUE – AT WHAT PRICE: CHRISTINE QUINN

At what price are some establishment New York Democrats, Emily’s List and Human Rights Watch supporting Christine Quinn against overwhelming evidence of her total lack of character and integrity, corruption and abandonment of core democratic principles of equity, fairness and the Common Good in our society? Is there in fact a double standard if you are a GAY WOMAN? Is ‘Identity Politics above all else the motivating reason to ignore legitimate grassroots opposition to Quinn’s candidacy from the LGBT Community, Good Government proponents and Animal Rights activists?

Few can or should be hoodwinked by Boss Quinn’s self serving agenda and sponsorship by influence peddlers. Or is it just that in your estimation, in the SEA OF CORRUPTION INSPIRED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE CITY COUNCIL DURING HER REIGN, even as indictments and prosecutions swirl about all her cronies, you will put your head in the sand to delude yourself that Christine Quinn must actually be honest and clean? Or is she in your estimation the least dirty in the CESSPOOL of NY Political Corruption? The Citizens of New York City deserve a damn answer or none of you stand for what you propose to stand for.

“I AM COUNTESS DRACULA. I COME TO SUCK THE BLOOD & THE LIFE OUT OF YOUR CITY”

THINK DIFFERENT – examine all the political machinations in the media with suspicion. Everything is not always what it seems.

NY Magazine placed the Vampire of the City – Speaker of the New York City Council: Christine Quinn on its cover this week. Ironically enough, Quinn was styled and posed to look like a cast member from one of the multitude of vampire television series that have been all the rage in recent years. She could have been Eddie Munster’s sister. While NY Magazine gave her what amounts to an editorial puff piece, on the cover, while nobody will ever mistake her for Ashley Greene from the Twilight series, Christine Quinn looked very much like the daughter of Count Dracula or CoUNTess Dracula (as noted by the NY Post)  The only thing missing were fangs and bats swirling overhead.

The New York Post followed this week mocking the NY Magazine cover, referring to  ”Chris Quinn’s vamping it up” and then made reference to her as “MAYOR DRACULA”.

QUINN’S BIZARRE ROLL OUT: Identity Politics Trap?

Think about what is going on here. It crystallized for me after the NY Post allusion to her as Mayor Dracula.  While her fangs were not exposed and no bats were flying over head in the cover image, you had to wonder whether Quinn was going after the Twilight or goth vote or whether there was in fact  something else to this.

It is a bizarre roll out for sure. But, Quinn is a master of identity politics. She and her team are not unsophisticated nor were they duped. Team Quinn has been preparing for this moment for several years. Quinn is trying to ‘nationalize’ her campaign and make it a cause celeb much like her lobbyist filled high profile power wedding, as her support locally erodes among the non-elite ordinary citizens of Gotham City. The master of identity politics needs the symbolism of being female and gay to deflect from a career of enabling crony capitalists who have ripped off the city of New York.  So, they have courted national women’s organizations, feminine political leaders and national and regional LGBT leadership including: the Empire State Pride Agenda, Emily’s List et al etc.  to support her candidacy because she is vulnerable in her own local community for compromising the LGBT community, women and turning her back on the very real concerns of middle class citizens.

ANTI-QUINN MOVEMENT IS MAINSTREAM: NOT FRINGE

The anti-Quinn movement is a mainstream political movement that is truly beginning to gain coverage, even if some political pundits attempt to marginalize its significance at this stage. It is not a fringe movement with fringe players. It is being led by Registered Democrats, including those in her own district at the heart of her Quinn’s Chelsea base which supported those who  in 2009 presented a significant challenge to Quinn’s re-election effort.  It includes also voters like artist  Suzannah B. Troy who voted twice for Mayor Mike Bloomberg but who will not vote for Christine Quinn.

Alec Baldwin has stated that Christine Quinn is a very untrustworthy person’ and has ‘blood on her hands’. Gloria Steinem put the breaks on endorsing Quinn. Cynthia Nixon “rejected identity politics” in bypassing Quinn to endorse Bill De Blasio.  Likewise,  a truly diverse array of citizens and demographic groups within the Democratic Party, including Queers Against Christine Quinn,  have joined in a grassroots campaign to Defeat Christine Quinn or to Vote Quinn Out: http://www.votequinnout.com

So what is going on here you ask?

