Michael Beltzer - That Which Is Known: Ruben Diaz gets a Pow-Pow

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THAT WHICH IS KNOWN THAT WHICH IS KNOWN By Michael Beltzer

Ruben Diaz gets a Pow-Pow 

It is known that the Ethics Committee of the City Council in the greatest City in the world New York found the ordained minister Diaz of misusing public resources to send you an email similar to this. These emails, known to us for years are often entertaining and have given those in politics something to talk about to pass the time. But we have long known they are just words that are typed often without much use except to take political shots, extract revenge and show spite and contempt for others. 

 

These emails often include contrarian viewpoints and include almost endorsements of Republican darlings such as Donald Trump, who is mentioned in his emails well over a dozen times in the past 2 years. So we applaud Councilman Matteo (R-Staten Island) for leading the proceedings as this leaves Mr. Diaz little room to claim it was an attack by Democrats.

 

It is important to note that I am a firm believer of the first amendment and in no way would condone limiting someone’s ability to do so. I have at times agreed with some of the sentiments expressed in his columns, especially when it comes to increasing representation of minorities in state and local government workforces. But it is important to read what the City’s Conflict of Interest Board says about being a Public Servant “ Since party politics has a certain level of influence over the manner in which the public is governed, the political activities provisions of the conflicts of interest law were enacted in an attempt to ensure that City employees maintain impartiality when dispensing services to the public.”

 

We know this pow-pow, of which we do not know if it will be a “church pinch” or ‘la chancleta”, but it still must hurt as Mr. Diaz has a long history of colluding with Republicans during his days in the State Senate. During his time, he claims he "never had an issue" in sending emails or misusing public resources. But my dear reader, we know Albany is not a place that holds itself to the highest standards. Perhaps it is the good reverend's ability to read through text, because last year in his run to become a Councilperson, he sent a piece of propaganda to every voter just before the deadline for State Elected to send out mail before an election. His campaign sent a follow up mail that looked almost identical the following week. I and many of his constituents do not feel that was done in good faith as a steward of public funds.

 

Now you may say, so what, I use his taxpayer funded birthday card that he sends to my house every year as a proof of address to apply for services at a non-profit whose workers help hand out large bags with his name on the side, it’s all for the community. You may feel that even though he hosted a 2016 holiday giveaway in a Public School with a political candidate during a special election for City Council in violation of Chancellor's Regulation D- 130, that he is, “giving a person a fish” because he got a few toys from Republicans instead of the millions owed our Public Schools.

 

But it is known that he was one of the "Four Amigos", of which 3 went to jail, despite the Councilperson's claim that "Never in the history of New York State has there been something so exciting". It is not only known but it is proclaimed by himself that the amigos led to the eventual formation of the Independent Democratic Conference or the "IDC". Now if you do not know how this conference is currently in violation of campaign finance laws, which we know Mr. Diaz has had campaign treasurers arrested himself, it is known that they have kept Public Schools from being fully funded, held women's rights hostage, along with healthcare for all, rights and protections for our LGBT neighbors and recognizing a Black Woman as the rightful leader of the NYS Senate.

 

But it is known that Mr. Diaz has long felt he is above any man-made rules. This is a man who proclaims "I am the Church, I am the State." It is known that he has often mixed the two to support his political quest to embroider titles into starched shirts and collect multiple taxpayer funded pensions, and we only need to look to the FBI’s investigation of him and his organizations (click here to read more). At the time, it is known multiple people employed by him and his non-profits had requested investigations, ones that unfortunately were not acted upon as judiciously as our City Council has. So it comes as no surprise that Mr. Diaz’s most uttered words at the hearing was:

“C’mon, get out of here!”

 

It’s time for him to take his own advice.

This is Michael Beltzer and this is That Which Is Known.