Rudin Family paid politicians 200,000 roses in luxury condo conversion prostitution deal

Scott Stringer received almost $8,000 from members of the billionaire Rudin real estate empire, before he rendered his recommendation in support of the Rudin luxury condo conversion of St. Vincent's Hospital.

Democratic candidate for NYC comptroller Scott Rudin Stringer received sizable campaign contributions form members of the Rudin family before he made his recommendation in the ULURP application to approve the Rudin condo conversion plan in November 2011.

Mr. Stringer, who was acting in official capacity as Manhattan Borough President, makes recommendations to the New York City Council in all zone-busting ULURP applications that come up for a vote. Mr. Stringer recommended that the City Council approve the Rudin luxury condo conversion plan, but the media made no mention of the inherent conflict of interest in the Rudin family's large campaign donations. These campaign donations were made during a time when the Rudin family were anticipating plans to develop the property underneath St. Vincent's, before the hospital was driven into bankruptcy, and Mr. Stringer cashed the checks way in advance of having to render his ULURP recommendation.

New York City Campaign Finance Board records indicate that Mr. Stringer accepted $500.00 from Madeleine Rudin Johnson, $3,850.00 from Beth Rudin DeWoody, $500.00 from Eric Rudin, $2,000.00 from Jack Rudin, and $1,000.00 from Bill Rudin. These reported donations bundle into a total of : $7,850.00. It's not known if there are other, unreported campaign donations, that might have been made on top of these amounts.

Did the $7,850.00 in campaign donations made by Rudin family members influence Scott Stringer's recommendation on the St. Vincent's luxury condo conversion ULRUP application ???

Because there is an appearance of "pay to play" or quid pro quo, was Mr. Stringer prostituting himself to the Rudin family ? We already know that campaign donations allegedly play a role in New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn determining her official acts in office. Does the same hold true for Mr. Stringer ?

In total, the members of the Rudin family contributed over $200,000 in campaign donations to various politicians, each of whom would have had some kind of influence over the fate of the Rudin luxury condo conversion plan for St. Vincent's Hospital.

The Rudin campaign donations made during the 2009, 2013 election cycles follow.

2013-07-08 Rudin-Rudin Advanced Search - New York City Campaign Finance Board

2013-07-08 Johnson-Rudin Advanced Search - New York City Campaign Finance Board

2013-07-08 DeWoody-Rudin Advanced Search - New York City Campaign Finance Board

Bill de Blasio Finally Joins Fight To Save Brooklyn Hospitals

I don't know how much he really did to try to save St. Vincent's Hospital, but it is finally a good sign that he is at least speaking about the need to stop the hospital closings.

Any merger between two weak hospitals is a bad idea. We should fund each hospital so that it can fully meet the needs of their own patients.

The Nation Article About Christine Quinn And Homonationalism

"There was even an 'LGBT against Quinn' contingent at last weekend’s @HeritageofPride march." http://t.co/dq16QIhZsx @thenation @Quinn4NY

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) July 7, 2013

From "The Powerful Lesson of New York's Police Oversight Law" (The Nation) :

"Then there was Christine Quinn, notorious for her vow to offer Police Commissioner Ray Kelly the same job. Perhaps she just is not that angry about how Kelly has treated Muslims and people of color New Yorkers, whether gay or straight. But the NYPD has also directly profiled queer people. It’s common for transgender and non-gender-conforming people to be stopped and arrested for prostitution simply for carrying condoms, and until recently many trans people were afraid to carry condoms for fear they could be used as evidence against them in court. I’m not alone in my ire for Quinn or my sense that she’s a flip-flopper (e.g., she voted no on 1080, but yes on 1079). There was even an “LGBT against Quinn” contingent at last weekend’s pride march. How depressing that a host of prominent gay and lesbians groups and activists—most recently Edith Windsor herself—have endorsed Quinn’s run for mayor. That’s homonationalism in action."

Quinn Flip Flops On Outside Campaign Finance Corruption

With State Senator Brad Hoylman at her side, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said that she was changing her mind about accepting the corruptive influence of outside campaign money to help boost her sagging bid in this year's mayoral race.

