Coca-Cola Social Media Gimmick Censors "Gay" But Not "Straight"

Enjoy Coke, as long as you're not "gay" ?

In a startling new development, the world's largest sugary-drinks maker Coca-Cola has censored its social media followers from using the word "gay" in the company's new social media gimmick -- but not the word "straight."

The normally proud Sochi Olympics sponsor, Coca-Cola is expressing shame to its social media followers if they try to type the word "gay" into a meme generator that lets users affix brief messages on a blank red Coca-Cola can, but one that still bears the trademark white swoosh, or wave. The censorship is evidenced by a capture video of a computer screen's movements posted to YouTube by a user named Kaleb Sutra.

Social media followers who type the word "gay" are met with the following response : “Oops. Let’s pretend you didn’t just type that," the same as if followers had just typed in curse words, like "dick," "pussy," or "bitch."

Coca-Cola's association of "gay" with profanity comes on the heels of the proud Sochi Olympics sponsor trying to disassociate itself from the doomed marketing gimmicks of McDonald's, which launched a karmically-challenged social media campaign on Twitter with the hashtag #CheersToSochi in the face of a violent, seemingly government-sponsored crackdown against LGBT Russians following the passage of an anti-gay propaganda law last year.

• RELATED : Coke has gone into an Olympic-sized closet, downplaying its Sochi sponsorship (AMERICAblog)
• RELATED : U.S. Olympic Athletes Told Wearing Team Colors In Sochi Puts Them At Risk: Reports (Huffington Post)
• RELATED : New Activist Video Mocks Coca-Cola's "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" Over anti-LGBT Russian Sochi Olympics (NYC : News & Analysis)

That the tinge of censorship has now befallen Coca-Cola's latest social media campaign reveals the adverse advertising conditions the large sugary-drinks maker must confront in connection with this year's controversial Winter Olympics, set to take place in Sochi, a southern Russian coastal resort town across the Black Sea from Turkey. Russia's anti-gay law has sparked global outrage ahead of the Olympics, and many foolish corporations like Coca-Cola, which blindly paid large sums of money to sponsor the Sochi Olympics, must now account to their customers for the sponsorship of the games in a nation that is violently cracking down against its very own LGBT citizens.

Since last summer, Coca-Cola had become the target of protests based on its sponsorship decision, and last week one LGBT activism group released a brilliant YouTube video, mocking Coca-Cola's morally bankrupt brand for having once sponsored multi-cultural dignity and respect but which now supports Russia's violent anti-LGBT crackdown.

No word yet on how Coca-Cola's own Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally (LGBTA) Business Resource Group, or its other Diversity Advisory Councils, are able to reconcile the corporation's controversial sponsorship of the Sochi Olympics.

Is it time for Greenlight Capital to short some stock ?

These latest marketing setbacks add to Coca-Cola's growing problems. Last year, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a highly-visible attack on super-sized sugary drinks, seeking to ban the sale of high-calorie drinks as a way to fight obesity and obesity-related maladies, like diabetes and heart disease. A court blocked Mayor Bloomberg's ban on large sugary-drinks, but Mayor Bloomberg's successor has vowed to fight to restore the ban. Efforts to improve its corporate image have also proved to be problematic for Coca-Cola after the corporation faced allegations that it was depleting ground water and contributing to pollution in India. Coca-Cola's role in creating water shortages in India have led some local authorities to suggest last week that they would take actions to demolish a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Uttar Pradesh.

Coca-Cola is still recovering from the shocking 2009 documentary exposé, The Coca-Cola Case, of its labour violations in Colombia, Guatemala, and Turkey.

Similarly, the damage that McDonald's is doing to its own reputation following it's own deadly silence on the violent Russian LGBT crackdown comes at a time when the world's largest hamburger chain is losing customer loyalty and is facing an embarrassing sales slump. "We've lost some of our customer relevance," CEO Don Thompson told Wall Street analysts during a conference call this week.

Separately, it's unclear how much the credit card issuer VISA stands to lose, if anything, from the recent spree of credit card fraud impacting several large American retailers.

Is it time for Greenlight Capital to create a bespoke basket of Olympic sponsor equities, and then short it ?

Bill de Blasio's staff had role in determining City Council leadership posts

Mayor de Blasio violated checks-and-balances

Given to how much control Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to have over the City Council, like picking its new speaker, the mayor also wants to have a say in who would lead the various Council leadership posts.

