Ace of Spades HQ

December 30, 2010

Mike Bloomberg, Fair Weather Friend of the First Amendment
— Ace

When Bloomberg agitates for the Ground Zero Mosque, he cites the spirit of the First Amendment. Freedom of religion and all that.

But he seems to forget other parts of the First Amendment, like the explicit part about the state being forbidden to establish (or even further, as Court decisions have said) a religion.

Because his his government has been working hard, secretly, to push this mosque and therefore the Muslim religion.

In fact, it turns out that Team Bloomberg was heavily involved in operating the political machinery needed to ensure that various regulatory agencies approved the controversial project -- which has rightly drawn the ire of many 9/11 survivors and victims' families.

REUTERS
Daisy Khan

Even to the point of pressing Community Board 1 to cast an approving vote -- so that the chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission could be given the "political cover" he so urgently sought before his agency denied landmark status to the existing building.
That not only raises First Amendment questions -- it also provides serious doubts about the legitimacy of the LPC vote, which appears to have been dictated far more by politics than by any consideration of the building's architectural and historical merit.
Bloomberg's community affairs commissioner even ghost-wrote a letter to CB1 on behalf of Daisy Khan, wife of mosque promoter Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. Meanwhile, officials intervened to obtain permits so that prayers could be conducted at the site.

More at the link; Bloomberg has been very slow in responding to FOIA requests for these documents, and many he won't turn over, citing privileged communication.

Thanks to rdbrewer.

Posted by: Ace at 09:33 AM | Comments (94)
Post contains 286 words, total size 2 kb.

1
Where's the upside in this for Nanny Bloomberg?

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 30, 2010 09:35 AM (uFokq)

2
Does this type of radical social activism make him feel good, or something?

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 30, 2010 09:36 AM (uFokq)

3 Bloomberg is a Leftist and they have always been free speech for me and not for thee types. Though extending it to establishment is a new twist.

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 09:39 AM (R/+Ck)

4 He's just warming up for his Pennsylvania Ave. run.

Posted by: nine coconuts at December 30, 2010 09:41 AM (DHNp4)

officials intervened to obtain permits so that prayers could be conducted at the site.

You know, if you wanted to take just one thing from all that and bring a case, wouldn't this suffice?

Posted by: rdbrewer at December 30, 2010 09:42 AM (guKJD)

6 Why, oh why didn't his Mom abort the little shithead?

Posted by: *Cynical* torabora at December 30, 2010 09:42 AM (QEmqs)

It's divisive hyper partisan labeling that caused him to not abide by the first amendment.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2010 09:43 AM (wuv1c)

many he won't turn over, citing privileged communication.

He's a Mayor! What the fuck is privelged?

There's no National Security Issue, here.

He wasn't talking to counsel about a personal court case or legal matter...so what the fuck makes anything the NYC Mayor does, priveleged?

Posted by: garrett at December 30, 2010 09:44 AM (TZh2P)

9 Let's be honest, Michael Bloomberg is the closest thing we have to a facist in America at the moment.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2010 09:44 AM (wuv1c)

It's divisive hyper partisan labeling that caused him to not abide by the first amendment.

And some leftist will actually state this with a straight face, Ben. It's really scary when sarc snarks become "reality" to these people.

Posted by: Curmudgeon at December 30, 2010 09:45 AM (ujg0T)

11 *wookie sounds*

Posted by: Janet Reno at December 30, 2010 09:45 AM (ZTPeW)

12 But but but, Rethug politicians help and push church permits all the time!1!1!

Posted by: Liberal Douche at December 30, 2010 09:45 AM (ncA3g)

13 Maybe his staff should have been working on that Snow Removal Plan instead.

Posted by: Adirondack Patriot at December 30, 2010 09:45 AM (iAUf+)

Oh, and on the prayer thing. It was widely reported that "after all, prayers are already being conducted in the building," and it was implied or openly argued that people ought not have a problem with the ground zero mosque because of that--since it's already being used as a house of prayer, yada yada yada.

But it was never reported Bloomberg got them the permit for that.

Posted by: rdbrewer at December 30, 2010 09:45 AM (guKJD)

Let's be honest, Michael Bloomberg is the closest thing we have to a facist in America at the moment.

The guy can't see the forest for the trees.

Posted by: David patterson at December 30, 2010 09:46 AM (TZh2P)

16 Oh well, at least he makes the trains run on time clears the streets of snow.

Posted by: nickless at December 30, 2010 09:47 AM (MMC8r)

17 Let me guess, these are UNION muslims, right?

Posted by: nickless at December 30, 2010 09:48 AM (MMC8r)

He's a Mayor! What the fuck is privelged?

