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| I didn't know raffles are illegal- Pat Brennan. |
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| Illegal $5.00 Raffle Ticket |
The Carpenters United NYC Slate is trying to raise money to pay for their campaign and could be visited by New York State’s Inspector General Ellen N. Biben, for allegedly running an illegal raffle.
The campaign is running a $5.00 per ticket raffle, with the grand prize being a “Large Flat Screen TV," a "Tablet" for the second prize and a "Basket of Cheer" for third prize. New York State law specifically outlaws games of chance for political fundraising.
The October 13, fundraiser collected money from "friends and family" in support of running for Delegates to the New York City District Council of Carpenters by selling raffle tickets to "union members and non-union members" a source said.
It is illegal under the New York State Racing and Wagering Board to run a raffle for personal benefit.
The law requires the organizer to be a member of an "authorized organization who have applied for and received a games of chance identification number from the NYS Racing and Wagering Board."
It is also a violation of Section 51(14) of the UBC Constitution to "Soliciting or accepting contributions, by a candidate for any elective office or position, from other than members of the United Brotherhood."
Candidates interview on the condition of anonymity said they were "unaware of the laws" involved with running a fundraising raffle and it was an honest mistake.
“They need to explain why they are breaking the law, New York State law is clear that it is illegal to operate games of chance as a means of political fundraising and, legalities aside, what message does it send in these tough economic times when 48 candidates raise funds on the backs of members instead of self-funding their campaign," said a carpenter who wish to remain anonymous.
"They are not even elected and already they're talking money from members, its very sad and a foul omen of history repeating itself."
An "Official Election Protest" is expected to be filed with the Election Officer and the Review Office to investigate the alleged illegal fundraising by the Carpenters United NYC Slate the source said.
(Photos courtesy of Carpenters United NYC.)
DROP DEAD UNITY TEAM !
ReplyDeleteJohn, please don't take your ball and go home. I still love you if you take your ball home.--Donny Arana
ReplyDeleteSeriously John, illegal gaming. You are getting pitiful. This gaming as you call it was strictly fund raising and everyone there was there for that reason, to fund and support the members that they want to see in office. In fact one of the raffles was won by a member who refused to take the prize and gave the winnings back to the slate. Your attempt at a smear campaign belies your own slates inadequacies and inferiority. Maybe it's time you gave up your cushy job at bloomberg and went out and worked with the real carpenters so that you might learn the trade instead of trying to run for office in the hopes of getting another cushy job. But the fact is you better read the by-laws because the chances of getting a cushy job at the council are nil.
ReplyDeleteBill Lebo: You said "Your attempt at a smear campaign belies your own slates inadequacies and inferiority."
ReplyDeleteI run a news blog and report legitimate news stories that interest me. The story has nothing to do with the Members Voice Slate (which is self-funded).
Your attempt to deflect from the subject and attack me personally demonstrates your inability to defend the actions of the alleged illegal raffle with FACTS.
FACT: It is illegal under the New York State Racing and Wagering Board to run a raffle for personal benefit.
FACT: Raffles may be conducted by "authorized organizations" who have applied for and received a games of chance identification number from the NYS Racing and Wagering Board.
FACT: "Authorized organizations" are defined in part to include bona fide religious or charitable organizations, bona fide educational, fraternal or service organizations or bona fide organizations of veterans or volunteer firefighters that operate without profit to their members.
FACT: It is a violation of Section 51(14) of the UBC Constitution to accept contributions from non UBC members.
FACT: Members have reported that raffle tickets have been sold to non UBC members.
FACT: Candidates interview on the condition of anonymity said they were "unaware of the laws" involved with running a fundraising raffle.
FACT: An Official Election Protest will be filed.
FACT: It is up to the Review Officer and Election Officer to determine if any election rules have been violated or any laws broken.
FACT: I report the news.
john m is mad because he did not win the tv.
