tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89807934403690647392024-03-13T05:10:24.252-04:00THE FLACKS REPORTALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-36998824310002836562015-07-04T23:10:00.000-04:002015-07-26T21:32:57.477-04:00I'm Back! I'll be back! The Flacks Report is coming back. We're working on it as you read this. My technical support team is using the Enigma machine to decode all the secret messages received since the last posting. This might take a little while until the team returns from Bletchley Park, and we'll be up and running by the Fall.<br />
<br />
s/"Alan Flacks Turing"<br />
<br />ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-77764603761486575322013-02-08T18:37:00.002-05:002013-02-08T18:44:01.098-05:00Court of Appeals Judge Jones Dies <div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">By <b>Joel Stashenk</b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>o</b>, </span><i>New York Law Journal</i>, <span style="font-size: medium;">7 </span>November 20<span style="font-size: medium;">12</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> Judge Theodore Jones Jr., a member of the state Court of Appeals
since 2007, died overnight of an apparent heart attack. He was 68.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> Chief
Judge Jonathan Lippman said Jones died either late last night or early
this morning after being transported to a hospital near his home in the
New York City metropolitan area. He had been in Rochester earlier in the
day for an event to promote diversity in the courts, Lippman said. . . .</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> Jones
was the only black judge of the seven-member Court of Appeals and was
chairman of its diversity committee. He also was co-chairman of
Lippman's Justice Task Force, which was tasked with finding ways to
reduce wrongful convictions.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>Jones was nominated in January 2007
by Eliot Spitzer, the newly elected governor, and confirmed the
following month by the state Senate. He had been elected to the Supreme
Court from Brooklyn in 1990.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> A Brooklyn native, Jones graduated
from Hampton University in Virginia in 1965. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1967 to 1969, where he was stationed in Vietnam and rose to the
rank of captain. He graduated from St. John's University School of Law
in 1972.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> Jones' term on the Court of Appeals was to have ended on
Dec. 31, 2014, when he would have been forced to step down by mandatory
retirement rules. Another member of the court, Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick
will retire the bench at the end of this year.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> Jones is survived
by his wife of more than 40 years, Joan Sarah Hogans, and two sons,
Theodore Jones III, an attorney, and Wesley Jones.</span>ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-38970554560282881162012-10-30T18:16:00.003-04:002012-10-30T18:30:18.388-04:00Bobby Berlin 1932--2012<div id="yiv1624522567">
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<tr><td id="yiv1624522567drftMsgContent" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; font: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: garamond,new york,times,serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: garamond,new york,times,serif; font-size: large;">Long-time
Democratic political operative and campaign manager for many, "Bobby"
Berlin died Friday, 26th October, 2012, of heart failure.<br /> Funeral scheduled for this Wednesday, 31st October,
2012, at 10:00<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>A.M. (family will be receiving at 9:30 A.M.<span style="font-size: large;">)</span>,
Riverside Memorial Chapel, Amsterdam Ave. between W. 75th and W. 76th
Streets, Manhattan. <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Shiva</i> afterward from 2 to 6 P.<span style="font-size: large;">M.<span style="font-size: large;">, 140 West 79th Str. - Apt. 8B <i>chez</i> Cole.</span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: garamond,new york,times,serif; font-size: large;"> Bobby was most proud of her <i>pro bono</i> work in helping to elect qualified judges to the bench.<br /> Elaine Roberta "Bobby" Berlin, 3 Sept. 193<span style="font-size: large;">2</span> -- 2<span style="font-size: large;">6</span> Oct. 2012, dead at the age of eighty.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: garamond,new york,times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">=============================</span></span></span></div>
<br />
Published in <i>The New York Times</i> on 28th October, 2012<b>:</b><br />
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BERLIN--Bobby.
Fierce Upper West Side Democratic activist Bobby Berlin, who was most
proud of her efforts to help reform the Manhattan Judiciary, passed away
peacefully on October 26. She freely donated her time, unparalleled
wisdom and expertise to elect many highly qualified judges. She is
survived by her brother Herbert, daughter Christina, son-in-law Robert,
grandchildren Lauren and Lisa, niece Shoshana, nephew Robbie and many
friends from government, politics and her community. She was predeceased
by her longtime companion
Joe. Funeral Services will be held at 10am on Monday, October 29 <b>[Changed to Wed. - Ed.]</b>
at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th Street. In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions may be sent to World Wildlife Fund, Alzheimer's
Association or Planned Parenthood.<br />
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ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-82291892252530039982012-10-21T12:11:00.004-04:002012-10-21T12:11:46.263-04:00McGovern Dies in Sioux Falls Hospice<div id="yiv321455245">
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<tr><td id="yiv321455245drftMsgContent" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; font: inherit;"><b> <span style="font-size: medium;">George McGovern</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">,
the United States senator who won the Democratic
Party’s presidential nomination in 1972 but lost to President Richard M.
Nixon and was an opponent of the Vietnam War and a champion of liberal
causes, died this morning, Sunday, at 90 in a Sioux Falls, S.D., hospice
at 5:15 a.m.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19967537">http://www.<b>bbc</b>.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19967537</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/george-mcgovern-senator-nixon-rival-dead-90-article-1.1188588" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ny<b>dailynews</b>.com/news/politics/george-mcgovern-senator-nixon-rival-dead-90-article-1.1188588</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/22/us/politics/george-mcgovern-a-democratic-presidential-nominee-and-liberal-stalwart-dies-at-90.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.<b>nytimes</b>.com/2012/10/22/us/politics/george-mcgovern-a-democratic-presidential-nominee-and-liberal-stalwart-dies-at-90.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-mcgovern-diesbre89k06i-20121021,0,5962602.story">http://www.<b>chicagotribune</b>.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-mcgovern-diesbre89k06i-20121021,0,5962602.story</a><br /><br /></span><div align="center">
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ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-42188978214218497952012-10-10T16:35:00.001-04:002012-10-10T16:35:35.406-04:00Congressman Nadler Speaks Tonight on Manhattan's Upper West Side<div id="yiv536010661">
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Reminder</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">:</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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Tonight, Wednesday, October 10, 2012, ["Double
Ten" Day<b>:</b> Founding of the
Chinese Nationalist Republic by Sun Yat-sen with the overthrow of the last
emperor, 10-10-1911.], <b>Jerrold Nadler</b>,
M.C., will discuss President Obama's re-election campaign and the Democrats'
efforts to re-take the House of Representatives.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">8 o'clock P.M., Upper West Side
Obama campaign office at 2689 Broadway between W. 102nd & W. 103rd Sts.
(west side of Broadway). All welcome.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-44050400110446866742012-10-05T10:58:00.001-04:002012-10-06T11:16:58.508-04:00Oктябрь Events5th October, 2012, Friday, 8:15 A.M. Have a conversation with N.Y. County District Attorney <b>Cyrus Vance</b>. New York Law School's CityLaw's breakfast series. 185 West Broadway (betw. Worth and Leonard Sts.), Manhattan. Free.<br />
<br />
6th October, 2012, Saturday, 5 o'clock P.M. on. <b>The Brooklyn Museum of Art's First Saturday Night</b>. Subway, 7th Ave. B'way IRT exp. #2 and #3 to Eastern Parkway, and you exit right at the entrance. Free.<br />
<br />
[MTK (more to come)]<br />
<br />
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.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-82374002542893467252012-09-27T07:21:00.003-04:002012-10-05T11:01:29.071-04:00The 2012 Democratic 1st Dist. Judicial ConventionBy Alan Flacks (212) 840+1234
The 2012 Democratic Party’s judicial nominating convention for the First Judicial District (New York County), held on Monday, 24th September, brought few surprises although it wasn’t certain who would be the victorious candidates even on the morning of the convention. Horse trading and palavering went on for a week or so before that evening, when candidates and their handlers estimated their relative strengths and pledged delegate numbers.
The eventual winners for the four 1st District vacancies on the State trial bench were, in the order nominated, Saliann Scarpulla, Shlomo Hagler, George Silver, and Manny Mendez, all Civil Court Judges and “acting” Supremes.
Anil Singh, considered by many to be the brightest and best of the candidates, and Debra James were the other two of the viable six contenders.
The convention itself, orchestrated Soviet-style, was a dog-and-pony show. All the fifteen candidates—ten from this year’s secret screening panel and five “2/4” candidates (previously selected by two prior panels in the last four consecutive years)—were nominated with lovely speeches, seconded, and then the “losing” candidates spoke and withdrew essentially acknowledging “It’s not my year” or a Dodger “wait till next year.” All candidates were obsequious to the county leader.
Many delegates were certainly not Reformers because they wore multiple hats by also holding public office or Party position, and a good number of alternate delegates failed to show.
