Monday, September 16, 2013

Mark Messier Named CEO of KNIC


 
STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ
RE: Mark Messier Named CEO of KNIC

“I am thrilled that hockey legend and hall of famer Mark Messier has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, and that he will lead the transformation of the Kingsbridge Armory into the world’s largest ice sports facility.

“Since day one, Mr. Messier has proven to be a great friend of the Bronx with his unwavering support of the KNIC project. He understands the importance of responsible development in the Bronx and knows that this project will create living wage jobs and economic activity, will support important community and educational initiatives, and will provide New Yorkers with unprecedented access to a variety of spectacular ice sports.

“I am excited that Mark Messier will take the lead in the redevelopment of our beloved Kingsbridge Armory and I look forward to working with him as we transform the Kingsbridge Armory into a source of pride for the Bronx and the City for generations to come,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.


LEADING ELECTED OFFICIALS ENDORSE BILL DE BLASIO

 
A group of six elected officials from across the city today announced their support for Bill de Blasio, the Democratic nominee for Mayor, and urged all New Yorkers to join them in their support in the November general election.
 
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Congress members Nydia Velazquez and Hakeem Jeffries, State Senator Eric Adams, Democratic nominee for Brooklyn Borough President; and State Senators Adriano Espaillat and Jose Peralta each announced their endorsement of Bill de Blasio for mayor today. These officials represent four borough’s of the city, and each has an ethnically and economically diverse constituency. The endorsement follows a meeting Bill de Blasio had with the officials on Sunday night, during which they discussed de Blasio’s vision for the future of the city and the November general election. “Bill de Blasio’s plan to fight inequality has resonated across all five boroughs, but especially in the Bronx. Bill de Blasio understands the need for a new day in our city, and will continue to fight for a living wage, for safer streets, for stronger schools and for the expansion of the middle class. As our next mayor Bill de Blasio will be a fighter for the people of this city, and I urge all Democrats, and in fact all New Yorkers, to join us in support of his candidacy for mayor,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

“After 20 years of Republican rule, the hard working people of this City are in crisis. The one percenters of New York are wealthier than ever, while working families and the most vulnerable continue to suffer income inequality and are being priced out of the City they love. Bill de Blasio represents a new vision for New Yorkers of all background. His vision to create an economic path that will create good paying jobs, affordable housing and an education system that integrates parents, children and teachers in the decision making process is key. His vision to provide ladders of opportunities for families to climb into the middle class is what this city needs today. I stand with Bill, whose message of a more inclusive New York resonates across the city. We must work together to get him elected,” said Rep. Nydia Velazquez of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

 

Thompson Concedes Mayors race to deBlasio


  Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson pictured above with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., when Diaz Jr. endorsed Thompson for Mayor has conceded the mayor's race to current Public Advocate Bill deBlasio. With deBlasio hovering just over the 40% mark needed to avoid a run off election Thompson was hesitant to concede until today as more and more of his supporters including Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. decided it was best for the Democratic Party that Thompson concedes as some have already pledged their support to the deBlasio campaign in the race against Joe Lhota. 

  Thompson was also endorsed by the Bronx Democratic County organization actually did not win the Bronx, and in some areas came in third behind deBlasio and Quinn. It had been expected that of the close to 70,000 votes to be counted for mayor, that deBlasio would maintain if not increase his margin of victory.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Was There Fraud in the 86th A.D. Special Election

