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June 1,2011 , U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security allocation of 2011 homeland security grant funding:

“As Chairman, I am grateful that, despite a 20 percent cut by Congress in homeland security grant funding, Secretary Janet Napolitano has allocated the New York City-Long Island region the exact amount of funding that we received last year in the most important categories. Today’s allocations in this difficult fiscal climate reflect my strong belief and Secretary Napolitano’s recognition that New York and Long Island remain the top target of al Qaeda and its affiliates and need continued federal funding."

“While some lower risk cities saw complete elimination of their funding through UASI, the most critical of the grant programs for New York, the NYC area’s allocation remains unchanged. In the programs where New York did see a reduction, that reduction was the smallest of any of the highest risk areas.”

Note: Under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), funding for New York City and Long Island remains steady. In 2011, DHS is slated to provide the region with $151.5 million, the same amount as in 2010. The overall amount available for UASI allocation is 20.4% less than last year. In today’s allocation announcement, DHS reduced the number of UASI jurisdictions from 64 to 31, a reflection of the need to target limited homeland security funding to the most high-risk areas.

Under the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), DHS will provide the NYC area with $30.1 million, which represents a 10.8% ($3.6 million) reduction from last year. The overall amount available for PSGP allocation is 18.4% less than last year.

Under the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP), DHS plans to provide New York State with $91.1 million, which represents a 19.7% ($22.3 million) reduction from last year’s funding of $113.5 million. The overall amount available for SHSGP allocation is 37.4% less than last year.

All across the nation, in over 800 locales, Americans concerned with the nation's burgeoning budget staged "Taxed Enough Already" (T.E.A.) Parties to protest frivolous expenditures.  On Friday, April 17, 2009 Massapequans did their part, holding a Tea Party on Sunrise Highway.

(Bethpage, NY, November 4, 2008) – King Kullen Grocery Co., Inc. and its subsidiary, Wild by Nature, have joined with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help protect the environment.  The earth-friendly initiative is EPA’s GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership — a voluntary program to promote green technologies, strategies, and practices that protect the stratospheric ozone layer, reduce greenhouse gases, and save money.

“King Kullen and Wild by Nature have pledged to go above and beyond existing regulatory requirements to help protect the environment,” explained Cindy Newberg, Branch Chief in the EPA’s Stratospheric Protection Division.  “Both companies are in the process of establishing an inventory of current refrigerant emissions that affect climate change and the stratospheric ozone layer, and setting reduction targets for these emissions.  King Kullen and Wild by Nature should be commended for taking this major step towards reducing ozone-depleting refrigerant charges and minimizing refrigerant leaks.”

         Participate in an industry/government research initiative to assess the performance of advanced technologies.

“At King Kullen and Wild by Nature, we have long recognized our responsibility to protecting the environment, primarily through our highly successful in-store recycling programs,” explained King Kullen Vice President Thomas K. Cullen.  “Working with the EPA’s GreenChill Partnership is the next step to reducing our carbon footprint.  We look forward to introducing ozone-friendly refrigeration alternatives and advanced refrigeration technologies throughout our stores.”

According to the EPA, GreenChill partners in the food retail business have refrigerant emissions rates nearly 50 percent lower than the EPA-estimated industry average. These partners are responsible for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from refrigerants totaling 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide — equivalent to the annual emissions of 500,000 cars.

On August 12, 2008, Representative Peter King (R-NY), Ranking Member on the House Homeland Security Committee, and New York Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, warned that current restrictions on access to highly enriched uranium (HEU) are too lax and could potentially lead to terrorists acquiring the potentially lethal material. There are seven civilian facilities across the country that continue to use HEU even though safer alternative materials exist.

King and Cuomo called on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to ban the civilian use of HEU. These restrictions would decrease access to HEU in order to keep it out of terrorists' hands and reduce the risk of a nuclear terrorist attack. King and Cuomo issued a statement to the NRC urging the federal agency to promptly ban civilian use of HEU.  

