Campaign shenanigans at City Hall

I've got a story running today that provides a glimpse into how Byron Brown and Steve Casey are leaning on the City Hall work force to work on the mayor's re-election campaign.

But before I get into the details, I want to ask city workers to contact me with any information they can provide how how the game is being played. I'm hearing all kinds of hair-raising stuff, but it's hard to differentiate the beef from the baloney. I need more intelligence.

Please send me an e-mail at jheaney@buffnews.com, but do it from your private account. Please provide details and a cell or home phone number. I will treat your e-mail in the strictest of confidence;  I haven't burned a source in 35 years and am not about to do so now.

Back to the story: Tanya Perrin-Johnson, who Brown appointed commissioner of community services when he took office in 2006, has sent out a series of e-mails to about 20 members of her staff making it clear that she expects them to work on the mayor's re-election campaign.

Here's what she sent on June 2:

Subject: Volunteer opportunities to Re-elect Mayor Byron W. Brown  

Community Services Team:  

I sent an email regarding volunteer opportunities to assist in the re-election of Mayor Byron W. Brown on Monday and this is a follow-up with updated information.

This week, your help is needed at the campaign headquarters from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Wednesday-Friday.

Again, select either Saturday or Sunday for a 4 hour block to volunteer your time.

Please make sure you sign in and that you work until 9:00 pm during the week and minimally 4 hours on the weekend. Your services are needed minimally 8 hours per week.

"Campaign hours on the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) are from 10:00 am - 9 pm.

Next week, Tuesday, June 9th, everyone is expected to be at the Headquarters after work ; a 4:00 pm, 4:30 pm or 5 pm until 9 pm. This is a busy day as it is the first official day for petitions. There is a lot of work to be done and your help is needed.

From that point on, Community Services team will be at Headquarters on Tuesday until 9:00 pm where you will receive your assignment. If you are unable to volunteer on that Tuesday or a weekend, please notify myself and Dana Bobinchek at the email above and accommodations will be made for you to make up the time during the week.

Due to the importance and volume of activity, it is important that that we all contribute to the re-election of Mayor Byron W. Brown. Also, recruit friends and family to assist.

Please respond that you have received this e-mail. Let me know the days and times you will work this week. If I don't hear from you by Wednesday, I will contact you.

Thanks. Tanya

Not much left to read between the lines, huh? I mean, if you get that e-mail from your boss, you're showing up to do campaign work, right?

As Blair Horner of NYPRIG put it, the e-mails are indicative of "an inherently coercive relationship between employer and employee, supervisor and subordinate."

PS: "If it's not illegal, it should be."
 
Perrin-Johnson didn't' stop with that e-mail, but has followed up with a number of other ditties, which I detail in my story.

Long story short, this is a no-no under the city charter, and perhaps under the city ethics code.

Yes, you can lean on appointees who serve at the pleasure of the mayor, and some of those receiving the e-mails fit that category. But you have to leave the rank and file alone, and they, too, have been targeted.

What I find surprising isn't that the Brown people are putting the arm to employees, but that they're sloppy enough to put it in writing.

And the mayor's crew can't claim this is one commissioner who is operating off the reservation, not when Dana Bobinchek, one of the mayor's top aides, is copied on the e-mails.

Again, no surprise.

Keep in mind that Casey and Bobinchek were on Brown's Senate payroll back in 2005 during the mayoral campaign. Casey, in particular, worked day and night on the campaign while claiming to also put in an honest day's work in the Senate job.

We are now to believe that he's sticking to his duties as deputy mayor 9 to 5. Not that he's willing to talk about it.

Others are talking, however. Among what I'm hearing is that Casey and Steve Pigeon are keeping hours at campaign HQ on nights and weekends, when the King of Coups isn't in Albany advising Pedro Espada.

 

Comments

[john]

These politicians are so entrenched in the "scum" that they can't see the SCUM! They stand there and say that there is no threat in the emails. Anyone with half a brain can SEE CLEARLY the threat!!!!! Within the month this house will BE for sale. I will be SO HAPPY to finally be out of this totally hopeless city!!!!!!!!!!

[kearns supporter]

We've had people who wouldn't sign a petition for Mickey Kearns for Mayor because they thought that their children and/or other relatives working for the City would be retaliated against.

