By: Jared Evan

Jona Rechnitz, a huge de Blasio donor first made headlines when it was learned that he donated large sums of money to the de Blasio campaign to gain influence and access to important officials, is making headlines again with a diamond business scheme and he name tossed the Kardashians to further his nefarious plans, according to the NY Post.

The Times reported in December:” Mr. Rechnitz became an instant pariah in City Hall after pleading guilty in 2016 to corruption-related charges. He admitted that those contributions — as well as direct bribes given to police officials — were a means to gain influence.

His admissions formed the core of a cooperation agreement in which he became a key government witness in three federal corruption trials, leading to the convictions and guilty pleas of half a dozen people, including a powerful correction officers’ union boss, a hedge fund mogul, a police official and a Brooklyn businessman.”

The Times continued: “Mr. Rechnitz became, according to federal prosecutors in Manhattan, “one of the single most important and prolific white-collar cooperating witnesses in the recent history of the Southern District of New York.”

The Post is now reporting on Rechnitz’s latest scheme, his Diamond business called Jadelle and Jewelry Diamonds.

Rechnitz tricked investor Victor Franco Noval into loaning him millions of dollars by touting his “political and powerful celebrity connections,’’ court papers say.

He tried to sell his business as credible because one of his biggest clients were the celebrity Kardashian family.

The NY Post reported: “ While the Kardashians have no role in the estimated $15 million scheme, Rechnitz and his wife, Rachel, have posted photos on social media of clients Kylie Jenner and Kim, as well as de Blasio, “to create a false sense of credibility’’ for themselves”.

Noval says in his suit that he loaned Rechnitz $2.8 million for his business in January 2019.

The Post discovered that under the deal between the two men, Rechnitz was to pay Noval an interest rate of 9 percent a month on the loan, the suit says. He allegedly gave Noval $7 million in diamonds, plus an ultra-luxury ride Bugatti, in return as collateral. When the de Blasio pal missed the deadline for repayment Noval sold off the Bugatti for $400,000 and called him out on the rest of the outstanding cash, the suit says.

Rechnitz begged for the Bugatti diamond back and promised to write 2 checks valued at $3.8 million in exchange for he diamonds. The checks bounced and now he is being sued.

Rechnitz story and dealings are reminiscent of a like the character played by The Jewish Voice’s favorite Jewish actor Adam Sandler, in the new film “Uncut Gems”, a wheeling, dealing, Jewish diamond dealer.

The progressive stalwart de Blasio distanced himself from Rechnitz long ago and called him a crook and criminal.

By Hadassa Kalatizadeh

A Jewish member of the Harvard Club asserts that she was assaulted by a professor during a pro-Palestinian lecture at the posh scene. Vanesa Levine, 28, was a new member to the elite Midtown club, which once included illustrious figures such as Michael Bloomberg, John F. Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Levine is now suing the 154-year old institution to be reinstated after being silenced and booted just for asking a question.

As reported by the NY Post, Levine, a marketing manager in Brooklyn, and her mom attended a lecture last February, entitled, “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine” by Rashid Khalidi, a former press officer for the Palestinian Liberation Organization. She claims in her lawsuit, that during the lecture’s question-and-answer session, she “peacefully” asked how Mideast peace can be achieved if Palestinians are teaching their children “to support terrorism against Jews and Israelis.”

As per her lawsuit, the audience flared up in “mob-like” fury at her question. Harvard finance professor Faris Mousa Saah, 53, called her a whore in Arabic. He grabbed her by the arm, bruising it as he forced the microphone from her, according to court papers.

Levine, who earned a Master’s degree from Harvard, persevered and did ask her questions. But was expelled from the room and asked by security to leave, along with her mom, who was born and raised in Israel. An angry mob from the audience followed them out in the hallway, photographing her and shouting, “We’re going to get you expelled,” she said. Outside the noble landmarked venue, on the sidewalk by 44th street and Fifth Avenue, a stunned Levine stopped to film herself and tell over her experience. She posted it to Facebook, where the clip was watched over 50,000 times.

Saah later defended his actions by saying he was afraid Levine would hurt Khalidi, as she was “aggressively and maniacally” moving around with the microphone, as per court papers.

In July, the Harvard Club’s board of trustees demanded that Levine remove the video off of Facebook. She refused. This led the board, headed by esteemed attorney Stephen Younger, who served on transition teams for Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, to kick Levine out of the club, after a hearing which more resembled a “kangaroo court,” as per her lawyer, Jeffrey K. Levine, who is not related to her. At the hearing, the board allegedly dismissed her assault claim, and disregarded even an internal report from the club’s own security confirming Levine’s account of the incident, she said in court documents.

