East Bronx News: Buying City Hall

East Bronx News: Buying City Hall: Bx. GOP chair among those charged in attempt to buy mayoral race By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, April 3- In a six count ind...

Buying City Hall

Bx. GOP chair among those charged in attempt to buy mayoral race

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 3- In a six count indictment released by the United States Attorney, State Senator Malcolm Smith, Queens Councilman Dan Halloran, Bronx County Republican Leader Joseph Savino, and Queens county Republican Vice-Chair Vincent Tabone were arrested for attempting to fix the Republican candidate choice in the upcoming mayors race in New York City by defrauding the public. Also as part of the indictment the mayor and deputy mayor of Spring Valley were arrested for their alleged part in a scheme with Senator Smith to defraud New York State on a contract Smith was to have approved with the officials for a Spring Valley road.

Starting from about November 2012 the complaint states that Smith, Hallogan, Savino, and Tabone (together with others known and unknown) willfully and knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together with each other to commit offenses against the United States, to wit, wire fraud and bribery in violation of Title 18, United States

code, sections 1343, 1346, and 1952.

Undercover FBI agent (Thomas Holmes) posing as a wealthy real estate developer and an unidentified cooperating witness met with Smith to bribe leaders of the Republican Party County Committee to obtain certificates of authorization called Wilson Pakula certificates

allowing Smith to run as a Republican candidate for mayor of New York City even though Smith was a registered Democrat. It is then alleged that Queens Councilman Dan Halloran met with the pair to negotiate the amount of bribes to Savino and Tabone for the Wilson Pakula certificates, and Halloran was given $20,500 for his services.

According to the indictment, Smith agreed to use his official position to obtain New York State funds for the Spring Valley Project. Savino met the undercover agent in a Manhattan restaurant and allegedly accepted $15,000 in cash in the undercover agent’s car. Tabone met the UC in a Manhattan restaurant and allegedly accepted $25,000 in cash in the undercover agent’s car. Also in February Smith suggested that the undercover agent and the state senator representing the Spring Valley area meet concerning the funding for the Spring Valley project.

In March, telephone and text messages continued between the undercover agent, a witness, Smith, and Halloran as to the status of the Wilson Pakulas. Smith is quoted as saying, “Before any committee leader receives a nickel more (he'd) have to stand on the Empire State Building and drop every person (he) endorsed, and hold Malcolm up and

say he's the best thing since sliced bread”. “Matter of fact, he's better than sliced bread”.

FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos made the following comments on the arrests of New York State Senator Malcolm Smith, New York City Council Member Daniel Halloran, and others: “Elected officials are called public servants because they are supposed to serve the people. Public service is not supposed to be a shortcut to self-enrichment. People in New York, in Spring Valley—in any city or town in this country—rightly expect their elected or appointed representatives to hold themselves to a higher standard. At the very least, public officials should obey the law. As alleged, these defendants did not obey the law; they broke the law and the public trust. There is a price to pay for that kind of betrayal.”

East Bronx News: PASSOVER SEDER A SUCCESS!

East Bronx News: PASSOVER SEDER A SUCCESS!: Chopped liver, matzo balls, chicken, charoset, macaroons and all kinds of other goodies were part of the very successful Passover Sed...

PASSOVER SEDER A SUCCESS!

Chopped liver, matzo balls, chicken, charoset, macaroons and all kinds of other goodies were part of the very successful Passover Seder conducted by Temple Hatikva last Sunday.  

Almost 30 persons participated in the traditional reading of the Passover Hagaddah along with a sumptuous Kosher meal.

The Seder, led by Cantor Kyle Cherry and Rabbi Harry Hertzberg, was an absolutely wonderful experience for all involved. There was singing, reading and eating, as everyone participated in this event.

Passover, the Jewish Festival of Freedom, celebrates the liberation of the Hebrew nation from slavery in Egypt. It is a holiday that has universal appeal, bringing the messages of freedom and justice to the entire world.

Temple Hatikva was pleased to have been able to celebrate this wonderful holiday with our friends, families, congregants and neighbors, and wish the entire community a healthy, happy and peaceful holiday.  

Temple Hatikva is located at 2440 Esplanade. If you need more information, please call Temple Hatikva at (718) 792-1109 or e-mail  HYPERLINK "mailto:TempleHatikva@aol.com" TempleHatikva@aol.com

East Bronx News: Bronx Hails Koch

East Bronx News: Bronx Hails Koch: -->   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued the following statement on the passing of Mayor Ed Koch: BRONX, NEW YORK...

Bronx Hails Koch

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Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued the following statement on the passing of Mayor Ed Koch:

BRONX, NEW YORK, February 1- “Today the Bronx is mourning the death of a son and one of the city’s greatest and most charismatic public leaders. Mayor Ed Koch was a man of wit and wisdom, a leader who helped lift our city out of the brink of bankruptcy, raising our spirits along the way and securing New York’s place as the capital of the world.

“Mayor Koch was always proud of his Bronx roots. During his administration he helped rebuild the South Bronx, creating a task force that helped restore burned-out buildings while creating new, thriving communities—work that still resonates to this day. He was a man of deep devotion, who after leaving office continued to inspire New Yorkers through his activism and his commitment to a city he fiercely loved.

“While we mourn his loss we honor his legacy, commitment to civil rights and his civic leadership, which will forever live in our hearts and in the millions of lives he touched. On behalf of the 1.4 million residents of the Bronx, I would like to extend our most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this very difficult time,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

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East Bronx News: Health Screenings

East Bronx News: Health Screenings: --> BRONX, NEW YORK, January 16 - Residents living in and around the Bronx can be screened to reduce their risk of having a stroke o...