Bring May Flowers

SELECTED EVENTS
[Events which request a contribution are indicated by a dollar sign.]
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1st May, 2011, Super Sunday. Choose Wisely.

It's May Day. Also Law Day featuring John Adams, our Nation's first lawyer-President.

Three Parks Independent Democrats, Inc.
1 P.M. to 4 P.M.
Cafe Frida, 768 Amsterdam Ave. (betw. 97th & 98th Sts.)
Info.: (212) UNiversity 6 - 63.78. $

Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club
1 P.M. to 4 P.M.
The Yale Club, 50 Vanderbilt Ave. (across from G.C.T.)
Info.: (212) MUrray Hill 7 - 68.74. $

Gramercy-Stuyvesant Independent Democrats
1 P.M. to 5 P.M.
Capucine's, 327 Second Ave. (@ E. 19th Street)
Info.: ORegon 3 - 83.16. $

Downtown Independent Democrats
3 P.M. to 6 P.M.
125 Greene Street - Chez Sweeney #5 (betw. Houston & Prince Sts.)
Info.: (212) 460+88.44. $

Broadway Democrats
3 P.M. to 6 P.M.
Campo, 2888 Broadway (betw. 112th & 113th Sts.)
Info.: (917) 757+60.58. $ [not a contribution, but a straight, taxable admission]

Ansonia Independent Democrats
7:30 P.M. to 9:30 P.M.
Josephina's, 1900 Broadway (betw. 63rd & 64th Sts.)
Info.: (212) SChuyler 4 - 91.96. $
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4th May, 2011, Wednesday 6:30 P.M. to 8 P.M. Fund-raiser for Eric Tradd Schneiderman. The Plaza - Edwardian Room, 770 Fifth Avenue (enter on W. 58th Str.). Info.: (212) 238+32.70. $

4th May, 2011, Wednesday, 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. Fund-raiser for Scott Stringer. Taj Lounge, 48 West 21st Str. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.). Info.: (212) DIgby 9 - 20.13. $

5to de Mayo, 2011, el jueves desde las 6 de la tarde hasta las 8 de la noche. El <Concerned Democratic Coalition> se celebrara El Cinco de Mayo. Malcolm X Center, 3940 B'way, esq. de la calle 165 oeste. Info., llame a 212+567+55.87. $

5th May, 2011, Thursday, 6 P.M.-on. Gay & Lesbian Ind. Dems. fund-raiser. Brazilian Platforma restaurant, 316 West 49th Str. in Hell's Kithen. $

7th May, 2011, Saturday, 5 P.M. until 11 P.M. Brooklyn Museum of Art's First Saturday Night. Info.: Link to:
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/first_saturdays.php
Cynthia Doty

11th May, 2011, Wednesday, 8:30 A.M. Breakfast with State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Stroock, Stroock, & Lavan; 180 Maiden La., 38th fl. conference rm. Info.: Must call Margaret Provenzano at (212) 806+57.53.

12th May, 2011, Thursday, at 6 P.M. Asian-American Bar Assn. programme on Asian-American jurists. N.Y.C.L.A. , 14 Vesey Str. (betw. B'way & Church Str.).

12th May, 2011, Thursday, 6 to 9 P.M. Village Independent Democrats, Inc., fund-raiser. Village Lobster & Crab House, 225 Varick Str. @ Clarkson Str. (n. of Houston Str.). Info.: (212) 741+29.94. $

12th May, 2011, Thursday, 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. Lenox Hill Democratic Club fund-raiser at The Players, 16 Gramercy Park South (E. 20th Str., east of Park Ave.). Info.: (917) 331+61.90. $

15th May, 2011, Sunday. Lower Manh. Dems., 176 B'way - Apt. #14B $

15th May, 2011, Sunday, 8 P.M. to 11 P.M. Jim Owles Dem. Club fund-raiser at Elmo Restaurant, 156 Seventh Ave. (betw. 19th & 20th Sts). Info.: (212) 741+36.77. $

16th May, 2011, Monday, 4 P.M. to 8 P.M. Joint open house of City Councilwoman Gale Brewer and State Senator Adriano Espaillat at the district office, 563 Columbus Ave. (at W. 87th Str.). Info.: (212) TRafalgar 3 - 02.82.

17th May, 2011, Tuesday, 8:30 A.M. to 10 A.M. Cyrus Vance fund-raiser. Sheraton New York, 811 Seventh Ave. (W. 53rd Str.). Info.: Katrina Pence at (212) 486+01.94. $

19th May, 2011, Thursday. Stonewall Democratic Club fund-raiser. $

22nd May, 2011, Sunday, 3 to 6 P.M. Audubon Dem. Club fund-raiser. Chez Rothschild, 800 Riverside Dr. (Apt. #1-J) @ W. 158th Str. $

23rd May, 2011, Monday, 8 A.M. to 10 A.M. Carolyn Maloney fund-raiser. The Roosevelt Hotel, 45 East 45th Street (off Mad. Ave.). Info.: Jamie Ansorge at (212) 987+55.16. $

26th May, 2011, Thursday, at 5 o'clock P.M. N.Y.C.L.A. Annual Meeting. St. Paul's Church, Broadway & Vesey Street.

