Progressive Frauds Unmasked-- Hochul Raises from Democrats Against Education

When Clinton was president, my industry's trade association contributed $50,000 to the DNC in my name. I've been plagued by ravenous, contribution-hungry Democratic candidates ever since then-- and almost never good ones. Yes, it's how I came to meet Howard Dean and make him a raw vegan brunch at my house once, but other than Dean, it's been one monstrosity after another, from Dick Gephardt, the author of the legislation allowing Bush to invade Iraq, to wheeler-dealers like Terry McAuliffe. This week I got an invitation in the mail from the most unlikely of Democratic corporate shills sniffing around for cash: Cuomo's handpicked conservative, Kathy Hochul. I guess they don't google their guest list.

The invitation requested $19,700 per person for a reception for Hochul, the anti-immigrant, conservative bank lobbyist running for Lt. Governor as a typical EMILY's List conservative make-believe Democrat. No mention anywhere of her strong relationship with New York's Conservative Party... which Hochul discusses in the video up top. There are a few things you'd expect to see on such an invitation, and a few surprises.

It's not surprising that Hochul is raising money at the home of John Petry, a sleazy hedge fund crook who wants to destroy public education through his work with charter schools. That's Andrew Cuomo's policy too, of course. It's not surprising that Chuck Schumer, Charlie Rangel, Joe Crowley, and Carolyn Maloney are co-hosts. They are Wall Street Democrats, as corrupt and pay to play as you'd hope only Republicans would ever be.

But it is surprising that progressive Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler is a co-host for this event. Nadler? Jerry Nadler, the political heir to Upper West Side reform Dem icon Bill Ryan? Nadler, who is apparently the civil liberties champion of New York? Nadler the stalwart of the Progressive Caucus… that Nadler?

But this move is what Democrats need to see, to understand that their progressive leaders are frauds and hacks. Nadler, remember, pledged to vote against any health care plan that did not include a public option before doing just that. Nadler voted for the fraud of a USA Freedom Act which legalizes bulk surveillance. And now Nadler is raising money for Kathy Hochul, making the label "progressive" as valuable as the toilet paper used to wipe Andrew Cuomo's ass.

Nadler joins Bill De Blasio in the progressive fraud club. De Blasio, of course, is the disgraceful machine politician who captured the hearts of undiscerning establishment liberals by saying the kinds of things that made them want to do the heavy lifting of saying he's a progressive, something that has been repeated so many times that De Blasio's fake progressivism is now a political truism. He's backing Hochul as well… of course.

What matters is that Democratic voters see who is on their side when it matters. Zephyr Teachout's campaign is such a moment. After this is done, Nadler and De Blasio will return to their fake posture of pretending to want a more just social order. But today, we see who they really are. Today at 5:30 PM if you gave over $5,000 and were invited to the VIP reception and at 6:15 PM if all you gave was $2,500 or less... at the San Remo, 145 Central Park West, between 74th and 75th Streets… Apt 17C. Hosts include Victor and Sarah Kovner, Marie McKellar, Trudy Mason, John Zaccaro, the slum lord who ruined the vice-presidential campaign of his wife, Geraldine Ferraro and a bunch of random rich people from Buffalo. (Oops, it may be Zaccaro's son, the former coke dealer who's hosting Hochul's fundraiser. My bad.)

If you want to RSVP, call Wally at Dynamic SRG-- 212-531-2858-- a firm that bills itself as "a boutique fundraising firm comprised of experienced professionals who provide fundraising and strategic services for progressive candidates and organizations." Watch the Hochul video up top again.

Want another surprise? "Friends for Kathy Hochul" is listed with an address on Malcolm X Blvd. I'm sure that's just as Malcolm X would have wanted it.

If Cuomo Is The Next Governor Convicted On Corruption Charges After McDonnell, Would You Want Hochul Or Wu To Take Over?

Yes, this afternoon, a federal jury found Virginia's crooked former governor, Bob McDonnell guilty of 11 of the 13 charges against him-- all that public corruption stuff. The crooked wife was found guilty on 8 charges. They were selling the prerogatives of his office for a couple hundred thousand dollars in trinkets and vacations. McDonnell wept like the woman he will soon be behind bars as the guilty verdicts were read out one after the other. He won't be sentenced until January 6. This is not in defense of McDonnell, who deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison, but he isn't any worse than other gubernatorial criminals like Chris Christie (R-NJ), Rick Perry (R-TX), Scott Walker (R-WI), Andrew Cuomo, (D-NY), Nathan Deal (R-GA) and Rick Scott (R-FL). Maybe it's time to stop electing and, especially, reelecting crooked politicians-- even if they are from the political party you identify with.