350,000 NEW YORKERS RECEIVING FREE LEGAL HELP TO FIGHT EVICTIONS THROUGH RIGHT TO COUNSEL

Historic Right to Council program expanding next week to five additional neighborhoods: Morris Heights in the Bronx, East New York in Brooklyn, East Harlem and Inwood in Manhattan, and Far Rockaway in Queens

  The de Blasio Administration today announced the expansion of its right-to-counsel initiative to five new neighborhoods: Morris Heights in the Bronx, East New York in Brooklyn, East Harlem and Inwood in Manhattan, and Far Rockaway in Queens. The City’s right-to-counsel initiative is the first in the nation plan to provide guaranteed free legal representation to tenants facing eviction in housing court.

“No person should lose their home because they cannot afford a lawyer, and New York City is the first city in the country to make this a reality. Over 350,000 New Yorkers have received free legal assistance so far, setting us on the course to be the fairest, big city in America,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Through this initiative and the Administration’s unprecedented investments in increased legal services for tenants citywide—a staggering 21-fold increase from $6 million to $128 million—more than 350,000 New Yorkers have received free legal representation, advice, or assistance in eviction and other housing-related matters since 2014, with 30 percent fewer evictions in 2018 than 2013 as a result.

Since the City began implementing its ‘Universal Access’ initiative in 2017, 1 in 3 New Yorkers facing eviction now have right to free legal representation in court. Prior to this administration, approximately 1 in 100 tenants facing eviction had access to such services.

Last fiscal year alone, legal organizations funded by the City through HRA’s Office of Civil Justice (OCJ) provided legal assistance to more than 105,000 New Yorkers across 41,000 households––the first time OCJ’s tenant legal services programs have provided assistance to over 100,000 New Yorkers in a single fiscal year. This reflects a 24% increase in households served compared to the prior year and a 74% increase compared to FY2017, before the formal launch of right-to-counsel.

Right-to-counsel in New York City is being implemented via a phased-in “ZIP-by-ZIP” approach that has enabled OCJ to partner with the Housing Court administration and legal services providers to facilitate meaningful and effective method of providing access to counsel based on need. As a result, communities in need have seen a significant increase in the availability of legal services. Next week, the following ZIP Codes will begin receiving right-to-counsel services:

• 10453, Morris Heights, Bronx
• 11207, East New York, Brooklyn
• 10029, East Harlem, Manhattan
• 10034, Inwood, Manhattan
• 11691, Far Rockaway, Queens

Implementation through 2022 will follow the same “ZIP-by-ZIP” approach.

The expansion will be accompanied by a citywide campaign to launch in 2020 getting the word out about available resources and encouraging families experiencing housing instability to reach out. If you or someone you know is worried about losing your home, our City is here to help. Don’t hesitate—talk to a lawyer today.

Cities across the country have looked to Universal Access as a success. Unlike in New York City where investments in legal services are helping reduce evictions, evictions are up nationwide. As a result, cities across the country are looking at this Administration’s programs and successes as models, implementing their own versions of this program to provide similar protections to their residents:

• Cities with established right-to-counsel laws, programs, and/or initiatives:

• Washington D.C., May 2017
• San Francisco, June 2018
• Minneapolis, November 2018
• Newark, December 2018 
• San Antonio, April 2019
• Philadelphia, November 2019

• Localities where right-to-counsel is being considered and/or pursued:

• Cleveland
• Boston/Massachusetts
• Connecticut
• Seattle
• Los Angeles
• Detroit
• Santa Monica
• National

“Helping New Yorkers stay in their homes is a cornerstone of our work to prevent homelessness,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Raul Perea-Henze. “The legal services provided by the Office of Civil Justice in our Human Resources Administration empower New Yorkers with tools to bridge the justice gap, and build the foundation for more stable and healthier communities. With the expansion to new zip codes, these services will continue to make a strong impact where the need is greatest.”

"Tenant harassment and unlawful evictions are the front lines of the City's affordability crisis. When New Yorkers know their rights and have access to free legal counsel, they can stay in their homes," said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been." We look forward to more families getting the help they need, and will continue to preserve and build affordable housing to keep people in their homes and in the neighborhoods they love.”