Once again, county leader Keith Wright was not a player. He supported Many Mendez for the Washington Heights/Inwood Dominicans and other Latinos, and backed Shlomo Hagler at the behest of his “boss,” Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (for which it is rumored that Silver will make Wright the chair of the important Assembly Housing Committee), while abandoning the only Black Harlem candidate, Debra James. Silver and Espaillat/Linares got theirs while Keith backed down.
Afterward there was a reception, a recent tradition, at a local restaurant to which all were invited to attend, and which was given by the four winning candidates.
The seventeen applicants to the screening panel we hear say are (those ten reported marked with a double asterisk):
Nancy Marie Bannon,**--
Debra James,**--
James d’Auguste,--
Arlene Bluth,**--
Margaret Chan,--
Shlomo Hagler,**--
Lori Satler,**--
Tanya Kennedy,--
Andrea Masley,**--
Peter Moulton,**--
Kathryn Freed,**--
Frank Nervo,--
Ruth Pickholz,**--
Barbara Jaffe,**--
Victoria Kummer,--
Raymond Bruce,--
Lynn Kotler,--
These ten reported this year were joined as candidates by five who were reported previously twice in the past four consecutive years:
Anil Singh,--
George Silver,--
Saliann Scarpulla,--
Manuel Mendez,--
Arthur Engoron.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-52521975943000568562012-09-18T19:28:00.001-04:002012-09-18T19:28:44.164-04:00Revised September 2012 Events[Events requesting contributions are indicated by a dollar sign.]<br /><br />5th September, 2012, Wednesday, 6 o’clock P.M. C.F.D. Judiciary Cttee. forum to hear and to question candidates for State Supreme Court (1st Jud. Dist.) at the Party’s judicial nominating convention (q.v., infra). Marseilles Senior Center, 230 W. 103rd Str., Manh. (betw. B’way & W.E.A.).<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 12 o’clock high noon. Reception for Judge Anil Singh. 37 West 94th Street (off C.P.W.).<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 4 to 7 P.M. Chelsea “Reform” Democratic Club’s BBQ. The Frying Pan, Pier 66, West 26th Str. & the North River. Info.: Wire Paladin, Hotel Carlton, San Francisco, or call Groncki at (917) 601+88.31. $<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 5 to 8 P.M. Park River Independent Democrats fund-raiser. Sambuca Restaurant, 20 West 72nd Str. (off C.P.W.). Info.: (212) TRafalgar 7-4394. $<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 6 to 8 P.M. James McManus birthday anniversary party. Sacred Heart Church, 457 W. 51st Str., Manh. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.). Every Manhattan pol will be there; they always have.<br /><br />10th September, 2012, Monday, 6:30 P.M. Reception for Judge Saliann Scarpulla. Teamster Local 237, 216 W. 14th Str. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.).<br /><br />12th September, 2012, Wednesday, 6 P.M. Preet Bharara speaks at N.Y.C.L.A. public service awards. NYCLA, 14 Vesey Str. (betw. B’way & Church Str.).<br /><br />13th September, 2012, Thursday, 6 A.M. to 9 P.M. Primary Election.<br /><br />15th September, 2012, Saturday, 11 A.M. Mid-Manhattan Branch N.A.A.C.P. always lovely luncheon. Marina del Rey, Throgs Neck, The Broncks. R.s.v.p. to (212) Riverside 9–2323. $<br /><br />16th September, 2012, Sunday, 11 A.M. Reception for Judge Peter Moulton. Chez Maheshwari & Singh, 312 W. 104th Str., Apt. #1 (betw. W.E.A. & RSD).<br /><br />19th September, 2012, Wednesday, 5:30 P.M. Reception for Judge Debra James. Chez McAulay, 322 Central Park West @ W. 92nd Str.<br /><br />20th September, 2012, Thursday, 7:45 P.M. Tilden Dems. holds a forum to hear candidates for Supreme Court, 1st Judicial Dist. If you missed the C.F.D. forum on the 5th, you have a chance to catch this one. Seafarers House, 123 East 15th Str. @ Irving Pl. <br /><br />21st September, 2012, Friday, 8:15 A.M. Jonathan Lippman speaks at the CityLaw breakfast. N.Y. Law School, 185 West B’way (betw. Worth & Leonard Sts.).<br /><br />22nd September, 2012, Saturday, 8:30 P.M. Reception for Judge Shlomo Hagler. Meat Me restaurant, 726 Amsterdam Ave. (betw. W. 95th & W. 96th Sts.). <br /><br />23rd September, 2012, Sunday, 1:30 P.M. Reception for Judge Manuel Jacobo Mendez-Olivero. Mamajuana Restaurant, 570 Amst. Ave. (betw. 87th & 88th Sts.)<br /><br />23rd September, 2012, Sunday, 3 P.M. Reception for Judge George Silver. Sweet Jane’s, 172 E. 106th Str. (betw. Lex & 3rd Aves).<br /><br />23rd September, 2012, Sunday, 5:30 P.M. Reception for Judge Lori Sattler. Chez Silbermann, 215 E. 68th Str. (E. of 3rd Ave.).<br /><br />24th September, 2012, Monday, 6 P.M. Dem. First Judicial District nominating convention. Chelsea School of Visual Arts, 333 W. 23rd Str. (betw. 8th & 9th Aves.). [Join the victorious candidates at the traditional after-party.]<br /><br />25th September, 2012, Tuesday, 8:30 A.M. “Prisoner Re-Entry Into Society.” Cory Booker and David Paterson speak, moderated by Bob Abrams. Presenter: Jerry Goldfeder. Stroock, Stroock, & Lavan, 180 Maiden La. (E. of Water Str.), Manh., auditorium.<br /><br />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.<br />ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-71684389844479012002012-09-16T19:34:00.008-04:002012-09-16T19:39:40.466-04:00Post-Primary Report A number of readers have inquired about a few Manhattan September 13th Primary election results. We did not report any results because we expected the newspapers to do so, but they didn’t. [Remember when the <span style="font-style:italic;">New York Post</span> reported results by A.D.?] Only the New York <span style="font-style:italic;">Daily News</span>’s political columnist Celeste “Pebbles” Katz provided preliminary totals.<br /><br /> Your correspondent was at the N.Y.C. Board of Elections H.Q. after mid-night Thursday looking at the returns by the Board’s new method of using the scanners’ “flash drives” to send results in an attempt to speed up preliminary unofficial machine returns (which in some districts turned out to be slower than using the old manual transmission by the N.Y.P.D.). Here for your edification are the key Manhattan results. Results are unofficial and subject to the official re-canvass and the addition of affidavit, absentee, and military ballots.<br /><br />New York County Surrogate:<br />Rita Mella 26,223 = 60%<br />Barbara Jaffe 17,671 = 40% <br /><br />The Chelsea/Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Civil Court District:<br />Lisa Sokoloff 2,440 = 55%<br />Olga Statz 2,031 = 45% <br /><br />State Senate 27th District:<br />Brad Holyman 7,187 = 67%<br />Thomas Greco 2,546 = 24%<br />Tanika Inlaw 924 = 9% <br /><br />State Senate 31st District:<br />Adriano Espaillat 10,623 = 62%<br />Guillermo Linares 6,562 = 38%<br /><br />Assembly 72nd District:<br />Gabriela Rosa 2,945 = 44%<br />Mayra Linares 2,305 = 34%<br />Melanie Hidalgo 1,039 = 15.5%<br />Ruben Dario Vargas 435 = 6.5% <br /><br />State Committee (Male) 67th A.D.:<br />Vincent Alfonso 2,344 = 58%<br />Arthur Greig 1,696 = 42% ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-7098177485089367802012-09-12T15:37:00.003-04:002012-09-12T15:39:50.076-04:00Dan Wise on the Manhattan Surrogate Race Two Civil Court judges are battling for the Democratic nomination to succeed Surrogate Kristin Booth Glen. Rita Mella, who is assigned to Criminal Court, has a leg up in political support but Barbara Jaffe, an acting Supreme Court justice who handles city cases and matrimonial trials, has a 3-to-1 lead in former judges in her corner.<br /><br />Here's the excellent July story by ace legal reporter Dan Wise, former <span style="font-style:italic;">N.Y. Law Journal</span> senior reporter.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Jaffe and Mella Square Off in Surrogate Primary</span> [27 July 2012]<br /><br />Two Civil Court judges are vying to become the Democratic Party’s candidate for Surrogate in Manhattan: Barbara Jaffe, who handles divorces in Manhattan as an acting Supreme Court justice, and Rita Mella, who sits in the Criminal Court in Manhattan.<br /><br />In terms of finances, the two are evenly matched with their war chests within $3,500 of each other as of July 12. Judge Mella has deeper political support, and Justice Jaffe more former judges in her camp.<br /><br />If elected, Judge Mella would become the first surrogate of Dominican ancestry in New York City.<br /><br />On Thursday Sept. 13, Democratic voters will select their candidate to succeed Surrogate Kristin Booth Glen who will leave the bench at the end of the year, having reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. The primary function of the Surrogate’s court is to oversee the disposition of the property of people after they die.<br /><br />Both candidates followed unusual paths to the law. Judge Mella, 50, came to this country from the Dominican Republic at the age of 22 for graduate study in Latin American history and seven years later received her degree from CUNY Law School in 1991.<br /><br />For Justice Jaffe, the law was a second career. After spending seven years helping manage a wholesale arts and antiques business, she enrolled in Brooklyn Law School and received her law degree in 1984.