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• Frederic C. Schultz, Esq. 09/14/2009 12:23:50 PM

  RE: VITO LOPEZ AND DISTRICT 33 COUNCIL CANDIDATE STEPHEN LEVIN OPPOSE NY CHILD VICTIMS ACT!! I was very impressed by your article about Vito Lopez and his political machine, and for recognizing that Stephen Levin (running for City Council in District 33) is just a stooge for Vito. However, you forgot to mention in your incredible article that Vito, with Stephen's help, has been the main force blocking NY's Child Victims Act. In the last few months, several survivors of childhood sexual abuse and their supporters have protested outside of Vito's office. (The CVA will allow adult victims of abuse to sue their attackers and those who facilitated their crimes. It was recently amended with a cutoff at age 52 and to definitely apply to children in public schools.) (I am opposed to any cutoff). Soon after we started protesting, Vito and Stephen bussed in dozens of their troops to yell profanities and hurl handfulls of change at us. To their detriment, several priests participated with Vito and Stephen in this browbeating of survivors. On several subsequent occasions, Stephen has called the police on us for various ridiculous reasons, like hanging fliers on a fence or to cars as they pull up to a stop light, purely to harass us. Then, he has come out and aruged with survivors of abuse, saying the CVA is unnecessary. He is wrong: it is the only way to get thousands of molesters and rapists away from children. Stephen Levin does whatever his boss Vito tells him to do. He is trying to get elected by fighting against the rights of survivors of child sex abuse, endangering all the children of NY State. Stephen does whatever Vito tells him to do. He is deserving of neither respect, nor a vote. And Vito, his boss, is deserving of a conviction for monetarily profiting from funds he lobbies to allocate to the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council and its housing director (his girlfriend) and for using taxpayer money to support his political machine. They are endangering our children for the support of the Catholic Church and Orthodox Jewish groups (the United Jewish Organizations, or UJO) who are worried about facing lawsuits for harboring pedophiles. One fifth of all children are sexually abused, and Vito and Stephen are selling them all out, millions in NY state, for the political support of the abusers and their protectors. They also want these “religious” groups support of the Triangle housing deal, which has just provoked a discrimination lawsuit from Attorney Marty Needleman of Brooklyn Legal Services. Vito and Stephen define corruption, and deserve not votes, but criminal investigations. I hope the voters realize how dangerous Stephen Levin and Vito Lopez really are to the safety of their children. FREDERIC C. SCHULTZ, ESQ. BROOKLYN, NY

• tommygunz 09/03/2009 8:28:23 AM

  When will it end? Check this out: http://player.theplatform.com/ps/player/pds/5dwkaTTZ22?pid=XFy5cfWcnMxbyHw6DYQpBFs9CLw8C0vk Is Davila the Bushwick version of Sarah Palin? "On a clear day, I can see the Southside from my window." LOL

• kate 09/02/2009 9:44:39 PM

  Surprised at the omission of Vito's deal with Bishop DiMarzio http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/nyregion/05abuse.html?pagewanted=all

• outwithvito 09/02/2009 1:20:34 PM

  When looking at political parties who do more harm than just good, we have to think. People have freedom of choice meaning that we have the right to vote for anyone we please. In a community such as Bushwick we find that we are being pressured to vote for the team, the Vito team that is but with all the scandal that has come out into the open; who wants to vote for people like that. Ridgewood Bushwick employees have already been pressured to vote for the so called Maritza Davila, working for her campaign, and expected to vote for this woman,who has done what for this community? Where is our right to decide who we feel fit to vote for city council. Many feel threatened by there mere presence and chilling atmosphere where you smell nothing but trouble. Why should we feel that lives and jobs are at stake here? Its time to take a stand whether anonymous or not the truth is bound to come out. People need to see the real reason why Diana Reyna is not being let into senior centers and other agencies on account of Vito's claims of disloyalty versus a woman (Diana) who has truly made a change in this community, who has enhanced our neighborhoods and schools and provided the support that this community needs. So what does Maritza Davila have to offer? So far nothing? This is the first time many people are hearing about this woman who hasn't proved worthy to sit as city council for district 34. Agencies have lost funding which was provided by Reyna due to the change in choice of council woman being supported for Veto's team. If they really want to make a change re-elect Diana Reyna and allow her to provide the funding she has to continue funding programs for low-income residents, families in need, and programs that provide the support and sustainability of the people in this community. In addition we might add, that looking at the monies being made by the higher ups and those under Veto's control seem to be making more money than many who have worked to make a real change. How is it that in laws, daughters,family, and campaign workers are getting the connections for raises and higher paid salaries through Veto's political power and connections. Now ask yourselves, is this the dream team your looking for?

