Today is Seth Agata's big moment.
His first JJOKE commission meeting.
The press assembled, the web cam rolling and everyone is waiting to see what the new leader of JJOKE will do.
My personal hunch is he does what he has been doing . . . nothing. He will sit at the right hand of the JJOKE chair so he can hear Horwitz ummmm his way thru another meeting and to the left of Monica so she can whisper all the things he doesn't know to him.
What he will not do is answer questions or make a statement laying out his vision for JJOKE. He won't do that because he can't. Without Cuomo's or more precisely Linda Lacewell's hand up his ass moving his lips Agata will remain mute. After all it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
But if a star rises in the east or Agata's blackberry rings with a message from God or the second floor and Agata speaks I hope he talks about:
His role in the Cuomo book deal and how he justifies that it was not a violation of the public officers law.
What his salary is and why he is worth almost $20000 more a year than the last 2 leaders of JJOKE.
Which of the many incompetent and overpaid JJOKE staffers he will be firing (lets start with those responsible for the top ten list fiasco)
When will he ask Gagan to return his ill gotten salary.
And perhaps most timely and important I'd like to hear him explain if JJOKE has issued subpoenas in it's pile on of the DiBlasio fund raising investigations that are popping up like dandelions all around the state.
Most importantly tell us Seth how long it took after you started to follow Lacewell's orders to get an investigation into DiBlasio started and how come Sugerman was able to leak her investigation first.
As I said I'm betting on Agata remaining mute . . . for quite a while.
UPDATE
I was wrong in a 6 minute meeting Agata spoke 7 words He said when asked about the budget "I think Steve Boland can explain that". Not exactly an overwhelming display of ability by Agata.
Now Boland did make some news after the meeting. I saw him outside and asked when the new web site and filing application would be ready. His answer "I don't know"
I asked how do you explain a retired employee working on a consulting contract for $30000 per year on that new system not being done yet. His answer "I don't know"
I followed up with isn't it your job as the administrative officer making $114,710 a year to know these things?
His answer was you have to talk to Walt McClure about that.
Mr. Agata maybe you might want to add Boland to the list of former JJOKERs or at a minimum at least answer the questions I asked him.
The entire JJOKE office is a waste of taxpayer money.
can you tell the difference between Rob Cohen and Cosmo Kramer?
monkeeys
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
A list of all the legislators doing the Spitzer with the media, lobbyists and/or their staff
How many of you actually looked at the blog expecting a list?
I've written on this issue before http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2013/06/irresponsible-allegations.html
so instead
I'm going to channel that chickenshit no dick sackless wonder Dick (and he is a dick) Dadey and wait until after the media reports on it before I comment.
As an aside Dickless Dadey, why don't you tell us right now all you know on the issue. I guarantee you would get front page coverage for a tell all on the issue.
Unfortunately Dickless Dadey is what is wrong with the good government groups and a large part of the media when it comes to ethics and integrity. THEY ARE SCARED SHITLESS TO UPSET THE POWERFUL so they wait for someone else to wound and weaken the powerful and then they come out to strip the dead and dying of their valuables.
Read Teddy Roosevelt's speech about the man in the arena “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Dickless Dadey is a cold and timid soul in fact he reminds me of the Arabs stripping dead soldiers in the opening scene of "PATTON".
Prove me wrong Dickless and join me in bringing a complaint about the new executive director of JJOKE, Seth "Yeti" Agata for misuse of his office in helping the governor get permission from JJOKE to write his book and for good measure for not investigating the governor's misuse of his office in promoting the book.
What do you say Dickless? I'll be the fluffer and for once in your life you can provide the moneyshot.
Friday, April 15, 2016
A Seth Agata sighting
Yes Virginia there is an Agata.
While no official announcement has occurred, my sources have confirmed Seth Agata has started at JJOKE.
Much like Bigfoot, signs of Agata had been showing up around JJOKE but other than a grainy video no one had seen the mythical beast, Agata not Bigfoot.