<br /><br />Both candidates spent the bulk of their pre-bench careers as law clerks. Justice Jaffe, 60, worked as a law clerk for 16 years, nine of them for Marcy L. Kahn, now a Supreme Court justice and one of the first openly gay judges. Justice Jaffe was elected to the Civil Court in 2001 and appointed as an acting Supreme Court justice in 2010. In addition to handling matrimonial trials, Justice Jaffe manages a a docket of cases against New York City until they are ready for trial.<br /><br />Judge Mella worked as a law clerk for thirteen years prior to her election to the Civil Court in 2006. For 10 of those years she worked for Justice Richard Rivera, including a four-year stretch while he was the judge in charge of the Civil Court in Brooklyn. After Justice Rivera passed away, she clerked for Judge Margarita Lopez Torres for three years in Criminal Court and then for another year after her boss was elected to the Surrogate’s Court in 2005. Surrogate Lopez Torres was the first person of Hispanic heritage to win election as a surrogate.<br /><br />Since being elected to Civil Court, Judge Mella has been assigned to the Criminal Court in Manhattan. During that time she presided over the Misdemeanor Treatment Court for three years.<br /><br />Justice Jaffe has been found highly qualified to be a surrogate by the court system’s screening panel. The panel’s evaluation of Judge Mella is still in process, said David Suarez, Judge Mella’s campaign manager.<br /><br />Handling Appointments<br /><br />Surrogates have extensive responsibility for appointing lawyers and others to perform different tasks in the cases they handle. Surrogates also set the compensation of their appointees, a highly sensitive task since the fees are withdrawn from the estates the surrogates are charged with protecting.<br /><br />Over the years, and more recently in Brooklyn and the Bronx, those appointments have erupted in scandals that have tarred the judiciary. For many years, however, there has been no such problem in Manhattan. Surrogate Glen made fee awards totaling $217,128 in 40 instances during the last 12 months, according to a search of a database maintained by the court system.<br /><br />Among the appointments surrogates make is the designation of the counsel to the Public Administrator, the official who processes the estates of persons who die without a will. According to an audit done by the New York City Comptroller’s Office for the 2010-11 fiscal year, two counsels to the Public Administrator in Manhattan (each of the two surrogates elected in Manhattan appoints one) were paid at total of $822,000 for work on cases without wills. A source familiar with the operation of the Public Administrator’s office said the figure in the Comptroller’s audit seems low and that “a conservative” estimate of annual compensation for each counsel would be around $750,000.<br /><br />Both candidates said in interviews they would follow the procedures put in place by the Office of Court Administration (OCA) and Surrogate Glen, and essentially proceed down the list of fiduciaries found qualified by OCA each time an appointment is required, making exceptions only in cases raising particularly complex issues. Under court rules, surrogates, almost without exception, must appoint fiduciaries who have been found qualified by OCA.<br /><br />The two candidates had slightly different approaches for dealing with appointments in complex matters. Judge Mella said that, like Surrogate Glen, she would send a separate questionnaire to all those on the OCA list asking them about their specific areas of expertise. The information gathered from the questionnaire is then merged into the OCA list, and, proceeding alphabetically, the next person on the list with the required expertise is selected for the assignment.<br /><br />Rather than supplementing the OCA list, Justice Jaffe said she would ask OCA to prepare a sub-list of more experienced attorneys to handle complex matters and then proceed methodically down that list to make appointments in cases requiring specialized knowledge. She said she would also require the more experienced hands to continue to handle routine matters, which are apt to involve less remuneration. Another possibility, she suggested, would be to partner a less experienced attorney with a more experienced one on complex matters.<br /><br />Political Backing v. Support from Former Judges<br /><br />Judge Mella has significantly more support from elected officials and political clubs than Justice Jaffe. Judge Mella has been endorsed by 16 state and city legislators from Manhattan. Justice Jaffe has former Governor David Paterson and an assemblyman from the Upper East Side in her camp.<br /><br />Judge Mella leads in endorsements from political clubs, 19 to 10. Judge Mella is particularly strong in northern Manhattan where she has been backed by every club in Washington Heights and East Harlem, except one which remained neutral. She also has the endorsement the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club, which is the base of State Senator Tom Duane who was an ardent champion of same-sex marriage. All three gay and lesbian clubs in Manhattan have endorsed her as well.<br /><br />Justice Jaffe has won endorsements from some powerful clubs as well, most notably the Lexington Democratic Club on the East Side, and the United Democratic Organization of Chinatown. She also has shown strength on the Upper West Side where three clubs endorsed her to one for Judge Mella.<br /><br />A fifth club on the Upper West Side, which is the home base of Congressman Jerry Nadler, has remained neutral so far. So has the Harry Truman Democratic Club, the home club of New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and the Fred Samuels Democratic Club which is Manhattan Democratic Leader Keith Wright’s club. In fact, all but one club in Harlem have not as yet endorsed a candidate.<br /><br />The balance shifts significantly in favor of Justice Jaffe when the subject becomes endorsements from former judges. Justice Jaffe has been backed by five former Appellate Division justices and 10 former trial judges. Judge Mella has been endorsed by three former Surrogates and two former trial judges.<br /><br />The five former Appellate Division justice who have endorsed Justice Jaffe are Betty Weinberg Ellerin, Israel Rubin and E. Leo Milonas from the First Department, and Stephen G. Crane and Seymour Boyers from the Second Department.<br /><br />The three former surrogates who have endorsed Judge Mella are Eve Preminger from Manhattan and C. Raymond Radigan and John B. Riordan, both from Nassau County.<br /><br />The most important endorsement has yet to come: The New York Times. With light turnout expected because there are no federal or statewide primaries on the ballot this year, the Times endorsement could well carry the day.<br /><br />Neck and Neck in Fund Raising<br /><br />According to filings with the New York State Board of Elections, both candidates put on strong fund raising drives during the first half of the year. Judge Mella’s campaign raised $137,000 from contributors ($5,000 came from the judge herself); Judge Jaffe’s raised $116,000. Justice Jaffe loaned $50,000 to her campaign, and Judge Mella loaned hers $10,000.<br /><br />Going into the final two months of the campaign, Justice Jaffe has a war chest of $89,000 and Judge Mella, $85,500. In 2008, when the last Democratic primary for surrogate was held in Manhattan, two of the three candidates spent more than $600,000 on their campaigns.<br /><br />Mella’s Backers<br /><br />Gary Freidman, a partner at Greenfield, Stein & Senior, a firm that has a large trust and estates practice, said that he had decided to back Judge Mella because lawyers, who had dealings with Judge Mella when she was working for Surrogate Lopez Torres, “absolutely thought the world of her.” Mr. Freidman contributed $1,995 to Judge Mella’s campaign and the firm another $2,500.<br /><br />Another top lawyer donor to the Mella campaign was Seth Rubenstein, who, along with now Manhattan Surrogate Nora S. Anderson, was acquitted by a Manhattan jury in 2010 on charges of circumventing campaign contribution limits by concealing the source of $250,000 in Surrogate Anderson’s campaign treasury.<br /><br />Ms. Preminger, the former Manhattan surrogate, recalled Judge Mella’s saga starting with her arrival in this country with limited English language skills. That journey, she said, has produced “the most amazing candidate in my memory—she looks delicate and frail but she is one tough lady.” Justice Preminger has donated $500 to the Mella campaign.<br /><br />Former Nassau Surrogate Radigan, who contributed $500, said that he had endorsed Judge Mella out of a desire promote the election of lawyers who have worked for the Surrogate’s Court to the court’s top job, a career path he had followed. He said he interviewed Judge Mella before deciding to back her and was convinced that she would “run the court the way it’s supposed to be run.”<br /><br />Mr. Riordan, also a former Nassau surrogate, contributed $1,000 to the Mella campaign.<br /><br />Jaffe’s Supporters<br /><br />Harriet N. Cohen, a matrimonial specialist, said Justice Jaffe is highly regarded by the matrimonial bar as “a very good settler because she lets the parties know where she is headed and why.”