PLANTING SEEDS TO IGNITE A BACKLASH?

QUINN’S NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR: Quinn needs a national profile for her local race.

Anti-Quinn forces are being set up and this includes those in the Democratic Party as well as her potential Republican opponents. The Quinn political machine needs a crisis or an attack on her character to paint it as an assault on women or the LGBT Community to create a nationwide backlash. That will cause  financial contributions pour in from outside NYC from all across this country to support the ‘victim’ who is striving to be the first female Mayor of New York City as well as the first openly gay mayor of New York City. Then her allies in the mainstream media will have their perfect narrative to install the puppet of cronyism.  Ed Koch is proof we have already had a closeted one but that is besides the point. Because of Quinn he is not even dead but had a bridge already named after him (not that anyone will ever call the Queensboro Bridge – the Ed Koch Bridge). The people working for her are straight up political gangsters who know exactly what they are doing. If you need further evidence the NY Times reports: As Election Nears, Release of Quinn Memoir Does, Too. The agenda as outlined by Quinn’s editor:

“Ms. Quinn’s editor has said he expects the book to attract a national audience, with women and gay men a particular focus. . . Becoming the first female and first gay mayor of New York City are considered significant assets of her campaign.”

The Art of War is deception and timing. With Quinn nothing is by accident. Remember always: gangsters, political gangsters is who and what they are.  To charges of cronyism, lack of character and integrity along with an anti-democratic agenda the Quinn campaign will remind voters:

• Christine Quinn is a woman
• Christine Quinn is a Lesbian (Gay)
• Christine Quinn is married to her partner and supports Gay Marriage
• Christine Quinn aspires to be the first openly Gay Female Mayor of New York City

This is the veil which will be used to cloud her corruption and anti-democratic agenda, which apparently should be of little or no concern to New York voters. In answer to her eroding support among your own defrauded constituents Quinn hopes to raise money from people who have not been impacted by her policies, outside her district and outside New York City who have no comprehension of your agenda but they just will identify with your identity in order to put someone with your identity in office.

It appears that New York Magazine and the NY Post got it exactly right – you are the Vampire of NYC. That is your true identity; a fangless social predator.

Furthermore, my suspicion is that Quinn’s handlers are hoping to ignite or attract vitriolic commentary against her; language that goes over the line just enough so that Quinn can pose as a victim of a “Sexist Media Campaign” against women and gays. She can frame all of her opponents as bigots, homophobic or  angry leftist reactionaries who are  hesitant if not afraid of handing over the keys to New York City to the first  openly gay female mayor. This is her way to provide cover for her Crony Capitalist Backdoor deals with societal elites which  are the primary source of her vulnerability with New Yorks democratic voters, including defrauded constituents in her own City Council District 3. Otherwise why else would ‘A Democratic Club in Chelsea Continue its War on Christine Quinn’ but to insure that the corrupt political phony does not become the Mayor of New York City? Quinn is losing appeal locally so she needs a national agenda.

NY Citizens Challenge Forces of Evil: Quinn, Duane & Rudin

CRONY CAPITALISM IS NOT CAPITALISM: It is Anti-Democratic

Consider the case of  Quinn’s sponsor, crony capitalist Bill Rudin who leads the Rudin Real Estate dynasty and is head of an organization called ABNY – Association for a Better New York (for the Rudin’s only?)  who was led to St. Vincent’s slaughter so he could feast on a 160 year old landmark property of a historic medical treatment facility (which was the epicenter of the AIDS Crisis and a place that once treated society’s forgotten and neglected with great humanity)  for pennies on the dollar and turn it into what activist/artist Suzannah B. Troy referred to as the ‘Rudin Family Blood Condos’.

Bill Rudin: Crony Capitalist Predator?

Tom Allon, CEO of Manhattan Media, the now Republican candidate for Mayor, one who you assume might go easy on the Rudin’s and their slimy  crony capitalist insider deals, slammed Christine Quinn for her backroom deal with Bill Rudin that led to the closure of St. Vincent’s Hospital and created a significant financial windfall for the Rudin family who just happen to be Quinn’s principal sponsors.

