Tag Archives: city-officials

Today Show Refuses to Attach Democratic Label in CA ‘Corruption On Steroids’ Story

NBC’s Tamron Hall blared, “It’s being called ‘corruption on steroids'” while George Lewis added, “It’s been an angry summer in Bell, California, once people learned that city officials awarded themselves huge six figure salaries at taxpayer’s expense.” However neither of them mentioned, in two different stories on Wednesday’s Today show, that those corrupt officials belonged to the Democratic Party. Lewis, strangely, couldn’t even bother to identify the party of Jerry Brown — who has a soundbite in the piece going after the officials — as he just called him “The California attorney general running for governor.” Incidentally, the Today show wasn’t the only news outlet to conveniently drop the “D” label next to those officials accused of bilking California taxpayers. As Newsbusters’ Lachlan Markay  pointed out on Tuesday, “ABC, CBS, the Los Angeles Times, the Associated Press, Bloomberg, USA Today, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and the San Francisco Chronicle all reported on the arrests today without mentioning party affiliations.” The following Lewis story and Hall anchor brief were the September 22 Today show: [8:02am] TAMRON HALL: In Bell, California it’s being called “corruption on steroids.” Eight current and former city officials spent the night in jail after being arrested for misappropriating more than $5 million in city funds. NBC’s George Lewis has details. George, good morning. [On screen headline: “‘Corruption On Steroids’ California City Officials Busted For Graft”] GEORGE LEWIS: Good morning, Tamron. It’s been an angry summer in Bell, California, once people learned that city officials had awarded themselves huge six figure salaries at taxpayers’ expense. Now those officials face serious felony charges. City Manager Robert Rizzo, busted at his luxury home in Huntington Beach, California, had home had been pulling down $800,000 a year in salary, twice what President Obama makes. His total benefits came to about $1.5 million annually. STEVE COOLEY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The charges accuse Rizzo of being responsible for at least $4.3 million of the city’s losses. LEWIS: Rizzo is one of eight city officials, present and former, charged with numerous accounts of misappropriating public funds. When police went after Mayor Oscar Hernandez, they had to break down the door of his house with a battering ram. COOLEY: This was calculated greed and theft accomplished by deceit and secrecy. LEWIS: The district attorney making it clear he’s going after anyone connected with this. COOLEY: I would charge my mother if I had evidence against my mother. UNIDENTIFIED OFFICIAL: Please I need respect from everybody. Please! LEWIS: In July, when people found out about the astronomical salaries the city officials were getting, they stormed city council meetings demanding their resignation. And when news came of the arrests on Tuesday, some citizens literally jumped for joy. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: We did it! I’m happy. I’m happy! This is what I was waiting for from the very beginning. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: We just love the idea of all the city council going to jail in handcuffs. LEWIS: The California attorney general running for governor is suing the Bell City officials trying to recover much of the money. JERRY BROWN, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: When you see it, you can smell it. And this stinks to high heaven. LEWIS: Today when former city manager Rizzo appears in court, the district attorney will ask the judge to set his bail at $3.2 million. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is asking the attorney general to appoint a temporary overseer to run day to day business in Bell. Tamron? HALL: Alright George, thanks a lot. … [9:02am] TAMRON HALL: And eight current and former city officials in Bell, California are facing charges of bilking taxpayers out of millions of dollars. A prosecutor called the case “corruption on steroids.”

Read the original:
Today Show Refuses to Attach Democratic Label in CA ‘Corruption On Steroids’ Story

Opossums Enlisted to Eat Rats Now Overrun Brooklyn

Photo via djandzoya It seemed like a plan just sinister enough to work: ship in a bunch of rat-eating opossums to combat Brooklyn’s rodent problem . But as opposed of doing their job and dying off as city officials had planned, the opossums proved to be poor rat-killers, preferring instead to settle down in buildings and neighborhood parks. Now community leaders are fed up with the marauding animals rummaging through trashcans, hanging out in yards, and feeding themselves from local

Link:
Opossums Enlisted to Eat Rats Now Overrun Brooklyn

Fla. Church Denied Permit to Burn Qurans

(AP) Gainesville city officials have denied a burn permit for a church that plans to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11. Interim Fire Chief Gene Prince said Wednesday that an open burning of books is not allowed under the city's burning ordinance. The Dove World Outreach Center drew international attention after announcing its plan to burn copies of the Islamic holy text on church grounds to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Prince says the church will be fined if it holds the burning. In an e-mail sent out Wednesday, the church said, “City of Gainesville denies burn permit – BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS.” The Gainesville church made headlines last year after distributing T-shirts that said “Islam is of the Devil.” http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/19/national/main6787518.shtml added by: onemalefla

John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s Dogs Tragically Killed at Maine Airport

BANGOR, Maine — Two dogs belonging to John Travolta and Kelly Preston were tragically killed early last Thursday at Maine’s Bangor International Airport, the Bangor

John Travolta’s Dogs Killed in Freak Accident

Filed under: John Travolta , R.I.P. Tragedy has once again struck John Travolta ‘s family — two dogs belonging to the actor were killed on Thursday in a freak airport accident. In an email sent to the Bangor Daily News, city officials said, “At approximately 1 a.m. on Thursday, May 13,… Read more

Visit link:
John Travolta’s Dogs Killed in Freak Accident