October 17th: Mayor Roefaro will be having lunch at The Balkan in South Utica at 12:30, joining him will be Congressman Michael Arcuri.
Make plans to be there. It should be a memorable occasion.
Showing posts with label Mike Arcuri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Arcuri. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Outside The Walls of Fortress Arcuri
Congressman Michael Arcuri will finally be holding a public meeting with his constituents, in conjunction with Utica Mayor David Roefaro:
Make plans to be there. It should be a memorable occasion.
Make plans to be there. It should be a memorable occasion.
Monday, September 15, 2008
NY Times Joins Hanna On Rangel
On Friday, Richard Hanna called for Congressman Michael Arcuri to join him in calling for the resignation of Rep. Charles Rangel:
Now the New York Times has echoed that call:
Mr. Arcuri has refused to comment on the matter, much less return the thousands of dollars in political contributions he's accepted from the corrupt Rep. Rangel. Earlier this morning he was scheduled to make on appearance on WIBX's "First Look" program to answer questions on the matter, but a "scheduling conflict" prevented his appearance. Oddly enough, as the hosts of the program discovered when they attempted to carry out the interview over the phone, that "conflict" also shut down his cell phone.
Update: An anonymous emailer claims that Mr. Arcuri's "scheduling conflict" happened because he spent part of the morning shooting a political ad with either or both Sen. Clinton and former Congressman Boehlert. Take that for what it's worth.
Congressional candidate Richard Hanna today called on Congressman Michael Arcuri to return donations from embattled Congressman Charles Rangel, D-NY, and join him in calling for Rangel to step down as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Rangel is embroiled in three separate investigations by the House Ethics Committee, and has balked at calls for his resignation as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Hanna said he believes Mr. Rangel's errors have compromised his credibility and he should step down. He challenged Arcuri to join him in calling for Rangel's resignation.
Now the New York Times has echoed that call:
Mounting embarrassment for taxpayers and Congress makes it imperative that Representative Charles Rangel step aside as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee while his ethical problems are investigated.
This recommendation does not come easily, considering the New York Democrat’s four decades of service in Congress. But Mr. Rangel himself has felt obliged to request three separate House ethics inquiries of his behavior. While denying serious improprieties, Mr. Rangel concedes that he has not lived up to the “higher standard” expected of members of Congress.
His latest admission is that as chief of Congress’s tax-writing committee, he was “irresponsible” in failing to disclose $75,000 in rental income and pay federal and state taxes on a villa in the Dominican Republic.
Mr. Arcuri has refused to comment on the matter, much less return the thousands of dollars in political contributions he's accepted from the corrupt Rep. Rangel. Earlier this morning he was scheduled to make on appearance on WIBX's "First Look" program to answer questions on the matter, but a "scheduling conflict" prevented his appearance. Oddly enough, as the hosts of the program discovered when they attempted to carry out the interview over the phone, that "conflict" also shut down his cell phone.
Update: An anonymous emailer claims that Mr. Arcuri's "scheduling conflict" happened because he spent part of the morning shooting a political ad with either or both Sen. Clinton and former Congressman Boehlert. Take that for what it's worth.
New York In Play?
Somewhere on the second level of Hell a long-ignored and lonely winter clothing salesman is raising his eyebrows. Things haven't quite frozen over, but it looks like the temperature is definitely dropping:
If these polls are accurate it's going to have a huge impact on New York as a whole and, more importantly, our local congressional election. On Saturday I posted that the state was a lock for Mr. Obama, so I should probably Google up some recipes for crow.
BOOSTED by the selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate, Republican John McCain has experienced a surge of support among women in heavily Democratic New York state - where he has closed the gap with Barack Obama, new private polls show.
The internal Republican and Democratic polls, details of which were provided to The Post, have stunned members of both parties - and produced deep worries among Democrats.
One great concern for Democrats is that the data show a continuous movement toward the McCain-Palin ticket by women, a majority of whom traditionally favor Democrats.
If these polls are accurate it's going to have a huge impact on New York as a whole and, more importantly, our local congressional election. On Saturday I posted that the state was a lock for Mr. Obama, so I should probably Google up some recipes for crow.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Missing Man
If you've been wondering why Congressman Michael Arcuri hasn't been talking about Barack Obama this might be the answer:
Tony Podesta, a senior Democratic lobbyist, said members of Congress were “a little nervous” after Mr McCain shook up the race with his choice of Sarah Palin as running mate and intensified attacks on Mr Obama.
“Republicans have been on the offensive for the past two weeks . . . You don’t win elections on the defensive.”
