Ray Harding Gets Busted As Martha Stark Gets Probed
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The Road To City Hall, an hour-long look at New York politics, can be seen on NY1 News weekdays at 7 and 10 p.m.On last night’s program, one of the mayor's top campaign aides, Howard Wolfson, said the mayor's money won't matter when voters head to the polls. Watch the video above.
Tonight’s program includes: Our political rundown with Curtis Sliwa and Gerson Borrero.
INSIDE THE PAPERS
It’s still happening this morning, but former Liberal Party leader Ray Harding has been arrested in connection with the state pension kickback probe that ensnared political consultant Hank Morris.
We’ll bring you the latest throughout the day.
The New York Times
Michael Powell reports: “Many New York City prosecutors reacted slowly and brought few indictments as foreclosure swindles and mortgage fraud swept the city during the past decade, allowing problematic operators to flourish even as the nation’s housing market rose and crashed, according to housing lawyers, prosecutors and federal reports.”
Charlie Bagli looks at how the recession is affecting rebuilding at Ground Zero.
Jeremy Peters reports on how Gov. Paterson is preparing to press the state Legislature to legalize gay marriage.
R.I.P. Steve Minarik.
New York Post
Cathy Burke previews today’s arrest of Ray Harding: “Power broker Ray Harding, the former head of New York's Liberal Party, says he'll surrender today to face charges in a so-called pay-to-play scheme -- where big-buck investments by public-employee pension funds were allegedly traded for kickbacks, gifts and campaign contributions.”
Sally Goldenberg writes: “Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday he wants an expedited investigation into city Finance Commissioner Martha Stark's relationship with a woman who used to work for her at the city agency. Both the city Department of Investigation and Conflicts of Interest Board are looking into the matter at Bloomberg's instruction.”
Fred Dicker notes: “Just don't call him a tightwad. Gov. Paterson -- who gave a shockingly low $150 to charity in 2007 while serving as Eliot Spitzer's lieutenant governor -- showed yesterday he's no cheapskate anymore, as he made public tax returns revealing he and his wife, Michelle, gave almost $12,000 to charity last year.”
Daphne Retter writes: “Rep. Charles Rangel was given the ‘Mighty Windbag Award’ yesterday by a taxpayer group for his effort to secure almost $50,000 to put a windmill on a Harlem building.”
New York Daily News
Pete Donohue reports: “As straphangers rolled closer toward a train wreck of fare hikes and service cuts on Tuesday, supporters of an MTA bailout were turning up the heat on the state Senate. Legislators remained on a break that began last Wednesday and aren't expected back in Albany until Monday.”
Michael Saul writes: “The GOP may not let a Democrat slide into the Manhattan district attorney's office without putting up a fight. Greg Camp, a Republican who had Mayor Bloomberg's support in an unsuccessful bid for state Assembly in 2007, has formed a campaign committee, state election records reveal.”
The edit-heads rip Martha Stark’s “preposterous City Hall soap opera.”
Newsday
Dan Janison thinks it’s politically smart for the governor to push for gay marriage.
Village Voice
Ahead of the curve as usual, Tom Robbins looks at the fall of Hank Morris – and Ray Harding.
Until tomorrow.
Bob Hardt
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