Results tagged “scandal”

The ongoing feud between Conan O'Brien and Newark Mayor Cory Booker ended last night with Booker appearing on the show and Conan donating $100K to Booker's charity (video 1, 2). Conan also set up a "Newark Joke Jar" and promised to add $500 any time he made a joke at the city's expense, the Star-Ledger liveblogged (really). The feud began when Conan made a joke about health-care in Newark—"The health-care program would consist of a bus ticket out of Newark"—and resulted in his being banned from Newark Airport. And thus ends the scandal that never really was because Letterman had to go and ruin everything.

Three prison officials called it quits yesterday, months after they allowed several prisoners to hold religious parties and even let rapper Foxy Brown conduct an interview and photo shoot while still locked up. Chief of Department Carolyn Thomas, Assistant Chief of Special Operations Frank Squillante and warden of the Manhattan detention complex (aka the Tombs) George Okada all turned in their resignations yesterday. The President of the Correction Captains' Association, Patrick Ferraiuolo, expressed his enthusiasm for the resignations, "He allowed his deputy wardens to run his jails."

A Brooklyn man who serves as religious director for his local church was arrested for sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy. Police say 58-year-old Angelo Serrano molested the boy, a family friend, in the child's Williamsburg home. It was unclear if the abuse was connected to Serrano's role volunteering for St. Lucy-St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fort Greene. A neighbor said of Serrano, "He's a beautiful guy. He really loved the children. He spent a lot of time with them and all like that."

Voters in certain City Council districts showed incumbents that they weren't happy with them, by voting out an unusually high number of Council members in yesterday's primary election. Why? A combination of voting for term limits plus other scandals. For instance, Alan Gerson (D-Manhattan), Kendall Stewart (D-Brooklyn), and Helen Sears (D- Queens) all supported the term limits extension—and all lost to challengers.

The 14-year-old daughter of City Councilman Bill de Blasio is featured in a nice family photo on the website for de Blasio's public advocate campaign. But don't let her innocent smile fool you—teenage Chiara loves guns, and de Blasio doesn't want voters to know about it. It's been revealed that in the original photo, Chiara was wearing a gun-shaped pendant, which was subsequently airbrushed away when the photo was pimped out for campaign literature. When confronted about the cover-up by the Daily News, de Blasio explained, "Our daughter made a mistake in putting on a necklace that was inappropriate. I made a decision to take it out of any literature and she will not be wearing it in the future." But Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics is troubled, because who knows what else de Blasio is hiding? Are those even his children? Still, Sabat gives Chiara a pass on her gun fetish, because "you never blame a 14-year-old—they all do silly, rebellious things, and I guess that's what it was. She's 14. Who cares?" Well, easy for him to say; he doesn't have to generate news content in August.

If you've been following along with any of the various scandals simmering around Democratic State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr.—whose defection was instrumental in returning control of the Senate to Republicans and put him next in line to be Governor (should tragedy befall David Paterson)—then you get why some people think he's "really an unsavory character," in the words of Baruch College political analyst Doug Muzzio. But we may have figured out the cause of his troubles: multiple personality disorder.

A new Vanity Fair article says that disgraced financier Bernard Madoff's sons haven't spoken to their father or mother since Madoff confessed to running a multibillion dollar Ponzi scheme last December. When Andrew and Mark Madoff were told, VF writer David Margolick says, "Mark was angry and Andrew was on the [kitchen] floor, sobbing." Opinion is divided on whether the sons knew of the scheme; one former employee said, "They wouldn’t have been able to do what Bernie did: they just didn’t have the evilness in them," but admits other associates might feel differently. Margolick adds, "Mark is said to be obsessed with the scandal, huddled over his computer, hyper-scrutinizing every story and blog posting, and, when it suits him, answering e-mail instantaneously, but that Andrew has completely shut down." However, a friend now says Andrew is focused on making sure his daughters feel loved—"just because their grandfather turns out to be one of the worst criminals ever doesn’t mean they’re bad people." As for not contacting Ruth Madoff, the sons allegedly don't think she was involved, but know she'd take Bernie's side.

