To: ,Dan Chairman(JJOKE)
Subject: My wife's job
Date: June 32, 2016 12:59 PM
Dan
can you tell the difference between Rob Cohen and Cosmo Kramer?
monkeeys
Monday, October 31, 2016
Twinkieleaks 4 - 1800JJOKE jobs hotline
It's a small town but really can't these people find jobs outside government? Just follow the Percocco model.
I got your message about the guvs desire to open an investigation into Patrick Jenkins and Speaker Heastie. While I normally would only ask how high you want me to jump this one is a bit tricky. Besides the fact that the feds already have plenty of material from that bug they've got in that bar that Heastie and his posse hang out in I have a more personal problem. And no it's not a Joe Percocco issue, that one is being handled by my attorney, it's the fact that my wife works in the Assembly. You know what's going to happen the minute they get my 15 day letter. My wife is going to be under extreme pressure which will put me under extreme pressure. Go ask Renzi what happens when your wife's job in the legislature conflicts with your job on JJOKE.
I know you have the ability to get her a job somewhere else. Hell go ask Pei Pei, her husband worked for you and the next thing you know she has a job at JJOKE. Or ask Uncle Vinnie's niece, Shari, She got fired here and her Uncle Vinnie got her rehired. Or ask Biben's old nanny that got a job in our NYC office that no one visits so it's safe for the no shows. You even got a big job for your own wife so you know how it works.
As soon as my wife has a different job, for more money, I'll take care of the Jenkins Heastie matter for the guv. And next time you call use my home number (518)821-1947
FIRE AGATA
Friday, October 28, 2016
Twinkieleaks 3 Trump, Clinton, Cuomo and Biben
The pieces just keep coming together.
"From: Ellen.Bib%%@nycourts.org
Subject: Trump, Clinton, Cuomo and Doug Band
Date: September 31, 2016 12:59 PM
Seth, I was thinking that you need to make sure you have deleted all the emails from both, your JJOKE server and the private server we set up for you in your basement, that relate to our previous conversations about imputed gifts and the big guys family employment history. While everyone that matters knows there is nothing wrong with a public officials grown daughter getting summer internships with the client of a lobbyist and/or with a consulting firm closely tied to the Clintons, in this environment with Trump and his lunatic right wing gun toting born again wack jobs trolling for any whiff of hypocrisy I'd hate to see your aggressive approach to imputed gifts backfire on the big guy if the media start asking why we aren't looking at you know who's daughter's summer jobs. I had even heard a rumor that "Herb" was going to testify that a deal was struck between the Clinton camp and the Cuomo camp to trade the favor of summer employment for an endorsement. I think it's bullshit and so does the Chief Judge and Linda L, as we all know the summer job is worth way more than the endorsement but someone like that fat fuck Grandeau could stir them up, he is a shameless mercenary as you and the regulated community already know.
Anyway make sure those emails and blackberry messages and phone logs are all shredded. The last thing any of us need is for our history to come back and bite us in the ass.
One last thing, are you hearing anything about videos on Dr. K's cellphone?
Oops I forgot FIRE AGATA
Oops I forgot FIRE AGATA
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Twinkieleaks 2
Here is another hacked JJOKE email. Once you see what was going on behind the scenes it all starts to make sense.
Subject: Enemies list
Date: April 31, 2016 12:59 PM
As we discussed prior to my appointment, I have your list of political enemies that the big guy wants to have investigated for receiving illegal gifts. Much to my astonishment most of them appear to be clean but I think we can drum up some investigations using lobbyists and the grown children of elected's getting jobs. We can call it an imputed gift and open investigations. I'm not sure it will stick and result in fines after hearings but it will serve to send a warning shot over the bow of our enemies and it might deflect from any focus on the big guy if Preet pulls the trigger on Joe and Todd. By the way who are you using to go in with you for your interview with the AUSA? Or does your former connection give you enough comfort to go in "raw dog"? Give me a heads up if we all need to get out and "pursue other professional opportunities" out of state.
If you get a chance can you forward my resume for an adjunct teaching job? preferably with the client of a lobbyist that will not file a business relationship form showing my hiring.
I made sure to use your gmail account in case anyone says this email would be a violation of the Public Officers Law. That way we can say we were volunteering and not on state time or using state resources.
Subject: Enemies list
Date: June 31, 2016 1:01 PM
Seth you fucking idiot you sent that email from your own state email account. And be careful some of our friends have children working for clients of lobbyists.
Subject: Enemies list
Date: April 31, 2016 1:02 PM
Oops, my bad. I don't have another account to use. I'll just delete the email trail like we used to on the 2nd floor. And on the kids with jobs things don't worry I can just say it has to happen in a way that JJOKE thinks is an attempt to influence. That's the beauty of a subjective analysis gift regulation.
FIRE AGATA
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Twinkieleaks
I don't know if it was the recent story about my role in keeping the Trump Investigation files or just my general identification with issues related to JJOKE but I have received an anonymous email containing a treasure trove of JJOKE emails. Maybe the Russians have hacked the JJOKE servers, maybe a staffer wants to insure these emails see the light of day it doesn't matter to me I'm going to channel my inner Julian Assange and start posting them on the blog. I'm going to call my office an embassy and seek asylum so I never have to testify about where I got this material from and hope for the best and count on the serious people involved in government and law enforcement to recognize and value these emails appropriately. I've deleted last names but you know who they are
"From: " , Seth (JCOPE)"
To: Andrew. @ny.gov
Subject: Your call
Date: June 31, 2016 12:59 PM
I got the message and I have looked into the issue Mr. Jeff K has brought to your attention. I can find no statutory authority that would allow Mr. Jeff K to have an appointee on the JJOKE commission much less the two he is demanding. I understand the political landscape that forces us to treat this megalomaniac as if he really was the leader of something in the senate but the statute makes it clear that only the majority and minority leaders of each house of the legislature have appointments. Now of course Senator Flannigan could take advice from Mr. Jeff K and appoint whomever he likes to the present vacancy the Senate has on JCOPE and you could do likewise for your vacancy.
