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Alleged Billing Scheme Ends in Takeover of NYC Hotel Shelter

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Alleged Billing Scheme Ends in Takeover of NYC Hotel Shelter By: Igor Shereshevsky Children's Community Services (CCS) has been placed in receivership in the wake of a raid that resulted from an alleged billing scheme. Daniel Tietz, a one-time official of the Department of Social Services, has been tapped by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lyle Frank to oversee CCS’s ongoing operations. Part of those operations includes a $600 million contract to operate one of New York City's biggest hotel/shelter operations. New York City Department of Homeless Services spokesperson Isaac McGinn told the New York Post, “Today, as a result of our action and petition, the court appointed a temporary receiver for this provider effective immediately.” McGinn said that the ruling by Justice Frank was “a win for families receiving services at these locations who don't have to worry about being left high and dry because of the alleged improprieties of management.” It has also become public that a pair of executives at CCS we're fired soon after the Department of investigation’s much publicized raid. Their names are reportedly Thomas Bransky and Ruth Mandelbaum. Children’s Community Services provides what it describes as a “holistic array of social services and community linkages to provide a supportive environment for the most vulnerable families in our community. In this way, we empower these families to be contributing members of society. Our sites are equipped with security, maintenance and a dedicated social service team, consisting of case managers, childcare personnel, housing specialists, and other direct-care staff.” The alleged scam has been reportedly on extensively. Here’s how the New York Times described it: “One company was supposedly based in a vacant house in New Jersey. Another company had no office; its address was a post office box inside a shipping store in Nassau County. A third operated out of a Harlem apartment. The companies were all listed in paperwork as subcontractors for Children’s Community Services, a nonprofit that the city has paid about $500 million since 2017 to provide roughly 1,900 units for homeless people, including families with children. Authorities believe that the nonprofit defrauded New York City through a network of at least six subcontractors that did not appear to provide the supplies and services listed on invoices, according to a lawsuit the city filed against the nonprofit on Wednesday. The fraud could be millions of dollars, but the lawsuit was not specific.” An estimated 11,750 New York City residents experiencing homelessness currently live in hotel rooms that the city funds due to the fact that its traditional shelter system is severely overloaded. Nearly 60,000 people, many of whom are families with children, sleep in DHS shelters each night, according to daily census reports.

By: Igor Shereshevsky

Children’s Community Services (CCS) has been placed in receivership in the wake of a raid that resulted from an alleged billing scheme.

Daniel Tietz, a one-time official of the Department of Social Services, has been tapped by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lyle Frank to oversee CCS’s ongoing operations.

Part of those operations includes a $600 million contract to operate one of New York City’s biggest hotel/shelter operations.

New York City Department of Homeless Services spokesperson Isaac McGinn told the New York Post, “Today, as a result of our action and petition, the court appointed a temporary receiver for this provider effective immediately.”

McGinn said that the ruling by Justice Frank was “a win for families receiving services at these locations who don’t have to worry about being left high and dry because of the alleged improprieties of management.”

It has also become public that a pair of executives at CCS we’re fired soon after the Department of investigation’s much publicized raid. Their names are reportedly Thomas Bransky and Ruth Mandelbaum.

Children’s Community Services provides what it describes as a “holistic array of social services and community linkages to provide a supportive environment for the most vulnerable families in our community. In this way, we empower these families to be contributing members of society. Our sites are equipped with security, maintenance and a dedicated social service team, consisting of case managers, childcare personnel, housing specialists, and other direct-care staff.”

The alleged scam has been reportedly on extensively. Here’s how the New York Times described it: “One company was supposedly based in a vacant house in New Jersey. Another company had no office; its address was a post office box inside a shipping store in Nassau County. A third operated out of a Harlem apartment. The companies were all listed in paperwork as subcontractors for Children’s Community Services, a nonprofit that the city has paid about $500 million since 2017 to provide roughly 1,900 units for homeless people, including families with children. Authorities believe that the nonprofit defrauded New York City through a network of at least six subcontractors that did not appear to provide the supplies and services listed on invoices, according to a lawsuit the city filed against the nonprofit on Wednesday. The fraud could be millions of dollars, but the lawsuit was not specific.”

An estimated 11,750 New York City residents experiencing homelessness currently live in hotel rooms that the city funds due to the fact that its traditional shelter system is severely overloaded. Nearly 60,000 people, many of whom are families with children, sleep in DHS shelters each night, according to daily census reports.

Bloomberg’s Daughter Emma Weds ‘Disgraced Charter School Advocate”

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The groom in question is Jeremiah Kittredge, one-time chief executive officer of an organization that was decidedly pro-charter school. Photo Credit: global intel

By: Chris Sandersberg

Word has gotten out that presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg’s daughter Emma has secretly gotten hitched to a man described as a “disgraced charter school advocate.” It is her second marriage.

The groom in question is Jeremiah Kittredge, one-time chief executive officer of an organization that was decidedly pro-charter school.

In fact, it appears the couple enjoys secrecy. The wedding has been nobody’s business for a year. In fact, she also did not make public her divorce from her previous husband.

The nuptials were handled by Rabbi Daniel Gropper of the Community Synagogue of Rye in Westchester County.

Before, the only hint of Emma’s re-marriage came in a previously unnoticed January 2019 synagogue newsletter. It welcomes the couple and Emma’s daughter from her first marriage, Zelda, as new members, and wishes them “Mazel Tov,” or good luck, on their marriage,” reported the New York Post. “Kittredge led the once prominent Families for Excellent Schools, which spent nearly $10 million on TV ads and lobbying for charter schools in 2014, after Mayor de Blasio succeeded Bloomberg as Mayor. Kittredge was an outspoken critic of the city’s public schools.”

Nearly two years ago, in 2018, Kittredge was canned by Families for Excellent Schools-Advocacy, in the wake of sexual harassment allegations that stemmed from an incident that occurred in November 2017.