Tom Allon: Quinn & Rudin Screw the Community

Many of my own heroes in life are women. But as proof that I am human and far from perfect, even I was even tempted say she looked like COUNT Dracula (minus the ‘O’).  This is precisely what Quinn and her handlers need and want to fuel her campaign. Truth is that until I began to do my research on Quinn I was ambivalent and actually thought a female Mayor would be a good idea but the Rudin deal for St. Vincent’s was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. You do not have to go too far down the rabbit hole to know that deal stinks and they hope that New Yorkers will just look the other way at this criminal transfer if they simply put up a memorial: St. Vincents/AIDS Memorial Park and place of a few celebrities in Rudin Family Blood Condos

Quinn is deeply corrupt and an enemy of democracy and the democratic process. Don’t ever lose sight of that.  Understand that identity politics and trading on her status as a gay female victim will allow her handlers to raise money for her nationally. Quinn will run a national campaign for a local office.

QUID PRO QUINN = NOT  QUALIFIED TO BE MAYOR OF NYC

New Yorkers will see Quinn’s fangs if they put this bloodsucker and Crony Capitalist enabler in Gracie Mansion for Christine is more personally ambitious than she is a capable or visionary leader. Quinn has no vision or meaningful record of accomplishment in her life, political or otherwise, that would serve as a legitimate credential qualifying her to lead the greatest city in the world.

Ms. Quinn’s tenure as Speaker of the City Council illustrates and perhaps has only confirmed that she does not have the ethics, character, integrity or temperament to be the proverbial leader of New York City.  Quinn has a career profile representing skill in opportunistic political graft, personal greed and pure identity politics. Simply being a gay elitist does not make Quinn a visionary of any kind. NYC needs a real Chief Executive, not a corrupt, unfit and unqualified political hack consumed with her own personal enrichment. Simply put Quid Pro Quinn’s identity politics undermine democracy and help mask, camouflage and provide cover for her her true anti-progressive and anti-democratic agenda.

Should New Yorkers be foolish enough to elevate this con-woman to the Mayoralty, it will take all of about 5 minutes before most New Yorkers wish Mike Bloomberg was serving his fourth term.  Christine Quinn is not Bloomberg’s fourth term but something far worse. While I voted for Bloomberg three times, he has an independent voice and has made many decisions many which I have agreed with and others which I have disagreed with on principle. Christine Quinn on the other hand seems to operate with a moral compass that always points to self interest. Quinn has illustrated a willingness to sell out communities of average folks for an extra plate of macaroni. Lobbyists moved into her Chelsea apartment building. Real Estate families like the Rudin Management clan have bought her for less than a broker’s commission on a Chelsea Micro-Studio apartment. New Yorkers need to examine this woman’s record and insure that this in fact the ‘twilight of this particular elite’. We do not need any New Adventures for the Old Christine [Quinn]

The Anti-Quinn Grassroots Movement

Key Websites: Vote Quinn Out | Facebook: Defeat Christine Quinn | Facebook: Queers Against Christine Quinn | The Campaign to Be Mayor of NYC in 2013 | Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club – Chelsea Democratic Club

Constituent Abandonment: A Democratic Club (Jim Owles Club) Continues its War on Christine Quinn | Capital New York: Actress Cynthia Nixon endorses Bill de Blasio, Criticizes Quinn over Paid Sick Leave | Anybody But Quinn | City & State NY | Citizens Union: Council Politics Taint Discretionary Funding

Quinn Slush Fund Scandal – NY Magazine: Quinn in the Slush | NY Times: NYC Council Speaker Presides Over $4.5 Million Slush Fund | Pauline Park: Christine Quinn the NYC Slush Fund Scandal | Christine Quinn Sold Out: Quinn Slush Fund Lawsuit Update | NY Times: Christine Quinn Uses NYC Council Funds to Reward Allies | Bronx Chatter: Quinn, Seabrook & the Slush Fund Scandal

RUDIN Family Blood Condos – SATANIC LUXURY: Rudin Family Blood Condos |St. Vincent’s Hospital to Close in Manhattan | NY Times: The Decline of St. Vincent’s Hospital | Norman Siegel Calls to Mayor to Open Investigation to City Council Hospital Hearing St. Vincent’s Site |  Tom Allon Slams Quinn For St. Vincent’s Closure | Suzannah B. Troy (NY Artist):NY Post Christine Quinn our Belladonna Porn Queen [Killed] St. Vincent’s Hospital