I have a suspicion many more vacancies will be forthcoming.
As an aside who should I be talking to about any press response to inquiries regarding my role in the Percoco matter?
Let me know what else you need from JCOPE."
Stay tuned I've got more to come, many of them of a personal nature related to friends and family associated with JJOKE and the executive branch.
FIRE AGATA
|
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
REAL ethics reform?
Our governor has announced that he will be calling for REAL ethics reform in 2017. http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/268684/cuomo-on-ethics-reforms-2017-starts-with-outside-income-reform/
Which begs the question what have all the other ethics reforms we've had over the last decade been if not real?
Is the governor admitting that all the other ethics reforms were fakes, fugazys, Agata's?
I normally don't comment on any policy positions the governor takes on anything other than ethics reforms but he did call his thoughts on outside pay and raises for the legislature "real ethics reforms" so here goes, with apologies ahead of time for criticizing the governor since I'm still hoping we can become buddies hang out and talk cars. Speaking of which, governor, anytime you want to drive a 6 speed 560 hp caddy station wagon give me a call, it's my daily driver and unless Agata will try to call that an imputed gift you are welcome to take it for a spin anytime.
Here's my thought on pay raises. You don't give the legislators a raise and ban outside income you let them earn as much as they can in outside income (most of them would starve if they had to earn an honest living) require full disclosure of who they are earning that money from and cut their pay. There is no shortage of people willing to run for office, the problem is the ones that are already in office stay because they can't do anything else. It's kind of like staffers, the really good ones leave and go where they can make more money the bad ones and corrupt ones hang around forever. You know who I'm talking about.
Now if the governor and the legislature are intent on passing "real" ethics reform instead of just firing Agata you could pass legislation restructuring JJOKE or better yet abolishing JJOKE and outsourcing the enforcement functions to any entity not controlled by those it regulates,
But in all honesty the simple answer is FIRE AGATA
Which begs the question what have all the other ethics reforms we've had over the last decade been if not real?
Is the governor admitting that all the other ethics reforms were fakes, fugazys, Agata's?
I normally don't comment on any policy positions the governor takes on anything other than ethics reforms but he did call his thoughts on outside pay and raises for the legislature "real ethics reforms" so here goes, with apologies ahead of time for criticizing the governor since I'm still hoping we can become buddies hang out and talk cars. Speaking of which, governor, anytime you want to drive a 6 speed 560 hp caddy station wagon give me a call, it's my daily driver and unless Agata will try to call that an imputed gift you are welcome to take it for a spin anytime.
Here's my thought on pay raises. You don't give the legislators a raise and ban outside income you let them earn as much as they can in outside income (most of them would starve if they had to earn an honest living) require full disclosure of who they are earning that money from and cut their pay. There is no shortage of people willing to run for office, the problem is the ones that are already in office stay because they can't do anything else. It's kind of like staffers, the really good ones leave and go where they can make more money the bad ones and corrupt ones hang around forever. You know who I'm talking about.
Now if the governor and the legislature are intent on passing "real" ethics reform instead of just firing Agata you could pass legislation restructuring JJOKE or better yet abolishing JJOKE and outsourcing the enforcement functions to any entity not controlled by those it regulates,
But in all honesty the simple answer is FIRE AGATA
Monday, October 24, 2016
Now where did JJOKE leave that investigation file?
Over a month ago I got a phone call from a reporter in NYC asking if I knew where she could find the Lobby Commission Trump investigation material.
As soon as Trump entered the presidential primaries I took a trip to my basement and dug out the boxes I had packed with my office bric a brac when they abolished the old Lobby Commission. I was pretty sure I had a copy of the cd rom we handed out to the media and the public when we closed the Trump case. And sure enough there it was right next to the Phillip Morris cd rom and the Correctional Services cd rom and the report from the New Jersey State Casino Control Commission listing the gambling habits of many of New York's elected officials (part of the Trump case). So I took it upstairs and put it next to my computer and waited for a call. As Trump became more and more likely to be the republican candidate for president I became more and more confused that no one was calling.
But then the call set forth above came in. My answer was sure I know where you can find that information. Did you try JCOPE? They took control of all the files from PIC who took control of all the files from the Lobby Commission. Her answer was she asked JCOPE for the files but they could not find them.
So I sent her a copy of the cd rom and she traveled to Albany to interview me. Here's the story she wrote:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/front-group-lawsuit-and-pi-how-trump-rigged-system-delay-gambling-new-york/
Forget for a moment the comparison between what the Lobby Commission used to investigate and what Agata's JJOKE is investigating now. Imputed gifts? really?? The fact remains JJOKE lost the Trump investigation files. I wonder how many other files they've lost? They must have lost Percocco's disclosure report, all those business relationship reports Bragg has been writing about and god only knows how many complaints about the 2nd floor staffers activity. Not to mention the routine filings that go missing all the time.
I know, I know Walt McClueless will tell us Agata is always improving the process at JJOKE.
But the best process improvement they could make would be to FIRE AGATA before he loses the governor the governorship. Don't laugh it could happen.