Politico reported that the female in question wrote about the incident on social media, leading to the eventual investigation. “At the time, the woman wrote: ‘Just three weeks ago, at the single ed reform conference I attend each year, another attendee, a guy much younger than me, sticks his head in my chest, tells me my boobs are supple (seriously? Who uses that word?) and then rides up an elevator with me late at night commenting on how big my boobs are.’ The post was immediately sent to members of Families for Excellent Schools’ board. He was fired nearly two months later,” reported The Daily Mail.

Bloomberg has had some rough going. Progressive filmmaker and activist Michael Moore blasted the Democratic National Committee for allegedly lowering the standards allowing candidates to participate in the next primary debate, saying that the rule change is an effort to help Bloomberg buy the nomination without demonstrating popular support.

“I watched the debate in Iowa here two weeks ago — the all-white debate — and the fact that the Democratic, the DNC will not allow Cory Booker on that stage, will not allow Julian Castro on that stage, but they are going to allow Mike Bloomberg on the stage? Because he has a billion (blank)ing dollars!” Moore told Real Clear Politics.

Guardian Angels Step up to Patrol Crown Heights, Honored by Aliya Girls

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The Guardian Angels is also providing training in defense techniques to 40 to 50 mostly ultra-orthodox Jews teaching them to defend themselves and make citizens’ arrests, said Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa. Photo Credit: Twitter

By: Hellen Zaboulani

Crown Heights has been at the center of New York City’s disturbing and mounting anti-Semitic attacks. These frightful incidents have led to feelings of despair and uncertainty in the lives of many Crown Heights residents. Thankfully, all it takes is a small group of heroes to challenge the hate. Only a little light is needed to break through the darkness.

A small group known as the Guardian Angels, has risen to the spotlight in recent weeks to become that hero. As reported by Collive, the individuals in this group have undertaken to keep Crown Height’s community safe. Since the Monsey mass stabbing attack on Hanukkah, they have begun to physically patrol the neighborhood, not only thwarting attempts against the community but also bringing peace of mind and tranquility to those residents who cannot defend themselves. The volunteer group is also providing training in defense techniques to 40 to 50 mostly ultra-orthodox Jews teaching them to defend themselves and make citizens’ arrests, said Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa. By late summer or early fall, he says the trainees should be able to staff their own neighborhood patrols. Reuters reported, the instructions focus on “bring a person into submission without really hurting them,” said martial arts master Milton Oliver, 51, a construction supervisor and Guardian Angel since 1982.

The Guardian Angels were recently honored by Aliya Girls, who invited and honored them at a dinner. Aliya Girls is a local organization dedicated to creating a supportive space, encouraging the physical, emotional and spiritual growth of teenage girls. As per the organization’s website, it offers a full range of programs, one-on-one mentoring, therapy referrals and many other services, for high-school and post-high school girls in their turbulent teenage years. Aliya Girls aims to create relationships to lead the girls to a healthy path in life.

As part of the Aliya’s weekly activities, the girls discussed their growing concerns for safety with in-house therapist Chaya Kagan. In the talk, Chaya told them about the Guardian Angels and how they had stepped up to protect the community. The girls were able to achieve a sense of calm and were warmed at the thought of individuals who were taking matters in their own hands to protect the Jews of Crown Heights. The girls wished to convey their heartfelt thanks and pay the kindness forward. Aliya reached out to the Guardian Angels and invited them to a dinner in their honor.

Guardian Angels visited Aliya Girls on January 2nd, were the girls prepared a home-cooked meal for them. The girls also took the opportunity to personally thank the Angels in person for their selfless acts.

As per Collive, at the dinner, Dovid Margolin, Chabad.org journalist, gave a speech, based on the Rebbe’s message about how best to battle anti-Semitism. Chassidic singer Eli Marcus graced the event by singing three songs connected with the Angels’ mission and thanking them. To top off the night, each Guardian Angel received personal thank you letters from the Aliya Girls, as well as a small gift, chamsa keychains, courtesy of Judaica World.

NYC’s Meatpacking District Becomes Hot Spot for Office Tenants

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
By: Tyrone Marschand Companies love opening offices in Manhattan’s famed Meatpacking District. As a result, rents are going up – way up. And image-conscious firms are only too happy to pay them. RFR Realty said just under a year ago that it was renting 53,000 square feet at its property located at 875 Washington Street to the Soho Works co-working firm. It was a sign of things to come. High-end retailers, bars, restaurants, condos and even upscale hostelries have slid into the neighborhood to take advantage of its panache. For real estate aficionados, the Meatpacking District encompasses the area from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River, between West 16th Street and Gansevoort Street. The District is a decidedly hip commercial area on the far west side. It's home to the Whitney Museum of American Art, high-end designer clothing stores and a stretch of the High Line, an elevated park built atop former railroad tracks. At ground level, the cobblestone streets are filled with trendy restaurants and clubs that have taken over the cavernous spaces once occupied by the namesake meatpacking plants. “The average asking rent for Class A space—which is much of the Meatpacking's stock—went from about $49 per square foot in 2010 to $88 per square foot in 2018,” reported Crain’s New York Business. “It now stands at around $89, according to CoStar. Some office rents command more than double that, and the neighborhood's average at the end of last year was running more than $20 per square foot ahead of Midtown South overall, according to JLL.” Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that the trendy neighborhood was soon to welcome both a Rolex and a Audemars Piguet. “Watches from both companies regularly retail around $50k and go up from there,” according to a press release posted at brokerpulse.com. “Piguet will lease a 5,171-square-foot space in addition to a 2,543-square-foot terrace for an outdoor sundial. Rolex will occupy 3,950 square feet at the exclusive SoHo house. The lease is a windfall for Aurora Capital Advisors and William E. Gottlieb Real Estate, which are inviting a slew of new luxury retailers to Gansvoort Street.” In a report in January, the Commercial Observer said that Salt Bae, the Turkish butcher, chef, and restaurateur who owns Nusr-Et, a chain of steak houses, was preparing to open a second restaurant in the District. As of last year, Bae was operating restaurants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Doha in Qatar; Ankara, Bodrum, Istanbul and Marmaris in Turkey; Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Mykonos in Greece; Miami and New York.

