Ramos Funeral Photos (Updated)



IMG_0264Detective Rafael Ramos, murdered alongside Detective Wenjian Liu, was buried Saturday amid a sad yet powerful show of support and remembrance.  His funeral at Christ Tabernacle Church in Glendale was attended by an estimated at 25,000 people, predominantly uniformed police officers from New York City and around the country, and many elected officials.  Vice President Joe Biden, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio were among those elected officials, with each speaking during the service.

The funeral concluded with a quiet and somber moment as Detective Ramos’s casket was carried out to a waiting hearse.  Taps echoed off the front of the church as an NYPD honor guard saluted amid a sea of officers.  Thousands remained silently at attention as the honor guard folded the flag covering Detective Ramos’ casket and presented it to his widow and two sons.  The silence was broken only by the roar of engines as police helicopters flew overhead in a missing-man formation and scores of motorcycle cops moved past the family into position at the head of a lengthy funeral procession, leading Detective Ramos to his final resting place.

Here are pictures from Glendale.

Continue reading Ramos Funeral Photos (Updated)

Moment of Silence



As he seeks to regain his political footing Mayor Bill de Blasio led a moment of silence today for slain Police Officers Rafael Ramos and Winjian Liu.  de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray joined dozens of administration staffers in the “bullpen”, a large open work space in City Hall, with de Blasio speaking ahead of the moment of silence.  Talking of “pain” and “mourning”, de Blasio offered “support and solidarity” to the slain officers families as well as urging a broader theme of community-police “healing.”  He also lauded the police department and its members for their work and sacrifices.

Mark-Viverito Press Conf On The NYPD (Updated)



City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito held a press conference this morning to condemn the recent killing of two NYPD officers and offer support to the victims’ families and the Department.  Mark-Viverito, who has had her share of political tensions with the police force, spoke in somber tones accompanied by about 25 of her fellow council members.  She began by characterizing the deaths of Police Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos as “a cold-blooded assassination.”

When asked about Mayor de Blasio’s comments yesterday blaming the media for fostering divisiveness, Speaker Mark-Viverito response that “I don’t share in that thought”, appears to leave the mayor increasingly isolated.

Here is the english portion of her full opening statement.  (She also made a statement in spanish.)

Update – Q&A:

Mark-Viverito answered several questions, including her reaction to some protest groups rejecting the call for a moratorium on protests, whether she shares the sentiment expressed by Mayor de Blasio that media coverage of protests has fostered divisiveness, whether the council will table any pending NYPD-related bills, whether she’ll attend the Ramos and Liu funerals, her reaction to PBA President Pat Lynch’s comment that responsibility for the bloodshed begins “on steps of City Hall”, how long a protest moratorium should last and whether her “show of support … will be received as … political expediency.”

Grimm Future



In late November I asked recently re-elected and indicted Rep. Michael Grimm how, in light of the House Republican leadership distancing themselves from Grimm amid his legal problems, he expected to be able to accomplish anything in the coming term. According to multiple news reports, Grimm is expected to plead guilty today to a single felony charge of tax evasion.

So Close, So Far



A few feet and widely differing world views separated pro- and anti-NYPD demonstrators Friday evening.  Gathering just down from City Hall on Broadway, about 50-75 NYPD supporters drew substantial media attention and about 100 counter-demonstrators.  The evening consisted mostly of the two groups shouting at each other as on-duty NYPD officers calmly kept the peace.

As has been true of most of the recent demonstrations, elected officials were not involved.  The only elected official I spotted was Assembly Member Jose Rivera, who circulated among the crowd watching and, as always, recording video.  At least two mayoral aides were also there observing.

The pro-NYPD group was at first outnumbered.  Many of the counter-demonstrators joined a march that passed by, however, and the group standing on Broadway shrank.  The emotions did not diminish.