As soon as Trump entered the presidential primaries I took a trip to my basement and dug out the boxes I had packed with my office bric a brac when they abolished the old Lobby Commission. I was pretty sure I had a copy of the cd rom we handed out to the media and the public when we closed the Trump case. And sure enough there it was right next to the Phillip Morris cd rom and the Correctional Services cd rom and the report from the New Jersey State Casino Control Commission listing the gambling habits of many of New York's elected officials (part of the Trump case). So I took it upstairs and put it next to my computer and waited for a call. As Trump became more and more likely to be the republican candidate for president I became more and more confused that no one was calling.
But then the call set forth above came in. My answer was sure I know where you can find that information. Did you try JCOPE? They took control of all the files from PIC who took control of all the files from the Lobby Commission. Her answer was she asked JCOPE for the files but they could not find them.
So I sent her a copy of the cd rom and she traveled to Albany to interview me. Here's the story she wrote:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/front-group-lawsuit-and-pi-how-trump-rigged-system-delay-gambling-new-york/
Forget for a moment the comparison between what the Lobby Commission used to investigate and what Agata's JJOKE is investigating now. Imputed gifts? really?? The fact remains JJOKE lost the Trump investigation files. I wonder how many other files they've lost? They must have lost Percocco's disclosure report, all those business relationship reports Bragg has been writing about and god only knows how many complaints about the 2nd floor staffers activity. Not to mention the routine filings that go missing all the time.
I know, I know Walt McClueless will tell us Agata is always improving the process at JJOKE.
But the best process improvement they could make would be to FIRE AGATA before he loses the governor the governorship. Don't laugh it could happen.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Agata's eyes are wide shut
You would think after all the bad press Agata got for ignoring the Percocco financial disclosure report and his pathetic excuse filled press scrum about it, that Agata would learn to review some disclosure reports. It is his job after all.
You would think after the Times Union spot lighted Agata's failure to enforce the reportable business relationship filings that entities employing high level 2nd floor staffers should have filed but did not that Agata would keep a closer eye on those very important ethics reform disclosure reports (I even heard a rumor that he drafted a good bit of those ethics reforms in his previous job as counsel to the governor, along with providing state services to the governors private business dealings and advice to Joe Percoco about outside employment) I even gave Agata a heads up yesterday that one of his staffers own report was problematic.
Now if you heeded that warning Agata what comes next should not surprise you and you should be ready for media followup questions. And not being available for comment, like you did when asked if you volunteered time to the Cuomo campaign, is essentially an admission.
The JJOKE director of investigations and enforcement, the person paid well over $120k to enforce these transparency and disclosure violations, reported in 2014 that she was an adjunct professor for NYU. And I'm sure you've already guessed NYU is the client of a lobbyist and has not filed a business relationship report listing JJOKE's director of investigations and enforcement, Pei Pei Cheng, as a business relationship. No different than the Lacewell and Glaser employers that failed to file there business relationship reports. Now Lacewell is gone, Glasier is gone but Pei Pei Cheng and Seth Agata are still employed by JJOKE. That is in a word shocking.
There are some other omissions on Pei Pei's reports but I'll save that for another day.
Fire Agata and fire Pei Pei.
Maybe if Pei Pei spent more time on her own reports she wouldn't have enough free time to go chasing the imputed gift cases she is bringing against lobbyists that hire firms that hire the adult children of public officials. Like Apple and Evan Stavisky's clients. And Wilson Elser for hiring Ken Bruno and Revlon for hiring Pataki's wife. Those last two happened under my watch at the lobby commission and we didn't consider for a moment investigating either case. My bad ooops. Of course we did a lot of other gift cases involving public officials.
Everyday it's another Agata fuckup or coverup.
FIRE AGATA
You would think after the Times Union spot lighted Agata's failure to enforce the reportable business relationship filings that entities employing high level 2nd floor staffers should have filed but did not that Agata would keep a closer eye on those very important ethics reform disclosure reports (I even heard a rumor that he drafted a good bit of those ethics reforms in his previous job as counsel to the governor, along with providing state services to the governors private business dealings and advice to Joe Percoco about outside employment) I even gave Agata a heads up yesterday that one of his staffers own report was problematic.
Now if you heeded that warning Agata what comes next should not surprise you and you should be ready for media followup questions. And not being available for comment, like you did when asked if you volunteered time to the Cuomo campaign, is essentially an admission.
The JJOKE director of investigations and enforcement, the person paid well over $120k to enforce these transparency and disclosure violations, reported in 2014 that she was an adjunct professor for NYU. And I'm sure you've already guessed NYU is the client of a lobbyist and has not filed a business relationship report listing JJOKE's director of investigations and enforcement, Pei Pei Cheng, as a business relationship. No different than the Lacewell and Glaser employers that failed to file there business relationship reports. Now Lacewell is gone, Glasier is gone but Pei Pei Cheng and Seth Agata are still employed by JJOKE. That is in a word shocking.
There are some other omissions on Pei Pei's reports but I'll save that for another day.
Fire Agata and fire Pei Pei.
Maybe if Pei Pei spent more time on her own reports she wouldn't have enough free time to go chasing the imputed gift cases she is bringing against lobbyists that hire firms that hire the adult children of public officials. Like Apple and Evan Stavisky's clients. And Wilson Elser for hiring Ken Bruno and Revlon for hiring Pataki's wife. Those last two happened under my watch at the lobby commission and we didn't consider for a moment investigating either case. My bad ooops. Of course we did a lot of other gift cases involving public officials.
Everyday it's another Agata fuckup or coverup.