While evictions are up all across the country, they are down in New York City because of the game-changing impact of providing lawyers for tenants in eviction cases, with the result that more than 100,000 New Yorkers have been able to avoid eviction and homelessness,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “When the de Blasio Administration took office, only 1 in 100 tenants facing eviction in housing court had a lawyer or access to legal services, with New Yorkers in need navigating a complex process that all too often stacked the deck against them. In less than three years, our City’s right-to-counsel initiative has helped dramatically level the playing field, with 1 in 3 tenants now receiving City-funded legal services in eviction cases. Access-to-counsel is not only keeping New Yorkers in their homes, but preserving stability and affordable housing across the five boroughs.”

“Our right-to-counsel results show that New York City is leading the nationwide fight to put the power back in tenants’ hands,” said Human Resources Administrator Grace Bonilla. “The incredible success this initiative has had in reducing residential evictions across New York City is inspiring the country to follow suit, with similar programs being implemented from San Francisco to Newark. We are on track to take this progress even further and look forward to delivering this resource to more New Yorkers across more neighborhoods, ensuring that all New Yorkers facing housing instability are provided with the legal resources they need to stay in their homes and communities.”

“With our latest expansion of the City's groundbreaking Universal Access initiative, HRA’s Office of Civil Justice and its partners will continue to close the "justice gap" for tenants facing eviction, and will continue making New York City the national leader in increasing, innovating and improving access to civil justice for people in need," said Civil Justice Coordinator Jordan Dressler.

"The expansion of Right-to-Counsel further demonstrates this Administration's dedication to leveling the playing field and making NYC the fairest big city," said Mayor's Public Engagement Unit Director Omar Khan. "As with any smart progressive policy, we must ensure that tenants facing eviction or other housing-related issues are aware of the free City services available to them, and I am pleased that PEU's proactive outreach on this issue will continue to expand as the Universal Access program is rolled out citywide."

“Right to counsel is one of the biggest accomplishments of the Council’s last session and I thank my colleagues Mark Levine and Vanessa Gibson and my predecessor Speaker Mark-Viverito for their leadership and determination in making it happen. This Council welcomes this expansion and will continue to do everything in our power to protect tenants,” said Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

Ritchie Torres - I support the impeachment of Donald Trump

  Today, after weeks of compelling testimony and damning evidence, the House Judiciary Committee approved two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. One for abuse of power, and a second article for obstruction of Congress.

Our democracy has endured this long in part because no one is above the law, not even a president.  A concept so fundamental to our core values should be defended at all costs. For that reason, I fully support the impeachment of the president of the United States.

This historic moment comes after Trump attempted to pressure a foreign power into weakening his political rival before next year's election. It’s noteworthy that no one disputes whether or not this happened. He withheld critical military aid meant to fight back against Russian aggression -- and did so without consideration of national security interests in the region. Those are the facts.

It's also indisputable that Trump has attempted to scuttle the investigation at every turn. From ordering officials not to testify before key committees, to blatantly withholding key documents requested by Congress, Trump is creating a new chaotic normal where concepts like "accountability" and "rule of law" are rendered meaningless. 

I applaud Democrats in Congress for putting country before party and for living up to their oath. Here's hoping that Republicans come to their senses and do the same.

Onward,

Ritchie

Bronx Democratic Party - Next DEMS TALK

Happy Friday, Are you or anyone you know interested in becoming a part of The Bronx Democratic Party? If so, you won't want to miss the next DEMS TALK. Join us this upcoming Monday, December 16 at 7:00PM. Bronx Dems Headquarters 1534 Boone Avenue The Bronx, NY 10460 Sincerely, The Bronx Democratic Party

Council Member Ruben Diaz Sr. - Never Again, Never Again, Never Again

What You Should Know

By Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz

District 18, Bronx County

You should know that everywhere that I go and preach, regarding the people of Israel I often address them as the “chosen ones”.

Sometimes, depending upon the different circumstances, we might ask ourselves, chosen for what? The reply might be, chosen to suffer given their history.

It’s important for you to know that the struggle of the Jewish people throughout history compares to no other nation or peoples in the world.

Even in modern times the distaste for the Jewish people, every now and again will manifest. We must not forget and must talk about the destruction of Jerusalem and the holy temple, in the year 70 AD by Titus the Roman General. The Romans under Titus, took more than 100,000 Jews and enslaved them. We must also talk about the inquisition’s, the crusades and the holy wars that targeted and persecuted the Jews that resulted in the killing of thousands innocent Jewish lives.

