Bronx News (Bxnews.net): The Boss is Back

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): The Boss is Back: Ramirez Still a Key Player,  Helps Lobby for Co-op City Security By Michael Horowitz BRONX, NEW YORK, August 23- Former Bron...

The Boss is Back

Ramirez Still a Key Player, 

Helps Lobby for Co-op City Security

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 23- Former Bronx County Democratic Leader Roberto Ramirez, a lawyer and one of the city's “wheeler dealers,” remains a key player in Bronx politics through the MirRam Group, the consultants who ran State Sen. Adriano Espaillat's recent Democratic Party Primary campaign against Rep. Charles Rangel.

During his days as a political leader in the Bronx, Ramirez played a key role in the political campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer for U. S. Senator, but also played a key role in overturning the state's commuter tax for suburbanites, which provided a key funding source for the MTA.

Ramirez, working with friends and associates from his days as Bronx Assemblyman and Bronx County Leader, founded his political-consulting and lobbying group after leaving Bronx politics in 2000.

The MirRam Group, although influential in the Bronx, is not considered as politically influential as a number of other political-consulting groups in the city.

The former Bronx County Democratic Leader served as the borough's political boss from 1996 to 2000 and as an Assemblyman in the borough between 1990 and 2000. He was the first Latino to be chosen as a county leader for one of the city's boroughs.

Ramirez, who was born in Puerto Rico, remains, today, one of the city's most influential Latinos, many knowledgeable civic and political leaders agree.

The former Bronx County Democratic Leader counts Marion Scott, the major principal of Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc., as one of his many friends and acquaintances, Herbert Freedman, Co-op City's principal spokesman and a major principal of the Scott firm, said, this week, in response to e-mails.

Scott, a former top official of the Philadelphia Housing Authority, counts a number of current and former political leaders within both the Republican and Democratic parties as friends and acquaintances.

Ramirez, for his part, ran former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer's unsuccessful campaigns for Mayor in 2001and 2005.

During his tenure as Bronx County Democratic Leader, Ramirez, somewhat successfully, tried to mend fences among the party's warring factions. He hand-picked political leaders to run for legislative offices and for judgeships. The candidates he supported, owing to the organization's political clout and superior “get-out-the vote” efforts, won far moiré election than they lost.

However, Ramirez's major foray into Co-op City politics as Bronx County Democratic Leader, proved, in 2000, to be unsuccessful.

That year, Ramirez decided to throw his weight behind Larry Seabrook's challenge to Rep. Eliot Engel's continuation as Congressman for Co-op City and surrounding areas in the northeast Bronx.

Engel defeated Seabrook, who was convicted last month on subsequent political-corruption charges, by a whopping margin in the 2000 Democratic Party Primary.

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Ramirez's firm hired to safeguard Security

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 23- The Riverbay board, last Wednesday night, approved the hiring of Roberto Ramirez's firm of political operatives to help safeguard Co-op City's Public Safety Department.

The MirRam Group LLC, spearheaded by former Bronx County Democratic Leader Roberto Ramirez, will be paid $7,500 per month for one year, starting in September, to lobby state legislators for passage of a bill that would safeguard the power of Public Safety officers to make arrests and function in the role of peace officers in the local community.

State Sen. Jeffrey Klein has agreed to sponsor the legislation, which would be in the form of an amendment to the New York State Criminal Procedure Law, in the State Senate. Assemblyman Michael Benedetto has agreed to sponsor the legislation in the State Assembly.

The vote in support of hiring Ramirez's firm to represent Co-op City's interests was 14-1 when the matter came up for a vote at the July 31. Riverbay board meeting. Evelyn Turner cast the only vote in opposition to hiring Ramirez's firm, which also includes Luis Miranda, a former director of the Mayor's Office of Hispanic Affairs, and Eduardo Castell, a former deputy comptroller of New York City.

The MirRam Group most recently ran State Sen. Adriano Espaillat's unsuccessful campaign against Rep. Charles Rangel in a widely publicized Democratic Party campaign in June.