And when Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced this week the new leadership posts for the City Council, her deputy, Councilmember Brad Lander, told reporters, “A lot of people were consulted." When pressed further by reporters about the role of the mayor's administration in selecting the new Council leadership posts, Councilmember Lander admitted that, “Yeah, I guess I did talk to members of the administration ...." (Bill de Blasio aides consulted on New York City Council committee assignments * Capital New York)

Mayor's staff had a hand in Council committee assignments http://t.co/B4gFFZQFPr via @Azi

— Kristen Meriwether (@MeriwetherK) January 23, 2014

• RELATED : Bill de Blasio, New York Liberals, and the Veal Pen (Updated)
• RELATED : The Advance Group Federal Complaint Referred To Moreland Commission

Mayor de Blasio's efforts to subvert the will of the City Council in determining its own leadership flies in the face of all the criticisms he hurled at his chief rival in last year's mayoral race. Previously, Mayor de Blasio had excoriated the former Council speaker, Christine Quinn, for serving as a rubber stamp for the former mayor, Michael Bloomberg.

But now, it seems, Mayor de Blasio is seeking from Speaker Mark-Viverito that which he formerly charged Mayor Bloomberg from seeking in Speaker Quinn : a doormat.

New Activist Video Mocks Coca-Cola's "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" Over anti-LGBT Russian Sochi Olympics

LGBT activism group Queer Nation NY release protest video attacking Coca-Cola's sponsorship of the anti-LGBT Russian Sochi Olympics

The pop culture touchstone that was once Coca-Cola's advertising jingle, ''I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)'' has been juxtaposed over snippets of video showing the violent anti-LGBT crackdown taking place right now in Vladamir Putin's Russia.

The irony of the disturbing images in this protest video is that this theme song originated from one of Coca-Cola's most effective advertising campaigns ever -- an advertising jingle, ''I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke (And Keep It Company),'' a little ditty of "hope and love sung by a multicultural collection of teenagers on the top of a hill" -- has been transformed to reveal how morally bankrupt Coca-Cola's brand really is.

• RELATED : After LGBT Twitter Bombs, Is Sochi Olympics Social Media Marketing Dead ?

If Coca-Cola cared about diversity and the respect and dignity that every person deserves, irrespective of how people may be "different," then Coca-Cola should fully address the violence now taking place in Russia since President Putin enacted legislation that bans the dissemination of so-called "gay propaganda."

Perhaps the LGBT community should begin protests outside of businesses that serve Coca-Cola and sing a new interpretation of "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke (And Keep It Company)," one whose lyrics more accurately reflect the disturbing images of violence and brutality in Queer Nation NY's new protest video.

After LGBT Twitter Bombs, Is Sochi Olympics Social Media Marketing Dead ?

#LGBT Advocates Hijack @McDonalds #CheersToSochi #SocialMedia Campaign. @bilericoproject: http://t.co/HrYRqW6gfH pic.twitter.com/JZ536iQnlC

— Queer Nation NY (@QueerNationNY) January 23, 2014

LGBT Activists Twitter Bomb McDonald's Olympic Hashtag Campaign Until McDonald's Apparently Gives Up.

The Sochi Olympics corporate sponsors, who have been coldly indifferent to President Vladimir Putin's violent crackdown on LGBT Russians, have become targets of online protests by LGBT activists.

Ever since the fastfood chain McDonald's announced a Twitter hashtag campaign around #CheersToSochi, LGBT activists have been reappropriating that hashtag for messages about McDonald's callous response to the ongoing state-sponsored violence and discrimination against LGBT Russians by their very own government.

• RELATED : LGBT Activists Hijack #CheersToSochi

LGBT activists have been challenging Olympic sponsors, like McDonald's, to break their silence around the violent crackdown against LGBT Russians. When multiple users coordinate tweets with the same hashtag on Twitter, it's called Twitter bombing, a term used to describe either activism or a form of guerrilla advertising, as a way to increase visibility about connotations surrounding a particular hashtag. In the case of McDonald's, activists were trying to convert the commercial aspect of McDonald's Twitter hashtag into a protest about cold, corporate callousness.

If u believe in equality & dignity of ur #LGBT employees, u would press Putin to repeal discrimination laws. @McDonalds #CheersToSochi

— LGBT Civil Rights (@lgbtcivilrights) January 21, 2014

• RELATED : Queer Nation NY Protests Outside NBC's The Today Show Over Olympic Coverage And Silence On Russian LGBT Crackdown

The effort of some LGBT activists to challenge McDonald's gained the attention of one prominent openly gay media figure, Michelangelo Signorile, who has been following the LGBT Twitter bombing.

