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Quicklink: “Gropez” Needs To Go
Filed under: Brooklyn
A realize a great many folks who follow this site are not terribly interested in politics. Nonetheless (and for those of you who are not in the know), yesterday some rather serious (and downright disgusting) allegations were made against the 53rd district New York State Assemblyman, Vito Lopez. In fact, he was censured and stripped of his chairmanship of the Housing Committee as a result. The New York Times has a pretty good synopsis of what has come to pass. Follows is an excerpt:
…Mr. Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, said that he had decided to censure Mr. Lopez after the Assembly’s ethics committee — made up of four Democrats and four Republicans — ruled unanimously that claims that Mr. Lopez had verbally and physically harassed the employees were credible. “There were multiple incidents of unwelcome physical conduct toward one complainant, wherein you put your hand on her leg, she removed your hand, and you then put your hand between her upper thighs, putting your hand as far up between her legs as you could go,” Mr. Silver wrote, describing the committee’s findings.
He also said, “There was pervasive unwelcome verbal conduct by you toward both complainants from early June 2012 until the time they made complaints of sexual harassment in mid-July 2012, including repeated comments about their physical appearance, their bodies, their attire, and their private relationships.”
He said that Mr. Lopez “required” one of the women to travel with him to Atlantic City last month, where he attempted to kiss her, and that “she struggled to fend you off before you stopped, and that on the drive back from Atlantic City you again put your hand between her legs.”…(This tome can be read in its entirety by clicking here.)
Here’s the deal folks: Regardless of one’s party affiliation/personal politics methinks we can all agree this kind of predatory behavior is unacceptable. The fact the person involved is (ostensibly) a public servant makes it all the more reprehensible. If you agree, gentle readers, please take a moment to sign this online petition demanding that Mr. Lopez resign as the Brooklyn Democratic Party Chairman. Thanks!
From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: 100 Days Of Summer, Continued
This bit of Brooklyn sunshine on this otherwise dreary day comes courtesy of Charles Le. Brigand. Great shot!
Quicklink, Part II: Stop, Frisk & Penalize
(Or: Beauty, Revisited)
Some of you might recall this photo of her which I shared just shy of two months ago. About Beauty, Chris Arnade, wrote:
Beauty, 21, was born and raised in Oklahoma, and was brought to New York City by a pimp who promised her she could “make some mad money.” She has since had nine pimps: “I have been through nine niggas. Got my first black eye from one, another punched me in mouth, but this guy is good to me.”
Her mother was an addict. “She started using crack. That’s when it all started, the walls started coming in on me. Now she is incarcerated. I can’t blame my mom–she’s my mom. I smoke weed, but not crack. I don’t like that peppermint burning smell.”
“I want to get out of this stuff, but I am scared. I guess I could stop at any time. Some of the guys tell me I could be a model. Money wise it’s good, but otherwise, fuck Hunts Point. Maybe I can become an RN, or go into childcare.”
When I asked her how she wanted to be described she said, “I’m a good person. I don’t like to see anyone down. I like to make people happy.”
Today Chris emailed me an update about Beauty. The subject line of his email was as follows:
Not sure if you ever do links
On occasion, I do. Given his tome pertains to “stop and frisk” (which is exercised quite liberally in the 90th Precinct)— one of the most odious assaults on our civil rights and an enabler for racial profiling— I will. Follows is an excerpt from his tome:
I was talking to Beauty as she sat on the concrete wall outside of Lafayette Park, across from the methadone clinic in Hunts Point. She is an addict and sex worker. Two officers approached and asked me to stand aside so they could question Beauty. What was her name? Where was she from? What was in her cup? “Soda” (they smelled, yes soda). Did she have any outstanding warrants? Let me see your bag? Why are your shoes off? “I am hot and relaxing.” A few minutes later she is charged with disorderly conduct. Her conduct then was about as disorderly as mine, but her past conduct far more. This is a common occurrence for the addicts, homeless and sex workers in Hunts Point. It is more than stop and frisk: It’s stop, frisk, and penalize.
These nuisance tickets, such as disorderly conduct, come with a future court date, that if missed, turns into an outstanding warrant. With little legal help and a very long rap sheet, few addicts will fight them.
How is this helpful to either the community or the addict…
Excellent question, Mr. Arnade.
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