Breaking news from NYCHA Rumor Central . . .
Deputy Mayor caught in web of deceit as her statements on NYCHA keep coming back to haunt her! . . . The Rudester is taking a personal interest in the Spotlight's charges about NYCHA (But don't ever expect anyone to mention the Spotlight--except with derision--when charges are finally pressed) . . .multi-partied Sexual harassment/assault suit will be announced within weeks . . . Finkel/Franco now on bad terms--each worries about what will be brought out in open court if NYCHA harassment suit proceeds? . . . Another worry: what will the "decent" Special Investigations unit persons (Sneakrets) say when put under oath in a Court of Law? . . . Checking political contributions against IG's list of dirty contractors can raise some concern . . . Spotlight's policy of publishing more issues in response to Franco's suicidal "get tough" policy is causing Rantin' Ruben much heartburn . . . City Council leaders worried that outside investigation could lead to charges against both Democrats and Republicans . . . IG/DOI telling City Hall that investigation will be wrapped up AFTER ELECTION DAY (No big surprise there) . . . Sneakrets impersonating IG investigators in order to gather information from unsuspecting NYCHA employees about the Spotlight . . . Spotlight promises that people will be able to actually "hear" evidence of corruption in a matter of weeks! .
There will be more on the above in future issues, but we will discuss the last "rumor" now. The Public Housing Spotlight is in possession of hours and hours of VERY interesting audio tape. (You've heard a few minutes of only one of these tapes on the Channel 9/Polly Kreisman Investigative Report into Housing Authority corruption.) Many of these tapes contain conversations between two people who were then working for the IG/DOI. These persons are heard discussing their mutual mistrust of the politicized DOI office and it's offspring, our own IG. One of these people has allowed the Spotlight access to the tapes, and given permission to publish any of the conversations contained on them. The other person on the tapes is heard giving his permission for the tapes to be used in any manner our source so desires, and specifically stating that by making the conversations public he/she hopes that the IG's office would be forced to go forward with the prosecution of the criminals exposed on the tapes. We at the Spotlight share in that hope.
How the hell is a faxed publication going to let us "hear" such evidence?
Easy!
It will be broadcast
to the entire World!
We have been offered the use of a long recognized Internet Web Site known for containing info useful in Public Housing research. This site is already listed on ALL the major 'Net search engines, including Yahoo, Alta Vista, Infoseek, MSN etc. When a person is searching for information, their use of any of over 40 search words, including Public Housing, corruption, bribery, New York, New York City, Mayor, Attorney General, City Council, Democratic, Republican, etc., will bring them a link to our site. The Public Housing Spotlight will no longer be a local/NYCHA publication.
We will have sole access to publishing at that site. Unlike our current listing as one of many subjects on Tenant Net (http://www.tenant.net/), this site will ONLY have Spotlight info on it.
On our new site, you'll find a brief description of the subject manner of the individual conversations between these people involved in the long dormant investigation. You'll just click on that brief description to begin playing that tape, and you'll swear you were sitting next to the participants. Bribery, breach of contractual obligations, retaliation by Authority biggies against persons not "playing the game", threats of physical harm to the people conducting the investigation, names of contractors and inspectors involved in scratching each other's backs, IG/DOI foibles and more are all available. Some conversations even delve into past scandals, and the people discussing those investigations were active participants at the time. We also have access to hours and hours of conversations between undercover operatives and IG investigators. Some of these contain unflattering remarks about the IG/DOI, certain NYCHA execs and some well known politicians. Some photos will accompany the text and voice portions of our page(s).
Every issue of the Spotlight published thus far, along with immediate posting of every future issue will allow for world-wide access to the New York City Housing Authority's dirty linen. Your Internet Browser will easily search the issues for specific terms, such as "Fink", "Rantin", "Convicted Embezzler" etc.. (Of course, this will all be available to ANYONE with access to the Internet, whether from your ISP or AOL at home, or from your office desk if you have Internet access.
The pages of all the Public Housing Spotlight issues have already been converted (HTML) to enable Internet based reading. Getting the recordings converted so that you can easily hear then should take 2-3 weeks. As soon as that is finished, a Special Issue will be published listing the Internet address of our rag.
Oh, one more item on this subject. Along with the announcement of our own web page will be the announcement of our email address. As Finkel/Franco are trying to crucify anyone who has ever heard of the Spotlight, we've decided to ratchet up our own continuing investigation while providing a method for you to help us turn up the heat.
Giving you on-line access to the pages of the Public Housing Spotlight allows you to read and print copies from your home, alleviating the danger presented by reading our faxed issue at work. You get the data, F/F get nothing!
Giving you an email address will allow you to send information on other Authority scandals instantaneously to us. Typing a quick memo, or attaching a complete file, will be simple.
There will be no more PO Box (we will be closing that account), no more clandestine meetings. We hope that those of you with 'Net access will make copies of the issues and pass them to friends before or after working hours. (Of course, most NY libraries have computers that allow you to connect to the 'Net. Our pages can be accessed from any of these library machines.) Then, even the F/F attempt at stomping on the First Amendment will not deter from ALL NYCHA employees knowing about what really goes on behind closed doors on the 9th Floor of 250 Broadway.
But, we'll soon be meeting
you in Cyberspace!
© 1998 Public Housing Spotlight and John Ballinger. All rights reserved.
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