Seats for sale! Get your red-hot federal seats heah! A

former Republican and buddy of Bush (who nearly got the appointment of Manufacturing Czar in this adminstration) who decided it’d be easier to buy the Senate seat being vacated by Hagel as a Democrat than a Republican. So that’s what he’s doing.

The New Nebraska Network puts it this way:

One campaign has the grassroots. One campaign has the organization. One campaign has the excitement level to take on Mike Johanns.

And one campaign has a checkbook.

Change the names to New York, Jack Davis, and Jon Powers, and you’re describing the NY-26 race.

This is worth watching

3 DPW workers were suspended for allegedly diverting tax-payer raw materials to a private establishment.

Three town public works employees have been suspended, and an investigation into possible misconduct is taking place, but few other details were available early this week.

The affair seems to involve the alleged diverting of taxpayer-paid raw materials to a private location.

Apparently it has been going on for a while

“While I cannot delve into details, as this is an ongoing investigation, I can tell you that it appears that, for over a decade, a few DPW employees have provided raw materials to a private establishment, free of charge,” Heyman said in Friday’s prepared statement. “Not only is this an abuse of their position as public employees, it is a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars.”

Heyman declined to comment on where the inappropriate activities were taking place and said that to her knowledge, no town equipment was used.

Anyone know what is alleged?

I’d like to know what these folks were supposedly stealing. Where it was going. Sounds like a can 0f worms waiting to be opened. Nice to see Democratic Town Supervisor Mary Ellen Heyman playing an active role here protecting tax payer assets.

Update

New10NBC has more

Apparently it was the Irondequoit Bay Fish and Game Club

At the Irondequoit Bay Fish and Game Club, the entrance to the private club is freshly mulched. In the parking lot, there appears to be a fresh layer of gravel. The sprucing up of the club was apparently done at the expense of Irondequoit taxpayers.

(I never noticed before that the word, “analyze”, has the word, “anal” in it. Just an aside.)

Hillary-Barack, Barack-Hillary…What are the issues here? There really are none, unless you count their stands on the suspension of the “gas tax” as a major issue, because, other than that, their stances are very similar, which would explain why a culture war between the two is driving these supporters (especially in the Hillary camp) to become fanatical in the defense of their candidates.

Matt Taibbi addresses this in “Hillary’s Bitter Victory” from this week’s Rolling Stone.

Hillary made herself the champion of everything stylistically ordinary, superficially unimpressive and ignored. And while her opponent won all the attention and admiration, all the teen-idol gushings of the beautiful people, she went for something deeper — resentment at the lack of those same things. She took an opponent who was relentless in his attempts to remain genial, positive and unifying, and managed to turn him into a divisive villain, a symbol representing every oversexed winner who ever had it too easy at the pimply kid’s expense. It’s brilliant strategy, and it’s working so well that Hillary now has her crowds hurling catcalls at the mere mention of anything Obama. Moreover, she’s inspired such profound loyalty that her supporters no longer give a shit at all how they win, as long as they do. Like O.J. apologists who became overnight skeptics of DNA evidence, Clinton backers don’t see anything wrong with winning the nomination through a brokered convention, despite being behind in the popular vote and the delegate count.

Hillary has become the champion of every young girl, middle aged woman and grandmotherly type who has ever been wronged by a man (or the man). While Obama, on the other hand has made this mistake:

the Obama camp was so busy stewing over Bill Clinton’s comparison of Obama’s South Carolina win to Jesse Jackson’s and worrying about being painted as a “black candidate” that they forgot to worry about being painted as something even worse, in American political terms: the candidate of liberal intellectuals.

Taibbi ends with this sad summary which, contrary to what Exile wrote this morning, makes me fear for the reality that might greet us in November.

The result has been an epic clash, a war of cultural types that has nothing whatsoever to do with issues and everything to do with self-image. It’s become a pitched fight between the f***ed-over suburban little guy and the vilified intellectual, two groups that for years have felt put upon and dispossessed, for different reasons. The fact that their respective champions are identical superstar U.S. senators/multimillionaires makes the bitter hatred this schism is inspiring absurd, but it doesn’t make it any less real. Or likely to end anytime soon.

Now, I have a preference for who wins the nomination, but I will work my ass off for whoever gets the nod. I know, personally, several people who will stay home if their candidate is not nominated. I fear this headline on November 5th, Hillary (Obama) supporters stay home, McSame Wins Presidency.