Repeal of Term Limits – Term Limits & Christine Quinn | Christine Quinn Wants to be Mayor of NYC | WSJ: City Council Speaker Defends Power to Overrule Voters on Term Limits | Boss Quinn Will Do Anything to Win to Become First Gay Mayor: insults constituent in her own district by referring to him as a no-name blogger. | NPR: Christine Quinn Never Supported Term Limits | Facebook -The Day Democracy Died: 3rd Anniversary of Quinn’s Repeal of Term Limits | NY Magazine: How Bill DeBlasio Can Defeat Christine Quinn

Character, Integrity & Temperament – The New Corrupt Adventures of Old Christine | Christine Quinn: Corrupt Democrat of the Week |  The Epoch Times: Challenging Quinn A Risk For NYC Council Members | Why Quinn Must Go | The Voice of the West Village | Politicker: Christine Quinn Storms Out of Living Wage Rally

Twitter: Stop Christine Quinn | Christine Quinn |

**Historical Footnotes**

1. St. Vincent’s Hospital – Epicenter of AIDS Crisis
St. Vincent’s Hospital | AIDS Memorial Park: St. Vincent’s Hospital did not turn its back on the LGBT Community during the AIDS Crisis, quite the opposite in fact. St. Vincent’s was the epicenter of the AIDS Crisis. I am pretty sure that the entity’s compassionate policies exemplified for its care for those that nobody else would care for, destroyed its balance sheet. Yet, the humanity of the institution was not reciprocated by the liberal elites from Boss Quinn to Bette Midler of New York Restoration Project, Landmarks Preservation Commission, Susan Sarandon, Rosie O’Donnell et al etc.  Perhaps they would rather have a luxury condo and toast in restoring the Continental Baths at the Ansonia or Studio 54 than fighting for a Catholic Hospital. You see, it is truly important to put in the Mayor’s Mansion, a woman who enables the corruption of NYC Insiders in backroom deals. Enabling her sponsor: Bill Rudin of the ABNY – Association For A Better New York to build luxury condos over the corpse of a Landmark medical treatment facility is critical, because its not like we have enough of them already in this town. The physicians, nurses and staff were there for the West Village Community during the AIDS Epidemic but the politically corrupt, grandstanding and annoyingly verbose, self serving and pontificating windbag - Tom Duane and his protege Christine Quinn turned their back on St. Vincent’s in its hour of need. History will show that those running St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center made a huge mistake in letting in the vultures: Rudin Management Company, Inc. For years leading up to its 2010 closing, St. Vincent’s was the target of a controversial billion-dollar luxury condo conversion plan by the Rudin real estate dynasty. Quinn’s Sponsor, Crony Capitalist Vulture Bill Rudin long had plans to develop Luxury Condo’s on the landmark site of the 160 year old hospital and chapel. With the assistance of Speaker Quinn, State Senator Tom Duane and a media campaign hatched and waged by societal elites in the shadows of society, the true vampires pulled the strings to enable Quinn’s sponsors: the Rudin clan to shutter a historic humanitarian medical institution and acquire for pennies on the dollar a landmark property of the 160 year old medical treatment facility and leaving the Lower West Side of Manhattan without a trauma hospital.  Maybe someone should ask Bill Rudin who leads the Association For a Better New York whether more luxury condos for celebrities is preferable for a better New York than a critical hospital to treat its citizens in a vulnerable part of Manhattan.

2. QUINN & DUANE – LGBT Elites & Media Campaign Assisted Rudin Family in Acquiring/Stealing St. Vincent’s Hospital

Background: St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center (wiki)

The Vultures Gain Access: St. Vincent’s ‘Let’s in the Vultures’ (Rudin Management Company, Inc): For years leading up to its 2010 closing, St. Vincent’s was the target of a controversial billion-dollar luxury condo conversion plan by the Rudin real estate dynasty. As noted by the following article, the vultures initially promised something quite different then before commencing construction decided that a hospital was impractical. See:  The Villager: St. Vincent’s and Rudin unveil elliptical hospital, condo tower: St. Vincent’s Hospital and the Rudin Organization last week revealed their preliminary plans for a new state-of-the-art hospital building on the west side of Seventh Ave. and for the residential redevelopment on the east side of the present hospital complex.