FIRE AGATA
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Agata and Alphonso David
Cudos to Casey Sailor for at least giving me credit for the Lacewell inquiries http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Gov-Andrew-Cuomo-s-lawyer-also-a-campaign-9985011.php
And a big attaboy to Casey for being smart enough to ask the follow up questions regarding Agata volunteering his time to the campaign as well. FIRE AGATA
But as can be expected from Cuomo's D team they only serve to put a spotlight on his staffs activity with Alphonso David's response that Lacewell was a volunteer for the Cuomo campaign.
My instincts tell me he's lying.
And if I was running JJOKE and saw these stories about Lacewell's campaign activities I'd start asking these people some questions under oath to clear it up.
Lots of questions to ask under oath like:
Please provide copies of the emails. That should tell us when and where they were written.
Also who they went to and what accounts those senior staffers used.
Did Lacewell inform anyone (like the campaign or the governor) that she was providing volunteer professional services?
But most importantly
If Lacewell was a volunteer when she provided these legal services why is Alphonso David providing the cover story? Who was he representing when he responded to the Times Union questions? Was he a volunteer as well? He only has a role to play here as counsel to the governor if Lacewell performed these services as a state employee otherwise Alphonso's answer should have been "I can't comment as it does not involve the governors office" At a minimum he should have called Agata for ethics advice. It certainly wouldn't be the first time Agata and David have discussed ethics. And by the way Mr. David, Seth doesn't think you have any clue what you are doing in that field. He told me so over a cup of coffee at Saatchi. He also told me that you were the one that cut the deal with the Senate Republicans for C3 source of funding in return for confidentiality in investigations by JJOKE.
And one last thing who was the "spokesperson that said the emails were sent from Lacewell's gmail account? Rich Azzopardi? During his state jobs work hours? Another volunteer?
Agata this is your job and you can't do it.
You don't have the skills and you are conflicted. You may even be a participant in the same volunteer coverup you should be investigating.
You guys want me to stop being an ethics gadfly looking solely at the 2nd floor? That's easy get rid of Agata.
Tomorrow I'll be blogging about the JJOKE staffer whose financial disclosure report proves she is unfit to work at JCOPE. You have a day Agata to read all the financial disclosure reports filed by your staff DO YOUR JOB OR RESIGN
And a big attaboy to Casey for being smart enough to ask the follow up questions regarding Agata volunteering his time to the campaign as well. FIRE AGATA
But as can be expected from Cuomo's D team they only serve to put a spotlight on his staffs activity with Alphonso David's response that Lacewell was a volunteer for the Cuomo campaign.
My instincts tell me he's lying.
And if I was running JJOKE and saw these stories about Lacewell's campaign activities I'd start asking these people some questions under oath to clear it up.
Lots of questions to ask under oath like:
Please provide copies of the emails. That should tell us when and where they were written.
Also who they went to and what accounts those senior staffers used.
Did Lacewell inform anyone (like the campaign or the governor) that she was providing volunteer professional services?
But most importantly
If Lacewell was a volunteer when she provided these legal services why is Alphonso David providing the cover story? Who was he representing when he responded to the Times Union questions? Was he a volunteer as well? He only has a role to play here as counsel to the governor if Lacewell performed these services as a state employee otherwise Alphonso's answer should have been "I can't comment as it does not involve the governors office" At a minimum he should have called Agata for ethics advice. It certainly wouldn't be the first time Agata and David have discussed ethics. And by the way Mr. David, Seth doesn't think you have any clue what you are doing in that field. He told me so over a cup of coffee at Saatchi. He also told me that you were the one that cut the deal with the Senate Republicans for C3 source of funding in return for confidentiality in investigations by JJOKE.
And one last thing who was the "spokesperson that said the emails were sent from Lacewell's gmail account? Rich Azzopardi? During his state jobs work hours? Another volunteer?
Agata this is your job and you can't do it.
You don't have the skills and you are conflicted. You may even be a participant in the same volunteer coverup you should be investigating.
You guys want me to stop being an ethics gadfly looking solely at the 2nd floor? That's easy get rid of Agata.
Tomorrow I'll be blogging about the JJOKE staffer whose financial disclosure report proves she is unfit to work at JCOPE. You have a day Agata to read all the financial disclosure reports filed by your staff DO YOUR JOB OR RESIGN
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Agata misses another one
There was an informative piece by Erica Orden over the weekend in the WSJ. It described facts that could lead one to believe that the Governor may have known Todd Howe and his activities a little better than he is willing to admit.
But that wasn't what caught my attention.
Nor was the fact that the WSJ is like an early warning system for what Preet and the US Attorneys office are going after next (the NYT for what is coming in the short term the WSJ for the long term)
No it was the description of Linda Lacewell's role in the vetting of donations to the CUOMO CAMPAIGN.
Put aside for the moment that Lacewell is portrayed as someone in a white hat even though all she did was counsel how to obscure the connection between donor and state work by delaying the donations. And put aside that she departed for parts unknown just before the ax started falling on Cuomo staffers and lobbyists (you think she got a helpful hint to leave?) and focus on what she actually did.
Here it is - and read this carefully Seth Agata:
"A pair of vetting documents sent by a senior aide, Linda Lacewell, to a group of the governor’s top lieutenants a month before the event show she was concerned about the optics of taking money from companies awarded state contracts long before the heads of several of those companies were arrested on corruption charges.
The emails vetted two contributions: one from Mr. Aiello and one from Mr. Ciminelli. In each, Ms. Lacewell itemized state contracts recently awarded to both men’s companies."
