The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Will De Blasio Get Away With This?

Posted on | January 6, 2014 | 95 Comments

“You’ve got a group of people who are being fed nonsense. The guy who’s funding all this is a real estate guy. . . . He’s interested in buying the land. The stables are located right by the Javits Center and they want to put hotels up in there.”
— David Koch, New York carriage driver

Real estate developer Steve Nislick

“The bad guy in this drama, according to the carriage drivers, is Steve Nislick, chief executive officer of a New Jersey-based real-estate development company, Edison Properties. The company ’employs legions of lobbyists to influence city decisions on real estate and zoning in its favor,’ journalist Michael Gross reported in 2009, pointing out that two of Edison’s businesses ‘have multiple locations in the same Far West Midtown neighborhood as the stables where the Central Park horses are housed.’ An anti-carriage pamphlet Nislick circulated in 2008 made this interesting observation: ‘Currently, the stables consist of 64,000 square feet of valuable real estate on lots that could accomodate up to 150,000 square feet of development. These lots could be sold for new development.’
Gross asked the obvious question: ‘What are the odds that good neighbor Nislick, the out-of-state real estate developer, simply covets those valuable, underdeveloped New York lots — and has teamed up with ambitious pols to use the emotions of animal rights activists as fuel for their own agendas?'”
— Robert Stacy McCain, The American Spectator, “DeBlasio’s Horse-Drawn Carriage Ban: Is It Really About Campaign Cash?”

It was right there in the open: A story that, if it didn’t exactly “write itself,” as they say, was not very difficult to put together. All you have to do is go to SaveNYCHorseCarriages.com and start clicking links. Everything is right there, including links to news coverage of the shady background of the anti-carriage crusade:

It’s Parkingtown, Jake
— Michael Gross, Feb. 11, 2009

Secret tape: how to spin council
— David Seifman, New York Post, Jan. 1, 2012

Top de Blasio supporters funded anti-Quinn group
— Chris Bragg, Crain’s, Oct. 3, 2013

Anyone can go see the “Timeline of a Scandal,” and anyone can find out how to contact carriage industry supporters for interviews. So why isn’t this sleazy hustle — real-estate money bankrolling politicians to push a phony animal-rights issue — front-page headlines in the New York Times? They won’t do it, so we’ll have to do it ourselves.

 Linked by Instapundit and a Memeorandum thread. Let’s roll.

 

Category: Corruption, New York

Comments

95 Responses to “Will De Blasio Get Away With This?”

  1. chienblanc4csi
    January 7th, 2014 @ 9:55 am

    More pointlessness is what we get back. More sniping and divisiveness, and when it comes to pushing back against these hate groups – and that is what they are, the animals are their cover story – political labels silence thoughtful discussion. Playing the blame game doesn’t solve the problem. I’m sick to death of people copping out on animal legislation, I’ve seen it personally in small town boards and up to my state agriculture board and legislature. Want to walk away from a solution, go ahead and point fingers, what do you want to do about it, I would really like to know. “Fen” is another cop out.

  2. chienblanc4csi
    January 7th, 2014 @ 10:04 am

    I wonder how the hate groups feel about being used? I’ll bet they identify with DeBlasio on this, in a kind of sick merry-go-round of picking each others’ pockets.

  3. pst314
    January 7th, 2014 @ 10:32 am

    Get your own blog, write your essays there, and ONLY post links in other blogs’ comment threads.

    Posting an extremely long comment here is a great way to anger people and convince them that you are either clueless about internet courtesy or just don’t care–and either way are to be ignored.

  4. The PJ Tatler » Bill de Blasio’s New York Administration: Corrupt, or The Most Corrupt Launch in American Urban History?
    January 7th, 2014 @ 10:48 am

    […] them with electric vehicles for the sake of the environment and for the welfare of the horses. Stacy McCain has put the facts together. It’s basically a hustle to evict the historic carriage stables and sell their land to […]

  5. Horatius
    January 7th, 2014 @ 10:56 am

    Plantation mentality indeed. Have to evict the natives to build, you know.