Clarification: The hijacking of @McDonalds #CheersToSochi hashtag by #LGBT activists is fascinating. Seems @McDonalds has given up entirely.

— Mike Signorile (@MSignorile) January 23, 2014

After about three days of the Twitter bombing campaign, McDonald's has appeared to have ceased using #CheersToSochi on Twitter, leading LGBT activists to believe that the large fastfood giant had seen its online goodwill deteriorate beyond salvation.

How are any Olympic sponsors going to be able to promote their brands after the @McDonalds #CheersToSochi disaster? @CocaCola beware!

— Mike Signorile (@MSignorile) January 23, 2014

The damage that McDonald's is doing to its own reputation following it's deadly silence on the violent Russian LGBT crackdown comes at a time when the world's largest hamburger chain is losing customer loyalty and is facing an embarrassing sales slump. "We've lost some of our customer relevance," CEO Don Thompson told Wall Street analysts during a conference call this week.

• RELATED : Queer Nation NY protests against Russian LGBT discrimination enablers continue, this time at Carnegie Hall

Activists from around the world are questioning why the media and people in the media are refusing to acknowledge the human rights abuses taking place against LGBT's in Russia. Last year, the French pop superstar Mylène Farmer was in Russia when anti-LGBT violence broke out in Saint-Pétersbourg. Ms. Farmer, who enjoys a huge LGBT fan base, remained mum about each of the violent attack and the over-all crackdown that claims as victims her very own LGBT Russian fan base.

• RELATED : London gay rights protest over Coca-Cola Sochi sponsorship
• RELATED : If Mylène Farmer were a real gay icon, she would denounce the Russian government's violent crackdown against LGBT community

LGBT activists have also been targeting special NBC Olympics commentator Johnny Weir, the former figure skater. Mr. Weir has been using many media appearances to deny that the violent LGBT crackdown is taking place in Russia -- leading activists to label Mr. Weir as a "Putin apologist."

Putin apologist, Sochi 2014 Winter Games shill, Comrade Johnny Weir wants you to know you hurt his feelings. http://t.co/FTNOTKTGuT

— LGBT For Change (@lgbt4change) January 16, 2014

The Advance Group Federal Complaint Referred To Moreland Commission

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SPECIAL NEWS UPDATE: FRI, 25 APR 2014, 09:50 AM

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)

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Were Possible Coordination of Independent Expenditures and Free Gifts of Lobbying Services Violations of Federal Laws ? Will the Moreland Commission Investigate Possible Campaign Corruption ?

The Civilian Crime Report filed yesterday with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York was forwarded today to certain members of the Moreland Commission. As the Moreland Commission continues its work to investigate public corruption, will it examine The Advance Group's role in the recent past New York City municipal elections ?

2014-01-22 Gmail - Referral to Moreland Commission : The Advance Group

• RELATED : A federal complaint has been filed against The Advance Group, which charges that the consulting firm broke laws through the way it supported and allowed its employees to support candidates during the last election season, Politicker writes. (Complaint Filed Against The Advance Group for Election Work * Politicker)
• RELATED : First Read 22 Jan 2014 (City & State)
• RELATED : Here and Now : State of Politics (Capital Tonight)

2014-01-20 the Advance Group USAO SDNY Civilian Crime Report

• RELATED : The Advance Group Kept Working on Melissa Mark-Viverito's Speakership Campaign Until the Very End

• RELATED : The Growing, Corruptive Role of Money and Lobbyists In NYC Politics Contravenes Progressive Values

Prior to the backroom deals that selected Melisa Mark-Viverito as the new Council speaker, she had accepted unpaid assistance from The Advance Group, a prominent lobbying firm headed by Scott Levenson, the news Web site Politicker reported. (The Advance Group Helping Melissa Mark-Viverito in Speaker’s Race * Politicker) After controversy erupted over Ms. Mark-Viverito's receipt of unpaid assistance from The Advance Group (City Council Speaker candidate Melissa Mark-Viverito may have violated city ethics rules * The New York Daily News), Ms. Mark-Viverito deceptively announced that she fired the The Advance Group. (Melissa Mark-Viverito Drops Advance Group for Speaker Bid * Politicker) However, Jonathan Yedin, an operative with The Advance Group, has been working in Brooklyn Democratic Party politics for more than a decade and belongs to Frank Seddio’s political club. Mr. Yedin was a crucial player in brokering the backroom deal with Mr. Seddio to give Ms. Mark-Viverito the win in her bid to become the next Council speaker, sources said. (Inside Melissa Mark-Viverito’s Road to Victory * Politicker) But The Advance Group was never paid for their work, according to New York State Board of Elections campaign finance disclosure records, raising the specter anew that Ms. Mark-Viverito was in violation of prohibitions on publicly-elected officials from accepting a “valuable gift” from a firm that intends to do business with the city, according to an analysis by The New York Daily News of the City Charter regulations, which include prohibitions on lobbyists from giving valuable gifts to publicly-elected officials.