 The above is a compelling photo which shows only levers to pull for the top two of the seven total candidates in this race were in place on this lever voting machine. This along with several accusations by not one or two, but four of the other candidates that fraud did exist in many different has forced the four candidates Hector Ramirez, Yudelka Tapia, Hallie Rivera, and Keny Nunez to call for an investigation of the long list of accusations and even for a new election. Some of the accusations are in a previous posting, but there seemed to be no more than the usual problems with the old machines in 86th A.D.. 
  There were reports of names missing from the enrollment books, as Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner claimed his name was not in the enrollment book when he went to vote. Mayoral candidate Joe Lhota had to use a paper ballot because the voting machine at his table was not working. There were reports of machines being delivered to the wrong council districts, as well as some of the old problems of levers getting jammed, missing, or breaking off in one way or another. 
  As seems to be the case in the 86th A.D. special election the four candidates questioning the election have said that they were not allowed access to the voting machines prior to the election, found one candidates relatives working at a pole site, found what they have called electioneering by State Senator Gustavo Rivera, and Bronx Democratic County Leader 83rd A.D. Assemblyman Carl Heastie inside poll sites, Poll workers telling voters how to vote, among a list of other items.
  In the past there had been only reports of irregularities by one candidate at one or two poll sites in any race, not by four different candidates in the same race at so many different poll sites.
  I found out that after the election (as in the past) most lever voting machines were kept at the poll sites, and all due to be back in the Board of Elections care by midnight Thursday September 12th. Friday September 13th said voting machines were to be opened up and re canvased. Since only a plastic zip lock strip was used to secure the voting machines front I decided to visit the Bronx Board of Elections to see just what condition the voting machines were in when they came back. As you will see in the photos below ALL of the voting machine were placed in lines and the plastic zip lock strips on the front were broken before the re canvassing so it was not known if any came back with any broken front seals. . 















Left & Right - The lever voting machines are lined up for the re canvassing with all of the front plastic zip lock seals having been broken beforehand. You can even see some doors are open on a few machines. Click on a photo to enlarge it.

  I have reached out to Senator Gustavo Rivera and to Bronx Democratic County for comments on this matter. Senator Rivera's staff said that they would forward me a copy of a statement by Senator Rivera which I have not received yet, and did not get a call back from County Leader Heastie or any statement from him. I will be exploring this matter further in my column of "100 PERCENT" that can be found in next weeks editions of the Bronx News. Parkchester News, and Coop - City News. 


ASSEMBLYMAN SEPULVEDA ENDORSES DANIEL SQUADRON FOR PUBLIC ADVOCATE




  Today, Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda (D-Bronx) endorsed Democratic candidate for Public Advocate Daniel Squadron, joining Squadron's broad coalition of supporters from across the five boroughs.
Squadron's momentum and grassroots energy continues to build ahead of the October 1st runoff. He has been the grassroots leader in the race, topping the Public Advocate field and nearly all other city campaigns in matching funds; organizing over 180 house parties and events; and building a diverse coalition of supporters across the city, including: U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, The New York Times, both former Public Advocates Mark Green and Betsy Gotbaum, and Latino leaders like State Senators Adriano Espaillat, Jose Peralta, Jose Serrano, Gustavo Rivera, and Martin Dilan, Assemblywoman Gabriela Rosa, and Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez. Just yesterday, Squadron was endorsed by Staten Island leaders Assemblyman Michael Cusick and former U.S. Representative Michael McMahon.


"Daniel will be an effective crusader for communities who need one, in the Bronx and across the city. He has a tangible record of achieving results, and he'll continue to do just that as our next Public Advocate, whether it's standing up for undocumented immigrants, or fighting to give parents a voice in their children's' education," said Assemblyman Sepulveda.
 
 












Liberty Democratic Association-Event


   Liberty Democratic Association

   80th Assembly District, Bronx NY * Founded 2006
 
GENERAL MEETING
Sunday September 29, 2013 @1PM
New Location
PBQ Texas Style Smoke House
866 Morris Park  Ave
One Order of Business:
Members are asked to confirm the Executive Board recommendation to amend the Liberty Democratic Association-By-laws
Meeting will end @ 2PM
Outstanding dues can be paid at this meeting

Party to Honor Election Inspectors & Elected-2PM-5PM

HOT FOOD & REFRESHMENTS
Free: Members, inspectors, coordinators &
Awards Dinner participants- Others $10

Inspector Honorees
Suzanne J. Piscitelli

Coordinator Honoree
Lorraine Ritter

Elected Honoree
Senator Gustavo Rivera

R.S.V.P.
Miriam Schwartz 718-829-3041
                          Joseph A. McManus 718-644-1841


Was There Voter Fraud in the 86th A.D. Special Election


This is a letter that came to us from the Hector Ramirez Camp claiming voter fraud in the special election in the 86th A.D. on Primary Day. This letter is unsubstantiated at the time it has been posted.



