It is important to note, as the video shows the Mayor vaingloriously proceeding to portray himself as Joseph “have you no sense of decency, sir” Welch, that a majority of the Council Members have already gone on record stating that they would not be surprised to learn that Richard Fevang, the former New Rochelle employee recently indicted on 66 counts of fraud by the Westchester County District Attorney, did not act alone; also, that the City Manager has publicly acknowledged that Mr. Fevang directed others to prepare the documents which are the basis for the fraud counts and that only open question is whether the other employees knew they were participating in a fraud. The Mayor has clearly been watching too much Keith Olbermann.
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. Originally coined to criticize the anti-communist pursuits of Republican U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, “McCarthyism” soon took on a broader meaning, describing the excesses of similar efforts. The term is also now used more generally to describe reckless, unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic attacks on the character or patriotism of political adversaries.
Here’s the real thing at just past the 9:30 mark.
Mayor – City Manager melt down
To watch the Mayor and the City Manager act indignant is quite funny. The manager should hide his head in shame for not placing the necessary safeguards into the system to detect this kind of fraud. Remember the city was investigated many years ago by the district attorney’s office for the very same thing and small accused person. The city manager cannot hide behind the fact he wasn’t the manager then; he knew. He knew what was going on and someone should look at the report generated by the DA’s office as a result of the first look at our accounting practices One would think that between the manager, the budget director and the independent accounting company some safeguard would be in place. And, also remember and whistle blower was the one that uncovered this fraud, not the well compensated staff and vendor. The bigger question is why did a Councilmember have to go to the DA office and not the police department for this to be investigated? Was it he feared the accused would be able to resign like the alleged story about the building official suddenly resigning under a cloud.
Why is NewRo is still using the same vendors that defrauded us?
Ken, excellent points.
And did you hear the comments in the video that the city is still using the same vendors that defrauded us. How could that be?
And who’s signing all the checks? Maybe city hall should STOP rubber stamping their checks and have Chuck or Noam pull out a pen and actually look at the expenses we’re paying.
As to you question of why a city council person and not the Mayor or City Manager had to go to the DAs Office, I think the whisleblower didn’t feel Strome, Bramson or any other elected Democrat councilmember would actually do anything and perhaps they tried and were turned away. Can a whistleblower go to or trust the people that he’s turning in? Obvisously not and that’s why he went to Councilman Trangucci who then did all the leg work of coping files ect.
You hit the nail right on the
You hit the nail right on the head about the inspector resigning. Another one covered up by Strome.
Arrogance
Is there no end to this mayors arrogance. Was he bullied as a child? Does he think that his office gives him the right to belittle anyone who has the audacity to question his administration?
Hey Gnome, sorry, Noam remember this. People will forget what you did, and people will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
In all my years as a third generation resident, I have never felt so ashamed of this cities administration. The politics are so obvious that a child could see through it.
If this mayor is an example of north end democrats, they must be cringing at his outbursts.
Keep up the good work Gnome, oops sorry, Noam, 2012 can’t come fast enough.
Actually, the election for Mayor is 2011
Is that fast enough?
Thanks Bob
I wish it were today.
RE: He JUMPED the tracks again !
If the citizens request to know EVERY detail about the medical and psychological status of a candidate running for office, would it not be both PRUDENT and ESSENTIAL to know such details about a currently serving Mayor or public official? I think so. This latest outburst of the current Mayor is telling. Granted, stress does manifest itself in many strange ways. However, these outbursts are becoming more frequent and more extreme with the passage of time, suggesting a chronic problem. I think it is imperative that he seek professional help, perhaps then, he will be able to treat his friends and foes alike with dignity and respect and not resort to the irrational behavior of a 5 year old. What is the cause of this paranoia? Arrested development? Anger management? Or perhaps some sort of substance problem? Until he is evaluated, one can only guess.
A Psychological Gold Mine!
Without a doubt they could lock a team of Psychologists in place to assess the sanity and treatment plan for many of those at City Council meetings. I specifically enjoy Stromes ape like rocking back and forth in his chair I suggest a EMT be brought on board for his sake he is a stroke in the making. The Twirling of the Corporation Councils hair and Barry Fertels look of astonishment.
We may be going to the poor house but this is right up there with Jersey Shore re-runs or Mayors gone wild.
shrink time
good stuff pol force. try this one while your at it. a large man hunkered down in his seat, clearing his throat before he speaks, one cough means usually a comment, two coughs a probing question similar to the one he asked at the last meeting and the third cough, almost like the perfect psychoanalytic storm, the haymaker, the old one-two, the “i’m just saying which is usually followed by a half turn toward Rice while Fertel grabs whatever part of his anatomy he can reach and sighs.
Kind of like Captain Queeg =; you remember the Caine Mutiny. Great political theatre but like Congress and the Pres, nothing gets done.
You are playing a pretty strong hand. People are beaten down pretty much, people aren;t working, kids are screwing up in school, the lunatics are in the grass, the predators are loose in the street. Noam’s tantrum sounds more like a sigh of someone asked to give up the remote.
Tell you two thing: (1) you guys are ganging up but not your fault. The people you dislike are either kinda weak, look down on you because they feel you make no sene, or are folks of bad intentions, or tha the blog is not strong enough to take seriosly. They are wrong on the last count, Cox has a large readership. So maybe we can substitute apathy. Maybe but I think the average democratic suppoter takes things for granted and lacks the courage to support their candidate. You folks rarely give your names, but you do report; some of it is wacky but some makes some sense.