“I’ve been to hell and back ever since the Harvard Club incident,” Levine said to the Post.

“It was beyond comprehension that she would be expelled. She didn’t touch anybody. She didn’t slander anybody,” said her lawyer. In her suit, Levine is requesting reinstatement to the club and unspecified damages.

“I don’t remember having been at the lecture,” Saah responded to The Post. “There’s not a single word of accuracy in any of that,” he said of the suit. A Harvard Club spokeswoman also responded claiming, Levine “disrupted a Club program. She was subsequently removed from membership in accordance with the Club’s bylaws.” The Harvard club includes dining outlets, guestrooms, a library, a work center, three floors of Athletics facilities, and social rooms for private events.

By Clark Savage, Jr.

City employees working under Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez – as many as 40, according to some – have fled the department since the year began.

The reason? Insane amounts of work generated by the recently passed reforms. Insiders say they are now expected to tender evidence to the defendants inside of 15 days following arraignment, and the torrid pace is simply burning them out.

That time frame requires staffers to collect the relevant notes from police officers’ notes, as well as surveillance video, lists of telephone calls and more. The result, according to a New York Post investigation: days as long as 12 hours, with deadlines looming overhead all the time.

“Morale is terrible,” one Brooklyn prosecutor told the Post. “People are feeling overworked and underappreciated.” “People are kind of talking about it openly saying ‘I don’t know, should I ride this out?’” said another. Another told the newspaper that the exodus is unprecedented in his experience, adding, “Almost everyone I know is looking for another job.”

In a prepared statement, Gonzalez’s office noted that “We have every confidence in the professionalism and dedication of our ADAs who work tirelessly to keep Brooklyn safe. Implementing the new laws in the county with the largest caseload in the state requires our assistants to put in very long hours for the same pay. Those who left the office are leaving for higher-paying jobs, including in other city agencies, because the city has not enacted salary parity despite repeated requests. We are now using recent funding to hire paralegals and other support staff to assist our hardworking prosecutors,” the statement continues.” (Full details can be found at https://nypost.com/2020/02/09/new-yorks-tough-new-laws-for-prosecutors-have-some-of-them-looking-for-the-door/)

CBS also took note of the sudden drop in the number of Brooklyn DA’s office employees, reporting that “There is a stunning demand for changes to the state’s controversial bail reform laws from one of the most liberal district attorneys in New York. It comes as Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez copes with a spike in shootings, even as he arrests dozens of gang members involved in gun cases.”

CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer asked the DA for comments about some much publicized videos showing rival gangs shooting at each other in the streets of Brooklyn. “In this case, the overwhelming majority of the defendants in this case were either remanded or bail was set on them,” Gonzalzes responded. “The system really needs to move to a cashless bail system,” he said.

“So you’re saying that nobody should have to pay to put up cash bail?” Kramer followed up. “Correct. We should move to the Jersey model,” answered Gonzalez.

By: Hellen Zaboulani

Mom-and-pop shops have a bone to pick with Mayor Bill de Blasio. They say instead of saving NYC businesses, he’s sinking them.

Small business owners throughout the five boroughs of New York City are overwhelmed and surprised that the Mayor has launched a crackdown on storefront signage, based on a forgotten, 50-year-old law. The owners will now be slapped with thousands of dollars in fines for many of the signs and awnings they have had and put up regularly which do not precisely follow the letter of the intricate law. Fines are being handed out if the sign doesn’t meet the code, is incorrectly installed, or doesn’t have a permit.

As reported by the NY Post, the businesses are tearing down their old non-compliant signs but don’t have the means to properly upgrade in a timely manner, so they are putting up instead little plastic banners. Streets are now adorned by 2-by-5-feet banners used as signage for even 20-foot storefronts. Permits can be obtained for old signs but the process is tricky and costly.

The unsightly displays are particularly vivid in Jamaica Avenue, extending from Jackie Robinson Parkway in Brooklyn’s East New York to Queen’s Woodhaven. “It looks like a Third World country here,” complained Margie Schmidt, whose grandfather opened Schmidt’s Candy nearly a century ago in Woodhaven. “Yucky, icky.”

