Thompson legislation stirs new controversy

[WNYresident]

People speak as though this is all Thompson's fault. There are only two entities that should take the blame for every stupid thing this inept, ineffective politician has done:

1. The dumb voters of WNY who continually put these sorts of people into office. Voters knew full well how stupid this man was when they entered the booths.
2. The Erie County Democratic Committee who continually allow these sorts of people to run for office.

Did the local democratic party lead by Lenny endorse him?

[PickOranges]

Did the local democratic party lead by Lenny endorse him?

I think they did 3 of them.. Stachowski, Thompson and Hoyt in February.

I can't believe no showed any interest in challenging him.

[WNYresident]

I think they did 3 of them.. Stachowski, Thompson and Hoyt in February.

I can't believe no showed any interest in challenging him.

So when Lenny comes around and endorse someone for Governor? WHAT SHOULD WNY DO? The complete opposite

[Bioguy231]

The problem is, Lenny is almost as dumb as Thompson. Of course, no one, not in a coma, could be dumber than Thompson but Lenny is pretty close.

When and if Thompson loses, Lenny will be sitting around contemplating several things: 1) where were all our loyal public sector union employees?, 2) where are all those damned welfare recipient ingrates?, 3) what did I do with the TV controller this time? I hope I didn't swallow it by accident again.

[buffy]

People speak as though this is all Thompson's fault. There are only two entities that should take the blame for every stupid thing this inept, ineffective politician has done:

1. The dumb voters of WNY who continually put these sorts of people into office. Voters knew full well how stupid this man was when they entered the booths.
2. The Erie County Democratic Committee who continually allow these sorts of people to run for office.

The voters that vote for Antoine are super-sensitive about getting "some" for their own. They turn the perverbial blind eye to people like Antoine Thompson because he is "black like me." We still live in a time when it is rare to have a black candidate and rare is the black person that does not support the black candidate over all others. All Antoine has to do is tell his consituents that he is a victim of politics. All he has to say is "they're just mad b/c now its a black man doing it." It appears that the voters don't care as long as he's black.

[Bioguy231]

Antoine is black????? All this time I was thinking he was haploid aborigines.

[Bioguy231]

Wow, the Snooze really seems intent on doing a number on poor little Antoine. They had one article today on the huge amount of money he's spent mailing "newsletters" to all his constituents and they had another article today on the "hiring binge" he's been on since the dems took control of the NYS senate.

[CamaroDave]

Wow, the Snooze really seems intent on doing a number on poor little Antoine. They had one article today on the huge amount of money he's spent mailing "newsletters" to all his constituents and they had another article today on the "hiring binge" he's been on since the dems took control of the NYS senate.

Channel 2 news likes to go after him every now and again too. Lets face it, he's an easy target. But I don't feel sorry for him one bit. His on camera interviews although at times humorous are usually down right pathetic. I'm curious to see if Rory Allen proves to be a formidable opponent.

[Bringbackwny]

I read the article and thought he is so full of crap! His little soft tissue injury,,
I cry for him but my tears are from laughter..

What a joke,, we all know it.

Adding Thompson to this report is a joke! What does the State Inspector General do? Who does he work for?

[Bioguy231]

Adding Thompson to this report is a joke! What does the State Inspector General do? Who does he work for?

Since Thompson is a joke, I guess that makes sense.

[Effigy]

Adding Thompson to this report is a joke! What does the State Inspector General do? Who does he work for?

Notice join date.

[dtwarren]

From the report located at: http://www.ig.state.ny.us/pdfs/Inves...0Racetrack.pdf

Although the amount in contributions made to any single elected official unearthed by the Inspector General is not staggering, the genesis of the manner in which campaign contributions were dispensed to senators by AEG evinces the direct link between these contributions and efforts to obtain the VLT franchise by courting the Senate. In fact, Board of Elections records reveal that AEG not only contributed to the actual and apparent key Senate decision makers, Senators Sampson, Smith and Espada, but also contributed to the campaigns of several other democratic senators not remotely involved in the decision. In regard to how the consortium determined to contribute to these additional senators, Frank testified, “I think that Carl Andrews had given [the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee] my name or someone in their office gave them my name and they contacted me and said we would be appreciative if you could help raise money for Aqueduct Entertainment Group, your partners, for these five individuals.” The “five individuals” were five senators identified by the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee: Ruth Hassel-Thompson (Bronx), Shirley Huntley (Queens), Eric Adams (Brooklyn), Andrea Stewart-Cousins (Yonkers), and Antoine Thompson (Buffalo).

According to Frank, the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee solicited AEG to raise $5,000 for each of the enumerated senators, but AEG only “ended up raising somewhere around 3-plus [thousand dollars] for each of them . . . .” Once Frank had collected contribution checks gathered from AEG consortium members and others it had solicited, AEG dispensed the funds to the five senators selected by the Democratic Senate Committee, one of whom, Antoine Thompson, represents a district in western New York, far from the vicinity of Aqueduct Racetrack. Frank explained that Senator Adams, the ranking member of the Senate Racing and Wagering Committee, would be instrumental in the decision making process and thus an obvious target of contributions; however, in regard to the other four senators who benefitted from AEG’s largesse, Frank testified that, “We looked at this as a fundraising effort on behalf of the Senate.” Frank’s response reveals the purely political nature of the process and AEG’s focus on the Senate as its lever to win the award.

The Inspector General’s analysis of Board of Elections materials revealed that AEG component entities donated a combined $23,700 to the five targeted senators in two installments between December 14, 2009, and January 4-6, 2010. For example, WDF contributed $2,000 to Buffalo-area Senator Antoine Thompson on December 14, 2009. From January 4-6, 2010, three other AEG components contributed an additional $6,600 to Thompson’s campaign fund for a total of $8,600 in monies from AEG. Similarly, Westchester/Bronx-based Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson received a $1,000 donation from WDF on September 14, 2009 and an additional $2,800 from AEG groups from January 4-6, 2010. Likewise Senator Huntley received a $1,000 donation from WDF on December 14, 2009 and an additional $2,500 contribution from AEG entities on January 4-6, 2010. Further confirming this pattern, Westchester-based Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins received $1,000 from WDF on December 14, 2009 and $3,00 from other AEG entities on Januiary 4-6, and January 11, 2010. Senator Adams received $3,500 from AEG groups on January 8 and January 11, 2010.

[FoxxyKat]

Thompson needs to go! 'Pink Slip' for Antoine. He is a disgrace to the wny delegation.

[mnb811]

Adding Thompson to this report is a joke! What does the State Inspector General do? Who does he work for?

Works for us obviously.Apperently picking up where ANDY CUOMO will not GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!