This is a Storm Warning Alert by NYC
Thu Feb 07 18:21:06 2013
STATUS: Open - Active
PROGNOSIS: Monitoring Weather-Snow
Citywide 02/08-09/2013
SUMMARY
High pressure over the area will begin to retreat north tonight as an
area of low pressure over the mid-west approaches the area. This will
allow for cloudy skies and increases chances for snow late tonight into
Friday morning. A light easterly flow will increase tonight with the
approach of the system. Lows will range from the upper teens to lower
20s inland to upper 20s to near 30 in the New York metro area.
As the low over the mid-west approaches, low pressure over the southeast
U.S. will push off the east coast and head northeast Friday morning.
This low will become the dominant storm as it approaches the tri-state
area. Snow will continue Friday morning for the entire area. The snow
will mix with and possibly change over to rain over portions of Long
Island, New York City, and northeast NJ by the afternoon. It will
remain all snow, coming down heavy at times for inland areas. As the
storm approaches, it will strengthen, and winds will continue to
increase, with gusts 45 to 55 mph, especially for eastern areas.
A changeover back to snow is expected by early Friday night for areas
that will mix or change over to rain prior. Blizzard conditions are
expected, with heavy snow, wind gusts increasing to 45 to 60 mph, and
visibilities reduced to 1/4 miles or less. The snow will continue into
early Saturday morning and taper off by late morning into the early
afternoon. 12 to 16 inches are forecast for Long Island, New York City,
and northeast NJ, and the lower Hudson Valley with up to 2 feet in
portions of southeast CT. Locally higher amounts are possible,
depending on where the heaviest snow sets up. Additionally, coastal
flooding will also be a concern for portions of Long Island and
southwest Connecticut Friday evening.
PRECIPITATION AND TIMING
A total of 10 to 14 inches of snowfall is forecasted by NWS with
isolated higher amounts possible. This event is described as moderate
snow with narrow bands of heavy snow. Friday night to early Saturday
morning is the timeframe for the heaviest rates of snowfall. The
evening commute on Friday will be impacted by this snow storm.
Thursday Night: there is a 60 percent chance of snow tonight with little or no snow accumulation.
Friday: on Friday morning there is chance for snow, and then a chance
for a rain and snow mix in the afternoon. Snow accumulations of 1 to 3
inches can be expected. By Friday night snow may be heavy at times. An
additional 6 to 10 inches of accumulating snow can be expected. The
chance for precipitation/snow will remain near 100 percent throughout
the day on Friday.
Saturday: snow is likely on Saturday morning as well with an additional light snow accumulation possible.
TEMPERATURES
Tonight: lows in the upper 20s.
Friday: near steady temperatures in the mid 30s; lows in the mid 20s.
Saturday: highs in the upper 20s; lows around 15.
Sunday: high in the upper 30s; lows in the mid 20s.
WINDS
Tonight: east winds 10 to 15 MPH.
Friday: northeast winds 15 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 30 MPH increasing
to 40 MPH by the afternoon; winds will be out of the north Friday night
at 20 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH.
Saturday: northwest winds 20 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH; winds
continue out of the northwest at night at 15 to 20 MPH with gusts up to
30 MPH. Winds begin to diminish to around 10 MPH after midnight
Saturday night.
Flooding
Moderate beach erosion and widespread flooding of vulnerable shore areas
can be expected during the times of high tide on Friday evening between
9:00 PM and 11:00 PM.
PRODUCTS
A Blizzard Warning is in effect citywide from 6:00 AM Friday to 1:00 PM Saturday.