In April, Speaker Quinn denounced the use of outside campaign money, sometimes called "independent expenditures" to soften the sound of corruption. That was back when Speaker Quinn's mayoral campaign was ahead in the polls. But then in late June, once Speaker Quinn's campaign began a sharp nose-dive, she welcomed the assistance of outside campaign money.

Meanwhile, it was Speaker Quinn who supported loosening restrictions on the role of corporations in being able to spend money to influence municipal elections when she watered down the city's campaign finance laws.

Six More Years Of Christine Quinn's Slush Fund Scandal

Christine Quinn and Her On-Going Slush Fund Scandal ... Six Years Later

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s opponents in the mayoral race are trying to resurrect the “slush fund scandal”, when the Council allegedly assigned millions of dollars to fictitious organizations, The Wall Street Journal writes (via City & State) : Campaigns Hit Quinn on 'Slush Fund'

. @ChrisCQuinn's Quid Pro Quo : Slush Funds In Exchange for Campaign Donations http://t.co/fT05HkE4nj #Preet #corruption #indictment

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) July 3, 2013

Unauthorized Christine Quinn Political Biography Book Reading At Bluestockings

"Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn" -- Book Signing and Discussion

On Tuesday, July 23 at 7 p.m., the LGBT blogger and activist Louis Flores will be at Bluestockings, 172 Allen Street, Lower East Side, to present a short YouTube video from his online activism, which shows how the closing of St. Vincent's Hospital led to the beginning of his research about the political betrayals of Christine Quinn. And then the author will read from Vol. I of Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn. A Q&A will follow.

Please RSVP to the Facebook event : "Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn" -- Book Signing and Discussion

Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn can presently be purchased at the following bookstores :

• Book Thug Nation, 100 N. Third Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn ;
• Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers, 218 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
• St. Mark’s Bookshop, 31 Third Avenue, Manhattan ; and
• Bluestockings, 172 Allen Street, Manhattan.

2013-06-26 "Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn" - Press Release by Connaissable

Suzannah B. Troy Endorses "Roots of Betrayal" : It Was Better Than "Cats" !

Yesterday, the blogger and artist Suzannah B. Troy starred in a humorous YouTube video promoting the publication and sale of Volume I of Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn. Ms. Troy says in the video, "This book is better than Cats!" -- a reference to a campy commercial for a Broadway show that was often parodied.

Roots of Betrayal, written by the LGBT blogger and activist Louis Flores, examines the arc of Christine Quinn’s political career, which nominally began as a hero’s journey before it morphed into a tale about political betrayals. The entire book will be serialized this summer in four volumes reminiscent of pamphleteering done in our tradition of bringing about political change.

“Before the advent of blogs and digital social media, political pamphlets allowed activists to mobilize voters,” said Flores. “My hope is that Roots of Betrayal will educate voters offline about how Christine Quinn is the worst mayoral candidate this year.”

Volume I of Roots of Betrayal will become available for sale at Book Thug Nation in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and at St. Mark’s Bookshop in Manhattan.

Tish James : "Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Help Us Save LICH."

At the health fair at Long Island College Hospital (LICH) this afternoon, Councilmember Tish James described some of the horrifying conditions that are being caused by the illegal diversion and transfer of patients from LICH

SUNY Downstate has been diverting ambulances from LICH, and SUNY has been discharging and transferring patients to other hospitals, as well. These acts are being undertaken in violation of a court order and in a deliberate effort to force the closing of LICH, which is an important underpinning of public health in Brooklyn.

In her remarks today, Councilmember James said that 5 fist fights broke out at Brooklyn Hospital Center on Friday, because of the overcrowded patient conditions. People who are in medical emergencies are literally having to fight for healthcare. In her speech, Councilmember called on Gov. Cuomo to show leadership, and she made other demands for healthcare, including a moratorium on hospital closings.

Mayoral Candidates. We need to ask the mayoral candidates whether they will help us to ask that the Lenox Hill urgent care center be upgraded to a full-service hospital, with the ideal situation being the restoration of a Level I Trauma Center.

Christine Quinn Update. We still don't know if Speaker Quinn will help save LICH with money from her access to over $400 million in capital improvement funds, but time is running out. LICH needs money this week.

