Showing posts with label Anybody But Quinn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anybody But Quinn. Show all posts

Friday, June 13, 2014

New revelations about possibly greater coordination between controversial anti-Quinn attack Super PAC and official campaigns

Anybody But Quinn Used Voter Info From Other Advance Group Campaigns : Sources

Anybody But Quinn photo AnybodyButQuinn600_zps55f4431f.jpg

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Anybody But Quinn Used Voter Info From Other Advance Group Campaigns: Sources (The New York Observer)

Did New York State Election Officials Create a Dual Mandate Loophole to Campaign Finance Caps ? [UPDATED] (NYC : News & Analysis)

Somebody from the corrupt “Anybody But Quinn" Super PAC has leaked new information about possibly illegal campaign coordination to the reporter Will Bredderman of The New York Observer relating to how information sharing was done behind the scenes at The Advance Group. That customized voter registration information belonging to official campaigns was, inturn, used by the Super PAC adds to a pattern of coordination following revelations that campaign cash flowed circuitously amongst the Super PAC, its contributors, and the official campaigns managed by The Advance Group in the last election. As if that wasn't enough, many activists taking part in the Anybody But Quinn movement carried the banner for reforms to end Quinn-like government and campaign corruption. But as soon as the new mayor was elected, the entire Anybody But Quinn movement ceased their calls for reform, raising the obvious quesiton : what was the real intention of the Anybody But Quinn Super PAC, if it was not to press for reforms of the broken political system ?

It's getting ugly, but it's only when the system turns against itself, as demonstrated by the leaker of these latest revelations that voter registration information was shared, that voters find out the real truth about the duplicitious role of dubious campaign consultants, lobbyists, and other political operatives in setting up corruptive Super PAC structures, and controversies such as these are the only things that can lead to reforms to end the corruptive role of Super PAC's in our elections system. But more people need to join the call to press Mayor Bill de Blasio to make good on his outstanding campaign promises made during last year's mayoral campaign to further reform the city's campaign finance system.

"The important thing is to respect the fact that we may not like the way the law is, but it's the law," Mr. de Blasio said last year after he was confronted with questions over a controversial Super PAC's attack TV ads against former Council Speaker Christine Quinn. "I certainly will put energy going forward into trying to further reform the campaign finance system," he added, but Mr. de Blasio has so far failed to keep true to his campaign promise to reform the city's corrupt campaign finance laws. Here's an opportunity to use the growing campaign finance controversy engulfing The Advance Group to press for reforms. Voters can make this opportunity work for them, to bring about reforms, but voters need to take action to demand that the mayor keep his campaign promises to reform and update the city's corrupt campaign finance laws that allow Super PAC's to exploit our elections system.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Under campaign finance scrutiny, animal-rights advocates NY-CLASS ditches The Advance Group, moves out, lawyers up

Some fall-out of the poisonous impact of Citizens United on the recent past municipal election cycle

From Crains Insider :

"Crain's has confirmed that the Campaign Finance Board is looking into NYCLASS' outside spending on behalf of animal-friendly City Council candidates in the 2013 elections, while the Advance Group simultaneously ran the campaigns of several of those candidates out of the same office. Super PACs are not allowed to coordinate with candidates' campaigns. ... NYCLASS has hired Martin Connor, the former state Senate minority leader, to represent the nonprofit, while the Advance Group has hired well-known attorney Lawrence Mandelker. Messrs. Connor and Mandelker did not return requests for comment Monday. Others involved in the probe, such as individual City Council candidates, are also expected to separately hire attorneys if necessary."



Scott Levenson and Melissa Mark-Viverito photo Scott-Levenson-Melissa-Mark-Viverito_zps79ef0787.jpg

Besides its questionable involvement with NYCLASS, The Advance Group also sparked controversy after it worked for free on Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito's successful Council speaker campaign, the subject of which, along with the allegations referred to in the above Crains Insider article, were referred to federal prosecutors and to select members of the anti-corruption investigation panel, the Moreland Commission.