ReplyDeleteJohn you are by no means a reporter. Your reporting is self serving and biased and everyone knows it, don't fool yourself. You have repeatedly praised your new boss Pat Nee for his saving of the union in court while neglecting the rest of the members whose constant effort in court is really what swayed the court and Mr. Walsh not Nees letter, and that's a fact read the transcripts. Also I'm glad to see your covering yourself by using the correct word ALLEGED good luck with your biased reporting I see this site is slowly dying because of it.
ReplyDeleteYou are so full of shit Bill it makes me sick. It just kills you that Pat Nee got it done, he voted against the MOU's, he campaigned against the MOU's and he lost in the Delegate body. So he outted the council rats who voted for the contract and went to the Judge and got the MOU's thrown out. He is stubborn, obstinate and the members President. No sugar coating, he tells it like it is and you are pissed because he showed that your little bitch Bulello is nothing but a poser and you were too afraid of losing badly in the delegate election to even run. When Local 157 needs advice from some pissant poser, we will let you know, it sure as hell wasn't any delegate from 45 that shot down the contracts. your delegates voted as a block in favor of the MOU's. and what are you doing about it? Not a God damned thing, if it were left to skirt hanging little fakers like you the current delegates would run unopposed.
ReplyDeleteBill Lebo: You are a smart guy and deflecting from the issue at hand.
ReplyDeleteIs it allowable under the election rules to run a raffle and collect money from members and non members to fund a campaign?
YES or NO
Read This...2 Dallas County constables indicted over campaign funds generated by raffles
ReplyDeleteFelony indictments released this morning accuse Precinct 1 Constable Derick Evans and former Precinct 5 Constable Jaime Cortes of wrongdoing related to campaign contributions obtained through raffles.
Two of Evans' top deputies – Tracey Gulley and Kelvin Holder – were indicted on related charges.
Evans was indicted on four felony counts of accepting cash contributions greater than $100 and one count of engaging in organized criminal activity. Gulley and Holder each were indicted on one count of engaging in organized criminal activity. Cortes was indicted on two counts of tampering with government records for failing to report contributions on campaign disclosure forms.
Under Texas law, a raffle cannot be operated for political fundraising.
Special prosecutor Ted Lyon said that Evans and his deputies “engaged in organized criminal activity by promoting an illegal raffle to fund a campaign, which is illegal under the Texas gambling statutes.
And when three or more people do it, it becomes organized criminal activity.”
http://lawenforcementcorruption.blogspot.com/2010/12/boss-cops-shaking-down-beat-cops.html
John, you can't do both and expect people to believe you. You either run for office (you should of run as an independent at least) or you report the news. The fact that you cannot acknowledge the conflict of interest here is beyond comprehension.
ReplyDelete"I report news that interest me" is more like "i report stories that benefit me".
I have always been a supporter of this blog (ALWAYS). No denying that the blog has been instrumental to bringing much needed news to the members. I cannot support what is an obvious lack of integrity.
It started with your "accurate" by sly description of the slates to reporting on everyone else by the slate that you are in. I hope it was worth it.
To Anonymous: I am not hiding the fact that I am running as a delegate on the Members Voice Slate.
ReplyDeleteYou said I "should of run as an independent at least." How would that change what I reported?
I reported that the Carpenters Alliance Slate is receiving support from National Acoustics by distributing their campaign material in employee pay checks and Martin Costello is cold calling members urging them to vote.
Is that also biased reporting and a "conflict of interest?"
I will ask you the same question I asked Bill Lebo:
Is it allowable under the election rules to run a raffle and collect money from members and non members to fund a campaign?
YES or NO
Because I am a candidate and report news about another candidate/slate does not make it null and void.
XXXXXXX
ReplyDeleteJohn you are in serious denial.
ReplyDeletethe conflict of interest occurs when you have something to report on everyone but your slate.
Anonymous: I have reported on what the RO has said about candidates on the Members Voice Slate that were vetoed by the RO for NYCDC Officer positions.
ReplyDeleteDid you read it on the Council's website? Answer: NO!
Did you read it anywhere else? Answer: NO!
Where is the conflict of interest?