Call Gov. Andrew Cuomo Now to Save LICH : 1 (518) 474-8390

Obama Charges Edward Snowden Under Espionage Act

2013-06-14 Espionage Act Charges Complaint : USA v. Edward J. Snowden

From The New York Times :

"Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor whose leak of agency documents has set off a national debate over the proper limits of government surveillance, has been charged with violating the Espionage Act and stealing government property for disclosing classified information to The Guardian and The Washington Post, the Justice Department said on Friday."

Read more : Ex-Contractor Is Charged in Leaks on N.S.A. Surveillance

Quinn’s History of Being Unfit To Govern

The New York Times Reviews Facts In "Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn"

We should be grateful that the The New York Times published this article. The work I have done in collecting research from almost two decades ago in "Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn" corroborates the reporting in The NYTimes. You have done the voters a great service in exposing Christine Quinn as a ruthless self-promoter. Note how Speaker Quinn still maintains the storyline that she had to "professionalize" the Anti-Violence Project and how she chose to side with watered-down recommendations when she served on a police brutality commission under Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Even after decades have passed, Speaker Quinn still throws Matt Foreman, Norman Siegel, and the activism work of many LGBT leaders under the bus. The true nature of Speaker Quinn's lack of political ethics is beginning to emerge.

Read more : Quinn’s History of Throwing Leaders and Activists Under the Bus

In Passing Years - Ali Grieb

Tonight, I searched for videos of "In Passing Years," a song that was famously recorded by the late New York City cabaret singer Nancy LaMott. I only found one interpretation on YouTube. In this video, which was posted in 2009, Ali Grieb performs a haunting rendition of "In Passing Years." Enjoy it, because Ms. Grieb's voice perfectly captures the melancholy of this song's sentiments. That only Ms. Grieb's performance of this song exists on YouTube is rather remarkable for her singing career, especially since her powerful rendition will set the standard from which all future performances posted onto YouTube will be judged.

Lady Bunny Sings "The Pussycat Song"

This song is a southern drag classic revisited by Lady Bunny. Thanks to the electrifying Daisy Dalton for turning me onto this comedy classic--this was her signature number at Chattanooga's Go-Go Club and they lined up to tip this great gal whenever she performed this. She personified sass! R.I.P. Daisy Dalton.

Heart - Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) - Kennedy Center Honors

Eight GetEQUAL Activists Arrested In ENDA Protest

.@getequal ENDA protester getting arrested outside of Boehner's office twitter.com/aterkel/status…

— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) June 13, 2013

Eight activists from GetEQUAL staged a demonstration and were arrested outside of House Speaker John Boehner's office today in an effort to put pressure on the House Speaker to call for a vote and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which is known as ENDA.

Some of the activists spoke with staff members inside of Speaker Boehner's office.

Then, in an emotional moment, the activists protested inside Speaker Boehner's office, and some of the activists made statements, some of the famous quotes, about what drove the activists to show up at Speaker Boehner's office : the need to call for a vote and pass ENDA.

In this video, one of the activists was shown as he was put in handcuffs and dragged away.

According to a Facebook posting by GetEQUAL member Michael Diviesti, the activists endured a 30 hour van drive from the south to Washington, DC, in order to demand job protections. He identified the activists, who were arrested, as : Koby GetEqual Ozias: Corpus Christi TX, Cindy Candia: Harlingen TX, Kaya Candia-Almanza: Harlingen TX, Carey Neal Dunn: Austin TX, Erin Susan Jennings: San Antonio TX, Tiffani FullEquality Bishop: Austin TX, Sean Watkins: OH, and Corey Phillips: OH.

Another GetEQUAL member noted on Facebook that today's action at Speaker Boehner's office took place on the same day when hundreds of people were scheduled to attend the LGBT Pride Reception at the White House.

Read more : 8 LGBT Protesters Arrested Outside John Boehner's Office

This is the second recent action by GetEQUAL, as part of their larger strategy, of using direct action to fight for full LGBT equality in all matters governed by civil law.

Last week, Ellen Sturtz, another member of GetEqual, was escorted out of a fundraising event after Ms. Sturtz heckled FLOTUS Michelle Obama over President Obama's inaction on signing an Executive Order making an equivalent of ENDA take effect using the president's executive powers. The Executive Order, which President Obama has promised to sign, but thus far has not, would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity of employees by federal contractors.

Read more : Lesbian activist kicked out of fundraiser for disrupting First Lady’s speech