A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect from 6:00 PM Friday to midnight
Friday night along Long Island Sound and Twin Forks of Long Island.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Notify NYC - Blizzard Warning - 2/8 to 2/9 (Citywide)
Thu Feb 07 16:28:39 2013
STATUS: Open - Active
PROGNOSIS: Monitoring
Weather - Snow
STATUS: Open - Active
PROGNOSIS: Monitoring
Weather - Snow
Citywide 02/08-09/2013
The following Notify NYC message was issued:
Title: Blizzard Warning - 2/8 to 2/9 (Citywide)
Distribution Area(s): CW
Borough(s): Citywide
Email/RSS: Notification issued 2/7/13 at 4:15 PM. The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for New York City from 6:00 AM Friday, 2/8 to 1 PM Saturday, 2/9. The current forecast calls for 10-14 inches of snow accompanied by strong winds. With visibility expected to be one quarter mile or less, caution should be exercised when traveling. For more information visit www.weather.gov/nyc.
SMS: Blizzard Warning for NYC from 6 AM Fri 2/8 to 1 PM Sat 2/9. Forecast: 10-14 inches of snow and strong winds. www.weather.gov/nyc.
Twitter: Blizzard Warning for NYC from 6 AM Fri 2/8 to 1 PM Sat 2/9. Forecast: 10-14 inches of snow and strong winds. www.weather.gov/nyc.
The following Notify NYC message was issued:
Title: Blizzard Warning - 2/8 to 2/9 (Citywide)
Distribution Area(s): CW
Borough(s): Citywide
Email/RSS: Notification issued 2/7/13 at 4:15 PM. The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for New York City from 6:00 AM Friday, 2/8 to 1 PM Saturday, 2/9. The current forecast calls for 10-14 inches of snow accompanied by strong winds. With visibility expected to be one quarter mile or less, caution should be exercised when traveling. For more information visit www.weather.gov/nyc.
SMS: Blizzard Warning for NYC from 6 AM Fri 2/8 to 1 PM Sat 2/9. Forecast: 10-14 inches of snow and strong winds. www.weather.gov/nyc.
Twitter: Blizzard Warning for NYC from 6 AM Fri 2/8 to 1 PM Sat 2/9. Forecast: 10-14 inches of snow and strong winds. www.weather.gov/nyc.
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
427 PM EST THU FEB 7 2013
...MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING EXPECTED FRIDAY EVENING...
SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-BRONX-
NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
NORTHERN QUEENS-NORTHERN NASSAU-
427 PM EST THU FEB 7 2013
...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM FRIDAY TO MIDNIGHT
EST FRIDAY NIGHT...
A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS EXPECTED OR
OCCURRING. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR RISING WATER...AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY.
Veterans History Project Bronx VA Medical Center 2/13/2013
Wartime veterans of all eras (WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, Bosnia, Grenada, Lebanon, OEF/OIF/OND, etc)
The Bronx Public Library will be interviewing Veterans at the Bronx VA Medical Center on Wednesday February 13, 2013 all day as part of the National Archives Library of Congress VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT.
Any Veterans interested to have their story “told by the Veteran”. Please contact the Library or my office for assistance. Thanks
Lyn Johnson USMC Veteran
Bronx Outreach Specialist
James J Peters VA Medical Center
130 West Kingsbridge Road 4B-47
Bronx, New York 10468
(718)741-4488 office
(718)741-4690 fax
Bloomberg Boulevard: The new “Cross Bronx Expressway”
Remember the last time an autocrat with way too much
power (Robert Moses) rammed through a plan to divide the Bronx with a freeway
to give wealthy suburbanites an easier time driving through (not to) the Bronx
on the way back and forth from their suburban homes. It was called the Cross
Bronx Expressway. It created endless health problems and destroyed Bronx
neighborhoods forever.
Now here we are in 2013. We have a Mayor with
tremendous power and he insists on creating a 1.5 mile asphalt bikeway right
through one of the last native forests of the Bronx in Van Cortlandt Park. (The
Mayor will also cut down 400 trees as part of his plan and spend $1 million NYC
taxpayer dollars). All of this so wealthy suburban cyclists will have an easier
time getting through the Bronx.
See
article below
Ask yourselves. How does a 15ft paved asphalt path help
the Bronx more than an 8ft stone dust pathway? It doesn’t.
Why is another project being forced on the Bronx which
the Bronx didn’t ask for?
Mayor Bloomberg’s actions are eerily reminiscent of
Robert Moses ill-conceived Cross Bronx Expressway. We all know how that one
turned out! Let’s not let history repeat itself.