<br /><br />“She is also very scholarly, likes to write opinions, and turns her decisions around quickly,” said Ms. Cohen who donated $1,000 to the Jaffe campaign. Her firm, Cohen Rabin Stine Schumann, also contributed $2,000.<br /><br />William D. Zabel, a founding partner of Schulte Roth & Zabel who practices predominately in the trust and estates area, said that Justice Jaffe’s life experience as the manager of a fine arts business, combined with her superior record on the bench, auger well for her performance as surrogate. “I expect her to be a very fine surrogate,” he said. Combined with contributions from several other partners at the firm (including $250 from the firm itself), lawyers at Schulte Roth contributed more than $4,750. (I did not tally contributions of less than $1,000 from individuals.)<br /><br />Three of the five former Appellate Division justices, who endorsed Justice Jaffe, have contributed to her campaign: Ms. Ellerin, $500 and Mr. Rubin, $250, both formerly of the First Department. Mr. Crane, who had sat in the Second Department, contributed $750.<br /><br />Mr. Crane described Justice Jaffe as “the epitome of the kind of judge needed to carry on the objectives of Kris Glen.”<br /><br />Hedging Their Bets<br /><br />Several firms, most of them with a significant estates practice, hedged their bets and donated to both candidates. Greenfield, Stein & Senior, as noted above, donated $2,500 to the Mella campaign. It also donated $2,000 to the Jaffe campaign. Similarly Mazur, Carp & Rosen, which donated $3,000 to the Mella campaign, also contributed $1,500 to the Jaffe campaign, as did one of its partners, Sayward Mazur, who donated $1,000.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-49295131334331426622012-09-08T15:37:00.031-04:002012-10-04T14:33:55.466-04:00September's Selected Events[Events requesting contributions are indicated by a dollar sign.]<br /><br />5th September, 2012, Wednesday, 6 o’clock P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">C.F.D. Judiciary Cttee. forum</span> to hear and to question candidates for State Supreme Court (1st Jud. Dist.) at the Party’s judicial nominating convention (<span style="font-style:italic;">q.v., infra</span>). Marseilles Senior Center, 230 W. 103rd Str., Manh. (betw. B’way & W.E.A.).<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 12 o’clock high noon. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Anil Singh</span>. 37 West 94th Street (off C.P.W.).<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 4 to 7 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Chelsea “Reform” Democratic Club</span>’s BBQ. The Frying Pan, Pier 66, West 26th Str. & the North River. Info.: Wire Paladin, Hotel Carlton, San Francisco, or call Groncki at (917) 601+88.31. <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span><br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 5 to 8 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Park River Independent Democrats</span> fund-raiser. Sambuca Restaurant, 20 West 72nd Str. (off C.P.W.). Info.: (212) TRafalgar 7-4394. <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span><br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday, 6 to 8 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">James McManus</span> birthday anniversary party. Sacred Heart Church, 457 W. 51st Str., Manh. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.). Every Manhattan pol will be there; they always have.<br /><br />10th September, 2012, Monday, 6:30 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Saliann Scarpulla</span>. Teamster Local 237<span style="font-weight:bold;">,</span> 216 W. 14th Str. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.).<br /><br />12th September, 2012, Wednesday, 6 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Preet Bharara</span> speaks at N.Y.C.L.A. public service awards. NYCLA, 14 Vesey Str. (betw. B’way & Church Str.).<br /><br />13th September, 2012, Thursday, 6 A.M. to 9 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Primary Election</span>.<br /><br />15th September, 2012, Saturday, 11 A.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mid-Manhattan Branch N.A.A.C.P.</span> always lovely luncheon. Marina del Rey, Throgs Neck, The Broncks. R.s.v.p. to (212) Riverside 9–2323. <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span><br /><br />16th September, 2012, Sunday, 11 A.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Peter Moulton</span>. <span style="font-style:italic;">Chez</span> Maheshwari & Singh, 312 W. 104th Str., Apt. #1 (betw. W.E.A. & RSD).<br /><br />19th September, 2012, Wednesday, 5:30 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Debra James</span>. <span style="font-style:italic;">Chez</span> McAulay, 322 Central Park West @ W. 92nd Str.<br /><br />20th September, 2012, Thursday, 7:45 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Tilden Dems.</span> holds a forum to hear candidates for Supreme Court, 1st Judicial Dist. If you missed the C.F.D. forum on the 5th, you have a chance to catch this one. Seafarers House, 123 East 15th Str. @ Irving Pl. <br /><br />21st September, 2012, Friday, 8:15 A.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Jonathan Lippman</span> speaks at the CityLaw breakfast. N.Y. Law School, 185 West B’way (betw. Worth & Leonard Sts.).<br /><br />22nd September, 2012, Saturday, 8:30 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Shlomo Hagler</span>. Meat Me restaurant, 726 Amsterdam Ave. (betw. W. 95th & W. 96th Sts.).<br /><br />23rd September, 2012, Sunday, 1:30 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Manuel Jacobo Mendez-Olivero</span>. Mamajuana Restaurant, 570 Amst. Ave. (betw. 87th & 88th Sts.)<br /><br />23rd September, 2012, Sunday, 3 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">George Silver</span>. Sweet Jane’s, 172 E. 106th Str. (betw. Lex & 3rd Aves).<br /><br />23rd September, 2012, Sunday, 5:30 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lori Sattler</span>. <span style="font-style:italic;">Chez</span> Silbermann, 215 E. 68th Str. (E. of 3rd Ave.).<br /><br />24th September, 2012, Monday, 6 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Dem. First Judicial District nominating convention</span>. Chelsea School of Visual Arts, 333 W. 23rd Str. (betw. 8th & 9th Aves.). [Join the victorious candidates at the traditional after-party.]<br /><br />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.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-72577408477620456292012-09-08T14:49:00.008-04:002012-09-08T14:52:30.019-04:00Monday Bd. o'Elections Demo of Interest!The Board of Elections in the City of New York <br />Invites you to join us for a demonstration of our<br />Unofficial Election Night Results Reporting Process<br />This presentation will demonstrate the new procedures for the electronic reporting of Unofficial results including:<br />· Closing poll site scanners;<br />· Transfer of memory devices to NYPD;<br />· NYPD transportation of devices to precincts;<br />· Tracking receipt of Portable Memory Devices RFID stations;<br />· Bipartisan teams of Election Night Reporting clerks to upload the Unofficial Results. <br /><br />This presentation will be held at:<br />The Board of Elections in the City of New York<br />42 Broadway, 6th floor<br />New York , NY <br /><br />WHEN: Monday, September 10, 2012<br />TIME: 1:30PM sharp<br />Call 212 487-5404 with any questions. <br /><br />Valerie Vazquez<br />Director of Communications and Public Affairs<br />32 Broadway - 7th Floor<br />New York, NYALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-43915523806653973632012-08-31T21:22:00.018-04:002012-09-02T12:52:51.546-04:00Judicial Forum Wed. 5 Sept.The Judiciary Committee of Community Free Democrats, Inc.,<br />holds a forum this coming Wednesday, 5th September, 2012, at 6 o’clock P.M. to hear and to question those candidates for our Party’s designations at the 24th September, 2012, First Judicial District nominating convention.<br /><br />The forum will be held in the community room of the Marseilles Senior Housing, 230 West 103rd Street (between Broadway & West End Avenue), Manhattan. This is free and open to the public. All judicial convention delegates and alternate delegates are urged to attend because this may be your only opportunity to hear all of the candidates at one time. Public officials and Party officers should attend. The public is also most welcome.<br /><br />The speakers:<br /><br />Anil Christopher Singh<br />George J. Silver<br />Saliann Scarpulla<br />Lori Susan Sattler<br />Ruth Pickholz<br />Peter H. Moulton<br />Manuel Jacobo Mendez-Olivero<br />Andrea Masley<br />Debra A. James<br />Barbara Jaffe<br />Shlomo S. Hagler<br />Kathryn E. Freed<br />Arthur F. Engoron<br />Arlene P. Bluth<br />Nancy Marie Bannon<br />ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-48159802572914904652012-08-29T17:56:00.013-04:002012-09-02T09:35:02.178-04:00Panel Choices This is an immediate and temporary notification of the County's Supreme Court screening panel's choices.In no particular order:<br /><br />Nancy Bannon<br />Debra James<br />Arlene Bluth<br />Shlomo Hagler<br />Lori Susan Sattler<br />Andrea Masley<br />Peter Moulton<br />Kathryn Freed<br />Ruth Pickholz<br />Barbara Jaffe<br />ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-9034876366756410252012-08-22T21:23:00.044-04:002012-08-31T20:34:19.996-04:00NEW YORK COUNTY REGULAR DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION--JUDICIARY COMMITTEE’S SCREENING PANEL FOR STATE SUPREME COURT CANDIDATES (1st Judicial District) <br /> The panelists were selected or designated by the heads of the various organizations named, such heads acting in their individual capacity and not on behalf of their organization. The organizations are listed for identification purposes only. The panelists do not represent the organizations.