  6. Horatius
    January 7th, 2014 @ 11:16 am

    Thinking about it more–I suppose it makes sense that Bill “TravelGate” Clinton swore in the new mayor. I guess there is an art form in moving the little people out of the way to in order to reward friends.

    But, I do have to admit that I always find it remarkable that whenever socialists are around, somehow the one thing not communally shared out is the chance to build the dacha. On someone else’s land.

  7. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    January 7th, 2014 @ 11:42 am

    Orwell never gets old…

  8. chienblanc4csi
    January 7th, 2014 @ 12:55 pm

    Actually, I see some pretty basic wing nut conservative principles in this. You’d think a Democrat would be sensitive to being seen as anti-small business, at least. The big money was just the glue on the flypaper that trapped this fool.

  9. Occupy Celebrates Crony Capitalist de Blasio | Blackmailers Don't Shoot
    January 7th, 2014 @ 3:14 pm

    […] First Bill de Blasio is involved in a job-killing scheme designed to pay off a wealthy donor, and now his pick for City Council Speaker turns out to be a tax cheat. […]

  10. Quartermaster
    January 7th, 2014 @ 4:12 pm

    You’ve missed the point of RSM’s post. I see what you are saying, but Fen’s Law is quite appropriate as a reference here.

  11. Alan Rochette
    January 7th, 2014 @ 4:38 pm

    You ( and the other folks ) have my apologies for the length.
    No, I did not mean to anger folks reading. And until this issue came to be, was not one to be on blogs.
    The few I have been on, some will not accept links, and other do…
    I am learning, and take the comments as a lesson learned.
    If I could edit / delete, and then re-post, I would.
    Thank you for the understanding.
    Alan R.

  12. Nana Monster
    January 7th, 2014 @ 5:21 pm

    I was just reading on how good ol’ Hillary helped with the Nixon impeachment…with a trail of lies and coverups. Sound familiar?? And that was 27 years ago. The guy who fired her wrote a book about the trials which I am definitely going to buy. He was smart enough to keep a diary of what was going on back then!!

  13. Reggie Mcveggie
    January 7th, 2014 @ 7:30 pm

    don’t mess with de Blasio, he’s superhuman. He did a lesbian straight didn’t he? i mean we’ve been told it’s impossible. he must have super powers…

  14. Stephanie Zuzworsky Bennett
    January 7th, 2014 @ 10:57 pm

    But who’s the slave now………?

  15. YourWifeIsMyLife
    January 8th, 2014 @ 12:22 am

    OMG this is awful. If only we’d known, we could have chipped De Blasio’s landslide margin down to 40 or even 35%.

  16. TokyoTengu
    January 8th, 2014 @ 3:51 am

    Another for the “Why am I not surprised?” file.

  17. Iheartzooanimals
    January 8th, 2014 @ 5:22 am

    6 hours after he apologizes you’re still kicking him in the teeth? And you came to defend the little man? Lighten up. And you might even want to read it if you’re so interested in this subject. He knows a lot about it. But he’s been busy, not hanging out on the computer. He’s projective.

  18. Wombat_socho
    January 8th, 2014 @ 7:26 am

    Being busy and posting to blogs are not mutually exclusive.

  19. Wombat_socho
    January 8th, 2014 @ 7:26 am

    Just a note for future reference. Thanks for the information.

  20. TJHillgardner
    January 8th, 2014 @ 8:57 am

    That addresses nothing, but it does double down on the partisanship. Fen’s Law says nothing more than that “the Left are a disingenuous bunch.” Pure partisanship. The horses deserve better than people letting them die because they are too busy carrying their partisan battle flags.

  21. TheBarnRules
    January 8th, 2014 @ 10:11 am

    No, they are not. They are stabled off of 11th.

  22. TheBarnRules
    January 8th, 2014 @ 10:14 am

    Then don’t read it – simple.

