Year: 2015

Political operatives disagree whether Jason McCarthy’s two terms on the Buffalo Board of Education will help or hurt his chances of being elected to the Common Council this year. He is widely expected to seek the Delaware district seat. McCarthy’s

This year every seat on the Common Council is up for reelection to a four year term. Typically, Council races are low turnout and under the radar — but this year looks like there will be several competitive races. Delaware

Last night, the Cheektowaga Town Board refused to make public a report detailing a months-long corruption investigation inside the Town’s Highway Department. The Board did vote to send the report to the New York Attorney General’s Office for further investigation. Highway Superintendent

Cheektowaga Town Councilwoman Diane Benczkowski is attempting to keep a a jaw-dropping report from the public, alleges Frank Max — a bitter political rival who sees her a threat to his grip on Town patronage. Over the last several months a corruption

At age 101, the billionaire Manhattan real estate mogul Leonard Litwin is at the center of recent corruption scandals that have rocked New York’s political establishment. The New York Times has named Litwin and his firm, Glenwood Management, as “Developer 1” in the indictment

Buffalo School Board member and high-profile area businessman Larry Quinn is coming under intense criticism across the political spectrum for his behavior a at public meeting held on February 4, 2015. As Kevin Gibson, a Buffalo teacher, prepares to speak

By: Mike Madigan Senator Marc Panepinto (NY 60th Senate District) makes no bones about the fact that he has a serious departure with the Catholic Church and does not shy away from the fact. Panepinto believes that the Catholic Church

For months there has been considerable speculation — perhaps even expectation — that Assemblyman Michael Kearns is preparing to primary incumbent Democratic County Executive Mark Poloncarz for County Executive in the coming election cycle. The historically fractious local party organization

By: Mike Madigan Prior to the 28 January, 2015 Buffalo Public School BOE meeting – board member Sharon Belton-Cottman e-mailed and supported distribution of a highly racist and inappropriate flier. Such actions by any board member, regardless of race, must

By: Mike Madigan Albany is now on notice that there is a new sheriff in town in the name of US Attorney Preet Bharara. It is quickly becoming apparent Bharara is committed to rooting out the pervasive corruption that controls

By: Mike Madigan Anyone with a quarter of a brain knows a bold faced lie when they hear it. Credible reporting must not involve parroting such lies without placing them in context of the facts and truth. Sadly such credibility

The silence of the reporters

In the face of Sheldon Silver’s arrest on public corruption charges, the Albany establishment — long entrenched in the culture of corruption that Silver typified — has been shaken to its core. As we speak there are rumblings in Albany that South