By: Tyrone Marschand

Companies love opening offices in Manhattan’s famed Meatpacking District. As a result, rents are going up – way up. And image-conscious firms are only too happy to pay them.

RFR Realty said just under a year ago that it was renting 53,000 square feet at its property located at 875 Washington Street to the Soho Works co-working firm. It was a sign of things to come. High-end retailers, bars, restaurants, condos and even upscale hostelries have slid into the neighborhood to take advantage of its panache.

For real estate aficionados, the Meatpacking District encompasses the area from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River, between West 16th Street and Gansevoort Street. The District is a decidedly hip commercial area on the far west side. It’s home to the Whitney Museum of American Art, high-end designer clothing stores and a stretch of the High Line, an elevated park built atop former railroad tracks. At ground level, the cobblestone streets are filled with trendy restaurants and clubs that have taken over the cavernous spaces once occupied by the namesake meatpacking plants.

“The average asking rent for Class A space—which is much of the Meatpacking’s stock—went from about $49 per square foot in 2010 to $88 per square foot in 2018,” reported Crain’s New York Business. “It now stands at around $89, according to CoStar. Some office rents command more than double that, and the neighborhood’s average at the end of last year was running more than $20 per square foot ahead of Midtown South overall, according to JLL.”

Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that the trendy neighborhood was soon to welcome both a Rolex and a Audemars Piguet. “Watches from both companies regularly retail around $50k and go up from there,” according to a press release posted at brokerpulse.com. “Piguet will lease a 5,171-square-foot space in addition to a 2,543-square-foot terrace for an outdoor sundial. Rolex will occupy 3,950 square feet at the exclusive SoHo house.

The lease is a windfall for Aurora Capital Advisors and William E. Gottlieb Real Estate, which are inviting a slew of new luxury retailers to Gansvoort Street.”

In a report in January, the Commercial Observer said that Salt Bae, the Turkish butcher, chef, and restaurateur who owns Nusr-Et, a chain of steak houses, was preparing to open a second restaurant in the District. As of last year, Bae was operating restaurants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Doha in Qatar; Ankara, Bodrum, Istanbul and Marmaris in Turkey; Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Mykonos in Greece; Miami and New York.

Two Highly Anticipated Towers on Bdwy in Nomad are Topping Off

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The Virgin Hotel at 1225 Broadway is close to completing its flashy glass curtain wall. Photo Credit: VOA Architects

By Hellen Zaboulani

Two highly anticipated towers are topping off in Nomad. The Virgin Hotel at 1225 Broadway is close to completing its flashy glass curtain wall. Also, at the upcoming office building at 1245 Broadway construction has reached the top of the podium section.

As reported by NY Yimby, exterior construction on the 476-foot-tall-skyscraper has reached the final top floors. The tower, developed by Lam Group, will hold 465 hotel rooms and 90,000 square feet of retail within the podium. VOA Associates were tapped for the design of the tower, and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group will be spearheading the management of the 300,000-square-foot property. The 39-story building, situated between 29th and 30th Streets, is slated for completion in 2020. Most of the building is already clad in glass, only the crown, podium, and area behind the construction hoist remain.

The hotel’s base is a glossy 90,000-square-foot podium stocked with dining and drinking establishments, outdoor terraces, meeting rooms, lounges and a fitness center, an outdoor swimming pool and a lounge. The podium features an open, transparent style which will make it different from the surrounding buildings. Swingers, an upscale indoor miniature golf course, has already signed on to lease 22,000 square feet of retail space in the tower’s basement. This will be the London-based entertainment company’s first American location. The ‘Crazy Golf Club’ will serve cocktail and street food. “At long last, the city that never sleeps will get a beautiful and irresistible Virgin Hotel to play, eat, work, mingle, and yes, even to sleep,” said Sir Richard Branson.

Just a stone-toss away, construction has reached the top of the podium section at 1245 Broadway. The 23-story commercial office building will eventually top out at 318 feet tall. The new Nomad building is being co-developed by GDSNY and Sweden-based Klovern, and it is being designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill. As per NY Yimby, a work force from StructureTech NY and Triton Construction is laboring to tie the steel rebar and to build the formwork for the reinforced concrete perimeter columns as well as the floor slabs. Once completed, the building will boast landscaped outdoor terraces, as well as a mix of exterior materials, and staggered set-backs, which will set it apart from its neighboring buildings.

The two developments join a score of other projects including new hotels, offices, stores, and residential skyscrapers revitalizing the NoMad neighborhood. Other recent projects including 1185 Broadway, Rose Hill, Madison House, 30 East 31st Street, and Bjarke Ingels Group‘s proposed office building to the east at 3 West 29th Street, soaring to new heights and changing the skyline to minimize the distinction even of the 39-story Virgin Hotel.

Jewish Couple Sues American Airlines; Thrown Off Flight for ‘Body Odor’

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Photo Credit: aa.com

By Ellen Cans

A Jewish couple from Southfield, Michigan is suing American Airlines for discrimination after being kicked off a flight last year. In the lawsuit, filed on Jan. 28 in federal court in Texas, the couple complains the crew threw them off for their alleged ‘body odor’.

As reported by the NY Post, the husband and wife, who traveled with their 19-month-old daughter from Miami to Detroit last January, say the Texas-based airline’s gate agent said he knew Orthodox Jews only bathed once a week, as per the suit.

The Detroit Free Press first reported, as per the lawsuit, that the humiliation began as soon as they boarded the plane. The husband, Yehuda, asked the stewardess for headsets, saying on their last flight they were told they may ask for them. The nearby pilot responded curtly saying, “I wasn’t on that plane and we don’t offer anything complimentary.”