  23. TheBarnRules
    January 8th, 2014 @ 10:17 am

    Exactly right Tom – this is not a left/right issue but a right/wrong issue. It really is that simple.

  24. TheBarnRules
    January 8th, 2014 @ 10:18 am

    Only 24 percent of registered voters voted in the election – shame on the 76 percent who did not.

  25. Fran Levy
    January 8th, 2014 @ 10:27 am

    Not if I, any every other horse and animal owner can help it. He will NOT get away with this. I am a liberal, and if you look at the definition of the word in the dictionary Deblasio does not fit the bill, he is a corrupt Stalinist. And you’ve gotta love his pick for Council Leader, Vervirito is a millionaire posing as one of the 99%. It is my fondest wish that he never serve out his term. One more follow the money scandal and he’s DONE.

  26. Fran Levy
    January 8th, 2014 @ 10:37 am

    Great comment, chienblanc4csi
    I live near Cornell in upstate NY and there are plenty of politically liberal sustainable farmers here. They are facing the same problems from the rabid animal rights activists and pending legislation that the Carriage drivers are. The only bone I would like to pick is with the left leaning MSM, who are not stepping up to the plate to report this scandal the way the conservative media has done. It would be great if everyone called a spade a spade in their investigative reporting, regardless of political affiliation.

  27. YourWifeIsMyLife
    January 8th, 2014 @ 10:39 am

    Yep – ain’t it funny that NOW, out of the woodwork, come those same unmotivated non-voters to start paying attention and complaining – now that the horse has left the barn (see what I did there?).

  28. Bonney88
    January 8th, 2014 @ 11:00 am

    Is it even legal for public servants (that means NYC council members and the mayor) to target a specific legal business for annihilation? The basic economic model of supply and demand is being ignored. There are plenty of customers wanting the carriage ride, and even the majority or residents of NYC and visitors enjoy seeing the carriage horses out and about. The carriage horse industry is not subsidized by local, state or federal government, so how in the world is it possible for slimy real estate dude, steve nislick, to bankroll an underhanded attempt to use public servants to have a business banned? How is it that he can buy a mayor and that mayor can go about aggressively intimidating council members to vote with him on this illegal attack? I feel so sorry for the mayor’s children. how shameful of their father to be a bully and a tyrant. I huge problem in the US is that overtime public servants have been erroneously shuttered into celebrity status at the detriment to constituents who are honest and play by the rules.

  29. Bonney88
    January 8th, 2014 @ 11:15 am

    Is it even legal for public servants (that means NYC council members and the mayor) to target a specific legal business for annihilation? The basic economic model of supply and demand is being ignored. There are plenty of customers wanting the carriage ride, and even the majority or residents of NYC and visitors enjoy seeing the carriage horses out and about. The carriage horse industry is not subsidized by local, state or federal government, so how in the world is it possible for slimy real estate dude, steve nislick, to bankroll an underhanded attempt to use public servants to have a business banned? How is it that he can buy a mayor and that mayor can go about aggressively intimidating council members to vote with him on this illegal attack? I feel so sorry for the mayor’s children. how shameful of their father to be a bully and a tyrant. A huge problem in the US is that overtime public servants have been erroneously shuttered into celebrity status at the detriment to constituents who are honest and play by the rules.

  30. Bonney88
    January 8th, 2014 @ 11:19 am

    explains the new mayor’s backing of mark-viverito.

  31. Bonney88
    January 8th, 2014 @ 11:20 am

    so many people of NYC did not vote for deblazio. Its so unfair to those who didn’t want him in office in the first place.

