Alessandra Biaggi - Let me explain

 

Friends -

In just a moment, I’m going to ask you to make a contribution to my campaign for Congress.  

I’ll explain why this request is so important in just a minute, but if you’re ready to add your support now

Here’s the truth: Since we launched our campaign against Sean Patrick Maloney on Tuesday morning, one of the questions I’ve been asked most is why I’m running.

It’s a fair question, for sure. Let me explain.

When I first ran for State Senate in 2018 against a seven-term fake Democrat and leader of the New York political machine, people thought I didn’t stand a chance.

I looked at leadership across the state, I didn’t see myself being represented by anyone. We didn’t have the kind of elected officials who truly understood what our communities needed, or what they deserved.

That’s why I decided to run — and I never shied away from the fight.

He had more money, more big endorsements, and the entire corporate establishment of New York state politics backing him. What he didn’t have was you, the people.

We fought and we won that race, and I’m so proud of the progress that our movement has made in New York since then. We’ve fought to make legal abortion the law of the land, and passed important tenant protection laws and landmark climate legislation.

Now, I’m taking our fight to Congress — because I see the same lack of representation in Washington today that I saw in Albany then.

Right now, across the country, there is a wave of young progressive leaders eager to step up and take bold, transformative action on the issues that define our time — combating the climate crisis, protecting abortion rights, passing gun safety legislation, guaranteeing health care as a human right, and so much more.

These are basic, popular, winning issues that we’re simply not moving fast enough on, and that’s thanks in large part to the current Democratic leadership.

That Democratic leadership includes my opponent, Sean Patrick Maloney.

Democrats control the House, the Senate, and the White House. We have all the power we need to do everything that we want, it’s simply a matter of political courage — something Sean Patrick Maloney entirely lacks.

It’s not enough just to vote blue and call it a day until the next election season rolls around. We need to elect bold, progressive leaders with the vision, the urgency, and yes — the courage — to get done what needs to be done.

That’s why I’m running for Congress.

I know that this race is not going to be easy — this time, we aren’t going to be able to take the special interests by surprise. 

Thanks in advance for your donation today, and for the incredible support we’ve received this week. Let’s keep it going.

- Alessandra Biaggi

EDITOR'S NOTE:

All solicitations were deleted.

We also wonder why Senator Biaggi did not mention why she was not running for NY3 which she had said no matter what she was running for. 

Bank Ceo Convicted For Taking Bribes In Connection With Loans Guaranteed By The Small Business Administration

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the conviction of EDWARD SHIN, then-CEO of a Pennsylvania-based bank (the “Bank”), for taking bribes in connection with the Bank’s issuance of loans that were guaranteed by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”).  SHIN was arrested in May of 2019 and charged with taking bribes by siphoning off a portion of commissions on SBA-guaranteed loans and causing the Bank to issue SBA-guaranteed and commercial loans to companies in which SHIN had a secret interest.  The charges are the culmination of a joint investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the SBA Office of the Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”), and the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“SIGTARP”).  SHIN was convicted on all counts of the indictment in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.

According to the allegations in the Criminal Complaint, Indictment, and statements made during trial in Manhattan federal: 

The SBA helps Americans start, build, and grow businesses by guaranteeing certain loans made by banks to help those businesses succeed.  Between 2009 and 2013, the Bank offered a range of financial products, including SBA-guaranteed loans to small businesses in the New York-New Jersey area, which the Bank could extend only on the condition that all aspects of those loans complied with SBA regulations and SBA’s standard operating procedures.  In particular, SBA regulations and procedures prohibited bank officers, including SHIN, from receiving any payments in connection with SBA-backed loans and prohibited banks from extending such loans to any institution in which a bank officer held an interest.

Notwithstanding these regulations, SHIN, then the CEO of the Bank, secretly solicited and received bribe payments in connection with SBA-guaranteed loans issued by the Bank and caused the Bank to extend SBA-guaranteed and commercial loans to companies in which SHIN had secret ownership interests.  Specifically, when the Bank issued business loans that did not involve the use of any actual broker, SHIN nonetheless arranged to have his longtime friend, a real estate and loan broker (the “Broker”), inserted unnecessarily into the transaction solely to generate a broker fee that could be shared with SHIN; in fact, the Broker did no actual work to earn a commission on those transactions, but split the “broker’s fee” with SHIN as an illegal kickback.

SHIN also arranged for the Bank to issue SBA-guaranteed loans to businesses in which he secretly retained an ownership interest, in violation of SBA regulations and procedures.  For example, in or about June 2010, the Bank issued an SBA-guaranteed loan for approximately $950,000 to a business in New York, New York.  Although documents submitted to the Bank for purposes of securing the loan did not mention SHIN’s financial interest, the business was secretly operated as a partnership between SHIN, the Broker, and another individual.   The loan ultimately went into default status, ultimately resulting in a loss to the Bank of approximately $591,278.60.    