The Advance Group, which is providing unpaid consultants to Mark-Viverito, 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 * NY Pop Culture & Politics)

Remember Rev. Dr. King's measure of a man

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at moments of challenge and controversy," said the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Advance Group Kept Working on Melissa Mark-Viverito's Speakership Campaign Until the Very End

Prior to the backroom deals that selected Melisa Mark-Viverito as the new Council speaker, she had accepted unpaid assistance from The Advance Group, a prominent lobbying firm headed by Scott Levenson, the news Web site Politicker reported. (The Advance Group Helping Melissa Mark-Viverito in Speaker’s Race * Politicker) After controversy erupted over Ms. Mark-Viverito's receipt of unpaid assistance from The Advance Group (City Council Speaker candidate Melissa Mark-Viverito may have violated city ethics rules * The New York Daily News), Ms. Mark-Viverito deceptively announced that she fired the The Advance Group. (Melissa Mark-Viverito Drops Advance Group for Speaker Bid * Politicker) However, Jonathan Yedin, an operative with The Advance Group, has been working in Brooklyn Democratic Party politics for more than a decade and belongs to Frank Seddio’s political club. Mr. Yedin was a crucial player in brokering the backroom deal with Mr. Seddio to give Ms. Mark-Viverito the win in her bid to become the next Council speaker, sources said. (Inside Melissa Mark-Viverito’s Road to Victory * Politicker) But The Advance Group was never paid for their work, according to New York State Board of Elections campaign finance disclosure records, raising the specter anew that Ms. Mark-Viverito was in violation of prohibitions on publicly-elected officials from accepting a “valuable gift” from a firm that intends to do business with the city, according to an analysis by The New York Daily News of the City Charter regulations, which include prohibitions on lobbyists from giving valuable gifts to publicly-elected officials.

2014-01-15 Melissa Mark-Viverito NYS Board of Election Campaign Finance Disclosure Expenditures

Councilmembers Criticize Speaker, Mayor Over Lack of Transparency On Paid Sick Day Deal

This is the tricky part, and it shouldn't even have to be "tricky" to understand : people vote for Councilmembers for their own, respective Council district, and however compromised that elections are by the corruptive role of money and lobbyists, those Councilmembers become disempowered when things get rammed through City Council based on an agenda that solely politically-expedient for the leadership. How is this any different from what Speaker Quinn did, other than she did it to appease Mayor Bloomberg, whereas Speaker Mark-Viverito does it to appease Mayor de Blasio ? What of all the other Councilmembers ? Don't they matter to the democratic, deliberative process of the Council ? What of their constituents ?

I whole-heartedly support expanding paid sick leave, but, shit, how are these machinations meant to empower people, who had been shut out of the Council legislation process under Speaker Quinn ? RELATED --> Bill de Blasio, New York Liberals, and the Veal Pen (Updated) Several New York City Council members, including supporters of Mark-Viverito, were not consulted about the expansion of paid sick leave legislation until late last night after it had been reported, Politicker writes.

Queer Nation NY Protests Outside NBC's The Today Show Over Olympic Coverage And Silence On Russian LGBT Crackdown

Members of the LGBT direct action group, Queer Nation NY, protested at the exterior set used by NBC's The Today Show on Rockefeller Plaza. Activists unfurled a huge banner and heckled The Today Show co-host Matt Lauer over the network's controversial one-sided reportage of Russia in the time leading up to the Winter Olympics in Sotchi. LGBT protesters demand that the network fully report about the violent crackdown against Russian LGBT's ordered by the dictatorial leader, Vladamir Putin.

In a statement posted on Facebook, an online administration of Queer Nation NY communicated :

Post by Queer Nation NY.

RELATED : Queer Nation NY protests against Russian LGBT discrimination enablers continue, this time at Carnegie Hall

Activists from around the world are questioning why the media and people in the media are refusing to acknowledge the human rights abuses taking place against LGBT's in Russia. Last year, the French pop superstar Mylène Farmer was in Russia when anti-LGBT violence broke out in Saint-Pétersbourg. Ms. Farmer, who enjoys a huge LGBT fan base, remained mum about each of the violent attack and the over-all crackdown that claims as victims her very own LGBT Russian fan base.