"A nuclear attack on New York would be catastrophic," said Rep. King. "This ban will add another layer of protection to prevent terrorists from obtaining the dangerous materials needed to bring harm to Americans. A ban on HEU is a strong step forward in increasing our national security and preventing a nuclear terrorist attack."

“It’s absurd that the NRC has continued to drag its feet when it comes to banning this highly radioactive material,” said Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. “Plain and simple, banning highly enriched uranium for civilian use will remove another potential lethal weapon from the terrorists’ hands.”

Currently, there are seven civilian facilities across the nation that still utilizes HEU, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). While four of the facilities are already in the process of phasing out the usage of HEU, three facilities have made no commitment to eliminating the use of the potentially dangerous material. These include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Nuclear Research Reactor, the Heavy Water Test Reactor at the National Institute of Standards in Maryland, and the Missouri University Research Reactor. The ban does not apply to military facilities.

King and Cuomo warned that terrorists could potentially gain access to the material and transport it to New York City, one of the nation’s top terrorist targets. They also noted that all three facilities have the ability to use safer alternatives to HEU.

The petition sent to the NRC by the Natural Resources Defense Council seeks to ban HEU by establishing a date after which HEU can no longer be licensed for civil use, except on a very limited case-by-case basis.

This ban would be a proactive step towards increasing domestic security, as well as send a clear message to international community. The U.S. Department of Energy has international programs to take back HEU that the U.S. sent to countries in past years.  A U.S. ban on HEU would set a precedent for other countries to follow and facilitate the returns.

New York State currently has six nuclear power plants and one research reactor, none of which use HEU to produce energy or conduct scientific research. Instead, these reactors use lower enriched uranium which is a much safer alternative. A ban on HEU for civil use will have no effect on the amount of electricity produced through nuclear energy.

Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, from Illinois also signed on to the letter.

NEW YORK, NY (May 29, 2008) – Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that he has reached a settlement with Premier Exhibitions ("Premier") (NYSE: PRXI), the developer of the "Bodies" exhibitions, that brings an end to Premier’s practice of using bodies of undocumented origins in their exhibitions. As a result of the settlement, Premier must now obtain documentation demonstrating the cause of death and origins of the cadavers and body parts it displays as well as proof that the decedent consented to the use of his or her remains in such a manner. In addition, all prior visitors to the New York City Bodies exhibit are eligible for a refund of the price of their ticket.

Premier operates the popular "Bodies" exhibitions which display human bodies and body parts. Bodies exhibitions are open at locations around the world, including New York City’s South Street Seaport.   Currently, all of the bodies on display were citizens or residents of China. Advocacy groups and media reports have alleged that some of the bodies on exhibit were Chinese prisoners who were executed. Although Premier previously maintained that the allegations were without basis, an investigation by Attorney General Cuomo showed that the company was unable to demonstrate the cause of death or the origin of the decedents.

"The grim reality is that Premier Exhibitions has profited from displaying the remains of individuals who may have been tortured and executed in China," said Attorney General Cuomo. "Despite repeated denials, we now know that Premier itself cannot demonstrate the circumstances that led to the death of the individuals. Nor is Premier able to establish that these people consented to their remains being used in this manner. Respect for the dead and respect for the public requires that Premier do more than simply assure us that there is no reason for concern. This settlement is a start."

Under the Attorney General’s settlement:

● Going forward, before displaying a body as part of any New York exhibit, Premier must obtain written documentation demonstrating the source of each body and body part, the cause of death, and the decedent’s consent to the use of his or her body.

● Premier will provide full ticket refunds to all customers who can establish that they attended the New York exhibition and who represent that they would not have done so if they had known of the questionable origins of the bodies and parts on display. Premier will place $50,000 in escrow for this purpose.

● Premier will retain an independent monitor, at its own expense and for a term of 2 years, who will ensure that the terms of the settlement are followed. The monitor will also oversee the refund process.

● In the event that Premier continues to display human remains in New York that were obtained before the Attorney General’s settlement, Premier will clearly disclose on its website, in the entrances of any New York exhibitions, and in its advertising that it is not able to confirm that the bodies and parts being displayed were not, or did not belong to, Chinese prisoners who may have been victims of torture and execution.