Say no “to Bloomberg Boulevard” in Van Cortlandt Park!
Please write a note to Mayor Bloomberg saying no to
another ill-conceived project the Bronx doesn’t want! http://on.nyc.gov/3CDcV6
Please also write your City Council Rep asking them not
to destroy the Bronx using $1 million of your tax dollars! http://council.nyc.gov/html/
“Maybe
when you have billions you think you don’t have to listen to the millions”
COMPTROLLER LIU REJECTS $91 MILLION HOMELESS SHELTER CONTRACT
Lack of Documentation Amid Questions of Fraud in Shelter Placement Process
New York City
Comptroller John C. Liu today rejected a 21-year, $91 million contract
for a homeless shelter in the Bronx amid questions concerning the
legitimacy of the required approval process
represented to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(“HUD”) in seeking approval for the project. Comptroller Liu’s office
was unable to verify whether the City properly followed federal
regulations in the disposition of the former Muller Army
Reserve Center (“the Center”), located at 555 Nereid Avenue, in the
Wakefield section of the Bronx. The City wants to use the site as
200-bed shelter for homeless men.
“Time and again since
Mayor Bloomberg took office, serious questions have arisen about whether
the administration has broken the rules protecting the rights of
neighborhood residents and homeless people,” said
Comptroller Liu. “City Hall’s failed record on homeless policy
cannot and should not become the excuse for skirting rules in this
Wakefield siting or for the many emergency shelter contracts
proliferating in certain neighborhoods.”
“This
administration has worked to force this contract to completion and has
used fraudulent means to reach that goal, blatantly ignoring the
input of the community and its representatives,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
“I thank Comptroller Liu for rejecting this contract and for his
thorough examination of the evidence, which proves that this
administration failed to follow
the correct process regarding the closure of the Muller Army Reserve
Center. My office has said all along that this site was inappropriate
for use as a homeless shelter, and I hope that we can now move forward
on a better, military use for this site.”
Background
·
January
28, 2013 testimony by Comptroller Liu submitted to the New York City
Council in support of Int. No. 193, which would require that agencies
notify the City Council
of emergency procurements: http://comptroller.nyc.gov/
·
August
21, 2012 letter from Deputy Comptroller for Contracts and Procurement
Geneith Turnbull to Department of Homeless Services Commissioner Seth
Diamond, raising concerns
about the proliferation of emergency contract requests made by the
agency:
http://comptroller.nyc.gov/
·
July
13, 2011 letter from Borough President Diaz to Linda R. Charest of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development and Patrick O’Brien of the
Office of Economic
Adjustment: http://bronxboropres.nyc.gov/
·
March
25, 2010 audit published by Comptroller Liu finding that DHS paid out
millions of dollars to non-contracted service providers based on an
“honor system” of unwritten
agreements, invented rates, and duplicate client lists: http://comptroller.nyc.gov/
Visit www.comptroller.nyc.gov
Follow Comptroller Liu on Twitter. To receive Twitter updates via text message, text “follow johncliu” to 40404. View the latest Comptroller’s Office videos on YouTube.
Follow Comptroller Liu on Twitter. To receive Twitter updates via text message, text “follow johncliu” to 40404. View the latest Comptroller’s Office videos on YouTube.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Postal Service Announces New Delivery Schedule
Six Days of Package Delivery, Five Days of Mail Delivery Begins August 2013
The United States Postal Service announced plans today to
transition to a new delivery schedule during the week of Aug. 5, 2013
that includes package delivery Monday through Saturday, and mail
delivery Monday through Friday. The Postal Service expects to generate
cost savings of approximately $2 billion annually, once the plan is
fully implemented.
“The Postal Service is advancing an important new approach to
delivery that reflects the strong growth of our package business and
responds to the financial realities resulting from America’s changing
mailing habits,” said Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General and CEO.
“We developed this approach by working with our customers to understand
their delivery needs and by identifying creative ways to generate
significant cost savings.”
