After all, this is New York

There are weirder cities. There are more corrupt cities. There are more bizarre cities. But New York City rolls them all together, and New Yorkers roll with it. At least that’s my answer for why I am not too focused on the legal problems of people who somehow know current Mayor Eric Adams. Know him, and were appointed by him, or work (worked?) with people appointed by him.

I’m not a fan of Eric Adams. I voted against him. I hope these current scandals force him out, or at least make him a non-factor in next year’s mayoral race. But this is New York.

Bill de Blasio’s reaction to corruption charges was that New Yorkers didn’t care – and so he didn’t pay attention. He racked up an impressive stack of them – a lot were about his family – some were about donations – some about pay to play. Don’t you remember the police detail that used to drive Dante to school? Don’t worry, I forgot about it too. https://www.nydailynews.com/2021/12/26/nycs-outgoing-mayor-de-blasio-dodged-criminal-trouble-despite-myriad-investigations-over-his-two-terms/. No federal investigation. But at least one serious charge a year. But this is New York.

Mike Bloomberg, ironically, had fewer real scandals, although his biggest, CityTime, was a doozy. That was a massive contract – massive corporate corruption – although it did not touch Bloomberg personally. Then there’s the Deutsches Bank construction – where failing to enforce construction regulations – violations were repeatedly reported! – led to a fatal fire. His sexist remarks are legendary and gross, though not corrupt. His appointment of a rich woman he knew from cocktail parties to head New York City Schools was cronyism, not a crime. (I still don’t know why Michael Mulgrew refused to oppose the nomination of Cathy Black as Schools Chancellor. The members were ready to fight. She was completely unqualified. I don’t think it was a caucus thing. You shouldn’t back down every time your opponent seems powerful. Trust me.) Back to Bloomberg: https://fair.org/home/bloombergs-scandals-ignored-or-underplayed-by-press-cheerleaders/ Big contracts, friends, influence… it was there. But this is New York.

Giuliani, the slime, has a shorter list. The Bernie Kerik stuff didn’t hit until Rudy had slithered off into the sunset, never to be seen again (don’t we wish that were true! Spoiler alert, he keeps reappearing, more disgusting each time). But Giuliani actually tried to stay in power by cancelling the elections. Not corrupt. Criminal. Dangerous. But do we remember? After all, this is New York.

Dinkins had less than the others, but his tainted contracts were genuine corruption as well. He just didn’t have the personal involvement that made the others, for a time, so headline grabbing. But yes, parking violations (though not on the Koch scale) and Lockheed were actual corruption. This is New York.

Adams scorecard

• Funnelling money from Turkey into his campaign in return for some considerations
• Police chief and his brother? A security firm making money, illegally, through connections. Edward Caban. Forced to resign. (Notice, by the way, the New York Time rarely used Caban’s name. 90% of the time they referred to him as the NYC Police Commissioner. They are just tenuously a New York City newspaper – and their readership on the whole is not especially familiar with NYC and NYC government)
• Bribery involving Schools Chancellor David Banks’s brother (and other brother), and of course contracts.
• Winnie Greco
• Lisa Zornberg resignation

That’s a lot. Could be a lot more. Has reached his highest level appointees. Could it reach him personally? Maybe. Could it force him to resign? Probably not, even if we wished it did force him. After all, this is New York.

Am I crazy? Let me leave you with this article from 37 years ago. And if you were not around, let me tell you about one person missing – Donald Manes, Queens Borough President, who was under indictment when he killed himself.