<br /><br /> Seventeen (17) applicants [including Surrogate candidate Barbara Jaffe] applied for the four (4) “open” seats this year. The panel, scheduled to make its report as to the “most highly qualified” of the applicants on 28 August 2012, must report at least eight (8) and not more than twelve (12) under the County rules.<br /><br /> In addition, there are five previously screened candidates (Arthur Engoron, Anil Singh, Manuel Jacobo Mendez-Olivero, Saliann Scarpulla, and George Silver) who were reported as most highly qualified twice by prior screening panels in the last four consecutive years.<br /><br /> The panel consists of twenty-three members (now twenty-two as one had to leave because of scheduling conflicts). The heads of forty-two organizations were solicited to contribute a panelist; however, some designees are not on the panel despite timely response because the County office, while having acknowledged receipt of the designees, failed to transmit the names to the panel Administrator! This is a serious issue of the integrity of the panel screening system.<br /><br /> Once again, the County Leader refused to make public the names of the screening panel members, undoing a quarter century of openly known panels. The County judiciary committee twice voted to reaffirm the practice of divulging the panelists' names at their first meeting, and the committee’s co-chair repeatedly requested, but to no avail, that the information be posted on the County’s web site. [This was finally done--six weeks late--on Fri., 24 Aug., just days before the report.]<br /><br /> The judiciary committee members are impressionable. The administrator this year, Randolph Michael Scott McLaughlin, snowed the committee’s members with his impressive credentials. There was concern that he is with a politically connected law firm, Finklestein, Newman, Ferrara. He answered that he was of counsel—but that could mean anything (bringing in millions or simply lending his name—in fact he’s there every day). He said he teaches at Pace Law School, but that’s only one course this summer. His law firm has held fund-raisers for judicial candidates, and the firm’s partners have contributed to judicial candidates. Potential conflicts of interest are imputed to all members, associates, and counsels of a law firm.<br /><br /> Further, Mr. McLaughlin’s panel is screening for County-wide seats, yet the administrator was opposed to such, arguing for judges to be elected from local neighborhood districts so as to avoid vote dilution.<br /><br /> Here are the panelists. Errors and omissions excepted to.<br /><br />N.Y.C. Mission Society: <br />Mr. Courtney Bennett<br />Director, Community & Government Relations<br />Minisink Townhouse, 646 Lenox Ave., N.Y., N.Y. 10037<br />(212) 368+8400<br /><br />MFY Legal Services:<br />Tamara Jackson Britt, Esq. [Rutgers]<br />Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, & Hamilton<br />One Liberty Plaza<br />New York, N.Y. 10006<br />(212) 225+2895<br /><br />Asian American Bar Assn. of N.Y.:<br />Yang Chen, Esq. [N.Y.U.]<br />P.O. Box #3656<br />New York, N.Y. 10163<br />(718) 228+7206<br /><br />Women’s City Club of New York:<br />Ms. Eleanor Coufos<br />Business exec. <br />American Express Travel Agency<br />World Financial Center<br />200 Vesey Street<br />New York, N.Y. 10285<br />(212) 721+1397<br /><br />National Employment Lawyers Assn. – N.Y.C. Chapter:<br />J. Patrick DeLince, Esq. [St. John’s]<br />30 Broad Street – 14th Fl.<br />New York, N.Y. 10004<br />(212) 382+3544<br /><br />Assn. of the Bar of the City of New York:<br />Jay Rory Fialkoff, Esq. [Brooklyn]<br />Moses & Singer<br />405 Lexington Avenue<br />New York, N.Y. 10174<br />(212) 554+7850<br /><br />New York State Trial Lawyers Assn.:<br />David Bela Golomb, Esq. [St. John’s]<br />370 Lexington Avenue – Suite 908<br />New York, N.Y. 10017<br />(212) 661+9000<br /><br />N.Y. Women’s Bar Assn. (N.Y.C. Chapter):<br />Patricia Ann Grant, Esq. [Touro]<br />Grant & Applebaum<br />600 Lexington Avenue – 9th Floor<br />New York, N.Y. 10022<br />(212) 308+2200<br /><br />Jewish Lawyers Guild:<br />Ida Rae Greer, Esq. [Touro]<br />Merit Operating Corp.<br />351 East 83rd Street<br />New York, N.Y. 10028<br />(212) 628+0461<br /><br />New York Law School:<br />Marcey Lynn Grigsby, Esq. [N.Y.]<br />New York Law School Faculty<br />185 West Broadway<br />New York, N.Y. 10013<br />(212) 431+2330<br /><br />West Side S.R.O. Law Project:<br />Clinton James Guthrie, Esq. [U. Nebraska-Lincoln]<br />W. Side S.R.O. Law Project<br />51 West 109th Street<br />New York, N.Y. 10025<br />(212) 799+9638<br /><br />Asian Americans for Equality:<br />Li Chang-yong (Wendy), Esq. [S.M.U.-Dedman & Beijing School of L.]<br />Patton Boggs<br />1185 Sixth Avenue – 30th Floor<br />New York, N.Y. 10036<br />(646) 557+5177<br /><br />South Asia Bar Assn.:<br />Rena Malik, Esq. [N.Y.]<br />3149 Wilmarth Place<br />Wantagh, N.Y. 11793<br />(516) 679+9602<br /><br />New York Criminal Bar Assn.:<br />Malvina Nathanson, Esq. [Columbia]<br />30 Vesey Street – 2nd Floor<br />New York, N.Y. 10007<br />(212) 608+6771<br /><br />Association of Legal Aid Attorneys:<br />John Paul (Jack) Newton, Esq. [U. Texas]<br />The Legal Aid Society (Civil)<br />260 East 161st Street – 8th Floor<br />The Bronx, N.Y. 10451<br />(718) 991+4600<br /><br />Community Association of Progressive Dominicans:<br />Ms. Hidelgaida Ortiz [Pace] <br />Exec. Asst. to the Exec. Director<br />3940 Broadway<br />New York, N.Y. 1032<br />(212) 781+5500<br /><br />LeGal-L.G.B.T.Bar Assn. of Greater N.Y.:<br />Wesley Railey Powell, Esq. [Duke]<br />Willkie, Farr, & Gallagher<br />787 Seventh Avenue<br />New York, N.Y. 10019<br />(212) 728+8264<br /><br />Puerto Rican Bar Association:<br />Francisco Laquan Rivera, Esq. [Brooklyn]<br />315 East 106th Street - #5E<br />New York, N.Y. 10029<br /><br />Metropolitan Black Bar Association:<br />Mirtha Camille Sabio, Esq. [N.Y.]<br />Kraus [Manages low-income hsg.]<br />33-01 Vernon Boulevard<br />Long Island City, N.Y. 11106<br />(718) 274+5000 ext. 160<br /><br />Korean Bar Association:<br />Chad Everette Sjoquist, Esq. [Fordham]<br />Gallo, Vitucci, & Klar<br />90 Broad Street<br />New York, N.Y. 10004<br />(212) 683+7100<br /><br />Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem:<br />Mr. Mike Smith<br />Chief Operating Officer<br />Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem<br />317 Lenox Avenue – 10th Floor<br />New York, N.Y. 10027<br />(212) 876+5500<br /><br />The Fortune Society:<br />Mr. Casimiro Torres [Mr. Torres was unable to complete the work<br /> because of scheduling conflicts.]<br />Discharge Planner<br />The Fortune Society<br />29-76 Northern Boulevard<br />Long Island City, N.Y. 11101<br />(212) 691+7554<br /><br />N.A.A.C.P. Mid-Manhattan Branch:<br />Kyndell Ann Reid, Esq. [Fordham]<br />N.Y.C. Dept. of Education [adjudicates suspensions]<br />335 Adams Street – 6th Floor<br />Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201<br />(718) 923+5117 & (917) 601+0839<br />ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-13083156739552722212012-08-14T19:29:00.010-04:002012-08-16T15:37:45.834-04:00Selected Summer Doldrums Events (Revised)<span style="font-weight:bold;">Selected Summer Events -- August 2012</span><br /><br />[Events which request a contribution are indicated with a dollar sign.]<br /><br />4th August, 2012, Saturday. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Brooklyn Museum of Art</span> First Saturday Night. To-night to ten P.M. (No First Sat. in September). Take the IRT to the Eastern Parkway station, and you're at the Museum's front door. [Spotted at this event: <span style="font-weight:bold;">Jean d'Auguste</span> and her daddy; Lexington Dems's <span style="font-weight:bold;">Milagros Garcia</span>.]<br /><br />6th August, 1945. <span style="font-style:italic;">Hiroshima</span>.<br /><br />9th August, 2012, Thursday. 6:30 P.M. to 9:30 P.M. The <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lenox Hill Democratic Club</span>'s cookout. Reif's Taberna, 302 East 92nd Street (betw. 1st & 2nd Aves.). Cash bar.<br /><br />10th August, 2012, Friday. Funeral, 10 A.M. Former Assemblywoman <span style="font-weight:bold;">Geraldine Daniels-Henry</span> (70th A.D.). St. Aloysius R.C. Church, 219 West 132nd Str., Manh. <br /><br />13th August, 2012, Monday, 6 o'clock P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">N.Y. County Democratic Committee's Campaigns & Elections committee</span> met at the County H.Q., 108 West 39th Str. (12th floor), Manh (off B'way) to anticipate election day issues and discuss possible solutions before the up-coming elections. County meeting are open to the public. All welcome.<br /><br />16th August, 2012, Thursday. 