What You Should Know

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

To My Enemies: Take a Number and Get on Line

 

   You should know that when Rudy Giuliani was the U.S Attorney for the Southern District, he was practically an unknown until he decided to go after elected officials, mostly in Bronx County. Former U.S Attorney Giuliani indicted Bronx Congressman Robert Garcia, Bronx Borough President Stanley Simon, Bronx County leader Stanley Friedman, and many others.

Now, U.S. District Attorney Preet Bharara is following in Giuliani’s footsteps and has decided to go after elected officials – but contrary to Mr. Giuliani, Mr. Bharara has expanded his investigation beyond Bronx County.

You should also know that there is a lot of concern almost everywhere you go about who is going to be the next elected official to be indicted.

In that regard, there are some of my enemies who are going to different radio stations and television programs claiming to know everything, and in their way, bragging and saying that the next one will be me, Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz.

The first one of these people and the most vocal of them is Mr. “Know-It-All” Gerson Borrero.  The hatred and bad will he has for me is well known.  He refers to me as Satan, as Lucifer, as a viper, and he certainly does not need any opportunity to try to paint me as a crook.

You should know that this hostile individual, Mr. Borrero, has been unable to hold a steady job for many years due to his outbursts and lack of self-control.  His lack of professionalism was on display for the public on NY1 a few years ago, when he walked right off the set during an interview with Andrew Kirtzman.  He’s been fired and dismissed from many jobs, and he can’t control himself when someone questions him.  Whoever questions him, he goes after, and I have to believe that this is the case with me.

Another person who claims to be an expert on who will be indicted next is former State Senator Israel Ruiz, who was a guest today on Fred Dicker’s “Live from the State Capitol” daily radio program. Disgraced politician Israel Ruiz publicly announced that I will probably be the next one who will be indicted.

I don’t know why Fred Dicker or anyone else would believe someone who was indicted and sentenced and has the history that Israel Ruiz does.  We all know that Israel Ruiz went to jail and had to resign from his seat in the State Senate many years ago for being crooked.  There is an old saying in Puerto Rico that goes like this: “A crooked person thinks that everyone is crooked.”

There are others who proudly proclaim to be among my enemies, and who refuse to give me credit for being an outspoken fighter who is dedicated to the service of my constituents.  My job, my integrity, my transparency, and my clean record have already been proven by so many investigations.

Those who want to take me down and continue to ask the FBI and the Attorney General and anybody else to investigate me, have been unsuccessful. So ladies and gentlemen you should know that, yes, I have been investigated all my life.  People keep accusing me of this and that, and people keep praying for me to go down.

And so to all of those who are losing sleep because they are so anxious waiting for time for me to go down, I must say: Take a number and stand in line because I am in the business of giving not in the business of taking.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ HOLDS FIRST EVER BRONX HEALTH & WELLNESS SUMMIT

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ HOLDS FIRST EVER BRONX HEALTH & WELLNESS SUMMIT

On Saturday, April 6, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., along with influential health experts, hosted the first ever Bronx Health & Wellness Summit at the Fordham University Rose Hill Campus.

More than five hundred people attended the summit, which featured 30 breakout sessions and a free healthy breakfast and lunch. CBS medical reporter Max Gomez was the keynote speaker. The Health Summit’s grand finale was a Q&A session with  the Borough President, as well as a raffle in which the winning prize was a  one-on-one lunch with Borough President Diaz.

Bronx Holistic Healing and Wellness Day 2013 - Saturday, May 18

Sunkofa Cafe and Juice Bar
www.facebook.com/Sunkofa-Gift-shop
1789 Southern Blvd (@ Boston Road & 174th Street) Bronx, NY 10460

Presents their 2^nd Annual Whole Health Event

The 2013 Bronx Holistic Healing and Wellness Day

Saturday May 18, 2013      11am to 7pm

*Gifts from Earth: Naturopathic, Herbology & Homeopathy* with Dr. Carina Lopez
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*Creating a Healing Kitchen; Food As Your Pharmacy* with Medina Byars

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*Acupuncture and The Body’s Energy System*