Co-op City's Public Safety Department and members of the Riverbay board have been persuaded that Riverbay's security department could be in jeopardy. The fear is that the NYPD will eliminate its Special Patrolmen's Division, which currently gives Co-op City's Public Safety Department officers the right to serve in their current capacities.

Co-op City's Public Safety Department currently stands as a last line of defense against crime in the local community, so major limits in the authority for the department's officers could be a major blow to the community.

Without the NYPD's Special Patrolmen's Division, in the absence of the state legislation that has been proposed, the status of the community's Public Safety officers would be reduced to that is security guards.

“Such a development would devastate this department,” Frank Apollo, Co-op City's public safety chief reportedly stated earlier this year.  “It would devastate the community because we would no longer be able to maintain the same level of safety and security and very possibly no longer be able to continue as one of the safest communities within New York City.”

Street Fair’s a bust

Intrepid newsman David Greene captured this photo of a woman who had something to get off her chest. The woman decided to walk through a Norwood street festival topless.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): News Photog Captures Vicious Pitbull Attack

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): News Photog Captures Vicious Pitbull Attack: (Photos by David Greene) BRONX, NEW YORK, August 22- Dozens of Concourse residents watched in horror as a dog was brutally a...

News Photog Captures Vicious Pitbull Attack

(Photos by David Greene)

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 22- Dozens of Concourse residents watched in horror as a dog was brutally attacked by a pit bull. Two police officers stayed back at a safe distance, one holding a billy club as a half dozen residents separated the two dogs. The critically injured dog was taken by cab to a local animal hospital, its condition was not known. The alleged owners of the pit bull were allowed to take the dog back inside an apartment building and no report was taken or summons issued by police.

Investigate Cougar Gate!

Naomi Rivera’s Opponent Calls on DA, Attorney General to Probe Alleged Misuse of Tax Payer $

By Robert Press

UPDATE...

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 20- Follow the money, is what Naomi Rivera’s opponent is saying to investigators in regards to affairs the assemblywoman had with younger men whom she put on staff at her office and at a not-for-profit. The political challenger is calling on the Bronx DA and state Attorney General to investigate alleged misuse of tax payer dollars.

Mark Gjonaj candidate for the 80^th assembly district sent the following statement: “The Post story shows a clear misuse of public tax payer dollars, which only serves to further voters’ lack of confidence in their elected officials. These allegations necessitate an immediate investigation by the Bronx District Attorney and the NY state Attorney General. I am sure on election day, the voters will make their voices clear that this behavior is no longer acceptable by their public officials.” 

Another opponent of Assemblywoman Rivera Adam Bermudez said, "I believe that no voters who have heard the well reported facts regarding misappropriation of tax dollars will vote for the incumbent Assemblywoman. 

In what has become the second of a series of stories the New York Post last Sunday had a front page story about Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera titled “SUGAR MAMA.” 

This was a tell all story by “BOY TOY” #1 Vincent “Vinny” Pinela on how he got a job as executive director of a non profit The Bronx Council for Economic Development. In the Post article Pinela claims that he had no experience in non profits, but was hired at a salary of $60,000 at the urging of Assemblywoman Rivera after the two started to see each other. The Post article goes on to say that Pinela and Rivera shared an address for parts of 2008 and 2009, that the non profit received over $300,000 in grants from the state, and that Assemblywoman Rivera herself steered just under half of the monies to the non profit herself.

As for where the state monies went, the Post says that romantic dinners, a payment of over $40,000 to a production company owned by one of the assemblywoman’s family members for work done in 2007, and political expenses and donations, (which the Post says were not allowed by a non profit) were among other items. 

"The allegations made by Mr. Pinela against me are untrue and are made intentionally and maliciously to defame my character, and to question my integrity. Friends, and constituents who know me, know that these are baseless accusations. I will not let myself be distracted from the work that needs to be done in my district," said Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera.