It’s official! The appellate court’s decision stands in New York State. Read it and weep, oh Maggie of the Very Closed Mind:

Today, New York’s highest court handed down a victory for many gay and lesbian couples throughout the state by letting stand an appellate court’s groundbreaking ruling that recognized same-sex couples’ valid out-of-state marriages.

“Today’s decision represents another step in the ongoing fight for human rights,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “Each time a gay or lesbian couple’s marriage is recognized, it is a victory for familes and for fairness in New York State.”

[snip]

The case raised the issue of whether the longstanding “marriage recognition rule,” which requires New York State to recognize marriages that were solemnized outside the state, applies to gay and lesbian couples’ valid marriages. The court held that it does and that Martinez and Golden’s valid Canadian marriage at issue in the case is entitled to recognition.

“If a marriage is valid in the state or country in which the marriage took place, New York law generally requires the recognition of that marriage,” said Arthur Eisenberg, the NYCLU’s legal director. “This case involved a straightforward application of that principle.”

I believe congratulations are in order here:

And here:

And to many others, whose pictures I did not, regrettably, get.  So, was that bus trip to Albany worth it, everybody?  I think so.  We’ve already had a party, but that’s no reason not to celebrate again.

City News has the details (not the D&C as of 2:36)

Monroe County officials have lost their appeal of an appellate court’s decision recognizing the out-of-state marriage of a lesbian couple. The ruling by New York’s highest court upheld the lower court’s unanimous decision, and represents a significant victory for gay and lesbian couples throughout the state.

Glad to see the rule of law still works in Monroe County now that Maggie is 0 for 2 (the supposed FAIR plan being the other loss). I wonder what else Maggie will complain about now.

More later

WOW. Ladkiddo’s hit is on the head earlier about the kid gloves with which the media treats John McCain.

I wonder if we will hear this anywhere. From the Chicago Tribune via Rawstory

Last November, McCain went on his radio show. Liddy greeted him as “an old friend,” and McCain sounded like one. “I’m proud of you, I’m proud of your family,” he gushed. “It’s always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great.”

Yeah, I know, Chicago Tribune, Chicago is in Illinois, Obama is from Illinois. Bunk I Say.

Subverting the constitution, calling for head shots of Federal Agents as they approach is not something to be taken lightly. Remorse? Nope.

Liddy was in the thick of the biggest political scandal in American history—and one of the greatest threats to the rule of law. He has said he has no regrets about what he did, insisting that he went to jail as “a prisoner of war.”

Read the whole thing, then ask yourself just how hypocritical is John McCain?

Well, if you are the Monroe County Water Authority, you would go 12 miles. What does 12 miles look like from Water Authority Headquarters at 475 Norris Drive.

As we said before, the justification by the Monroe County Water Authority really doesn’t hold water. Dirt was trucked 12 miles to a Water Authority Engineer’s private residence. How far is 12 miles from 475 Norris Drive - Water Authority Headquarters complete with big pile of dirt in back of the property?

Looks like 12 miles covers most of Monroe County.

I mean, if it was good enough for a county employee to violate county policy using surplus county property - imagine all the places for dirt 12 miles from Norris Drive.

I had wanted to be a part of this trip, but new responsibilities as a full-time employee have put a crimp in my activism. Thanks to Anne and Bess for this great synopsis, complete with pictures:

LGBT Equality and Justice Day April 29, 2008

On Tuesday, April 29, at the ungodly hour of 5am, 4 busloads of Rochesterians headed for the state capitol in Albany. There we joined 2000 citizens from around the state to lobby our elected officials for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) civil rights.

My spouse Bess Watts and & I are veterans of LGBT Equality & Justice Day, an annual event organized by Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) since 2004. We get lassoed into being “bus captains” and “meeting facilitators” by Todd Plank, the unofficial “gay mayor of Rochester” whose formal title is Western New York Field Organizer for ESPA. We gladly help because these trips have been life-changing for us as individuals and each year touch others similarly.

It is a long day of rallies, caucuses and legislative visits with state assembly members and senators discussing issues of significance to LGBT people and families. The focus this year was 3 pieces of pending legislation described by ESPA as:

• Marriage and family equality. All loving, committed couples and their children need equal access to the literally 1,324 state rights and responsibilities that come with MARRIAGE (A.8590 / S.5884), including being able to make health care decisions for each other, inherit property, be eligible for public benefits including Workers Compensation death benefits, access Family Court for protection from domestic violence and jointly adopt children.