But now I am comfortable in confirming . . .
AGATA IS HERE AGATA IS HERE
And yet nothing has changed.
I know I know I can hear it now "give him time he just started"
I've heard that before, hell I even said it myself about Biben. But the truth is you only get one chance to make a first impression.
And Agata's first impression is one of stealth and secrecy.
We didn't know when he would start, we didn't know what he would make, we didn't know who voted for him and who didn't and we don't know what he stands for other than being someone the majority of commissioners could agree on - not exactly a great first impression.
For whatever it's worth (I forgot I did that job for a dozen years . . . well enough to get Spitzer, Silver and Bruno to agree to abolish the agency, think of that, those three are not exactly poster boys for ethics are they?) so I guess it is worth something, if I was Agata, I'd hold a press conference Monday and introduce myself to the media and the public I'd answer every question no matter how uncomfortable. For example I'd like to know how he justifies using his official position and letterhead to write a letter to Biben on Cuomo's behalf for Cuomo's private book deal?
But I'm guessing Agata, being the careful, tentative, do as you're told Cuomo apparatchik, will remain as hidden as a yeti. Maybe if we are lucky we will see some footprints and a pile of yeti shit at JJOKE.
As for me I'll be looking for some JJOKE staffers to find other employment.
While no official announcement has occurred, my sources have confirmed Seth Agata has started at JJOKE.
Much like Bigfoot, signs of Agata had been showing up around JJOKE but other than a grainy video no one had seen the mythical beast, Agata not Bigfoot.
But now I am comfortable in confirming . . .
AGATA IS HERE AGATA IS HERE
And yet nothing has changed.
I know I know I can hear it now "give him time he just started"
I've heard that before, hell I even said it myself about Biben. But the truth is you only get one chance to make a first impression.
And Agata's first impression is one of stealth and secrecy.
We didn't know when he would start, we didn't know what he would make, we didn't know who voted for him and who didn't and we don't know what he stands for other than being someone the majority of commissioners could agree on - not exactly a great first impression.
For whatever it's worth (I forgot I did that job for a dozen years . . . well enough to get Spitzer, Silver and Bruno to agree to abolish the agency, think of that, those three are not exactly poster boys for ethics are they?) so I guess it is worth something, if I was Agata, I'd hold a press conference Monday and introduce myself to the media and the public I'd answer every question no matter how uncomfortable. For example I'd like to know how he justifies using his official position and letterhead to write a letter to Biben on Cuomo's behalf for Cuomo's private book deal?
But I'm guessing Agata, being the careful, tentative, do as you're told Cuomo apparatchik, will remain as hidden as a yeti. Maybe if we are lucky we will see some footprints and a pile of yeti shit at JJOKE.
As for me I'll be looking for some JJOKE staffers to find other employment.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Walt McClure clueless to a fault
Walt McClure never got back to me with the information I requested, that he assured me he would look into (by the way who would he ask for permission?). I had to FOIL the information which was provided to me within a day. My guess is Agata has reported for duty and doesn't feel the need to hide how incompetent JJOKE was before he got there. Look for some heads to roll. I'll do a blog shortly with my employee resizing program aka who to fire.
But back to Walt. Remember he told me on the record all the mistakes in the annual report were the result of "human error" and had been corrected? Well now that I have the original report I can inform you that these human errors resulted in 9 out of the top 10 lobbying firms being wrong. 9 OUT OF 10. That's a grade of 10%, you need one hell of a curve to pass that performance. On that alone Dan Horwitz should resign. But wait there's more!!!!!!
All mistakes have been corrected Walt? I pointed out 2 more yesterday that are still not corrected and there is another one on page 31.
In case I haven't mentioned it the staff at JJOKE are horrible. Would anyone notice if they were all fired by Agata and he started over from scratch?
More evidence that Agata may have started.
