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SCAM ALERT: Have YOU received this job offer? | Print |
Written by Scott Katz   
Thursday, 17 March 2011 07:40

Online scams have been around since the dawn of the World Wide Web, but if the feedback we have been getting is any indication, such scams have only seemed to proliferate in the last few years due to the worldwide economic downturn.

With millions of people out of work, and with millions more worried that their job security is less than rock solid, anxiety levels seem to be at an all-time high.  This has left people feeling desperate, and in that desperation, they have become more vulnerable to online scammers and predators who promise a job, but are only perpetrating a moneymaking scheme with you as their intended targets.

One of the more popular scams is the phony job offer.  Here's how it works: after responding to what seems like a legitimate job listing, the scammer will contact you by e-mail and tell you that you have been hired or "provisionally hired" for employment for a work-at-home position where you will have to perform certain minor tasks in order to receive your weekly paycheck.  However, before employment can begin, you have to provide the scammer with certain personal information.

Because the information is not anything that a legitimate employer wouldn't ask – at least not at first – you may be tempted to respond even if you are somewhat suspicious.  Our advice: do not respond at all.  These e-mails do not come from valid businesses.  They do not have an office or even a way to meet with the employer face-to-face.  Often, these e-mails will try to get around your suspicions by saying that the employer is out of the country for a few weeks, but you would be able to begin working for him or her right away and that he or she will meet with you upon return.  No legitimate company will conduct business in this manner.  Would you?  Of course not.  These ads prey on the desperate, but one should never let desperation override good common sense.  Answering these ads or following up on a suspicious e-mail could leave you in worse shape than you started – financially, emotionally, and even legally.

This is because while some scams are simple identity theft operations that exist just to clean out your bank account or make fraudulent purchases on your credit card, others may require you to act as a shipper of goods on your employer's behalf.  However, these goods can be stolen property or goods that have been purchased with stolen credit card information.  Since your address is the first point of contact, you could find yourself facing criminal charges or at least caught up in a criminal investigation.

Another popular job scam is one in which you are required to receive checks, deposit them in your bank account, and then forward a portion of the money to your employer while keeping the rest.  However, since you are required to forward the money before the checks clear your account, you will lose the money you forwarded when you discover that the checks you deposited have bounced.

Scammers are growing ever more sophisticated in their sales pitches, and they know that people will have a natural amount of suspicion when interacting with someone online or by phone, but they get around that by drawing you into their scheme slowly.  They do not ask for all of your personal information right off the bat, but over time, they will get whatever information they need in order to operate their schemes.  This is why it is best not to answer any ad or respond to any e-mail that sounds even a little bit suspicious.

It bears emphasizing that no legitimate company will hire you – even for a telecommuting job – without meeting you first.  There are legitimate telecommuting, personal assistant, and startup company positions out there, but the prospective employer will want to meet you and arrange a meeting at a public location during regular business hours if they do not have an office.

 

Some tips on recognizing job scams:

• Ads that have misspellings of common words

• Ads that have awkward phrasing, broken English, or bad grammar

• E-mail responses, such as the one reprinted below, which give you the job – even "provisionally" – without ever having met you in person

• Requests for personal information beyond what you have already given them on your résumé

• An Internet search that does not turn up a legitimate website for the company

• The most basic rule always applies: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

 

Below, we reprint a common e-mail response that people have gotten after they responded to an ad for an Executive/Administrative/Personal Assistant on Craigslist.  Be aware that these fraudulent ads and responses can appear anywhere on the Internet, in newspapers, or on television.

You will notice that the e-mail contains many of the warning signs outlined above.  The scammer tries to allay any suspicions or concerns that you might have by providing a lot of information about his own company and even includes his "real" name.

A simple Internet search told us that the Dun & Bradstreet number provided below has been used to identify other companies besides "New York Insurance Company" such as "Adorama Inc.," "Adorama Camera Inc," "XLM Group," and "CJDouglas Financial Advisors."  The same Dun & Bradstreet number will not be given to multiple unrelated companies.

The website mentioned in the e-mail below navigates to a generic-looking insurance rate comparison form, while the e-mail address that the response came from leads to a domain that has a simple placeholder website with a message from Google Sites requesting that  the domain administrator begin setting up a home page.  Because the e-mail below is using a real person's name, we have changed its spelling.

We contacted Dun & Bradstreet about New York Insurance Company, and we were told by a representative that in order to get information about a company using a Dun & Bradstreet number, we would have to buy a report about the company for $179 or purchase access to the D&B database.  Further, D&B told us that they do not maintain any listing of companies that have previously been shown to be fraudulent or that have received consumer complaints.

