In other words, performance of Poland , a former Soviet State, has improved dramatically since the collapse of Communism. The Poles' growth and improvement is spectacular ! Look how much they've achieved since 2006!
Naz Droh vee!
Comrade Capitalism
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In other words, performance of Poland , a former Soviet State, has improved dramatically since the collapse of Communism. The Poles' growth and improvement is spectacular ! Look how much they've achieved since 2006!
Naz Droh vee!
SvenSvensonov
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U.S. slaps more New York politicians with corruption charges
New York State Assemblyman Eric Stevenson was charged with corruption by prosecutors on Thursday, and another assemblyman was forced to resign, in the second federal graft case brought against New York politicians this week.
Federal prosecutors have accused Stevenson of taking more than $22,000 in bribes in exchange for official acts, which included drafting and sponsoring legislation that would have effectively granted a monopoly to a network of adult day-care centers operated by four businessmen.
"So here we go again. This is getting to be something of a habit," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara told a news conference. "For the second time in three days, we unseal criminal charges against a sitting member of our state legislature.
"The allegations illustrate the corruption of an elected representative's core function - a legislator selling legislation," Bharara said.
The investigation that led to Stevenson's arrest was aided by the cooperation of an informant in the state assembly who has secretly worked with authorities since 2009, at times wearing a wire.
The informant, Assemblyman Nelson Castro, a Bronx Democrat, said he would resign from office as of Monday, as part of a non-prosecution agreement worked out with state and federal prosecutors. The deal allows him to escape perjury charges related to statements made in 2008 when he was a candidate.
"I agreed to cooperate with the Bronx District Attorney's Office and, later, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, in conjunction with various investigations aimed at rooting out public corruption," Castro said in a statement issued through his lawyer.
Castro said he was still cooperating with state and federal authorities "in this prosecution and in other investigations." It was unclear whether more arrests would be forthcoming.
ARREST LIKELIER THAN DEFEAT
Since 1999, 20 state legislators in New York have been ousted because of criminal or ethical issues, according to the good government group Citizens Union. The New York Public Interest Research Group found that, since 2007, state senators have been more likely to be arrested than to lose their seats in a general election.
New York's political establishment is reeling from allegations that elected officials have been all too eager to hand the legislative process over to individuals offering bribes. Calls for reform from watchdog groups have grown more persistent.
Assemblyman Stevenson was accused of helping to obtain certificates of occupancy and a gas line for the adult day care centers, which are non-residential facilities that assist and provide activities for the elderly and people with disabilities. He also agreed to sponsor a bill that would bar competing centers from opening, prosecutors said.
"I just need you to tell me what they want; we prepare the bill," Stevenson said at one point, according to prosecutors.
At another point, prosecutors said, he asked if the businessmen were "putting together a nice little package for me, huh?"
Stevenson's district office declined to comment.
On Tuesday, in a separate case, Democratic New York State Senator Malcolm Smith was arrested and charged with trying to buy a place on the Republican ticket in the city's mayoral race, in what prosecutors said was his central role in a series of bribery schemes that reflected pervasive corruption in New York politics.
Five other politicians - three Republicans and two Democrats - were also arrested and charged with collectively accepting more than $100,000 of bribes in meetings that often took place in parked cars, hotel rooms and state offices, according to court papers.
U.S. slaps more New York politicians with corruption charges| Reuters
@LeveragedBuyout - let me know If you can find any other articles on US corruption... admittedly they are difficult to come by, but I found this one for our "friends".
@Galad @senheiser - we have corruption, no one will dispute this (read the article to confirm it's true), but the scale is far different from what is seen in Eastern Europe, Central Asia or China.
New York State Assemblyman Eric Stevenson was charged with corruption by prosecutors on Thursday, and another assemblyman was forced to resign, in the second federal graft case brought against New York politicians this week.
Federal prosecutors have accused Stevenson of taking more than $22,000 in bribes in exchange for official acts, which included drafting and sponsoring legislation that would have effectively granted a monopoly to a network of adult day-care centers operated by four businessmen.
"So here we go again. This is getting to be something of a habit," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara told a news conference. "For the second time in three days, we unseal criminal charges against a sitting member of our state legislature.
"The allegations illustrate the corruption of an elected representative's core function - a legislator selling legislation," Bharara said.
The investigation that led to Stevenson's arrest was aided by the cooperation of an informant in the state assembly who has secretly worked with authorities since 2009, at times wearing a wire.
The informant, Assemblyman Nelson Castro, a Bronx Democrat, said he would resign from office as of Monday, as part of a non-prosecution agreement worked out with state and federal prosecutors. The deal allows him to escape perjury charges related to statements made in 2008 when he was a candidate.
"I agreed to cooperate with the Bronx District Attorney's Office and, later, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, in conjunction with various investigations aimed at rooting out public corruption," Castro said in a statement issued through his lawyer.
Castro said he was still cooperating with state and federal authorities "in this prosecution and in other investigations." It was unclear whether more arrests would be forthcoming.
ARREST LIKELIER THAN DEFEAT
Since 1999, 20 state legislators in New York have been ousted because of criminal or ethical issues, according to the good government group Citizens Union. The New York Public Interest Research Group found that, since 2007, state senators have been more likely to be arrested than to lose their seats in a general election.
New York's political establishment is reeling from allegations that elected officials have been all too eager to hand the legislative process over to individuals offering bribes. Calls for reform from watchdog groups have grown more persistent.
