Free Republic

Assemblyman William Boyland Jr. was convicted of extortion and soliciting bribes by a federal jury Thursday and immediately tossed in jail. The corrupt Brooklyn Democrat closed his eyes and held his head with both hands as the jury foreman pronounced him guilty of all 21 counts in the indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Capers then told the judge that Boyland, 43, broke the law even while on trial. FBI agents surveilled him driving in Brooklyn and Manhattan recently despite the suspensions of his license, registration and auto insurance. …

Mayor de Blasio is not interested in children’s getting a better education. If he were, he would endorse the charter schools and allow Cuomo to fund them. But he couldn't care less about quality education – otherwise, why turn against the charter schools that are educating minorities better than any of the other schools? De Blasio’s whole desire is to tax the rich. He has some twisted need to punish them. He has the communist hatred of wealth. He is a man who emotionally identified with the communists when he traveled to Cuba, Russia, and Nicaragua. He is a big...

It seems New Yorkers are not particularly fond of incompetence, abuses of power and the aimless fights that have characterized William Wilhelm Jr.’s administration.While the media is still playing defense for the radical leftist politician, the public has lost patience with Bill de Blasio’s antics. Thirty-nine percent of registered voters in New York City approve of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s job performance two months after he took the reins of the nation’s largest city, a poll from The Wall Street Journal-NBC 4 New York-Marist showed Thursday.According to the poll, the first WSJ-NBC-Marist survey of his tenure, 10% of voters described...

On February 27, 2014, Bearing Arms Editor Bob Owens wrote an article asking one of the more relevant questions extant: “Does the NYPD Have A Training Problem?” Bob’s article tells the story of two rookie NYPD officers who, pursuing a pair of fleeing criminals, fired a total of seven shots and entirely missed the criminal that had turned and fired at them. Unfortunately, the criminal’s marksmanship was far superior and he, firing three rounds, hit one of the officers with all three, once in each leg and once in the groin. The officer is recovering. The NYPD is not publicizing...

... Those on the My Brother's Keeper team searching for answers about how to help the most "at risk" young minority men would do well to stop by the Doe Fund in New York City, where, for more than 25 years, the organization run by George and Harriet McDonald has helped homeless men. The program they run is based on a clear contract between the shelter managers and the homeless men. "You get up every day and go to work and stay drug free—and we will pay you and house you and feed you. It's as simple as that," Mr....

Riders, state legislators and transit advocates spoke out Sunday against Governor Cuomo’s proposed raid of $40 million in transit funds for subway and bus services. In his January executive budget, Cuomo proposed that the state use that money to pay off bonds it originally took out to help the MTA financially, but promised to pay back using state money.Advocates say the raid breaks earlier vows the state made to the MTA and its riders. …

Detroit's looming bankruptcy is making news again, this time focusing on current restructuring plans aimed to wipe out $18 billion in debt by axing pension checks of city retirees, including police and fire. Massive long-term retirement and healthcare promises were by no means solely responsible for the city's fall, but these massive pensions coupled with a tax base weakened by high unemployment and housing vacancies caused the budget to bleed out quicker. The Michigan city may be the most recent victim of bankruptcy, but many of the 61 largest U.S. cities have adopted the same retirement legacy leading to $118...

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who plans to skip the nation’s largest St. Patrick's Day parade because participants are banned from carrying signs or banners identifying themselves as gay, joined the gay-friendly St. Pat’s For All Parade Sunday, saying it honors the traditions of the city by celebrating inclusion. “This is a parade that celebrates inclusion. … That is what the city is about. That is what has made this city strong,” De Blasio said after arriving at the parade, an annual tradition in Queens that attracts a few thousand participants. In a nod to those who started...

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman will retire from Princeton University in June 2015 and move to New York, he announced on Friday. […] Krugman credited the move to location and to his increased focus on public policy, specifically income equality …

<p>The "Defend Brooklyn" hoodie that Spike Lee wore last night should've been a clear indicator regarding his thoughts on gentrification in the borough that raised him.</p> <p>Last night, Lee appeared at Pratt Institute for a Black History Month lecture, but the discussion quickly became a piercingly truthful rant from the opinionated auteur. Citing a New York Times article about the supposed good of gentrification, Lee unleashed a seven-minute tirade about how the changes in Brooklyn infuriate him, specifically the "Christopher Columbus Syndrome."</p>

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to sign Jason Collins to a 10-day contract later today, according to a report from ESPN.com, which would make him the first openly gay athlete in NBA history. Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com reports that Collins will meet with the Nets later today and is expected to be signed and dress for tonight’s game against the Lakers.