SHIN, 58, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison, one count of conspiracy to commit bank bribery, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, one count of conspiracy to commit loan fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, another count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count each of bank bribery, and theft of funds by a bank officer, each of which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FDIC-OIG, HSI, SBA-OIG, and SIGTARP.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - MAY 26, 2022

 

Statewide 7-Day Average Case Rate Lowest Since May 5 — Nine Days of Consecutive Decline

Cases Continue to Trend Down Across All Regions Compared to Previous Week

In Preparation of the Holiday Weekend, Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

16 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"As we head into the Memorial Day weekend and prepare to travel and gather with loved ones, I encourage everyone to continue taking advantage of the tools we have available to protect against and treat COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "The best way to avoid serious illness from COVID-19 is by keeping up to date with your vaccination and booster doses. Tests can help stop the spread to our vulnerable loved ones, so let's keep using this critical tool. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about treatments. Let's continue to look out for each as we work to move forward safely through this pandemic."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Cases Per 100k - 46.93
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 42.81
• Test Results Reported - 132,106
• Total Positive - 9,172
• Percent Positive - 6.59%**  
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 7.68%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,518 (-135)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 436
• Patients in ICU - 243 (+9)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 91 (-1)
• Total Discharges - 305,841 (+518)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 16
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,004

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.    

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 71,485

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.      

• Total vaccine doses administered - 38,848,629
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 30,820
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 112,570
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.5%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 84.0%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 87.3%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 83.5%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.5%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 82.1%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 74.4%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 90.5%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.3%     

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:    

Borough	Monday, May 23, 2022	Tuesday, May 24, 2022	Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Bronx	4.50%	4.55%	4.30%
Kings	6.49%	6.46%	6.28%
New York	6.80%	6.79%	6.74%
Queens	6.54%	6.70%	6.48%
Richmond	7.59%	7.63%	7.50%

Partnerships for Parks - FREE Webinar and Grants up to 12.5K

Youth volunteer with grant recipient Abuela Neighborhood Maintenance. APPLY FOR FUNDING THROUGH THE NYC GREEN RELIEF AND RECOVERY FUND The NYC Green Fund supports organizations of all sizes caring for New York City’s parks and open spaces in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this initiative, the fund provides grants to grassroots volunteer groups to enable environmental stewardship and health & wellness programming in parks, gardens, and open spaces with a focus on environmental justice areas—neighborhoods with majority low-income residents and people of color, which are overburdened by environmental degradation and historical disinvestment.  The fund has supported neighborhood beautification and community-building since the beginning of the pandemic; allowing community members to paint benches, plant flower bulbs, clean gardens, construct picnic tables, organize Earth Day celebrations, and hold painting workshops in local green spaces across our city while spurring conversations around food equity, composting and planting, energy consumption, growing food at home, and stress management. "It brings me so much joy to organize events in my local park that my neighbors appreciate and enjoy,” said Angela Miskis, leader of Abuela Neighborhood Maintenance, NYC Green Fund grant recipient. “It's fulfilling to see them connect, laugh, and show their talents and pride in their community and work. I'm happy to be the catalyst for these positive interactions in my community." The NYC Green Fund is now offering grants of $500 to $12,500. The deadline for submission is 12pm noon on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 so apply now! APPLY TD BANK EXPERTS RETURN FOR FUNDRAISING WORKSHOP  Due to the success of their webinar earlier this year, we’re welcoming back speakers from TD Bank to provide more insight around financial planning for community groups dedicated to improving and sustaining local green spaces. TD Bank is deeply committed to community empowerment, environmental sustainability, and enhancing green spaces and will bring their knowledge around marketing and fundraising, increasing ROI, and additional sources of support to this hour-long webinar entitled Budgeting for Success: Marketing & Fundraising Strategies. Guest speakers: Amanda Foster, Vibrant Planet Relationship Manager, Office of Charitable and Community Giving, TD Bank. Marcus Gonzales, Vice President, Community Business Development Office, TD Bank. Anne LaFond, Art Director, Partnerships for Parks. Brittany Thomas, Senior Group Manager, Digital Marketing, TD Bank. Traducción en Español disponible. Wednesday, June 1, 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm REGISTER Partnerships for Parks is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions a growing network of leaders caring and advocating for neighborhood parks and green spaces. We equip people and organizations with the skills and tools needed to transform these spaces into dynamic community assets.