I got a response from JJOKE regarding my allegation that Maria Guevarra is wrongly holding up registrations in an attempt to require that the names and titles of client Chief Administrative Officers match the actual authorization. I emailed JJOKE last week and blogged about it demanding to know where in the Lobby Act the justification for this activity could be found. I copied Agata on the email.
Here is the email:
But back to Walt. Remember he told me on the record all the mistakes in the annual report were the result of "human error" and had been corrected? Well now that I have the original report I can inform you that these human errors resulted in 9 out of the top 10 lobbying firms being wrong. 9 OUT OF 10. That's a grade of 10%, you need one hell of a curve to pass that performance. On that alone Dan Horwitz should resign. But wait there's more!!!!!!
All mistakes have been corrected Walt? I pointed out 2 more yesterday that are still not corrected and there is another one on page 31.
In case I haven't mentioned it the staff at JJOKE are horrible. Would anyone notice if they were all fired by Agata and he started over from scratch?
More evidence that Agata may have started.
I got a response from JJOKE regarding my allegation that Maria Guevarra is wrongly holding up registrations in an attempt to require that the names and titles of client Chief Administrative Officers match the actual authorization. I emailed JJOKE last week and blogged about it demanding to know where in the Lobby Act the justification for this activity could be found. I copied Agata on the email.
Here is the email:
"From: grandeau@ix.netcom.com
To: "Guevara,Maria (JCOPE)"
, "Levine,Martin (JCOPE)"
, Seth.Agata@jcope.ny.gov
Cc: "Wiesnet,Christina (JCOPE)"
, "Grandeau@ix.netcom.com"
Subject: RE:
Date: Apr 11, 2016 9:11 AM
Please be advised that i represent and .
Both these lobbyists have registration and/or registration amendments that have
not been processed as a result of Ms. Guevara'a belief that a discrepancy exists
in client CAO names and titles. You are directed to process these registrations
and/or registration amendments and I would further request that you provide me
the section of the Lobby Act that supports Ms. Guevarra's actions in refusing to
timely process these (and other) registrations and/or registration amendments.
I again request a meeting to discuss Ms. Guevarra's actions.
David Grandeau" Lo and behold I heard from a JJOKE senior staffer yesterday that I am correct in my legal analysis (of course I am, I score better than 10% on any test I take) and that all my clients pending registrations are being processed and Maria will be instructed not to engage in this dilatory action in the future. My response? Why aren't you firing Maria? JJOKE answer? silence HORWITZ MUST RESIGN |
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Even with a do over JJOKE still flunks it's annual report
I think I can turn this into a new parlor game, in fact if I turn it into an app I'm sure I can sell it to the 10 people that give a fuck about how bad the staff at JJOKE is. And I'm not including Agata in that category nor all the folks who met at a private club in Manhattan at candlelit tables to breathlessly listen to Preet do an impersonation of Paul Giamatti's character Chuck Rhodes from "Billions".
Instead of worshiping Preet at candlelit dinners maybe the Common Cause crowd ought to care enough about ethics to get rid of JJOKE.
Anyway I digress.
Here's the game. I tell you what page of the report contains errors, the revised report (do over) that is, and you email me with the answer of what they fucked up this time.
To those that don't want to think too hard . . . Blair Horner and the Albany Times Union . . . I'll post the answers at the bottom of the blog.
The next mistakes that JJOKE should fix on their revised annual report(no need to note I found them for you) are on page 35 and 37 of the report.
Hint I think the mistakes were made last year and JJOKE is just toooooo sloppy and incompetent to catch them even after 2 years and numerous humiliating do overs.
ANSWER - they reference 2013 reports for 2014 figures What complete fools
HORWITZ MUST RESIGN
Instead of worshiping Preet at candlelit dinners maybe the Common Cause crowd ought to care enough about ethics to get rid of JJOKE.
Anyway I digress.
Here's the game. I tell you what page of the report contains errors, the revised report (do over) that is, and you email me with the answer of what they fucked up this time.
