If you can't make it Underground (or you're ready to give more), join us for an evening of doo-wop on the roof in support of Norman Siegel! Fabulous views, good drinks and great company - and Norman's own favorite doo-wop music. Help us kick off the summer and support one of New York's true progressive heroes.

Thursday, June 9, 2005 - 6:30 - 11:00 PM
Wayne's Place
262 Court Street (near Butler Street)
Brooklyn, NY
(347) 645-0581
For more information, view the e-vite here.
PLEASE RSVP to: zkkatz@earthlink.net

I am losing track of how many weeks I have done this. I think I missed a week or two due to other issues, but I'm back!

For those who are new to this, I am trying to get people to pay attention not just to Tom DeLay's corruption, but to the corruption of much of the Republican leadership.

Deep Throat outed himself this week and the Right Wing went into a frenzy of self-righteous indignation against the man who stood up to Nixon's corruption. Isn't it funny how the so-called "moral party" is always so ready to attack those who expose corruption and so ready to defend those who are corrupt? Today's Republicans are so mired in corruption they HAVE to attack anyone who opposes corruption. So that gives me this week's theme for my "Target the Corrupt Republican" campaign.

In past entries (and also here) of this campaign I focused on the Republican defense of DeLay and how it damned the party as being soft on corruption.

Well now that Mark Felt has come out as Deep Throat, "pundits" like Pat Buchannan and G. Gordon Liddy have been furiously condemning Felt for his actions. Once again, the right wing is planting itself on the side of corruption and against those who fight corruption. Let's call them on it. Why are they so willing to defend corruption? Why are they so frightened of people who expose corruption. All you have to do is look at the scandals of today's Republican leadership to see that they fear exposure of their own corruption. Here is a sampler of Republican corruption today.  read more »

Score a big win for Bloomberg and the Jets. State Supreme Court Justice Herman Cahn ruled today that there were "no irregularities" in the MTA's bidding process that, amazingly enough, awarded the West Side rail yards to the Jets, the lowest bidder. OK....

From the NY Times

In Victory for Bloomberg, Judge Dismisses Stadium Site Suit

The contentious $2 billion stadium proposal, the key to New York's Olympic hopes in 2012, scored a major victory Thursday when a Manhattan judge ruled there were no irregularities in the bidding process that awarded the West Side rail yards to the New York Jets.

The decision by state Supreme Court Justice Herman Cahn came at a key juncture for New York's Olympic organizers, since members of the International Olympic Committee will receive an evaluation of the city's bid on Monday. Without the stadium, the city's chances of winning the bid on July 6 would be slim.

"We are extremely pleased with today's court decision regarding the Olympic Stadium," said Jay Kriegel, executive director of the NYC2012 organizing group. "The court has ruled in favor of the stadium, and totally rejected all of the bogus arguments intended to stop the project."

Madison Square Garden, owned by Cablevision Systems Corp., had charged the Metropolitan Transportation Authority with conducting "a sham bidding process" in making its decision. Cablevision had submitted a higher bid for the property than the Jets. But a judge sided with the NFL team and the MTA.  read more »

DMI 2005 Annual Benefit Honoring Harry Belafonte & Arianna Huffington "For Speaking Truth To Power."

Please join us as we honor

HARRY BELAFONTE and ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

For Speaking Truth To Power.

Wednesday, June 8, 2005
7:00pm - 8:00pm

1199/SEIU Cherkasky-Davis Conference Center
330 West 42nd Street / Penthouse

We believe in conversation, in the exchange of ideas, in bringing people with strong viewpoints together. Instead of the same old rubber-chicken sitdown dinner, support the Drum Major Institute and connect with a crowd of compelling progressives and our distinguished honorees in a penthouse with beautiful views of the West Side and the Hudson River. Join us for excellent hors d’oeuvres, live music, and the opportunity to celebrate the work of two drum majors for justice.

Tickets for DMI's 2005 Annual Benefit are $250 for individuals. There is a special ticket price of $50 for guests 30 and under. Sponsorships of $5,000 to $50,000 are also available for this event. Tickets can be reserved by contacting LeeAnn Fletcher at 212.909.9671.

CITIZENS UNION FOUNDATION and The State Affairs Committee of The Association of the Bar of the City of New York present

A CIVIC CONVERSATION

REFORMING ALBANY:
CAN COMPETITIVE ELECTIONS MAKE FOR A BETTER LEGISLATURE?

Panelists:
Michael Gianaris, New York State Assembly Member
Angelo Falcón, Institute of Puerto Rican Studies
Nicole Gordon, New York City Campaign Finance Board

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2005
6:00-7:30 PM

Association of the Bar of the City of New York
42 E. 44th Street
Stimson Room

Open to the Public

Please RSVP at 212.227.0342 ext. 43
or info@citizensunionfoundation.o­rg

This forum is an opportunity to discuss legislative redistricting, campaign finance reform and strategies for increasing voter participation to make elections more competitive.

To learn more about these and other governance issues visit GothamGazette.com.
Recent coverage includes:
Albany Reform: Make Elections More Competitive Why Gerrymandering Must Go

Civic Conversations foster public dialogue about important issues facing the citizens of New York.