Barron Calls for Quinn to Step Down
Charles Barron is going to call for Christine Quinn to step down as speaker of the City Council, because of her connection to the recently discovered slush fund her aides used to fund budget requests.
Speaking outside of City Hall just now with Liz and me, Barron said, "She should step down from the speaker's position until this investigation is complete," referring to Bill Thompson's audit and the other inquiries currently under way of the Council.
"She put the comptroller on the line. She put the mayor on the line. I know both of them are angry with her," he said. "Christine has not been honest and forthcoming," he said, not buying her explanation that some members of her staff disobeyed her direct orders to stop "parking" money in fictitious organizations in the budget.
Barron declined to say who should replace her in the meantime, and said he didn't know enough about another member currently under investigation, Kendall Stewart, to say whether he should step down as well. Stewart has admitted to being subpoenaed by federal investigators who are reportedly looking at a pay-to-play scandal involving campaign contributions to city lawmakers.
UPDATE: I also asked Barron about the fact that his district received the second most amount of money from the secret fund which would undermine the notion that the money only went to her political allies. “That doesn’t matter,” Barron said. “She did that on her own, for whatever reason [she] did it. I had nothing to do with that.”
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Azi: Among the other 49 Councilmembers, who else is being subpoenaed, besides Mr. Stewart? Or is it another secret?
Finally, a council member with courage!!!! Quinn must step down!
Courage - are you kidding?
Is there any way Charles Barron can call upon his dear buddy and thug of Zimbabwe to step aside since ROBERT MUGABE LOST THE ELECTION.
Should we care what Mr. Barron has to say about anything after he welcomed Robert Mugabe - an international tyrant - to OUR City Hall for a celebration of Mugabe's monstrous legacy in Zimbabwe?
Mr. Barron - the people in Zimbabwe are suffering tremendously under your buddy's heavy hand. (The inflation rate there is 100,000 percent! The campaign violence and intimidation tactics he promotes is extremely undemocratic. Do you care about this at all????
New York City has taken a position to end apartheid in South Africa. Can we help the people in Zimbabwe? Mr. Barron - admit you were wrong to embrace Mugabe and his despotic regime and instead - - - help to Liberate Zimbabwe!
Carlosrivas:
Are you nuts? Or are you talking about a different CM? Did you actually state that Charles Barron has "courage?" He is a foul mouthed bigot whose sole interest in life is hogging the microphone and getting his 15 seconds. He wouldn't be able to spell courage. Gimme a break. Charles barron showing courage.
To 4:34 and 5:16:
Are you kidding me? You both are all caught up with Barron's big mouth...what about Quinn and that money? What's worse? You both seem to have some twisted understanding of ethics if you think that articulation is worse than being dishonest in budget matters.
Last but not least...I am assuming 4:34 is another crony from Quinn's communications staff. But for you and 5:16, I say this: more members of the Council need get some courage and demand that Quinn resign. She has profoundly broken the public trust. How quick we are to jump on the likes of Spitzer but when it comes to something so important as the mishandling of NYC taxpayer money we are slow to call for resignations.
It's only a matter of time before the truth comes out about this mess. Ms. Quinn is stalling in a vain effort to keep her candidacy alive. When the truth finally comes out, it will be obvious that she knew what was going on, used it for her advantage, tried to cover it up and then lied, lied, lied about everything. Even then I doubt she'll do the right thing and resign.
6:19 should cool it on the paranoia. I am NOT a crony of Christine Quinn's, just your average NY'er who believes in participatory democracy.
My point is that the NY City Council has a rich history of taking on international matters - especially under former Speaker Peter Vallone's term. It won't take much for the NYC Council to make a strong statement about Zimbabwe at such a crucial time in their nation's history.
Zimbabwe's election results from March 29 have not been declared because Charles Barron's friend LOST THE ELECTION and won't leave office - and is threatening to use violence and fraud to hold on to his power.
Charles Barron left an ugly scar on the NYC Council when he welcomed Robert Mugabe to our City Hall. If someone in the NYC Council welcomed Mussolini or Hitler to the City Council for a party in their honor, who would respect anything they had to say about anything ever again?
Next week, South Africa's Thabo Mbeki will be visiting the UN - located here in sunny NYC - to Chair a meeting of the UN Security Council. He is a powerful friend and strong neighbor of Zimbabwe. Can someone from the NYC Council take a stand for the countless families in Zimbabwe who are begging for the international community to help them get out from under Charles Barron's friend - Robert Mugabe's - reign of terror?
And if 6:19 is nothing but a toadie for Charles Barron - yuck!
4:34 and 8:04:
First of all, I am NOT a toadie for Barron. But let's be honest about this: can't you agree that Quinn should resign? Hasn't the public been duped? We are talking about NYC tax payer monies. I must agree with you that the Council should make some kind of resolution standing up for those in Zimbabwe. But shouldn't they also do the same for the people of New York City and have the Speaker resign for such a horrible act?
Yes, I agree that she should step down - and I hope that Bill Thompson will be successful in his findings. I do not believe this because of anything Charles Barron has to say, but because she is a poor leader.
I do - and this is repeating myself because in the scheme of things it is important - believe that the New York City Council should take an immediate stand on Zimbabwe. I also believe that Charles Barron, Robert Mugabe's pal, to admit that he made a huge mistake by welcoming to NY City Hall someone who has promoted famine, torture, rape, and murder of families who live in Zimbabwe.
Will YOU advocate for Charles Barron to do this, carlosrivas?
And, carlosrivas, will YOU advocate for the NYC Council to take a stand on this, and will you contact whomever you know in the NYC Council to take action to Liberate Zimbabwe?
9:04,
I believe we are on the same page. My answer is yes to all the above...but I hope YOU can also contact council members to take action and demand Quinn's resignation. Both of these efforts, Zimbabwe and Quinn's resignation, are worthy efforts indeed.
As much as I don't like Charles Barron he is right. Damn, I never thought I'd say that.
Charles Barron is right... I'm also proud of John Liu for standing up... YO YO... WANT SOME MO, QUINN IS WACK... QUINN GOTTA GO!!!!