However, there is something you can do.  To file a complaint about a company with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), click here: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

 

Sample scam e-mail with all spelling and grammatical errors left in: 

Hello ,
I got your resume and it has been reviewed, I did appreciate it, So I will give this a GO ! I am happy to inform you that after close consideration with your resume, you have been accepted and given provisional  appointment. Below are our company details and personal data for you review.
 
Business Name:New York Insurance Company .
Dun and Bradstreet # 08-740-3499
Type of Entity: CORPORATION
Registration ID: 453033
 
 
 
I'm looking for someone that can be trusted and reliable to work very well with good understanding.This position is home-based and flexible, working with me is basically about instructions and following them, my only fear is that I may come at you impromptu sometimes, so I need someone who can be able to meet up with my irregular timings.As my Personal Assistant,your activities amongst other things will include;
 
*Running personal errands, supervisions and monitoring. Scheduling programmes, flights and keeping me up to date with them. Acting as an alternative telephone correspondence while I'm away. Making regular contacts and drop-offs on my behalf. Handling and monitoring some of my financial activities..
Basic wage is $400 Weekly excluding Gas expenses and compensations.
 
I'm sure you'll understand I tend to have a very busy schedule at this point,as I am presently in the Greece, I will be back in three Weeks. We will set up a formal interview as soon as i am back in the states.My company is opening a new office in your state which i will be heading and relocating as well and thats one of the reasons i need a personal assistant there
 
Please note that this position is not office based for now because of my frequent travels and tight schedules, it's a part-time work from home for now and the flexibility means that there will be busier weeks than others. I have been checking my files and i'll need you to run some errands for me this week. I will have some funds sent to you to complete the assignment, i will get you more information on that, I will like you to get back to me with your Contact Details such as:
 
Personal Information
First Name:
Last Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Age:
Zip Code:
Sex:
Residential Phone Number:
Mobile:
 
The employee,acknowledged the  Detailed Job Description
and signed___________            _____________________
           (First Name and Last Name of Employee)
 
Kindly respond with requested details .. Once I have received your contact information, I will get back to you with the task for this week.
 
Thanks in anticipation of your prompt response.
 
Best regards,
Financial Services,
Jason Maxxxx
NYIC
www.quotenewyorkinsurance.com

 

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Election 2010: New York State
Written by US Townhall staff   
Saturday, 18 September 2010 21:33

Below are two charts that show the political races in New York State.  Every two years, every seat in the New York Legislature – the 62 seats of the State Senate and the 150 seats of the State Assembly – are up for grabs, which gives New Yorkers an opportunity to reward the incumbent candidates whom they feel have done a good job as well as vote in new blood where they feel it is necessary.

 

Note that in both tables, the symbol, ♦, denotes the incumbent candidate.

New York STATE SENATE Races - November 2, 2010

District 

DEMOCRATIC candidate

(includes Independence, Working Family, Green Party, Reform,

Lower Taxes, Change Albany Now, Fix Albany, Cut Taxes/Add Jobs)

REPUBLICAN candidate

(includes Independence, Conservative, School Tax Relief, Tax Revolt, Taxpayers)

 1 Jennifer Maertz Kenneth LaValle ♦
 2  Ira Bernstein John J. Flanagan ♦
 3 Brian X. Foley ♦ Lee Zeldin
 4 Maeghan Lollo Owen H. Johnson ♦
 5 Lawrence Silverman Carl Marcellino ♦
 6

Francesca Carlow

David Mejias (Working Families)

Kemp Hannon ♦
 7 Craig Johnson ♦ Jack Martins
 8 Carol Gordon Charles Fuschillo ♦
 9 George Sava Dean Skelos ♦
 10

Shirley Huntley ♦

none

 11 Tony Avella Frank Padavan ♦
 12 Michael Gianaris Jerome Tina
 13

 José Peralta ♦

Richard La Salle
 14 Malcom Smith ♦ Samuel Benoit
 15 Joseph Addabbo, Jr. ♦ Anthony Como
 16

Toby Ann Stavisky ♦

Robert Schwartz
 17 Martin Malave Dilan ♦ Michael Freeman-Saulsberre
 18

Velmanette Montgomery ♦

Laquan Word
 19 John Sampson ♦ Rose Laney
 20 Eric Adams ♦ Allan Romaguera
 21

Kevin Parker ♦

Jeffrey Lodge

Brian Kelly (Conservative)