One owner, Paul Vasiliadis, described his dismal situation to the Post. “Blindsided,” he said. “That’s how I feel — blindsided.” He has been operating Avenue Diner at 91-06 Jamaica Ave for the past decade. He currently has a back-lit sign he paid $6,000 for when he first opened. Now, he must take the sign down or will be fined. A proper replacement sign will run him roughly $9,500 to $14,000. It will also require a special permit, as anything bigger than 6 square feet is considered oversized. Now he says he will need to take out a loan, when the restaurant’s business is already tough in the winter, to replace his sign with a similar but compliant one.

According to the Post, the whole ordeal began when the city’s 311 helpline received an unexplained, mysterious spike in complaints about street sign violations. The complaints were heavily targeting the areas of Sunset Park, East New York and Woodhaven. In response, the Department of Buildings started taking notice and has been cracking down on businesses since the end of 2017. Thousands of dollars in tickets have been assessed, leading even the city council to have mercy and place a freeze on tickets until February 2021.

“The enforcement, all of the sudden, looks very punitive – to generate revenue,” said Bill Wilkins of the East Brooklyn Business Improvement District, about DOB’s crackdown. “That’s abuse, and that’s why shop owners throw up their hands and leave the community.” Wilkins is pointing a finger at Mayor de Blasio for allowing the sign insanity, while all the while feigning the role of someone on the side of small business.

“Everything starts from the top. If the mayor wanted to do something about it, he would,” said another business owner. “Folks are struggling,” continued Frank Castelli of Beat the Clock Printing store, on Jamaica Ave. “It’s hard enough to do business in New York.”

In August, the Department of Finance started a six-month initiative to reduce and sometimes even overlook the penalties and interest. That amnesty program, however, ended last Tuesday. Spokesman for the DOB, Andrew Rudansky claims the DOB had to investigate the complaints, once they were called in. He admits that getting even the price for a new permit can be tricky, as it is dependent on several variables. But Rudansky says DOB officials are doing their best to spread the word about the law, by visiting stores, doing town hall meetings and distributing pamphlets in 14 languages.

By Ilana Siyance

On Sunday February 9th, President Donald J. Trump took to Twitter to slam NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo for “weak leadership” after a devastating weekend with two NYPD police officers shot.

“I grew up in New York City and, over many years, got to watch how GREAT NYC’s ‘Finest’ are. Now, because of weak leadership at Governor & Mayor, stand away (water thrown at them) regulations, and lack of support, our wonderful NYC police are under assault,” Trump Twitted on Sunday. “Stop this now!”

President Trump’s comment came hours after a gunman stormed into the 41st Precinct in the Bronx and opened fire, shooting wildly. As per the NY Post, surveillance camera caught the perpetrator on video at about 8 am on Sunday, shooting multiple rounds just a few feet from a police officer’s desk. Another officer entered the scene drawing his gun, and leading the assailant to take cover, slide his gun away and surrender. In only a minute’s time, over a dozen NYPD officers were on the scene. The assailant was effectively cuffed and taken into custody. He was taken to a hospital for his injuries. Lt. Jose Gautreaux was wounded but is in stable condition.

As reported by the Post, only twelve hours before, on Saturday night, an on-duty NYPD officer sitting in a marked patrol van with his partner was shot in the by a gunman, who got away. The incident occurred just blocks away, near the Hunts Point Avenue subway station in the 41st precinct. Police believe the gunman in both cases might be one and the same. His name has not been released.

The NYPD officer who was shot on Saturday night Paul Stroffolino, has thankfully survived and was released Sunday from Lincoln Hospital, as per USA Today. Commissioner Dermot Shea said the officer was targeted. “Let me be very clear: this was an assassination attempt of two New York city police officers,” Shea said. When asked to comment on the president’s tweet, Shea said, “I’m not getting into that. This is about our officers”.

“Thank God our officers are alive,” de Blasio said. “This was an attempt to assassinate police officers, we need to use the word. It was a premeditated effort to kill.”

Governor Cuomo responded to the news saying he has asked the State Police to offer the NYPD any assistance it may need. “We have zero tolerance for attacks of any kind against law enforcement, and the person or people responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Cuomo said in the statement. Dani Lever, his communications director, further responded to Trump’s tweet. “We‘d think politicizing police shootings would be beyond the pale even for @realDonaldTrump, but apparently there’s nothing too low for him,” she wrote on Twitter.

Last summer, cops were doused with water across New York City, provoking the President’s taunts towards the local leaders for allowing such lack of respect for the NY Police Department.

By: Deidre Jackson-Smythe

The Harvey Weinstein trial continues. In its latest installment, a model and social media refused to admit that he had allegedly lured Lauren Marie Young up to the movie mogul’s hotel room. The charge is that Weinstein groped Young while masturbating.