The Christian kings, and the nobles pillaged their possessions, their money, their houses, their artwork and many other valuables. The Christian bishops wrote books against the Jewish people. Others would openly persecute and kill Jews in public view without any fear of punishment. The suffering of the Jewish people continued following the crusades.

In the year 1096 Geoffrey Bullion swore that he would not let one single Jew live. In Mallen, in Regensburg, in Travis, in Prague, the Jews were killed by the thousands.

In the year 1215, the Catholic Church issued a decree to prohibit the Jews from appearing or being seen in public without displaying the Jewish symbol of the Star of David affixed to their clothes. In the year 1290, 17,000 Jews were expelled from England. In 1394 the Jews were expelled from France.

In 1480 Spain started the Inquisition that killed more than 400,000 Jews. By 1881, ladies and gentlemen, after the death of Alexander II, the Jews in Russia and Romania started to experience persecution.

By that time anti-Semitism had begun to flourish all over Europe and other parts of the world. In Germany a political party was organized with the sole purpose of stripping the Jews of all social and political rights. Anti-Semitic newspapers began to appear, falsely accusing the Jews of horrendous crimes.

Throughout Jewish history, Jews have been persecuted, assassinated, and it spread to other countries. However, ladies and gentlemen, nothing can compare to the anti-Semitism of Adolf Hitler and Adolf Eichmann. They are responsible for the killing of more than 6 million Jews under the “Final Solution”.

In 1887 Theodore Herz started the Zionist movement. In 1917, the British Chancellor, Lowell Alfred Bedford, proclaimed the British would support the making of a Jewish state in Palestine. General Edmundo Allenby directed the British forces across the Sinai desert to Palestine. David Ben-Gurion was part of the Jewish battalion who aided and assisted General Allenby in the liberation of Palestine from England in December 9, 1917.

On November 29th, 1947, the United Nations issued a resolution creating the State of Israel. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared, during a meeting, that the establishment of a Jewish state would be called the State of Israel.

We must not forget that in Israel’s struggle and their battles for survival, the creation of the State of Israel, and the return of the Jewish people to their homeland were made possible by the contribution of many courageous individuals among them are leaders such as Golda Meir, Yashik Shamir, Ariel Sharon. Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, and many, many others.

Many enemies have sworn to destroy and wipe Israel off the face of the earth. On June 5th, 1967, 12 Arab nations declared war against Israel.  Those nations were Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Iraq.

In the Middle East terrorist groups such as Hamas, Al Qaeda, the PLO, and nations such as Iran and others have sworn to destroy the State of Israel. News organizations such as Al Jazeera and people like the late Yasser Arafat and Osama Bin Laden joining together to seek the destruction of Israel.

Here in the United States, there are some people, even among the elected officials, who voice their displeasure with the Jewish people and the existence of the State of Israel.

Recently, in a city as “diverse”, and “tolerate” as New York City we have seen an increase of anti-Semitism.  But we all have to join hands together and repeat the words of the great Menachem Begin, “never again, never again, never again.”

God bless the people of Israel and the State of Israel.

I am City Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz, and this is what you should know.

Bronx Progressives Meeting & Holiday Mixer - December 17th, 2019 at 6:30 pm

Happy Holidays Bronx Progressives members! Bronx Progressives is proud to invite you to our upcoming meeting on December 17th at 6:30pm at Molina Rojo, 101 161st Street, Bronx, NY 10451. We will be voting on endorsing Bernie Sanders and what races to prioritize in 2020! After the meeting at 8 pm, we will have our holiday mixer! We encourage everyone to sign up at this meeting as a 2020 member. The address is reachable by taking the 4 or D train to 161st Street. We look forward to seeing you all on October 29th at 6:30pm! There will be light refreshments served with food/drink specials! ***This meeting is ADA accessible and is a safe space for all races, religions, sexes, gender identities, ages and beliefs***