 22 Michael DiSanto Martin Golden ♦
 23 Diane Savino ♦ none
 24 none Andrew Lanza ♦
 25 Daniel Squadron ♦ Joseph Nardiello
 26 Liz Krueger ♦ Saul Farber
 27 Carl Kruger ♦ Avrahom Rosenberg
 28

José M. Serrano ♦

Jon Girodes

Keesha Weiner (Conservative)

 29 Thomas Duane ♦ Joseph Mendola
 30

Bill Perkins ♦

Donal Yarbrough
 31

Adriano Espaillat

Ann Roos (Green Party)

Stylo Sapaskis

Raphael Klapper (Conservative)

 32

Rubén Díaz ♦

Michael Walters
 33

Gustavo Rivera

John Reynolds (Green Party)

John McCarthy
 34 Jeffrey Klein ♦ Frank Vernuccio
 35 Andrea Stewart-Cousins ♦ Liam McLaughlin
 36

Ruth Hassell-Thompson ♦

Robert Diamond
 37 Suzi Oppenheimer ♦ Bob Cohen
 38

David Carlucci

C. Scott Vanderhoef
 39 Harley Doles William Larkin ♦
 40 Michael Kaplowitz

Gregory Ball

Mary Murphy (Conservative)

 41 Didi Barrett Stephen Saland ♦
 42 David Sager John Bonacic ♦
 43 Joanne Yepsen Roy McDonald ♦
 44 Susan Savage Hugh Farley ♦
 45 none Elizabeth Little ♦
 46

Neil Breslin ♦

Michael Carey (Reform)

Robert Domenici
 47

Michael Hennessy

Joseph Griffo ♦
 48 Darrel Aubertine ♦ Patricia Ritchie
 49 David Valesky ♦

Andrew Russo

 50 Kathleen Joy John DeFrancisco ♦
 51 none James Seward ♦
 52 John Orzel Thomas W. Libous ♦
 53 Pamela Mackesey

Thomas O'Mara

 54 Edward O'Shea Michael Nozzolio ♦
 55 Mary Wilmot James Alesi ♦
 56 Richard Wilt Joseph Robach ♦
 57 Michael McCormick Catharine Young ♦
 58

William Stachowski ♦ (Independence, Working Families)

Timothy Kennedy (Conservative)

Jack Quinn
 59 Cynthia Appleton

Patrick Gallivan

David DiPietro (Tea Party)

James Domagalski (Conservative, Independence)

 60

Antoine Thompson ♦

Mark Grisanti
 61

Marc Coppola

Michael Ranzenhofer ♦
 62 Amy Witryol George D. Maziarz ♦

 

 

 

New York STATE ASSEMBLY Races - November 2, 2010
District

DEMOCRATIC candidate

(includes Independence, Working Families, Lower Taxes, Had Enough, Ax the Tax, Change Albany Now)

REPUBLICAN candidate

(includes Independence, Conservative, School Tax Relief,

We The People, Tax Revolt, School Choice, Right to Life, Taxpayers, Libertarian, Cut My Taxes, Change Albany)

1 Marc Alessi ♦ Daniel Losquadro
2 Fred Thiele ♦ Richard Blumenthal
3 Robert Calarco L. Dean Murray ♦
4 Steven Englebright ♦ Deborah McKee
5

Kenneth Mangan

Ginny Fields (Independence, Working Families)

Alfred Graf
6 Philip Ramos ♦ Mohsen Elsayed
7 Richard Macellaro Michael J. Fitzpatrick ♦
8 Janice Sweet Philip Boyle ♦
9 Christopher Dempsey Andrew Raia ♦
10 John Capobianco James Conte ♦
11 Robert Sweeney ♦ Brett Robinson
12 Kevin Gorman Joseph Saladino ♦
13 Charles Lavine ♦ Robert Germino
14 Dermond Thomas Brian Curran
15 Leon Hart Michael Montesano ♦
16 Michelle Schimel ♦ Scott Diamond
17 Thomas Devaney Thomas McKevitt ♦
18 Earlene Hooper ♦ Derek Partee
19 John Brooks David McDonough ♦
20 Harvey Weisenberg ♦ Joshua Wanderer
21

Patrick Nicolosi

Hermione Pierre Johnson (Working Families)

Edward Ra
22 Grace Meng ♦ none
23 Audrey Pheffer ♦ Harold Paez
24 David Weprin ♦

Timothy Furey

Bob Friedrich (Conservative)

25 Rory Lancman ♦ none
26

Edward Braunstein

Beth Schiffman

Vincent Tabone
27 Nettie Mayersohn ♦ none
28

Andrew Hevesi ♦

Joseph Tiraco (Independence)