Kirk Donahoe, Assistant Director of the Laogai Research Foundation, said, "We applaud Attorney General Cuomo’s resolution of this matter. This investigation has shed light on how certain U.S. exhibitions profited from the execution of Chinese prisoners. Because of this settlement, it is now less likely that Premier and its competitors will obtain specimens from China for display not just in New York, but anywhere in the United States. We call upon other law enforcement authorities to take similar action in other states and to help to bring these abuses to an end." The Laogai Research Foundation is a non-profit organization that gathers information on China’s extensive system of forced labor camps and documents systemic human rights violations in China.

The bodies and parts currently on display in New York are licensed to Premier by the Dalien Hoffen Bio Technique Company Limited ("DHBTC"). DHBTC acquired the bodies indirectly from the Chinese Bureau of Police, which deemed them unclaimed at death. The bodies were put through a process called "plastination," in which a cadaver is stripped of its skin, dissected to show a part of the internal anatomy and infused with plastic that is then hardened.

Premier has already acknowledged that the bodies on display in the New York exhibit were unclaimed at death and that there was no documentation of the decedents’ consent to the display of their remains in this manner.  The Bodies exhibit is currently at New York City’s South Street Seaport. That exhibition contains 20 full body cadavers and over 200 human parts, organs, fetuses, and embryos in various stages of development. Premier cooperated with the Office of the Attorney General throughout this inquiry.   This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Karen Geduldig, under the supervision of Special Deputy Chief of Staff Mitra Hormozi.

Bright Pages to refund up to $3 million to defrauded customers, reform business practices and pay $150,000 penalty

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 12, 2008) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a settlement agreement with a national online directory service for defrauding thousands of small businesses and not-for-profits across New York state and the nation.

Under the terms of the court-ordered settlement, the company will pay a $150,000 penalty and up to $3 million in restitution to defrauded customers.

The agreement settles a lawsuit filed by the Attorney General’s Office in February charging Bright Pages L.L.C. and its principals with mailing false and misleading solicitations to small businesses, individual practitioners and charitable groups. The mailings, which included the familiar "walking fingers" logo, appeared to be from the local Yellow Pages phone directory seeking to verify existing advertising accounts. Instead, they were order forms to buy a listing on Bright Pages’ online directory.

"Today’s agreement sends a strong message about the consequences of deceptive sales practices in New York State," said Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. "This company disregarded good business ethics and truthful marketing to line its pockets at the expense of unsuspecting small businesses and charities. These practices will not be tolerated."

Tens of thousands of companies and customers around the country and New York State were deceived into ordering services they did not want or intend to purchase at rates of $77 per month or $231 every quarter.

Many were unaware of the deception and others who discovered the fraud encountered problems when they attempted to cancel and get refunds.

Under the terms of the settlement, Bright Pages will refund all customers it deceived during the entire period of time the company has conducted business, from November 1, 2006 - April 30, 2008. The company has also agreed that all future solicitations will clearly disclose the services it is selling and will honor all future requests for refunds and/or cancellations.

"Bright Pages has finally seen the light," said Ronald J. Verrochio, Postal Inspector in Charge, New York Division. "We will not tolerate the use of the US Mail to facilitate schemes such as this one that bilked honest, hard working Americans out of thousands of dollars.

With this settlement, orchestrated so swiftly by the New York State Attorney General's Office, we will soon be able to tell the victims their claim forms for refunds are in the mail."

The Attorney General’s investigation, triggered by numerous complaints from the United States Postal Inspector’s Office and the Better Business Bureau, found that solicitations from Bright Pages clearly displayed the words "YELLOW PAGES" in bold capital letters next to the familiar "walking fingers" logo and falsely implied that the local Yellow Pages phone directory was merely requesting verification of the recipient’s existing account. In reality, the solicitations were order forms for listings with Bright Pages, which is not affiliated with any telephone company and does not publish print directories. The Bright Pages’ name and references to its online directory appeared only in the footnotes and buried in the terms on the reverse page.