The campaign manager for a first-term Democratic congressman from a blue-collar district in the north-east rejected suggestions that Mr Obama had become a liability. He said his candidate would reach out to Republicans and avoid attacks on Mr McCain.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Breakfast Of Champions
Finally, someone is calling Congressman Mike Arcuri out for ignoring his constituents while he's selling himself to lobbyists in Washington:
While the attendees at Mr. Arcuri's fundraising breakfast were able to get a face-to-face meeting with him thanks to their generous contributions, the people that he actually represents aren't quite so lucky. Even his own supporters have remarked on how difficult it is to get any help from his office, much less talk to the Congressman directly:
Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident. Yesterday's luxury breakfast at Johnny's Half Shell is a perfect example of how cold, hard cash gets Mr. Arcuri's attention while everyday people can't get a response no matter what they do. That indifference has been enough to alienate the bluest-of-blue Democrats, as this post at Daily Kos demonstrates:
On the bright side, Mr. Arcuri is offering the people he's been ignoring plenty of opportunities to meet with him this month...if they have the cash. While his pay-to-play mentality might be a bit disappointing, don't let it be said he isn't a man of the people- he's cut the price for his next meet and greet down to $500!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Fundraising Breakfast honoring Congressman Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
Johnny’s Half Shell
400 North Capital Street, NW
Washington, DC
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 am
Requested Contributions: $1,000 PACs; $500 Individual
If you go, be sure to try the Spinach and Gruyere Quiche with sliced, vine-ripened tomatoes. I'm told it's fabulous.
Congressional candidate Richard Hanna (Republican, Independence, Conservative) today highlighted the fact that the large majority of his opponent's campaign funding comes from interests outside the 24th Congressional District.
This morning, Arcuri hosted a breakfast in Washington, D.C. where they asked $5,000 a plate. According to events listed by Arcuri's fundraising firm, at least two more similar events are planned this month.
"Big money and lobbyists have subverted the will of the majority, and Mr. Arcuri has bragged about the amount of money he's taken from interests outside this district," Hanna said. "Lobbyists and special interests are taking over our rights."
"My opponent accuses me of using my success to buy a seat in Congress, but that's not true," Hanna said. "At any rate, I'd rather be accused of buying a seat than selling it to special interests - as my opponent is busy doing today."
While the attendees at Mr. Arcuri's fundraising breakfast were able to get a face-to-face meeting with him thanks to their generous contributions, the people that he actually represents aren't quite so lucky. Even his own supporters have remarked on how difficult it is to get any help from his office, much less talk to the Congressman directly:
I voted for Mike Arcuri in the last election. BIG MISTAKE!!! He's running again - against Richard Hanna. I will be voting for Hanna. I need to find out more about Hanna..........I don't know enough about him or what he's willing to do for us. But- I do know that Mike Arcuri IS NOT IT!!
We called Arcuri's headquarters to inquire as to why our incentive check was only for $600. (According to everything we read and according to the official website, we should have gotten $1200.) Well, the young lady on the other end of the phone said they've had a lot of phone calls like ours. People are complaining, and rightfully so. Well! This was a couple of months ago, and lo and behold, we got a form letter in the mail last week from Mike Arcuri, thanking us for our concern about the price of oil/gas! What the hell is he (or his people) thinking? Maybe they're thinking we'll be impressed that he "took the time" to contact us and that we'll disregard the fact that his letter had nothing to do with our phone call. - NOT - Maybe they're just not thinking.
Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident. Yesterday's luxury breakfast at Johnny's Half Shell is a perfect example of how cold, hard cash gets Mr. Arcuri's attention while everyday people can't get a response no matter what they do. That indifference has been enough to alienate the bluest-of-blue Democrats, as this post at Daily Kos demonstrates:
Don't think I'll be voting for Arcuri....even though he and I are both Dems! He is our congressman now, and has been such a disappointment.
He said all the right things when I first spoke to him about our son-in-law's stop-loss status and pending third deployment to Iraq. Since then, however, neither he nor his local representative nor his Utica representatives have responded to my e-mails nor to a paper letter which I wrote to him.
I realize that our concerns aren't that important to him, even though it is a life or death matter for us, and I realize that there is only so much he can do to help us anyway, probably. However, it would have made all the difference to us if he had at least responded and even pretended to care....
On the bright side, Mr. Arcuri is offering the people he's been ignoring plenty of opportunities to meet with him this month...if they have the cash. While his pay-to-play mentality might be a bit disappointing, don't let it be said he isn't a man of the people- he's cut the price for his next meet and greet down to $500!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Fundraising Breakfast honoring Congressman Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
Johnny’s Half Shell
400 North Capital Street, NW
Washington, DC
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 am
Requested Contributions: $1,000 PACs; $500 Individual
If you go, be sure to try the Spinach and Gruyere Quiche with sliced, vine-ripened tomatoes. I'm told it's fabulous.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Arcuri: Obama's Wrong
Sunday's Observer-Dispatch article about the impact of the presidential race on the local congressional election had some interesting material, but the one thing that really leaped out at me was Congressman Arcuri's steadfast refusal to admit he was wrong about the surge in Iraq:
Mr. Arcuri's disconnect from the reality of the surge's success is all the more stunning considering his support for Barack Obama in this year's presidential race. After months of silence, all the more notable because of the growing consensus on the issue, even Mr. Obama has embraced reality:
If we accept that Mr. Obama is correct then what are we to think of Mr. Arcuri's obvious lack of agreement on the matter? Does he think Mr. Obama is simply too inexperienced to see the reality of the situation? That may not be very far-fetched considering Mr. Arcuri's political ties to the Hillary Clinton faction of the national party. They've provided him with extensive financial and campaign support, including the services of Howard Wolfson during his original run for office, and it was even rumored that Mr. Arcuri's oath of fealty had secured him a place in a potential Clinton administration.
Or, more realistically, is Mr. Arcuri simply wrong? More intriguingly, is his overweening pride preventing him from admitting it?