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*Prosperity Consciousness & Abundance; It’s Not Just Money*
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*The Inner Child: Emotional Healing with Yhandi Inner Light*

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*Shamanism: Ancient Tools for Healing Today*

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Yoga – Stillness and Movement

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*Tapping the Issues in Your Tissues: Emotional Freedom Technique*

 FEATURED SPEAKERS
“All This Shift Going On: Preparing for a Changing World” with Rose Whaley

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“We Are All Neo; The Healing Energy Cornucopia In You” with Peter Goldbeck

 PANEL DISCUSSION

 “Envision Your Transformation: Steps On The Journey”

 *** Healing Pavillion (fee for services)***
Massage, Foot Reflexology, Intuitive Readings, Iridology, Reiki, and more

**ADMISSION: Free Will Offering**

For info - 347 590 2394 / 646 259 5990   bronxholistichealing@gmail.com

El Grupo Unidos & C-Town Supermarket Announce the 8th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration

 

El Grupo Unidos & C-Town Supermarket Announce the

8^th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration on Saturday, May 4 at 11:30am

March 27, 2013 (Bronx, NY) – El Grupo Unidos announces the upcoming 8th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration founded by El Grupo Unidos and sponsored by C-Town, Verizon Wireless, NY Daily News, and HealthPlus. This event, produced by Marketing & Advertising Solutions, Inc., will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2013, from 11:30am to 4:30pm on Crescent Ave. between E. 187^th St. & Cambreleng Avenue, Bronx, NY.

The 8th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration's mission is to promote community by embracing our cultural diversities. This event was founded in 2005 by the non-profit organization El Grupo Unidos de Belmont Inc. and continues to be made possible by the support of various donors and sponsors. It is the only event in the Bronx that celebrates Mexican heritage and pride. The Unidos organization seeks to assist civically active school-aged residents of the Tremont and Belmont neighborhoods by providing scholarships to those students seeking to attend colleges or universities throughout the Tri-State area including Pennsylvania.

Last year's Cinco de Mayo Celebration was a great success, boasting large name sponsors such as Goya, Coca-Cola, Boars Head, Snapple and Health Plus/Amerigroup, with over 5,000 people in attendance! A Live Mariachi band was the highlight of the event with a plethora of children's activities including clowns, face painting, and free giveaways. Free blood pressure screenings were also offered!     

"It is a real pleasure having witnessed the growth of this event. From its inception, we at Community Board 6 have been supportive. To celebrate a culture that is contributing so much to our community and that is growing in such numbers is great! I plan to be at the event and celebrate alongside all the residents of this wonderful community, and most of all taste the food and listen to the Mariachis. Feliz 5 De Mayo!” ~ Ivine Galarza, District Manager, Bronx Community Board 6

This year will feature The Rhythm Cartel playing the best of Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Mexican Cumbia, Reggaetón, Dance Music, Hip Hop, Reggae, Merengue Ripiao, and Duranguense. We will also have a live Mariachi Band, cultural dancers, and live broadcasts from NitelineRadio.com! We hope you will join us at this FREE, fantastic and fun-filled community event.

EVENT INFO

Who: El Grupo Unidos de Belmont Inc.

What: 8^th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration

When: Saturday, May 4, 2013 ~ 11:30am – 4pm

Where: On Crescent Ave. between E. 187^th St. & Cambreleng Avenue, Bronx, NY

 

BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ PAYS TRIBUTE TO 100 YEARS OLD BRONXITES

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will host the borough’s third centenarian celebration to pay tribute to Bronxites who are or will turn 100 years old in 2013.

This Bronx Week event salutes seniors from throughout the borough in recognition of their remarkable longevity as upstanding members of the community.  If you have any Centenarians that would like to attend this event please call Ms. Larcenia Walton, Director of Senior Services at 718-590-6248 to inquire.  The event will be held on May 9^th at 11am, The Villa Barone Manor, you have to rsvp for this event.  Invitation is for the centenarian and one guest, any additional guest there will be a cover charge of $30 per person. 

 

 Shop Weekly Grocery Specials at Peapod.com! Plus, new customers can save $15 off with the code PPGAN15 thru 4.30.13. See site for details.