Just minutes after taking their seats, a gate agent told the family that there was an emergency and asked them to de-board the plane, says the lawsuit. They were later informed it was because of body odor and that it was the pilot’s instructions. The agent would not clarify which family member had an odor, but as per the suit the husband and wife said they had showered in the morning.

On Thursday the airline responded in a statement saying, “Our team members took care of the family and provided hotel accommodations and meals, and rebooked them on a flight to Detroit the next morning,” the statement said. “None of the decisions made by our team in handling this sensitive situation were based on the Adler’s (sic) religion.”

According to the lawsuit, the “plaintiffs were distraught and even though embarrassing, approached persons in the same area of the boarding gate asking them if they could detect unpleasant body odor from any of the Adler family and each and every person (more than 20 people) answered in the negative.”

The family says they suffered not only the embarrassment and damage to their reputations, but also were left without their belongings. As per the suit, regardless of the airline’s promise to unload their luggage, the family says the plane left with their baby’s car seat, stroller, diapers and other belongings.

The Southfield couple was dressed in traditional orthodox garb—he donned a yarmulke head covering and she wore a shaytel or wig, with a long skirt. They say it made them unequal in the eyes of the airline. The family is asking punitive damages to be awarded as determined by a jury, in order to deter similar discrimination in the future. A scheduling conference on the matter is set for May 29.

Koch vs Mercer Families Split on Whether to Reign in Tech Giants

By
Sholom Schreirber
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1
Federal tax forms filed by the Charles Koch Foundation and the Charles Koch Institute show that they gave more than $500,000 to Szóka’s TechFreedom from 2014 to 2018, as reported by Bloomberg. Photo Credit: Charles Koch Foundation

By: Hadassa Kalatizadeh

Lawmakers and their influencers have split and are now engulfed in a two sided battle over whether and how to regulate Silicon Valley’s top companies. Previously, conservative lawmakers and trade groups agreed to take a light regulatory approach to business. Now, the right wing is divided between the anti-Big Tech camp, and more traditional pro-business groups that support the internet giants. As per Bloomberg Business News, the fighting has led some to believe that the powerful internet companies are silencing the right-wing voices. Republicans including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Texas Senator Ted Cruz have even based their campaign ads on the theory. By now, there is a large backing to the idea that Google, Twitter, and Facebook are censoring conservative ideas.

Tucker Carlson, the Fox News commentator, did a shocking segment in January, in which he vilified right-wing nonprofits for “colluded with Big Tech to shield left-wing monopolies” from oversight. President Trump, and his former chief strategist Steve Bannon are among those who side against the internet companies. “Big Tech should be reined in and reined in fast,” says Bannon. Another ring leader is Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who investigated Google for antitrust and privacy violations when he was a state attorney general. The family foundation of Robert Mercer, the hedge fund billionaire who backed Mr. Trump’s candidacy, is also on their side, claiming that tech companies have a left-wing agenda.

If the argument gets too loud, the internet giants stand to lose their prized legal immunity, called Section 230, which protects them from many lawsuits. They may even be split up by federal and state antitrust investigations. Lucky for them, the internet groups too, have a network of groups supporting them. This group is led by none other than libertarian billionaire Charles Koch, who has broken with Trump and has increasingly turned his attention to defending Silicon Valley. This Koch network, which holds that regulators should keep their distance, also includes the pro-free-market Mercatus Center at George Mason University, as well as mainstream conservative think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Competitive Enterprise Institute. In fact, Robert Bluey, Vice President of Communications at Heritage, called on Carlson for the Fox segment, calling it misleading. “It should come as no surprise that Heritage supports empowering consumers rather than government to influence the private sector,” Bluey wrote in the Daily Caller, a conservative publication that Carlson co-founded. “We are, and have always been, champions of free enterprise and critics of government intervention.”

At this time, there is not a lot of evidence that Facebook, Twitter, Google and its YouTube unit methodically or intentionally discriminate against ideological viewpoints. The Tech giants hold that they can remove content that violates their rules, and it is not part of a political agenda but rather an effort to remove spam as well as fake or abusive comments. Still some in the right-leaning groups argue that the platforms are biased. They say their posts are more likely to be flagged for violating social media sites’ standards for hate speech when they bring up hot-button topics such as immigration, religion, or sexual orientation, says Klon Kitchen, a Heritage technology research fellow.

The Koch family, which owns the conglomerate Koch Industries Inc., has supported numerous libertarian organizations over the last decade to empower a hands-off approach to regulation. Federal tax forms filed by the Charles Koch Foundation and the Charles Koch Institute show that they gave more than $500,000 to Szóka’s TechFreedom from 2014 to 2018, as reported by Bloomberg. The Heritage Foundation has similarly been backed by the Kochs. On the opposing side, between 2013 and 2018, the Mercer Family Foundation donated close to $8 million to the Government Accountability Institute, which strives to uncover government corruption.

The debate was on full steam in San Francisco days before Carlson’s expose segment. The Lincoln Network, a right-leaning nonprofit which aims to bridge the gap between Washington and Silicon Valley, hosted a debate on whether or not the U.S. should increase regulation over social media companies for alleged bias.

World Council of Churches Anti-Israel Activists Back in Hebron After Lull

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
A year after the World Council of Churches (WCC) announced it had pulled its “ecumenical accompaniers” from Hebron due to “security concerns” the activists were again spotted in the city. Photo Credit: Dan Raubenehimer/TPS on 4 February, 2020

By: Aryeh Savir

A year after the World Council of Churches (WCC) announced it had pulled its “ecumenical accompaniers” from Hebron due to “security concerns” the activists were again spotted in the city.

Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) activists, sent by the WCC to Israel to “monitor” and “report human rights abuses,” were documented in Hebron on Monday working in the area at which violent riots were taking place.

Hebron residents said that the foreign activists were seen documenting IDF soldiers and Border Police officers who were operating to fend off the rioters in the area of the disturbances.