• Safe Schools for LGBT youth The DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT (A.3496 / S.1571) will prohibit New York’s public schools bias harassment and bullying based on traits including race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Ten other states and scores of local New York school districts have already passed similar policies.

• Protection from transgender discrimination. The GENDER EXPRESSION NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT (GENDA) (A.6584a / S.3753a) will prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression in employment, housing, credit, education and public accommodations. New York needs to do what thirteen other states, 150 Fortune 500 companies and New York localities representing half the state’s population have already done and pass the basic civil rights measure to protect transgender New Yorkers from unfair discrimination.

On our bus (the church bus), were many first time lobbyists never before active in the political process. One was Lance Neve, the young man who was beaten unconscious in a hate crime in Spencerport recently. His passionate concern about bullying and harassment towards gay kids in schools has real credibility.

Our friend Sue, from Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church, came to lobby for marriage equality for same sex couples. She and her partner Judy will soon be forced to move to England, as Judy’s student visa is expiring. Unlike heterosexual couples who can marry and get preferred immigration status for their partners, same-sex couples have no safeguards for their relationships.

Steve, a married straight ally was also on the bus, motivated by the inclusive social justice ministry espoused by Lake Avenue Baptist Church. Obviously their congregants actively touch the world with their faith and convictions.

Ally, an eloquent transgender woman, generously shared personal stories of her life and coming out experiences to expand our understanding of gender identity and expression. It turns out that we are all just people…

Half our bus riders were first time lobbyists and on the return trip their empowerment was palpable. They had stories to tell and were strategizing plans for next actions. They had just made the jump from thinking about social justice to creating it. It made me smile.

Anne Tischer

We wrote about a News10 NBC story where a Engineer at the Water Authority received truck loads of free fill dirt. The county Water Authority delivered the fill and spread it around. The program of giving away dirt was not previously advertised. Upon the breaking of the story, Water Authority management went into full damage control. Brighton Legislator Travis Heider requested additional information from the Water Authority. Now, Jill Tierreri has an article in the D&C this morning about this. Here are some article grafs in context. Frankly, I’m not convinced the Water Authority responses hold water let alone wash this stain off of a tarnished managerial reputation.

The Water Authority supported by Deputy County Executive James Smith argues that it is saving the rate payer money and it saved the rate payers money because they dumped this dirt at their employee’s private residence. Trouble is they play loose with numbers and loose with reality. They say

If the authority dumped all of the dirt it removes from the ground into a landfill over a year, it would fill 2,200 dump trucks and cost about $990,000, he said, adding that the dirt shouldn’t be placed in a landfill, where space is scarce, if possible.

Can they provide the details of how much actually goes into a landfill? What we have here is a false linkage to supposed cost avoidance because it doesn’t go to a landfill. I mean if the process is to landfill “the spoils” then I’m sure there would be a budget item for landfilling the spoils. Is there? Doubt it. Here is what happens:

The authority calls the public works department of the municipality in which it is working to see if there is any place where the town or village needs the dirt. If there isn’t a place to dump it, it gets trucked back to Authority’s headquarters on Norris Drive.

So, no landfill option, no landfill argument. Now that the distraction is out of the way.

The county has a policy that prohibits employees from taking home surplus equipment, whether it’s a typewriter or dirt.

Got that? There is a County policy. So this is about following the rules - Nothing else. Monroe County Authority Employees are County Employees. So, who was the employee and what is Monroe County Water Authority Management doing about it? I’m guessing this isn’t some rogue employee - management knew as well.

Again, for the record, the reason this is wrong is because it seems the County Employees received an unfair advantage over the public. Free fill dirt, special considerations, free equipment usage - all paid by rate payers for a program that the public was unaware existed.

Bigboy noted the State DOT dumped several loads of dirt at their private residence. I have no problem with that. That was a 1/4 mile trip from the work site to a private residence. The Water Authority was moving several truck loads of dirt 12 or 13 miles. That is a special arrangement - an unfair special arrangement.

But the good news for the public is that the Water Authority changed its web site and published a phone number for people to get free dirt. Of course they should have done this before Friday May 2, 2008 or, put another way, before their hand got pinched by the lid of the cookie jar.

Oh, one more thing, Marianetti is the former public works commissioner in Greece. Small world.

So, let’s piggy back on my last post about the media’s fascination with trivial crap (lapel pins and crazy preachers) when it comes to the Democratic candidates, and talk about how John McSame gets to bypass that scrutiny and keep his foibles in the closet.