When he says "privileged" I think he might mean something different from our understanding of the word. Of course, they're not privileged (restricted access); they're privileged--communications made by privileged people, like himself.

Posted by: rdbrewer at December 30, 2010 09:49 AM (guKJD)

19 As long as this pisses of the Cons I am for it! Suck it Rethugs!

Posted by: Daily Kos Poster 79 at December 30, 2010 09:50 AM (ncA3g)

20 9 Let's be honest, Michael Bloomberg is the closest thing we have to a facist in America at the moment.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2010 01:44 PM (wuv1c)

Hey now!

Posted by: B+rry Ob+owmao at December 30, 2010 09:50 AM (QEmqs)

21 I have no doubt Bloomberg's business enterprises are going after big buck deals in Arab countries. Sniveling cocksucking piece of shit.

Posted by: real joe at December 30, 2010 09:50 AM (IpIBJ)

22 9 Let's be honest, Michael Bloomberg is the closest thing we have to a facist in America at the moment.

Posted by: Ben at December 30, 2010 01:44 PM (wuv1c)

I'm closer.

Posted by: Janet Incompetano at December 30, 2010 09:50 AM (QEmqs)

23 Oh well, at least he makes the trains run on time clears the streets of snow shows up to work occasionally

Posted by: MikeTheMoose© at December 30, 2010 09:50 AM (0q2P7)

The guy can't see the forest streets for the trees snow.

FIFY!

Posted by: rdbrewer at December 30, 2010 09:51 AM (guKJD)

25 So, this gets him what exactly? That his head is the last one to be lopped off?

Posted by: jewells45 at December 30, 2010 09:52 AM (Z71Vg)

26 Privileged means for me to know and for you to find out. FYNQ.

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 09:52 AM (R/+Ck)

27 How about a FOIA for bloomburgs fucking head.

Posted by: Unclefacts, mobile edition at December 30, 2010 09:52 AM (eCAn3)

28 BREAKING: Bloomberg announces new snow removal policy.

Calls it 'July.'

Posted by: nickless at December 30, 2010 09:52 AM (MMC8r)

29 Where's the upside in this for Nanny Bloomberg?

Bloomberg is always in bed with developers, even scumbags like El Gamel. He also closed seven offices throughout the west, including New York, Tokyo, Sao Paolo, Paris, London, San Francisco and one other (I forget) and opened a Middle East and Southeast Asian hub headquartered in Abu Dhabi. It looks as if he has used his position to broker lucrative deals for his business, while not actually doing the job he is elected and paid $1 a year to do.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 30, 2010 09:52 AM (mHQ7T)

30 MFM reaction to this story: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Posted by: TheQuietMan at December 30, 2010 09:53 AM (1Jaio)

But it was never reported Bloomberg got them the permit for that.

Posted by: rdbrewer at December 30, 2010 01:45 PM (guKJD)

Nice catch!

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 30, 2010 09:53 AM (mHQ7T)

32 By caring about this all of you teabaggers are racist biggoted islamaphobes. Please don't hold your breath until you see this on CNN or the Washington Post, they are too busy comparing US soldiers to the Taliban.

Posted by: The MFM at December 30, 2010 09:54 AM (ncA3g)

The guy can't see the forest streets for the trees snow.

Snowblind-edness is nothing to joke about!

Posted by: Lisa Murkowski at December 30, 2010 09:55 AM (TZh2P)

34 Tattoo there you go with labels again. People hear things like "corrupt" and "honest" and give up on solving the real problems. Like they gave up on the snow. Rendell was right.

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 09:56 AM (R/+Ck)

35 So, this gets him what exactly? That his head is the last one to be lopped off?

Remember the writeup "Who goes Nazi" by Dorothy Thompson?

He's just letting them know he's first in line when they get here, and why can't they hurry up!

Posted by: MikeTheMoose© at December 30, 2010 09:57 AM (0q2P7)

36 We need people like Bloomberg, to be Cthulhu's first meal. Perhaps he will decide hoomans are unfit to eat.

Posted by: Follower of Cthulhu, former republican at December 30, 2010 09:57 AM (F/4zf)

37 BREAKING: Bloomberg announces new snow removal policy.

Calls it 'July.'

Ok powerful funny that one.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose© at December 30, 2010 09:58 AM (0q2P7)

38 Then the city wonders why so many people are leaving NY for TX. A big hole in the ground nearly a decade after a horrific terrorist attack, higher taxes and a victory mosque for our enemies are good reasons.

