Courts | The Buffalo Chronicle

Carney takes heat from preservation community over lax enforcement

For the last three years, preservationists have been pushing for tougher enforcement of building codes and a more aggressive pursuit of slumlords for violations. City Housing Court Judge Patrick Carney is taking heat for lax enforcement of the city’s building

Public procurement ‘S-words’ and cronyism

By Rich Purtell Standardization. Single Sourcing. Sole Sourcing. Strategic Sourcing. These have all become common techniques used in the purchase of government goods and services. “Procurement” is the term used to mean the professional buying profession. Without proper accountability in

Does a caged bird sing?

Western New York’s political world has been inalterably rocked today with the issuance of search warrants at the homes of the renowned political operative G. Steven Pigeon, and two others: former Deputy Mayor Steve Casey and Chris Grant, Congressman Chris Collins’ Chief

Justice O’Donnell is dragging his feet on BMHA ruling

Mayor Byron Brown’s five appointments to the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority’s board of commissioners were made illegally, alleges the tenant elected Housing Commissioner Joe Mascia. In accordance with the articles of incorporation that govern the authority, Commissioners are to have

Jurists wonder how Panepintos navigate “impossible” conflicts of interest

Former and aspiring candidates for various judgeships have been wondering how State Senator Marc Panepinto and his wife, State Supreme Court Justice Catherine Nugent Panepinto, navigate what they call “impossible conflicts of interest.” They worry that attorneys who practice before Justice

Standardization: a flawed strategy to save costs on government construction?

By Rich Purtell Webster defines standardize: “to change (things) so that they are similar and consistent and agree with rules about what is proper and acceptable.” The process can certainly be used to help reduce costs for construction projects. Whereas

Consolidation of government procurement worsens corruption in government

By Rich Purtell A plan called FSSI (Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative) is akin to “legalized cronyism”. HR 1441 is a bill now under consideration that is in need of a CBA (cost benefit analysis); write your congressman about that. At least

Combating corruption in government construction requires a new approach

By Rich Purtell At a young age we are all educated about the USA gold standards of “innocent until proven guilty” and double-jeopardy. These are fit and proper standards for criminal convictions, and even with these beliefs, we still wrongfully

Stunning incompetence at Housing Authority has residents concerned

The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority’s stunning level of incompetence was on display at the agency’s March Board meeting last Thursday, and it is having horrible impacts on the 31 public housing complexes that the agency manages. The mismanagement is so dire

Public corruption is much more than bribery

By Rich Purtell The landmark US Supreme Court case Citizens United v. FEC, decided in 2010, protected free speech but unfortunately as a consequence the ruling essentially established that political corruption and bribery are synonyms. For hundreds of years prior

Frank Max alleges that Zellner solicited bribes from judicial candidates

Frank Max, the Chairman of the Cheektowaga Democratic Party organization who nearly ousted Eire County Chairman Jeremy Zellner two years ago, is alleging that the young man solicited $4,000 bribes from each of 9 judicial candidates who are vying for