Aleksander Powletrzynski

29 William Scarborough ♦ none
30 Margaret Markey ♦ Anthony Nunziato
31 Michele Titus ♦ none
32 Vivian Cook ♦ none
33 Barbara Clark ♦ none
34 Michael DenDekker ♦ none
35 Jeffrion Aubry ♦ none
36 Arvalla Simotas none
37 Catherine Nolan ♦ John Wilson
38 Michael G. Miller ♦ Donna Caltabiano
39 Francisco Moya Humberto Suarezmotta
40 Inez Barron ♦ Kenneth Waluyn
41 Helene Weinstein ♦ Alan Bellone
42 Rhoda Jacobs ♦ Alan Kesler
43 Karim Camara ♦ Menachem Raitport
44 James F. Brennan ♦ Alfred Caccamo
45 Steven Cymbrowitz ♦ Joseph Hayon
46 Alec Brook-Krasny ♦ Jerry Amalfitano
47 William Colton ♦ Phyllis Carbo
48 Dov Hikind ♦ Brian Doherty
49 Peter Abbate ♦ Peter Cipriano
50 Joseph Lentol ♦ Jacqueline Haro
51 Felix Ortiz ♦ Henry Lallave
52 Joan Millman ♦ John Jasilli
53 Vito Lopez ♦ Bryon Orozco
54 Darryl Towns ♦ Khorshed Chowdhury
55 William Boyland, Jr. ♦ Robert Marshall
56 Annette Robinson ♦ Garnsey Alston
57 Hakeem Jeffries ♦ Francis Voyticky
58 N. Nick Perry ♦ none
59 Alan Maisel ♦ Robert Maresca
60 Janele Hyer-Spencer ♦

Nicole Malliotakis

Marietta Canning (Right to Life)

61 Matthew Titone ♦ Dave Narby (Libertarian)
62 Albert Albanese Louis Tobacco ♦
63 Michael Cusick ♦ Danny Panzella (Libertarian)
64 Sheldon Silver ♦ none
65 Micah Kellner ♦ none
66 Deborah Glick ♦ William Buran
67 Linda Rosenthal ♦ none
68

Robert Rodriguez

John Ruiz (Working Families)

Carlton Berkley (100 People for Chuck)

none
69 Daniel O'Donnell ♦ none
70 Keith L. T. Wright ♦ Dexter Davis
71 Herman D. Farrell ♦ Glenda Allen
72 Guillermo Linares Dan Russo
73

Jonathan Bing ♦

Gregory Lundahl (Working Families)

Paul Niehaus
74 Brian Kavanagh ♦ Dena Winokur
75 Richard Gottfried ♦ Michael Chan
76

Peter Rivera ♦

Walter Nestler (Green Party)

Steven Stern
77 Vanessa Gibson ♦

Tanya Carmichael

Robert Marrero (Conservative)

78 Jose Rivera ♦ William Sullivan
79 Eric Stevenson

Deborah Benbow

Henry Bonet (Conservative)

80 Naomi Rivera ♦

Joseph DeLuna

Robert Goodman (Conservative)

81 Jeffrey Dinowitz ♦ Joseph McLaughlin
82 Michael Benedetto ♦ Michael Rendino
83

Carl Heastie ♦

Trevor Archer (Green Party)

Patrick McManus
84 Carmen E. Arroyo ♦ Roseline Nieves
85 Marcos Crespo ♦

Leopold Paul

Arturo Santiago (Conservative)

86

Nelson Castro ♦

Hector Ramirez (Working Families)

Rene Santos

Lisa Marie Campbell (Conservative)

87 James Gary Pretlow ♦ Samuel Rivers
88 Amy Paulin ♦ Rene Atayan
89 Thomas Roach Robert Castelli ♦
90 Sandra Galef ♦ William Gouldman
91 George Latimer ♦ Bill Reed
92

Thomas Abinanti

Thomas Bock
93

Mike Spano ♦

Jodi Mosiello (Independence)

Mike Ramondelli
94 Kenneth Zebrowski, Jr. ♦ Frank Sparaco
95 Ellen C. Jaffee ♦ Thomas Morr
96 Roxanne Donnery Nancy Calhoun ♦
97 Myrna Kemnitz Ann Rabbitt ♦
98 Aileen Gunther ♦ none
99 Brendan Tully