To those that don't want to think too hard . . . Blair Horner and the Albany Times Union . . . I'll post the answers at the bottom of the blog.
The next mistakes that JJOKE should fix on their revised annual report(no need to note I found them for you) are on page 35 and 37 of the report.
Hint I think the mistakes were made last year and JJOKE is just toooooo sloppy and incompetent to catch them even after 2 years and numerous humiliating do overs.
ANSWER - they reference 2013 reports for 2014 figures What complete fools
HORWITZ MUST RESIGN
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
JJOKE flunks it's annual report
I've already blogged about the error I caught in the JJOKE annual report aka lies, damn lies and statistics. But it was even worse than I thought. The revised annual report is out (replacing the original so unless you printed the original it is tough to find the old errors) and not only did JJOKE not order the top ten lobbyists correctly they used the wrong numbers and the wrong firms. In short a complete failure.
UPDATE: I contacted JJOKE press flunky Walt McClure ($78752) to request the original top ten lobbyist list before the revisions. He told me he would look into providing me a copy. I then asked for a comment regarding all the errors. He said the numbers were correct and any mistakes were the result of "human error" and have been corrected. I then asked for a list of the human errors and was told he would look into it. I'll update again if by some miracle the powers that are running JJOKE into the ground let Walt give me the information.
And we are suppose to trust these folks to provide accuracy about lobby data? Please!!!!
So we know that JJOKE can't add, can't provide simple tables, changes data at there whim what else are they doing or not doing that the public is unaware of?
Well for starters two of their commissioners have recently resigned but JJOKE has not announced it. Arroyo and Cavullo. Why does the media and the good government groups continue to ignore the incompetency and corruption that exists inside JJOKE?
Does anybody know when Seth Agata will be starting? Yet again no announcement from JJOKE.
I've got a simple idea JJOKE Chairman Dan Horwitz should resign . . . immediately.
He should resign because under his stewardship JJOKE has proven itself to be incompetent and untrustworthy. A cover up waiting to happen or already in progress.
Just recently the same employee that changed start dates on sworn documents has started holding up registration processing to require all registrations to match the name and title of the CAO to the name on the lobby authorization. Of course the statute doesn't require this but Maria Guevarra is throwing her version of a hissy fit because I caught her changing start dates. Now Maria should have been terminated months ago and I have already written that in the blog but her supervisor is aware of her behavior and has taken no action (I know because I sent them an email detailing it) Even Seth Agata is aware because I sent him an email as well to his JJOKE email account and it hasn't bounced back so the account is active even if we don't know if Agata is.
The end result of Maria's fit and her supervisor's lack of management and Agata's hiring (or should I say Linda Lacewells) and Horwitz's utter incompetence? The number of pending registrations has increased in the last several weeks. That's right the backlog has gotten larger in fact not a single registration pending from before 2014 has been processed. The same 84 registrations that are sitting on Maria's desk from before 2014 are still there. And the new ones still pending have increased from 370 to 389. What in the world are they doing at JJOKE?
Oh that's right I forget they are providing us false figures and bad data in the Annual Report.
Tell me again why any of them are being paid with our tax dollars.
JJOKE wasting taxpayer money since 2011.
UPDATE: I contacted JJOKE press flunky Walt McClure ($78752) to request the original top ten lobbyist list before the revisions. He told me he would look into providing me a copy. I then asked for a comment regarding all the errors. He said the numbers were correct and any mistakes were the result of "human error" and have been corrected. I then asked for a list of the human errors and was told he would look into it. I'll update again if by some miracle the powers that are running JJOKE into the ground let Walt give me the information.
And we are suppose to trust these folks to provide accuracy about lobby data? Please!!!!
So we know that JJOKE can't add, can't provide simple tables, changes data at there whim what else are they doing or not doing that the public is unaware of?