It's not just economics. It's because your tax money goes to smug, traitorous shitbags, and you can never escape it in this town.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 30, 2010 09:58 AM (mHQ7T)

39 The FOI requests have too many transfats and evil tobacco.

Posted by: Vic at December 30, 2010 09:59 AM (M9Ie6)

40 4 He's just warming up for his Pennsylvania Ave. run dhimmi-status in the New Caliphate.

Posted by: nine coconuts at December 30, 2010 01:41 PM (DHNp4)

Posted by: baldilocks at December 30, 2010 10:01 AM (T2/zQ)

41 Bloomberg is just helping with the paperwork. His clients did the initial work of clearing the site.

Posted by: t-bird at December 30, 2010 10:01 AM (kho+0)

42 Like they gave up on the snow.

*snort*

But seriously, I wish the NY GOP would get its act together.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 30, 2010 10:02 AM (mHQ7T)

43 Want to know why NY GOP can't get its act together? Unions. Plain and simple. Who was that last NY Republican Senator and wasn't he all mobbed up?

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 10:06 AM (R/+Ck)

44 1st Amendment for me but not for Thee.

So what else is new?

Posted by: Holger at December 30, 2010 10:07 AM (YxGud)

45
Bloomberg is taking his cues from Boston's idiot-mayor Menino.

November 2008

"Mayor Menino, in a fit of multicultural ecumenicalism, approved the sale of city-owned land to the mosque for the bargain basement Â— and still controversial Â— price of $175,000, plus the promise of in-kind services, including upkeep of nearby parks. The predictable uproar that arose in the wake of not only selling land well below market rates, but also selling it to a religious institution in contravention of the supposed separation of church and state, was supposed to be muffled by making the complex available for community use. But oops Â— that never happened."

Read more at: http://www.investigativeproject.org/1079/meninos-mosque

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 30, 2010 10:07 AM (uFokq)

46 Thank god he is not a Republican. What. A. Tool.

Posted by: Flapjackmaka at December 30, 2010 10:07 AM (c5RQr)

Re: Cory Booker in sidebar.

Mayor Booker is an anti-semitic scumbag.

He's a better looking Al Sharpton with what will ammount to a life-time appointment to Newark's mayorship...that is, until he's drummed out of office for corruption.

Don't fall for his 'Community Organiser' in Town Hall schtick. He may come out of this snowstorm looking bettert than Bloomberg, but he's a scumbag.

Posted by: garrett at December 30, 2010 10:12 AM (TZh2P)

48 Follow the money.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2010 10:17 AM (ZTPeW)

49 How much help has Bloomberg been giving to the Greek Orthodox at Ground 0?

Posted by: Jean at December 30, 2010 10:18 AM (Ja6pC)

50 Bloomberg is just another rich limo liberal

Posted by: nevergiveup at December 30, 2010 10:18 AM (0GFWk)

51 How much help has Bloomberg been giving to the Greek Orthodox at Ground 0? Posted by: Jean at December 30, 2010 02:18 PM (Ja6pC) Does the middle finger count?

Posted by: nevergiveup at December 30, 2010 10:19 AM (0GFWk)

52 I hope Bloomberg is on site when the next attack happens. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Sleep with bombsetters, die in the premature explosion.

Posted by: Sponge © at December 30, 2010 10:21 AM (UK9cE)

53 No Labels

Posted by: Cherry π at December 30, 2010 10:21 AM (+sBB4)

54 So, this gets him what exactly? That his head is the last one to be lopped off?

That is EXACTLY what anyone gets when they side with the islamofacists. You appease them at your peril. They REALLY don't like you and will eventually kill you regardless.

Posted by: Sponge © at December 30, 2010 10:24 AM (UK9cE)

55 BREAKING: Bloomberg announces new snow removal policy.

Calls it 'July.'

Didn't Marion Barry actually say something very similar to that once?

Posted by: Sponge © at December 30, 2010 10:26 AM (UK9cE)

56 Didn't Marion Barry actually say something very similar to that once? Posted by: Sponge Â© at December 30, 2010 02:26 PM (UK9cE) No, but I wish I had. Anyone got any blow?

Posted by: M. Barry at December 30, 2010 10:28 AM (0GFWk)

No Labels

Is 'Inept' a label?

How about 'Duplicitous'?

Posted by: garrett at December 30, 2010 10:29 AM (TZh2P)

58 Is there some new "Wimpy Mayor/Muslim Mosque Developer" privilege Bloomberg is relying on?

Posted by: lasue at December 30, 2010 10:29 AM (S25IC)

59 Allahu Ackbar, bitches!

Time magazine says it best!