Orchestrated Media Campaign Leading to Closure: St. Vincent’s Hospital to Close in Manhattan | NY Times: The Decline of St. Vincent’s Hospital

The Plan: DNAinfo.com: Rudin’s St. Vincents Plan Debated at City Planning Hearing | Curbed: Plans Filed For Latest Aspect of St. Vincent’s Redevelopment | Observer: Rudin’s St. Vincent Project Gets Green Light From Planning Commission | CRAINS: Last Minute Deal Saves St. Vinnie’s Redevelopment | SATANIC LUXURY: Rudin Family Blood Condos with an AIDS Memorial Park

The Luxury Condos: 130 West 12th Street

Community Outrage: Coalition For A New Village Hospital | Hospital Now: Coalition Calling for Re-establishment of a Medical Center for Lower West Side of Manhattan | Video: Community Outrage at Rudin Family, Mayor & Quinn | Senator Tom Duane Shamed on St. Vincent’s Hospital Closing | Norman Siegel Calls to Mayor to Open Investigation to City Council Hospital Hearing St. Vincent’s Site |  Tom Allon Slams Quinn For St. Vincent’s Closure | Rudin Family Blood Condos

On The Memorial – NYC AIDS Memorial Park Competition | Queerty: St. Vincent’s Hospital NYC Epicenter of AIDS Crisis to Become [Rudin Built] Luxury Condos | The Villager: Should AIDS Be Part or All of Park Triangle Memorial?

AIDS History (selected): Avert: History of AIDS up to 1986 | AIDS & Politics – 1980 to 1989| PBS: 10 Films that Address the Aids Crisis | Contrarian View: Virus Myth: HIV & AIDS – In 80’s, Fear Spread Faster Than AIDS | The Changing Face of Gay Men’s Sexuality in Response to AIDS

On Toasting the Elite Crony Capitalists: Oh yes,  I am sure we will have a nice little Memorial and a cute fundraiser or cocktail party hosted by the Rudin’s, Quinn and all their elite friends but it will not make up for the elimination of this critical and vital NY institution.

The Monster of the Upper East Side who Un-Lit Many Lives Turns Out the Lights on Himself

According to Reuters – “Joseph Brooks, the Oscar-winning composer of the hit “You Light Up My Life” and who was awaiting trial on rape charges, was found dead in his New York apartment on Sunday having apparently killed himself, police said.”

The Academy Award winning composer, a suspected serial pervert, rapist and all around predator did the taxpayers of New York a great service.  Joseph Brooks, the monster of the Upper East Side, was an abomination to man kind –for writing the songs “You Light Up My Life” and “If I ever See You Again” and producing the films of the same name; both of which if examined closely resemble stalkers anthems, especially the latter which truly belongs in the stalkers hall of fame.  In My Life –a Broadway musical, however, Flopped on Broadway.  Brooks literally unlit the lives, hopes and dreams of so many aspiring young artists to feed his demented desires so you will forgive me if I am less than saddened by whatever pain he may have been in prior to killing himself and only wish that his demise had come sooner.

By turning off the lights on his less than noble existence and closing the curtain on this horror show before being convicted and sentenced to years behind bars, which the taxpayers of this state would in effect have to fund, and having his estate or what remains of it left completely bankrupt,  Brooks did the one decent thing he could do.  Brooks committed suicide and spared society the cost of maintenace for keeping yet another monster alive spending what likely would have been the remainder of his days behind bars. In addition, on a weekend where the world did not come to an end, the rapture not yet begun, it seems that a societal colonic of sorts has begun with some of its toxins being flushed into the great beyond.

Notably, Brooks is survived by his son, the accused “Soho Strangler”, Nicholas Brooks who is facing conviction for the murder of his former girlfriend, the promising young designer Sylvie Cachay at Soho House. This dynamic duo from the Upper East Side has literally reaked more havoc than any father/son team in recent memory.  Hey Nick, any interest in following in your father’s footsteps? If not, the positive is at least you will have some cigarette money in the joint now. And that may come in handy to keep folks from literally climbing all over your back, catch my drift?   If I [Never] see  you or your father again, it won’t be too soon.

This is not exactly what John Lennon & Yoko Ono imagined. ‘You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one.’  Consider the possibility, in Bloomberg’s New York, of the following  NY 1 report. ‘It’s easy if you try.’