5 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">N.Y.C. Redistricting Commission</span> public hearing. N.Y. Law School, 185 West Broadway, Manh.<br /><br />17th August, 2012, Friday. 7 P.M. to 10 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Martin Luther King, Jr., Democratic Club</span> fund-raiser party. Cathedral Parkway Towers, 125 West 109th Str. (betw. Amst. & Col. Aves.). <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span><br /><br />21st August, 2012, Tuesday. 9:45 A.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">C.F.D. judiciary committee</span>'s tour of Manhattan's Civil Court, 111 Centre Str., to observe settlement conferences. If interested, please r.s.v.p. to Audrey at (718) 514+51.73. Enter on White Str. (back of bldg.).<br /><br />21st August, 2012, Tuesday. 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. Congressmaven Jerry <span style="font-weight:bold;">Nadler</span>'s Summer <span style="font-style:italic;">Soiree</span>. Pier 66, West 26th Str. & the Hudson River. Info.: (212) 352+03.70. <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span> <br /><br />28th August, 2012, Tuesday. N.Y. County Dems. Supreme Court screening panel scheduled to make its report. <br /><br />5th September, 2012, Wednesday. <span style="font-weight:bold;">C.F.D. Judiciary Cttee. forum</span> to hear and to question candidates for State Supreme Court at the Party's judicial nominating convention, <span style="font-style:italic;">q.v., infra</span>. [Further details as to time & place to follow.]<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday. 12 o’clock noon until 2 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Anil Singh</span>. 37 West 94th Str. (off C.P.W.).<br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday. 5 to 8 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Park River Ind. Democrats</span> fund-raiser. Sambuca Restaurant, 20 West 72nd Str. (off C.P.W.) Info.: (212) TRafalgar 7-4394. <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span><br /><br />9th September, 2012, Sunday. 4 to 7 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Chelsea "Reform" Democratic Club</span>'s BBQ. The Frying Pan, Pier 66, W. 26th Str. & the North River. Info.: Wire Paladin, San Francisco, or call Groncki at (917) 601+88.31. <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span><br /><br />10th September, 2012, Monday, 6:30 P.M. Reception for Judge <span style="font-weight:bold;">Saliann Scarpulla</span>. Teamsters offices, 265 W. 14th Str. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.).<br /><br />13th September, 2012, Thursday, 6 A.M. to 9 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Primary Election</span>.<br /><br />15th September, 2012, Saturday, 11 A.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mid-Manhattan Branch N.A.A.C.P.</span> Always a lovely Luncheon. Marina del Rey, Throgs Neck, N.Y. R.s.v.p. to (212) RIverside 9-23.23. <span style="font-weight:bold;">$</span><br /><br />24th September, 2012, Monday, 6 P.M. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Dem. First Judicial District nominating convention</span>. Chelsea School of Visual Arts, 333 W. 23rd Str. (betw. 8th & 9th Aves.).<br /> <br /> 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.<br />ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-89149555674199718642012-07-28T16:35:00.009-04:002012-08-19T01:51:13.247-04:00Keith Wright's Secret Screening PanelsNote: The following was written before the 18 June 2012 N.Y. County Democrats judiciary committee meeting where the committee voted to make the screening panelists names public at the time they begin their work. It's worth reading. As the dean of the screening panel process attorney Stanley Geller says, “The panelists' names are public; their work is confidential.” Judiciary committee co-chair District Leader Louise Dankberg said that making the names public at the outset provides transparency of the process. <span style="font-weight:bold;">The County's Supreme Court screening panel has convened and is working since July, but Keith Wright still refuses to make the names of the panelists public.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">KEITH WRIGHT'S STILL SECRET JUDICIAL SCREENING PANELS</span><br /> <br /> In 1977, the New York County Democratic party incorporated a screening panel for judges in its rules. These were to be--and were--open panels. The names of the panelists were made public before they began their interviews. In fact, at one time the <span style="font-style:italic;">New York Law Journal</span> also published the names of the panelists.<br /><br /> Under County Leaders Miriam Bockman and Herman Denny Farrell (1977 to 2009) the panelists’ names were public at the outset of their work. Indeed, Farrell's co-law chair Arthur Grieg stated at the March, 2012, County District Leader meeting that he gave the panelists names to all applicants. "Candidates have an absolute right to know the names of panel members reviewing their applications and which group designated them. I always gave the list to any candidate who requested the list. . . I found that candidates having the names of panel members aided the process by identifying possible issues of bias, conflict with a panel member. . . . "<br /><br /> With the advent of Keith Wright as County Leader, the panelists names are kept secret, and he has been chastised thrice for doing that in <span style="font-style:italic;">Daily News</span> editorials. Former N.Y.C. Councilmember and former chair of the New Democratic Coalition's Manhattan Judiciary Committee Jane Trichter says "Keith Wright is destroying our legacy."<br /> <br /> Former panelist and panel administrator attorney Steven De Castro wrote in part: "It is absolutely right that the panelists have a duty to protect themselves from outside influence, but that is not related to the issue of whether the panelists' names are released. . . The complaint of potential conflicts of interest commonly arises every year, but I don't see how this problem can ever be addressed if the panelists' names are kept secret. . . ."<br /><br /> Secrecy from the public causes the appearance of impropriety said former Lexington Dems Club State Committeeman Bud Plautz. And former Supreme Court Justice Emily Jane Goodman said: "I was the first panel administrator under reform rules when Miriam Bockman became County Leader. No-one ever said they were secret or treated them that way; in fact, every panelist was introduced to every applicant by name and organization whose leader sent them." Indeed, attorney Stanley Geller, who started the panel screening (initially called "The Geller Panels") said "The panelist names are public; their work is confidential."<br /><br /> Secret Keith Wright Panels. Yet here are the current myriad open panels where all the panelists' names are made public before they interview candidates: The Governor's four Appellate Division screening panels; the State Constitution's Court of Appeals screening panel; the Mayor's Committee on the Judiciary [for Family, Criminal, & interim Civil courts]; the Office of Court Administration's thirteen judicial qualification panels; Sen. Schumer's screening panel for the Federal judiciary; and--lo! [after Clarence Norman went to prison for selling judgeships]--the Kings County "Regular" Dems screening panel is public. BUT NOT KEITH WRIGHT's, who has secret screening panels after years of open panels under Bockman and Farrell (1977 to 2009)! This is a serious attack on the whole screening panel system and an attempt to go back to the Tammany Hall DeSapio days.<br /><br />****************************************************<br /><br /> Now is the winter of our fiscal discontent<br /> Made glorious summer by this sun of Mario;<br /> And all the clouds that lour'd upon our Senate<br /> In the deep bosom of the Catskills buried.<br /><br />From ALAN FLACKS at: alphlax@yahoo.com<br />Tele.: (212) 840+12.34<br />http://www.TheFlacksReport.blogspot.com/ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-31370273066368594512012-07-26T17:13:00.011-04:002012-07-26T17:18:07.308-04:00L.H.D.C. B.B.Q. Cancelled:From David Menegon, L.H.D.C. President:<br /> With a 100% chance of rain at 7 P.M., and an impending thunderstorm powerful enough to prevent even our poncho-wielding grill-master from cooking in the rain, tonight's cookout is postponed.<br /><br />Lenox Hill Democratic Club Rescheduled Cookout<br />To Thursday, 9th August, 2012, 6:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.<br />Reif's Tavern backyard, 302 East 92nd Str. (between 1st & 2nd Aves.)ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-69741569577788453772012-07-23T20:36:00.018-04:002012-07-26T17:13:10.283-04:00July, 2012, Events, Olde & New Items [Judge Wannabees, pay attn.]SELECTED EVENTS [July 2012]<br /><br /> <em>The Talk of the Town</em> <br /> <br /> Espied at the Brooklyn Museum of Art's First Sat. Night: In June, <strong>Michael Meade</strong>, Eric Schneiderman's Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison, with his two lovely children, Emma and Miles. In July, East Side D.L. <strong>Frank Wilkinson</strong> (he's hard to miss in a crowd) a/k/a The Baron of Yorkville, with relatives from Pittsburgh, Penna., exploring the Egyptian galleries.