Maybe if activists would target Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama for their reliance on Super PAC's, it would shame the Democrats into actually doing something about ending the poisonous impact of Citizens United on the election process ?

The Advance Group, which provided unpaid consultants to Melissa Mark-Viverito's speakership campaign, worked for the City Action Coalition PAC, which lists 'traditional marriage' as its platform and supported opponents of gay City Council candidates.
(The New York Daily News)
Did Scott Levenson sabotage LGBT civil rights attorney Yetta Kurland's political campaign ?
(Scott Levenson : Biggest Loser Of The Week * NYC : News & Analysis)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Levenson, Advance Group Face CFB Investigation, But No Criminal Probe, Yet


SPECIAL NEWS UPDATE: FRI, 25 APR 2014, 09:50 AM
Scott Levenson NY-CLASS Christine Quinn Bill de Blasio FBI Investigation into Campaign Corruption photo 2014-04-25TheNewYorkDailyNewsFBIReport_zps189d95ac.png

In the past few weeks, FBI agents have been asking questions about the campaign by the animal rights group NY-CLASS to strong arm former Council Speaker Christine Quinn (center) to support a ban on the iconic horse-drawn carriages, two sources familiar with the matter told The New York Daily News. The horse lobbyists in question include Scott Levenson, and they are linked to Mayor Bill de Blasio (inset). (FBI investigating claim that Christine Quinn was threatened by Scott Levenson for refusing to support carriage horse ban during the mayoral race * The New York Daily News)


PUBLISHED : TUES, 26 NOV 2013, 12:44 PM
UPDATED : FRI, 25 APR 2014, 11:17 AM


Scott Levenson Super PAC LGBT marriage equality City Council gay candidates photo ScottLevensonSuperPACLGBTmarriageequalityCityCouncilgaycandidates_zps0598bfb3.jpg

Scott Levenson And The Advance Group Are Being Investigated By The Campaign Finance Board For Possible Violations Resulting From Coordinating Super PAC Money With Public Matching Dollars, But No Mention Is Being Made Of Allegations Of Undue Influence And Other Possible Violations Of Campaign Finance Law, Nor Any Criminal Investigation

"… New York City saw a spasm of unregulated campaign money, most of it unleashed by wealthy Democrats and unions. And no one channeled those rivulets of cash more aggressively than Scott Levenson and the Advance Group, the strategic consulting firm he heads," writes Michael Powell in The New York Times, adding, "The United Federation of Teachers dropped millions of dollars and Mr. Levenson took at least a $370,000 cut. A group putatively devoted to carriage horses but focused intently on defeating the speaker of the City Council, Christine C. Quinn, spent a golden lode, and again Mr. Levenson took a cut," and noting that, "Now the Campaign Finance Board is investigating the Advance Group’s role." (In Campaign, Cash Flowed Circuitously)

“The board takes very seriously any allegation that campaigns have benefited from spending by an outside group where spending is coordinated,” the CFB spokesman Eric Friedman told the NYTimes, adding, “It gives a big advantage.”

Scott Levenson Keeps Changing His Story

To The New York Daily News, Mr. Levenson told one story about why he agreed to be paid to run several anti-gay attack ads :

The firm admitted its work for City Action Coalition PAC was problematic. “We did a favor for a political operative that we have a longstanding relationship with by sending his mailer to a printer,” an Advance Group spokeswoman said. “It was a mistake that we regret and is completely inconsistent with our history.” (EXCLUSIVE: Melissa Mark-Viverito's consulting firm choice may be hurting her Council Speaker bid)

But to the NYTimes, Mr. Levenson told a different story :

“It was in the heat of the moment,” he said. “I didn’t do my due diligence.” (In Campaign, Cash Flowed Circuitously)

The Panic Of Backroom Deals To Select The Next City Council Speaker

New York City Council Speaker Race : Clash of the Titans (NY Pop Culture & Politics)

Big player in her corner : The Advance Group is pushing Melissa Mark-Viverito's speaker candidacy. (Politicker) Who is paying Advance Group for helping Melissa Mark-Viverito ?
(Bill de Blasio Sold Out)
Union power play in council speaker race
(The New York Post)
In race for City Council speaker, Labor's influence is on the rise. (Crains)
Examining the role of consultants in the speaker race, and more (Crains) Political consultants, who work to elect lawmakers, are turning around and lobbying them on behalf of private clients.
(The New York Daily News)

Will There Be A Criminal Investigation Of Scott Levenson ?