The question Agata should ask and investigate unless yet again he already has personal knowledge thru his own work for the governor is . . . WHO WAS LACEWELL WORKING FOR WHEN SHE VETTED THESE CONTRIBUTIONS?
If it wasn't the campaign then she most likely violated the Public Officers Law by using her state position to benefit another (just like Agata representing the governor in his private book deal with a subsidiary of a client of a lobbyist).
I did a quick search and Lacewell does not show up in a word search of those paid by the Cuomo campaign during the relevant time period.
But it's a simple case Agata just ask her. If she was working for the campaign and didn't use state resources no problem if she did use state resources send the notice of hearing. Of course we will never know since it is all confidential now. But you already have a track record on these 2nd floor cases and I have pretty good sources so I'm betting it's yet another Agata screwup or coverup.
FIRE AGATA
But that wasn't what caught my attention.
Nor was the fact that the WSJ is like an early warning system for what Preet and the US Attorneys office are going after next (the NYT for what is coming in the short term the WSJ for the long term)
No it was the description of Linda Lacewell's role in the vetting of donations to the CUOMO CAMPAIGN.
Put aside for the moment that Lacewell is portrayed as someone in a white hat even though all she did was counsel how to obscure the connection between donor and state work by delaying the donations. And put aside that she departed for parts unknown just before the ax started falling on Cuomo staffers and lobbyists (you think she got a helpful hint to leave?) and focus on what she actually did.
Here it is - and read this carefully Seth Agata:
"A pair of vetting documents sent by a senior aide, Linda Lacewell, to a group of the governor’s top lieutenants a month before the event show she was concerned about the optics of taking money from companies awarded state contracts long before the heads of several of those companies were arrested on corruption charges.
The emails vetted two contributions: one from Mr. Aiello and one from Mr. Ciminelli. In each, Ms. Lacewell itemized state contracts recently awarded to both men’s companies."
The question Agata should ask and investigate unless yet again he already has personal knowledge thru his own work for the governor is . . . WHO WAS LACEWELL WORKING FOR WHEN SHE VETTED THESE CONTRIBUTIONS?
If it wasn't the campaign then she most likely violated the Public Officers Law by using her state position to benefit another (just like Agata representing the governor in his private book deal with a subsidiary of a client of a lobbyist).
I did a quick search and Lacewell does not show up in a word search of those paid by the Cuomo campaign during the relevant time period.
But it's a simple case Agata just ask her. If she was working for the campaign and didn't use state resources no problem if she did use state resources send the notice of hearing. Of course we will never know since it is all confidential now. But you already have a track record on these 2nd floor cases and I have pretty good sources so I'm betting it's yet another Agata screwup or coverup.
FIRE AGATA
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
The 3 things that you can count on
1. Death
2. Taxes
3. JJOKE and Seth Agata will fail to catch ethical violations by anyone associated with the governor's staff.
Chris Bragg had yet another story http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Todd-Howe-took-loan-from-SUNY-Poly-official-9975074.php highlighting Agata's failure to act on a potential Public Officers Law violation (has Agata figured out what the potential violation is yet?) even though it was sitting right in front of his face in a financial disclosure report. Wait he doesn't review those and Walt McClueless assures us JJOKE is working to improve their processes. Which is bureaucrat for we have our heads so far up our own asses we can only improve.
Just a thought for all the geniuses at JJOKE earning over $100K a year while they cover for the 2nd floor TRY DOING A WORD SEARCH OF THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS.
Spend some of that budget on software instead of lawyers, Agata, retired JJOKER's who are double dipping, Biben's friends and ex nannys and Horwitz's ex-associates wife.
Or let Agata keep chasing mythical gift cases based on imputed gifts to public officials (dead or politically dead ones that is) grown children while ignoring the children of powerful public officials that got jobs from lobbyists and their clients.
Or just FIRE AGATA get some commissioners to resign and lets start all over again.
Just call it ethics reform. . . again!!!!
2. Taxes
3. JJOKE and Seth Agata will fail to catch ethical violations by anyone associated with the governor's staff.
Chris Bragg had yet another story http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Todd-Howe-took-loan-from-SUNY-Poly-official-9975074.php highlighting Agata's failure to act on a potential Public Officers Law violation (has Agata figured out what the potential violation is yet?) even though it was sitting right in front of his face in a financial disclosure report. Wait he doesn't review those and Walt McClueless assures us JJOKE is working to improve their processes. Which is bureaucrat for we have our heads so far up our own asses we can only improve.
Just a thought for all the geniuses at JJOKE earning over $100K a year while they cover for the 2nd floor TRY DOING A WORD SEARCH OF THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS.
Spend some of that budget on software instead of lawyers, Agata, retired JJOKER's who are double dipping, Biben's friends and ex nannys and Horwitz's ex-associates wife.
Or let Agata keep chasing mythical gift cases based on imputed gifts to public officials (dead or politically dead ones that is) grown children while ignoring the children of powerful public officials that got jobs from lobbyists and their clients.
Or just FIRE AGATA get some commissioners to resign and lets start all over again.
Just call it ethics reform. . . again!!!!
Monday, October 17, 2016
The Times Union and JJOKE two birds of a feather
I was willing to give Chris Bragg a pass when he wrote about JJOKE not catching the failure of numerous universities employing Cuomo staffers to report their business relationships. After all everyone that matters knew I had flagged it long before Bragg http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2016/09/transparency-in-ethics-is-like-giving.html
and Chris is doing really good work shining a spotlight on JJOKE and it's head clown Seth Agata. The more attention that is placed on Agata the more tips will come rolling into Chris Bragg and the more tips that come in mean more stories and the more stories about JJOKE's failures, either thru incompetence or actual corruption the more likely Agata is to be forced to resign. And then I can mount another ethics head on my wall of shame.