“That never happened,” Claudia Salinas said in court Monday. “If I had done that, I would remember that. I never closed a door behind anybody ever.”

Earlier in the trial, Young said that Salinas followed Weinstein and her to the room back in 2013. She insisted that Salinas closed its bathroom door, leaving her defenseless inside with Weinstein. He allegedly groped Young while masturbating naked.

“Salinas said that the meeting at the Montage hotel bar took place, but she contested other aspects of Young’s account of the night. Not only did Salinas deny shutting the bathroom door on Young — she denied being in the suite altogether,” reported buzzfeednews.com. “However, Salinas acknowledged that she previously told investigators that she did not know if Young went to Weinstein’s room that night and that her only recollection of the “uneventful” evening was that she had met Weinstein and Young for drinks at the hotel bar.”

The trial offers no shortage of lurid tales. For instance, actress Talita Maia testified regarding the account of her former friend and roommate Jessica Mann. “Mann, whose accusations are part of the indictment against Weinstein, previously testified that Maia was present — in the other room of a hotel suite — when she says that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her without her consent,” according to hollywoodreporter.com.

Salinas was presented with photos of the hotel suite in question, but said she never went there. “Do you ever recall following Lauren Young down that hallway with Mr. Weinstein in front of her?” she was queried. She answered no, adding, “Because if I had done that, I would remember that. I would never close the door on anybody, ever.”

The most damning testimony, according to trial enthusiasts, can be summed up in these quotes:

Annabella Sciorra: “I wished I had never opened the door.”

Miriam Haley: “I just checked out and decided to endure it.”

Jessica Mann: “I do want the jury to know he is my rapist.”

Supporting witnesses: “I said ‘no, no, no’ the whole time.”

Weinstein’s alleged guilt was called into question when alleged victim Jessica Mann said she continued to the producer after the alleged attack, “and that they developed a sexual relationship she described as “extremely degrading,” said npr.org. “I thought he was deformed and intersex,” she told the courtroom, referring to “extreme scarring” and other graphic details about Weinstein’s body. Other witnesses recounted similar tales. Mann’s assertions, along with Haley’s, form the foundation of the charges.”

By: Jared Evan

The renowned civil libertarian lawyer who once defended O.J Simpson and assisted Trump during the impeachment hearings, Alan Dershowitz, appeared on radio station 970 AM The Answer’s show “Cat’s Roundtable” hosted by John Catsimatidis and blasted Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.

“I think they need new leadership. I think Schumer and Pelosi have to go. Schumer, because of his history of lying. You know, Pelosi actually called for me to be disbarred … because I had persuaded some senators”, Dershowitz said on the program.

“I think the Dems need new leaders if they have any chance of returning to power,” Dershowitz said in an interview that aired Sunday morning on “The Cats Roundtable”, The N.Y Post highlighted.

When Dershowitz joined Trump’s legal team, he stated his motivation was that he was opposed to the impeachment saying, “I’m there to try to defend the integrity of the constitution – that benefits President Trump in this case.” Dershowitz was not involved in the Trump case other than making arguments relating to the constitutionality of the impeachment, NBC news reported.

Dershowitz has said he is a member of the Democratic Party and endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 presidential election, and later endorsed the party nominee, Barack Obama. He opposed the impeachment of Bill Clinton and said that he voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Dershowitz assisting in Trump’s legal proceedings is quite revealing as to the illegitimacy of the disastrous impeachment trial. The famous lawyer is not only is a Democrat and Hillary Clinton supporter, he is very liberal and has rigorously criticized Trump repeatedly.

Comparing Trump unfavorably to Hillary Clinton in October 2016, Dershowitz remarked, “I think there’s no comparison between who has engaged in more corruption and who is more likely to continue that if elected President of the United States, CNN reported.

He was very vocal about the way Trump handled the Charlottesville incident with Neo-Nazi’s fighting Antifa communists and the death and chaos than ensued in 2017.

He continues to be a dedicated Democrat even after helping President Trump. During the 2020 Democratic Party primaries, Dershowitz endorsed Joe Biden. He said: “I’m a strong supporter of Joe Biden. I like Joe Biden. I’ve liked him for a long time, and I could enthusiastically support Joe Biden.” He criticized Bernie Sanders, saying: “I don’t think under any circumstances I could vote for a man who went to England and campaigned for a bigot and anti-Semite like Jeremy Corbyn, Newsweek reported.

During the Senate trial, Dershowitz argued that if the president takes an action to get him re-elected, something he believes is in the nation’s interest, he cannot be impeached for it, The New York Post explained.