Seems as though McSame has his own crazy preacher, who makes Jeremiah Wright look like a Vienna Choir Boy, in the person of John Hagee. But, do we hear about this bat-shit crazy preacher, who McSame traveled to Texas to beg for his endorsement? No-because the media looooooves them some John McSame. Chris Matthews quote:

“The press loves John McCain. We’re his base.”

-Chris Matthews, MSNBC, Sept 10, 2006

Move on put up this list of facts a while ago. You may note that #9 mentions that sweetheart of a preacher:

10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don’t):
1) John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has “evolved,” yet he’s continued to oppose key civil rights laws.
2) According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain “will make Cheney look like Gandhi.”
3) His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.

4) McCain opposes a woman’s right to choose. He said, “I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned.”
5) The Children’s Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children’s health care bill last year, then defended Bush’s veto of the bill.
6) He’s one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a “second job” and skip their vacations.
7) Many of McCain’s fellow Republican senators say he’s too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: “The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He’s erratic. He’s hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.”
8 ) McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.

9) McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his “spiritual guide,” Rod Parsley, believes America’s founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a “false religion.” McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church “the Antichrist” and a “false cult.”

10) He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.

And let’s not forget about the Keating Five.

It’s time to call a spade a spade. This man needs to be called out on the carpet for all his ignorance, his inconsistencies, his hubris and his errors in judgment. If the media isn’t going to do it, then it is up to us to get the word out there that this whack-job is the worst thing to come down the pike (that’s right-pike, not pipe) since George W Bush and, could very likely, be much worse.

Scream it from the roof-tops, Progressives!

Here’s a report from MetroJustice on how their trip to Albany went. Fundamentally, reforming NY will not take root until we get full public financing of elections. Otherwise, votes on legislation go to the highest bidder. And that ain’t you and me.

Perhaps you heard Governor Paterson saying on WXXI 1370am that he doesn’t think NY State can’t afford full publicly financed campaigns right now.

Argh!!!

He said that right after our press conference in which we announced the results of the Zogby poll (79% support for Clean Elections).

Of course, the Governor is being disingenuous. The reality is that New Yorkers will save money by taking big money out of politics (if politicians aren’t beholden to special interests they are less likely to support costly boondoggles and tax breaks for special interests). In fact the poll showed that New Yorkers think that Clean Elections will save them money.

On Tuesday activists gathered from around the state in Albany for Reform NY Day. We heard advocates talk about various necessary good government reforms (including Clean Elections) and split up into groups to lobby our legislators.

After lobbying, the Metro Justice crew joined the Citizen Action crowd on the second floor of the Capital to confront the Governor about his announcement.

We read a letter to the Governor explaining how clean elections will create savings and pointed out that the costs wouldn’t be incurred until 2012 anyway (and we don’t know what the state’s budget situation will be then).

The Governor said that he still supports the goal of full publicly financed elections (he didn’t mince his words either). But what he went on to say that he was going to ask the Legislature to go back and trim the budget and he’d be undermining himself by asking for new spending on elections (Clean Elections would cost $30 million a year- that’s $1.50 per New Yorker).

We got him to agree to “talk to Speaker Silver” about it. I think he budged several steps toward us on this issue. I think it was a good action, with a good outcome.

I appreciate Gov. Patterson’s situation. He knows better, but he’s in the thick of a bunch of bad stuff economically, etc. But I expect a lot from my electeds, since I’m paying their salary. $1.50/New Yorker seems a small price to pay for having unbought, unbossed
representation that actually represents me and the rest of us ordinary people.

I wrote about the possible dirty deeds at the Water Authority. Sure looks that way.

I spoke of a Letter Legislator Heider sent to the Water Authority asking for answers about using Water Authority Equipment and supplying the fill dirt.

Here is the information he is looking for -

• Copies of all MCWA policies relevant to the disposition of surplus goods
• Details of previous situations similar to this (i.e. to whom and in what manner has
  fill soil (or other surplus goods) been disposed of in the past)
• Details indicating who determined this soil was no longer needed for a public
  purpose
• Any evidence that the free delivery of soil was advertised to the public
• Any evidence that the free delivery of soil was approved through the appropriate
  internal management channel
• Contact information of the MCWA employees involved in this matter, including details on what role each employee had in this situation
• Contact information of the Supervisors(s) of each MCWA employee involved in this matter

I’m sure it will be posted up on the Democratic Ledger Website, some day, for all to link to (I looked and didn’t see it @10:00).