Long-time followers of the Congressman's career may remember that this facet of his character isn't something new. During his time as a District Attorney it came up more than once, most notably in the Desiree Case murder trial. In that instance Mr. Arcuri fought tooth and nail to send Joseph Smith to prison for the rest of his life despite the purely circumstantial nature of the case and Mr. Smith's continued protestations of innocence. It was only after proof surfaced that the Utica police department had been holding evidence exonorating him for months that Mr. Arcuri finally dropped the prosecution.
That same strident refusal to acknowledge error, even in the face of overwhelming evidence, seems to be something Mr. Arcuri still hasn't been able to exorcise from his personality. He knows best, and he'll continue saying so even when the man he endorses to hold the Presidency says otherwise.
While his hubris is troubling, the Congressman's statements also demonstrate a profound ignorance of military matters in general and the surge in particular. The political re-alignment of Iraqi factional leaders wasn't just some willy-nilly bolt from the blue, but an integral part of the policies adopted under the command of General David Petraeus. That would be the same Gen. Petraeus that Mr. Arcuri publicly excoriated last year after his testimony before Congress, a man that quite literally wrote the book on counter-insurgency doctrine. If you like you can can read it for yourself, Army manual FM 3-24 "Counterinsurgency", over here.
If Mr. Arcuri had bothered to read it, or even payed attention to Gen. Petraeus's testimony, he would understand that the "Anbar Awakening", and similar movements across Iraq, were the product of months of hard work by thousands of troops guided by an over-arching plan that emphasized tribal engagement, empowerment, and re-alignment. The surge wasn't just boots on the ground, as Mr. Arcuri seems to believe, but the adoption of new techniques for stabilization specifically designed to produce the results he claims had nothing to do with it.
This isn't the first time the Congressman's out-of-touch views on Iraq have come up, as Col. Joe Bolton's steadfast efforts attest, but his latest refusal to accept reality has hit a new level of denial. It's time for Mike Arcuri to agree with Barack Obama, swallow his pride, and admit he was wrong about the surge. To do otherwise is a slap in the face to the thousands of men and women that made it a success.
Democrats, including Arcuri, have long pushed for a pullout of American troops from Iraq and opposed sending more troops there in a strategic surge.
But conditions in Iraq continued to stabilize this summer in the wake of a troop surge. President Bush now has authorized a general timeline for the departure of U.S. troops, and the war has ceased to be a campaign hot-button issue. “You can see that the Democrats aren’t talking about Iraq the way they used to,” Politico’s Kraushaar said.
Nonetheless, he said, Republicans aren’t talking about it much, either.
“You have a significant number of voters who don’t think the war was the right decision in the first place,” he said.
Hanna noted that Arcuri voted for a 2007 bill that would have reduced troop presence in Iraq by April 2008.
“You can see that had that vote passed, basically it would have been an abject failure,” Hanna said.
Hanna opposed entering Iraq, but has said he wouldn’t remove U.S. troops until Iraq was clearly stabilizing.
Arcuri said he didn’t believe it was the surge that had reduced violence in Iraq, but rather shift in the allegiances of certain sheikhs, and because of other policies on the ground.
“The disaster is that we went there in the first place,” he said.
Mr. Arcuri's disconnect from the reality of the surge's success is all the more stunning considering his support for Barack Obama in this year's presidential race. After months of silence, all the more notable because of the growing consensus on the issue, even Mr. Obama has embraced reality:
Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, said on Thursday night that the troop surge in Iraq had succeeded beyond his – or anyone else’s – expectations, adding that he believed the US was fighting a war on terror...“I think that the surge has succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated,” he said. “I’ve already said it’s succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.”
If we accept that Mr. Obama is correct then what are we to think of Mr. Arcuri's obvious lack of agreement on the matter? Does he think Mr. Obama is simply too inexperienced to see the reality of the situation? That may not be very far-fetched considering Mr. Arcuri's political ties to the Hillary Clinton faction of the national party. They've provided him with extensive financial and campaign support, including the services of Howard Wolfson during his original run for office, and it was even rumored that Mr. Arcuri's oath of fealty had secured him a place in a potential Clinton administration.
Or, more realistically, is Mr. Arcuri simply wrong? More intriguingly, is his overweening pride preventing him from admitting it?
Long-time followers of the Congressman's career may remember that this facet of his character isn't something new. During his time as a District Attorney it came up more than once, most notably in the Desiree Case murder trial. In that instance Mr. Arcuri fought tooth and nail to send Joseph Smith to prison for the rest of his life despite the purely circumstantial nature of the case and Mr. Smith's continued protestations of innocence. It was only after proof surfaced that the Utica police department had been holding evidence exonorating him for months that Mr. Arcuri finally dropped the prosecution.
That same strident refusal to acknowledge error, even in the face of overwhelming evidence, seems to be something Mr. Arcuri still hasn't been able to exorcise from his personality. He knows best, and he'll continue saying so even when the man he endorses to hold the Presidency says otherwise.
While his hubris is troubling, the Congressman's statements also demonstrate a profound ignorance of military matters in general and the surge in particular. The political re-alignment of Iraqi factional leaders wasn't just some willy-nilly bolt from the blue, but an integral part of the policies adopted under the command of General David Petraeus. That would be the same Gen. Petraeus that Mr. Arcuri publicly excoriated last year after his testimony before Congress, a man that quite literally wrote the book on counter-insurgency doctrine. If you like you can can read it for yourself, Army manual FM 3-24 "Counterinsurgency", over here.