[Rob]

This is sad. Not because we all suddenly found out Byron Brown is corrupt as all hell, we knew that. It's sad because he is either so ignorant or incompetent that he can't even hide his corruption properly.

I mean, come on, how does he expect to buy his way into the next level of political office with these obvious shenanigans? I'll bet you Byron will be wearing a number inside of 5 years.

The sad thing is Brown will end up playing racial politics and win re-election while the city continues to crumble.

[Undecided Voter]

It seems that Albany isn't the only place for the lowlifes. Tanya Perrin-Johnson NEEDS TO BE FIRED IMMEDIATELY. Dana Bobinchek NEEDS TO BE FIRED IMMEDIATELY. This type of BS is immoral and illegal and just the actions of a corrupt administration that has done nothing for this City. DO NOT VOTE FOR BROWN!

[farnham]

SO, email were sent from private accounts during lucnh hours. Better than that Americorp guy a few years back for Rivera. When I was at the Hall during both Griffina and Masiello we had to give up our cash to thier campaign chests and still volunteer. Nothing has changed.

[Buffalo Libertarian]

Are we sure Brown and his cronies aren't from Chicago?

[Dave]

No one at City Hall thinks this is wrong....why is anyone suprised. When the words "everyone is expected" are used sounds like everyone will show up or else. What a joke. Unfortunately this empty suit will win in a landslide.

[rastamick]

Jim, this is the kind of writing that makes kids in school want to be journalists. Thanks for staying on these people and shining the light where nobody wants it. Kearns' chances are growing by the hour if you ask me.

[frquarter]

this is why the area is what it is.....corrupt politicians,,,anything to get elected by breaking the rules...apparently she must feel he is going to lose and she is going to lose her job..after this email ..the maytor should fire her ,,,but as usual he will find an excuse and probably hire someone to help her learn the rules...typical democRATS

[joan]

I have two friends in South Buffalo who are city workers and felt that had to "volunteer" by carrying petitions or they were pay for it at their jobs. One guy didn't and was denied vacation time he gets every year to work with youth sports.

[enoughalready]

Wake up Buffalo- Vote out Casey and empty suit Brown! And wake up City Hall employees- don't show and if there is a price to pay, sue their arses for all you can!!! And yes, how dumb can you be to put the strong-arming in writing! This crew has no shame, no ethics and no fear.

[liferocks]

What do we expect from a puppet government that takes its cues from Steve Pigeon.? I understand that city employees are shaken down for money during work hours and the checks are kept in the citistat office in plain view. I wonder if Casey likes to roll around naked and let the money cover his body? It would make sense.

[Dan]

I share the sentiments of "Undecided Voter." They both need to be kicked out on their cans like YESTERDAY! Absolutely that is coercement. They didn't have to come out and threaten anyone's jobs, it's all there in between the lines. Do they think everyone is that stupid? Get rid of 'em and their inflated salaries.

[Colin]

Why is it that we let this kind of behavior by a boss go on when similar "suggestions" to employees about sex would bring a lawsuit and a pink slip?

http://eagercolin.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/getting-drafted-into-byron-browns-volunteer-army/

[Gil]

Let's face it the stuffed suit and his general Steve Casey will be back in office after January 1. Buffalo thrives on patronage and using tax dollars for personal gain. Until residents in the city wake up things will never change. Too many people in the city have their hand in the cooking jar. The comments from Cutler are typical of the Brown administration. Someone has to be an idiot not to see Tanya Perrin Johnson's comments as a directive. Perrin Johnson should be removed immediately.

[liferocks]

I wonder if this attitude of skirting the rules and exploiting people is what lead to the death at the Web Building ,the Syaed Ali scandal, the One Sunset debacle and the misuse of anti poverty HUD money by Casey and Brown? Corrupt practices, shaken downs, pay to play and intimidation seem to be the order of the day. Remember when they rolled out the city hall employees names and salaries claiming to be advocates of transparency? What a joke considering they are secretly using employees as indentured servants? Notice of how they tout citistat as a tool of open government? Another joke. The Kremlin is more open. How can they claim they serve the people when political tolls like Dana Bobinchek and Peter Savage who report directly to Casey and Brown act like the gestapo snooping around the shadows of city hall looking for traitors. I guess that makes Casey like Himmler.. Good job Jim. more must come out to change the way business is done.