Over the past several years, the Postal Service has advocated
shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages. However,
recent strong growth in package delivery (14 percent volume increase
since 2010) and projections of continued strong package growth
throughout the coming decade led to the revised approach to maintain
package delivery six days per week.
“Our customers see strong value in the national delivery platform we
provide and maintaining a six-day delivery schedule for packages is an
important part of that platform,” said Donahoe. “As consumers
increasingly use and rely on delivery services — especially due to the
rise of e-commerce — we can play an increasingly vital role as a
delivery provider of choice, and as a driver of growth opportunities for
America’s businesses.”
Once implemented during August of 2013, mail delivery to street
addresses will occur Monday through Friday. Packages will continue to be
delivered six days per week. Mail addressed to PO Boxes will continue
to be delivered on Saturdays. Post Offices currently open on Saturdays
will remain open on Saturdays.
Market research conducted by the Postal Service and independent
research by major news organizations indicate that nearly seven out of
ten Americans (70 percent) supported the switch to five-day delivery as a
way for the Postal Service to reduce costs in its effort to return the
organization to financial stability.¹ Support for this approach will
likely be even higher since the Postal Service plans to maintain six-day
package delivery.
The Postal Service is making the announcement today, more than six
months in advance of implementing five-day mail delivery schedule, to
give residential and business customers time to plan and adjust. The
Postal Service plans to publish specific guidance in the near future for
residential and business customers about its new delivery schedule.
Given the ongoing financial challenges, the Postal Service Board of
Governors last month directed postal management to accelerate the
restructuring of Postal Service operations in order to strengthen Postal
Service finances.
“The American public understands the financial challenges of the
Postal Service and supports these steps as a responsible and reasonable
approach to improving our financial situation,” said Donahoe. “The
Postal Service has a responsibility to take the steps necessary to
return to long-term financial stability and ensure the continued
affordability of the U.S. Mail.”
The operational plan for the new delivery schedule anticipates a
combination of employee reassignment and attrition and is expected to
achieve cost savings of approximately $2 billion annually when fully
implemented.
The Postal Service is currently implementing major restructuring
throughout its retail, delivery and mail processing operations. Since
2006, the Postal Service has reduced its annual cost base by
approximately $15 billion, reduced the size of its career workforce by
193,000 or 28 percent, and has consolidated more than 200 mail
processing locations. During these unprecedented initiatives, the Postal
Service continued to deliver record high levels of service to its
customers.
While the change in the delivery schedule announced today is one of
the actions needed to restore the financial health of the Postal
Service, legislative change is urgently needed to address matters
outside the Postal Service’s control. The Postal Service continues to
seek legislation to provide it with greater flexibility to control costs
and generate new revenue and encourages the 113th Congress to make
postal reform legislation an urgent priority.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and
relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its
operations.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York
Divide and Conquer
You should know that even though it is impossible to say for certain, it is Julius Caesar who has been attributed to the quote "Divide et impera" which translates from Latin to mean "Divide and Conquer."
You should also know that New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo – one more time – has proven to be a very Machiavellian and skillful politician. This time, using that old tactic of “divide and conquer" to pit the Hispanic community against the non-Hispanic community , especially the Republicans in the New York State Senate to secure the nomination of Miss Jenny Rivera, a “Puerto Rican,” to the State of New York’s top Court, the Court of Appeals.
I am a Puerto Rican, born and raised in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and I have to agree with those who are of the opinion that Jenny Rivera does not have the necessary experience, due to the fact that she has neither been a judge nor a litigator, and now she has been appointed to the Court of Appeals, the highest judicial system in New York State.
Do not misunderstand me. I am very honored and glad that the Governor is appointing a Hispanic. However, to me, it is disrespectful and offensive for the Governor to jump over so many men and women who have been serving in the judicial system for many years and have vast experience.
I have to question why it is that judges such as the Honorable Luis Gonzalez, "of Puerto Rican descent," who is the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department and has a wealth of experience in the Supreme Court, was overlooked. He seems to be the most qualified and has been considered the next in line to serve in this capacity. He has served as a New York City Housing Court Judge, a New York City Civil Court Judge, and a New York State Supreme Court Justice.