Heider wants answers by May 8th. Will he get them?

Oh, this a rich -I just saw this on the News 10 NBC when I had a rare opportunity to actually watch the news. The report shows us the dirt on the Water Authority. You can see the News 10 report for yourself with video.

See, they discovered that a Water Authority Engineer had Dump Truck loads of fill dirt delivered to his private residence in Pittsford. Dump Truck loads of dirt and a bucket loader owned by the Water Authority to spread it around. Fill dirt normally goes for 15 to 20 dollars a cubic yard. How many cubic yards is in a dump truck?

This is the Water Authority’s explanation:

“We accumulate quite a bit of fill and it’s getting harder and harder to find locations to put fill,” says Ed Marianetti.

He says by giving it to individuals who have properly approved locations, they’re doing the right thing by not having to pay to truck the dirt to a landfill

“So we also, besides doing the environmentally sound thing to do, we save the ratepayers an awful lot of money by finding locations to dump the fill,” Marianetti adds.

OK - how does one get fill dirt? and Get it delivered? Seems one of the best kept secrets in Monroe County. I mean Geez, I see signs always looking for fill dirt. And to have it delivered and spread around.

Can you say preferential treatment?

Can’t wait for this report to come out.

Legislator Heider [who was interviewed for the report], meantime, says he’ll be sending a letter to the water authority asking for records of deliveries and a value estimate of the dirt.

Wow, Rochester continues the tradition in being the first for civil rights movements. This Gala Event offered a great opportunity for a night on the town, and to be part of history in the making. I want to thank the organizers for giving me the chance to document this important happening for RT and for giving Monroe county the shot in the arm that it needs to recognize the importance of marriage for everyone who values love and commitment as basic human needs, as well as essential to a community’s social and economic health.

Earlier in the day, several couples spoke their vows at church. From WXXI:

ROCHESTER, NY (2008-04-28) A dozen same sex couples renewed or said marriage vows for the first time after years of partnership this weekend at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester.

The group ceremony, though not legal marriage under New York State law, marked a court decision that’s been hailed by gay advocates trying to push the case for same-sex marriage rights in New York.

The reception for these couples, and all who wanted to participate, was held at the Riverside Convention Center later in the evening.

At the registration table we were graciously greeted and asked to sign the “Guest Book” which was actually a petition stating our support for the recognition of Same Sex Marriage in New York State. We were given shopping bags and raffle tickets to partake in the offerings of the raffles, silent auctions and vendor samples. The room for wedding vendors was packed, business people anxious to tap into this new market lined the room and the center court.

At 8: 15 PM an introduction and welcome was given by Jo Meleca-Voigt.

She thanked all the participants for signing the “guest book”. She spoke of those, locally in the government who supported the cause. She stressed that we need to stand up for those candidates that stand up for us and noted that not one state senator, representing Monroe County, supports same sex marriage.

“We need to work together and work smart and like Pat Martinez, not take ‘no’ for an answer.”

This was a great lead-in to Pat, who spoke next:

We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal………….

……..and the pursuit of happiness.

(I’m thinking they look pretty happy)

Pat and Lisa led with the first wedding dance (and, no Pat, the music does NOT move you ugly!)

I had the opportunity to speak with our friends, Anne Tischer and Bess Watts, who you will recall from previous posts:

I rounded out the evening by asking our County Legislature’s Minority Leader, Harry Bronson, for a quote. (I’m paraphrasing here, cause Harry talks fast and I write slowly-can I borrow your recorder next time, Stlo?):

“Celebrating diversity, like this, is a wonderful thing to do. I sincerely hope that Maggie Brooks reconsiders her decision to appeal and holds true to the ideals of the civil rights activists from this area since the days of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. It is disheartening that the current administration opposes same sex marriage. Our County Executive says it’s all about the taxpayers, but we are all taxpayers.”

Thanks, Harry-You’re right, of course.

She blames the schools for taking “her” tax money. She blames domestic partners for costing the taxpayers money. Now it’s time to blame the state for their unfunded mandates.

Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks is taking aim at unfunded state mandates, as so many others in her position have done.

[snip]

Unfunded state mandates, or programs that state government requires counties to provide but do not fully fund, include welfare, Medicaid and subsidized day care.

So, let me get this straight. Let’s stop paying for things where we help the poorest of the poor (isn’t government there for the purpose of helping those who cannot help themselves?) but let’s keep COMIDA fully funded and continue those free lunches for all of Maggie’s fat cat donor friends.

WTF?