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit stated a year ago that the “intensified harassment of WCC’s programme” caused it to pull the accompaniers.

“The WCC accompaniers are currently prevented from fulfilling their role as peaceful protective presence for residents in Hebron,” said Tveit.

This latest incident in Hebron occurred just days after the Legal Forum for a Zionist and Democratic Israel and the DMU Project filed a complaint with the Jerusalem Police against the WCC alleging that it has engaged in several illegal activities and is acting against the State of Israel.

The WCC is an international organization with over 500 million members that openly declares its support for the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions).

According to the complaint, the WCC has been running the EAPPI, its flagship project in Israel which has brought some 1,800 volunteers over the past 15 years to Judea and Samaria to “witness life under occupation, engage with local Palestinians and Israelis pursuing a just peace, to change the international community’s involvement in the conflict, urging them to act against injustice in the region.”

The program involves some 25-30 participants known as Ecumenical Accompaniers who operate on the ground for periods of three months, during which they work with fringe political anti-Israel organizations such as Be’Tselem and Breaking the Silence. EAPPI’s “extensive advocacy” includes sharing “first-hand experiences to open the eyes of their communities, churches and governments to the realities of occupation.”

The police complaint alleges that the EAPPI activists have engaged in espionage against the State of Israel. For years, EAPPI activists have been documenting IDF training, security activities such as checkpoints and arrests, and have publicly released the information.

The organization’s activists regularly take part in disturbances and violent protests within closed military zones and occasionally harm IDF soldiers and police officers.

(TPS)

Netanyahu: Uganda Might Open Jerusalem Embassy, Following US, Guatemala

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara meet with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his wife Janet. (GPO/Haim Zach)

Netanyahu announced during his visit to Uganda that he hopes to have good news for Israel by the end of the day.

Edited by: TJVNews.com

On a one-day visit to Uganda, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara were welcomed by President Yoweri Museveni and his wife, Education Minister Janet Museveni, at the Entebbe Presidential Residence.

Earlier, the Israeli leader and his wife were met at the airport by Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and his wife Jocelyn.

Netanyahu wrote in the guestbook, “To President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet, Many thanks for your incomparable hospitality and friendship – to us and to the State of Israel. We are deeply moved and deeply grateful.”

Netanyahu and Museveni discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in a broad range of areas: Civilian, economic, health, water, energy, communications and agriculture.

The prime minister has made improving ties with African nations a priority over the last few years.

“Israel is making a big return to Africa, and Africa has already returned to Israel. These are important ties politically, economically and in terms of security,” Netanyahu said before he headed to Uganda, adding that he hopes to have good news for the State of Israel by the end of the day, referring to the possible opening of Uganda’s embassy in Jerusalem.

Also on Monday, Netanyahu and Sovereignty Council of Sudan chairman Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan met in Entebbe. The two met at the invitation of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

During the meeting, it was agreed to start cooperation that will normalize relations between the two countries.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu believes that Sudan is moving in a new and positive direction and he has even expressed his view to the US Secretary of State,” the Prime Minister’s Office stated.

Burhan reportedly expressed his desire that his state go through a process of modernization by removing it from isolation and placing it on the world map.

Earlier, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the Ugandan government was considering opening an embassy in Jerusalem. If it does so, Israel would reciprocate by opening an embassy in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

In Feb. 2017, five African heads of parliament came to Israel to take part in a historic three-day parliamentary seminar at the Knesset, one of the largest conferences of parliaments heads ever held at the Knesset.

The African leaders included those from Ghana, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

(World Israel News & Israel National News)

Ancient Structure that Resembles First Temple Found at Outskirts of Jerusalem

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Archeological findings at Tel Motza near Jerusalem indicate the existence of a temple from the First Temple period that was very similar to Solomon’s Temple described in the Bible, an unprecedented finding that raises many questions yet to be answered. Photo Credit: P. Partouche/SkyView on 3 February, 2020

By: Aryeh Savir

Archeological findings at Tel Motza near Jerusalem indicate the existence of a temple from the First Temple period that was very similar to Solomon’s Temple described in the Bible, an unprecedented finding that raises many questions yet to be answered.

Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Oded Lipschits and Ph.D. student Shua Kisilevitz, continued to expose a unique temple dating back to the First Temple in Tel Motza, on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

The Iron Age temple complex dating to late 10th-early 9th century BCE, which is the only one of its kind to be found to date in the realm of the kingdoms of Israel and Judea, is in many details similar to the shrine built by King Solomon, which is described in great detail in Kings I.

The researchers say the site contributes greatly to understanding the First Temple period and in the comparison of archaeological findings, here and elsewhere, with the Bible texts.

Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Oded Lipschits (pictured above) and Ph.D. student Shua Kisilevitz, continued to expose a unique temple dating back to the First Temple in Tel Motza, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Photo Credit: Wikipedia.com

Rescue excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) ahead of the construction of a section of road that replaced the exit roundabout on Highway 1 uncovered this important site.

The findings indicate that there was an important economic and administrative center in the valley, with dozens of silos and two large grain storage depots, which included a monumental temple of the North-Syrian type, typical of the Ancient Near East.

The findings include human-shaped figurines, horse figurines, a cult stand decorated with a pair of lions or sphinxes, a stone altar, a stone offering table and a pit filled with ash and animal bones.

In March 2019, following the completion of the construction of the bridge leading to Jerusalem and the removal of the sand fillings that covered the site during the construction process, the archaeologists returned for an academic dig.

Kisilevitz said that they found that the building was at least 21 feet long and discovered that underneath the temple courtyard floor there are remains of another worship building, probably from the 10th century BCE.

Researchers note that the temple complex, with its various layers, represents an unprecedented finding in the archeology of ritual structures erected at the beginning of the Iron Age.

Therefore, the site contributes greatly to understanding the development of worship in Judea, as well as to understand the process of forming the Kingdom of Judah.