RELATED : London gay rights protest over Coca-Cola Sochi sponsorship

RELATED : If Mylène Farmer were a real gay icon, she would denounce the Russian government's violent crackdown against LGBT community

LGBT activists have also been targeting special NBC Olympics commentator Johnny Weir, the former figure skater. Mr. Weir has been using many media appearances to deny that the violent LGBT crackdown is taking place in Russia -- leading activists to label Mr. Weir as a "Putin apologist."

Putin apologist, Sochi 2014 Winter Games shill, Comrade Johnny Weir wants you to know you hurt his feelings. http://t.co/FTNOTKTGuT

— LGBT For Change (@lgbt4change) January 16, 2014

The Growing, Corruptive Role of Money and Lobbyists In NYC Politics Contravenes Progressive Values

• RELATED : Melissa Mark-Viverito Lobbyist Firm Never Quit, Continued Lobbying Despite Investigations (NYC : News & Analsyis)
• RELATED : Proposed NYS public matching dollars at risk of being gamed, just like with ''model'' NYC campaign finance system (NYC : News & Analsyis)

The lobbyists, big businesses, and special interests that game the broken political system do not want reforms of campaign finance law.

The 2013 municipal elections in New York City were the first time that Citizens United brought the corruptive use of Super PAC money into local elections here, and the top lobbying firms, which double as campaign consultants, used the scourge of independent expenditures as a backdoor to funnel millions of dollars through Super PAC's. This corruptive use of money has never been fully investigated, excepting for a series of articles in Crain's about the shady double-dipping by one lobbying firm, The Advance Group. (Scott Levenson NY-CLASS ABQ WFP Timeline to Benefit Bill de Blasio ?) The serious questions into The Advance group's shady dealings will go uninvestigated, because the city's Campaign Finance Board now answers to the mayor and the Council speaker, who have close ties to The Advance Group. The shady embrace of Super PAC's in New York City politics is joined in murky darkness by the shameless role of lobbyists in determining leadership posts in the new de Blasio-Mark-Viverito administration.

NYC Council Speaker Race Campaign Finance Controversies (2013)

The corruptive role of money and lobbyists continues to erode away at transparency and democracy in New York City municipal politics, or whatever is left of it.

• RELATED : Were possible coordination of independent expenditures and free gifts of lobbying services between The Advance Group, NYCLASS, the de Blasio mayoral campaign, and Councilmember Mark-Viverito's speakership race violations of federal laws ? Will the Moreland Commission investigate possible campaign corruption ? (The Advance Group Federal Complaint Referred To Moreland Commission * NYC : News & Analysis)
• RELATED : Escalating Corruptive Influence of Money in NYC Politics, But No Public Advocacy (Updated)

New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito raised more than $100,000 after her election, and spent nearly $80,000 on consultants and donations to other political groups in her bid to become Speaker. (Mark-Viverito spent big on speaker race * Crain’s) One of the city’s biggest lobbyists, Vito Pitta, quietly assisted Ms. Mark-Viverito in her campaign for City Council speaker -- putting him in a prime position with his clients now that she has been selected. (Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito Got Help From Top Lobbying Firm * The New York Daily News)

Prior to the backroom deals that selected Melisa Mark-Viverito as the new Council speaker, she had accepted unpaid assistance from The Advance Group, a prominent lobbying firm headed by Scott Levenson, the news Web site Politicker reported. (The Advance Group Helping Melissa Mark-Viverito in Speaker’s Race * Politicker) After controversy erupted over Ms. Mark-Viverito's receipt of unpaid assistance from The Advance Group (City Council Speaker candidate Melissa Mark-Viverito may have violated city ethics rules * The New York Daily News), Ms. Mark-Viverito deceptively announced that she fired the The Advance Group. (Melissa Mark-Viverito Drops Advance Group for Speaker Bid * Politicker) However, Jonathan Yedin, an operative with The Advance Group, has been working in Brooklyn Democratic Party politics for more than a decade and belongs to Frank Seddio’s political club. Mr. Yedin was a crucial player in brokering the backroom deal with Mr. Seddio to give Ms. Mark-Viverito the win in her bid to become the next Council speaker, sources said. (Inside Melissa Mark-Viverito’s Road to Victory * Politicker) But The Advance Group was never paid for their work, according to New York State Board of Elections campaign finance disclosure records, raising the specter anew that Ms. Mark-Viverito was in violation of prohibitions on publicly-elected officials from accepting a “valuable gift” from a firm that intends to do business with the city, according to an analysis by The New York Daily News of the City Charter regulations, which include prohibitions on lobbyists from giving valuable gifts to publicly-elected officials.

