KATE MURRAY DENIES CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Newsday follows up our story on Clark Associates
This is what you hope a good blog and Reader Commentary can do. Early Friday morning, we linked to a story in Newsday about some pushback on the EIS of the Lighthouse Project. A reader contacted us with some information: Frederick P. Clark Associates, the Westchester-based planning company working for the Town of Hempstead, has contributed money to Kate Murray’s campaign committee the last three years. We wrote a post about the revelation.
As a result, reporter Eden Laikin started work on a follow-up. In the Comments space on Newsday‘s website, she asked for public reaction. PB reader John Kingston was interviewed by Laikin. Newsday’s story on the contributions and conflicts on all sides is now online and should be in Saturday’s print edition. Okay, so Ms. Laikin didn’t credit Point Blank – thanks to the reader known as “Hye Dray” – for breaking the story. Nevertheless, John, “Hye Dray” and everyone on this site daily should take a bow and be proud. Good stuff. Comments.
36 Responses to KATE MURRAY DENIES CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Newsday follows up our story on Clark Associates
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Paul says:
” Ms. Laikin didn’t credit Point Blank ”
That’s a Shame because the can opened here.
Kudos to the reader and point blank.
If there are comments under Ms.Laikins story online us reader should let it be know there. -
Patrick says:
Typical crooked Isles are as good as gone. Where is D’Amato in all this? Not that he’s any less crooked than any other pol, but isn’t he a friend of Wang’s?
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Kate Murray: putting herself first.
If there is ever a concrete reason why this blog is a necessity in Islander Country… this story is the evidence. I’m so glad Pointblank is here, and kudos to Mr. Hye Dray!
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SIR WILLIAM says:
So Chris, in the interest of fairness can we see a report on just how much Mr. Wang and Mr. Rechler and their families and various companies gave to the politicians who supported the Lighthouse project?
You know, just to be fair….Sir William
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Ryan says:
Sir William:
Due to public finance disclosure laws, you can do it yourself. Type “political donation ” into Google, you’ll get the answers you want.
As I and others have pointed out time and time again, Wang and Rechler have historically supported Republicans. Wangs friendships with Al D’Amato (since downplayed) and Colin Powell have been quite public, and Scott Rechler served as a finance chair (a big bundler) for John McCain’s presidential bid.
This really isn’t about the political parties on the macro scale. It’s about a very specific local issue, and I’m actually a little surprised that no one from the national party has stepped up to pressure Mondello about it (I know, he’s independent and isn’t about to take marching orders from the RNC). Still, you’d think the GOP would accept that giving the Democrats 1200 more votes in a district that is already heavily Democratic would be less important than the hundreds of thousands Wang and, more importantly, Rechler have raised for them.
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Ryan (8): Good comment. That last part is especially true. the TOH needs to wake up and see the big picture because at this point they are chopping down all the trees to get a better view of the forest.
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Angry Bill says:
Great job John and Chris. The way I see it is this:
Wang is doing his job: Lighthouse project
Garth is doing his job: Rebuilding team
Our job: Expose all the BS about TOH politics and spread the word that a change is needed this November.
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JayK says:
Ryan, #8, Sir William never does that kind of research. He comes in here, makes some snarky remark, and then heads for the hills.
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Seth says:
Great job Chris and John!!! This was some great news for me to wake up to. Keep the pressure coming!!
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froggy says:
Great work. Don’t stop making the calls to the local politicians.
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gary9-19-22 says:
they are all crooks… we should be careful about throwing stones at this glass house…
My Wang, who I respect and bow down to for keeping this franchise afloat, is not squeeky clean. Anyone remember his partner, fall guy…cough..cough, Sanjay Kumar.
Just get Kate to understand that she is out of office if this doesn’t pass. All else will be forgivien.
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isles72 says:
$4750 in campaign contribution raises eyebrows because he’s awarded jobs by the town afterwards which effect the outcome of lighthouse project
is that it in a nutshell ?
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Dreu Theran says:
Is it possible that Ms. Murray remains against the LHP until we get closer to election time, then gives-in just in time for the election, thus guaranteeing her re-election?
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Fine investigative reporting on her part. She needed Islanders blog readers to hand her information. Nice.
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Dreu – #15 — as we’ve discussed a bit here, and a LOT over at NickClassic’s blog, the Republicans see this as an issue that transcends one election. They see it as a housing development that would put a lot of Democrats into a town that they now dominate. To them, it’s not about the 2009 election; it’s about the one 5, 10 and 15 years from now. They know that for 2009, this is a losing issue for them…but maybe not enough to actually lose the election. But they see that beyond it, the Lighthouse could cost them multiple elections. That’s their perspective.
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Will C says:
I always wanted to be part of an underground movement. Sweet.