Under the terms of the settlement, Bright Pages will retain an independent third party as settlement administrator for the Attorney General to process claim forms and refunds. The settlement administrator will be mailing claim forms to all customers within an enclosed return envelope. In order to obtain refunds, all completed claim forms must be filed within 35 days of date of mailing.

Bright Pages, L.L.C, is located at 20 Warren Street, 2nd Floor, New York. The company’s principals, Michael L. Smith and Shannon Courtney Mabry are residents of Florida.

The case was handled by Deputy Bureau Chief Melissa Saren and Bureau Chief Joy Feigenbaum of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection.

Mejias Issues Challenge:

Eliminate Healthcare Disparities

April 1, 2008

"I am in receipt of a letter from Governor Paterson requesting that I conduct an investigation of the State Police. I accept the Governor’s direction. I applaud Governor Paterson for his leadership and commitment to integrity in government and in the State Police specifically.

Combining politics and police work is a toxic brew. Any questions about political interference within the State Police are a serious concern. Our investigation will determine whether or not this has occurred within the State Police, and if so to what extent. 

We will be purposeful and thorough in undertaking this inquiry. I will assemble a team dedicated to this effort and will update the Governor on our progress periodically. We will follow the facts wherever they lead and we will get to the truth of the matter.

Public integrity has been a priority of my office and we will continue our efforts to restore New Yorkers’ trust in their government."

            “Fair Share!  Fair Share!” cried the crowd, antagonized by Governor Spitzer’s proposed budget, at the Saturday, March 1, 2008 Education and Taxpayer Rally.  Signs waving, fists pumping the air and outburts of support permeated the bitter cold as Long Island’s Senate Majority Delegation and other community leaders incited Long Islanders to protect their schools.

            Governor Spitzer’s proposed education budget drastically cuts Long Island schools’ funding.  Seventeen percent of New York State’s children are enrolled in Long Island schools, but only 8.2% of the proposed increase is targeted for Long Island schools.  Of the 77 schools in New York State that would suffer budget cuts in the Governor’s plan, 44 are located on Long Island, and ten lower-wealth schools on Long Island, 73,000 students, would be cut down to only minimum funding.  All this, while 39% of state school aid is targeted for New York City schools.  “We are not a borough of New York City, as they think!” announced speakers at the rally.  These devastations to the Long Island standard come only a few months after Spitzer’s promise of dependability and a $1.25 billion increase.  However, decreases by $18.4 million in BOCES and $8.7 million in Supplemental Excess Cost Aid will instead dump onto the taxpayers the burden of maintaining Long Island public schools.

            Long Islanders refuse to be subjected to this unfair and irresponsible management of their schools.  Numbering in the hundreds, the people of Long Island came out in busloads to cry out to Governor Spitzer “We will not stand for this!”  Just as last year, Long Islanders stood up to defend their schools and win back what the Governor is taking from them.  The animated crowd clutched signs addressed to Spitzer, “Don’t Cut Long Island School Aid!” “Fair Share For Long Island Schools!”  “All Long Islanders will stand united behind our

legislative delegation to demand fairness for Long Island, for its children, and for its taxpayers.  The rally today is only the beginning of our fight,” said Matt Crosson, President of the Long Island Association.  
            Beyond battling Governor Spitzer’s budget cuts, the Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC) and the Alliance for Quality Education were present at the Rally to promote equal distribution of the Long Island budget, whether cut or not, among schools.  Claiming, “The Senators have their priorities backwards,” Michael Mitchell, Lead Organizer with LIPC, stressed the need to provide greater funding to schools where resources are inadequate.  School districts such as Brentwood, Hempstead and Central Islip, under the current budget, do not receive the needed money to educate their students to the level of richer districts.  “Under the guise of fighting for all of Long Island, they are fighting to lock in a system where [these districts] will never catch up,” said Mitchell.  High-need districts are hurt most by the budget cuts being fought by the Senators, and parents in these schools feel the Rally is not focused enough on education, but on politics.  “Most people here today do not understand that these Senators are doing next to nothing for the kids with the greatest needs,” said Silvia Ayala, a Brentwood parent.  Only 6% of the recommended increases will go toward the schools with the highest necessitaty for funding, while 49% will go to average-need schools, and 44% to those with low need.  While the ralliers’ first concern is fairness in aid distribution through New York State, LIPC urges politicians and citizens alike to focus on fairness within Long Island as well.