"Under city election rules, Ms. Mark-Viverito was not allowed to spend money from her 2013 campaign account for the speaker race. She was also not allowed to spend money from a 'transition committee' meant to pay only for inauguration activities. And she was likewise not allowed to yet set up a new 2017 campaign committee with the city Campaign Finance Board. ¶ Instead, on Nov. 5, she set up a 2017 campaign committee for an as-to-be-determined city office, according to the state Board of Elections, and then spent on the speaker race," reported Crain's.

When will good government groups and the media finally admit that the impotent New York City Campaign Finance Board turns it head away from the way campaign consultants and lobbyists have made Swiss cheese of campaign finance regulations ?

Broken political system doesn't want do-nothing @NYCCFB to keep up with role of money/lobbyists/Super PACs in elections. @ChrisBragg1

— Louis Flores (@maslowsneeds) January 16, 2014

To add insult to injury, several lobbyists, who helped Ms. Mark-Viverito in her successful bid to become Council Speaker, are now aiding her in deciding committee assignments and who the Council should hire. (Lobbyists aid Mark-Viverito transition * Crain's)

Alison Hirsh, the political director of the building service workers union 32BJ, Brooklyn Councilman Brad Lander, the co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, and Jon Del Giorno, a founding member of the lobbying firm Pitta Bishop Del Giorno and Giblin, are exerting behind-the-scenes influence in backroom meetings to determine the makeup of the Council leadership positions that will report to Speaker Mark-Viverito. Left unmentioned was Scott Levenson, whose lobbying firm, The Advance Group, kept working behind-the-scenes for Ms. Mark-Viverito, in spite of some press reports that his firm had been fired. A controversial political operative, Mr. Levenson gave contradictory statements to the press last year about his campaign consulting work to defeat LGBT political candidates.

Mayor Bill de Blasio established the political culture of allowing lobbyists to have a say in how the municipal government would work since his election. Mayor de Blasio named "Carl Weisbrod, a registered lobbyist, as co-chair of the mayor's transition committee," Crain's reported.

The role of lobbyists, big business, and special interests will likely continue unchecked by good government groups, co-opted reformers, and the lazy media when Mayor de Blasio and several of his top administration officials are expected to attend the Real Estate Board of New York’s annual gala. (Mayor de Blasio to party with real estate * Crain's)

"In addition to the mayor, Police Commissioner William Bratton is expected to attend, along with other top de Blasio appointees, including Tony Shorris, de Blasio's first deputy mayor; Emma Wolf, the director of intergovernmental affairs; and Alicia Glen, the deputy mayor for housing and economic development. Kyle Kimball, president of the Economic Development Corp., who Mr. de Blasio recently renamed to that position, is also likely to be at the event, sources said. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer will likely attend as well," Crain's reported.

Letters to U.S. Senators, requesting assistance in Lt. Daniel Choi's FOIA Request

Today, I sent a letter to Senators John Cornyn and Al Franken regarding their investigation into the conduct of the U.S. Attorney's Office in the government's aggressive prosecution of the late Internet activist, Aaron Swartz. I mentioned the pending Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that is pending in the government's vindictive prosecution case against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal hero, Lt. Daniel Choi. I asked the Hon. Senators if there was a way that we could work together on these matters.

2014-01-15 Lt Daniel Choi FOIA Request - Senator John Cornyn - Al Franken (Fax and Confirmation)

Separately, I sent another letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, asking him for his support on these matters.

2014-01-15 Lt Daniel Choi FOIA Request - Senator Harry Reid (Fax and Confirmation)

If I receive any responses, I'll provide another update.

Daily News Editorial Calls For End of Speaker Mark-Viverito's Slush Fund

Even though many politicians have been arrested and gone to jail for fraud, bribes, and other federal corruption charges, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito still wants to keep the practise of doling out slush funds.

The Editorial Board of The New York Daily News has pressed Mayor Bill de Blasio to use "his mayoral powers to abolish the Council practice of dividing up some $400 million annually in so-called member items. He has the authority. He must use it, simply to be true to his word," adding that Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito has no intention of closing down the slush fund, "No surprise, Quinn, and now Mark-Viverito, love the power that comes with dispensing member items."