Jim Borkowski

Stephen Katz

100 Frank Skartados ♦ Thomas Kirwan
101 Kevin Cahill ♦ Peter Rooney
102 Alyssa Kogon Joel Miller ♦
103 Susan Tooker Marcus Molinaro ♦
104 John McEneny ♦ Deborah Busch
105 Angelo Santabarbara George Amedore ♦
106 Ronald Canestrari ♦ none
107 none Clifford Crouch ♦
108 Timothy P. Gordon ♦ Steven McLaughlin
109 Robert Reilly ♦ Jennifer Whalen
110

BK Keramati

Mark Little (The Little)

James Tedisco ♦
111 William Magee ♦

Richard Bargabos

Shawn Skeele (Conservative)

112 none Tony Jordan ♦
113 none Teresa Sayward ♦
114 Rudy Johnson

Janet Duprey ♦

David Kimmel

115 none Claudia Tenney
116 RoAnn Destito ♦ Gregory Johnson
117 none Marc Butler ♦
118 Addie Jenne Russell ♦ Dave Forsythe
119

Sam Roberts

Michael Donnelly (Green Party)

John Sharon

Christina Fitch (Conservative)

120 William Magnarelli ♦ Rick Guy
121 Albert A. Stirpe, Jr. ♦ Donald Miller
122 Brian McGrath Kenneth Blankenbush
123 none Gary Finch ♦
124 none William A. Barclay ♦
125 Barbara Lifton ♦ Thomas Reynolds
126 Donna Lupardo ♦

Arthur Garrison

Jason Stokes (Our Founding Fathers)

127 none Peter Lopez ♦
128 none Robert Oaks ♦
129 none Brian Kolb ♦
130 David Nachbar Sean Hanna
131 Harry Bronson Kenneth Kraus
132 Joseph Morelle ♦ Mark Scuderi
133 David Gantt ♦ none
134 David Zimmerman Bill Reilich ♦
135 David Koon ♦ Mark Johns
136 Jason Jordan (Common Sense) Philip Palmesano
137 James Hare

Christopher Friend

Paul Marcellus (Conservative)

138

John Accardo

Francine DelMonte (Working Families)

John Ceretto
139 Christopher Barons Stephen Hawley ♦
140 Robin Schimminger ♦ Kevin Stocker
141 Crystal Peoples-Stokes ♦ none
142 none Jane Corwin ♦
143 Dennis H. Gabryszak ♦ Patrick Mandia
144 William Hoyt ♦ Brian Biggie
145 Mark J.F. Schroeder ♦ none
146 Brad Rybczynski

Kevin Smardz

Daniel Kozub (Conservative)

147 none Daniel Burling ♦
148 Gregory Vinal James Hayes ♦
149 Travis Lecceadone Joseph Giglio ♦
150 Nancy Bargar Andrew Goodell

 

 

 

 
POLITICS: US Townhall RealStories presents KEVIN PETER CARROLL & RALPH PERFETTO
Written by Scott Katz   
Tuesday, 07 September 2010 20:00

Kevin Peter Carroll (Image © 2010 Kevin Peter Carroll. Used by Permission.)Ralph PerfettoWith election season underway and Primary Day next week on Tuesday September 14, USTownhall.com begins its coverage of this year's political scene in earnest.  On Tuesday, September 7, we spoke to Kevin Peter Carroll, who is running for one of the Democratic seats in the position of Democratic District Leader for the Brooklyn, New York section of the 60th Assembly District.  He challenges longtime incumbent, Ralph Perfetto for the position that Perfetto has held for the last 18 years.  We spoke to Mr. Perfetto on Friday, September 10.  Mr. Carroll has been a resident of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn since the age of 10 and has a lengthy background in public service and membership in community organizations.  Mr. Perfetto has decades of experience in public service.  Do you think Mr. Carroll has what it takes to unseat Mr. Perfetto?  Listen to our exclusive interviews with both Mr. Carroll and Mr. Perfetto and judge for yourself. 

Then, head to the polls on Primary Day, Tuesday, September 14, and cast your vote for all the offices being contested.  Whether Democrat or Republican, please be sure to vote on Primary Day as this is your chance to select from among the largest number of choices and your only chance to bring in new blood to the positions where you feel it is needed or ensure that the incumbent remains in office.

Click on the triangular "play" buttons below to listen to each interview.

 

Kevin Peter Carroll
Get Adobe Flash player
 
Ralph Perfetto

 

 
BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Before Rosa Parks, There Was Lizzie Jennings
Written by William Joseph Reynolds with Scott Katz   
Monday, 08 February 2010 20:02

Americans are all familiar with the story of Rosa Parks, who, on Thursday, December 1, 1955, refused to yield her seat on a bus to a white passenger.  Similar acts of civil disobedience had taken place prior to that including Irene Morgan in 1944, Sarah Louise Keys in 1953, and young Claudette Colvin earlier in 1955 on the very same bus system as Rosa Parks.