• progresivo 09/02/2009 10:40:10 AM

  evan thies was david yassky's interim chief of staff for three weeks...he was on staff for four plus years. he was not a long-time COS.

• Jim 09/02/2009 7:01:30 AM

  I see the credit to Aaron Short for the photo, but where's the by-line for the article? This short article reads like a second rate summary of all the blog articles written by Short and competing campaigns all summer. Nothing new and, to be honest, too many untruths to talk about.

• Bill 09/02/2009 3:46:37 AM

  Here comes Mr. Robbins, publishing another screed right before an election. Among the problems that I have with this article is that Robbins doesn't care to offer the slimmest appearance of objectivity, and doesn't even refer to any sources. He's just pushing gossip. Where does he get his information about the Assemblyman? Did he just make it up? Robbins, not an actual reporter like his predecessors Wayne Barret or Jack Newfield, is simply looking to do Assemblyman Lopez damage. All of these allegations have been written by Robbins before, but I guess it was a slow news week, or Robbins has simply run out of inspiration. Has Assemblyman Lopez broken any laws? No, and there aren't any allegations that he has in this article, but Robbins want to make sure that he gets a shot in before the elections. That simple. But Mr. Robbins, did you ever think that the Assemblyman is popular because he has successfully brought much needed government resources to one of the poorest communities in New York State? That getting funding for affordable housing, for senior services, for education, etc., has endeared him to people that often hear alot of talk from other politicians but get nothing. This funding has changed the face of Bushwick and Williamsburg and many peoples lives. Come to Williamsburg and Bushwick and see for yourself. But instead of even mentioning these things, you focus on petty gossip. To be honest, most reporters mention the good a legislator does if only to appear objective, you don't even bother with that charade. You are clearly a partisan that writes propaganda, and is looking to tear someone down.

• Matt 09/02/2009 1:56:38 AM

  In the candidate disclosure forms, it's also interesting to note how many contributions to Davila and Levin came from employees at the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council. These are people who work directly or indirectly for Angela Battaglia. Loyal support for a friend, or underlying pressure? You be the judge. And, speaking of judges, it's interesting, too, that Vito has such control over judgeships. He got his girlfriend's brother, Jack Battaglia, elevated to the Kings County Supreme Court (term until 2020, current salary $136,000) and he got Pataki to nominate his daughter, Gina Marie Lopez-Summa, to the state court of claims (salary $137,000). (reference and more sordid details: http://www.r8ny.com/blog/maurice_gumbs/traitor_vito_lopezs_affirmative_action_family_plan.html and http://vitolopez.com/node/10 And never sated, he goes for more. Reportedly, he recently pressured the MTA chairman to give a hefty promotion and raise to Vito's son-in-law Keith Summa. If Clarence Norman got axed for selling judgeships, how about one that trades in political favors to get family members appointed?

• Richard 09/01/2009 8:08:06 PM

  Why is it that no one is after this guy. Perfect example of one of the elected in state that needs to go. "No one wants Vito Power, we want people power"!!!

• Nast 09/01/2009 7:10:11 PM

  So what else is new? Nothing will change until Lopez fades in to the light....