Only Fitting de Blasio Could Be Taken Down By Trash Bags

New York Post ^ | May 17, 2016 | Michael Goodwin

[MarvinStinson]

Garbage bags could help bring down the Blasio administration.

Of many revelations about City Hall’s pay-to-play culture, the case of how New York came to buy a certain brand of trash bags caught the prosecutors' attention .

Joseph Dussich, tried for nearly a decade to get the city to buy his Mint-X bags, which he says deter rats and squirrels.

But he got the brush-off until he contributed $100,000 to Campaign for One New York, a slush fund de Blasio created. Presto, Dussich got a meeting with the mayor, a trial contract for $15,000, and then a deal worth nearly $6 million.

The sequence is shocking — and consistent with that of so many large donations under scrutiny.

Report after report shows that people who needed a city permit, a vendor contract or other government action were hit on for a contribution by de Blasio or a consultant.

Instead of asking for $5,000, which is the campaign-finance law limit, the mayor and his team routinely asked for $50,000 or more, then funneled the money to slush funds they created.

The amounts are so large, and the favors granted so obvious, that they beg a fundamental question: If the transactions are legal, it is almost impossible to imagine a quid pro quo that would be illegal.

Put it this way: If it is kosher to pay $100,000, then get a meeting with the mayor and a contract you were denied before you paid up, what would a crime look like? What else would have to be involved for the handcuffs to come out?

That is the cloud that hangs over de Blasio. If what he is doing breaks no laws, we should end all corruption investigations and empty the prisons of convicted politicians because nobody can be guilty of anything.

[Tea Party Terrorist]

And what will be the consequence? NOTHING.

They sit around and laugh at you instead.

[Mr Apple]

Excellent post Marvin. Good info. Thank you.