As to why the article brings in her father Assemblyman Jose Rivera who was the Bronx Democratic County Leader from 2002 until 2008, I spoke with Mr. Mike Nieves (her father’s campaign manager), who said “Jose Rivera's daughters private life has nothing to do with her father.” 

I spoke to several other people which included Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. who asked me to make sure that I mentioned that He was the first elected official to endorse Mark Gjonaj for the 80^th Assembly seat, not Naomi Rivera. Political Strategist Patrick Jenkins spokesman for the Bronx Democratic County Organization said, “The Bronx Democratic County Organization stands behind Assemblyman Naomi Rivera and continues to support her, and will not change their position.” Again there were some supporters of Assemblywoman Rivera who did not want to comment.

You can go to my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com and check the archive section on the left for the links to both Sunday's and Monday's New York Post stories.

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Screwing Wakefield?

Wakefield Area News

By Mary Lauro

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 20- Praxis Initiatives is the group that will be building a 60-unit supportive Housing colossus on White Plains Road opposite Food Town. In their latest letters to our elected officials where they show off a sketch of what the structure will look like, they fail to mention that it will mainly house couples one or both with HIV/AIDS. The structure is enormous and totally out of keeping with local architecture. It reminds one of construction in communist Russia circa 1960. Building will begin soon.

Not satisfied with invading our community like alien spores from outer space, they also plan to do whatever possible to really screw Wakefield. They are asking Councilman Oliver Koppell and Borough President Diaz for $500,000 each (that is our money) to run a program which Praxis claims will not only help their clients, but all of Wakefield. We are asking Councilman Koppell to not comply with their requests. The following letter we are sending him will explain our point of view.

“We understand that Praxis Initiative is requesting of you a discretionary capital grant of $500,000 for a horticultural program it claims will benefit the Wakefield community as well as its clients. Apparently, Praxis does not know that Wakefield and CB12 is a middle class community. It is not the old south Bronx. This is a community of homeowners, not renters. Having gardens in front and back of their homes, they do not need lessons in horticulture. Many of them can give lessons in horticulture. Besides, we have Bissell Gardens for the very few who are interested.

“Praxis' claims that it wishes to help the community are specious. Wakefield and CB12 are top heavy in seniors, but when Praxis was asked to provide one quarter of their units for senior housing, it refused. Parking on White Plains Road is often difficult, yet when asked to provide a level of parking for the business district, it refused.

“Instead, it wants to provide lessons in horticulture, sell plant and gardening supplies, sell produce from a storefront and run a farmer's market when in season. How silly and destructive can Praxis be?

“Less than half a block away from its building, there is a plant and supply store. Does it plan to take business away from it or plan to shut it down? Across the street from the Praxis gulag-building is Food Town and four blocks away there is Key Foods. Both sell produce as do the two greengrocers less than a stone's throw from where Praxis wants to set up shop. A farmer's market opposite Food Town? Is it trying to shut down Food Town? Furthermore, Bissell Gardens has a Farmer's Market when in season.

“Wakefield is awash in greenery. One wonders whether any member of the Praxis staff has walked through Wakefield. Praxis wants to provide what Wakefield does not need by calling it therapeutic. There is not a scintilla of scientific evidence to back up that outrageous claim.

“We understand the goodness of your heart. You seemed to favor Praxis since it invaded us. It is with utmost respect that I point out a mitzvah should be done with one's own resources, not other people's. This is our tax money. Neither the Torah nor the Bible asks us to rob Peter to pay Paul.

“We realize Wakefield is a small part of your constituency, nonetheless if you have $500,000 in discretionary funds to distribute for the benefit of the community we have many suggestions which would do just that. The following are only two. Placing security cameras along White Plains Road would do much to inhibit the drug and criminal trade or using it to supply some of the needs at PS16 would go far to benefit the children's future.

“Finally, we note that Praxis claims to be working with the Wakefield community. That is a lie. We are the Wakefield community. From the outset, Praxis has worked against the Wakefield community.”

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