Is Bill Thompson Color-Blind on Stop-and-Frisk ?

New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson’s restrained approach to ending stop-and-frisk policing has paid dividends with the endorsement from a coalition of city law-enforcement unions, the NYTimes writes. (via City & State First Read)

From the NYTimes :

Jumaane D. Williams, a city councilman from Brooklyn who has sponsored legislation against stop-and-frisk tactics, bluntly suggested that Mr. Thompson was taking the allegiance of black voters for granted.

“I think he believes that the color of his skin is what’s needed to get to communities of color, rather than standing on the correct substance of issues,” he said.

City Council Community Outreach Does Campaign Outreach For Christine Quinn

The Community Outreach Unit of the New York City Council, a taxpayer-financed office that has organized rallies to protect student subway discounts and sponsored adult education fairs, frequently functions as something else as well: a publicity and public relations machine for Christine C. Quinn. Read more : City Council’s Outreach Unit, Run by Quinn, Mainly Benefits Her Campaign

@uft - @quinn4ny uses Council's 16 person "Community Outreach Unit" as her private campaign staff nyti.ms/Yyq8Ps @mjalonschi

— Defeat Chris Quinn (@defeatquinn) April 19, 2013

The New York Times described the Community Outreach Unit, a taxpayer-financed group of many political operatives, as almost entirely focused on propping up Speaker Quinn's political image, which would benefit her mayoral campaign.

"Inside the community outreach office recently, there was a photograph of Ms. Quinn handing a plaque to Whoopi Goldberg. Below, a dry erase board bore reminders about two coming events the group helped organize: a breakfast for women of faith and a celebration of Irish culture. Ms. Quinn was the featured speaker at both. At the Irish event, the unit’s workers escorted to their seats prominent Irish-American families, including relatives of Thomas Manton, the former chairman of the Queens Democratic Party, whose backing was crucial to Ms. Quinn’s election as speaker," The New York Times reported.

This isn't the first time Speaker Quinn has been accused of using taxpayer money for her campaign.

A former deputy chief of staff to Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn who recently served as a top aide to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s re-election effort has been fined for violating city law by soliciting campaign contributions for Ms. Quinn while working for her.

In announcing the sanction on Monday, the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board said in a statement that around April 2007, the former aide, Maura Keaney, made between six and a dozen phone calls to union representatives to ask them to be on the host committee for a fund-raising event for Ms. Quinn’s re-election bid. The ethics board, which fined Ms. Keaney $2,500, noted that serving on the host committee required a campaign contribution. (NYTimes : Ethics Panel Fines Ex-Aide to Speaker)

Does Outreach do fundraising ? Remember Maura Keaney ? @suzannahbtroy @nyccouncil @chriscquinn @defeatquinn @dumpchrisquinn @colvinj

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 19, 2013

Moreover, the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, a nonprofit group, which has publicly supported Speaker Quinn's campaign platform for several years, requested $100,000 in City Council slush funds for each of the past three years to advocate for Speaker Quinn. By admission of the office of Speaker Quinn, these funds were granted by Speaker Quinn. (WSJ : City Grants Aids Quinn Campaign)

Malcolm Smith, Dan Halloran Arrested In Election Fraud Attempt

2013 03 29 Complaint Against Smith Malcolm Dan Halloran Et Al

State Sen. Malcolm Smith and New York City Councilman Dan Halloran arrested in 'bribery plot' to rig mayor race * Dem Smith schemed to run as a Republican * Faces corruption rap with Republican Halloran (NYPost)

State Sen. Malcolm Smith and city Councilman Dan Halloran were arrested this morning on charges they plotted to rig this year’s mayoral election through fraud and bribes.

The pols allegedly formed an alliance built on cash payments and fraud to get Smith — one of the state’s top Democrats — placed on the GOP mayoral ballot, sources said.

FBI agents arrested them both at their Queens homes shortly after 6 a.m.

Read more : True News From Change

When will the feds investigate the many alleged ethics violations by @chriscquinn ? #slushfunds #campaignfinance #paytoplay

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 2, 2013

Reaction To Christine Quinn's Secret Campaign Deal With Ray Kelly

Joe.My.God. Readers React To Christine Quinn's ''Secret Deal'' To Keep NYPD Commish Ray Kelly Out Of Mayoral Race

On Joe.My.God.'s blog post today, several readers posted comments criticising New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's backroom deal with Commissioner Raymond Kelly :

''Christine Quinn is a great example of why we shouldn't just blindly vote for someone just because they are LGBT,'' wrote KT.

''Quinn has been saying for more than a year now that the next mayor should ask Kelly to stay on. Apparently, Christine is a big fan of Stop and Frisk,'' wrote band.

''This all reminds me of the ending of The Devil Wears Prada,'' wrote Joe.My.God.

The tone of the blog post and the comments was very critical of Speaker Quinn for making backroom deals, for supporting Commissioner Kelly, and for supporting stop-and-frisk.

Will There Be An Investigation Into Christine Quinn's City Council Redistricting Scandal ?

NY1 reported that New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was forced to respond to allegations that she is influencing the City Council redistricting process in order to help shore up support in her bid to become the city's next mayor.

The complaints came from people like Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, whose East Harlem district was changed drastically to become a majority Bronx district. Some say a backroom deal was cut between Quinn and Bronx leader Carl Heastie, where he would get more power while Quinn gets his support for her mayoral bid. The speaker and Heastie both deny this. (NY1)

@ny1headlines questions whether @chriscquinn uses @nyccouncil redistricting for mayoral campaign benefit ny1.com/content/politi… #2013

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) November 28, 2012

Will there be a federal investigation into influence peddling, ethics violations, or campaign corruption ?

Is Christine Quinn Using Hurricane Sandy For A Campaign Advantage ?

In other words, @chriscquinn is opening campaign offices in the outer boroughs and staffing them with City employees: soc.li/kuuu6SW

— Defeat Chris Quinn (@donnymossnyc) November 16, 2012

Is Quinn Using Taxpayer Money During A Recession To Promote Her Mayoral Campaign ?

Christine Quinn Continues the Practise By City Council Speakers Of Using City Resources -- And Your Taxpayer Dollars -- To Promote Their Political Ambitions.

During the Great Recession, at a time when there is a $600 million hole in the city budget thanks to the failed taxi medallion scam, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is using taxpayer-funded Public Service Announcements to promote her mayoral campaign, so says Michael Schenkler in his Not For Publication column in The Queens Tribune.

Mr. Schenkler was watching “Food, Faith & Culture,” a program on CBS Channel 2 last Sunday, and, in his newspaper column, Mr. Schenkler described Speaker Quinn's PSA :

“Hello, this is Council Speaker Christine Quinn” or something like that said the recognizable voice of the council boss and Mayoral wanabe. It was a 30-second, multi-cultural lovefest with terrible production values – as bad as you ever see on network television. But the message of “Love Love” and “Hate Hate” is of course a seller in our great city. At the end of the painfully bad commercial with a solidly good message, was the City’s logo (NYC) taking ownership for the spot.

Mr. Schenkler then criticised Speaker Quinn for using taxpayer money to promote herself in the lead up to next year's Democratic primary fight in the 2013 mayoral election :

"She is not to be lavished with promotional funds to spread her name around our city. She should not be the beneficiary of taxpayer funds or City-owned property to elevate her image as she prepares to run for Mayor. Not on our backs, Chris."

What do you think about Speaker Quinn using not only your taxpayer money for her slush funds, but now for this stealth self-promotional political marketing campaign ?