Acknowledging the obvious on One Sunset
The Brown Administration has begun to fess up, at least in private, about at least some of the shenanigans its main economic development agency engaged in with regards to the funding and operation of the failed One Sunset restaurant.
Mayor Byron Brown's office on Tuesday forwarded its review of the agency's role to City Comptroller Andrew SanFilippo. But neither the mayor nor the comptroller would release the report, saying it should remain hush-hush until SanFilippo's office completes a larger audit of the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corp.
The report ought to made public and The News will file a request for it under the state Freedom of Information Law.
Sources told my colleague, Brian Meyer, that the review found fault with the actions of BERC veep Michelle Barron. Our story a week ago Sunday detailed her involvement, right down to the painting of bar stools.
At the same time, Brown, responding to a questions from Meyer, acknowledged Tuesday that he met with Stokes regarding the restaurant. Said it was no big deal, that he meets with "literally hundreds of people every week."
Well, maybe if you count all the people in a room when he gives a speech. But we know that Brown is a largely sheltered and isolated mayor, and I doubt a whole lot of people -- outside of his inner circle -- get a private sit-down with hizzoner during the course of a week. And I'll bet few, if any, aspiring restaurant owners get such an audience.
All this leads to a larger question -- what was the mayor's role in the city's decision to help fund and operate One Sunset?
The Brown Administration review --prepared by BERC attorney Divitta Alexander, who was not exactly cooperative when The News was conducting its investigation -- apparently limits culpability to Barron.
But, readers, you should be mindful that the mayor refused to discuss One Sunset when I called his office for an interview during the course of conducting our investigation. I explained to his spokesman that I had specific questions about the mayor's potential direct involvement in the city's decision to assist the restaurant.
The mayor flat-out refused to field questions.
In the course of writing this blog post, I left word with the mayor's spokesman that I still want that interview. Let's see how he responds.
Hardy Astrom, who writes for the "other" paper in town is all over the scandal that will be following One Sunset:
http://buffaloruse.com/2009/05/mayor-announces-citys-newest-investment/
Posted by: Frank Brutus | June 03, 2009 at 05:31 AM
Mayor Erkel meets with "literally hundreds of people every week."
That would only be people who are literally holding checks at his fundraisers.
Literally raising a million dollars to literally buy his next election.
In the meantime, he and his minions are literally robing the public blind!
FOLLOW-the-MONEY!
Posted by: Cover-Up | June 03, 2009 at 07:27 AM
Just remember, Brown owes over a million dollars in favors. Most of those favors to out of towners. He has given many Buffalo jobs to many out of towners. How about we decide to elect someone born and raised in Buffalo to represent Buffalo? What a novel idea. Brown will leave town leaving us with the after effects of his machinations. Is it possible that we, the Buffalo voters, have not yet learned that Mayor Brown is only interested in making more dollar driven connections that will benefit only himself? I have heard many stories about groups and individuals that have asked for a meeting with the Mayor and have been refused. Of course, these people were not able to donate thousands to his war chest. Hopefully, if we are smart, there will be a new Mayor in City Hall next year that will meet with the people that elected him. Another novel idea, opening up a City Hall communication with those who voted for you. Oh yes, I forgot, Mayor Brown really didn't run the last time, he was pretty much given his position. If we can all just keep in mind that only the Buffalo residents can vote. You don't have to be wealthy to vote, it is your right. Let's do it right this time. We have only ourselves to blame if we have to endure another four years of this "fearless, I'll never get caught, mentality" that this administration has been guilty of.
Posted by: Buffalo Born | June 03, 2009 at 08:21 AM
Has Barron been fired yet for meddling in someone else's business? For operating someone's business while on the public's dollar? For arranging small loans that are under the radar of good business sense?
Has Michelle Barron been fired yet?
Posted by: Lydia Bezou-Hojnacki | June 03, 2009 at 08:42 AM
The Brown "Regime" NEVER "fesses up" to anything until it is backed into a corner in front of all kinds of proof (or someone who shall remain nameless finally admits guilt). Does any one else remember when his SUV was "stolen"?????