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center News and Notes Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful! Reminders The current Shabbos Announcements have been uploaded for your reference. They are reproduced here for your convenience.  SHABBOS ANNOUNCEMENTS – WEEK OF DECEMBER 14th  SATURDAY – 16 Kislev – Parashat Vayishlach Morning                      8:45 am Mincha                       4:05 pm Shabbos ends             5:15 pm Shalosh Seudos sponsored by Ron Wegsman on the 1st yahrzeit of his mother, Helen Wegsman, Sarah Haya bat David  SERVICES DURING THE WEEK MORNING                                         Sunday                       8:30 am                                         Monday & Thursday    6:50 am                                         Tues., Wed., & Fri.       7:00 am EVENING Friday              4:20 pm Candles            4:13 pm NOTE:  Sisterhood is selling Chanukah candles in the office for $2.00 a box. EVENTS DURING THE WEEK Sunday – Sisterhood meeting at 10:30 am MARK YOUR CALENDAR CHANUKAH CELEBRATION – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26th at 7:00 pm – night of the 5th Chanukah candle Latkes & Jelly Donuts for everyone --Musical entertainment by Chaim Zadok Adult Raffles, Dreidle Games & Prizes for children Free Admission – Donations would be appreciated to defray the cost.

Save The Date!  Thursday Dec. 26 at 7PM

The VCJC Chanukah Party, see the Shabbos Announcements above. 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave

Bronx, NY 10463

12 Members Of Crack Cocaine Distribution Ring Operating In Vicinity Of 125th Street And Lexington Avenue In Manhattan Charged With Narcotics And Firearms Offenses

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging 12 individuals with operating a crack cocaine distribution ring in the vicinity of 125th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.  Six of the 12 defendants charged in the Indictment were arrested yesterday, and are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Sarah L. Cave in federal court later today.  One of the defendants is already in state custody and will be presented at a later date.  Five defendants remain at large.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr.       

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, the defendants were members of a Harlem crack distribution crew that peddled its wares in and around the AK Houses, the Metro-North station at 125th Street, and P.S. 30.  Several members are also alleged to have used guns in the plying of their illegal trade.  Our thanks to the NYPD for their continued efforts to rid our neighborhoods of illegal drugs and guns.”

NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said:  “This case highlights our success in stopping those offenders who sow violence in our city’s neighborhoods. Working together, our mission to eradicate narcotics and illegal guns is clear and I want to commend our NYPD investigators and partners for targeting violent crime and dismantling it with precise effectiveness.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment[1]:

The defendants are members and associates of a drug trafficking organization (the “AK Houses Crew” or “Crew”) that sold crack cocaine in and around the AK Houses apartment complex, located at East 128th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan.   During the period 2017 to the present, the AK Houses Crew sold hundreds of grams of crack to customers on the streets of Harlem, and crew members carried and displayed firearms in furtherance of the drug trade.  These crew members routinely sold crack in the vicinity of, among other locations, the area of the AK Houses, the Metro-North commuter rail station at East 125th Street, and Public School 30 at East 128th Street.

The leaders of the AK Houses Crew included defendants VAN WHITMORE, a/k/a “V-High,” RONALD NIXON, a/k/a “Jeter,” and BARRY WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Bistro.”  WHITMORE, NIXON, and WILLIAMS were responsible for, among other things, obtaining supplies of powder cocaine, converting the cocaine into crack, and pushing that crack to customers on the street through the Crew’s network of street-level dealers.  These leaders also maintained order and discipline within the Crew, including by using threats of violence.  Other members of the AK Houses Crew, including defendants RODNEY ROBINSON, a/k/a “Stretch,” KAPRIE LAMBERT, a/k/a “Pri,” SHAROD BELL, a/k/a “Rodo,” and IAN HAYLOCK, a/k/a “E,” served the Crew by, among other things, managing and enforcing order within the Crew’s network of street-level crack dealers, and collecting proceeds from their crack sales to finance the Crew’s operations.

The Crew’s street-level crack dealers included defendants MALIK HAWKINS, a/k/a “Leeky,” ABDOUL HANNE, a/k/a “Buylot,” MALIK BREEDLOVE, a/k/a “LB,” TYRELL MURPHY, a/k/a “Fat Cat,” and ANTHONY MCDADE, a/k/a “Pap,” each of whom obtained crack from other members of the Crew and sold the crack to customers on the street.  In addition, certain members of the AK Houses Crew, including WHITMORE, ROBINSON, HAYLOCK, BELL, and HAWKINS, used and facilitated the use of firearms in furtherance of the Crew’s crack dealing, including for the purposes of enforcing the collection of payment for drugs and to protect members of the Crew.  In the course of the narcotics conspiracy, HAYLOCK and BELL also sold firearms to undercover law enforcement officers in Harlem.