Marilyn Dorato, president of the Greenwich Village Block Association and next-door neighbor of Waverly Inn, used to be a vocal critic of the celebrity haunt because of all the idling limos, paparazzi and all-around obstreperousness erupting from the exclusive restaurant. But some locals who still hate the place say she changed her tune once co-owner Graydon Carter hooked her up with a regular table and put her photo in his magazine, a little publication called Vanity Fair. Of course, Dorato insists it isn't the star treatment that won her over, but the security firm hired by Carter to control the limo traffic, and the new late morning garbage pick-up time. She tells the Post, "I'm treated very well, but I don't think it's a payoff." Obviously not! Note to Graydon: We too want to destroy the Waverly Inn, and have no dinner plans tonight.

Rep. Vito Fossella, NYC's lone Republican Congressional member, had a farewell brunch with about a thousand people, including Mayor Bloomberg. Fossella decided not to run for re-election this year when a Virginia DWI led to the revelation Fossella had a child with woman who was not his wife. While he said yesterday he had "no plans to run, no plans to run whatsoever" in the future, the NY Times reports, "it seemed Mr. Fossella was priming his supporters, quite publicly, to back him again...[He] warmly greeted attendees — hugs and handshakes for the men, kisses on the cheek for the women." A notable no-show was Fossella's wife Mary Pat; Fossella was also without his wedding ring.

Rep. Vito Fosella, the city's lone Republican in Congress, will be sentenced today for his DWI conviction. Since his blood alcohol level was 0.17 (more than twice the limit), he could face up to five days behind bars. His May DWI in Alexandria, VA led to a chain of events, including finding out the friend who picked him from jail was actually the mother of his love child and Fossella's decision not to run for re-election. But before you think Vito's career is finito, he's apparently trying to find a job on Wall Street these days (though you know how things are going there). Update: Fossella got a 5-day sentence from the judge who said, "I've been sworn to follow the law." However, Fossella's lawyer filed an appeal, so the sentence is vacated till a jury trial is held.

Carl Andrews, former state senator from Brooklyn, has resigned from his $171,000-a-year job as aide to Governor Paterson in the midst of allegations that he illegally pressured the State Liquor Authority to renew liquor licenses for the Cipriani restaurants in Manhattan. After SLA Chairman Daniel Boyle (a Republican appointee) told the Post that Andrews tried to "intimidate" him into voting for the renewal, State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo launched a criminal investigation.

The cookbook author who's locked in a vicious legal battle with Jerry Seinfeld and his wife Jessica says the Bee Movie star's "jokes" at her expense on the David Letterman show last January scared her and her daughter. In court papers filed Tuesday, Missy Chase Lapine—who is suing Jessica Seinfeld for stealing her recipes for sneaking vegetables into kids' food—reveals that she was emotionally devastated by Seinfeld's comments, which compared her to notorious killers with three names like Mark David Chapman, John Lennon's murderer. "I have never felt so frightened and vulnerable as the day my daughter, 7 years old, came home from school and asked, 'Mom, what is an assassin?,'" Lapine says. "I started feeling scared. I thought I made a big mistake talking to any reporters because now this billionaire is angry and attacking me everywhere."

Wheee, the tabloids won't stop hammering Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz over the way he runs three non-profits that produce free Brooklyn events and promote tourism! First the Daily News got up in his grill over $680,496 in no-bid contracts he awarded to the non-profits, then the Post was all, What's up with all the loot the Atlantic Yards developer pours into your pet projects, Marty? Now the Post is insinuating that the $2.7 million (maybe more) in tax dollars the Bloomberg administration has funneled to Markowitz's non-profits is essentially a payoff for the beep's Bloomberg cheerleading. Politicians doling out tax money for favors? We're shocked, and so is Dick Dadey of the watchdog group Citizens Union: "It doesn't smell right that he's getting so much city funds for nonprofits serving his interest."

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, pictured here at last week's Atlantic Antic, is still drawing fire over the way he runs several non-profit groups that put on free Brooklyn events and promote tourism. Last month city comptroller Bill Thompson said he was "very concerned" about $680,496 in taxpayer-financed no-bid contracts Markowitz awarded to the non-profits, and the Brooklyn Paper saw a conflict in the estimated $260,000 that Atlantic Yards developer Forest City Ratner donated to fund Markowitz's Best of Brooklyn non-profit and his concert series.

After the Daily News raised questions about $680,496 in no-bid contracts that Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz awarded to the nonprofit he runs out of his office, a spokesperson for city comptroller Bill Thompson tells the Brooklyn Paper that he's "very concerned about the contracts, which were clearly meant to circumvent the transparency [of] the contract registration process.” Thompson and Markowitz are both possible mayoral contenders.