Well for starters two of their commissioners have recently resigned but JJOKE has not announced it. Arroyo and Cavullo. Why does the media and the good government groups continue to ignore the incompetency and corruption that exists inside JJOKE?
Does anybody know when Seth Agata will be starting? Yet again no announcement from JJOKE.
I've got a simple idea JJOKE Chairman Dan Horwitz should resign . . . immediately.
He should resign because under his stewardship JJOKE has proven itself to be incompetent and untrustworthy. A cover up waiting to happen or already in progress.
Just recently the same employee that changed start dates on sworn documents has started holding up registration processing to require all registrations to match the name and title of the CAO to the name on the lobby authorization. Of course the statute doesn't require this but Maria Guevarra is throwing her version of a hissy fit because I caught her changing start dates. Now Maria should have been terminated months ago and I have already written that in the blog but her supervisor is aware of her behavior and has taken no action (I know because I sent them an email detailing it) Even Seth Agata is aware because I sent him an email as well to his JJOKE email account and it hasn't bounced back so the account is active even if we don't know if Agata is.
The end result of Maria's fit and her supervisor's lack of management and Agata's hiring (or should I say Linda Lacewells) and Horwitz's utter incompetence? The number of pending registrations has increased in the last several weeks. That's right the backlog has gotten larger in fact not a single registration pending from before 2014 has been processed. The same 84 registrations that are sitting on Maria's desk from before 2014 are still there. And the new ones still pending have increased from 370 to 389. What in the world are they doing at JJOKE?
Oh that's right I forget they are providing us false figures and bad data in the Annual Report.
Tell me again why any of them are being paid with our tax dollars.
JJOKE wasting taxpayer money since 2011.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Another JJOKE Annnual Report another mistake
Every year JJOKE puts out their annual report and other than the obligatory press release and boring stories about who is the top spenders I always look forward to the mistakes that are always there.
This year did not disappoint.
You will find the glaring mistake on page 34.
the list of the top 10 lobbyists is wrong as usual.
Unless $4,498,399 is more than $4,685,613 JJOKE screwed the pooch again.
#9 on JJOKE's list is Manatt, Phelps at $4,498,399
#10 is Hinman, Straud at $4,685,613
looks like JJOKE failed the math common core.
I say lets blame Gagan for it and wait for next year to blame Agata if he ever starts.
A bigger bunch of fuck ups would be hard to find.
Want to bet they blamed the IT department for a "computer glitch"
Does anyone in that joint actually read what they post?
EVERY YEAR YOU CAN COUNT ON JJOKE TO PROVE HOW INCOMPETENT THEY ARE
No wonder they never do press conferences.
Hey Seth repeat after me
One plus one equals two unless the governor decides it equals three.
This year did not disappoint.
You will find the glaring mistake on page 34.
the list of the top 10 lobbyists is wrong as usual.
Unless $4,498,399 is more than $4,685,613 JJOKE screwed the pooch again.
#9 on JJOKE's list is Manatt, Phelps at $4,498,399
#10 is Hinman, Straud at $4,685,613
looks like JJOKE failed the math common core.
I say lets blame Gagan for it and wait for next year to blame Agata if he ever starts.
A bigger bunch of fuck ups would be hard to find.
Want to bet they blamed the IT department for a "computer glitch"
Does anyone in that joint actually read what they post?
EVERY YEAR YOU CAN COUNT ON JJOKE TO PROVE HOW INCOMPETENT THEY ARE
No wonder they never do press conferences.
Hey Seth repeat after me
One plus one equals two unless the governor decides it equals three.
Monday, April 4, 2016
Seth Agata resigns and Kevin Gagan returns to JJOKE
I originally wrote this for April fools day but never published it as I was sure everyone would know it was an Aprils fool joke. But then I started thinking about it and it isn't that unbelievable.
Let's take the pieces and explore them.