**SNIP** As a teacher who worked there for many years, I can tell you that it wasn’t because the city wasn’t warned. The children of PS 106 were failed by administrators, government lawmakers and union officials — a host of top people who couldn’t be bothered to care. **SNIP** To show just how clueless and uncaring the administration was — in December 2013, PS 106 received a glowing report. At the time, there was no mandated gym, no special-education teacher (I had left and wasn’t replaced), no books, no art and no extended-day services! PS 106 received millions in extra...

“The Tonight Show” made its return to New York City with a splashy opening sequence showcasing Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, Lincoln Center and Jimmy Fallon’s glamorous new studio at Rockefeller Center—a fitting tribute to the place that helped foot the bill. An unconventional 30 percent tax credit aimed at luring “Tonight” away from California after four decades is reportedly saving NBC more than $20 million a year. …

New York’s Governor, Andrew Cuomo, just announced that “right-to-life” advocates have “no place in the state of New York.” The Radiance Foundation and its civil rights allies defy Governor Cuomo’s intolerance and have launched the “DREAM IS DEAD” ad campaign (www.toomanyaborted.com/ny) in New York on Martin Luther King Day. ryanbomberger26The bold ad campaign declares: “The Dream Is Dead For 56 Million: TooManyAborted.com” reminding the public of Dr. Martin Luther King’s fight to ensure justice for all. Bus transit ads will be seen throughout the state’s capital, Albany, as well as Troy and Schenectady. In 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr....

Liza Dye is a living advertisement for why you shouldn’t walk while engrossed in something on your cell phone, especially before getting on the subway: The 25-year-old New York resident recently learned the hard way that technology can be hazardous to your health. Dye fell onto the tracks in front of an oncoming subway train at New York’s Broadway-Lafayette Station, while engrossed with her phone on Thursday. The oncoming B train stopped short, but not before rolling right over the South Carolina native, who is lucky to be alive. …

New York's dishonest governor, Andrew Cuomo, has made it eminently clear that there is no place for pro-life voters, or gun owners, in his sorry excuse for a state. This, along with the resounding failure of even moderate Democrats to distance themselves from this individual, shows there is no place for gun owners, Catholics, Orthodox Jews, or Evangelical Christians in the Democratic Party. New York State's problems have a clearly identifiable source. Votes from the Big Rotten Apple put individuals like Andrew Cuomo, his father Mario, and Emperor's VIP Club Client 9 into office. Michael Bloomberg was a Kim Jong Un-wannabee...

Ten inches of snow. School buses colliding with cars. Half empty schools. “It’s absolutely a beautiful day out there,” beamed New York Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. The clueless chancellor added insult to inclement weather with that head-scratching remark at a news conference Thursday. She and Mayor de Blasio were defending the decision to keep schools open as a snowstorm bombarded the five boroughs. They tried to fend off criticism that came from everyone from elected officials to students to weatherman Al Roker. “Unlike some cities, we don’t shut down in the face of adversity,” said de Blasio, noting that New...

Faced with a blizzard of criticism from angry parents forced to trudge with their kids to school through a nor’easter that dumped up to three inches of snow an hour on the Big Apple, a seemingly out-of-touch Chancellor Carmen Fariña defended the call to keep classes open Thursday — blindly declaring it “a beautiful day out there” as wet flakes and freezing rain continued to pelt New Yorkers. Fariña and her head-in-a-snowdrift boss, Mayor de Blasio, scrambled to explain why school buses were rolling and kids sliding through the blinding storm, with Hizzoner trying to pin the blame on the...

The 5,000-plus cups of the Greek yogurt that were supposed to be sent to the Sochi Olympics but were denied by Russian customs will instead be donated to New York City food pantries — but they are a tough sell, workers said on Thursday.

Al Roker can add political pundit to his resume. The NBC weatherman, who normally has a rather sunny disposition, traded icy barbs with Mayor de Blasio Thursday for Hizzoner’s handling of Thursday’s snow storm. “I knew this am @NYCMayorsOffice @NYCSchools would close schools. Talk about a bad prediction. Long range DiBlasio (sic) forecast: 1 term,” the “Today” show forecaster tweeted. …