Talk Bronx New York

Let’s see. Arrogance. Greed. Sleaze.

Are we leaving anything out here?

It all happened last week:
# State Sen. Pedro Espada toppling Democratic control in the Senate by crossing over to shake down the Republican camp.

That, after Dems stopped the Wascally Wabbit from trying to sneak $2 million in pork barrel funding to two questionable groups linked to his health clinic chain - not the first time he has tried it.

Some folks are also wondering if those files Pedro temporarily claimed were stolen in a burglary at his Mamaroneck “home” might not have been on someone’s subpoena list.
# State Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo and City Councilwoman daughter Maria (Will Change Last Name for Votes) del Carmen Arroyo glomming free flights to the Caribbean.

Those trips courtesy of Carmen’s grandson/Maria’s nephew Richard (Little Ricky) Izquierdo Arroyo.

The feds charged him and Margarita Villegas with stealing $200,000 in goods and services from a South Bronx nonprofit linked to one the Arroyos funded and larded with relatives. Read more..

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 Ruben Diaz Jr. swears in as Bronx borough president today at Lehman College

Hard hit by a recession that has pushed Bronx jobless numbers into the double digits and painful budget cuts to city services and his own staff, Ruben Diaz Jr. was formally sworn in Thursday as 13th Bronx borough president.

In an inaugural speech at Lehman College, Diaz, 36, pledged to “work tirelessly and without compromise … for our seniors, our children and our hardworking families.”

Gov. Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg and other elected state and city officials were on hand to extend their well-wishes.

Addressing a 10.5% local unemployment rate - the highest in the city - Diaz told the audience the most important goal on his agenda would be economic development - “and we will tackle the issue head-on.”

In particular, he cited developing training programs for “green” jobs - “building green roofs, retrofitting boilers and making our existing building stock more energy-efficient.”

He also cited the continuing need for improving local schools, including partnering “with community and faith-based organizations to develop after-school and arts programs in every neighborhood.”

With health care the borough’s single largest employer, Diaz said he would encourage the growth of new medical fields, such as bio-pharmaceuticals.

Proclaiming a theme of “One Bronx,” the new borough president said he also will charge local business improvement groups with developing a strategic plan to “ensure the strength of all our business districts.”

Diaz said that he will reach out to citywide leaders on issues “from business and labor to education and the environment.” Read more..

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                                 Rubén Díaz Jr., a Democrat, succeeds Adolfo Carrión Jr.

Assemblyman Rubén Díaz Jr. easily captured a special election for Bronx borough president on Tuesday, and will succeed Adolfo Carrión Jr., who is now director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs.

Mr. Díaz, 35, a Democrat, defeated his lone opponent in the race, Anthony J. Ribustello, a Republican district leader best known as the actor who played Tony Soprano’s driver on “The Sopranos.”

“You don’t run to lose, so of course I’m disappointed,” Mr. Ribustello said in a phone interview. “But I’ll be back to fight another day.”

With all the precincts in, Mr. Díaz had 28,301 votes, or 87 percent, to Mr. Ribustello’s 4,081 votes, according to the City Board of Elections.

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                                   “We couldn’t get less popular,” said Anthony J. Ribustello

RONALD REAGAN did it. So did Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura. And in the Bronx, there can be added to the list of actors turned aspiring politicians (albeit on a smaller scale in terms of the office sought and the acting credits) the name Anthony J. Ribustello.

“He’s in, what’s that program?” said Darkoo Jaccoi, a 75-year-old from Pelham Bay who was playing cards one morning last week at the Northeast Bronx Senior Citizens Center in Throgs Neck, where a flea market was held. Mr. Ribustello was attending the flea market to promote his run for Bronx borough president, a post left vacant last month when Adolfo Carrión Jr. departed for Washington to serve as the president’s director of urban affairs.

“He’s in that program ‘The Sopranos’! ” Ms. Jaccoi said moments later, after having been prompted by another player at the table.

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                     Ruben Diaz Jr., center, Joel Rivera, left, and Carl Heastie, right

 The call of “Don’t forget to vote on April 21st” practically overpowers the latest Hot 97 hits pulsing from an audio store on the corner of Fordham Road and Jerome Avenue in the west Bronx.

Evening rush-hour riders depart from the screeching number 4 train, slide down two flights of stairs to the street to get a flyer, a handshake and a wide, mustached smile.

“I am running for Bronx borough president in two weeks,” Assembly member Ruben Diaz Jr. says, stretching out his hand.

Running might be an overstatement. For Diaz, who practically has a set of keys to borough hall already, walking would be a better characterization.

The seven-term assembly member has only token, Republican opposition in next week’s nonpartisan special election to replace former borough president turned-Obama administration official Adolfo Carrión. For such a high profile position, the lack of opposition is relatively unheard of.

Just weeks ago, Bronx Democrats were preparing for a brawl between two political dynasties who have been wrestling over control of the county’s Democratic party for months. Since that race has failed to materialize, Bronxites — left with little choice — can now ponder what this means for the county’s new and old political guard. Read more..

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