<br /> <br /> And aboard the Hudson River sailing sloop "Clearwater" N.Y.C. Friends of Clearwater annual sail, <strong>Mary Ellen Cronley</strong>, Ansonia Ind. Dems., and <strong>Alan Flacks</strong>, Three Parks Dems.<br /> <br /> Deceased: <strong>Gustin Lewis Reichbach</strong>, Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Kings County, Saturday, 14th July, 2012, at the age of sixty-five. Judge Reichbach, a Columbia Law School graduate, had pancreatic cancer, and recently made national news with an "op-ed" article on legalizing medicinal use of marijuana. Readers of The Flacks Report were previously sent the <em>New York Times</em> Op-Ed piece by Justice Gustin Reichbach on the legalization of marijuana for medical use and the <em>New York Law Journal</em> article commenting on that. Sadly, the N.Y. bill (Gottfried & Savino) won't pass the State Senate absent a miracle, and the Republicans have outlawed miracles. . . The Governor, "Chris Christie Light," is against any bill in his quest for popularity for President of these United States. . . . Congressmaven <strong>Jerry Nadler</strong> reports that the House debated a legalization for medical use of marijuana bill, and it got nowhere. A memorial service is planned for the Fall. Notes of condolence may be sent to his family at 148 Bond Str., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217. Here are two links to newspaper obituaries (copy and paste into your browser).<br /> <br />http://www.nydailynews.com/brooklyn-judge-gustin-reichbach-dies-65-lengthy-battle-pancreatic-cancer-article-1.1114867<br /> <br />http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/19/nyregion/gustin-reichbach-judge-with-a-radical-history-dies-at-65.html?emc=eta1 <br /> <br /> The <strong>N.Y.C. Board of Elections</strong> Commissioners' follies takes place every Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 P.M. at the City H.Q. office, 42 B'way (across from the N.Y.P.D.-guarded bull). If you have the free time in the afternoon, subway downtown or walk down from the courts to observe how these supposedly politically astute patronage appointees pool their ignorance. It's hilarious. Thanks to the New York <em>Daily News</em> for keeping the public abreast of these inanities.<br /> <br />25th July, 2012, Wednesday, 5:30 P.M. The <strong>Three Parks Dems.</strong> holds its annual Picnic in the Park in Central Park. Enter on Central Park West at W. 103rd Str. All welcome. Kindly bring a comestible or potable for four persons.<br /> <br />CANCELLED:<br />26th July, 2012, Thursday, 6:30 P.M. The <strong>Lenox Hill Dems.</strong> BBQ cook-out at Reif's Taberna, 302 East 92nd Str. (betw. 1st & 2nd Aves.) Cash Bar.<br /> <br />"Advance Sheets":<br /> <br />2nd August, 2012, Thursday. <strong>C.F.D. Judiciary Cttee.</strong> field trip to Civil Court to observe open-court settlement conferences.<br /> <br />4th August, 2012, Saturday. <strong>Bklyn. Museum</strong>'s 1st Sat. Night.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-86466452222274544332012-07-19T08:51:00.005-04:002012-07-19T08:54:40.269-04:00City Board of Elections Dodges ResponsibilityThe New York City Board of Elections dodges accountability in vote-counting fiasco in race between Rep. Charles Rangel and Adriano Espaillat as the Board has let the process go haywire since adoption of electronic vote scanners.<br /><br />By <strong>Michael Aronson</strong> / <em>NEW YORK DAILY NEWS</em>, Tuesday, July 3, 2012<br /><br /> I have seen all manner of idiocy at the Board of Elections. <br />I’ve seen Election Night workers waste hours tabulating vote totals by hand — never mind that the city’s electronic vote scanners are equipped with memory drives that could tally votes instantaneously and exactly.<br /><br />I’ve seen the board’s 10 members talk themselves into silly paralysis about finding a new and better way — never mind that every other election board in the state gets quick, accurate results by plugging the memory drives into computers for tabulations.<br /><br />And now, almost a week after indicating that Rep. Charles Rangel had defeated state Sen. Adriano Espaillat in a congressional primary by 2,331 votes, I see the consequences of the board’s stubborn incompetence. After finally getting around to checking the memory drives, the board says that Rangel’s true margin is 802 votes, with three times that number in absentee and affidavit ballots yet to be tallied.<br /><br />It has been widely reported that Rangel’s advantage narrowed in the vote-counting process. This is false.<br /><br />The board is also blaming the police for the botched Election Night results. This, too, is false.<br /><br />What’s true is that the board is dodging every which way to avoid accountability for an all-too-predictable and nationally embarrassing fiasco.<br /><br />The first thing you need to understand is that Election Night results are a quick, unofficial count that has long entailed writing down numbers produced by voting machines and transporting the figures to a police stationhouse for entry into a computer and then distribution by The Associated Press.<br /><br />The system worked smoothly when voters used the old mechanical lever machines. But the board has let the process go haywire since the adoption of the electronic vote scanners —<br />which were supposed to simplify things.<br /><br />Rather than have poll workers plug the memory drive in each scanner into a computer, the board has poll workers print out paper tapes that show voting tallies, cut the tapes into fragments by election district, add the numbers for each election district — and then enter the figures onto sheets of paper to be taken to stationhouses for manual entry into a computer.<br /><br />The poll workers get a lot of things wrong — and that’s what happened in the Rangel-Espaillat contest. The votes in dozens of districts were never added up so that, four days later, when the board finally got around to checking the memory drives, Rangel and Espaillat got wildly different numbers.<br /><br />maronson@nydailynews.comALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-75235129836066482712012-07-15T11:33:00.004-04:002012-07-17T04:22:24.897-04:00Gus Reichbach Dead<span style="font-weight:bold;">Gustin Lewis Reichbach</span>, Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Kings County, died Saturday, 14th July, 2012, at the age of sixty-five. Funeral was Sunday, 15th July, at 3 o'clock P.M., Congregation Mount Sinai, 250 Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn Heights. Judge Reichbach, a Columbia Law School graduate, had pancreatic cancer, and recently made national news with an "op-ed" article on legalizing medicinal use of marijuana. A memorial service is planned for the Fall.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-11565201997452454642012-07-14T19:00:00.017-04:002012-07-15T13:36:58.097-04:002012 Manhattan Dem. Supreme Court Screening PanelThe New York County Regular Democratic organization is forming a screening panel to interview candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the New York State Supreme Court trial bench in the First Judicial District (New York County = Manhattan). There are four vacancies this year, and the panel will recommend between eight and twelve people as "most highly qualified" of all the applicants.
<br />
<br /> Here, below, are the 42 organizations which are being solicited to designate a screening panelist (<em>id est., </em>the head or chief of each organization does so acting in his/her individual capacity). Unfortunately, only about half have responded. If you are a member of one of the organizations or know them, please help by seeing to it that a panelist is named. Notify Randolph Michael McLaughlin, the panel administrator, forthwith as the panel convenes shortly.
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<br />Mr. McLaughlin may be contacted at (212) 619-5400.
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<br />rmclaughlin@nfllp.com
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<br /> <strong><strong><strong> <strong>Also copy:</strong> The Party's County executive director Mr George Lucas at (212) 687-6540; the co-law chairs, Robert Levinsohn at (212) 969-3810 and Jeanine Renee Johnson at (917) 213-4393; the co-judiciary committee chairs, Curtis von Arluck at (917) 757-9247, and Louise Dankberg at (646) 541-8716.
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<br /><strong>The Organizations are:</strong>
<br />Asian American Bar Association of NY
<br />
<br />Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
<br />
<br />Asian Americans for Equality
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<br />Association of Black Women Attorneys
<br />
<br />Association of Legal Aid Attorneys
<br />
<br />Association of the Bar of the City of NY
<br />
<br />Brehon Law Society
<br />
<br />Cardozo Law School
<br />
<br />Columbia Law School
<br />
<br />Columbia Lawyers Association
<br />
<br />Community Association of Progressive Dominicans
<br />
<br />Community Healthcare Network
<br />
<br />CUNY School of Law
<br />
<br />Dominican Bar Association
<br />
<br />Fordham Law School
<br />
<br />Fortune Society
<br />
<br />GMHC
<br />
<br />Jewish Board of Family and Children Services
<br />
<br />Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Inc.