The researchers sampled materials from four layers exposed in the section on the eastern side of the temple and sent them for testing using various technologies: OSL – a physical method for dating soil samples, Carbon 14 tests for dating organic materials, And micro-archeology techniques using microscopes, infrared rays, and other scientific devices to uncover the hidden sections in the archaeological findings.

Kisilevitz expressed hope that the test results will “help us to pin down the dates of the different layers, find out if the structure had been abandoned for some time, and reconstruct the nature of the activities that took place in the courtyard.”

“Because most of the ritual activity was only accessible to the priests, we hope that further excavation in this area will uncover more objects of worship,” she said.

“The findings of the excavation at Tel Motza, past, present and future, are of great importance for understanding the First Temple period, and for comparing the archaeological findings with the Bible,” Lipschits concluded.

“The very existence of a temple similar to Solomon’s Temple just a few miles from Jerusalem raises many questions, as the biblical text is filled with descriptions of struggles over worship sites outside Jerusalem, and explicitly states that the God of Israel should be worshiped only in the temple of Jerusalem.”

“We hope our findings will help us answer a variety of intriguing questions: Who erected the temple at Motza and when? What rituals had taken place in it at different times? What was the relationship between the community around the temple in Motza and the community around the temple in Jerusalem? Did the priests of the temple of Motza at some point accept the supremacy of the priests and rulers of the temple in Jerusalem, and if so, when did this happen? Did the Temple survive the religious reforms of the kings Hezekiah and Josiah, and did it continue to operate until the destruction of the Kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians in 586 BCE? ”

Tel Aviv University has planned two more excavation seasons in the spring of 2020 and in the spring of 2021, with students and researchers from around the world, and especially from Israel, Germany, the Czech Republic and the US.

“We suggest that the Tel Motza temple was the undertaking of a local group, initially representing several extended families or perhaps villages that banded together to pool their resources and maximize production and yield,” the researchers write. “The rest remains to be discovered.”

                (TPS)

Police Expose Explosives Hidden in Kid’s Room in Arab House

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Police conducting a targeted operation in an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood on Sunday night and exposed and seized several types of weapons hidden throughout a house owned by a local resident, including fireworks hidden in the children’s room. Photo by Police on 3 February, 2020

By: TPS Staff

Police conducting a targeted operation in an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood on Sunday night and exposed and seized several types of weapons hidden throughout a house owned by a local resident, including fireworks hidden in the children’s room.

The forces found two stun grenades inside one of the doorposts in the house, two fireworks racks in the children’s room, and an FN handgun and ammunition were found hidden inside an electric device.

Another package suspected to be explosives was treated by a police sapper.

The suspect, 48, was investigated on suspicion of the illegal possession of a firearm and was brought on Monday before the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court for an extension of his remand.

The police have launched an operation to curb criminal activity and violence within the Arab sector, which has claimed the lives of over 80 citizens in 2019.

Over the past year, the Israeli police have arrested more than 3,600 suspects for shootings, gun trafficking and the illegal use of weapons, more than 90% of them from Arab society.

Similarly, the state has filed approximately 1,000 indictments against offenders, and hundreds of other cases are under investigation or in preparation for indictment.

The police also located and seized more than 4,700 illegal weapons, including more than 1,300 rifles and weapons of various kinds, 275 grenades of various types, ammunition and explosive charges, most of them seized in Arab communities.

Data shows that Arab-Israelis are involved in 57 percent of all murder cases, 55% of the attempted murder cases, 59%of the arson incidents, 45% of the robberies, and 26% of drug cases.

Israelis Arabs represent about 20% of the general population.

In another development, Palestinian Authority (PA) officials are warning that the PA’s weakness and the estimated end of Mahmoud Abbas’ era are a good time for Hamas to rise, as Fatah is engaged in a survival battle and the leadership’s future depends on Abbas’s moves.

Considering this, Fatah activists have signaled their readiness to return to a wave of violent protests. Some Fatah leaders are also demanding action in light of the understanding that Hamas may precede them and activate its supporters in the PA.

While the PA and Fatah understand that the Arab League’s decision over the weekend rejecting the deal of the Century may prove to be ineffective, Hamas, on the other hand, has won support from Iran and Turkey. Phone calls took place between Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kassem Suleimani’s replacement in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Hamas is expecting a Fatah delegation to visit Gaza within days, and the Strip is waiting to see if Hamas takes the lead in the battle against Israel, even at the price of ending the understandings with Israel.

In the meantime, Hamas is allowing terrorists in the Gaza Strip to fire mortars, rockets and fire balloons at Israel, signaling that it is leading the opposition to the Deal of the Century alongside its dissatisfaction with the pace of implementation of the understandings with Israel.

  (TPS)

‘Confidence in the Israeli Economy’–S&P Ratify’s Israel’s High -AA Rating

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The company expects growth to be driven by private consumption against the backdrop of a strong labor market, continued investment by companies, especially in the high-tech sector, as well as strong performance in services exports, even if the government’s limiting fiscal measures will weaken growth. Photo Credit: Kobi Richter/TPS on 2 February, 2020

By: TPS Staff

The Standard and Poor’s (S&P) global credit rating agency announced Friday that it was keeping its assessment of Israel’s rating at a high -AA permanent.

This is the highest rating Israel has ever had, putting it on par with the Czech Republic and Qatar and among a relatively small list of 17 countries, and above others such as China and Japan.

The high rating enables the government to raise funds under better terms.

S&P analysts noted in their assessment the core strengths of Israel’s credit rating, including a diversified economy, high incomes, strong external accounts and a flexible monetary framework.

The two major limitations of the rating remain the relatively high debt burden and the geopolitical risks.

S&P estimates that the Israeli economy will grow at an average rate of just over 3% by 2023, a high proportion for most OECD countries.