But, did you know that a full century before Rosa Parks' courageous stand, another African-American woman took a similar stand when she was ejected from a privately owned streetcar in downtown Manhattan on the corner of Pearl and Chatham streets?  Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jennings brought a civil suit against the streetcar company and was represented by a future president.  Her attorney successfully argued the case that was the beginning of the desegregation of public transportation in New York City. 

 

Above: Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Jennings
Above: Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Jennings

 

  

 

Lizzie Jennings was born in 1830.  Her father was a businessman, and Lizzie grew up to become a schoolteacher.  In the mid-1800's, the most widely used method of public transportation in the city was the horse-drawn streetcar.  They were owned and operated by private companies, and the owners or drivers could refuse to serve any passengers they wished to.  That being the case, many refused to allow black passengers to get on board.

Jennings' minister, the Reverend J.W.C. Pennington, had been speaking from the pulpit against these practices.  Lizzie took it upon herself to see what would happen if she dared to board a streetcar that was not designated as "Colored Persons Allowed."

On a midsummer's day in 1854, July 16, Miss Jennings waited at the aforementioned corner to board a horse-drawn bus to take her to Sunday worship services where she was the organist for her church.  In Pre-Civil War New York City, although slavery had been abolished there by 1799, elements of segregation still existed, and black residents could generally only ride buses bearing big "Colored Persons Allowed" signs.   Black people could only ride a bus without such a sign at the discretion of the driver.  Drivers on those unmarked buses often carried whips to keep off anyone they deemed undesirable.

The New York Tribune reported the Jennings incident in a February 1855 article: "She got upon one of the [Third Avenue Railway] Company's cars last summer, on the Sabbath, to ride to church.  The conductor undertook to get her off, first alleging the car was full; when that was shown to be false, he pretended the other passengers were displeased at her presence; but when she insisted on her rights, he took hold of her by force to expel her.  She resisted.  The conductor got her down on the platform, jammed her bonnet, soiled her dress and injured her person.  Quite a crowd gathered, but she effectually resisted.  Finally, after the car had gone on further, with the aid of a policeman they succeeded in removing her."

The next day, Jennings told her story to the members of her church, who immediately held a large demonstration denouncing the actions of the bus driver.  It should be noted that Jennings came from a relatively well-off family where her father was an important community leader and, as a tailor who owned his own shop, held a patent on a method for renovating garments.

Jennings secured the services of the law firm of Culver, Parker & Arthur to argue her case in court.  Chester A. Arthur, the then-25-year-old junior partner who argued the case for Miss Jennings, would go on to become the 21st President of the United States in 1881, finishing out the term of the assassinated James Garfield.

In 1855, the year following the incident, in a decision rendered by Judge William Rockwell of the Brooklyn Circuit Court, Lizzie Jennings won her case against the Third Avenue Railway Company.  The judge stated that, "Colored persons if sober, well behaved and free from disease, had the same rights as others and could neither be excluded by any rules of the Company, nor by force or violence."  Miss Jennings was awarded $22.50 in court costs, and an additional $225 in damages (out of the $500 that she claimed).  The following day, the railway company ordered all their drivers to allow black passengers on their buses.  Within five years of Jennings' celebrated lawsuit, all streetcars in the city were desegregated.

In July 1863, Lizzie Jennings, by then Lizzie Graham, suffered a tragic loss when, during the rioting and chaos caused by an angry white mob following a resolution that allowed wealthy New Yorkers to buy their way out of the Civil War draft, her young son was among 70 black people lynched.

Lizzie Jennings Graham lived to be over 70 years old and died in 1901.  Almost exactly 100 years after the Jennings incident, Rosa Parks stood up for her rights in Montgomery, Alabama in much the same way.  We salute Lizzie Jennings and Rosa Parks as we celebrate Black History Month.

 

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Understanding New York State Government
Written by US Townhall staff   
Thursday, 03 December 2009 00:29

Law-making power in New York State is held in two distinct bodies of government: the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, which somewhat mirror the construction of the United States Federal Government where legislative power lies with the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.  The meeting place of the New York State government is in Albany at the New York State Capitol building, which is located on State Street in Capitol Park.

 

New York State Capitol Building in Albany, NY (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

 

In New York State, elections for both bodies of state government are held in November of every even-numbered year.  Both State Senators and Assembly members are up for reelection after each two-year term.  To qualify to hold office in the New York State legislature, one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of New York State for at least five years, and a resident of the district one wishes to represent for at least one year prior to election.  There are no term limits for members of either the State Senate or the State Assembly.