What You Should Know

How Bills Become Law

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

How Bills Become Law

You should know that there are many theories about how human beings learn and how human behavior develops.  Philosophers and psychiatrists continue to study and compare nature vs. nurture.  Some, like John Locke, believe in the Tabula Rasa theory, believing that the mind is a blank slate and children learn by experience. He and Freud emphasized how early experiences in life shape children.  Others, like G. Stanley Hall, believe that human behavior is strongly influenced by genetics.

Regardless of how corrupt politics may appear, if we go back to those theories, we can assume that many politicians learn by observing and by following their leaders, just as children learn by following the examples and characteristics of their mothers and fathers.

The title of this article has been pulled from the front page of today’s New York Post where it shows many dollar bills and the title “How bills become law” - meaning that the only way bills become law is when people use money and influence to buy the will of elected officials.

The Post article quotes US Attorney Preet Bharara from Thursday’s news conference asking: “How many other pending bills were born of bribery? How many passed bills were born of bribery?”

With all due respect to the US Attorney Preet Bharara, shouldn’t we also ask: “How many pieces of legislation have already passed with the help of Bloomberg and Cuomo?  Was New York’s gay marriage bill “born of bribery” by the Governor of New York State and the Mayor of the City of New York?”

While I am happy that the Post and others are covering this story, it concerns me that Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo practically used the same tools, techniques and theories to push the gay marriage bill through the State Senate.  We all know that Mayor Bloomberg gave tons of money to buy the votes of four Republican Senators.  We all know that Governor Andrew Cuomo called those four Republicans to his office, promised them money and support, and told them that he would campaign with them at election time if they voted for the gay marriage bill.  How is it that the New York Post or the Daily News or other papers had nothing to say about that bill which was clearly "born of bribery?"

Does anyone else find it appalling to read that Governor Andrew Cuomo is “appalled” by the corruption allegations in the Senator Malcolm Smith case?  (Does that Claude Rains scene from Casablanca come to mind again?)

When minor politicians follow the very same techniques and examples used by Bloomberg and Cuomo, authorities arrest these people.  They put them through hell.  On the other hand, we know how they praised and supported the very same methods used when Bloomberg and Cuomo pushed the gay marriage bill through.

We all know that Michael Bloomberg was a Democrat who wanted to run on the Republican line, many years ago.  In the beginning of his political career, he gave not thousands, but millions of dollars to the Republican Party and their Chairmen in the five local counties in order for them to allow him to run on the Republican line.  He made huge donations to party coffers trying to purchase ballot lines.  We all know that Michael Bloomberg gave large sums of money to the Independence Party headed by Lenora Fulani in order for her to let him be on that ballot.  They all sold their lines to Bloomberg for money, and Bloomberg bought their lines with money.

So what is the difference between Michael Bloomberg buying the Republican and Independent Party lines and Senator Malcolm Smith (allegedly) trying to buy the Republican line?

The crime seems to be the same, but the only difference is that Bloomberg wrote checks and Smith (allegedly) used an envelope.

The only difference, I repeat ladies and gentlemen, is if Senator Malcolm Smith would have written a check, I’m pretty sure that everything would have been okay - or okay as far as New York standards go, business as usual.

To the New York Post and to the Daily News and to all of those newspapers and tabloids that act so surprised to see how politicians can be bought, and how others have sold their souls for money: Where have you been?  Take the bandages from your eyes and see that Michael Bloomberg’s money can buy everything money can buy, including politicians and pending pieces of legislation ... and I’m pretty sure he can buy newspapers and reporters, too.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

Feds Take Down Assemblyman Eric Stevenson

 

  79th Assemblyman Eric Stevenson is the latest Bronx elected official to be arrested for taking a bribe, this coming only two days after State Senator Malcolm Smith, Councilman Dan Halloran, Bronx Republican Leader Jay Savino, and Queens County Republican Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone arrests. State Assemblyman ERIC STEVENSON was charged with accepting bribes in exchange for official acts. STEVENSON is charged with taking more than $22,000 in bribes from IGOR BELYANSKY, ROSTISLAV BELYANSKY (a/k/a “SLAVA”), IGOR TSIMERMAN, and DAVID BINMAN, all of whom are also charged, in exchange for STEVENSON’s official acts, which include drafting, proposing, and agreeing to enact legislation.  

   Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “For the second time in three days, we unseal criminal charges against a sitting member of our state legislature. As alleged, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson was bribed to enact a statutory moratorium to give his co-defendants a local monopoly – a fairly neat trick that offends core principles of both democracy and capitalism, simultaneously, and it is exactly what the defendants managed to do. The allegations illustrate the corruption of an elected representative’s core function – a legislator selling legislation. And based on these allegations, it becomes more and more difficult to avoid the sad conclusion that political corruption in New York is indeed rampant and that a show-me-the- money culture in Albany is alive and well.”

   Another key figure in this case however is 86th Assemblyman Nelson Castro who was elected in 2008 under a cloud of alleged fraud in voter registration. In July of 2009 unbeknown to the public Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson  charged Castro with a sealed perjury indictment about false statements Castro made regarding the number of people registered to vote (in the 2008 election) from his apartment. The feds apparently got involved in the case and were holding the indictment over Castro's head to make him cooperate to make it go away faster. Castro agreed to wear a wire since his indictment and that is how Assemblyman Stevenson was caught in 2013.

  Apparently the feds wanted bigger fish than Castro as we saw after the 2010 election where the Bronx Democratic County organization attempted to defeat Assemblyman Castro, but Castro was reelected. Soon after Castro's victory he patched things up with the Bronx Democratic County Organization, and I believe was directed to go after the Bronx Democratic County organization to bring it down. However Castro and the feds were a little late as the Bronx County Democratic organization leadership had changed hands to a new county leader and officers shortly before Castro tried to infiltrate it. I have been told that the current Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Carl Heastie never discussed any type of matters like this with Assemblyman Castro.  There are threats and promises of more indictments by the U.S. Attorney, but we will have to wait and see if that happens. There was a funny comment by former 79th Assemblyman Michael Benjamin in the New York Post. Benjamin writes that his tenure as 79th Assemblyman will now be bookended by Assemblywoman Gloria Davis who pleaded guilty to bribery in 2002 and now by the Eric Stevenson in 2013.

  The people should only wonder why Assemblyman Castro who everyone thought they knew committed a crime of voter fraud in 2008, why the charges were never made public? Why it took four years to snarl another assemblyman only, and why Castro was allowed to run for re-election with a sealed indictment hanging over his head?

Ben Franklin Democratic Club Endorses Stringer for City Comptroller

   Last night the Ben Franklin Democratic Club (the largest Democratic club in the Bronx) voted to endorse a candidate in the upcoming City Comptroller race. Current Manhattan Borough President and candidate for City Comptroller Scott Stringer (a favorite of many Ben Franklin club members) spoke to the standing room only crowd at the clubs headquarters. After a few questions the club voted 34 to endorse Stringer to 5 no endorsement votes. 

   On the meeting agenda was an introduction to the four Democratic candidates running for the position of Public Advocate. There was no endorsement vote for this position which was said to come at a later date. The four candidates for the office of Public Advocate were Reshma Sajuani (A former Deputy Public Advocate to the current Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio, who also is the founder of Girls Who Code a non-profit organization based in New York City), Brooklyn State Senator Dan Squadron (who spoke about his duties as a state senator and what he wants to do as the next Public Advocate), Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James (who explained here vision for the office of Public Advocate), and Newcomer Cathy Guerriero (who made a huge impression on some Ben Franklin members by her bold and brash style of describing herself and what needs to be done as a Public Advocate for the people of New York City).

 

Left - Manhattan Borough President and candidate for City Comptroller Scott Stringer addresses the crowd at the Ben Franklin Democratic Club.

Right - Newcomer Cathy Guerriero fired up many of those in the audience with her bold and brash style of describing what people have gotten in the past from the Public Advocate, and what she wants to bring to the position for the people of New York.

Left - Candidate Reshma Saujani explains her position to the members of the Ben Franklin Club.

Right - Brooklyn State Senator Dan Squadron gives his views as to why he should be the next Public Advocate.