If Mr. Arcuri had bothered to read it, or even payed attention to Gen. Petraeus's testimony, he would understand that the "Anbar Awakening", and similar movements across Iraq, were the product of months of hard work by thousands of troops guided by an over-arching plan that emphasized tribal engagement, empowerment, and re-alignment. The surge wasn't just boots on the ground, as Mr. Arcuri seems to believe, but the adoption of new techniques for stabilization specifically designed to produce the results he claims had nothing to do with it.
This isn't the first time the Congressman's out-of-touch views on Iraq have come up, as Col. Joe Bolton's steadfast efforts attest, but his latest refusal to accept reality has hit a new level of denial. It's time for Mike Arcuri to agree with Barack Obama, swallow his pride, and admit he was wrong about the surge. To do otherwise is a slap in the face to the thousands of men and women that made it a success.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Arcuri Launches Massive Community Outreach
In response to continuing complaints about his lack of availability to constituents, Congressman Micheal Arcuri has announced an unprecedented series of community outreach events for the month of September. Each of these intimate get-togethers will allow you to speak with the Congressman in a relaxed, one-on-one atmosphere while enjoying great food and a unique level of access. Bring your questions, bring your concerns, but most importantly, bring your checkbooks:
Sadly, Mr. Arcuri's constituents outside the beltway won't even have an opportunity to buy access. According to his congressional website, not a single public forum, reception, or meeting is scheduled for either September or October.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Fundraising Breakfast honoring Congressman Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
with Guest Chairman Jim Oberstar (MN-08)
Johnny’s Half Shell
400 N. Capital Street, NW
Washington, DC
Time: 8:30 am
Requested Contributions: $5,000 PAC Host, $2,500 PAC Sponsor, $1,000 Friend
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Fundraising Breakfast honoring Congressman Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
Johnny’s Half Shell
400 North Capital Street, NW
Washington, DC
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 am
Requested Contributions: $1,000 PACs; $500 Individual
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Fundraising Reception honoring Congressman Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
The Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Requested Contributions: $5,000 PAC Host, $2,500 PAC Sponsor, $1,000 PAC Guest, $500 Individual Guest
Sadly, Mr. Arcuri's constituents outside the beltway won't even have an opportunity to buy access. According to his congressional website, not a single public forum, reception, or meeting is scheduled for either September or October.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Talking Heads
CNY Homepage has posted clips of both Congressman Michael Arcuri and his opponent Richard Hanna from their appearances last week on WIBX's "First Look". You can check them out over here. I'm a little suprised that both videos appear to be only the first segments of hour-long programs.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Curious Case of the Contested Candidate
When questions were raised about Congressman Mike Arcuri's relationship with the mysterious Kristian Stiles, a political fundraiser caught up in the Elliot Spitzer investigation, he explained her firing as a natural result of not having any opposition in the upcoming election.
That statement makes this story at "The Hill" seem rather odd, since they're claiming opposition research against Mr. Arcuri's "non-opponent" Richard Hanna was underway in March, and probably earlier:
With all the concern over illegal immigration I certainly hope Mr. Arcuri takes a close look at the vineyard he's visiting this week. After all, it's estimated that 70% of the migrant agricultural workers in New York are here illegally. I'd hate to think he's turning a blind eye to such a heinous crime right under his nose.
Update: The WKTV story above incorrectly states that Mr. Arcuri stopped all payments to Kristian Stiles in March. His most recent FEC filing shows he continued making payments into April, with a $4000 disbursement on 4/15/2008.
That statement makes this story at "The Hill" seem rather odd, since they're claiming opposition research against Mr. Arcuri's "non-opponent" Richard Hanna was underway in March, and probably earlier:
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the DCCC has issued Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for any violations, citations or complaints against businesses associated with Louisiana candidate Chris Gorman, New York candidate Richard Hanna and Illinois candidate Marty Ozinga.
Requests looking into Gorman’s and Ozinga’s numerous businesses were still pending in late July, while the one looking into Hanna Construction was closed in March.
With all the concern over illegal immigration I certainly hope Mr. Arcuri takes a close look at the vineyard he's visiting this week. After all, it's estimated that 70% of the migrant agricultural workers in New York are here illegally. I'd hate to think he's turning a blind eye to such a heinous crime right under his nose.
Update: The WKTV story above incorrectly states that Mr. Arcuri stopped all payments to Kristian Stiles in March. His most recent FEC filing shows he continued making payments into April, with a $4000 disbursement on 4/15/2008.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Mike Arcuri: How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Congress officially kicked off it's annual five week long summer vacation yesterday. Hopefully, that means we can look forward to Congressman Arcuri using some of that time to take questions from his constituents, but you probably shouldn't get your hopes up too high since his congressional website doesn't list any upcoming appearances.
On the bright side, the Congressman has committed to an open interview on WIBX sometime during August. Unfortunately, he's still dodging a radio interview with Bill Keeler, a venue where, unlike WIBX, he probably won't be asked about the morality of wearing baseball hats inside a restaurant.