NEWS ALERT: Police called to Central Park when a Crime in Progress was spotted by a local citizen. Entering the park, the Police witnessed a smoker, called a SWAT Team and had the smoker stand down and drop his cigarette. The woman screaming on the other side of the park while being mugged was left unattended. The suspect was wearing a Brooks Brothers suit, had just left a benefit at The Guggenheim Museum, had a couple of Martini’s and simply said he “felt the need to light up before calling it an evening.”  The young philanthropist, an associate at a major midtown law firm, is expected to plead guilty due to the overwhelming evidence (stench) of nicotine and a video of him captured by a vigilant citizen showing clearly that it was him smoking. He is  being held at the 61st Precinct awaiting arraignment and sentencing. Fox News  reporter Giovanna Drpic attempted to interview the stylish and forthright Charvet wearing, New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly who offered only: “we believe the suspect to be a Marlboro Man but the cigarette in question appeared to be a female cigarette, a Virginia Slims to be exact, likely bummed from an accomplice at the Guggenheim Gala. The investigation is ongoing.”

Editor’s Note:  I am a non-smoker yet I have concerns with the breadth of this ban, given that cigarettes are not illegal.

Reuters reported yesterday that: “New York City on Wednesday moved a step closer to ban smoking in parks, beaches and other outdoor public spaces, amid grumbling that the city government may have gone too far in its war on salt, fat and smoke. The city council voted 36 to 12 in favor of the smoking restrictions, extending an existing ban on smoking in restaurants and bars.”

Mayor Mike Bloomberg has been committed to ridding the city of second hand smoke virtually since his elevation to the mayoralty from his perch atop Bloomberg LP.  In 2002, on the heals of the tragedy of 9/11 that destroyed the Twin Towers, the local economy and the lives of countless Americans and their families, Mike Bloomberg signed the Smoke Free Air Act of 2002, which banned smoking in indoor workplaces.  Not surprisingly, critics of the legislation included the local entrepreneurs and patrons in the restaurant, tavern and nightlife industries, or those hardest hit by this legislation in a crippled post 9/11 economy. Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s campaign did not end there. In 2010 Bloomberg, and the leadership of the NY City Council called for a ban smoking in New York City in public places, parks and beaches. The move was backed by the American Cancer Society.

The NYC Smoking Ban was met with shock and anger in many quarters of the city and beyond.  One might understand and suspect that  the New York City Nightlife Association and the Empire State Restaurant & Taverns Association and their respective membership may have become concerned if not consumed with how the livelihoods of their membership has been derailed more by the second hand smoke emanating from the Health Police at City Hall.

Critics including civil libertarians and other ‘fringe radicals’ (i.e., citizens) questioned the wisdom of sweeping totalitarianism of City Hall and the NY City Council. The administration’s unusual focus on nanny issues while a large percentage of the local population remains out of work or underemployed in a stagnant economy; one where local entrepreneurs and businesses struggle to remain afloat and barely turn a profit, is somewhat mind boggling. It is a veritable illusion of governance. Then I thought to myself what if the Mayor and exalted members of the New York City Council were to hold a straight forward and honest press conference(s)  or otherwise level with the citizens of the metropolis with earnest statements. Might it go something like this:

In a press conference at City Hall today celebrating passage of his PPC Initiative ( Progressive Programs for Citizens who can’t think or do for themselves),  the  mayor derided his critics for not looking at the ‘totality’ of his totalitarian tactics.  Bloomberg stated further, that in terms of his critics:  “they will live longer and being out of work they will  thus have more time to espouse their utterly irrelevant and inconsequential dissent.”  Besides which he continued, “anyone unemployed should not be spending $11 for a pack of cigarettes.”  As reporter Azi Paybarah of the WNYC Public Radio raised his hand to ask Mayor Bloomberg a follow up question about Bloomberg Beach, the Mayor said “you’re a disgrace .”

The Mayor, however, does have his supporters. Standing outside Gray’s Papaya (not Papaya King) on the Upper West Side, I recognized a homeless banker who used to workout at Equinox. Asked what he thought about all the recent legislation, he stated:

You know, on a cold winter day it is truly refreshing that I can enjoy the “Recession Special” without having to inhale the second hand smoke from the homeless guy standing next to me;  although we have been pals since our days together at Bear Stearns and then later when he was the lawyer who documented some of my transactions, before his law firm folded.  Now we are roommates in  a box over on Tenth Avenue.  The absence of second hand smoke makes me feel like when I bite into a York Peppermint Pattie, I get the sensation of sitting on a mountain top with cool breeze running down my spine.