26th May, 2011, Thursday, 6:30 P.M. to 8 P.M. New York Civic presents "Cleaning Up Corruption--Politics & Ethics in N.Y.C." N.Y.C. Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn, Assemblymember Micah Kellner, Huffington Post N.Y.C. editor Dan Collins, and more special guests for a substantive exploration of the ethics reform debate currently raging in Albany and a discussion of what conduct we should realistically and ideally expect from our elected officials in New York City and New York State.
Calvary Baptist Church, 123 W. 57th Str., Manh. Info.: (212) LOngacre 4 - 44.41.
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This information is supplied as a public service, and does not necessarily comprise an endorsement of the identified activity, candidate, charity, club, meeting, organization, or topic. All information is believed to be accurate as of the original publication date of this posting.

The Flacks Report [4/24/11]

Necrology---Sandra Day O'Connor---103-yr Old District Court Judge---Bad News for Tenants
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Necrology

Eve Markewich's father, Robert, died Saturday, 23rd April, 2011. The funeral is this Tuesday, 26th inst., at the Plaza Memorial Chapel, 630 Amsterdam Ave. @ W. 91st Street, at 9:30 A.M.
javascript:void(0)
Has Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Over-Stepped Her Bounds?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_justice_o_connor_ethics

103-Year Old Federal District Court Judge Still Active

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_old_judge

Bad News for Rent Stabilized Tenants

In June 2008 and June 2009, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) authorized rent increases on the City's one million rent-stabilized apartments. They also took the unusual and controversial step of authorizing supplemental increases
on tenants who've lived in their apartments for more than six years and pay less than $1,000 in rent.
Believing the board had exceeded its authority in doing so, several tenants filed a suit challenging the legality of the 2008 and 2009 supplemental increases. In January 2010, the NYS Supreme Court ruled that RGB did not have the authority to
impose the extra rent charge for long-term tenants, and on June 22, 2010, the Appellate Division affirmed that ruling.
Unfortunately, on March 24th the State's highest court, the Court of Appeals, reversed that decision. See:

http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/Decisions/2011/Mar11/32opn11.pdf

April Showers (Events)

SELECTED EVENTS
[Events which request a contribution are indicated by a dollar sign.]
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2nd April, 2011, Saturday, 5 P.M. until 11 P.M. Brooklyn Museum of Art First Saturday Night. Link to:
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/
Judy Wood

4th April, 2011, Monday, 6 P.M. Edith Spivak award reception to Kathy Tolbert of Barnard College. N.Y.C.L.A., 14 Vesey Str. (betw. B'way & Church Str.).

10th April, 2011, Sunday, from 1 o'clock P.M. to 4 P.M. Community Free Democrats, Inc. fund-raiser. Bella Luna restaurant, 584 Columbus Ave. (betw. 88th & 89th Sts.). $

13th April. 2011, Wednesday, 7 to 9 P.M. N.Y. Dem. Lawyers Council fund-raiser. Guest: A.G. Eric Tradd Schneiderman. Dewey & LeBoeuf, 1301 Sixth Ave. Info.: (212) SA-5-88.25. $

14th April. 2011, Thursday. U.D.O. fund-raiser. $

15th April, 2011, Friday, 8 A.M. City Law breakfast. Speaker: D.C. 37's Lillian Roberts at N.Y. Law School, 185 WEST B'way (betw. Worth & Leonard Sts.).

20th April, 2011, Wednesday at 8 A.M. City Hall News breakfast forum on "Affordable Housing." Toronto Dominion Bank, 317 Mad. Ave. @ E. 42nd Str.

26th April, 2011, Tuesday, 5:30 P.M. - 6:45 P.M. Billy Sternberg's work-in-progress film on the infamous disappearance of Judge Joseph Force Crater and possible connexion with Billy's grandfather, Dem. Party Assy. Dist. Ldr. Maurice Bloch's death. Ottendorfer branch of the N.Y.P.L., N.W. cor. 2nd Ave. & St. Mark's Pl.

26th April, 2011, Tuesday, 6 P.M. Charles Evans Hughes lecture. Speaker: Denny Chin, 2nd Cir. C. of A. At N.Y.C.L.A., 14 Vesey Str. (betw. B'way & Church Str.).

27th April, 2011, Wednesday, 6 P.M. Nanette Dembitz lecture: "Doing More with Less in N.Y.C. Family Court."
Edwina Richardson-Mendelson, Administrative Judge, New York City Family Courts; Stephanie Gendell, associate executive director for Policy and Public Affairs, Citizens' Committee for Children of New York; David J. Lansner, Esq., founding partner, Lansner Kubitschek Schaffer, and co-chair, New York State Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services; John Mattingly, commissioner, Administration for Children's Services; Peter Passidomo, Esq., chief clerk, New York City Family Court; and Tamara Steckler, Esq., attorney-in-charge, Juvenile Rights Practice, The Legal Aid Society
Moderator: Hon. Louise G. Gans, former chair, NYCLA's Family Court and Child Welfare Committee At N.Y.C.L.A., 14, Vesey Str. (betw. B'way & Church Sts.).