Posted by: john | June 03, 2009 at 08:51 AM
Byron Brown obviously misheard Chris Collins' advice to "run government like a business" and thought Chris said "have government run a business".
Posted by: Brian | June 03, 2009 at 09:16 AM
How typically Buffalo.
Posted by: PaulS | June 03, 2009 at 09:20 AM
As usual, "reaction" to an issue instead of being pro-active. If it weren't for the News, there would be no problems (brought to light)at all in this regime. Any one who has ever tried to meet face to face with this buffoon knows it is easier to get a sitdown with Barry Obama.
Posted by: Silence Dogood | June 03, 2009 at 09:50 AM
LOOK when is the taxpayer going to see all politicians are crooked...as soon as they open their mouths out comes lies lies lies...look what we have in western ny,,,,area is the armpit of ny state....look at our area...
Posted by: frquarter | June 03, 2009 at 09:54 AM
It took living wage advocates representing thousands of church and union members two years to get a meeting with Brown, and it only happened after they erected a tent city in Niagara Square. Yet an unqualified businessman with his hand out gets a meeting with no problem? The One Sunset scandal starts at the top.
http://eagercolin.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/scapegoating-michelle-barron/
Posted by: Colin | June 03, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Brown is the epitome of the Gov't Apparatchik - he will say nothing until someone else in Gov't has "completed a study" or "filed a report."
It's a great way to push off responsibility!
Posted by: pgr88 | June 03, 2009 at 11:43 AM
I just went through the BERC minutes for all it's meetings since 2007.
If you are one who doesn't believe in coincidence you might find it interesting that, although Mayor Brown has a pretty good history of attendance. He is not at any meeting in which One Sunset is mentioned in the minutes.
There were 14 meetings beginning in 7/07 until 1/08. In 5 of those, One Sunset is mentioned. Brown isn't at a single one.
In 2008, Sunset is mentioned in the first three meetings. No Brown. One Sunset isn't mentioned again the remainder of the year and Brown is there for all but 2 of the meetings.
So we either have a person in charge who is simply derelict in his responsibilities (this will be spun as he didn't know) or we have someone who knew to lay low whenever Sunset was going to be on the docket.
http://www.berc.org/about_boardmeeting.php
Posted by: magicrat | June 03, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Why is Michelle Barron still employed. Better yet, given her lack of experience and education, why is she holding such a high level position in the Brown administration. This is a total outrage and Brown should be held accountable. Watch as he shakes, bakes and blames everyone else for this travesty. The bad news is that Buffalo taxpayers will once again elect this loser to office. You get what you deserve Buffalo!
Posted by: Gil | June 03, 2009 at 01:42 PM
So typical and met with a shrug from most of the public. Fire her already! And Brown's feable "reform" of BERC only because the One Sunset mess has daylighted is just a charade. Wake up.
Posted by: enoughalready | June 03, 2009 at 01:47 PM
Now we see why Buffalo is a joke: Its "leadership" is a joke, and has been for many, many years. The most famous thing that the city's most famous mayor said was "Grab a six-pack and stay in" when there was a big snowstorm. Now THAT's leadership.... groan....
And now we have Brown, who is an even bigger buffoon than Griffin was (because at least Griffin seemed to have a slight shred of intelligence). But let's face it, his "brothers" will probably re-elect him. And let's note the skin colors of Barron and Stokes: people tend to help people of their own kind. (This is why Barron will not be fired unless it is absolutely, 110 percent necessary.) And if saying that makes me a racist, then I'm a racist.
Posted by: Matt | June 03, 2009 at 02:52 PM
Just a thought, because no one really knows what occurred... How can you fire someone who may have been put in the position of satisfying your request?