Mayor de Blasio already kicked sand in the eyes of the Editorial Board of The Daily News over his support of Ms. Mark-Viverito's scandal-plagued speakership campaign.

Will he dare defy The Daily News on the lingering slush fund scandal ?

NYTimes Public Editor to People of Color : Drop Dead

Request to discuss concerns about the Bratton appointment to head the NYPD is denied.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: nytimes, public
Date: Mon, Jan 13, 2014 at 4:20 PM
Subject: Re: Bill de Blasio // How’s He Doing ?
To: Louis Flores

Dear Mr. Flores,

Thanks so much for taking the time to write. While we very much appreciate your concern, and are keeping a close eye on early coverage of Mr. De Blasio's days at the helm, the volume of requests of this nature that we receive is simply too great for the public editor to honor each one. Given the seriousness of the issues that you bring up, there is certainly a possibility that they could help illuminate themes and issues that may well make a good subject for a future column. Thanks again for writing, and for caring about what's published in The Times. Feedback from readers like yourself is essential and I'll keep your email in mind when reading evaluations of Mr. De Blasio's tenure.

Best,
Jonah Bromwich
Office of the Public Editor
The New York Times

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Louis Flores
Date: Mon, Jan 13, 2014 at 4:07 PM
Subject: Bill de Blasio // How’s He Doing ?
To: public@nytimes.com

Dear Ms. Sullivan :

On the Web site today, The New York Times gave a brief assessment of Mayor de Blasio's administration, thus far :

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/13/new-york-today-hows-he-doing/

• Over all, Mr. Grynbaum said, things have gone relatively smoothly for the mayor – “with the notable exception of his pizza faux pas on Friday.” (Mr. de Blasio’s regular-guy image took a global hit when he ate pizza with a fork.)

How can this be a fair assessment ? Many activists have issues with the new mayor, not the least of which center around the appointment of William Bratton as NYPD commissioner ?

(I have my own serious questions regarding campaign finance and the role of lobbyists in the campaigns and transition, but I'm contacting you on behalf of some of my activist friends, who are more focused on police reform.)

Some of my activism friends have issues with the fact that their concerns are not being fairly represented in The NYTimes. Is it possible to have a phone call or to Skype with you, so we can share some of these concerns ?

In the past, I've protested outside The NYTimes when we thought there was a media bias in the paper. But this time now, I (personally) would like to see if we can have a more productive relationship if we started out with a discussion.

Please let me know if we could speak. If you agree, I'd like to invite a couple of activist friends to participate on my end, so that you can hear directly for the people.

Thank you kindly for your consideration.

Best regards,
-- Louis

Louis Flores
1 (646) 400-1168
lflores22@gmail.com

Escalating Corruptive Influence of Money in NYC Politics, But No Public Advocacy (Updated)

On the same day when Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson was convicted on federal corruption charges of trading his office for money come new reports that public officials flout campaign finance and ethics regulations. The question everybody keeps asking : where are the good government groups and the public advocate ?

• RELATED : Bill de Blasio, New York Liberals, and the Veal Pen

Common Cause/NY, a "good government" group dedicated to fighting the "excessive influence of money on government policy and elections" is silent on the campaign finance questions engulfing Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and Councilmember Margaret Chin

Susan Lerner, who heads Common Cause/NY, has been missing in action (MIA) as the press increasingly report serious questions about the political fundraising and electioneering payments in the recent past municipal election cycle.

Some of Mayor de Blasio's campaign contributors exploited loopholes, allowing them to make donations that were double or triple the legal limit, The New York Daily News reported. Last week, muckraking reporter Jill Colvin of Politicker reported that many of Mayor de Blasio's transition campaign donors have business before the city, creating a potential conflict of interest.

During her controversial post-election campaigning for the Council speakership, Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito openly flouted campaign finance and city ethics regulations. Indeed, her primary speakership campaign consulting firm, The Advance Group, had triggered its own campaign finance investigation. Further, both the mayor and the Council speaker both benefitted from their relationship to Scott Levenson, the head of The Advance Group, even though he was tied to fundraising controversy when he administered a $1 million Super PAC. Left unexplained is how Speaker Mark-Viverito, a leader of the Council's Progressive Caucus, can reconcile her close association with The Advance Group in spite of its scandalous anti-LGBT campaign work.

Another member of the Progressive Caucus is Councilmember Margaret Chin, who exploited campaign finance laws to pay some campaign workers bonuses in contravention to regulations.

