So I am sure you've all heard about the complaint filed by AG Cuomo against Pedro Espada and his use of the "non-profit" (yes, they are sarcastic quotation marks) Soundview Health Center.If you haven't seen the nitty-gritty yet, here a few articles and blog posts with all the sordid details from the NY Times, BxNN, and the Liz Benjamin-less Daily Politics.
Long story short: Espada is accused of stealing roughly $14,000,000 (fourteen MILLION! dollars) in state and federal funds intended to be used at Soundview for poor Bronx residents to pad his lifestyle and that of his family and friends and to help fund his political campaigns. [$20,000 on sushi, $50,000 for a Bronx apartment in which he doesn't live, a $9,000,000 severance package that would bankrupt his own "non-profit," trips to Vegas, Miami, and Puerto Rico, and a whole host of other outlandish personal expenses paid for with tax-payer money given to Sondview in the form of grants.]
The ole BD isn't surprised at all, and we hope that this civil complaint becomes the much deserved criminal charges Westchester Pete has been dodging for years.
Pedro learned his poverty pimp methods from the best.
Here's a little poem forwarded to BoogieDowner from a tenants' lawyers listserv that sums up his scumbaggery rather well:
I am Pedro Espada and I speak for the poor.
I speak for them so they don't ask for more.
More housing, more jobs, more schools they might ask.
My poverty act is a difficult task.
I'm for these things, each one, or at least so I say,
I say it enough to keep reporters at bay
I made millions from Soundview by looting the store,
I'm a tough talking millionaire who speaks for the poor.
*Our fave photo of Pedro above is thanks to John DeSio*
~ErLu
3 comments:
Also covered in Crain's:
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100420/FREE/100429987
It's laughable that we would even be able to re-elect this dirtbag while this is all going on. That's democracy I guess. Lets hope enough voters get it right this time, and that a somewhat trustworthy candidate gets elected- but I suppose that is asking a lot from our voters and Tammany Hall's aldermen. As for Mr. Mamaroneck, good for his ass. Let him be the pimp of his cell block in a couple of years. You should've gone into the private sector Pedro- using my tax dollars for your sushi and such- big mistake.
According to "Good Day New York", a raid is taking place right now at the Soundview HC. Pictures show police taking box after box of files. I hope this is the start of Bronxites finally getting a positive political who helps rather than loots! As Bronxites, we NEED to demand more!
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