Posted by: Just wondering | June 03, 2009 at 03:51 PM
The racial angle is bogus. There are plenty of black businesspeople who don't get this sort of treatment from the Brown administration. Stokes didn't get preferential treatment because the mayor is black, just as Griffin's cronies didn't get the same kind of treatment because they were white. The issue is cronyism, not race. The issue that remains is to figure out the connection between Stokes, Brown, Barron, Davis, et al.
http://eagercolin.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/scapegoating-michelle-barron/
Posted by: Colin | June 03, 2009 at 03:52 PM
hey Colin --- maybe some of them are in-laws of each other. NOT!!!
Posted by: Rumor Inventer | June 03, 2009 at 04:31 PM
This is outright criminal to use $160,000 of taxpayer's money with no accountability. This should be a Federal Investigation.
SanFilippo if you can't come to the same conclusion as the rest of us, maybe you should go too.
This money has to be paid back by Barron, Davis, Brown and anyone else who as gov't officials and even that lazy so called owner..
These people are all frauds to take from the hardworking people that support these scumbags that cheat the system.
Posted by: Maria | June 03, 2009 at 05:09 PM
Yep! Get that money back from One Sunset and put it where it rightfully belongs --- in the bank account of Chef's Restaurant!
http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=67222&catid=13
Posted by: True or False? | June 03, 2009 at 05:56 PM
I tried to meet with His Honor more than once when I set up my medical office in the poorest part of town. Never even got a return call. When I asked for Enterprise Zone status, I was laughed out of that office. As far as BERC goes, it is obivously a sham. Go away Mayor Brown. You have done nothing for the East side or the West side and care only about your own aggrandizement and re-election (and the waterfront, to the extent it advances same). Turns out the toadies around you couldn't care less either. If I want out of this stinkhole it is for no other reason than that the so-called city leadership is nothing but a bunch of self-interested, self-important bombasts who couldn't tell you right from wrong if their lives depended on it. You wanna know what Buffalo's problem is? The sycophants and ethically challenged robots running City Hall. It's time for new leadership and sunshine on all the rotting mess made by this so-called administration.
Posted by: BuffaloDoc | June 03, 2009 at 06:53 PM
Stokes is the son of George E. Stokes, Vice Chair of the Democratic party. Brown and the leadership of the Grassroots political organization demanded that he be appointed to this leadership position. He serves as "the eyes and ears" to Brown within the executive committee of the party. This was a qui pro quo and Brown (not Barron) should be prosecuted.
Posted by: speaktruthtopower | June 03, 2009 at 08:14 PM
Inventer,
Thanks for reading my blog!
Yup, I heard from a reliable source that Stokes was Crystal Peoples' son-in-law. Turns out not to be the case. Oh well. I'll keep passing along interesting tidbits that I hear, and if they turn out to be false, I'll update the story to let people know I got it wrong. Like I did here:
http://eagercolin.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/leonard-stokes-grassroots-connection/
Posted by: Colin | June 03, 2009 at 08:22 PM
So a kid from Traditional...who played ball at U Cincinnati...becomes to Buffalo what Michael Jordan is to Chicago? Hunh?
Hey! If MJ can open a restaurant, so can Leonard Stokes!
But...but....I am only MJ in my dreams....and I never had HIS millions...so what do I do? I mean, I'm Leonard Stokes! Hoop dreams! Nice guy! Hmmm...Stokes looks left...hmmmm...Stokes looks right...he fakes, he scores! $160K off the public teat!! YES!!!!!
I don't blame Leonard...I really don't...he's a kid and a kid with a dream....restauranting is a tough business...ask anyone in it...read Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential...
The crime here is Brown, BERC, Wannamaker, Barron...and all the other look the other way and skirt the rules "We're in power now" phonies who spend OUR money BECAUSE THEY CAN!!! We Let them! And Why not? Look at Paterson! Look at Obama! He bought us a bankrupt car company!
Power to the people, power to the people....power to the people RIGHT ON!
I sure could use a stimulus right now....
Posted by: Jimbuffalo | June 03, 2009 at 09:14 PM
speaktruthtopower,
Given Stokes is Leonard Stokes Jr., I think the George Stokes connection may be a bit premature.
Posted by: magicrat | June 03, 2009 at 10:12 PM