"Seth Agata resigns" that's going to happen, we all know that it's only a matter of time. Since I've left the old Lobby Commission, PIC and JJOKE have had a combined 5 Executive Directors and another 3 or 4 acting Executive Directors. Now it may be a bit unlikely that he resigns before he actually starts but it's not that unlikely since it's been almost 2 weeks since his appointment and he hasn't started yet, or has he? We don't know because JJOKE is soooooo secretive and paranoid that Agata's start date is a state secret. Could there be some scandal lurking involving Agata? or a JJOKE commissioner? Could Agata's wife's job be in danger. Did he talk to his wife about the JJOKE job? Maybe she doesn't want him to take it. These things happen I know from first hand experience, if it wasn't for my wife's input I never would have ended up at the old Lobby Commission I would have been up in Lake Placid running ORDA. Think how different Albany ethics could have been. Who knows if I went to Placid Bruno might still be the Majority Leader. My point being Seth Agata could resign and if he did . . .
Would "Kevin Gagan return[s} to JJOKE"?
Judging from how quickly he bounced back to the State Police (did he ever really leave) I don't think there is any question that if Cuomo told Gagan to go back to JJOKE he'd return in a flash (at a higher salary). It is so obvious that he only came to JJOKE to begin with to follow orders (Gagan a Cuomo flunky is laughable? Not even a little bit Kevin). Gagan was never intending to be the Chief of Staff. he was brought in to replace LT. It didn't work out (because the Cuomo flunky's on JJOKE are that bad) so back Kevin Gagan goes to the State Police where some cop tips off the media (the rank and file really do hate you Kevin). I wonder if Gagan should be forced to refund the JJOKE salary he collected during the 9 months he was in JJOKE's womb. That's about $120000 you owe the taxpayers Kevin for the job you never did and they didn't need at JJOKE.
Think about the irony, LT fucks the taxpayers by hiring Gagan and 9 months later a new Kevin Gagan returns to the State Police.
I can't think of a better example for a late term political abortion than Kevin Gagan.
Let's take the pieces and explore them.
"Seth Agata resigns" that's going to happen, we all know that it's only a matter of time. Since I've left the old Lobby Commission, PIC and JJOKE have had a combined 5 Executive Directors and another 3 or 4 acting Executive Directors. Now it may be a bit unlikely that he resigns before he actually starts but it's not that unlikely since it's been almost 2 weeks since his appointment and he hasn't started yet, or has he? We don't know because JJOKE is soooooo secretive and paranoid that Agata's start date is a state secret. Could there be some scandal lurking involving Agata? or a JJOKE commissioner? Could Agata's wife's job be in danger. Did he talk to his wife about the JJOKE job? Maybe she doesn't want him to take it. These things happen I know from first hand experience, if it wasn't for my wife's input I never would have ended up at the old Lobby Commission I would have been up in Lake Placid running ORDA. Think how different Albany ethics could have been. Who knows if I went to Placid Bruno might still be the Majority Leader. My point being Seth Agata could resign and if he did . . .
Would "Kevin Gagan return[s} to JJOKE"?
Judging from how quickly he bounced back to the State Police (did he ever really leave) I don't think there is any question that if Cuomo told Gagan to go back to JJOKE he'd return in a flash (at a higher salary). It is so obvious that he only came to JJOKE to begin with to follow orders (Gagan a Cuomo flunky is laughable? Not even a little bit Kevin). Gagan was never intending to be the Chief of Staff. he was brought in to replace LT. It didn't work out (because the Cuomo flunky's on JJOKE are that bad) so back Kevin Gagan goes to the State Police where some cop tips off the media (the rank and file really do hate you Kevin). I wonder if Gagan should be forced to refund the JJOKE salary he collected during the 9 months he was in JJOKE's womb. That's about $120000 you owe the taxpayers Kevin for the job you never did and they didn't need at JJOKE.
Think about the irony, LT fucks the taxpayers by hiring Gagan and 9 months later a new Kevin Gagan returns to the State Police.
I can't think of a better example for a late term political abortion than Kevin Gagan.
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