Though all these, and other violations of campaign finance and city ethics regulations are playing out publicly in the press, not once has Ms. Lerner challenged the new city officials.

Public Advocate Tish James, who is a publicly-elected government watchdog, is also eerily silent, even though she promised to hold the de Blasio administration accountable to ethics.

Joining Ms. Lerner in MIA status is the city's public advocate, Tish James. Both share similar motivations to bring transparency and accountability to government, but both are asleep at the switch.

We most recently heard from Ms. Lerner, when she was opposing Speaker Mark-Viverito's challenger, Councilmember Daniel Garodnick. Perhaps Ms. Lerner only plays favorites ?

As for the new public advocate, at a debate last September she said that although she supported Mayor de Blasio, she would remain an independent watchdog. But what explains why Ms. James has been silent on all these campaign finance and ethics violations ?

The problem of the outsized influence of money and lobbyists in politics is, of course, larger than just the corruption it introduces into municipal elections. The corruptive influence of money has been shown to exist on the state level with Assemblyman Stevenson's conviction, and on the federal level, too, with, for example, the arrest of Diana Durand on election fraud charges for "using straw donors to exceed campaign contribution limits" to Rep. Michael Grimm’s 2010 campaign, The New York Post reported.

The questionable role of an Obama administration official, leading to a complaint of ethics violations.

Patrick Gaspard, the United States Ambassador to South Africa, allegedly violated federal law, according to a report in The New York Post. The law forbids government workers from "engaging in partisan activity by promoting pal Bill de Blasio’s mayoral campaign, an ethics complaint claims," The NYPost reported, adding, "The complaint, filed by Republican activist O’Brien Murray, cited media reports that Gaspard, President Obama’s former political director, helped pull strings from South Africa to aid de Blasio’s campaign." The report also includes references to actions taken by Mr. Gaspard to electioneer the successful speakership campaign of Mayor de Blasio's chief Council ally, Ms. Mark-Viverito. See, also, Patrick Gaspard, ambassador to South Africa, helped de Blasio campaign: Joe Lhota aide : Republican operative O’Brien Murray complains that the envoy violated the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that bans most government officials from partisan political activity (The New York Daily News)

The complaint against Mr. Gaspard will be reviewed by federal authorites. "Complaints about possible violations of the Hatch Act are handled by the federal Office of Special Counsel," The New York Daily News reported. It's uncertain how truly independent the Office of Special Counsel will be in reviewing allegations of wrongdoing against Mr. Gaspard, who is the former White House political director. Locally, the complaints about violations of municipal campaign finance and ethics violations may prove to invoke conflicts of interests. A major concern raised about the illicit campaign finance activities of Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Mark-Viverito, and Councilmember Chin is that the mayor and the speaker both oversee the Campaign Finance Board, the municipal body responsible for investigating allegations of campaign corruption. Separately, the mayor himself oversees the Department of Investigation, the city agency that would investigate allegations of ethics violations. The Conflicts of Interests Board also answers to the mayor. The way the government is set up, there is no way for city officials to hold the mayor, the Council speaker, and other councilmembers accountable if good government groups and the public advocate abdicate their government watchdog role, which appears to be what they have already decided to do.

That only leaves the press and possibly federal corruption prosecutors to keep City Hall and City Council accountable.

François Hollande Only Has Himself To Blame For Not Having A Private Life

What Private Life ? François Hollande, the N.S.A., and Article 13.

The magazine, Closer, reported last week that the French president, François Hollande, in having an affair with the access, Julie Gayet. The fallout provoked by the revelations have been instantly scandalous for two reasons.

First, the French president is normally accorded a large zone of privacy. In the past, other presidents have had lovers, and even fathered children out of wedlock, but the press never reported these truths.

Second, François Hollande reacted in anger. He demanded that the press respect his personal zone of privacy. But the president is a hypocrite, because the French national government just enacted a controversial new law, Article 13, that allows the Ministry of Economy and Finances to spy on French citizens. When the French president says that he has a private life, I want to know, "What private life ?" The president only has himself to blame for not having a private life. Here's how : He's done nothing to stop the N.S.A. spy program or the passage of Article 13.

Ordinairily, France has privacy laws that should be respected, but the United States violates these laws as a consequence of its N.S.A. spy program, and France itself collaborates with the N.S.A., in violation of its own laws.

If the president wants that his private life be respected anew, then he should be fighting on behalf of everybody to have a private life. If the president does nothing on others' behalf, how soon before the good French people should expect that the Ministry of Economy and Finances, given their new spy powers, will disclose "selfies" of the president ?