The company expects growth to be driven by private consumption against the backdrop of a strong labor market, continued investment by companies, especially in the high-tech sector, as well as strong performance in services exports, even if the government’s limiting fiscal measures will weaken growth.

Israel’s Accountant General Roni Hezekiah stated that the “rating ratification reflects the rating companies’ confidence in the Israeli economy and underscores the importance of continuing a responsible fiscal policy that encourages the optimal growth of the State of Israel and its access to capital markets, as reflected in recent issues.”

Israel completed a successful bond issue in January, selling $3 billion worth of government bonds, despite the government’s large budgetary deficit and prolonged political gridlock.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Finance, the bond offering was met with record demand, amounting to approximately $20 billion, almost seven times more than the total bonds offered.

The offering attracted over 400 different investors from nearly 40 countries, including the US, UK and Germany. There was a particularly high demand from Asian institutional investors, including from Japan and Hong Kong.

     (TPS)

Israel Seeks Vaccine for Coronavirus, Will Fast-Track Its Production

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Photo Credit: webmd.com

By: Aryeh Savir

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened on Sunday a large-scale discussion including ministers, ministry director generals and all relevant staff officials on Israel’s preparations to deal with the Coronavirus, which has claimed over 300 lives in China where it originated.

The primary conclusion decided upon during the meeting was the need to quickly find a vaccine for the virus and to build a plant to manufacture them

Netanyahu stated that Israel’s “foremost goal is to postpone the arrival of the virus to Israel. I say ‘postpone’ because its arrival is unavoidable. We will then identify, treat, isolate and deal with those infected.”

He expressed appreciation for China’s effort to prevent the spread of the virus, although the spread is “apparently inevitable in the sense that we will need to deal with it soon.”

Despite several scares, Israel has yet to contend with a patient suffering from Corona, with several people tested for the virus all proving negative.

The discussion also dealt with the procedures designed to isolate those who have been infected and treat them, including isolation for two weeks at home, the closing of land crossings, seaports and airports to arrivals from China.

Israel is also updating the Palestinian Authority on all preventive steps and public health measures that they must take into account as well.

“I am making it clear that the State of Israel, as of now, has moved ahead of the world on many things, also in dealing with this issue and we intend to do so on another matter,” Netanyahu said.

He has instructed the Biological Institute and the Health Ministry to work on producing a vaccine for the virus and setting up a plant to manufacture them.

“It could be that on this issue as well, if we work fast enough, with the appropriate budgeting and the talented people we have, the State of Israel will be ahead of the world,” he added.

Netanyahu assigned to the National Security Council (NSC) the responsibility for coordinating preparations to deal with the virus, the sole authority which will lead the issue.

He also instructed that there be minimal bureaucracy on the required decisions, stressing that “over-readiness was preferable to under-readiness.”

China’s National Health Commission stated Wednesday that at least 14,650 cases of Wuhan coronavirus have been confirmed in the country, including at least 305 deaths.

The Coronavirus death rate is 2% or one death in every 50 cases, but this is a very early estimate.

                 (Tazpit Press Service)

Analysis: Is the Deal of the Century a US Impeachment of Abbas?

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Palestinian Authority (PA) and Fatah officials believe they are marching toward the end of the Mahmoud Abbas era and the strategic failure of his “political intifada” against Israel. Photo by Majdi Fathi/TPS on 27 January, 2020

By: Baruch Yedid

Palestinian Authority (PA) and Fatah officials believe they are marching toward the end of the Mahmoud Abbas era and the strategic failure of his “political intifada” against Israel.

Abbas has launched a series of diplomatic campaigns against Israel at several international forums in recent years, all of which have apparently failed in wake of President Donald Trump’s Deal of the Century which calls for a partial Israeli annexation of areas in Judea and Samaria

One source told TPS that the Deal of the Century peace plan is nothing but an “American impeachment letter to Abbas” and the Arab League summit that convened over the weekend in Cairo to discuss the plan is essentially “a respectable farewell ceremony” to the PA’s chairman.

Many elements in Ramallah and those close to the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip share this assessment, although senior officials and Abu Mazen’s associates reject it and claim that his appearance before the Arab foreign ministers was “a political success and a rare achievement of a determined leader.”

Ashraf Ajrami, a former PA minister, told TPS that “it is still early to talk about Abu Mazen’s departure from the stage as he still has something to say on domestic, Arab and international issues, and the Palestinian system is not ready for his departure.”

Hossein a-Sheikh, the PA Minister of Civil Affairs, rejected these notions and told TPS that rumors about Abbas’ end are “nonsense.”

A PA official said that in closed discussions there is a push to accept the Trump plan and contend with it. “I said that I think the PA should not reject the plan and openly confront the US. Many agree with me but will not publicly express their agreement, and the plan will not be accepted,” he said.

Based on meetings in Ramallah, the source said that senior officials understand “that the United States is determined to end Abu Mazen’s role and must now come to terms with it or risk a confrontation with Trump.”

He also said that there is an understanding that the Americans are determined to replace the PA with another mechanism if necessary, to ensure continued security coordination with Israel and the operation of vital civilian systems.

The source said that after all the surprising American measures in recent months, the US will be free to escort Abu Mazen out the door and will try to appoint a successor to ensure the PA’s stability and the continued security relations with the US and Israel.

He also alleged that Abbas removal is coordinated not only with Israel, but “with Colonel Majd Faraj, the head of Palestinian intelligence who may be his successor, with US and Israeli support.”

“Faraj’s name is already being spoken about in the corridors,” the official said, but officials say that although Faraj oversees relations with the CIA and is highly trusted, there is currently no talk about his appointment as Abbas’ heir.

On the other hand, a security official said that there is broad agreement on the need for the appointment of a security personality after Abu Mazen and that Faraj is considered a natural heir, although this move is only expected to begin if Israel annexes areas in Judea and Samaria and the PA subsequently cancels the peace agreements.