On the bright side, the Congressman has committed to an open interview on WIBX sometime during August. Unfortunately, he's still dodging a radio interview with Bill Keeler, a venue where, unlike WIBX, he probably won't be asked about the morality of wearing baseball hats inside a restaurant.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Arcuri On The Airwaves: Part Deux
The nice folks at CNY Homepage have posted a full recording of Congressman Mike Arcuri's appearance on WIBX Wednesday morning over here.
One of the things I found interesting about the Congressman's comments was his tacit acceptance of the success of the troop surge in Iraq. Mr. Arcuri was a strident opponent of the surge, going so far as to issue a press release excoriating Gen. David Petraeus, yet he admits that the primary problem in Iraq today is political and not military. That certainly sounds like the surge did what it was intended to do, which probably isn't a surprise considering Gen. Petraeus, quite literally, wrote the book on counter-insurgency operations.
As to the fractious nature of the Iraqi government, I think Mr. Arcuri should place more emphasis on his own experiences during one of his much-publicized trips to Iraq. While he spent around two days in Iraq he also managed to squeeze in a three-day stay with his wife in beautiful Rome, Italy. You know, the capital of that boot-shaped European nation that has been through over 60 different parliamentary governments since World War II? The one where yet another government collapsed earlier this year? The country where underground tribal groups infiltrate the government, assassinate law enforcement officers and peacekeepers, and target journalists for elimination? The nation where entire regions are under the control of criminal terrorist organizations?
In Italy's case the "tribal groups" are the brutally effective 'Ndrangheta, Cosa Nostra, and affiliated crime families, not Al-Qaeda, but it's still interesting that Mr. Arcuri would consider Italy a vacation spot and Iraq a "political quagmire" when the former has a far longer, and more devastating, history of governmental instability.
Go take a listen for yourself. I'm sure I'll have some more thoughts on it once I've had a chance to hear the whole thing.
Update: A kind emailer points out that while Mr. Arcuri didn't take any questions from his constituents during this appearance he did promise to do so during his next one, sometime in August. Hopefully we'll also be able to question both Mr. Arcuri and his challenger Mr. Hanna with a few townhall-style debates in the near future.
Update: Another kind emailer points out that Mr. Arcuri is still refusing interview requests from Bill Keeler. Beyond that, his press official won't even return calls from Mr. Keeler's booking agent.
Update: Yet another kind emailer claims that the softball questions tossed by Dave Andrews, the primary interviewer in the WIBX segment, are the result of Mr. Andrews long-running relationship with Mr. Arcuri. I'm aware that Mr. Andrews worked for the Oneida County D.A.R.E program until he was fired for reasons I'm still not clear on, but I'd welcome any input clarifying the nature of the relationship, if any, between Mr. Andrews and Mr. Arcuri.
Update: One of Mr. Arcuri's justifications for his opposition to more oil drilling is that it would be ten years before we actually get any oil. I believe noted energy policy expert Jay Leno has addressed that concern:
Heh.
Update: I've received some conflicting accounts about what caused Mr. Andrews firing from his position with the Oneida County D.A.R.E. program that might have a bearing on discussions about the interview. One of the problems I'm encountering with verifying the claims in those emails is that the Observer-Dispatch's archives from the Gannet years are no longer available online.
One of the things I found interesting about the Congressman's comments was his tacit acceptance of the success of the troop surge in Iraq. Mr. Arcuri was a strident opponent of the surge, going so far as to issue a press release excoriating Gen. David Petraeus, yet he admits that the primary problem in Iraq today is political and not military. That certainly sounds like the surge did what it was intended to do, which probably isn't a surprise considering Gen. Petraeus, quite literally, wrote the book on counter-insurgency operations.
As to the fractious nature of the Iraqi government, I think Mr. Arcuri should place more emphasis on his own experiences during one of his much-publicized trips to Iraq. While he spent around two days in Iraq he also managed to squeeze in a three-day stay with his wife in beautiful Rome, Italy. You know, the capital of that boot-shaped European nation that has been through over 60 different parliamentary governments since World War II? The one where yet another government collapsed earlier this year? The country where underground tribal groups infiltrate the government, assassinate law enforcement officers and peacekeepers, and target journalists for elimination? The nation where entire regions are under the control of criminal terrorist organizations?
In Italy's case the "tribal groups" are the brutally effective 'Ndrangheta, Cosa Nostra, and affiliated crime families, not Al-Qaeda, but it's still interesting that Mr. Arcuri would consider Italy a vacation spot and Iraq a "political quagmire" when the former has a far longer, and more devastating, history of governmental instability.
Go take a listen for yourself. I'm sure I'll have some more thoughts on it once I've had a chance to hear the whole thing.
Update: A kind emailer points out that while Mr. Arcuri didn't take any questions from his constituents during this appearance he did promise to do so during his next one, sometime in August. Hopefully we'll also be able to question both Mr. Arcuri and his challenger Mr. Hanna with a few townhall-style debates in the near future.
Update: Another kind emailer points out that Mr. Arcuri is still refusing interview requests from Bill Keeler. Beyond that, his press official won't even return calls from Mr. Keeler's booking agent.
