Capital New York

cybergrace commented on Hakeem Jeffries musters a Bookeresque coalition for Congress: Reformers, machine and all

This article says it all about Jeffries. He is mentored by Vito Lopez, one of the most corrupt politicians to ever rip off Brooklyn. Jeffries isn't going to change a thing. Vito Lopez has made a living giving grants to a nonprofit senior center which he uses as his own personal piggy bank--and threatens the seniors there to work on his campaigns! Vito Lopez's campaign treasurer, Chris Fisher, who earned at least $686,047 last year as executive director of the senior center(!), and his girlfriend, housing director Angela Battaglia, who earned $343,136, have not been punished by the city! This is a senior center serving very poor seniors with most staff earning quite modest salaries. The completely incompetent girlfriend actually STOPS work from happening! If she was fired, as she should be, the agency would profit not only her outrageous, nepotistic salary, but hundreds of thousands of dollars in staff morale improvement and workplace performance. Jeffries did and does not oppose the outrageous City giving of millions of dollars of tax write offs and perks to the private reality company project pushing the Atlantic Yards project. How in the world can NYC not MAKE money by developing all this property? In this time of service slashing how can anyone not oppose the giving of Ratner so much of our tax money? It is totally unfair that you paint Jeffries as a figure of change because he is younger than the other candidates, but do not talk about how his record compares to the other candidates. It is especially unfair that you only mention Vito Lopez in a positive manner, and do not mention his misuse of the vulnerable seniors at his center to do his election staffing. Change would be to boot Vito Lopez out of Brooklyn forever; sever his (and his girlfriend's) authority over the Bushwick Senior Center; put competent, experienced professional nonprofit managers with regular salaries in charge there-- and don't elect anyone who considers him a mentor!

Posted on December 19th, 2011 12:38am

cybergrace commented on Charles Barron on not being a 'punk,' or a mere congressional spoiler

This article is a little pathetic. Half of America is hurting financially, the top 1% own 40% of the wealth, unemployment is terrible and getting worse, food pantries have bare shelves and the schools in New York are extremely underfunded and unable to prepare our young people. And this article is what you got out of Charles Barron's press conference?! C'mon now, black and white, we all desperately need CHANGE. We WANT a congressman who is angry. If that's radical, so what? We need radical! - Another underemployed New Yorker [white] looking for CHANGE

Posted on December 19th, 2011 12:12am

cybergrace commented on Who believes print newspapers have a future? 'The Occupy Wall Street Journal' does

Arun and all the Occupy Wall Street folks are doing great work. Thank you all! I'm there to stand up with you Thurs. Nov. 17th, 7am -- March on the NY Stock Exchange!

Posted on November 16th, 2011 11:50pm