            “This rally [was] an opportunity for the entire community…to join together and fight the Governor’s cuts to our schools,” said Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr.  Together, political leaders, community leaders, students and taxpayers, the gathering sounded their battle-cry toward Albany, “Give Long Island Its Fair Share!”

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced that a multi-agency investigation led by his Organized Crime Task Force culminated on February 7, 2008 in the indictment of 62 members and associates of the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno crime families - including the Gambino family’s boss, underboss, and consigliere.

The eighty-count federal indictment unsealed today in Brooklyn includes charges of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, encompassing acts of murder, attempted murder, robbery, extortion, loan-sharking, illegal gambling, distribution of cocaine and marijuana, money laundering, mail fraud, bribery of labor officials, embezzlement of union funds, and theft of union benefits.

"This case is noteworthy not only because of its breadth but also because it includes charges against the entire administration of the Gambino family of La Cosa Nostra," said Attorney General Cuomo.  "These charges are the result of the extraordinary work of the law-enforcement agencies that partnered together to take down a legacy of crime and violence that spanned decades."

The Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and its law enforcement partners developed an informant and successfully ran that informant deep inside the Gambino family. Equipped with sophisticated recording devices supplied by OCTF, the informant recorded hundreds of conversations with members and associates of the Gambino family and others, which demonstrated the families’ methods for gaining control over and extorting businesses in New York, as well as their control of illegal gambling and loan-sharking in New York City. These recordings, along with the informant’s testimony and other conversations recorded on wiretaps conducted by OCTF and its partners, are central to the charges in today’s indictment.

Attorney General Cuomo continued, "Having successfully partnered with other agencies to investigate the illegal activities of the Gambino family, we have now joined forces with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York to bring the most efficient and effective prosecution based on the evidence available to both offices. In this way, we are sending a clear message that State, federal, and local authorities are united in our efforts to protect New Yorkers from organized crime."

The charged crimes span more than three decades and reflect the Gambino family’s corrosive influence on the construction industry in New York City and beyond and its willingness to resort to violence, even murder, to resolve disputes in dozens of crimes of violence dating from the 1970s to the present, including eight acts of murder, murder conspiracy, and attempted murder. Twenty-five of the defendants are members or associates of the Gambino family. Notably, the evidence relating to many of the charged crimes consists of hundreds of hours of recorded conversations secured by the informant working with the Attorney General’s OCTF who penetrated the Gambino family.

The defendants arrested in New York today are scheduled to be arraigned on February 7, 2008 before United States Magistrate Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto at the U.S. Courthouse, 271 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY.

As noted, the indictment charges each currently active member of the Gambino family "administration," or executive leadership - acting boss John D’Amico, acting underboss Domenico Cefalu, and consigliere Joseph Corozzo - as well as three Gambino family captains, three acting captains, sixteen soldiers, and numerous associates. Each member of the administration is charged with racketeering conspiracy and multiple crimes of violence, namely extortions and extortion conspiracies relating to the construction industry, which carry sentences of up to twenty years’ imprisonment on each count.

According to the indictment and the detention memorandum filed today, the Gambino family profited from extortion related rackets at construction sites in the New York City metropolitan area, including the proposed NASCAR construction site located in Staten Island and the Liberty View Harbor construction site located in Jersey City, among others. The NASCAR extortion involved the planned construction of a racetrack in Staten Island that required large quantities of dirt fill, thus requiring trucking contracts which were controlled by the Gambino family. These crimes were part of a longstanding effort by the Gambino family to control and coordinate the extortion of dozens of private construction companies.