Something to think about…

WHO’S WHO IN THE NEW YORK CITY CORRUPTION SCANDALS

By Marianne Yen

August 25, 1987 at 8:00 p.m. EDT

CONVICTED STANLEY FRIEDMAN

Former Bronx Democratic boss sentenced March 1987 to 12 years in prison for conviction on racketeering, conspiracy and mail fraud charges for his dealings with the Parking Violations Bureau. LESTER SHAFRAN Former Parking Violations Bureau director sentenced March 1987 to six months in jail and $48,600 in fines for conviction on racketeering, conspiracy and mail fraud charges. MICHAEL LAZAR Former transportation commissioner sentenced March 1987 to three years in prison and a $200,000 fine for conviction on racketeering, conspiracy and mail fraud charges. GEOFFREY LINDENAUER Former Parking Violations Bureau deputy director sentenced July 1987 to two years in prison for conviction on racketeering and extortion charges. ANTHONY AMERUSO Former transportation commissioner convicted of perjury, scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 22. JAY TUROFF Former taxi and limousine commissioner sentenced on June 19 to four months in jail and a $25,000 fine for conviction on bribery charge. FRANCIS X. SMITH Queens Supreme Court justice convicted of perjury in a grand jury investigation of cable television franchising; awaits sentencing. RICHARD RUBIN Top aide to Queens Democratic Party official sentenced March 1987 to 5 years in jail and a $700,000 fine for a State Assembly no-show job scheme. JOHN McLAUGHLIN Former president of the Health and Hospitals Corp. sentenced to six months in jail for lying on financial disclosure forms and stealing from former law clients. ALEX LIBERMAN Former chief lease director pleaded guilty to extorting more than $1 million in bribes; is serving a 12-year prison term. WILLIAM BRENNAN Former State Supreme Court justice convicted of bribery; is serving a five-year prison sentence. STANLEY SIMON Former Bronx borough president indicted on extortion, perjury, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice charges in connection with the Wedtech scandal. Awaits trial on Nov. 9. MARIO BIAGGI Ten-term Bronx congressman indicted for allegedly receiving bribes from a Brooklyn shipyard company. The case is scheduled for trial Monday. In addition, Biaggi was indicted on extortion, perjury, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice charges in connection with the Wedtech scandal. That trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 9. MEADE ESPOSITO Former Brooklyn Democratic boss indicted with Biaggi on charges of taking bribes from a Brooklyn company. JOHN ZACCARO Real estate broker and husband of former Queens congresswoman Geraldine A. Ferraro was indicted October 1986 on extortion and bribery charges in a Queens cable television franchise scandal. Twenty-six supervisors and inspectors in the school construction unit of the New York City Board of Education were indicted in May 1987 by a Brooklyn grand jury on charges of conspiracy, grand larceny and receiving bribes. All are awaiting trial.

RESIGNED VICTOR BOTNICK Chairman of the Health and Hospitals Corp. resigned June 1986 after admitting that he lied about his academic credentials. THEODORE TEAH Bronx representative on the City Planning Commission resigned in June 1986. Currently under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s office in connection with cable television contracts. His attorney has said he resigned public office so he could seek private employment. BESS MYERSON City cultural affairs commissioner resigned in April 1987, one day after a report to Mayor Edward I. Koch found she improperly influenced a judge in city contractor Carl Capasso’s (Myerson’s boyfriend) divorce case. The U.S. Attorney’s office continues to investigate official misconduct and bribery allegations against Myerson. HORTENSE GABLE State Supreme Court justice resigned June 1987 after a mayoral report said she ruled in favor of Myerson’s boyfriend in his divorce case after the cultural affairs commissioner gave her daughter a job. The U.S. Attorney’s office and the State Commission on Judicial Conduct are still investigating the allegations. GERDI LIPSCHUTZ Queens assemblywoman resigned in March 1987 rather than face censure by the State Assembly after testifying under immunity that she created two no-show jobs. MORRIS TARSHIS Director of the Bureau of Franchises resigned in May 1987 amid allegations of misconduct in awarding cable television contracts. He has declined comment.

UNDER INVESTIGATION ROBERT GARCIA Bronx congressman under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s office for possible involvement in the Wedtech scandal. He has denied wrongdoing. HARRISON GOLDIN The city comptroller is under investigation by the city’s Department of Investigations for calling investors on behalf of inside-trader Ivan Boesky. He has denied wrongdoing. ISRAEL RUIZ State senator from the Bronx under investigation by four state agencies for allegedly improperly using his influence to win state money for a real estate venture in which he held an interest. He has said he did not benefit from the venture. MANFRED OHRENSTEIN State senator from Manhattan under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney for alleged illegal legislative hiring practices. He has said the hiring practices were legal and carried out on the advice of a lawyer. FRANCISCO LUGOVINA Former head of the Bronx Democratic Committee under investigation by the Bronx district attorney’s office for being paid more than $50,000 a year by a company bidding for the Bronx cable television franchise. He has denied wrongdoing.