Update: Yet another kind emailer claims that the softball questions tossed by Dave Andrews, the primary interviewer in the WIBX segment, are the result of Mr. Andrews long-running relationship with Mr. Arcuri. I'm aware that Mr. Andrews worked for the Oneida County D.A.R.E program until he was fired for reasons I'm still not clear on, but I'd welcome any input clarifying the nature of the relationship, if any, between Mr. Andrews and Mr. Arcuri.
Update: One of Mr. Arcuri's justifications for his opposition to more oil drilling is that it would be ten years before we actually get any oil. I believe noted energy policy expert Jay Leno has addressed that concern:
Heh.
Update: I've received some conflicting accounts about what caused Mr. Andrews firing from his position with the Oneida County D.A.R.E. program that might have a bearing on discussions about the interview. One of the problems I'm encountering with verifying the claims in those emails is that the Observer-Dispatch's archives from the Gannet years are no longer available online.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Col. Joe Bolton On Mike Arcuri
Retired Col. Joe Bolton, a 28-year Army veteran and native of New Hartford, was the featured guest on WIBX's "First Look" this morning discussing Congressman Mike Arcuri's record on military and veterans issues. I didn't even find out about his appearance until it was already over, so imagine my surprise to discover that CNY Homepage not only taped it, but has already posted the video online. You can view the full interview over here. I understand they'll also be providing a tape of Mr. Arcuri's appearance on the show tomorrow morning.
Arcuri On The Airwaves
Constituents of Congressman Mike Arcuri will finally have a chance to ask him some direct questions during his appearance at 8 AM tomorrow morning on Utica radio station WIBX's "First Look" news program. If you'd like to ask a question the call-in number for the studio is 736-0186. You can listen to the interview on the radio at 950 on the AM dial or via streaming audio over here.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Another One Bites The Dust: Part Deux
I'm happy to report that the crew at Uticasux won't be departing the area after all. Well, at least not for a few months. You can get the full story here.
While you're over there you might want to check out Bill Keeler's radio interview with Republican congressional candidate Richard Hanna. I'm not a fan of Mr. Keeler's, but his line of questioning does give me some hope that Mr. Hanna has an appreciation for libertarian values. It's worth noting that Congressman Arcuri turned down multiple requests from Mr. Keeler for an interview.
While you're over there you might want to check out Bill Keeler's radio interview with Republican congressional candidate Richard Hanna. I'm not a fan of Mr. Keeler's, but his line of questioning does give me some hope that Mr. Hanna has an appreciation for libertarian values. It's worth noting that Congressman Arcuri turned down multiple requests from Mr. Keeler for an interview.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Once More, With Feeling
There doesn't seem to be a copy available online, but R. A. Dudrack, "The Window King", has purchased a new flight of television and radio commercials calling Congressman Mike Arcuri to task for his opposition to domestic oil drilling. Since Dudrack's last flight of spots Arcuri has pivoted his position a bit, so it would appear they're having an impact.
Update: Meanwhile, Mr. Arcuri would like you to join him for another serving of thousand dollar pancakes:
Update: Meanwhile, Mr. Arcuri would like you to join him for another serving of thousand dollar pancakes:
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Reception honoring Congressman Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
The National Democratic Club Townhouse
40 Ivy Street, SE
Washington, DC
Time: 8:30 AM
Requested Contributions: $5,000 PAC Host, $2,500 PAC Sponsor and $1,000 Friend
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The King Has Spoken
In a move that, frankly, goes beyond anything I've heard of, local home supply business R.A. Dudrak ("The Window King") is calling out Congressman Michael Arcuri for his opposition to any form of domestic oil drilling or refinery expansion. He's purchased advertising asking Arcuri to take a pro-active stance on home-grown energy production in both the print and online editions of the Observer-Dispatch, some of which you can see here. (PDF link)
Update: The Window King isn't limiting his ads to the O-D. I'm told he's also dedicated his not-inconsiderable television and radio ad buys for this month to excoriating Congressman Arcuri.
Update: The Window King isn't limiting his ads to the O-D. I'm told he's also dedicated his not-inconsiderable television and radio ad buys for this month to excoriating Congressman Arcuri.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Price Of Friendship
Congressman Mike Arcuri would really, really like to be your friend:
That's right, for just $1000 you too can become Mr. Arcuri's valued "friend" and gain access to a 90 minute slot of his precious schedule. Sure, it's probably not going to be the kind of quality time those lobbyists ponying up five grand in cash are going to get, but at least it's something, right?
Even the true-believers at Daily Kos have come to realize that coughing up some cash might be the only way to get his attention:
It's all about the "family values". In this case, even getting Mr. Arcuri to pretend to care would appear to have a thousand dollar pricetag.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Reception honoring Congressman Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
The National Democratic Club Townhouse
40 Ivy Street, SE
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Requested Contributions: $5,000 PAC Host, $2,500 PAC Sponsor and $1,000 Friend
That's right, for just $1000 you too can become Mr. Arcuri's valued "friend" and gain access to a 90 minute slot of his precious schedule. Sure, it's probably not going to be the kind of quality time those lobbyists ponying up five grand in cash are going to get, but at least it's something, right?
Even the true-believers at Daily Kos have come to realize that coughing up some cash might be the only way to get his attention:
He said all the right things when I first spoke to him about our son-in-law's stop-loss status and pending third deployment to Iraq. Since then, however, neither he nor his local representative nor his Utica representatives have responded to my e-mails nor to a paper letter which I wrote to him.