But I'm not willing to give the Times Union editorial board the same pass. Your editorial on JJOKE is on point although tepid and late as usual. But to give Bragg credit for discovering and disclosing JJOKE's failures is a step too far.
Give credit where credit is due I had that story weeks before Bragg. Hell I gave it to Bragg.
And as regular readers know if you want to learn about JJOKE screw-ups and coverups before Bragg writes about them just read the blog.
Here's a freebie lets see how long it takes Bragg to write about it.
Agata should be investigated for his role in both the Percocco outside employment case and for his role in the Cuomo book deal.
Feel free to give me a call Chris I'll be happy to explain or just read the blog when I get a moment I'll detail the violations.
and Chris is doing really good work shining a spotlight on JJOKE and it's head clown Seth Agata. The more attention that is placed on Agata the more tips will come rolling into Chris Bragg and the more tips that come in mean more stories and the more stories about JJOKE's failures, either thru incompetence or actual corruption the more likely Agata is to be forced to resign. And then I can mount another ethics head on my wall of shame.
But I'm not willing to give the Times Union editorial board the same pass. Your editorial on JJOKE is on point although tepid and late as usual. But to give Bragg credit for discovering and disclosing JJOKE's failures is a step too far.
Give credit where credit is due I had that story weeks before Bragg. Hell I gave it to Bragg.
And as regular readers know if you want to learn about JJOKE screw-ups and coverups before Bragg writes about them just read the blog.
Here's a freebie lets see how long it takes Bragg to write about it.
Agata should be investigated for his role in both the Percocco outside employment case and for his role in the Cuomo book deal.
Feel free to give me a call Chris I'll be happy to explain or just read the blog when I get a moment I'll detail the violations.
Friday, October 14, 2016
JJOKE draft regulations or how to waste time instead of catching the Todd Howes and Joe Percoccos of Albany corruption
After years of hard work JJOKE staff has issued draft regulations. Can anyone else ask how many lawyers it takes to write 59 pages of regulations that leave more questions unanswered than they actually answer? I think the answer to that riddle is one lawyer, Martin Levine and a host of non-lawyer wannabe lawyer clerks which are then reviewed, edited and tweaked by the rest of the lawyers before being reviewed and approved by commissioners who have never read the Lobby Act to begin with. In other words another JJOKE disaster.
But before I spend time detailing the regulations many failings, traps and just plain screw-ups (and I will for my paying clients in the near future) let me highlight some of the current issues being investigated by JJOKE but unaddressed in the draft regulations.
Source of funding disclosure for "pass through entities". The regulations now attempt to address the use of coalitions acting as clients (or beneficial clients whatever that means) by requiring that "members" of coalitions have separate reporting requirements as clients for semiannual reports and the concomitant source of funding disclosure required of those "members".
Now pay attention . . . the regulations fail to define what makes one a member of a coalition. And the term coalition is not contained in the definitional section of the regulations but is within the body as follows "Coalition is formed when a group of otherwise-unaffiliated entities or members agree to engage in common activities which include, but are not limited to, acting as or engaging a Lobbyist on behalf of all members of the Coalition."
It appears that to become a member you have to agree to engage in common activities. But agree with who? All the other "members"? or just a majority? or just one other member? Do you have to contribute funds to be a member of a coalition? Can a coalition be a member of a separate and distinct other coalition? And since a coalition is not an actual entity under the law how does one know when it crosses the line and becomes a member of a coalition. Can you kill a unicorn? And since the regulations supercede the prior opinions (where the lobby commission established how coalitions could register and report) where does JJOKE find the statutory authority to regulate these mythical beasts?
That's just a small example but important because if you become a member of a coalition, whatever that means, you now have to provide disclosure of your source of funding if you contribute more that $15000 to the coalition. BUT WAIT what how do you contribute to a coalition when the coalition by law can not use a bank? at what point does it become a contribution? What if the member pays a vendor to assist in the coalitions lobbying efforts? who is the client filer? the member or the coalition? If it is the member than what is the point of requiring coalitions to register? In fact how can you be a member of something that doesn't legally exist?
Rest assured Martin Levine has exactly zero experience with the actual formation and governance of coalitions. I know I threatened him many times that I was going to use the old lobby commission opinion to form a coalition which would then be exempt from source of funding disclosure. This regulation is his attempt to prevent that. News flash Martin I've come up with better ways to protect donor anonymity.
As an aside the first time JJOKE used the phrase "pass through entity" was in their 2015 report suggesting legislative improvements. Of course then they were referring to funding structures that protected donor anonymity by passing donations through unrelated parties. Read it here
"Questions have been raised about efforts to evade disclosing sources of funding by, among other things, using "pass through" entities to receive contributions. . . . JCOPE does not, however, have authority over the sources themselves. Thus, individuals or entities are able, at this point, to construct funding mechanisms that may avoid disclosure while still technically complying with the law and the regulations."
These regulations do not address that issue at all. Theoretically if you want to donate and be anonymous you still can and the recipient of the donation need only disclose who they received the donation from not it's actual origin. I say theoretically because JJOKE is investigating one group (while ignoring many others) that did just that. I'm sure in the long run they will not persevere, in fact Seth Agata told me as much on the sidewalk outside JJOKE in late July. His exact language was he was going to talk to the commissioners and "put that puppy to sleep". It's October and the puppy is alive and well and pissing all over JJOKE and costing the organization being investigated lots of money and sleepless nights. AGATA SHOULD RESIGN.