28th April, 2011, Thursday, 5:30 P.M. - 6:45 P.M. Reprise of Billy Sternberg's work-in-progress film on the infamous disappearance of Judge Joseph Force Crater and possible connexion with Billy's grandfather Dem. Party Assy. Dist. Ldr. Maurice Bloch's death. Morningside branch of the N.Y.P.L., N.E. cor. B'way & W. 113th Str.

28th April, 2011, Thursday, 6 P.M. Public forum: "The Digital Deluge--Representing On-line Publications."
Three top practitioners in the field of media law, who will share insights and practice tips for representing online publications in the fast-paced and ever-changing digital environment.
Speakers: James Rosenfeld, partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP; Rebecca Sanhueza, vice president and deputy general counsel, Time Inc.; and Richard Tofel, general manager, Pro Publica Moderator: Kathleen Conkey, Esq., Law Offices of Kathleen Conkley. At N.Y.C.L.A., 14 Vesey Str. (betw. B'way & Church St.).

28th April, 2011, Thursday, 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Club dinner fund-raiser. Il Cortile restaurant, 125 Mulberry Str. (betw. Hester & Canal Sts.). For information, ring District Leader Louise Dankberg at (212) GRamercy 5 - 53.47. $

28th April, 2011, Thursday, 6:30 P.M. Lexington Democratic Club dinner fund-raiser. The Yale Club, 50 Vanderbilt Ave. @ E. 44th Str. (across from G.C.T.). For info., call either (917) 623+13.39 or (917) 657+81.84. $
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Watch for the up-coming E-mail "Bring May Flowers" and the Super Sunday money-taker fund-raisers.
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This information is supplied as a public service, and does not necessarily comprise an endorsement of the identified activity, candidate, charity, club, meeting, organization, or topic. All information is believed to be accurate as of the original publication date of this posting.

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Now is the winter of our fiscal discontent
made glorious summer by this sun of Mario.

The Flacks Report [Mar. '11]

V.R.D.C. takes the Cake---N.Y.C. Board of Elections Puts Sample Ballots On-line---"Tweeting" in the Commons?---A Brief Encounter with the Vito Lopez Organization---Andrew Stein Sentenced
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V.R.D.C Takes the Cake

The food at the February Village Reform Democratic Club holiday pot-luck pah-tee deserves mention. There were two excellent home-made dishes: perfectly cooked turkeys by Ray Cline and superb pasta al dente piquantly seasoned with garlic by Joanna Saccone. And there was Omega-3 oils provided by the restaurant (delicious broiled salmon).

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Sample Ballots on Line

Prompted by Citizens Union's release of its study of sample ballots practices in New York which found that 27 counties posted sample ballots online prior to Election Day, the Board of Elections in the City of New York passed a motion in December 2010 to put sample ballots online for future elections. The motion also specified that ballots would be provided through the board's online poll site locator, meaning that voters will be able to find their poll sites and ballots by simply entering their addresses for this important reform, which will allow voters to see the design of the ballot in addition to the contests they will vote for prior to Election Day, and avoiding many of the problems seen during the Primary Election in 2010.

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The Ubiquitous "Tweet"

Your correspondent was reading in the Hansard reports a recent debate on education in the Commons whereupon he found this point of order of one Member objecting to another's "tweeting":

Kevin Brennan: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. The hon. Member for Cambridge (Dr Huppert) is tweeting from the Chamber right now that the shadow Secretary of State has refused to meet the right hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Simon Hughes), but in fact the shadow Secretary of State has already met him, and is prepared to meet him at any time. Is it in order for a Member, in the course of a debate, to make points about participants in the debate without doing it here so that everyone can hear the point they are making and have an opportunity to rebut it?

Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): What I can say is that it is for me to keep order in the Chamber. I am glad that the hon. Gentleman has brought this to my attention, and I am sure that no hon. Member will be tweeting from the Chamber to let people outside know what is going on.

Michael Gove [the Secretary of State]: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making his point, but I do not know what it says about my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy) or the right hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock) that while they were making their interventions,
19 Jan 2011 : Column 885
he thought his own Twitter feed was more intriguing than the points they had to make. However, he is a genial soul and I know they will forgive him everything, as will I.

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An Encounter with the Kings County Dems

Your correspondent had occasion to contact the H.Q. of the Kings County Regular Democratic organization on Court Street (where else?) recently. I asked the young woman there for some information, and she said that she'd get back to me, but when I hadn't heard, I telephoned again, and she told me that she checked me (on the World Wide Web) and saw that I said some bad things about her boss, Vito Lopez, and she wasn't going to give me what I requested (the name of a committee chair). Well, I wonder what the Post and the Daily News have said about Vito. [Actually, I didn't say anything about Lopez, but referred to Gary Tilzer's article about the Kings County Leader.] All in a day's work.

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N.Y. TIMES / REGION, | March 16, 2011 By C. J. HUGHES

Andrew J. Stein, a fixture in New York politics for a quarter of a century, was sentenced on Tuesday to three years' probation for tax evasion. Link to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/nyregion/16stein.html?emc=eta1