Also, a person like the Honorable Rolando Acosta could have been appointed. He is an Associate Justice of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department. He has additional judicial experience as a New York Supreme Court Justice, 1st Judicial District; a member of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct; and a Judge on the New York City Civil Court.
There are many more qualified Judges and Justices who were not selected and whose experience deserve mention:
• The Honorable Sallie Manzanet-Daniels is an Associate Justice of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department. She has additional judicial experience as a Justice on the New York Supreme Court and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Faviola Soto, "first Judge of Dominican descent to sit on any court of the State of New York," is a Judge in the New York City Court of Claims in New York and serves on the Bronx County Supreme Court, Civil Term. She has additional judicial experience as an Acting Justice in the Supreme Court, New York County and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Doris Gonzalez is an Acting Justice in the Supreme Court, Bronx County. She has additional judicial experience as a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York, Bronx County;
• The Honorable Lizbeth Gonzalez is a Judge of the New York City Civil Court of Bronx County, New York. She has additional judicial experience as an Acting Justice of the Bronx County/12th Judicial District Supreme Court.
• The Honorable Nelson Roman is an Associate Justice of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department. He has additional judicial experience as a Judge of the New York City Civil Court, and as a Justice of the New York Supreme Court in Bronx County.
• The Honorable Lucindo Suarez is the Statewide Coordinating Judge for Summary Jury Trials, and a Justice for the Supreme Court, New York County. He has additional judicial experience as a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Charles Ramos is a Justice in the Supreme Court, New York County, and a Senior Justice in the Commercial Division, New York County. He has additional judicial experience as a Supreme Court Justice in New York County; a Supervising Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County; an Acting Justice in the Supreme Court, 1st Judicial District; and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Ruben Franco is a Judge in the Criminal Court of the City of New York, Bronx County, and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York, Bronx County.
• The Honorable Manuel Mendez is a Justice in the Supreme Court, New York County, and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
Apparently Governor Cuomo knew that this tactic of divide and conquer could be used with skill to appoint one of his friends, knowing that she is not the most qualified and does not have the necessary experience compared to others, but knowing that any non-Hispanic who would vote against her would create the perception that he or she was Anti-Hispanic. Governor Cuomo could win points with the Hispanic community and Hispanic media by defending her nomination.
You should know that I believe that if Governor Cuomo wanted to appoint a Hispanic and not create the mess as he has done now by bringing more division to the Senate Floor, he should have spent some time with the Senate Leadership and Hispanic Senators. If he really wanted to appoint a Hispanic, the least he could have done was to select the Honorable Luis Gonzalez – or any of the other judges who I have previously mentioned , who all have more court experience and judicial experience than Jenny Rivera.
So we have to give Governor Cuomo a special prize for creating this mess and bringing chaos to the New York State Senate and getting away with his will, and using the Hispanic community and Hispanic media – this time.
You should know – and the world should know – that we in New York State have many Puerto Rican, Dominican and other Hispanic Judges with a lot more experience and better qualifications than Jenny Rivera. She’s not - and I repeat, not the best we have, and the Governor knows it. But it’s a lot better for Governor Andrew Cuomo’s presidential ambitions to use the Hispanic community and the Hispanic media to create a “divide and conquer” crisis.
This is Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York
Divide and Conquer
You should know that even though it is impossible to say for certain, it is Julius Caesar who has been attributed to the quote "Divide et impera" which translates from Latin to mean "Divide and Conquer."
You should also know that New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo – one more time – has proven to be a very Machiavellian and skillful politician. This time, using that old tactic of “divide and conquer" to pit the Hispanic community against the non-Hispanic community , especially the Republicans in the New York State Senate to secure the nomination of Miss Jenny Rivera, a “Puerto Rican,” to the State of New York’s top Court, the Court of Appeals.