The charged criminal activity resulted not only in the extortion of business owners, but also the theft of union benefits from, among others, Local 282 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The indictment also documents the Gambino family’s routine use of brazen violence. In particular, four members of the Gambino family are charged with eight crimes involving murder, murder conspiracy, and/or attempted murder. Each of these crimes - charged as racketeering acts - are detailed below:

The Murder of Albert Gelb: Gambino family soldier Charles Carneglia is charged with the 1976 murder of Albert Gelb as a racketeering act. On March 11, 1976, Gelb’s body was discovered in the front seat of a car in Queens, New York, with multiple gunshot wounds to his face and body.

Gelb was a Brooklyn Criminal Court Officer who, several years earlier, had approached Carneglia in a Queens diner after Gelb determined that Carneglia was carrying a firearm. Carneglia resisted, and after a struggle with Gelb, he was arrested. Gelb was killed on March 11, 1976, four days before he was expected to testify at Carneglia’s trial.

The Murder of Michael Cotillo: Carneglia is charged with the murder of Gambino family associate Michael Cotillo as a racketeering act. Cotillo died from a stabbing inflicted by Carneglia on November 6, 1977, in Queens, New York, following a fight between the two men.

The Murder of Salvatore Puma: Carneglia is charged with the murder of Gambino family associate Salvatore Puma as a racketeering act. Puma died as a result of a stabbing allegedly inflicted by Carneglia on July 29, 1983. At the time of the stabbing, the two men were arguing over a money dispute.

The Murder of Louis DiBono: Carneglia is charged with the murder of Gambino family soldier Louis DiBono. Carneglia allegedly shot and killed DiBono on October 4, 1990, in the parking garage of the former World Trade Center in Manhattan, on the orders of then-Gambino family boss John J. Gotti. According to the indictment and the government’s detention memorandum, Gotti ordered DiBono’s execution because DiBono had repeatedly failed to meet with Gotti.

The Felony Murder of Jose Delgado Rivera: Carneglia is charged with the December 1990 armed robbery and felony murder of Jose Delgado Rivera as a racketeering act. Rivera, an armored truck guard, was shot and killed during a robbery while he and a co-worker were delivering money to the American Airlines building at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York.

The Murders of Robert Arena and Thomas Maranga: Gambino family captain Nicholas Corozzo is charged with the January 1996 double murder of Luchese family associate Robert Arena and Arena’s friend, Thomas Maranga. Corozzo ordered the murder of Arena in retaliation for Arena’s failure to return marijuana he had robbed from a narcotics dealer and for Arena’s suspected participation in the murder of a Corozzo crew member. Maranga was not a target of the murder but was killed because he was with Arena at the time of the attack.

Attempted Murder of John Doe: Gambino family soldiers Vincent Gotti, Richard G. Gotti, and Angelo Ruggiero, Jr. are charged with the May 2003 conspiracy to murder, and attempted murder, of John Doe as a racketeering act. John Doe was shot several times as he was leaving for work on May 4, 2003.

"The charges announced today are the result of a coordinated law enforcement initiative by federal, state, and local law enforcement officials," stated United States Attorney Benton J. Campbell. "I want to thank our partners for their extraordinary efforts and commitment to this historic investigation and prosecution. Today, we serve notice that anyone who aspires to a position in organized crime will meet the same fate. We will not rest until we rid our communities and businesses of the scourge of organized crime."

Inspector General Heddell, United States Department of Labor, stated, "Today’s RICO indictment represents a significant milestone toward eradicating a far-reaching and insidious conspiracy involving some of the largest construction companies in New York City that are owned, controlled, and/or influenced by the Gambino organized crime family. Many of these construction companies allegedly paid a ‘mob tax’ in return for ‘protection’ and permission to operate. Through their alleged control of these companies, the Gambino organized crime family caused the theft of Teamsters union dues, and of health and pension funds, directly impacting the welfare and future of many workers. My office stands firmly committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat this type of labor racketeering and organized crime."

New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gil-Hearn said, "DOI will continue to work with its law enforcement partners and focus on this ongoing effort to drive out construction fraud in the City."

Richmond County District Attorney Donovan stated, "This indictment is a prime example of the strong collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in this region, today striking a major blow against organized crime in our community."

Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor Executive Director De Maria stated, "For 55 years the Commission has spearheaded and actively participated with various state, federal, and local law enforcement authorities in a multitude of successful investigations which have led to countless criminal prosecutions and administrative action against

waterfront- related figures. The Gambino crime family has been a predator of the longshore and construction industries and unions as well as many other industries and their related unions for decades in New York City."

New York City Business Integrity Commissioner Mansfield stated, "In addition to this indictment, and as a direct result of this long-term collaboration between the Commission and its law enforcement partners, effective immediately the Commission has terminated the authority of the carting companies controlled by these defendants to operate in New York City. The Commission remains committed to its mission of eliminating the influence of organized crime from the industries it regulates."

The Attorney General thanked the United States Department of Labor Regional Inspector General Marge Franzman and her predecessor, John McGlynn, as well as Executive Director Thomas DeMaria of the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, and his Chief of Police, Kevin McGowan, for providing substantial manpower to the investigation throughout, including to monitor wiretaps and conduct surveillance. The Attorney General also thanked Mark J. Mershon, the FBI’s Assistant Director in Charge of its New York Field Office, and Supervisory Special Agent Philip Scala; Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan; New York City Business Integrity Commissioner Michael Mansfield and Director of Enforcement Ronald Cohen; and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gill-Hearn, all for their assistance in the investigation. The Attorney General also thanked Benton J. Campbell, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

The charges in the case are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The investigation was conducted under the direction and with the participation of OCTF Deputy Attorney General in Charge Christopher Prather. Amy Legow Cohn, an Assistant Deputy Attorney General and Counsel to OCTF, was the lead attorney on the investigation and is participating in the prosecution of the case as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. Former Assistant Deputy Attorney General Thomas Melanson assisted in the investigation. OCTF Supervising Investigator George Pagnotta was the lead investigator, under the supervision of Chief Investigator Tom Mullen and Assistant Chief Dominick Zarrella

On January 30, 2008, Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced a federal judge has granted New York State’s request to continue overseeing Microsoft’s conduct to ensure fair competition.  The Court ordered the oversight extension until November 12, 2009 despite the opposition of Microsoft Corp. and the United States Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, both of whom opposed further oversight.

The antitrust consent decree went into effect in November 2001, and significant terms of the five-year decree were set to expire in November 2007. New York and California led the request to extend court oversight, which arises from the 2001 findings that Microsoft committed antitrust violations.

"We are very pleased that the Court recognized how important it is to keep the antitrust decree against Microsoft in place to protect consumers and promote fair competition," said Attorney General Cuomo.  "The oversight extension will help ensure that Microsoft fully complies with the requirements of the consent decree and helps stimulate competition in the personal computers marketplace."

The decision was rendered by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. In granting the request by New York, California and nine other states for continued oversight, the Court emphasized that Microsoft’s inability to meet its obligations and provide industry players with technology that Microsoft promised in 2001 prevented the Court’s decree from accomplishing its intended result – stimulating competition in the market for personal computer operating systems.

Since the settlement agreement in November 2001, the New York Attorney General’s Office has led the group of settling states in monitoring Microsoft’s compliance with its obligations under the Court’s decree.

Cuomo’s Office has been instrumental in managing the activities of the Technical Committee charged with ensuring that Microsoft lives up to its court-imposed obligations. The Court’s ruling commends the activities of the Technical Committee, which currently has a staff of some 40 engineers and support personnel, as "one of the most successful aspects of the Final Judgments." The Committee, the Court noted, "has gone far beyond the simple ‘monitoring’" envisioned in the Court’s Order "to providing testing, feedback, and critiques that have proved critical to . . . maximiz[ing] the full potential of the Final Judgments’ remedies."

"We look forward to continuing to work with the Technical Committee and with our fellow State enforcers to help bring about the benefits of competition to all computer users," said Cuomo.  The Microsoft case is being handled by Jay L. Himes, chief of the Attorney General’s Antitrust Bureau. Mr. Himes was the States’ principal representative in the 2001 negotiations that led to the settlement with Microsoft.

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STARCOM Task Force "Fly In"