Local157.blogspot is your best source for news about our union!
http://local157.blogspot.com/2011/10/cary-kane-law-firm-files-order-to-show.html
The candidates veto by RO was on the DC website early in the morning. You didn't "report" that.
ReplyDeleteYou regurgitated it.
Anonymous: I try to be polite but you are an ASS. You said, "The candidates veto by RO was on the DC website early in the morning."
ReplyDeleteThe RO posted a list of candidates he approved for the election, you would have no knowledge of who the RO vetoed if I did not post the names of the candidates.
Also I posted the Memorandum of Law in Support of an Order to Show Cause, filed by Cary Kane LLP, and links to exhibits and affidavits of the candidates. Did you read that on the DC website?
Do me a favor, go visit another website. Crawl Back Under The Rock You Came From, and that goes to all the others who accuse me of being bias and having a conflict of interest.
In fact Dan Franco beat you the news.
ReplyDeleteYou had a good going and you sold it for a delegate position?
http://danieljfranco1.blogspot.com/
get the real information without the self-interest.
Lotteries and games of chance may be used by businesses to promote a particular product or service, to raise money for non-profit organizations or by registered clubs to increase membership.
ReplyDeleteA non-profit organization is defined as a body of persons which is not formed for private gain, and includes charities, social clubs and registered clubs.
Candidates Accused of Running Illegal Raffle...
ReplyDeleteAccused by Who??No RO. No New York State DA.No Cop or anything else.Just accused by who..
"could be visited by New York State’s Inspector General Ellen N. Biben" I got $100 in my pocket that there is a snowballs chance in hell this is going to happen.Kind of like the Phony IG investigation of the last election to discredit Gausman and Biello.("Thursday, June 9, 2011 IG's Office Probing Gausman and Bilello")
Is it allowable under the election rules to run a raffle and collect money from members and non members to fund a campaign?
YES or NO
I will answer you since no one else will....The answer is YES. Your a private organization bordering on fantasy land not a state,federal or local election so I got another $100 that says you would never get anybody to lodge a charge or a judge that would not laugh this off the court steps.
Second your quoting and trying to use the UBC Constitution so its obvious there is nothing in the new "Bill Walsh Election Rules and How to Masturbate Handbook" or you would be jumping on it. Therefore they have broken no Election rule because Walsh has already declared both in statement and action that the UBC Constitution does not mean shit and has no jurisdiction in the NYCDCC Elections.It has been replaced by the gospel according to Walsh. If this UBC section is not in the Walsh new election rules that it is null and void and a non argument. So to answer you question they did nothing wrong
FACT:(This is not a Fact) It is up to the Review Officer and Election Officer to determine if any election rules have been violated or any laws broken.
So Fact: What will you do when the RO comes back and says they did nothing wrong.
Will you apologize to late after the damage is done and the election over they have been discredited as Biello and Gasuman were in favor of your slate??No
Will you demand a new election because your "reporting" discredited them without just cause as was done with Biello and Gausman and gave your candidate an unfair advantage by using this blog to cast doubt on other slates..No
You said..Members Voice Slate (which is self-funded).
How would anybody know this to be true. Nee and his people LIED and denied their association with Cary Kane and the CC4d during the last election. Did you REPORT on that??Is Cary Kane your attorney.Levi.NO!!!So the other guys did a raffle and your guy is a liar.How sad.
Also since you trying to put the raffle law on the other salt as if it is applied than can everyone not put the financial disclosure laws on your slate. I am sure you are willing to show exactly in writing where your financing came form.Correct
John I cannot believe you tainting yourself and the work on this site for somebody like Nee. It makes me sad that after all your work on 157blogspot which is known throughout labor you would use this site in such a manner..
Richard: I agree, "there is a snowballs chance in hell" of being visited by New York State’s Inspector General Ellen N. Biben.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to the article IG's Office Probing Gausman and Bilello, I wrote that the IG has confirmed his office is "looking" into the matter and has "requested records from local 157 and Assistant Supervisor John Ballantyne." I have an email from the IG stating that.