Office of Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 1224

United States Attorney's Office
Southern District of New York
Attn: Chief, Civil Rights Unit
86 Chambers Street, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10007
Fax:  (212) 637-2750

Civil Rights Bureau
New York State Attorney General's Office
 (212) 416-8250 or civil.rights@ag.ny.gov

ANDREW BRUNSDEN
abrunsden@doi.nyc.gov
City of New York Department of Investigation -
80 Maiden Lane, New York, N.Y. 10038
(212) 825-2870
Fax: (212) 825-0125

Re: Please help the people  of the West Bronx
          

            The process for New York State Assembly's 86th district Special Election has not concluded, but what happened provides robust evidence of all that is wrong with the ingrained corruption in our political system that keeps leaving our neighborhoods behind. Despite many obstacles, the  people voted and when the results started to indicate that the handpicked candidate by the Bronx political machine was falling behind, the counting stopped. Events during election day indicate that the Board of Elections in the Bronx is not an independent or fair government body, and we are afraid that they are maneuvering to contaminate the results and impose the will of their political bosses.

           We are urging the state, city and federal government to step in and help the people of the 86th district by conducting an investigation into the process and making sure that all candidates were held to the same standards by the Board of Elections, and all irregularities are fully uncovered and rectified.

          Following events that prompted the resignation of Assemblyman Nelson Castro, Governor Andrew Cuomo gave the people of the impoverished area of district 86 the opportunity to elect their own representative, by calling for an open election in which the corrupt political machine that has  bullied  the area would not have the sole power of continuing to handpick the candidates.

      Governor Cuomo's decision was a breath of fresh air for the democratic process, since seven candidates were able to get on the ballot, campaign and deliver their messages to the people, but that did not stop the corrupt machine from using all kinds of illegal maneuvers and government resources to try to impose their handpicked candidate, with the sole and obscure credential of being a staffer to State Senator Gustavo Rivera.

     On September 10th hundreds of people went to the polling places in the 86th district to encounter scenarios comparable to a third word dictatorship or an abusive dysfunctional electoral system.

These events included, but are not limited to:

  • The use of hundreds of inspectors, paid by the Board of Elections, as campaign workers for the handpicked candidate inside the polling sites, including the mother of the candidate and another staffer of Senator Rivera.

  • Delegates of different candidates bullied around by County appointed inspectors and by Senator Rivera and county boss Carl Hastie himself inside the polling site, which is illegal.

  • Voters and other candidates testimonies, point to these "board workers" as telling voters how to vote, often pointing at Mr. Pichardo as the way to do so.

  • Polling Centers at P.S 306 did not have candidate Hector Ramirez's name on the ballot.

  • Polling site at P.S 206, of Aqueduct Ave, in which the trigger to vote for Ramirez was continually stuck.

  • P.S 85 at 2400 Marion Avenue, Machines where mysteriously shutdown. Polling site at JBH senior center, at 230 E 179 street voters were turned away because supposedly the machines did not work. Also poll watchers from other candidates were taken out by police officer.

  • The ED 17’s machines had all levers broken but Victor Pichardo's. So voters could only vote for Bronx County's candidate.

  • BOE executive and sister of county leader Carl E. Hastie coming to the Bronx offices in the middle of the night, on election night, sending everyone home and staying with a few selected people.

  • The Board of Election abruptly decided to stop counting the votes, after counting only 88% without taking the necessary precaution to give all the candidates transparent and fair assurances that those "broken" machines will not be tampered with further. Later, news reports appeared that they counted 100% (see http://www.nytimes.com/projects/elections/2013/nyc-primary/other_races/results.html) with, obviously, Mr. Pichardo on top by a few votes.

            Many of these and other problems are documented and others were reported by frustrated voters to government agencies, including the NY Attorney General  hotline during election day for proper follow up.

Although we are confident that Hector Ramirez won this election, our state, city and federal government need to step in to stop this madness and get to the bottom of what happened here to prevent these corrupt political machines from continuing to politically enslave the people of the Bronx.

A district that has just suffered such a blow of corruption and lack of representation deserves that every vote be truly counted.

We will not rest until the government agencies are not used as personal corporations to suppress political participation.

On behalf of the people of District 86

Respectfully,

For contact and additional informational

List in formation:

Hector Ramirez                                               *                                              Yudelka Tapia



Haile Rivera                                                    *                                            
Keny Nuñez