And that is the real problem with these regulations they create more questions than they answer.
Stay tuned I'll have more to come.
Just curious Seth Agata how many ethics violations involving the governor and his staff did you ignore while you wasted time on these regulations? Don't answer I'm sure Chris Bragg and the Times Union will keep publishing your fuck ups and cover ups.
But before I spend time detailing the regulations many failings, traps and just plain screw-ups (and I will for my paying clients in the near future) let me highlight some of the current issues being investigated by JJOKE but unaddressed in the draft regulations.
Source of funding disclosure for "pass through entities". The regulations now attempt to address the use of coalitions acting as clients (or beneficial clients whatever that means) by requiring that "members" of coalitions have separate reporting requirements as clients for semiannual reports and the concomitant source of funding disclosure required of those "members".
Now pay attention . . . the regulations fail to define what makes one a member of a coalition. And the term coalition is not contained in the definitional section of the regulations but is within the body as follows "Coalition is formed when a group of otherwise-unaffiliated entities or members agree to engage in common activities which include, but are not limited to, acting as or engaging a Lobbyist on behalf of all members of the Coalition."
It appears that to become a member you have to agree to engage in common activities. But agree with who? All the other "members"? or just a majority? or just one other member? Do you have to contribute funds to be a member of a coalition? Can a coalition be a member of a separate and distinct other coalition? And since a coalition is not an actual entity under the law how does one know when it crosses the line and becomes a member of a coalition. Can you kill a unicorn? And since the regulations supercede the prior opinions (where the lobby commission established how coalitions could register and report) where does JJOKE find the statutory authority to regulate these mythical beasts?
That's just a small example but important because if you become a member of a coalition, whatever that means, you now have to provide disclosure of your source of funding if you contribute more that $15000 to the coalition. BUT WAIT what how do you contribute to a coalition when the coalition by law can not use a bank? at what point does it become a contribution? What if the member pays a vendor to assist in the coalitions lobbying efforts? who is the client filer? the member or the coalition? If it is the member than what is the point of requiring coalitions to register? In fact how can you be a member of something that doesn't legally exist?
Rest assured Martin Levine has exactly zero experience with the actual formation and governance of coalitions. I know I threatened him many times that I was going to use the old lobby commission opinion to form a coalition which would then be exempt from source of funding disclosure. This regulation is his attempt to prevent that. News flash Martin I've come up with better ways to protect donor anonymity.
As an aside the first time JJOKE used the phrase "pass through entity" was in their 2015 report suggesting legislative improvements. Of course then they were referring to funding structures that protected donor anonymity by passing donations through unrelated parties. Read it here
"Questions have been raised about efforts to evade disclosing sources of funding by, among other things, using "pass through" entities to receive contributions. . . . JCOPE does not, however, have authority over the sources themselves. Thus, individuals or entities are able, at this point, to construct funding mechanisms that may avoid disclosure while still technically complying with the law and the regulations."
These regulations do not address that issue at all. Theoretically if you want to donate and be anonymous you still can and the recipient of the donation need only disclose who they received the donation from not it's actual origin. I say theoretically because JJOKE is investigating one group (while ignoring many others) that did just that. I'm sure in the long run they will not persevere, in fact Seth Agata told me as much on the sidewalk outside JJOKE in late July. His exact language was he was going to talk to the commissioners and "put that puppy to sleep". It's October and the puppy is alive and well and pissing all over JJOKE and costing the organization being investigated lots of money and sleepless nights. AGATA SHOULD RESIGN.
And that is the real problem with these regulations they create more questions than they answer.
Stay tuned I'll have more to come.
Just curious Seth Agata how many ethics violations involving the governor and his staff did you ignore while you wasted time on these regulations? Don't answer I'm sure Chris Bragg and the Times Union will keep publishing your fuck ups and cover ups.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Is Agata incompetant? corrupt? or both?
Good bit of reporting today by the Times Union's Chris Bragg on JJOKE. You can read it here http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Disclosure-law-for-outside-income-often-ignored-9965589.php
Of course you could have read the idea for the story on the blog several weeks ago http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2016/09/transparency-in-ethics-is-like-giving.html
Normally I would complain that Chris did not give me due credit for the idea but at this point why bother everyone that matters knows Bragg will write whatever I tell him to. Didn't you say that to your commissioners Seth Agata after the Times Union story about your fantasy fueled gift ban cases?
But I digress.
Bragg's story proves the point that I have been repeatedly making, new "ethics reforms" that always follow scandal do not matter because the people enforcing the laws are not using the disclosure we have. And until the reformers start doing what Chris Bragg just did they never will. Come on Blair Horner, Dick Dadey, Susan Lerner, Barbara Bartoletti join me in demanding Seth Agata's resignation and the dismantling of JJOKE.
Why didn't Seth Agata and JJOKE do what I did or Bragg did and look at what clearly are violations of the reportable business relationship requirements? Is it because they involved trusted advisors of Governor Cuomo's staff ? I THINK SO.
And for that AGATA SHOULD RESIGN.
What did Walt "McClueless" McClure say? "As has been said before, this agency continues to look at its processes and how to make them better on an ongoing basis."
BULLSHIT
McClueless first used that excuse when Agata and JJOKE whiffed on Percoco's disclosure. You would think after Agata's horrendous performance at the press scrum after the last meeting he would have started to think about where I would strike next. Hint Seth there are lots of things dealing with the Governors office you are ignoring. But nooooo they didn't bother to research reportable business disclosures related to the governors staff. They knew about them, they read my blog hell I even warned Agata personally over coffee that JJOKE was failing to use the disclosures it already had available. I started talking about it wayyyyy back in 2013 http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2013/08/milgram-speaks-and-removes-all-doubt.html
And by the way this was an easy investigation. It took me 30 minutes and 3 google searches. It only took Bragg about 3 days and some phone calls. How long would it have taken Agata if he wasn't incompetent, corrupt or both?