On the question: Is it allowable under the election rules to run a raffle and collect money from members and non members to fund a campaign?
I do not know the answer. I have emailed the RO, the IG, the Director of Operations and posted the question and no one until you has responded.
Second: Pursuant to Paragraph 5.k of the Stipulation and Order entered on June
3, 2010, the elections are being
supervised by the Review Officer and he has prepared and promulgated the Election Rules.
Third: I report the news, sources said the fundraiser collected money from "friends and family" by selling raffle tickets to "union members and non-union members."
I was also told that a "Official Election Protest" is expected to be filed with the Election Officer and the Review Office accusing the slate of running an illegal raffle. I have since learned that the protest has been filed.
Fourth: I wrote, "the Members Voice Slate (which is self-funded)." You said, "How would anybody know this to be true?"
It is true because I have first-hand knowledge, all 49 candidates have contributed an equal amount of money to fund the campaign.
Fifth: You wrote, "John I cannot believe you tainting yourself and the work on this site for somebody like Nee."
Richard I respectfully disagree. You know I have great respect for you. You have been a contributor to this blog from Day 1 (November of 2007), but on this point we disagree.
Did you remove my post John??
ReplyDeleteRichard I did not remove your post for some technical reason it was not posted, I have re-posted your comment.
ReplyDeleteRichard Dorrough has left a new comment on your post "Candidates Accused of Running Illegal Raffle":
It is true because I have first-hand knowledge, all 49 candidates have contributed an equal amount of money to fund the campaign.
What about other funding and are you willing to reveal it??
This would include any pro bono lawyers. Again if the other slate is to be held accountable(by whom) for the raffle rules then is you slate to be required to provide detailed financial disclosure for the funding of their campaign.
If the rules apply than all the rules apply.
If you report the news than please answer my question and tell us ACCUSED by who in your heading"Candidates Accused of Running Illegal Raffle" who filed a protest???
I am sure, for their sake, it was NOT anybody who was at Pat Dempseys at 4pm back in May during the last election.
Would you not admit that the IG responding to one individuals email complaining about the Pro tem debacle at 157 with "we will look into it" was hardly "IG's Office Probing Gausman and Bilello" which discredited them both during the last election for the sake of the Nee slate??
Would you NOT want that to happen to another candidate in the sense of fair play as it appears is happening now. Only this time it is Pat Brennan??
You said: I agree,"there is a snowballs chance in hell" of being visited by New York State’s Inspector General Ellen N. Biben.
BUT your article tried to get readers to believe it was coming with "could be visited by New York State’s Inspector General Ellen N. Biben, for allegedly running an illegal raffle."
On the question: Is it allowable under the election rules to run a raffle and collect money from members and non members to fund a campaign?
I do not know the answer. I have emailed the RO, the IG, the Director of Operations and posted the question and no one until you has responded.
But you have been posting the NOW question as FACT and in an accusatory tone for something you say you do not know the answer to...
"I report the news, sources said the fundraiser collected money from "friends and family" by selling raffle tickets to "union members and non-union members." So what!!
If you do not know this to be illegal why did you post and article making readers believe it was and they had violated the law before you knew if they had???"
Such as:
FACT: It is illegal under the New York State Racing and Wagering Board to run a raffle for personal benefit."
FACT: Candidates interview on the condition of anonymity said they were "unaware of the laws" involved with running a fund raising raffle.
Go interview everybody from the Boyscouts to Mother Theresa who all have raffles like this without registration and they will tell you they were not aware either because nobody would ask them unless they were to be discredited during an election too.
Anonymous interviews..Hmm....
Richard I respectfully disagree. You know I have great respect for you. You have been a contributor to this blog from Day 1.
I have always respected you as well and backed you during each attack. Things have changed. Do you know this site is monitored every day by others in the International Union Labor Movement not just McCarrons UBC rats.
Others are finally listening, are interested in and respecting the opinions and will of the rank and file. Your work here is and always has been beyond NYC and beyond Local 157 as it well should be.
Is it worth tainting this work and this site to be a Pat Nee delegate or to even associate your name to somebody like this. What a shame.
