NYGOP Chairman Langworthy Calls on Hochul to Return Illegal Campaign Contributions

 

Kickback Kathy at it Again, Breaking Longtime Law by Raising $400,000 From Appointees 

“New Yorkers Have Suffered Greatly Under Her Executive Orders While She Brazenly Disregards Them”

Kathy Hochul must immediately return $400,000 in illegal campaign contributions she raised from individuals who hold positions appointed by the governor of the state, today charged New York Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy. Hochul raised the money in violation of a longstanding Executive Order that she reissued upon becoming governor last year. The EO was put in place to avoid conflicts of interest from people who personally financially benefit from the governor’s power to appoint them. 

This is just the latest example of Hochul abusing her power as governor to raise money from people who have financial interests before the state. Chairman Langworthy has dubbed Hochul Kickback Kathy for giving away billions of dollars in lucrative state contracts in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. 

“This money was raised illegally and it needs to be immediately returned,” said NYGOP Chairman Nick Langworthy. “She has raised more than $35 million dollars in the most grotesque, corrupt way possible. She’s flaunting it in everyone’s faces that she is above the law.” 

He continued, “If you thought corruption was bad under Andrew Cuomo, Kickback Kathy has taken selling government to a whole new level. While the Cuomo-Hochul regime has used Gestapo-like tactics to enforce their tyrannical dictates on struggling New Yorkers, Hochul brazenly disregards her own law and sells our tax dollars for money and power. She doesn’t respect New Yorkers and it’s time for the people of this state to rise up and send her a message that they aren’t going to take it anymore.” 

Justice Department Will Return Approximately $686,000 in Forfeited Corruption Proceeds to the Republic of Peru

 

 The U.S. Department of Justice is sharing with the Republic of Peru approximately $686,000 in forfeited criminal proceeds linked to the corruption and bribery of former Peruvian President Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique (Toledo) by Odebrecht S.A. (Odebrecht), a Brazil-based global construction conglomerate.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Kenneth A. Polite Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement.

“Civil forfeiture serves a critical role in depriving criminals of their ill-gotten gains, regardless of their status, and despite their efforts to conceal the proceeds of their offenses committed abroad,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This Office and the department will continue to work with their law enforcement partners around the world to recover and return illicit payments that corrupt overseas officials attempt to hide in the United States.”

“This case is an important example of the international cooperation necessary to address corruption abroad where illicit proceeds are brought to the United States,” stated Assistant Attorney General Polite.  “The department is committed to doing its part to recover and repatriate such corruption proceeds where appropriate.”    

In a civil forfeiture action filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, United States v. $639,583.07, More Or Less, Formerly On Deposit In Bank Of America Account Number XXXXXXXX1655, With A Beneficiary Identified As The Havenell Trust, And All Funds Traceable Thereto, No. CV 19-5652, the United States alleged that Toledo, while holding public office as President of Peru, solicited millions in bribe payments from Odebrecht in connection with government contracts awarded for construction of the Peru-Brazil Southern Interoceanic Highway (“Southern Interoceanic Highway”), a Peruvian government infrastructure project.  Odebrecht subsequently made bribery payments to Toledo through accounts maintained by Toledo’s co-conspirators. Ultimately, approximately $1.2 million of the bribery payments were used by Toledo and his family to purchase real estate in Maryland in 2007 through a scheme designed to hide Toledo’s ownership of the funds and their connection to Odebrecht.  The forfeited assets represent the proceeds from the sale of the Maryland real estate, which were further laundered through a trust and bank account controlled by Toledo. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s tireless work in this case led to the assets forfeited in the United States being returned to the Republic of Peru.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Mantell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section handled the civil forfeiture cases.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance with the cases.

In support of the U.S. forfeiture actions, the Peruvian government provided extensive and wide-ranging assistance.  Most notably, the documentary evidence provided by the Peruvian government included evidence necessary to seize assets located in the United States and substantially contributed to the timely success of the U.S. forfeiture actions. 

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - AUGUST 31, 2022

 

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

13 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19. 

“With school season approaching, New Yorkers should remain vigilant in keeping themselves and their loved ones healthy,” Governor Hochul said. “Take advantage of the vaccine and booster by staying up to date on doses. Test before gatherings or travel and if you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options.”

The Food and Drug Administration today issued the emergency use authorization for both the Moderna and Pfizer updated COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, designed to target Omicron subvariants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could approve these new boosters for distribution as early as Friday and provide New Yorkers with even more protection against COVID-19 in advance of the fall. 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Cases Per 100k – 22.27
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k – 20.88 
• Test Results Reported – 81,009
• Total Positive – 4,352
• Percent Positive – 4.81%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 5.88%**   
• Patient Hospitalization – 2,332 (+3)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 415
• Patients in ICU – 241 (-7) 
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 89 (-5)
• Total Discharges – 336,923 (+363)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 13
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 57,641

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.   

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC – 73,676

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:   

Borough	Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022	Monday, Aug. 29, 2022	Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022
Bronx	6.96%	6.86%	6.74%
Kings	3.89%	3.85%	3.21%
New York	4.98%	4.98%	4.85%
Queens	7.01%	6.87%	6.70%
Richmond	5.83%	5.66%	5.67%