Disappointing New York rumors: New York Senate urged to expel Senator after probe

New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York's state senate should vote on whether to expel Democratic Senator Hiram Monserrate, who was convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor, and if that resolution fails, vote on censuring him, a senate investigating committee said on Thursday.

Barack Obama

The Democrats hold the senate by just two votes and analysts fear the battle over Monserrate's fate could cause a deadlock that would make it much harder for New York to meet is March 31 budget deadline.

Senator Eric Schneiderman, who chaired the bipartisan Special Committee of Inquiry, told reporters at a web cast news conference the body weighed the "totality" of Monserrate's conduct in making its recommendations.

"This is not based on the facts of Senator Monserrate's misdemeanor conviction, it's based on the review of all the conduct and other factors, including credibility and the lack of cooperation with the committee and what we note is a failure to take responsibility," the Democratic senator said.

However, Schneiderman said the senate could reject the committee's recommendations and instead punish Monserrate, one of the co-leaders of last year's failed coup, by imposing a fine, for example.

Monserrate and Senator Pedro Espada last year sought to overturn the senate leadership under President Malcolm Smith.

Monserrate's lawyer criticized the report and the committee, saying it had made up its mind before undertaking its probe.

"The Select Committee's Report amounts to a self-serving document --full of material omissions, legal inaccuracies, and factual distortions -- designed to justify a result the Select Committee desired before even commencing its investigations report," Joseph Tacopina said by email.

If the senate does not reject the findings, Monserrate will sue, and continue to serve as his community's representative, he said. "We are confident that the courts will correct that injustice," Tacopina said.

Monserrate's expulsion would have been automatic if had been convicted of either of the two felonies with which he was charged, but Schneiderman said the legislature's legal powers allowed it to do so anyway.

"I'm absolutely confident that we're on firm legal ground," he said. The last time New York state legislators were rejected was in the 1920 "Red Scare," when five Socialist Party Assembly members were not allowed to take their seats.

(Reporting by Joan Gralla; Editing by Andrew Hay)

In New York City, is Ozone Park considered to be a good neighborhood?

I came across a reference to it in an old novel, and the story made it sound sort of upper middle class. Is this true, or outdated? (The book was almost 30 years old.)

Air America (press release) (blog) NYC Officials Shred Seized Clothes, Refuse To Donate

NYC

In the wake of last week's reports that H&M mutilated unsold clothing before discarding it, the New York Times reports that the city of New York is participating in similarly wasteful practices.

Police destroyed bootleg clothing and shoes taken from raids on counterfeit operations after they were no longer needed as evidence. The goods were new, and included winter jackets, shirts, and pants. The shredding of usable, much-needed clothing cost the city $150 per ton.

In the past, the city has donated confiscated goods to aid groups, but the chief spokesman for the Police Department, Paul J. Browne, claimed there were no requests for clothing in 2009. The operators of a clothing bank disputed this.

Historically, organizations that received the donations avoided trademark infringement by defacing the knockoff labels. But the counterfeit status of the clothing still creates obstacles to its distribution. Major fashion brands are fighting expensive battles with counterfeiters--an agenda backed by Mayor Bloomberg--and they are reluctant to let bootleg goods back into circulation, even as charitable donations.

Robert Rucker, a lawyer with Tucker and Lafiti, a firm that represents Steve Madden and Zac Posen among others, offered his particularly smarmy and corporate-minded opinion on the companies:

“These are people who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, some of them millions, to get counterfeit goods off the street. Everyone wants to feed and clothe the homeless. But how are you going to spend all this money and then put it back on the street?”

Interestingly, the fashion and licensing industries are financial supporters of the New York City Police Foundation, and in turn the NYC Police Foundation has backed trademark infringement investigations. According to the New York City Department of Homeless Services' Daily Census, as of January 8 there are 36,997 homeless New Yorkers. Donations of counterfeit goods could certainly be put to good use, but clearly the city has other priorities.

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Daily Times - Aafia Siddiqui announces boycott of NYC trial

NYC

Aafia Siddiqui announces boycott of NYC trial

NEW YORK: The trial of Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist charged with shooting at her US interrogators in Afghanistan, began on Wednesday with her announcement to potential jurors that she would boycott the case.

Im out of this, Siddiqui, 37, told about 100 potential jurors as lawyers in the case began selecting a jury at Manhattan federal court. Im boycotting the trial, just to let you know. There are too many injustices. The scene marked the latest in a series of courtroom rants by Siddiqui, who has refused to work with her lawyers and lambasted the court since her case began last summer. Her trial had been delayed so that several psychologists could examine her.

Siddiqui, a Pakistani national, is charged with grabbing a U.S. warrant officers rifle in mid-2008 while she was detained for questioning in Afghanistans Ghazni province, and for firing it at FBI agents and military personnel. She was brought to the United States weeks later to face federal charges of attempted murder and assault. According to her U.S. indictment, items found in Siddiquis handbag at the time of her arrest included notes on making explosives and chemical weapons as well as descriptions of a mass casualty attack listing various New York landmarks. If convicted, Siddiqui faces life imprisonment. agencies

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