While State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno has denied his surprising decision not to seek re-election had anything to do with the FBI's investigation into his finances, the FBI hauled away a "massive volume" of Bruno's records, dating back to 1995. The Post says the FBI seized the documents hours before Bruno's Monday afternoon announcement.

Jerry Seinfeld’s lawyers urged a judge yesterday to throw out a defamation lawsuit brought against him by litigious cookbook author Missy Chase Lapine. In addition to suing Seinfeld’s wife Jessica for plagiarizing her book about sneaking healthy food into kids’ meals, Lapine has also sued Jerry for slander after he likened her to an assassin on David Letterman's show: "If you read history, many of the three-name people do become assassins. Mark David Chapman and, you know, James Earl Ray. So, that's my concern."

Scandal-troubled Vito Fossella and his wife Mary Pat were seen at the 28th annual Advance Memorial Day Run. In their first public appearance since Fossella apologized for his DWI, the Advance reports the couple "were on-hand to show support for their son, Dylan, who was among the more than 1,000 individuals who ran the four-mile race."

Representative Vito Fossella may not be ready to fight for re-election to the House, but he will try to fight a DWI conviction: Fossella's defense lawyer "subpoenaed files" from the maker of the Intoxilyzer 5000, a device whose findings have been challenged before.

Ah, there's nothing like tabloid sleuthing. The NY Post assigned a reporter and photographer to follow Representative Vito Fossella's girlfriend in Alexandria, VA and they hit the jackpot: They spotted her meeting up with Fossella and taking off on a "pre-Memorial Day rendez-vous."

Mary Pat Fossella has made her first public words after her Congressman husband's DWI arrest and admission about an extramarital affair and love child. She sent an e-mail to the Post:

This has been a very painful time for my family and I. I have known Vito since I was 16 years old and this is not what I envisioned for him and my family. I had no idea of this world he was living. I am very saddened by how the world I was living unraveled before my eyes and everyone else's. My focus will continue to be on (my) three children.

Deciding that a DWI arrest and an extramarital affair resulting in a love child are too much burden going into November elections, Representative Vito Fossella has announced he will end his stint in Congress when his current term ends. He posted a letter explaining his decision--he wants to "concentrate on healing the wounds that I have caused to my wife and family"--on his website (the full letter is also below).

Question: If a politician gets arrested for drunk driving and then has to cop to an extra-marital affair that spawned a secret love-child, does that mean he's unelectable? Embattled Republican congressman Vito Fossella doesn't think so; he's telling friends and advisers that that he thinks he can win re-election, the Times has it.

Representative Vito Fossella, whose public image has taken a battering after a DWI arrest and admitting to having a girlfriend and toddler in Virginia, was out and about at the Great Kills Memorial Day Parade yesterday. The Advance says he "was cheered, hugged, kissed on the cheek and had supporters jockeying to shake his hand."

Congressman Vito Fossella made two public appearances last night, one at a Gracie Mansion dinner for the NY Congressional delegation and another at a Conservative Party dinner in Staten Island. Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro felt Fossella's appearance meant the embattled representative would run for re-election, "It makes me think that he's a candidate. Why else would he bother?"

A close friend of Representative Vito Fossella says the troubled Congressman is far from thinking about resignation. Maybe! At first, former Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari told the Staten Island Advance Fossella "has every intention of running." But then Molinari withdrew the statement, amending it to, "I wouldn't be surprised if the ultimate decision is to run again."

After his DWI arrest led to admitting an affair and a 3-year-old love child in Virginia, Representative Vito Fossella returned to Staten Island to rampant speculation of his imminent resignation.

Yesterday Representative Vito Fossella said he would make another announcement about his DWI arrest today, and it was quite the bombshell for the Staten Island GOP machine: He admitted to having an affair with retired Air Force Colonel Laura Fay and fathering a three-year-old daughter with her. Here's his statement:

I have had a relationship with Laura Fay, with whom I have a three-year-old daughter. My personal failings and imperfections have caused enormous pain to the people I love and I am truly sorry. While I understand that there will be many questions, including those about my political future, making any political decisions right now are furthest from my mind. Over the coming weeks and months, I will to continue to do my job and I will work hard to heal the deep wounds I have caused.