Richard: I don't want to get into a debate about your opinion of Local 157 President Pat Nee. As you have said and well documented, "his post are on this site."
ReplyDeleteI also don't want to debate how I decide what articles to post.
I posted that the Carpenters Alliance Slate is receiving support from National Acoustics by distributing their campaign material in employee pay checks and Martin Costello (slate member) is cold calling members urging them to vote.
Also I reported that a Skanska shop steward who has connections to a candidate on the Carpenters United NYC Slate had the employer include their campaign material in all employees pay checks.
Both are election offenses per the RO's rules.
Some say I should not post the articles because it's a conflict of interest.
I have allowed ALL candidates to post anything they want on this blog with no interference.
With that said, I will try to answer some of your questions.
The rules apply to all candidates, if the Members Voice slate is questioned by the RO about campaign finance they will be answered.
The person who is making the protest did not want his name to be used in an article.
On the question: Is it allowable under the election rules to run a raffle and collect money from members and non members to fund a campaign?
I am not the expert, in my research it appears to be illegal. This is a question that needs to be answered by the RO and UBC.
Richard: For some technical reason it was not posted, I have re-posted your comment.
ReplyDeleteRichard Dorrough has left a new comment on your post "Candidates Accused of Running Illegal Raffle":
Both are election offenses per the RO's rules.
John you post the rules in question.
The person who is making the protest did not want his name to be used in an article.
I asked you WHO are they accused by. The DA,RO,Cops Feds or 1 single individual. No name is needed to answer this question and no need to give a name to answer if the so called complaint was filed by a Members voice slat candidate.
If it was a single individual trying to discredit based on no fact as is suspected than it hardly gives you as a "reporter" the right to post the heading you did under any journalistic integrity guidelines.
I will ask you again since it is clear your UBC Constitution "Section 51(14) of the UBC Constitution to accept contributions from non UBC members." argument is null and void and holds no water since it is not in the Walsh Election and Masturbation handbook and we are clear that by action and statement Walsh has declared the UBC Constitution toilet paper and irrelevant in the gospel according to Walsh. (Of course if he or you denies this than let him stand before the Judges and answer why he has broken so many of the LMRDA Laws and violated so many sections on the UBC Constitution) by what premise do you declare the raffle has violated anything??
What will you do when the RO comes back and says they did nothing wrong.
Will you apologize to late after the damage is done and the election over they have been discredited as Biello and Gasuman were in favor of your slate?? No
Will you demand a new election because your "reporting" discredited them without just cause as was done with Biello and Gausman and gave your candidate an unfair advantage by using this blog to cast doubt on other slates..No
I see, Brennan has broken raffle laws because according to you they are bound by outside raffle/election laws but if anybody wants financial disclosure from the members voice slate it has to be requested by the RO and now they are not bound by NY Election laws.
I dont think NY election financial disclosure guidelines have Bill Walshs name in them anywhere. Just like the "I am not the expert, in my research it appears to be illegal. This is a question that needs to be answered by the RO and UBC." is pure bullshit because the UBC and ROs opinion on this does not mean shit since you want to use NY State wagering laws that would be laughed at in this case.
Instead of posting this to discredit another slate would not any good reporter ask the question "did they REALLY break any law"BEFORE he put up the story???
What you did know as bullshit BEFORE you posted the story:
1.No legitimate entity accused them of running an illegal raffle.
2.There was not a snowballs chance in hell Ellen Biben was visiting these guys "could be visited by New York State’s Inspector General Ellen N. Biben"
3.You had no confirmation from any source that they had committed an illegal act but posted as if it were FACT and NEVER once said this was all just you opinion.
4."They need to explain why they are breaking the law" So says who?? An anonymous carpenter giving his or her opinion with no basis in fact.
5.Somebody cant even keep their blatant attempt to discredit another slate straight.
Here it says "They are not even elected and already they're talking money from members" But here you say they are violating Section 51(14) for accepting contributions,from other than members of the United Brotherhood" So which BS story is it??