  32. Bonney88
    January 8th, 2014 @ 11:23 am

    Is it even legal for public servants (that means NYC council members and the mayor) to target a specific legal business for annihilation? The basic economic model of supply and demand is being ignored. There are plenty of customers wanting the carriage ride, and even the majority or residents of NYC and visitors enjoy seeing the carriage horses out and about. The carriage horse industry is not subsidized by local, state or federal government, so how in the world is it possible for slimy real estate dude, steve nislick, to bankroll an underhanded attempt to use public servants to have a business banned? How is it that he can buy a mayor and that mayor can go about aggressively intimidating council members to vote with him on this illegal attack? I feel so sorry for the mayor’s children. how shameful of their father to be a bully and a tyrant. A huge problem in the US is that overtime public servants have been erroneously shuttered into celebrity status at the detriment to constituents who are honest and play by the rules.

  33. Bonney88
    January 8th, 2014 @ 11:33 am

    Thank you so much Alan for putting the information in an easy to read timeline. Sure it may take awhile for those not familiar with this issue to read your post, yet so is our constitution and campaign finance laws – both of which have been unacceptably violated by Steve Nislick and his cadre of NYCLASS parasites who are only interested in their own financial gain by way of underhanded and unlawful means, while shiting all over decent New Yorkers.

  34. Horray for new mayor banning horse and carriage rides - Page 10 - City-Data Forum
    January 8th, 2014 @ 1:18 pm

    […] de Blasio banning horse carriages have nothing to do with animal-rights abuse and everything to do with a power land grab- Blog: Following the money in De Blasio's horse-drawn carriage ban EBL: So why is Mayor De Blasio banning carriage horses in NYC? Hint: It is less about horse welfare and more about political donor welfare… NYC Horse And Carriage Drivers Fight Back Against De Blasio Attempt To Ban Their Industry | Weasel Zippers Will De Blasio Get Away With This? : The Other McCain […]

  35. Glenn Krasner
    January 8th, 2014 @ 2:34 pm

    The businesses are Edison Parking Garages and Manhattan Mini-Storage, very huge in Manhattan for car parking and for apartment item storage. Edison Properties consist of these two main businesses.

  36. Sarah_VMD
    January 9th, 2014 @ 2:46 pm

    Um-he owns horses and competes in three day events!

  37. mkkevitt
    January 9th, 2014 @ 6:26 pm

    Who currently owns the stable property? That’s a crucial question which, of course, doesn’t get asked or answered. That should be PUBLICLY aired, since gvt. is gonna stick its nose into the goings on. Who’s gonna be eminent domained? That land is ‘under developed’? so is Central Park. Who owns Central Park? Mike Kevitt

  38. TJHillgardner
    January 10th, 2014 @ 4:19 pm

    The basic economic models of supply and demand are being ignored when it comes to crack, heroin, meth, cannabis, handguns, etc. Now you can add carriage horse rides. I think the city may have to hold hearings and ban horses on all streets in the city without a special use permit. Otherwise, its licensing regime it is free to discontinue, but that would not eliminate the industry, only the oversight and regulation.

  39. Bonney88
    January 10th, 2014 @ 4:28 pm

    I don’t think the supply and demand of a legal and ethical business such as horse drawn carriages, should be included in a comment about illegal and/or controlled substances, and weaponry.

  40. TJHillgardner
    January 10th, 2014 @ 7:07 pm

    Let’s leave ethics out of it because there is nothing inherently unethical about selling drugs and guns. As for illegal, that’s the point!! They want to make it illegal to operate a horse carriage business. That would put the business on a par with selling anything else that is illegal. Why do people get all twisted around and unable to think when their preconceived notions are threatened?

  41. TJHillgardner
    January 11th, 2014 @ 12:18 pm

    If horse carriages are banned, they would be illegal. There is nothing inherently unethical about drugs or guns. So I disagree.

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    […] Will De Blasio Get Away With This? […]

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  44. NYChorses
    May 20th, 2014 @ 7:14 pm

    @MikeBPR @BrianMora_USA @EvanCStern Yes indeed: http://t.co/WqvPjngi73

  45. VioletL_Phoenix
    May 21st, 2014 @ 12:03 pm

    RT @NYChorses: @MikeBPR @BrianMora_USA @EvanCStern Yes indeed: http://t.co/WqvPjngi73