The secret visit last week by CIA chief Gina Haspel to Ramallah is perceived as a move which was intended to make it clear to Abbas that he is leaving office and to ensure his descent from the stage in an orderly manner, enabling him to preserve his “legacy” and being registered in history as not “selling Jerusalem” and not agreeing to concessions.

The embarrassment and tension in the PA have risen in recent days, and rumors circulating claim that Abu Mazen’s appointment of Nabil Shaath as his special envoy is in fact a promise to appoint him temporarily as head of the PA.

                 (TPS)

Trump Calls the Bluff of the Palestinians

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The Trump Peace Plan gave the Palestinians the opportunity to have their own nation, and abide by rules which include disarmament, the cessation of terrorism, joining the free world, caring for the future of their own people, but mostly, offering their recognition of Israel as the one and only Jewish state; a state that will continue to exist. Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Arabs masquerading around, calling themselves, “Palestinians” who have been running around, whining about not being given their own independent state have to now be firmly ignored and shunted off to some obscure corner of the planet where they could be happy killing off one another in acts of holy accordance with their beliefs. President Trump has finally called their bluff, told them to do their thing or get off the pot. His patience with them, after three hapless years of dealing with them, has worn out. The Peace Plan he proposed last week gave them the opportunity to have their own nation, but first, they would have to, G-d forbid, follow some rules which include disarmament, the cessation of terrorism, joining the free world, caring for the future of their own people, but mostly, offering their recognition of Israel as the one and only Jewish state; a state that will continue to exist. That’s a tough one for them to swallow given the indoctrination of hate that they have suckled from the likes of Yasser Arafat and their current President-for-Life, Mahmoud Abbas.

Lest we forget the ubiquitous chant that has come to symbolize the Palestinian desire not to achieve peace, but rather to summarily destroy Israel as a Jewish state and to murder every Jew who resides there. “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free.” And let’s face it, despite the fact that Trump’s peace plan really puts the Palestinians to the ultimate test as to whether or not they genuinely and realistically want long-range peace with Israel, the Palestinians are still enjoying the vast majority of the world’s support in their quest to vilify Israel.

Case in point: At the recently held World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem, the Prince of Wales, (the next in line to the succession of the throne in the House of Windsor) politely uttered some words about how horrible religious and racial hatred is and how we must be vigilant about the proliferation of anti-Semitism. The most senior British royal under that of Queen Elizabeth then continued his political brinksmanship by traveling to Bethlehem and lamenting the conditions that Palestinians live under and said he hoped for the day when the Palestinians will achieve “freedom, justice and quality.” As if to say, they enjoy none of those precepts now. They have more freedom, justice and equality than any of their brethren on any Arab/Muslim country in the world.

The Palestinians would have to jettison the lie that Israel exists on stolen land….. what they falsely consider, their land. Israel never stole land from any Arabs. The area named by the Romans as Palestine when they conquered ancient Israel back in 72CE, never, until 1948 harbored any independent state, never had a king, emperor and to rub salt into their wounds, the Jews living in that area referred to themselves as “Palestinians,” and the Arab residents living there called themselves Arabs or Syrians. Recall, the Jerusalem Post was formerly, The Palestinian Post and the Jewish Palestinian boys who fought under the British flag in both WWI and WWII wore the insignia of the Palestinian Brigade. Not until Arafat, in 1964 created out of nothingness, The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), did they filch that name for themselves and suddenly falsely assumed a history of thousands of years.

These Arabs must recognize the Jewish history on that land and must cease denying Israel’s right to exist. Apparently they are not ready for this reality lesson. It is the so-called “Palestinians” not Israel or its leader, Netanyahu, who are refusing to accept a two-state solution. We call out those, even Jews, who are parroting “Palestinian” falsehoods that destroy the cause of peace. We urge them all to learn a bit of history and finally, the whole bunch of them, to grow up!

Flawed Bail Reform & Carl Heastie

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The devil behind the flawed bail reform laws that have floated out of Albany to engulf and create chaos throughout New York State is none other than Carl Heastie, the current speaker of the state's assembly. Photo Credit: NYS Assembly

The devil behind the flawed bail reform laws that have floated out of Albany to engulf and create chaos throughout New York State is none other than Carl Heastie, the current speaker of the state’s assembly. Criminals and their progressive supporters have their bets on Carl to stem the tide of demands from (even) Democrats who rightly see these new laws as contributing to our state being quickly transformed into a third world country. Look no further that the riots and open lawbreaking that took place at Grand Central last week and spiraled out of control throughout the subway system where organized thugs jumped the turnstiles, chained entry gates open and demanded free entry for all into the subways. Arrests were made but the courts, following the new laws, released these criminals into the streets to do their thing again. You can bet they will!! And why should our police put their lives and jobs at risk making useless arrests?

These lunatic laws also threaten the lives of Jews in the state. Three quarters of the 234 hate crimes investigated by the NYPD in 2019 were classified as aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor. That means judges can no longer set bail or remand suspects even when racial bias is a motivating factor. Those behind the beatings of Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn will continue to prey on their victims with the blessings of Heastie who holds all the cards on this bail reform issue.

But, out in Long Island, in conservative territory, Nassau County District Judge David McAndrews, indicated he had “A Pair,” by ordering an oft repeat bank robber held on $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond. The jurist stated, “I don’t want you walking around my neighborhood!” But McAndrew’s principled and wise stand was short-lived. A higher level Liberal judge promptly reversed his order and released the criminal with an ankle monitor and the promise that he would return for further hearings. To no-one’s surprise, the nest day the ankle monitor was cut off and the guy is now probably planning his next criminal venture. Judges have now been transformed into automatons, being forced to release known criminals back into the community with no consideration given to whether these persons have other cases of a similar nature pending, have a history of failures to appear or are likely to obey the court’s directions. In other words, we’re all in trouble thanks to Carl Heastie who replaced Sheldon Silver as Assembly Speaker who was convicted of political corruption. Birds of a feather!

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