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stopthepain says:
JayK – #17 hits it right on the head. This is about long term demographic change of Long Island. The Demographics have already swept the Republicans out of power across most of Long Island, and they are desperate to hold onto what they have left. However, they are making the exact same mistake they have been making at the national level. Instead of tackling an issue that needs to be addressed, they say “no” to change. And specifically, the issue that needs to be addressed is Long Islands declining tax base, declining population of young professionals, and an ever increasing tax burden to make up the difference. But hey, no change in the ToH means that the Republicans can manage to hold onto power there for another 20 years…the future be damned. If a politician openly supports an agenda that you agree with, then show that support with a cash donation. Cash donations mean obvious votes to politicians, and that’s what they listen to. Finally, the sad thing is if the republicans of nassau county and the ToH actually embraced the needed change, and worked with private interests to try to help the situation, they probably would attract many, many future voters to their cause. Instead, they anger voters, and that will eventually swamp them out of power.
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If the crux of the matter is the housing issue would Wang be willing to negotiate on that?
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IslesPassion21 says:
Ok, Kate Murray said that “it isn’t a conflict of interest” but she also said that she “returned $1000.00 to the firm because she might use them for the environmental review”…
Isn’t that statement ironic???
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Joe says:
Why am I not surprised. Another corrupt politician, it’s part of the job.
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Why are some saying the Isles are corrupt???
I don’t get it
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Jerry G. says:
What? Willow…
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Doug F. says:
Stop complaining everyone…Vote Murray out of office…end of story…
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# 19 – I LOVE that “The GOP says no to change” nonsense. If by change you are referring to what this pop culture regime in Washington, who is doing everything to bulldoze their statist/Marxist agenda onto their unsuspecting, brain dead supporters, then that’s change I will never support. You have nerve to say “the future be dammed” when our children and grandchildren are going to be paying for this wave of entitlements until long after we’re dead. No thanks.
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26 Jerry G. on May 2ND, 2009 12:28:22 said: , can’t sit around and do NOTHING like the GOP tends to handle our interests…I WAS a republican but not anymore, why would I want to be part of a any party that can’t have minds of there own???
Im an independent now…
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Jerry G (26): I think the issue here is the TOHs GOP members saying no to change LOCALLY- here on LI. I dont think national politics is really a factor in this.
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Kate is exposed again! The first time she just looked plain stupid with the whole mailing thing and now This time her integrity is called into question. Some leader the TOH has. Who is running against her??? Now is the time to name a potential successor! Also Sir William we understand you are against the LH project but sometimes it seems like you have “VOte for KATE MURRAY” signs on your front lawn! Even you must admit that she is a republican with no vision to lead.
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BR says:
Froggy (20) – The County wanted affordable housing included in the development, and it was the inclusion of this housing that was instrumental in winning-over the unions and various citizen/community organizations. Take out the affordable housing and you’d actually be creating opposition.
But this gets back to the fact that no one really knows, officially, what the ToH’s objections are because they haven’t made them known. That is the Light House Group’s frustration.
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JayK – #17 — A person can only move into the Lighthouse development if they declare themself a Democrat? That’s the only way your point makes sense.
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Dreu – no, it’s not that 100% of the people moving in will be Dem’s. It’s just that politicians know the type of person likely to buy condo/multi house living spaces are more likely than not to be dems. Hence, Republicans are against the project.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
I think irregardless of who’s right and who’s wrong concerning the scope of the entire project doesn’t matter in this issue … Just the FACT … that a company based outside of Nassau Cty. providing campaign donations to a politician who IS OBVIOUSLY OPPOSED to the project … and then as a company is supposed to provide impartial and unbiased consultation to said politician may not be illegal … but it is UNETHICAL… and should be challenged. That said, it may be hard to find unbiased politicians, individuals and companies these days as we’ve slowly drifted more and more over the decades to a more Totalitarianism type government whereby local, state and federal governments have more control over our daily lives. We’re seeing it in our banks and car manufacturers already.
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To those people of the TOH that throw their weight behind a political party based on support of the Light House project … ask yourself this … The democratic run county ONLY APPROVED of the plan when “affordable housing” was included … which is more advantagious to their demographic … don’t buy their whole hearted support. Wang takes that out of the plan … and the Dem’s will have a heart attack.
The Republican TOH is obviously no angel either.
This is why I’m a proud “Independent” … if you notice it doesn’t matter which party is in power … the pendulum just swings back and forth between the two party power bases and citizens are caught in the crossfire.
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And here, at 11:20 P.M., Newsday has posted a story that Wang is sorry he ever bought the team. Ought to make for some lively discussion tomorrow!
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RAmen says:
Did anyone else hear a town of hempstead radio ad on Bloomberg this morning, featuring Kate Murray?! I almost crashed my car!
Hey CB, did you intend for the last link to point to the Newsday article? Right now it points to the same blog post as the second link.
If that was your intention, could someone post the link in the comments?
Fixed. Thanks…CB