I realize that our concerns aren't that important to him, even though it is a life or death matter for us, and I realize that there is only so much he can do to help us anyway, probably. However, it would have made all the difference to us if he had at least responded and even pretended to care....
It's all about the "family values". In this case, even getting Mr. Arcuri to pretend to care would appear to have a thousand dollar pricetag.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Arcuri's Family Values
The Auburn Citizen reports that Congressman Michael Arcuri will, not surprisingly, seek re-election. What is surprising is his chosen theme for the campaign: family values.
This is, frankly, an amazing course of action. Mr. Arcuri has now opened the door to an examination of every sordid detail of his own "family values", a conversation that I didn't think he really wanted to have. His official biography is amazingly circumspect about the dissolution of his first marriage, but I have a feeling that the reason for his divorce could well become a campaign issue.
It is, after all, about "family values".
Update: A kind emailer suggests that Mr. Arcuri's "family values" are, indeed, the usual Washington version- universal single-payer health care, repeal of secret ballots in union elections, more entitlement funding, etc. It's the same re-framing approach designed to appeal to the so-called "values voters" that his campaign used in 2006. It's most emphatically *not* an invitation to question his marital fidelity, or lack thereof.
Family values were the focus Friday when Michael Arcuri announced he is seeking re-election to Congress.
“It's time to start talking about family values,” Arcuri, D-Utica, said outside city hall in Auburn Friday.
“Not the kind of family values from some Washington bureaucrat or some think tank that play more politically, but rather the kind of family values that matter to the people from upstate New York.”
This is, frankly, an amazing course of action. Mr. Arcuri has now opened the door to an examination of every sordid detail of his own "family values", a conversation that I didn't think he really wanted to have. His official biography is amazingly circumspect about the dissolution of his first marriage, but I have a feeling that the reason for his divorce could well become a campaign issue.
It is, after all, about "family values".
Update: A kind emailer suggests that Mr. Arcuri's "family values" are, indeed, the usual Washington version- universal single-payer health care, repeal of secret ballots in union elections, more entitlement funding, etc. It's the same re-framing approach designed to appeal to the so-called "values voters" that his campaign used in 2006. It's most emphatically *not* an invitation to question his marital fidelity, or lack thereof.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Not With A Bang, But A Whimper
So now that Utica mayor David Roefaro has payed off soon-to-be-ex-Chief Pylman, and handily placed the amazingly unqualified Dan LaBella in the top spot, what happens with the fruit of the Pylman investigation?
That's a stunning admission considering Mr. Roefaro has spent well over a year, and thousands of dollars of city funds, trying to prove Chief Pylman was guilty of a crime or crimes worthy of attention from the state Attorney General. After all that he hasn't even discussed the issue with the man he openly accused of wrongdoing?
That's quite a passive-aggressive management style, don't you think?
It's the details of those two incidents, and the involvement of Congressman Michael Arcuri, that I think had a lot to do with the eventual meltdown of the investigation and, perhaps, with the current buyout situation. You can read the transcript of Mr. Arcuri's testimony to the Common Council for yourself over here (PDF file).
The most interesting part, at least to me, is the contrast between the handling of the Franco forgery investigation and the later assault investigation, also involving a member of the Franco clan. In the first case Mr. Arcuri goes to great pains to justify a full criminal prosecution of Sgt. Franco despite Chief Pylman's assertion no crime has been committed:
In the second case, Mr. Arcuri uncovers clear evidence that a crime was committed, but steadfastly refuses to prosecute the officer involved. It's a curious choice, since one would think a violent assault on a handcuffed suspect involves quite a bit more abuse of power than some forged paperwork. Even more questionable is Mr. Arcuri's refusal to prosecute after the suspect's accusation of torture revealed that documents involving the case had, in fact, been falsified.
So James Franco's falsification of records is worthy of prosecution, but Anthony Franco's assault on a suspect, and subsequent falsification of records to cover up the attack, isn't.
Odd? You bet. And I'm not the only one to think so, as Councilman Phillip's questioning the night Arcuri offered testimony attests:
Could've been wrong?
Mr. Arcuri's investigation produced clear evidence that the suspect in question was assaulted while kneeling and handcuffed. He was shot six times. When his accusations resulted in an investigation it was revealed that documents were falsified to cover up the assault. Despite all this no charges were ever filed.
Could've been wrong? Ya' think?
So what happens now? It's obviously pointless for the Pylman investigation, such as it is, to continue. Unfortunately, I have the feeling the extensive records of the investigation won't be released because they contain too much embarrassing material regarding both Mr. Roefaro and his good friend Congressman Arcuri. After all, it's clear there were active coverups of the three incidents the Common Council investigation focused on- the fraudulent police union election, the Franco forgeries, and the Franco assault.
Why would anyone shy away from another coverup?
As Utica police Chief C. Allen Pylman prepares to retire this week, the Common Council investigation launched in January 2007 remains unresolved.
That month, for the first time in more than 30 years, the Common Council voted unanimously to exercise its investigatory powers.
At issue: Whether Pylman violated police department rules.
After the investigation stalled for almost a year, a newly-elected council in February voted to turn the investigation over to Mayor David Roefaro.
