Fallout From Schniderman Accident

Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz to Democrat Leadership: Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

New York State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) issued the following statement in response to reports of Senator Eric Schneiderman’s hit and run incident earlier this evening. Senator Schneiderman’s staff member/driver was Rachel Kagan, the niece of US Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.

“Why has there been no arrest in this crime committed by Senator Eric Schneiderman’s driver? If I were to permit my staff person to commit a hit and run or better yet, if Senator Pedro Espada had permitted his staff person to leave the scene of a car accident, would neither of us be arrested?  

Will Eric Schneiderman come forward and answer the following questions that would be posed to any DWB who just crashed their car into a parked car: “When was the last time you had anything to drink and were you taking any drugs?” Or was this situation much simpler to understand: the Senator was just in a hurry and didn’t want his staff member to delay him by stopping?

Under the property damage section of New York State’s Vehicle and Traffic law, § 600. Leaving  scene  of  an  incident without reporting. 1. Property   damage. a. Any person operating a motor vehicle who, knowing  or  having   cause to know that damage has been caused to the real property or to the   personal property … due to an incident   involving  the  motor  vehicle  operated  by  such  person shall, before   leaving the place where the damage occurred, stop, exhibit  his  or  her   license  and  insurance  identification card for such vehicle … in case  the person sustaining the damage is not present at the place where the damage occurred then he or she shall report  the  same  as  soon  as   physically able to the nearest police station, or judicial officer.

The penalty for this offense is a fine of $250 and/or imprisonment of up to 15 days.  Will justice be served?

I call upon my colleagues in the New York State Senate to immediately form a Committee and investigate Senator Eric Schneiderman’s criminal activity of flagrantly authorizing, endorsing or encouraging his staffer to leave the scene of an accident.

I call upon Charlie King and Andrew Cuomo to start the process to remove Eric Schneiderman from the Democratic Party. It is a shame that the Democrats could rally behind someone who has such a flagrant disregard for the law.

Senator Schneiderman can no longer fool us with his self-righteous cowboy act who went after Hiram Monserrate.  He’s not Mr. Clean – he’s Mr. Slick!”

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on Steinbrenner Passing

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR.

RE: Passing of George Steinbrenner

“Today I join 1.4 million Bronxites, and Yankee fans across the world, in mourning the passing of a great man, ‘The Boss,’ George Steinbrenner. During his tenure as owner of the New York Yankees, Mr. Steinbrenner did everything in his power to create his own winning tradition in the Bronx, an effort that resulted in seven World Series championships. While other baseball fans were jealous of this success, Yankee fans, like myself, loved him for it. Both the Bronx and New York City have lost a giant today—in baseball and in charity—and my deepest condolences go out to the Steinbrenners and the entire New York Yankees family,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner Dead at age 80

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner suffered a massive heart attack, and has been pronounced dead in a Florida hospital.  Steinbrenner had just turned 80 on July 4th, was the key in the New York Yankee organization turnaround after he purchased the club.

Steinbrenner  had a career of turmoil as he had many disputes with managers, hiring and firing them at will.  Steinbrenner hired and fired Billy Martin to manage the Yankees several times. 

His son Hank Steinbrenner had taken over day to day operations recently. 

Testimonials are pouring in about the late great George Steinbrenner, and watch the All Star game tonight for a special tribute from Major Leauge Baseball.

Senator Pedro Espada Jr. Reacts to Calls For His Ouster From the Democratic Party

On Monday July 12^th Senator Pedro Espada Jr. (D-33^rd State Senate District) responded to calls for his ouster from the Democratic party by displaying (what he called) ten thousand Democratic signatures on a Democratic petition for him to run in the 33^rd State Senate District Democratic Primary this September. Espada added that he welcomed his opponents to the Democratic Primary, and that he was not going anywhere nor can you disenfranchise him or his supporters. “The prosecution will continue to try to silence us, reporters have misused their power to assassinate my character, violate my family, and trespass on my property” Espada added. Senator Espada said that he was the highest ranking Hispanic elected official in the state, that he is a Christian, has god on his side, and that every time he gets knocked down with the help of his family and supporters he will bounce right back up.