I hate to burst your bubble, but if st paul got elected he would pay as much attention to you as he would to a noisy nephew. Man has got an agenda and you are useful up to a point. He is pretty clever, no crafty as he is not afraid to keep at something. But if he loses, throw him a farewell party — he will move elsewhere and start over. Eventially he will catch on if he gets better advisers and supporters.
The real disconnect is more social or cultural. You are mostly hoorah guys and girls, with very big flags you trot out for every holiday, you love barbecues, beer fests and such. Family means a lot as well. I pretty much relate to that although honestly my generation were better warriors I think with smaller agenda, less firepower and certainly smaller flags on key holidays.I went in in 1957 and came out in 1963 and was recalled for some specific assignments in later years. I am only raising this because we had a old fashioned American value called working together, compromise, and ranked our world as God, Family, Community , Self. That doesnt seem to be the values we see nowadays.
The folks over 60 in post 8 would tell you a simple fact; you saluted a man or woman who more a bar, eagke, leaf or star on his collar or epaulette. the man or woman wearing it could have been a mutt, a mean rat, whatever; this held up without question with the only exception being in a combat sitation when some steps, not always pleasant, might have been necessary to preserve and protect a greater good.
I am only saying this because we don’t see this much anymore. Obama subordinates don’t pick up his call, people you vote for sign a pledge to someone called Grover regarding taxesm and you blindly follow the same litany Bramson bad, GOP good.
If you feel that way, you might want to consider setting an example — refuse your social security payment, do not accept any Medicare, Medicaid, any form of national subsidy. Tell your friend down the block that the reasons corporate profits are so high is that the jobs it creates go to Malaysia, India, Costa Rica,….. sorry guys thses folks making multi-million dollars have less use for you than Richard St Paul will if elected.
I suppose I am taking this to this length is because I don’t at all dislike you guys and girls even though I disagree with many of your positions. We probably grew up blocks apart in the Bronx. I prefer you to the northsiders who cry principal, read this blog (Cox is right they do read the blog) and remain silent for a number of reasons and none of these are good.
The people you support economically and politically will and have cost you money, respect, and more. Sure I support Bramson because I think he is by faar the brightest bulb in the room and I have not seen anything to change that viewpoint. I like Rice because he is energetic and has real ideas,not necessarily the best ideas, but ideas nontheless. As far as the other two democrats they are your northern elitist and Cox and I have had individual experiences with both types.
Trangucci is decent and I think there is more to come from him. Tarantino… nothing much… ask the Firefighters. St Paul a real gadfly, he is a lawyer so he knows how to probe and press. Really bright, but not a team man.
Wrap up….. you have 7 council members who have done nothing at all as indiiduals or collectively to face the school district issues. You have 7 council members who have trouble working smart on building a proper downtown base.
I am now exhausted from my labours and will return to read the volume of sentiments that will be unleashed by my posting. There will be no support messaage from anyone, but you have to figure out youreslf why this is so.
A fine man, Bob McCaffrey has worked tirelesly on the Iona building issue and you know or should know what that is all about. Maybe you can get off the administrationi for a week or so and get behind that issue.
Stay well my angry and anonymous friends.
warren gross
But who’s NOT leading? That would be Mayor Bramson!
You’re right about the council doing very little, but who’s NOT leading? That would be Mayor Bramson.
I’m extremely thankful that Trangucci, Tranantino & St. Paul are on council, otherwise Noam would be getting his blank check that we’re all going to have to sign.
Why doesn’t Bramson propose any cuts? Spend, Spend, Spend is all I hear and that’s not realistic in today’s world.
meltdown
This is a meltdown? Come on stick to the major point that the reference to McCarthyism was out of line. Meltdowns are like an Olbermann or Limburgh rant.
St Paul would try the patience of Job. But, he is doing his job.
A lot of this would have went away if one Council Member would have initiated a request sometime around the time Favang was outed to initiate their power to investigate and subpoena. No one did so now we have this.
Maybe someone should advocate for a strong mayor position; haven’t heard that yet on this site.
Hard to find many examples of political or personal courage on the Council except for Trangucci’s determination to bring this matter in the open. Wish he would have taken it one step further by calling for a Council investigation and if voted down, it would have been part of the public record.
Well the entire country is screwed up, the State is not much better, people aren’t able to get work, and we have a whole lot of issues at the local level still needing to be worked on.
Election day is coming up faster than you might think given this weather. Cox and I tend to agree that people get the government they deserve. Maybe we’ll know more in November.
But, until then, might be nice if there was some common ground, somewhere in the nation, state and city. By rights, it should be something tangible like a highly deficient school district. But, doesn’t appear to be of interest enogh to parents who overvalue the system.
bob Cox, if you are still interested in the School District issues, have something of interest — it is called the Casey Report and it would do more good if you had it than I.
You can request it via the blog at the time you ream me for my above meltdown.
Stay cool all
warren gross
Come on
Noam are you kidding me. You look like a total jackass. Answer the questions put be foward you. Instead you DANCE around them. You have no IDEA Noam what is going on. Wake Up