 

The New York State Assembly has 150 members, while the membership of the New York State Senate varies, but currently has 62 members.  In general, the New York State Senate has been controlled by the Republicans, while the NYS Assembly has historically been controlled by the Democrats.  Currently, however, the New York State Senate is also in the hands of the Democrats with 32 of the 62 seats. 

 

The leader of the State Senate is referred to as the "President" (of the Senate); the leader of the State Assembly is known as the "Speaker."  In much the same way as the Vice President of the United States also holds the position of President of the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor of New York is also the President of the New York State Senate.  In both cases, the President of the Senate has the tie-breaking vote, but does not vote otherwise.  On a day-to-day basis, the New York State Senate is typically presided over by a Temporary President or by a Senator chosen by the majority leader.

 

The Assembly Speaker, the Senate Majority leader, and the Governor of New York are the three most powerful leaders in New York State and together they control most of the agenda of state business. 

 

Just as the United States Congress creates bills that the President signs into law, laws in New York State are created as bills from the State Senate and the State Assembly and go to the Governor for signing into law or for veto.  To override a gubernatorial veto, there must be a two-thirds majority to override in each house.  The Assembly and Senate also have the power to propose amendments to the New York State Constitution, which would become valid if voted for by a majority of New Yorkers at a referendum ballot measure.

 

NEW YORK STATE SENATE as of JANUARY 1, 2010

District Name PartyElected Contact Info 
 1 Kenneth LaValle  Republican  1976 

Phone:
(631) 696-6900
(518) 455-3121


Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 2  John J. Flanagan Republican  2002 

Phone:
(631) 361-2154
(518) 455-2071


Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 3 Brian X. Foley  Democrat  2008 

Phone:
(631) 360-3356
(518) 455-2303


Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 4 Owen H. Johnson  Republican  1972 

Phone:
(631) 669-9200
(518) 455-3411


Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 5 Carl Marcellino  Republican  1995 

Phone:
(516) 922-1811
(518) 455-2390


Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 6 Kemp Hannon  Republican  1989 

Phone:
(516) 739-1700
(518) 455-2200


Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 7 Craig Johnson  Democrat  2007 

Phone:
(516) 746-5923
(518) 455-2622


Email:
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 8 Charles Fuschillo Republican  1989 

Phone:
(516) 882-0630
(518) 455-3341


Email:
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 9 Dean Skelos Republican  1984 

Phone:
(516) 766-8383
(518) 455-3171


Email:
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 10 Shirley Huntley Democrat  2006 

Phone:
(718) 523-3069
(518) 455-3531


Email:
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 11 Frank Padavan Republican  1972 

Phone:
(718) 343-0255
(518) 455-3381


Email:
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 12 George Onarato Democrat  1983 

Phone:
(718) 545-9706
(518) 455-3486


Email:
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 13

 Jose Peralta

(won a special election on March 16, 2010)

Democrat  2010   
 14 Malcom Smith Democrat 2000 

Phone:
(718) 528-4290
(518) 455-2701


Email:
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 15 Joseph Addabbo, Jr. Democrat 2008

Phone:
(718) 738-1111
(518) 455-2322

Email:
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 16 Toby Ann Stavisky  Democrat  1999 

Phone:
(718) 445-0004
(518) 455-3461


Email:
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 17 Martin Malave Dilan  Democrat  2002 

Phone:
(718) 573-1726
(518) 455-2177


Email:
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 18 Velmanette Montgomery  Democrat  1984 

Phone:
(718) 643-6140
(518) 455-3451


Email:
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 19 John Sampson  Democrat  1996 

Phone:
(718) 649-7653
(518) 455-2788


Email:
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 20 Eric Adams Democrat  2006 

Phone:
(718) 284-4700
(518) 455-2431


Email:
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 21 Kevin Parker  Democrat  2002 

Phone:
(718) 629-6401
(518) 455-2580


Email:
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 22 Martin Golden Republican  2002 

Phone:
(718) 238-6044
(518) 455-2730


Email:
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 23 Diane Savino  Democrat  2004 

Phone:
(718) 727-9406
(518) 455-2437


Email:
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 24 Andrew Lanza  Republican  2006 

Phone:
(718) 984-4073
(518) 455-3215


Email:
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 25 Dan Squadron  Democrat  2008 

Phone:
(212) 298-5565
(518) 455-2625


Email:
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 26 Liz Krueger  Democrat  2002 

Phone:
(212) 490-9535
(518) 455-2297


Email:
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 27 Carl Kruger  Democrat  1994 