Posted by: Mayor Michael Bloomberg at December 30, 2010 10:30 AM (cv5Iw)

60 Just so ya know, Bloomberg is so filthy rich, he couldn't give 2 shits what any of us common folk say.

Posted by: nevergiveup at December 30, 2010 10:30 AM (0GFWk)

61 More at the link; Bloomberg has been very slow in responding to FOIA requests for these documents, and many he won't turn over, citing privileged communication.

Most open NYC Mayoral Administration evah!

It would be interesting to see what Mayor Fat Nazi and his community affairs commissioner have written to these Jihadist bastards.

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at December 30, 2010 10:32 AM (9hSKh)

62 Yeah, this doesn't open first amendment questions in my book. It's not Congress. Religion restrictions in the 1st amendment are restrictions on the actions of Congress, and all the jurisprudence saying otherwise is hogwash.

Posted by: LiveFreeOrDie at December 30, 2010 10:34 AM (dkXRJ)

63 The irony of people dying because city workers are eating donuts and coffee instead of doing their jobs in No-Fats NY seems to escape Mayor Clamface.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2010 10:36 AM (ZTPeW)

64 Bloomberg is a JEW and the RIGHT WING hates them Jews, hates them something fierce.

Posted by: archie bunker at December 30, 2010 10:38 AM (0YS61)

65 and all the jurisprudence saying otherwise is hogwash.

There's what ought, and there's what is.

Posted by: toby928™ at December 30, 2010 10:38 AM (S5YRY)

66 STFU, dunce.

Posted by: toby928™ at December 30, 2010 10:39 AM (S5YRY)

67 Yes, inept and all those are labels, so kindly keep them to yourself. I just wish you wingnuts would keep the discourse civil!

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 10:39 AM (MrMxG)

68 Bloomberg is a textbook dhimmi. That's what dhimmis do...the bidding of their masters without even having to be asked or ordered.

Posted by: davidingeorgia at December 30, 2010 10:40 AM (02KaY)

69 Bloomberg is a JEW and the RIGHT WING hates them Jews, hates them something fierce.

Posted by: archie bunker at December 30, 2010 02:38 PM (0YS61)

See 'Cantor, Eric, Daily Kos reaction to'.

Posted by: nickless at December 30, 2010 10:40 AM (MMC8r)

70 Is there some new "Wimpy Mayor/Muslim Mosque Developer" privilege Bloomberg is relying on?

Posted by: lasue at December 30, 2010 02:29 PM

No, not the priviliged nature of the communications; he's asserting his privileged status. When Bloomberg asserts privilege, it's akin to that nobleman in Braveheart come to exercise his privilege of prima nocta. "It is my divine right."

Posted by: rdbrewer at December 30, 2010 10:40 AM (guKJD)

71 65, Flinging poo with a keyboard.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2010 10:41 AM (ZTPeW)

72 I am thinking Archie Bunker is exhibiting snark not actual anti-Semitism.

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 10:42 AM (MrMxG)

73 john Ryan's more of a poo smearer than a flinger

Posted by: toby928™ at December 30, 2010 10:42 AM (S5YRY)

74 If not, it should be, cause it is just like a parody - no one could possibly be critical of Bloomberg unless its because he's a JEW!

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 10:43 AM (MrMxG)

75 archie bunker is our retarded little troll john ryan.

Posted by: nickless at December 30, 2010 10:44 AM (MMC8r)

76 Wait, that's serious? Could he possibly be more cliche?

Posted by: blaster at December 30, 2010 10:45 AM (MrMxG)

77 Wait til he tells you what "scientists" believe.

Posted by: toby928™ at December 30, 2010 10:46 AM (S5YRY)

78 Self hating LIBERAL Jew. Can you imagine the snickering going on within the Muslim group pushing for this Mosque. What a fucking TOOL!!!!

Posted by: Sparky at December 30, 2010 10:47 AM (r0u40)

Bloomberg is a JEW and the RIGHT WING hates them Jews, hates them something fierce.

Yep. Nobody hates Jews more than us Conservative Jews...

Oh, wait.

Our President hates Jews more than anybody...except, maybe his friends who had fathers.

Posted by: garrett at December 30, 2010 10:47 AM (TZh2P)

80

63 Yeah, this doesn't open first amendment questions in my book.

It's not Congress. Religion restrictions in the 1st amendment are restrictions on the actions of Congress, and all the jurisprudence saying otherwise is hogwash.

Posted by: LiveFreeOrDie at December 30, 2010 02:34 PM (dkXRJ)

Shit in yer hat and punch it.