The homeless banker acknowledged that the first time he felt that cool breeze, it was actually more a tingling sensation when he woke to being tasered after falling asleep on a bench in Central Park one night when he could not find his way back to his box.

We then had a brief discussion which resulted in our agreement that it was good to see that the Mayor and City Council have really kept their eye on the ball focusing first and foremost on issues most critical to New Yorkers, my homeless friend offered an interesting anecdote:

The Mayor is a good guy.  Bloomberg drove up in his SUV one day, the window opened, he asked me if that was a trans fat free hot dog I was about to eat. I said yes. He smiled and then offered me  some Grey Poupon for my remaining “Recession Special” hot dog. You know something? I never had a hot dog that tasted that good.  Gray’s Papaya only has  Gulden’s Mustard. The Mayor deserves a fourth term.

Critics of NYC Smoking ban who have been vocal caught the attention of  NY City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. In an effort to quell the growing civil unrest over the pending legislation and other PPC Initiatives, Ms. Quinn issued the following statement:

In these times, passionate dissent among the citizenry can lead to heated rhetoric that results in motivating others to challenge existing authority and thus undermining our ability to govern the people, maintain order and continuity pursuant to the mandates manufactured by we the duly elected representatives of the people. Given the riots in the streets of Egypt, the recent shooting in Tucson and Sarah Palin’s big mouth, the City Council believes it is imperative that we take up the measure to ban contentious and uncivil discourse, in public and private spaces. Mayor Bloomberg has agreed to sign any such legislation passed by this body.

In subservience,

the Emperor’s duly own owned subjects in the New York City Council.

The Mayor,  addressing the declining tax revenue from all the restaurants and taverns closing due to a lack of patrons who actually have money in their pockets to spend, issued the following statement:

The City Council’s continuing capitulation (support) has been critical not just to my third term and keeping alive the illusion of my own Presidential aspirations but given me the opportunity to foster the illusion of governance on issues of import to New Yorkers. The ban on smoking, trans fats and the ban on uncivil discourse, do not, however, go far enough. As smoking as declined among New Yorkers so has the tax revenue on cigarettes, so we must consider alternative sources of revenue to fund the PPC Initiative . Under consideration is an Oxygen Tax. The Oxygen Tax will attach a levy to anyone over 200 pounds. Those over 200 pounds or in general ‘fat people’ who consume more than is necessary to sustain themselves and who have not followed the ban on trans fats are not paying their fair share of taxes. We should not be penalizing the skinny people, vegetarians and vegans who consume less air while rewarding the consumers of trans fats, meat eaters, and others who have a larger carbon footprint, consume more air and let loose more gaseous emissions into the atmosphere.  Fact is upon leaving Smith & Wollensky or Club Macanudo, men have been known to fart, sometimes rather prolifically. We as a society bear the brunt of these noxious fumes. Taxing farts is a societal imperative.”

CONCLUSION

I am a non-smoker who has also steadily reduced my consumption of alcohol and unhealthy foods, but did so of my own free will and volition and under the guidance of Dr. Fred Vagnini, listening to folks at Health Corps and some lessons absorbed from Dr. Mehmet Oz.  As a native New Yorker who personally benefits from the Mayor’s health based initiatives, specifically a smoke free environment,  I nevertheless  found myself wondering about life  in Bloomberg’s Urban Utopia or Animal Farm of stressed out underemployed and unemployed citizens regularly fed NYC Media’s NYC Life cable programming. This programming professes to “bring New Yorkers interesting, entertaining and educational content that embraces the energy and diversity of the City that never sleeps” –from our resident leader and Citizen Kane (who already owns Bloomberg TV) and his minions, rather than the views of a diversity of citizens or diversity of media who may offer a diversity of perspective; the operative phrase being diversity.  Included in this definition is not the governing elite controlling the levers of media.  In the end of this Orwellian fantasy or nightmare, depending on your perspective,  I simply wonder whether will it be the Mayor or actually some of our engaged citizens uttering our own versions of ‘Rosebud’ as we reminisce of a time before; before we closed our eyes and choked on the smoke.