Here’s a look at the evening:

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Rikers Island Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio held a press conference this afternoon on Rikers Island, the City’s main jail complex, announcing the recent end of punitive segregation for 16 and 17 year old inmates.  The City has created two new housing units as alternatives to punitive segregation; a “Transitional Repair Unit” and “Second Chance Housing.”  Joined by Department of Correction (“DOC”) Commissioner Joseph Ponte and other DOC officials, de Blasio briefly visited a group of adolescent inmates in Second Chance Housing before the press conference.

On Topic Q&A:

Questions during the on topic portion of the Q&A included the mayor’s conversations with inmates he spoke with during his visit, his prior visit to Rikers Island, how DOC will deal with problematic inmates without the use of punitive segregation, the U.S. Attorney’s view of these changes, criteria for inmates entering the newly created units, where the idea for these changes came from, DOC staff reaction to these changes, whether changes are planned for dealing with adult inmates with mental illness, the condition of the physical plant of Rikers, how attacks with “human waste cocktails” are recorded and whether DOC is concerned that installing cameras will somehow increase such attacks, whether any form of isolation will continue to be used with 16 and 17 year old inmates, out-of-cell programs for inmates in the new housing units, the recommendation of DOI against Commissioner Ponte’s choice for chief of department, the overall increase in jail stabbings and slashings this year, the effect of these programs on 18 year old inmates and how long the “journaling” program has been in place.

Off Topic Q&A:

Questions during the off topic portion of the Q&A included Governor Cuomo’s announcement today that New York State will not permit fracking, Mayor de Blasio’s scheduled meeting with the NY Justice League, whether Mayor de Blasio thinks he is able to unite the City and how New Yorkers have received him, President Obama’s announcement of moving to normalize relations with Cuba and Mayor de Blasio’s own trip to Cuba.

de Blasio & The Justice League



Mayor Bill de Blasio today urged the Justice League NYC to “denounce violence”, but did not condition his scheduled meeting with them on any specific denunciation.  Speaking at an unrelated press conference, de Blasio broadly condemned protestor violence and urged anyone aware of such violence to cooperate with the police.  His scheduled Friday meeting with the Justice League NYC has drawn criticism from PBA President Pat Lynch, who has demanded that the group “publicly denounce the individuals who assaulted police officers or who have attempted to incite violence during these protests.”

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Pacific Park Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio continued his run of affordable housing groundbreakings, joining Bruce Ratner, executives from China’s Greenland Group and other officials in a ceremony at Brooklyn Park.  The affordable housing in Pacific Park, formerly and better known as Atlantic Yards, is adjacent to the Barclay’s Center and was an essential part of the agreements to construct Barclay’s.  The building at the center of today’s groundbreaking is to include 298 “affordable” units.

Statement:

Following a lengthy program and a shovel photo opportunity Mayor de Blasio spoke with the press.   Between separate on and off topic portions the mayor made a statement addressing the unfolding hostage drama in Sydney, Australia and the attack on two NYPD lieutenants during the large protest march held on Saturday.  His statement on the protest march praised the NYPD for its “brilliant effort” to date in handling the recent wave of protest marches, termed the Saturday night attack “fundamentally unacceptable” and asserted that it is “incumbent on” peaceful protestors “to stop any potential act of violence.”  Here is Mayor de Blasio’s statement:

Continue reading de Blasio Press Q&A: The Pacific Park Edition

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Artsbridge Edition



New York City’s mayor and catholic archbishop today hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking and press conference to mark the beginning of an affordable housing development for senior citizens.  The Artsbridge project, in the Highbridge section of the Bronx, is being developed by the Archdiocese using land provided by the City, with financing from both New York City and New York State.  Being developed by Highbridge Community Development Corporation, Artsbridge will provide 61 “affordable” units for senior citizens.  Bill de Blasio and Timothy Cardinal Dolan, joined by other federal, state, city and Archdiocese officials, gave a ceremonial toss of a shovelful of dirt and then spoke with the press and an invited audience.