I am a Puerto Rican, born and raised in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and I have to agree with those who are of the opinion that Jenny Rivera does not have the necessary experience, due to the fact that she has neither been a judge nor a litigator, and now she has been appointed to the Court of Appeals, the highest judicial system in New York State.
Do not misunderstand me. I am very honored and glad that the Governor is appointing a Hispanic. However, to me, it is disrespectful and offensive for the Governor to jump over so many men and women who have been serving in the judicial system for many years and have vast experience.
I have to question why it is that judges such as the Honorable Luis Gonzalez, "of Puerto Rican descent," who is the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department and has a wealth of experience in the Supreme Court, was overlooked. He seems to be the most qualified and has been considered the next in line to serve in this capacity. He has served as a New York City Housing Court Judge, a New York City Civil Court Judge, and a New York State Supreme Court Justice.
Also, a person like the Honorable Rolando Acosta could have been appointed. He is an Associate Justice of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department. He has additional judicial experience as a New York Supreme Court Justice, 1st Judicial District; a member of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct; and a Judge on the New York City Civil Court.
There are many more qualified Judges and Justices who were not selected and whose experience deserve mention:
• The Honorable Sallie Manzanet-Daniels is an Associate Justice of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department. She has additional judicial experience as a Justice on the New York Supreme Court and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Faviola Soto, "first Judge of Dominican descent to sit on any court of the State of New York," is a Judge in the New York City Court of Claims in New York and serves on the Bronx County Supreme Court, Civil Term. She has additional judicial experience as an Acting Justice in the Supreme Court, New York County and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Doris Gonzalez is an Acting Justice in the Supreme Court, Bronx County. She has additional judicial experience as a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York, Bronx County;
• The Honorable Lizbeth Gonzalez is a Judge of the New York City Civil Court of Bronx County, New York. She has additional judicial experience as an Acting Justice of the Bronx County/12th Judicial District Supreme Court.
• The Honorable Nelson Roman is an Associate Justice of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department. He has additional judicial experience as a Judge of the New York City Civil Court, and as a Justice of the New York Supreme Court in Bronx County.
• The Honorable Lucindo Suarez is the Statewide Coordinating Judge for Summary Jury Trials, and a Justice for the Supreme Court, New York County. He has additional judicial experience as a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Charles Ramos is a Justice in the Supreme Court, New York County, and a Senior Justice in the Commercial Division, New York County. He has additional judicial experience as a Supreme Court Justice in New York County; a Supervising Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County; an Acting Justice in the Supreme Court, 1st Judicial District; and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
• The Honorable Ruben Franco is a Judge in the Criminal Court of the City of New York, Bronx County, and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York, Bronx County.
• The Honorable Manuel Mendez is a Justice in the Supreme Court, New York County, and a Judge in the Civil Court of the City of New York.
Apparently Governor Cuomo knew that this tactic of divide and conquer could be used with skill to appoint one of his friends, knowing that she is not the most qualified and does not have the necessary experience compared to others, but knowing that any non-Hispanic who would vote against her would create the perception that he or she was Anti-Hispanic. Governor Cuomo could win points with the Hispanic community and Hispanic media by defending her nomination.
You should know that I believe that if Governor Cuomo wanted to appoint a Hispanic and not create the mess as he has done now by bringing more division to the Senate Floor, he should have spent some time with the Senate Leadership and Hispanic Senators. If he really wanted to appoint a Hispanic, the least he could have done was to select the Honorable Luis Gonzalez – or any of the other judges who I have previously mentioned , who all have more court experience and judicial experience than Jenny Rivera.
So we have to give Governor Cuomo a special prize for creating this mess and bringing chaos to the New York State Senate and getting away with his will, and using the Hispanic community and Hispanic media – this time.
You should know – and the world should know – that we in New York State have many Puerto Rican, Dominican and other Hispanic Judges with a lot more experience and better qualifications than Jenny Rivera. She’s not - and I repeat, not the best we have, and the Governor knows it. But it’s a lot better for Governor Andrew Cuomo’s presidential ambitions to use the Hispanic community and the Hispanic media to create a “divide and conquer” crisis.
This is Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.
