The Christie administration allegedly pressured Hoboken's mayor over a development project Rockefeller was pushing. The company at the center of a growing controversy in Hoboken, New Jersey that is fueling Governor Chris Christie’s woes is a major political player that spreads around campaign cash. Talking Points Memo’s Hunter Walker details how the Rockefeller Group spends money on both parties, though most of the cash goes to Republicans.
The politically connected real estate group has spent more than $70,000 on both parties, including $2,500 to Christie. Of their 21 donations, 16 went to Republicans for a total of $40,500. $37,000 went to Democrats. Rockefeller employees also dole out cash, with Christie receiving money from two executives.
TRENTON, N.J. — The Christie administration withheld millions of dollars in Superstorm Sandy recovery grants from a New Jersey city because its mayor refused to sign off on a politically connected commercial development, the mayor said Saturday. Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer alleged that Gov. Chris Christie's lieutenant governor and a top community development official told her recovery funds would flow to her city if she allowed the project to move forward. Zimmer said Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno pulled her aside at an event in May and told her Sandy aid was tied to the project — a proposal from the New York City-based Rockefeller Group aimed at prime real estate in the densely populated city across the river from New York City.
The Democratic mayor said the Republican administration officials wanted Rockefeller's plans for the property approved, while Zimmer said she preferred to go through normal channels and hear from all stakeholders, including the public and owners of adjacent property. Rockefeller Group owns about three blocks of the 19-block area.
Kogan is the man behind Localflux, a curious new online project with big offline ambitions. It includes a crowdfunding platform and an events tool designed for mobilizing activists, with a bit of an art magazine crammed in between. The website emerged in part out of the Occupy Sandy grassroots relief effort that began a year ago, and it is one of the ways in which the impact of the storm and its aftermath are still being lived out one year later.
All those nights camping in Zucotti Park appear to have paid off - bigtime - for Occupy activists who are possibly not only the most well prepared, but also the most well-fed and cheerful New Yorkers in town following the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
In a press release as of November 1, MoRUS shared "The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) is using one of its exhibits to provide the community with free cell phone charging. Working with environmental group Times Up, MoRUS has set up Occupy Wall Street bike generators on Avenue C between 9th and 10th Street. For the past two days, volunteer riders have been pedaling as crowds of people gather to charge up their cell phones.
For many people, this has been the first time they've been able to contact loved ones after Hurricane Sandy hit earlier this week. Meanwhile, C-Squat, the squat which houses MoRUS, has set up a street-side barbecue. They have been accepting donations and providing the community with free food."