[liferocks]

I have just read Colin’s post and the link he left. I encourage everyone to read it. It just reinforces what I heard about citistat office being used as a money raising operation during work hours. I suggest everyone read the above link.

[Lydia Bezou-Hojnacki]

Totally outrageous!!! And one is reminded to "sign in" for voluntary work.

The e-mail should have read,

"Now that campaigning for the mayoral election is underway, we remind you that political activity is prohibited during your work hours. We wish your favorite candidate every success, should you choose to be involved after work hours to contribute to campaign activities.

For your information, the candidates and their campaign headquarters telephone numbers are given below. An informed citizen is a pillar of Democracy.

The candidates:

La de da, 555-1234

Ta da, 555-4321

Tra lalala, 555-2143

Thank you for your interest in citizen participation."

"In God we trust;" all others, "Don't tread on me."

Are these people in City Hall so naive?

[Dan]

"Hope you're all enjoying your lunch." Priceless.

[Gail Marciano]

It is totally illegal to use government equipment,and sell political tickets on government time... PERIOD.

The problem here is the DA that is suppose to prosecute.. will look the other way because he got Brown's support.

[Jack Saviola]

What the Mayor MUST do is prohibit ALL city employees from working on his campaign. This is the only way to be sure to avoid even the appearence of impropriety. If BB is as popular as he and his minions claim, this should not be a problem.
Come on Byron, put your popularity where your mouth is!!!
I dare 'ya!

[Dick Kern]

This culture of anything-goes is deeply entrenched in City Hall.

You will recall that Steve Casey was paid by the NYS Senate to run Byron's last campaign, as he blatantly parked illegally downtown adjacent to Byron's campaign office.

Equally distressing is the shenagans in Comptroller SanFilippo's office, where top aide Tony Farina has long served as In-House-Campaign-Manager-in-Waiting, doing little else (except historically writing a sports column as 'Niagara County Correspondent'for "IlluzziLetter") between elections.

Farina has long not even lived in Erie County, nor voted in Bflo since I exposed his series of fake illegal city residences in 2001.

Now Farina claims to live at 79 Sterling in N Bflo which he has been using as his voting address since 9/07.

It is a shabby two-family house where Farina may once again not rreally live, but I dare not ask any questions.

SanFilippo threatened to have me arrested for asking to speak to Farina in his office when I traveled thru Bflo on my way to a 50th HS reunion in PA in 9/07.

Ethics & accountability in Bflo City Hall are elusive!

[The ghost of Jerry Korab]

Sounds like a great opportunity for an "internal" investigation.

[Maxine]

Somebody showed up at my house in N. Bflo wanting me to sign a petition endorsing Brown for mayor. I gave them an earful on why he will not be getting my vote. I wish I'd known about that at that time, I would have asked them if they were city hall employees.

[Warren]

It is corrupt. It's also inept.

These are the twin trademarks of the Brown administration. The CitiStat expert Deputy Mayor departed because they turned CitiStat into a 4 year long political TV commercial.

The Commissioner of Finance was surprised to read in the News that overtime was out of control, and promised to get to the bottom of it.

The latest Deputy Mayor spent months determining that someone needed to figure out what to do about poverty, then named a committee headed by Nathan Hare, head of the CAO, that has received boatloads of money to address poverty, to lead that "effort".

The CAO's Board President, Brian Davis, played venture capitalist with poverty funds to help out a friend of Crystal Peoples get his restaurant off the ground.

Janet Penska was an Albany lobbyist. Now she's the Commissioner of Finance. Maurice Garner was the head of the CAO, now he's an Albany lobbyist. Nathan Hare was the head of the Erie County Juvenile Detention Facility, which had to be closed and reconstructed after his mismanagement. Now he's the head of the CAO.

One of the reasons that the rumor about Byron Brown's "imminent indictment" (that was debunked in the News some months ago) spread like wildfire throughout City Hall and the community, is the fact that it was so plausible.

Now the Commissioner of Human Services sends marching orders to City employees to work for the campaign, and the Mayor's spokesman says "no problem".

Where is the D.A.???