By Colin Campbell 2/07 5:28pm

Law & Order

Councilman Lew Fidler at the podium.

Joe Hynes Kicks off Reelection Campaign With a Big ‘Love-Fest’

Kings County District Attorney Hynes has been battered by negative headlines in recent months, but a large host of elected officials and a packed crowd still stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him today for the formal announcement of his re-election campaign on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall.

“Joe, this is more than a political rally, this is a love-fest. It’s really a love-fest between the residents of Brooklyn and you!” Borough President Marty Markowitz declared. “I hereby endorse this year of course, 2013, and 2017! And 2021!” Read More

By Colin Campbell 12/11/12 11:10am

chilling out

URUGUAY-CRIME-DRUGS-CANNABIS-MARIJUANA-BILL

District Attorney Candidate Wants Brooklyn to Be More Laid Back About Weed

Earlier today, Abe George, a former prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office and a candidate next year against incumbent Brooklyn D.A. Joe Hynes announced one of his key campaign platforms will be relaxing penalties for marijuana possession.

“As a career prosecutor who spent considerable time investigating and prosecuting drug crimes, I have seen first hand how valuable resources have been wasted enforcing antiquated marijuana laws rather than fighting crimes that directly impact the public good,” Mr. George said in a statement that also noted anti-marijuana laws’ disproportionate effect on young minorities. “Brooklyn, which has long led the city in homicides and shootings, cannot wait until the New York State Legislature acts at some unknown time to finally decriminalize marijuana possession.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 8/31/12 1:19pm

pressure

(Photo: Flickr/azipaybarah)

Brooklyn D.A. Calls for Special Prosecutor for Vito Lopez

Kings County District Attorney Joe Hynes is increasing the pressure on Assemblyman Vito Lopez, the once-powerful outgoing chair of the borough’s Democratic Party, by applying for a special prosecutor to investigate sexual  harassment reports against Mr. Lopez. Mr. Hynes said past support from the local Democratic organization “had the potential to create an appearance of impropriety,” and an independent district attorney  could better carry out the investigation.

Mr. Hynes, once a close political ally of Mr. Lopez’s, released the following statement to explain the move: Read More

By Colin Campbell 7/06/12 12:10pm

brooklyn d.a.

(photo: abegeorge2013.com)

Charles Hynes Has An Opponent

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes, who has been the subject of continued criticism over his handling of sex abuse cases in the Orthodox Jewish community, looks like he now has a Democratic primary on his hands. The New York Law Journal reports that Abe George, an eight-year veteran of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, plans to make Mr. Hynes’ reelection path more difficult in 2013:

“George said he had been considering elective office for ‘a long time,’ and that running for district attorney makes sense given his own experience. He said that Hynes’ conduct has been ‘about politics and not justice,’ citing the recent flurry of criticism surrounding the district attorney’s investigation of sexual abuse in Orthodox Jewish communities. George also said the office under Hynes has focused too much on non-violent crimes, especially those related to marijuana.”

Read More

By Colin Campbell 5/18/12 8:46am

hynes

Charles Hynes (Photo: NY1)

Brooklyn D.A. Continues Push Back on His Handling of Sex Abuse Cases

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes has been facing a storm of criticism over his unique practice of not disclosing the names of ultra-Orthodox individuals accused of sex crimes in the same way he would for people of every other religious persuasion. On a lengthy, two-part segment on Inside City Hall last night, however, he did everything he could to push back on the notion that he gives the Orthodox community preferential treatment for political gain.

“We are conscious of the criticism that you’re protecting the abusers by not proclaiming their names,” he said, noting the victim and his or her relatives can get pressured by exclusion from every day religious life in these insular communities. “The level of intimidation is not found nearly as much in organized crime, it’s extraordinary how relentless these people can be.” Read More

By Azi Paybarah 8/25/11 2:33pm

Lunch Dates

(via hebeehive.molloyhs.org)

How Much Would You Pay to Dine With Ray Kelly?

News from Archbishop Molloy, whose alumni includes Governor Cuomo, Brooklyn D.A. Charles Hynes, me, and a rather accessible NYPD Commissioner:

[A] lunch auction is expected to be offered at the 26th Annual Stanner Golf Classic on May 7th, 2012. Mark your calendar now, because you may be the next Stanner to have lunch with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly! Pictured left to right: Keith DeMatteis ’79, Eric Zielinski ’90, Ray Kelly’ 59, Robert Volk ’70, and William Farrell ’72

By Azi Paybarah 7/24/11 9:49am

suggested reading

Christine Quinn, Tom Duane and others watch the first same-sex marriage ceremony in the New York City Clerk's office Sunday morning. (via Quinn's Twitter stream)

Sunday Reading: Weddings, Weddings, Weddings, Weddings, Weddings

First: Buffalo residents Kitty Lambert and Cheryle Rudd got married just after midnight, and claim title as first gay couple married in NY. [Charlie Specht / Buffalo News]

Rushing: “They found a Queens justice willing to come out here at midnight.” [Ginger Otis and Candace Amos]

Albany: Midnight marriages in the capital. [Lauren Stanforth / Times Union]

Silence: “[A] sampling of pastors in the New York City area found that most did not intend to discuss same-sex marriage in their sermons on Sunday.” [Thomas Kaplan / New York Times]

Headline: “Gay marriage is legal in N.Y. today, but local clerks get few license requests.” [John Davis / Poughkeepsie Journal]

Bloomberg’s Donations: In addition to Alesi et al, money went to Golden and Lanza, which “put him in”the funny position of rewarding both backers and opponents of the law.” [David Seifman / NY Post]

Syracuse: City Clerk expects “15 to 20 couples to pick up licenses between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.” [Paul Riede / Post-Standard]

Transit: “The choice of an MTA chief is fraught with pitfalls for Mr. Cuomo.” [Andrew Grossman / WSJ]

Vito Lopez:FBI probe into his non-profit doesn’t stop DA Charles Hynes from attending Lopez’s annual picnic. Also there: Weprin, Bill Thompson, and Diaz Jr. [Gary Buiso and Aaron Short]

School Closure: UFT and NAACP who brought failed lawsuit against the city “should be ashamed” said Bloomberg. [Sally Goldenberg / NY Post]

School Reform: Bill Gates admit his push for schools with fewer students didn’t ultimately lead to more kids going to college. [Jason Riley / WSJ]

WalMart: Money the company gave to Markowtiz’s concerts called a “bribe.” He gets slammed for taking the money and not staying “bought.” [NY Post]

Tax Stories: Resident says, “I love it here. I really love this area, but with the way property taxes were going up it just didn’t make any sense to stay.” [Jon Campbell / Poughkeepsie Journal]

Food Safety: Garodnick and Peralta want food cart info online. [Candice Giove / NY Post]

Poverty: “According to the [Children's Defense Fund] a child is born into poverty every 17 minutes in the city. Yet, the budget adopted in June punishes the poorest New Yorkers by axing $5.2 billion from anti-poverty programs.” [Albor / Daily News]

Media: How thorough a probe will News Corp conduct if it’s headed by top Murdoch aide, Joel Klein? [Jeremy Peters, Michael Barbaro and Javier Hernandez / New York Times]

Media: Post-Standard new news editor is Sonja Duntley; social media manager is Charlie Miller. [Charles McChesney / Post-Standard]

Media: MSNBC shouldn’t hire Sharpton, argues a writer who teaches at Columbia and writes for The New Republic. [John McWhorter / Daily News]