A super PAC formed by the powerful city teachers' union paid more than $370,000 to an apparently fictitious political consulting firm, which was actually the well-known New York firm the Advance Group, records and interviews show. (Teachers union paid $370K to fake consultant * Crains Insider)

An open records request that came back on Tuesday from the City Campaign Finance Board (and is embedded below) offers fresh and somewhat amusing evidence of the connection between the two: Many of the invoices the agency received from Strategic Consultants have the Advance Group logo on them. (Crains Insider)

Will good government groups ask that the Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Scott Levenson and The Advance Group ?

Even Though Levenson And Advance Identify As "Progressive," They Represented An Anti-Gay Attack Super PAC

Will LGBT Groups Protest Scott Levenson Over Anti-Gay Attack Ads ? (NY Pop Culture & Politics)

Sign our Change.org Petition : Bill de Blasio : Do not attend NYCLASS fundraiser to benefit Scott Levenson

And Still No Word From The Media About How The Farcical Speaker Candidate Forums Are Hogwash, Because The Next Council Speaker Will Be Picked By Backroom Deals

The flood of money into politics from Citizens United is creating a "clash of the titans" between the County Political Bosses and Big Business, on one side, and Lobbyists and Special Interest Money, on the other. With campaign finance law failing to keep up with the changes in money in politics, the voters are being kept in the dark about the true way that the speaker is selected. NYC Council Speaker Race Campaign Finance Controversies (2013) (YouTube)

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Did Mayor Bloomberg Select Christine Quinn As Speaker In 2006 ?

 photo michael-keogh_zps40d31f4d.jpg

Did Mayor Bloomberg Select Christine Quinn As Speaker In 2006 ?

After Christine Quinn was named speaker, she appointed Michael Keogh to become the City Council finance director. In that position, Mr. Keogh would help the City Council negotiate the budget with City Hall. The appointment created a conflict of interest, because it was not known if Mr. Keogh's former role with the Bloomberg administration would compromise the City Council's independence in the budget process. Mr. Keogh had previously served as a member of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Office of State Legislative Affairs. In 2008, Mr. Keogh resigned after he was implicated in the slush fund scandal.

Mr. Keogh's initial selection followed a pattern of politically-motivated appointments that were seemingly made to reward the powerful political supporters, who had helped to broker Quinn's speakership. For example, after the party bosses in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn, had each helped Quinn to cinch the speakership, Quinn announced that powerful City Council committees would be chaired by members from the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn delegations.

  • Joel Rivera from the Bronx became chair of the Health Committee.
  • Melinda Katz and David Weprin from Queens remained chairs of the Land Use and Finance Committees, respectively.
  • Erik Dilan from Brooklyn was named chair of the Housing & Buildings Committee.

Voters often cite Speaker Quinn's subjugation to Mayor Bloomberg as one reason citizens are promising to vote for "Anybody But Quinn." Now, Flores asks in Chapter 8 of his book, Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn : when did Speaker Quinn make the deal to become Mayor Bloomberg's chief enabler in the City Council ? Did the deal get made during the time Quinn was negotiating her speakership with the political power brokers in late 2005 and early 2006 ? Was Mayor Bloomberg among the power brokers with whom Quinn negotiated her speakership ? Was Mr. Keogh's appointment as the powerful City Council finance director a way to reward Mayor Bloomberg for his support of Quinn's speakership ?

2013-08-28 Roots of Betrayal - Mike Bloomberg Speakership Press Release by Connaissable