Bronx State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. was on hand to support “my friend and colleague Senator Espada”, and added that it is Governor Paterson who is a bad Democrat by cutting senior centers, health services, education aid, and other forms of services needed by many people, and not Senator Espada who is fighting these cuts for our community with him. Diaz then held up the New York Post Headline of Bad Bidness, the story of how the employer of the wife of Governor Paterson got a 279 million dollars state contract. Espada supporters then chanted re-elect Senator Espada, re-elect Senator Espada.

Senator Espada To Address his future with Democratic Party ...at a Press Conference Mon July 12,2010 at 1:30PM

This just came in to us from Senator Pedro Espada Jr. in a press release.

New York State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr. (Dem.-Bronx, 33^rd District) will hold a press conference at 1:30PM on Monday July 12, 2010, outside the Bronx Board of Elections Office, 1780 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York, 10457  to address his future with the Democratic Party.

Engel Supports Espaillat in 31Senate District

Just one block from his Riverdale district office Congressman Eliot Engel endorsed Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat for the soon to be vacant 31st district State Senate seat. Eric Schniderman is the current State Senator from the 31st district, and he is running for the soon to be vacant seat of New York State Attorney General. Engel was joined by  Riverdale Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, District Leaders and State Committee members from the 81st Assembly District in his endorsement. Riverdale Councilman G. Oliver Koppell has also endorsed the Espaillat campaign, but was unable to make the Engel Announcement.

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $37 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR BRONX ORGANIZATIONS

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced today that his office has allocated $37.6 million in funding for projects across the Bronx as part of his FY2011 budget requests. The funding will go to help improve schools, upgrade borough infrastructure and make the Bronx a greener place.

“Once again, I am proud to show my financial support to dozens of worthy institutions across the Bronx,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “The rebuilding and improvement of the Bronx is a top priority of mine, and with this funding my administration has continued its commitment to providing first-class amenities for Bronxites in every corner of our borough.”

The highest percentage of funding this year, like last year, from the office of the Bronx Borough President went to education, for a total of 33 percent ($12,227,000). Projects funded include the construction of a green house on the roof of P.S. 71, technology upgrades at the Leadership Institute High School, a library upgrade at Samuel Gompers High School and many other important projects.

“Nothing is more important than the education of our youth, and my office will continue to do everything that it can to make sure that Bronx students have the best possible facilities in which to learn,” said Borough President Diaz.

Borough President Diaz has also allocated 25 percent ($9,582,000) of his funding to housing, 12 percent ($4,690,000) to parks, and has provided funding to Bronx libraries, cultural institutions, and other important services in this year’s budget.

Projects include renovations at the Woodlawn Heights, Castle Hill, West Farms, Westchester Square and Soundview library branches; upgrades to the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, construction of a new borough facility for the New York Junior Tennis League and energy efficient upgrades at the Riverdale Neighborhood House.

STAFF PRESENTS PRELIMINARY REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CHAIR OF THE 2010 CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION

Report will serve as the basis for further discussion and action by the Commission

      At the request of Chair Matthew Goldstein, the Charter Revision Commission staff has prepared a Preliminary Report that will serve as the basis for further discussion and action by the Commission. The Report addresses several topics that correspond to issue areas researched and analyzed by staff, including term limits, voter participation, public integrity, efficiencies in government, and other issues.  The Report follows three months of extensive public outreach, public hearings, and Issue Forums where the operations of City government were critically analyzed by the Commissioners and experts

Following the Report’s release, the Commission will hold another series of public hearings and engage in a public discussion of the staff report’s findings, its recommendations, as well as other topics for further consideration.  The recommendations contained in the report will be debated by the Commissioners and the public in the coming months, after which the Commission will vote on a final set of proposals for consideration by New York City voters.  

View the report at www.nyc.gov/charter