Phone:
(718) 743-8610
(518) 455-2460


Email:
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 28 José M. Serrano  Democrat  2004 

Phone:
(212) 828-5829
(518) 455-2795


Email:
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 29 Thomas Duane  Democrat  1998 

Phone:
(212) 633-8052
(518) 455-2451


Email:
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 30 Bill Perkins  Democrat  2006 

Phone:
(212) 222-7315
(518) 455-2441


Email:
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 31 Eric Schneiderman  Democrat  1998 

Phone:
(212) 544-0173
(518) 455-2041


Email:
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 32 Rubén Díaz  Democrat  2002 

Phone:
(718) 991-3161
(518) 455-2511


Email:
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 33 Pedro Espada  Democrat  2008 

Phone:
(718) 652-4329
(518) 455-3395


Email:
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 34 Jeffrey Klein  Democrat  2004 

Phone:
(718) 822-2049
(518) 455-3595
(800) 718-2039


Email:
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 35 Andrea Stewart-Cousins  Democrat  2006 

Phone:
(914) 423-4031
(518) 455-2585


Email:
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 36 Ruth Hassell-Thompson  Democrat  2000 

Phone:
(718) 547-8854
(518) 455-2061


Email:
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 37 Suzi Oppenheimer  Democrat  1984 

Phone:
(914) 934-5250
(518) 455-2031


Email:
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 38 Thomas Morahan  Republican  1989 

Phone:
(845) 425-1818
(518) 455-3261


Email:
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 39 Bill Larkin  Republican  1990 

Phone:
(845) 567-1270
(518) 455-2770


Email:
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 40 Vincent Leibell  Republican  1994 

Phone:
(845) 279-3773
(518) 455-3111


Email:
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 41 Stephen Saland  Republican  1990 

Phone:
(845) 463-0840
(518) 455-2411


Email:
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 42 John Bonacic  Republican  1998 

Phone:
(845) 344 3311
(518) 455-3181


Email:
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 43 Roy McDonald  Republican  2008 

Phone:
(518) 274-4616
(518) 455-2381


Email:
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 44 Hugh Farley  Republican  1976 

Phone:
(518) 843-2188
(518) 762-3733
(518) 455-2181


Email:
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 45 Betty Little  Republican  2002 

Phone:
(518) 743-0968
(518) 455-2811


Email:
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 46 Neil Breslin  Democrat  1996 

Phone:
(518) 455-2225


Email:
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 47 Joseph Griffo  Republican  2006 

Phone:
(315) 793-9072
(518) 455-3334


Email:
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 48 Darrel Aubertine Democrat 2008

Phone:
(315) 782-3418
(315) 312-3106
(518) 455-2761


Email:
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 49 David Valesky Democrat 2004 

Phone:
(315) 478-8745
(518) 455-2838


Email:
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 50 John DeFrancisco  Republican  1992 

Phone:
(315) 428-7632
(518) 455-3511


Email:
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 51 James Seward  Republican  1986 

Phone:
(607) 432-5524
(518) 455-3131


Email:
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 52 Thomas W. Libous  Republican  1988 

Phone:
(607) 773-8771
(607) 687-3399
(607) 336-3401
(518) 455-2677


Email:
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 53 George H. Winner, Jr.  Republican  2004 

Phone:
(607) 732-2765
(607) 776-3201
(518) 455-2091


Email:
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 54 Michael Nozzolio  Republican  1992 

Phone:
(315) 568-9816
(518) 455-2366


Email:
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 55 James Alesi  Republican  1996 

Phone:
(585) 223-1800
(518) 455-2015


Email:
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 56 Joseph Robach  Republican  2002 

Phone:
(585) 225-3650
(518) 455-2909


Email:
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 57 Catharine Young  Republican  2005 

Phone:
(716) 372-4901
(716) 664-4603
(800) 707-0058
(518) 455-3563


Email:
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 58 William Stachowski  Democrat  1981 

Phone:
(716)-826-3344
(518) 455-2426


Email:
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 59 Dale Volker  Republican  1975 

Phone:
(716) 656-8544
(585) 786-5048
(518) 455-3471


Email:
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 60 Antoine Thompson  Democrat  2006 

Phone:
(716) 854-8705
(716) 284-5789
(518) 455-3371


Email:
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 61 Michael Ranzenhofer  Republican  2008 

Phone:
(716) 631-8695
(518) 455-3161


Email:
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 62 George D. Maziarz  Republican  1995 

Phone:
(716) 731-8740
(585) 637-5800
(518) 455-2024


Email:
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