The ACLU made my COUNTY take their Christmas display last year.

Posted by: Ed Anger at December 30, 2010 10:49 AM (7+pP9)

81 NY is having the warmest Winter on record.

Posted by: barkie muncher at December 30, 2010 10:50 AM (ZTPeW)

82 You know, trolls are better when the argument they make isn't just a simple inversion of reality.

They might as well just post "nuh-uh!"

Idiots. Like, you know, Bloomberg, the First-Amendment-violating, incompetent nanny-state whiny jerktard.

Posted by: Merovign, Strong on His Mountain at December 30, 2010 10:50 AM (bxiXv)

I know this is the wrong thread but I thought you morons might enjoy the comment hubby left on the Wapo coleman mccarthy thread:

What a delightful combination of arrogance and ignorance! Mr. McCarthy resurrects condescending arguments from 40 years ago, and still gets them wrong. Citing an obnoxious insult to the former President of Notre Dame in 1989, twenty years ago, and twenty years after the fact? Really? Is this a satire?

And soldiers make decisions about when to go to war or how to prosecute it? We must have missed that class.

The best place for the McCarthy's of this world is in the Smithsonian, behind a glass case, that says "liberalus Americanus, circa 1968. Believed nothing was worth defending. Listed as endangered, 1975. Threatened with extinction by election of Ronald Reagan, 1980. Never recovered."

Posted by: dagny at December 30, 2010 10:53 AM (DS1Ec)

84 Gonna have to second the calls and questions regarding the St.Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church - the only non-WTC building destroyed in NY that day. It was founded in 1916, and Bloomberg and all the PC cohorts can only ignore its difficulties in getting ANY permits to rebuild, anywhere near its original spot. Yet they can rush this thing through? Only the MSM could be so deaf and blind as to ignore this.

the sinner,

Patrick

Posted by: Patrick at December 30, 2010 10:53 AM (+HRJG)

The guy can't see the forest for the trees.

The fascist midget can't see the street from the sidewalk with the snowbanks.

Posted by: Asscrackerton at December 30, 2010 10:53 AM (0ba8c)

I'm kinda starting to see some parallels between the way leftists today support Islamofascists, and the way american communists supported German fascists. Right up to the point when Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Then all the communists that had been agitating for America to stay out of the war suddenly did a 180 and wanted us to join the fight against the evil Germans and help preserve their precious mother Russia.

I'm just wondering who the Islamofacists will eventually attack that turns the leftists against them, and how the leftists will justify to themselves the change in attitude.

Posted by: gebrauchshund at December 30, 2010 10:55 AM (iYwUw)

87 A battle of wits with john ryan is like a boxing match with a thalidomide baby.

Posted by: nickless at December 30, 2010 10:55 AM (MMC8r)

88 Meanwhile, the slow snow removalers pushed a Ford Expedition through the storefront of the Bacon And Titties And Gheys franchise across the street from the GZM.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at December 30, 2010 11:01 AM (3iMgs)

89 And we are told to believe that Christine O'Donnell is an idiot for correctly stating that the First Amendment only contains the Establishment Clause. Whereas Bloomberg wouldn't recognize the Establishment Clause even when it will (hopefully) bite him in the ass.

Posted by: InCali at December 30, 2010 11:11 AM (6splf)

90 Bloomberg is a giant crap-bag of human waste. Worthless leftist piece of trash.

Bloomberg can kiss my right-wing ass.

Posted by: crapmandu at December 30, 2010 11:29 AM (BXqkH)

91 Because his his government has been working hard, secretly, to push this mosque and therefore the Muslim religion.

Note to New Yorkers: You voted for him.

Posted by: Blacque Jacques Shellacque at December 30, 2010 11:32 AM (nD3Pg)

92 85 Gonna have to second the calls and questions regarding the St.Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church - the only non-WTC building destroyed in NY that day. It was founded in 1916, and Bloomberg and all the PC cohorts can only ignore its difficulties in getting ANY permits to rebuild, anywhere near its original spot. Yet they can rush this thing through? Only the MSM could be so deaf and blind as to ignore this.

the sinner,

Patrick

Well obviously the Greek Orthodox are gonna have to start beheading people in order to be treated with respect any more.

Posted by: Iblis at December 30, 2010 12:03 PM (7IdP1)

93 Where's the upside in this for Nanny Bloomberg?

As others have pointed out, it's for the new (this past fall) Bloomberg interests in the ME. There was some kerfuffle on this back in August (IIRC), but was curiously ignored by most media (shocking, I know).

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