<br />
<br />Jewish Lawyers Guild
<br />
<br />Korean Bar Association
<br />
<br />Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Service Center
<br />
<br />Lesbian & Gay Law Assn of Greater NY
<br />
<br />Matrimonial Lawyers Assn
<br />
<br />Metropolitan Black Bar Association
<br />
<br />MFY Legal Services
<br />
<br />NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch
<br />
<br />National Employment Lawyers Association/NY
<br />
<br />Neighborhood Defenders Service of Harlem
<br />
<br />New York Immigration Coalition
<br />
<br />New York Law School
<br />
<br />New York State Defenders Association
<br />
<br />New York State Trial Lawyers Association
<br />
<br />New York University School of Law
<br />
<br />New York Urban League
<br />
<br />NY Criminal Bar Association
<br />
<br />NYC Mission Society
<br />
<br />Puerto Rican Bar Association
<br />
<br />South Asian Bar Association of New York
<br />
<br />West Side SRO Law Project
<br />
<br />Women’s Bar Association
<br />
<br />Women’s City ClubALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-5062324780007447182012-07-05T18:24:00.016-04:002012-07-07T09:53:11.799-04:00Up-date: Adriano vs. Charlie / Charlie advs. AdrianoYour correspondent was at the N.Y.C. Board of Elections commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, 3 July, ’12, and at the Supreme Court proceeding the day before. I spoke with a number of reporters and listened to their questioning. With the exception of the Daily News man, those reporters knew nothing about the State's Election Law nor understood the convoluted proceedings. The N.Y. Times woman came from the Arts section of her newspaper. There were a good number of--as they called themselves--interns (cubs they were called in my day). The political Board of Elections and their permanent workers leave much to be desired (Civil Service exams anyone? Hello, Geo. Pendleton & Bridgeman Eaton!), and the E.L. requires up-dating to account for today's electronic medium. The problem lies mainly with the poor recording of results from the scanners by the poll workers (many of whom appointed here to their position by Espaillat and Rangel district Party leaders) augmented peradventure with inaccurate N.Y.P.D. entries and incomplete A.P. data. The <span style="font-style:italic;">Daily News</span> is pushing the use of the U.S.B.s (“flash drives”) in the scanners to report results, which would not be any worse than--and in most cases--more nearly accurate, for "instant" returns. There's always the paper ballot trail should there be a close election or need for a recount.<br /><br /> Now, Let's address the N.Y.C. Board of Elections issue. They are proceeding properly and in accordance with the Election Law. The law provides for absentee ballots to arrive up to seven days after a Primary election. It provides for a recanvass. It provides for official certification at a set time. And I am no fan of the Board of Elections, whose politically appointed commissioners pool their ignorance--go watch a board meeting! So, who are those poll workers? They were in the main appointed by Rangel's and Espaillat's Democratic Party district leaders (and both Rangel and Espaillat are also district leaders--no Reformers, they!--why do they have to hold on to that meaningless party position today especially when they hold bigger and better public office?). <br />**************************************** <br />The Board of Election evolution went from protecting their parties by manipulating procedures to not understanding the procedures to administer election. With all the technology available to them, they do not know how to work it. It is incompetence, not corruption. -–Anonymous.<br />**********************************************<br /><br />Thurs., 5th July, 2012<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">New York Daily News</span> "On-line" Blog by Celeste "Pebbles" Katz<br /><br />Charlie Rangel/Adriano Espaillat Vote Count Proceeds; A New NY-13 Primary Not Ruled Out<br /><br />BY Celeste Katz<br /><br />Board of Elections officials began the slow task of counting absentee and paper ballots Thursday -- as the fate of Rep. Charles Rangel’s political career hung in the balance.<br /><br />Our Ross, Durkin and Lemire report:<br /><br />With Rangel holding just a tiny 802-vote margin over state Sen. Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan), the winner of the Congressional seat that Rangel has held for 41 years could be decided by more than 2,000 paper ballots.<br /><br />Officials at the Board’s Manhattan office started opening envelopes Thursday morning. (Photo Credit: Erin Durkin/NYDN)<br /><br />Update: Durkin tweets that with one AD counted (the 69th), Rangel's lead has jumped to 837. The AD had 47 votes for the incumbent and 12 for the challenger.<br /><br />But the drama over the 13th Congressional district was not confined to the Board of Elections’ Varick St. office as Espaillat’s lawyers also took to a Bronx courthouse to charge voter suppression at the polls.<br /><br />Espaillat filed a motion earlier this week alleging voter fraud, asking for recount — and even suggesting a do-over election.<br /><br />Judge John W. Carter [Acting Supreme Court, Bronx County, Criminal Division], did not weigh in on any voting irregularities but agreed to sign a preliminary order that forced the Board of Election to preserve all of the evidence from the election - including a slew of invalidated ballots.<br /><br />Those ballots could dramatically alter the race’s final count, according to Espaillat’s supporters.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-25721887232984210252012-07-03T17:28:00.003-04:002012-07-03T17:35:06.324-04:00Adriano vs. Charlie / Charlie vs. Adriano<span style="font-weight:bold;">THE FLACKS REPORT</span><br />[2 July 2012]<br /><br /> Today, Adriano Espaillat's lawsuit against the Board of Elections <span style="font-style:italic;">et al.</span> over the Congressional race for Charlie Rangel's seat was <span style="font-weight:bold;">not</span> heard by Judge Donna Mills. After changing lawyers--and grounds for relief--Espaillat withdrew his lawsuit and shall refile <span style="font-style:italic;">mañana</span>. Originally, his complaint had to do with the N.Y.C. Board of Elections not allowing proper observing of the counting of ballots and other matters. When he refiles, there will be complaints of irregularities and a possible new election request. It's a mish-mash of caselaw coleslaw. You can get the details and the news you'll want to know from the dailies or from the on-line blogs (see esp. Celeste Katz's of the N.Y. <span style="font-style:italic;">Daily News</span>).<br /><br /> Hundreds of people showed up to watch the case at bar; a larger court room was needed. It lasted about a "minute" with the voluntary withdrawal of the Espaillat proceeding. "The usual suspects" were there--pols and lawyers, the men wearing suits in this weather. [In the Florida courts and also the Ninth Circuit C. of A. auxiliary courthouse in sweltering "South Pas" L.A., the judges have been known to remove their robes and invite the gentlemen to remove their jackets.]<br /><br /> A gazillion press reporters and cameramen and women were there, too. Your correspondent spoke with a good number of them, and ascertained that not one seemed to know anything about election law. Par for the course.<br /><br /> P.s. At Tuesday, 3rd July's Bd. of Elections commissioners' meeting, press and television crews showed up. Again, with the exception of the <span style="font-style:italic;">Daily News</span> guy, the reporters appeared to be ignorant of the Election Law procedures. In fact, the number of election districts which had no report on Primary day was proportionate to those "zero" E.D.s in the Rangel Congressional Primary two years ago. Well, anyway, a lot of overtime for the Board's underpaid employees.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8980793440369064739.post-71214817548042188032012-06-25T14:35:00.004-04:002012-06-25T14:39:04.990-04:00Necrology<span style="font-weight:bold;">DONTZIN--Michael Joseph</span>. Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, died peacefully at his home in New York City on June 22, 2012 after a long battle with cancer. Judge Dontzin was 89 years old. Judge Dontzin was born in New York City to immigrant Russian parents, Joseph and Miriam, and attended Stuyvesant High School. During the Korean War, he served as a corpsman in the US Navy. He went on to attend Washington State University in Pullman, then transferred to New York University where he received a B.A in 1948 and a J.D. in 1951. Working as a trial lawyer in private practice, Judge Dontzin became an activist in the Liberal Party, where he was a protege to leaders Alex Rose and David Dubinsky. His activity in politics reflected his passion for social justice, and for the vibrancy and well-being of the city he loved. He practiced law until 1966 when he was appointed as Counsel to Mayor John Lindsay, where he was the Mayor's liaison to the Police Department and the Court System, and led the Mayor's Screening Committee on the Judiciary. Appointed by Mayor Lindsay as Judge of the Criminal Court of the City of New York in 1972, he was elected as a Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County in 1976 and re-elected to successive terms until his retirement from the bench in 1992. Judge Dontzin became the Chief Judicial Officer of the alternative dispute resolution firm Endispute in 1992, which later became JAMS. He resolved thousands of commercial, employment, insurance, mass tort, and other cases as mediator or arbitrator, and became a leading proponent of ADR. At the same time, he founded The Dontzin Law Firm with his son Matthew S. Dontzin and practiced law actively until his death. In the last days of his life, he presided over the marriage of a gay couple in his home, keeping a promise to a friend. The law was his great passion and he will be remembered as a skillful and accomplished jurist. He is survived by his devoted wife of 35 years, Janet Sarno, an actress; daughter Lisa; son Matthew; daughter-in-law Ginger; and grandchildren Maegan Mishico and Cole Dontzin. When not practicing law, Judge Dontzin's other great passion was to serve as his wife's "Stage Door Johnny" accompanying her to each of her theater performances. Judge Dontzin was predeceased in 1990 by his former wife Marion Bell Seldin, who remained a close friend after their divorce. The family will receive guests on June 25 and 26 from 6pm to 9pm at the home of Matthew S. Dontzin, 6 East 81st Street, NYC. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.<br /><br />=================================<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Edward N. Costikyan</span><br /><br />Copy to clip board and paste into Web browser:<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/23/nyregion/edward-n-costikyan-adviser-to-new-york-politicians-is-dead-at-87.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries<br /><br />Private funeral in South Carolina. Paul, Weiss to arrange a memorial service in the future.ALAN FLACKShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04802230087165732612noreply@blogger.com0