But he didn't do it because it would have embarrassed the governor. Agata ought to think about some of the other ethics violations he is ignoring that relate to the executive branch.
For example Agata is pursuing lobbyists that donated to DiBlasio's One New York under the same bullshit theory of implied gifts that he is using to go after those lobbyists and clients that hire public officials children. I seem to recall that the governor was identified with a group that ran lobbying ads back in 2011. Would any lobbyists that donated to that group be guilty of making an illegal imputed gift to the Governor? And speaking of public official's children getting jobs from lobbyists and their clients do you think Agata has looked into the 2nd floors children and where they work? Heads up Agata that is what they call a brushback pitch in baseball. Next one goes in your ear.
And just in case you think I am being a mercenary in getting rid of you? Sorry no client is paying me to do it in fact I don't even represent any of the groups you are bullying in these gift cases. I'm doing it because it is the right thing to do.
By the way have you shared with your commissioners the fact that you told me you advocated not to pursue the imputed gift theory while discussing it in executive session?
Was that confidential?
I actually hope those cases go to a hearing so they can get the minutes of your executive session and force you and your staff to testify under oath about your interpretation of the imputed gift theory.
One last thing Seth Agata. As I told you before you should investigate yourself for your role in Cuomo's book deal as a violation of the Public Officers Law. Don't say I didn't warn you.
And speaking of the book deal, Cuomo got paid by HarperCollins which is a subsidiary of The News Corp which is the client of a registered lobbyist. Shouldn't there be a reportable business relationship report filed on that? And do yourself a favor and research if Harper Collins and News Corp share directors and/or officers. It might be relevant
AGATA MUST RESIGN
Of course you could have read the idea for the story on the blog several weeks ago http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2016/09/transparency-in-ethics-is-like-giving.html
Normally I would complain that Chris did not give me due credit for the idea but at this point why bother everyone that matters knows Bragg will write whatever I tell him to. Didn't you say that to your commissioners Seth Agata after the Times Union story about your fantasy fueled gift ban cases?
But I digress.
Bragg's story proves the point that I have been repeatedly making, new "ethics reforms" that always follow scandal do not matter because the people enforcing the laws are not using the disclosure we have. And until the reformers start doing what Chris Bragg just did they never will. Come on Blair Horner, Dick Dadey, Susan Lerner, Barbara Bartoletti join me in demanding Seth Agata's resignation and the dismantling of JJOKE.
Why didn't Seth Agata and JJOKE do what I did or Bragg did and look at what clearly are violations of the reportable business relationship requirements? Is it because they involved trusted advisors of Governor Cuomo's staff ? I THINK SO.
And for that AGATA SHOULD RESIGN.
What did Walt "McClueless" McClure say? "As has been said before, this agency continues to look at its processes and how to make them better on an ongoing basis."
BULLSHIT
McClueless first used that excuse when Agata and JJOKE whiffed on Percoco's disclosure. You would think after Agata's horrendous performance at the press scrum after the last meeting he would have started to think about where I would strike next. Hint Seth there are lots of things dealing with the Governors office you are ignoring. But nooooo they didn't bother to research reportable business disclosures related to the governors staff. They knew about them, they read my blog hell I even warned Agata personally over coffee that JJOKE was failing to use the disclosures it already had available. I started talking about it wayyyyy back in 2013 http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2013/08/milgram-speaks-and-removes-all-doubt.html
And by the way this was an easy investigation. It took me 30 minutes and 3 google searches. It only took Bragg about 3 days and some phone calls. How long would it have taken Agata if he wasn't incompetent, corrupt or both?
But he didn't do it because it would have embarrassed the governor. Agata ought to think about some of the other ethics violations he is ignoring that relate to the executive branch.
For example Agata is pursuing lobbyists that donated to DiBlasio's One New York under the same bullshit theory of implied gifts that he is using to go after those lobbyists and clients that hire public officials children. I seem to recall that the governor was identified with a group that ran lobbying ads back in 2011. Would any lobbyists that donated to that group be guilty of making an illegal imputed gift to the Governor? And speaking of public official's children getting jobs from lobbyists and their clients do you think Agata has looked into the 2nd floors children and where they work? Heads up Agata that is what they call a brushback pitch in baseball. Next one goes in your ear.
And just in case you think I am being a mercenary in getting rid of you? Sorry no client is paying me to do it in fact I don't even represent any of the groups you are bullying in these gift cases. I'm doing it because it is the right thing to do.
By the way have you shared with your commissioners the fact that you told me you advocated not to pursue the imputed gift theory while discussing it in executive session?
Was that confidential?
I actually hope those cases go to a hearing so they can get the minutes of your executive session and force you and your staff to testify under oath about your interpretation of the imputed gift theory.
One last thing Seth Agata. As I told you before you should investigate yourself for your role in Cuomo's book deal as a violation of the Public Officers Law. Don't say I didn't warn you.
And speaking of the book deal, Cuomo got paid by HarperCollins which is a subsidiary of The News Corp which is the client of a registered lobbyist. Shouldn't there be a reportable business relationship report filed on that? And do yourself a favor and research if Harper Collins and News Corp share directors and/or officers. It might be relevant
AGATA MUST RESIGN
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