Roefaro has hundreds of pages of transcripts. On Tuesday, he said he does not know if the case would still proceed.
He said Pylman’s retirement has “absolutely nothing to do with the investigation.”
“Actually, we never even talked about the investigation,” Roefaro said.
That's a stunning admission considering Mr. Roefaro has spent well over a year, and thousands of dollars of city funds, trying to prove Chief Pylman was guilty of a crime or crimes worthy of attention from the state Attorney General. After all that he hasn't even discussed the issue with the man he openly accused of wrongdoing?
That's quite a passive-aggressive management style, don't you think?
During the investigation, closed-door testimony focused on a case of time-card falsification that led to the conviction of then-Sgt. James Franco. Testimony also included a review of a 2002 incident in which an investigator shot an unarmed drug suspect with a pellet gun, according to documents obtained last year by the O-D.
It's the details of those two incidents, and the involvement of Congressman Michael Arcuri, that I think had a lot to do with the eventual meltdown of the investigation and, perhaps, with the current buyout situation. You can read the transcript of Mr. Arcuri's testimony to the Common Council for yourself over here (PDF file).
The most interesting part, at least to me, is the contrast between the handling of the Franco forgery investigation and the later assault investigation, also involving a member of the Franco clan. In the first case Mr. Arcuri goes to great pains to justify a full criminal prosecution of Sgt. Franco despite Chief Pylman's assertion no crime has been committed:
Arcuri: Over time I continued to hear a great deal about this. I continued to hear it publicly, privately. I heard about it from police officers, I heard it from public officials. And it got to the point where I was concerned that perhaps there was something that needed to be looked into, which is without a double the role of the district attorney. We are not a police agency. We’re an investigatory agency. And our role is to basically work with police but not work for police or vice versa.
I contacted the chief and said that, “Chief, you know, we’re at the point now where I’m hearing too much about this, and, you know, people are complaining about it, and it’s probably a good time for me to look into it. We’ll look into it and if it’s as you say, there’ll be no problem. We took a look at it and it will confirm what you said, but at least we’ll have another pair of eyes looking at it.”
In the second case, Mr. Arcuri uncovers clear evidence that a crime was committed, but steadfastly refuses to prosecute the officer involved. It's a curious choice, since one would think a violent assault on a handcuffed suspect involves quite a bit more abuse of power than some forged paperwork. Even more questionable is Mr. Arcuri's refusal to prosecute after the suspect's accusation of torture revealed that documents involving the case had, in fact, been falsified.
So James Franco's falsification of records is worthy of prosecution, but Anthony Franco's assault on a suspect, and subsequent falsification of records to cover up the attack, isn't.
Odd? You bet. And I'm not the only one to think so, as Councilman Phillip's questioning the night Arcuri offered testimony attests:
COUNCILMEMBER PHILLIPS: The thing that I have, just like — and I — I have to say because Marshall Owens was an African-American was a — I have to state for the record because that’s how it comes back to me when they referred to, and, you know, what we went through with the Washington case and a few other things, it comes back to me as — from police officers on the scene that Anthony Franco shoot this kid with the pellet gun, okay. I think the number of times was six, okay.
I guess my — my question is, do you have the documents that were submitted to you in this case so that I can compare them to the documents that we have before us? Because as 30 years in this business, I can’t make sense out of why wasn’t an assault charge filed? I can understand the part of being pissed off with a gun pointed at you. And if we were in a battle, and it went off, chances are, I guess, I would — I would have accepted murdering this kid more than what I’m getting on this case. Because if you got a gun, I’m within my right to blow you away. I guess what I can’t understand, okay, that it’s not acceptable to me that you’re so mad that after you get the gun from him, you shoot him six times. That’s to me go beyond being — being something that I can turn my back to. To me that would have been — If we were charged with that as correction officers,somebody would have been charged with a crime, and the crime would have probably been assault. So I don’t know if you have records, what was submitted to you.
MR. ARCURI: Again, I think records are probably there. I don’t know. In — my recollection was that — I’m reasonably certain was that I saw was he shot once. And, you know, I may have — frankly, I may have made the wrong decision. I don’t know. But in looking at it at the time, weighing the circumstances, people I talk to and judging from the penalty that he was going to receive, that was — you know, try to put myself in both the place of both people in it.
Maybe I made the wrong decision, I don’t know. But I felt at the time and I continue to feel that the — what happened in that case was appropriate. I mean, I may have been wrong. It was a judgment call. But I felt that was the appropriate situation. And again, I — I could’ve been wrong.
Could've been wrong?
Mr. Arcuri's investigation produced clear evidence that the suspect in question was assaulted while kneeling and handcuffed. He was shot six times. When his accusations resulted in an investigation it was revealed that documents were falsified to cover up the assault. Despite all this no charges were ever filed.
Could've been wrong? Ya' think?
So what happens now? It's obviously pointless for the Pylman investigation, such as it is, to continue. Unfortunately, I have the feeling the extensive records of the investigation won't be released because they contain too much embarrassing material regarding both Mr. Roefaro and his good friend Congressman Arcuri. After all, it's clear there were active coverups of the three incidents the Common Council investigation focused on- the fraudulent police union election, the Franco forgeries, and the Franco assault.
Why would anyone shy away from another coverup?
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