Jenna Portnoy, of the Star-Ledger, explains how David Samson's business interests overlap with work at Port Authority. Portnoy explores the tangled web of Port Authority Chairmen David Samson's financial interests, revealing numerous cases of his clients receiving tens of millions of dollars of contracts from Port Authority. For example:
In the three years since Samson took over at the bistate agency, the Paterson-based Railroad Construction Company Inc. has received nearly $16 million in work on projects ranging from the World Trade Center to the Hackensack River Bridge, according to a Star-Ledger review of meeting minutes and contracts listed on the Port Authority’s website. ...Since (Samson) became chairman of the Port Authority, his firm has made at least $8.4 million from its contract work with the state and authorities, and its lobbying work grew to more than $1 million a year, according to latest records.
Portnoy documents that two attorneys from Wolff & Samson are defending the co-owner, Alfonso Daloisio, in a civil case set for trial in September, showing a pattern in which Samson "represents clients on one hand and on the other votes in his role as chairman of the Port Authority on matters that benefit them."
Also, minutes from the June 26, 2013, meeting show Samson voted to retain Railroad Construction Company Inc. and nine other companies to be ready to work “on an as-needed basis throughout the World Trade Center site” for five years. The payments are expected to range from $25,000 to $5 million each time the company is called upon to work, with the entire payout for all the projects costing up to $50 million. ... Alfonso Daloisio Jr., who runs Railroad Construction Company Inc., said through his company’s attorney that he has never met or spoken to Samson.
Even though many more important paragraphs describing major conflict of interest call out to be highlighted, you will have to read the original to see them because I can not resist the unintended humor of this quote by the other Daloisio brother, who owns the other have of the Railroad Construction Company Inc., it is such a gem.
Jim Daloisio, the other brother, is shocked, truly shocked to discover these potential irregularities by his brother in the firm in which he own 50% stake, and from which he has been receiving half the profits.
“We at Railroad Construction Company of South Jersey Inc. have always conducted our business above board and within the law,” Jim Daloisio said in an interview. “I am extremely troubled to learn that the company which I own 50 percent of and which is run by my brother may have improperly benefited from conflicts of interest.”
Honest to goodness folks, I am not making this up. Volunteer writing doesn't get any better than his for me. Even though I'm cramped in a corner of an International House of Pancakes, in SW Florida, on an unprotected network, and have struggled for hours to get on Daily Kos, which is experiencing technical difficulty, and my significant other is acting like a .... "unique and charming individual used to getting her way in all matters," this quote still makes this one of the happiest writing days of the month for me.
But, this uses up my fair use paragraphs so I can only remind folks in summary that Samson represented the Rockefeller Group whose proposed project in Hoboken played a role in the alleged pressures Lt. Governor Kim Guardagno put on Mayor Dawn Zimmer.
Other apparent conflicts of interest involving David Samson include his vote for the $256 million reconstruction of the Harrison Path station after one of his clients proposed building luxury apartments nearby on land that was a run down warehouse. This article contains more and is worth at careful read and is chock full new revelations, if you are a fellow Christie-gate addict..
Patrick Murray, from Monmouth University described one advantage of the unpaid commissioner positions is that they "escape the scrutiny" that elected officials get, and says “this is a way to get your business and associates a leg up on big contracts, ... do a favor for somebody and they’ll do a favor for you down the line.”
I like this idea. OK Kossacks, "you do a favor for me, and rec my posts, and follow my writings, and I'll do a favor for you?" "What you say? I already owe you a favor?" Well, alright. Please don't bust my kneecaps.
By the way, I do greatly appreciate all the support, recs, tips, comments, and emails from all of you over the last nine and half years. I just rolled up to the first page on under the people menu, under total recs, and have been there a while on total posts, and have just 30 new followers to go to make it to he first page of that one. I know this sounds silly, and is not anywhere near the glory of the "front-pagers." But, when I tell my 81 old mother I'm finally a "first-pager" at Daily Kos, after nine years, it makes her very happy, and she has called her little sister to brag on me.
So cheers from your faithful, and happy HoundDog in Florida where we are looking for a new house in a less expensive part of the country. Please forgive me if this post is a little choppy as I can't really "see" it in my minds eye, or regular eyes on this little screen, past he pancakes, and while dealing with dozens of IHOP distractions, and a girlfriend who ... is worth the challenge.