During the execution of a search warrant at NIXON’s house yesterday, law enforcement recovered a firearm, more than 80 grams of heroin belonging to NIXON, and paraphernalia for packaging narcotics for distribution.  During the execution of a search warrant at an apartment where BREEDLOVE was arrested yesterday, law enforcement recovered approximately 50 grams of crack cocaine.

The Indictment charges 12 defendants and contains two counts.  A chart containing the names, ages, residences, and charges for the defendants is set forth below.  The maximum term of imprisonment for both counts is life imprisonment.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.   Assistant United States Attorneys Juliana Murray and Louis Pellegrino are in charge of the prosecution.

Defendant	Age	Hometown	Charges
VAN WHITMORE, a/k/a “V High”	49	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy; Firearms Offense
RONALD NIXON, a/k/a “Jeter”	42	New Rochelle, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy
BARRY WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Bistro”	42	Bronx, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy
RODNEY ROBINSON, a/k/a “Stretch”	44	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy; Firearms Offense
KAPRIE LAMBERT, a/k/a “Pri”	22	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy
IAN HAYLOCK, a/k/a “E”	24	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy; Firearms Offense
SHAROD BELL, a/k/a “Rodo”	23	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy; Firearms Offense
MALIK HAWKINS, a/k/a “Leeky”	26	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy; Firearms Offense
ABDOUL HANNE a/k/a “Buylot”	27	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy
MALIK BREEDLOVE, a/k/a “LB”	23	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy
TYRELL MURPHY, a/k/a “Fat Cat”	21	Harlem, New York	Narcotics Conspiracy
ANTHONY MCDADE, a/k/a “Pap”	28	Bronx, New York	Narco

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Executive Of Purported Caffeinated Snack Company Sentenced To 4 Years In Prison For Defrauding Investors Of More Than $2.3 Million

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BARRY SCHWARTZ was sentenced to four years in prison today by U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff for participating in a conspiracy to defraud more than 50 investors in the Starship Snacks Corporation of more than $2.3 million, by making false and fraudulent representations about, among other things, the status of the company’s products, guarantees that purportedly backed the investments, and the interest of large multi-national corporations in acquiring the companies.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said:  “Barry Schwartz participated in a conspiracy to defraud investors, telling them their investments were safe and guaranteed when, in fact, he and his co-conspirators had misappropriated investor funds to support their lavish lifestyles.  Schwartz lied about the readiness of his company’s products and about the claim that two large multi-national companies were vying to buy the company.  Schwartz’s house of lies eventually collapsed, bringing financial devastation to many of its victims.  Today Schwartz was held accountable for the criminal conduct that defrauded more than 50 investors of more than $2.3 million.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment filed against SCHWARTZ and statements made in related court filings and proceedings, including the trial of co-defendant Joel Margulies:

The Starship Snack Corporation Fraud Scheme

From approximately August 2015 through August 2017, SCHWARTZ, Margulies, and a co-conspirator, Lisa Bershan, raised more than $2.3 million from investors in a company originally called the Awake Company and later renamed Starship Snacks Corporation (“Starship”), which purported to be in the business of developing and manufacturing caffeinated snack products, based on the following misrepresentations, among others: (a) that investments in Starship were guaranteed against losses by Bershan; (b) that Starship was going to be acquired by Monster Beverage (“Monster”) in a one-for-one stock exchange; (c) that Starship was engaged in actual product development and had procured samples of candies infused with caffeine; (d) that SCHWARTZ and others at Starship had entered into non-disclosure agreements with Monster that prohibited them from discussing Starship’s purported acquisition by Monster and its purported product development.  SCHWARTZ held himself out as Starship’s corporate secretary.   

After receiving funds from Starship investors, SCHWARTZ and his co-conspirators used those funds to maintain their own extravagant lifestyles, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on things like luxury clothing, plastic surgery, interior decorating, the rental of a high-end apartment in New York City, and the down payment for a multimillion-dollar house in Florida. 

In addition to the prison term, SCHWARTZ, 73, was sentenced to two years of supervised release.  SCHWARTZ was also ordered to forfeit $2,163,214.  A restitution order will be entered within 90 days.

Lisa Bershan was convicted upon a guilty plea, and sentenced by Judge Rakoff on November 22, 2019, principally to a term of seven years in prison.  Joel Margulies was convicted following a seven-day jury trial before Judge Rakoff and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2019. 

Mr. Berman praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.