Assemblyman Stevenson was accused of helping to obtain certificates of occupancy and a gas line for the adult day care centers, which are non-residential facilities that assist and provide activities for the elderly and people with disabilities. He also agreed to sponsor a bill that would bar competing centers from opening, prosecutors said.
"I just need you to tell me what they want; we prepare the bill," Stevenson said at one point, according to prosecutors.
At another point, prosecutors said, he asked if the businessmen were "putting together a nice little package for me, huh?"
Stevenson's district office declined to comment.
On Tuesday, in a separate case, Democratic New York State Senator Malcolm Smith was arrested and charged with trying to buy a place on the Republican ticket in the city's mayoral race, in what prosecutors said was his central role in a series of bribery schemes that reflected pervasive corruption in New York politics.
Five other politicians - three Republicans and two Democrats - were also arrested and charged with collectively accepting more than $100,000 of bribes in meetings that often took place in parked cars, hotel rooms and state offices, according to court papers.
U.S. slaps more New York politicians with corruption charges| Reuters
@LeveragedBuyout - let me know If you can find any other articles on US corruption... admittedly they are difficult to come by, but I found this one for our "friends".
@Galad @senheiser - we have corruption, no one will dispute this (read the article to confirm it's true), but the scale is far different from what is seen in Eastern Europe, Central Asia or China.
SvenSvensonov
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Washington consultant pleads guilty in corruption scheme
A political consultant who worked on President Barack Obama's 2004 Senate campaign and advised Philadelphia congressman Chaka Fattah pleaded guilty on Wednesday to participating in a scheme to provide illegal campaign contributions.
Thomas Lindenfeld, 59, admitted he agreed to route an illegal $1 million contribution for an elected official during a 2007 campaign, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
The official is described only as Elected Official A.
A Washington Post profile of Lindenfeld published in April described him as a former partner of ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod, and as a campaign strategist to both former Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty and to Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser.
The Post also reported that Lindenfeld had worked on Obama's Illinois Senate campaign.
Prosecutors said the contribution was in the form of a loan, and that Lindenfeld engaged in a complicated series of transactions using federal grant money and monies from Sallie Mae’s charitable arm to illegally repay the loan.
Another of Fattah's aides and Fattah's son, Chaka Fattah Jr, were charged this summer in connection with fraud or campaign finance violations. The aide, Gregory Naylor, pleaded guilty in August. Fattah Jr was expected to face trial next year.
A lawyer for Lindenfeld, who pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, could not immediately be reached for comment.
@Galad @senheiser - here's another article. I try to remain balanced in my views, presenting information on many nations and from many sides (see my post history to confirm), but again corruption in the US is not endemic... it's a rarity.
A political consultant who worked on President Barack Obama's 2004 Senate campaign and advised Philadelphia congressman Chaka Fattah pleaded guilty on Wednesday to participating in a scheme to provide illegal campaign contributions.
Thomas Lindenfeld, 59, admitted he agreed to route an illegal $1 million contribution for an elected official during a 2007 campaign, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
The official is described only as Elected Official A.
A Washington Post profile of Lindenfeld published in April described him as a former partner of ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod, and as a campaign strategist to both former Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty and to Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser.
The Post also reported that Lindenfeld had worked on Obama's Illinois Senate campaign.
Prosecutors said the contribution was in the form of a loan, and that Lindenfeld engaged in a complicated series of transactions using federal grant money and monies from Sallie Mae’s charitable arm to illegally repay the loan.
Another of Fattah's aides and Fattah's son, Chaka Fattah Jr, were charged this summer in connection with fraud or campaign finance violations. The aide, Gregory Naylor, pleaded guilty in August. Fattah Jr was expected to face trial next year.
A lawyer for Lindenfeld, who pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, could not immediately be reached for comment.
@Galad @senheiser - here's another article. I try to remain balanced in my views, presenting information on many nations and from many sides (see my post history to confirm), but again corruption in the US is not endemic... it's a rarity.
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LeveragedBuyout
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I'll see your assemblyman and raise you three consecutive speakers of the house from my proud home state.
But still, these guys are in the minor leagues--tens of thousands of dollars. We have much to learn from our "friends" about how to engage in graft on the order of magnitude of tens or hundreds of millions.
Well said @SvenSvensonov . And as one who lives in the United States , I see first hand how the United States implements a stern internal auditing investigation on public officials. I remember a couple of years ago the Governor of Illinois , Rod Blagojevich , was sacked for corruption charges, or Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr on charges of mis-use of campaign funds.
No doubt there are corruption in the United States, as in any other country, but the United States' ability to prosecute those who are suspected of corruption through its independent judiciary cannot be questioned.
No doubt there are corruption in the United States, as in any other country, but the United States' ability to prosecute those who are suspected of corruption through its independent judiciary cannot be questioned.
senheiser
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yeah but guise what you have very view corruption but at the most significant spots unlike china and russia
What are you talking about ?In the eyes of our USA posters here it is perfectly fine-just normal action to help a friend in need.Surely it is not bribing in exchange for future services right?The very same banks are involved with market manupulation at grand scale-LIBOR/FX/HFT/gold&silver,commodities etc.Nothing done about it - if any invistigations at all they continue for years and end usually with a slap on the wrist fine.Revolving doors between politics and corporations-is also perfectfy fine for them.Only Russian/Chinese companies are engagining in bribes to get hold of contracts(USA or other West companies never ever do).As you see from their answers -everything is fine from their point of view.Corruption in USA is firmly under control so lets go and preach and teach countries at other sides of the world how to properly fight corruption.Russia and China can learn a lot from MIC and Wall Street banks.
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