Q&A – On Topic:

Questions during the on topic portion of the press Q&A included the relationship between the City and the Archdiocese and between their respective principals, Mayor de Blasio and Cardinal Dolan, how the de Blasio administration calculates the number of affordable housing units for which it claims credit and an extended discussion of the role of the Archdiocese in this project.  Here is the full on topic portion of the Q&A:

Q&A – Off Topic:

Questions during the off topic portion of the press Q&A included the NYPD’s proposed expansion of it’s use of tasers, a fine levied by the Campaign Finance Board against de Blasio ally and pro-carriage horse ban advocate NYCLASS, de Blasio’s recent comments on the City’s long drop in crime being attributable to former mayor David Dinkins and former city council speaker Peter Vallone Sr., a city council proposal to allow filing in City Council district offices of NYPD-related complaints with the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the proposed bill which would ban carriage horses and resulting loss of jobs, an attempt by a staff member of the Fox News show The O’Reilly Factor to goad the mayor into agreeing to appear on that show, a possible tax on non-resident apartment owners, the mayor’s planned meeting tonight with Jewish community leaders in Crown Heights and whether the mayor has concerns about the “secrecy” of the NYPD’s disciplinary process.

Separate coverage of a mid-press conference attempt by a staff member of the Fox News show The O’Reilly Factor to goad the mayor into agreeing to appear on that show is here.

Tall on Tall Verbal Violence



Can’t the Tall Men get along?  An emissary of Tall Man and noted conservative Bill O’Reilly today tried to goad Tall Man and noted progressive Bill de Blasio into appearing on O’Reilly’s show.  Unlike most such TV booking requests it was not by email or phone, but during a press conference.  Here’s what happened:

Update:  Extended coverage of Mayor de Blasio’s press conference is here.

Labor Contracts: The Superior Officers Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio tonight announced contract agreements with a coalition of eight unions representing superior officers of the uniformed services.  Speaking at a hastily arranged evening press conference, de Blasio was joined by representatives of the Detectives Endowment Association, Uniformed Fire Officers Association, Lieutenants Benevolent Association, Sanitation Officers Association, Correction Captains Association, Captains Endowment Association, Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Warden Association and Uniformed Sanitation Chiefs Association.  The coalition members voluntarily allied themselves and bargained together with the City for identical agreements.

The tentative agreements provide for 11% wage increases and run for seven years from the expiration of each union’s prior contract in 2011 or 2012.  They also include expected health care savings.  The tentative agreements do not appear to have catch-up of retroactive pay occurring after expiration of the new contract, as has occurred in some other labor deals struck by the de Blasio administration.  Each tentative agreement must be ratified by the respective applicable union.

Upon ratification of these proposed agreements the City will, by it’s account, have reached  labor agreements with 71% of its workforce.  Bob Linn, the City’s chief labor negotiator, said tonight that the City is currently negotiating with all of the City’s remaining unions other than the PBA.  The PBA has declared an impasse in its talks with the City and commenced the process of binding arbitration.

de Blasio Statement:

Here is Mayor de Blasio’s opening statement:

Richter Statement:

The sole labor representative to speak was Roy T. Richter, president of the Captains Endowment Association.  Richter described the agreement as ” marked by a sense a fairness and also by an ability to communicate” with the City that he suggested was not present during the Bloomberg administration.  Here is Richter’s full statement:


Q&A:

The Mayor entertained only “on topic” questions.  Here’s the full Q&A:

City Council Protest & Die-in



Approximately 20 members of the City Council staged a die-in in front of City Hall before briefly, and not quite completely, blocking traffic on Broadway this afternoon.  Clearly angered by the Eric Garner grand jury decision, the council members came out of City just before their scheduled 1:00 council meeting to chants of “Black lives matter” and “Hands up, don’t shoot.”  After reading aloud names of people killed by the police in recent years, they moved out to Broadway.  After briefly blocking traffic, Council Member Debi Rose spoke briefly and the group then returned to City Hall.