Free Republic

The New York City Council voted overwhelmingly Monday to expel Bronx lawmaker Andy King after the Democrat was hit by a third set of ethics charges, saying he once again misused government funds and mistreated his staff. The Council easily mustered the two-thirds majority needed, voting 48-2 to boot King from his job representing the 12th District at City Hall. King now holds the ignominious distinction of being the first city politician booted from the lawmaking body in modern history without first being convicted of a crime.

Three-term City Councilman Larry Seabrook was indicted today on extortion, fraud and money laundering charges -- including shaking down a Bronx boiler company who had received a contract from the Yankees -- after he was caught stealing as part of an ongoing probe stemming from a slush fund scandal, authorities said. The feds claim Seabrook, who has been a member of the City Council since 2001, shook down the unnamed company for $50,000 after they were awarded a lucrative contract by the Bronx Bombers to install boilers at the new Yankee Stadium. Seabrook (D-Bronx) took the money, in the form...

A few years ago, when New York City was pressuring advertising agencies to hire more black executives, City Councilman Larry B. Seabrook, chairman of the Council’s Civil Rights Committee, approached one of the largest companies with a plan to address the issue. The company, the Omnicom Group, ultimately endorsed Mr. Seabrook’s plan to create a high-powered diversity committee and agreed to spend $2.25 million on initiatives. It also decided to retain a consultant from Atlanta whom Mr. Seabrook had proposed to help run the committee. The City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, praised the plan. H. Carl McCall, a former...