“And then I read the papers and listen to the reports—and all the crap that has dragged us down just keeps piling up.”—Michael Burzo. 
             
 “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” –nnnnot anymore
                                                                                          A primer on retaliation
                                                                                                                                    By Joe Anonymous
 
Hi Gov.
 
N.Y. Times - June 28, 2010.
By Jennifer Medina
 
“Each of the nine teachers spending their last day in the rubber room refused to allow their full names to be used, saying they worried about reprisals from administrators.” Reread it Gov.
 
“Protect yourself when approached by an investigator—do not answer questions.” This is the sign posted in a rubber room. Reread it Gov-- where the rubber meets the road needs someone to apply the brakes rather than continually crash.
Daily News – June 29, 2010.
By Bill Hammond
 
“He can’t make them accept tuition reform that would have given SUNY/CUNY financial independence from sticky-fingered Albany lawmakers.” Maybe the ties that bind need to end-right Gov.?
 
“An official who manipulated statistics and is currently under investigation has been quietly transferred to another position.” – Recent article as of July 2, 2010—the Daily News. 
 
“DOJ Attorney turns whistle-blower,”—in a non-related case, but you better believe the tie in is no different than what I have heard and lived at the DOI.
 
2 Brooklyn Census Directors Fired over Fake Surveys—recent, and I wish I am making this up, but two employees did the right thing.
 
Getting back to the Chemistry Department at N.Y.U. (for-profit) but a story beyond acceptance and just as  true at non-profits; a Chem. Director submitted 13,000 liquor store “business” vouchers over a 5 year period for a total in excess of $409,000 (give or take) and it took a student—a student to catch this (I love this story.)  You think no-one knew?
What is worse? Falsifying numbers to fake accomplishment for the sake of bilking the taxpayer—how is the quickly hushed Jobs Created/Jobs Saved reporting organizations doing—think they have more to fudge? For no-show work and effort—go ask the ones that said NO to the scam.  “CityTime” = big time spending, but that is just another story allowed to continue, for now—right Mr. Mayor? Thank Juan Gonzalez of the Daily News for his reports and our new Controller for investigating.
 
The relationship between academia/government and politics in Albany is just part of my pending case.  “In partnership and sponsorship” funded by The City and State University and the Government (S.B.A.), administered by RFCUNY-a private non-profit.  So we have David going up against Goliath when reporting documented theft of time, of services, of spending and of work-ethic no-show allowed fudged fraud...and nary a word yet to be denied.  We need to understand this academia/government “relative” relationship on every CUNY/SUNY campus and the cost to the taxpayer regarding the “tuition reform,” and who will benefit—my bet is Corporate Campus.
 
700 teachers and administrators in rubber rooms, that is an awful lot of money for sitting around doing nothing, and we need the reason why this was allowed for years. In my case I was advised by administrators’  “perhaps he didn’t mean it,” or “fraud is not in our jurisdiction” as the answers to absolute theft and no-show efforts, and retaliation became a given.  This must be a closed-door Rensselaer joke, right Gov? And those allowed fudged accomplishments—go in the street and ask.
 
Whistle blowing never start out that way, and technically, I have never thought of myself as a whistle blower—being in all cases this always starts out as employee office discussions and escalates to threats with witnesses, especially when ego is involved and given power, but then again, the initial response to the lies was the announced resignation of our Director.  A look at how previous employees were crucified by the administration is well documented-so reread the N.Y. Times’ quotes.
 
On 12/23/05 a whistle blowers hotline was established at RFCUNY-R.I.O’s were hired, 5 heads at C.S.I. stepped down, and a Director resigned only to unresign, as the taxpayers’ team decided to say NO to fraud--don’t believe me, ask those that left.  Theft of time, of services, of work ethics, and of unnecessary spending seem to be the “terms of entitlement” for some—and there are many who questioned spending on campus and were terminated –go ask inspector general’s and legal counsel who did just that and their reward.  Reread the Times article President Obama. But to walk away from our Veterans Program as a Director after the effort others put in…Marty, John, Roe, and Bob, along with the story behind our closed satellite with Kathy, Joe and Barbara needs “sunlight” with all the stories and  closed door reports available to the public—honesty and transparency.
 
The new S.B.A. revised again SBDC disclaimer and eliminated relationship with CUNY/SUNY now states “Such funding does not constitute and expressed or implied endorsement of the co-sponsors’ or participants’ opinions, products, or services.” What happened? Has CUNY/SUNY suddenly removed itself from the disclaimer to cover their ass, and you question their “accomplishments” yet fund them, or shall we say WE fund them?—you were bitching to John and I about the required work new leadership was not doing, and asking us to right a wrong and speak to our director--John also left, replaced by an associate. What’s up—Chancellor, or maybe your son has the answers, after all-he did contact me initially as to complaints from many others.
 
I viewed the film “Border Town,” and figured why the fear and why the reports of retaliation do not get media attention.  Corporate Politics in the media and on campus is in need of a continued stream of money and has killed the stories and the whistle blowers.  In the film, it cost people their lives as the paper said no to the story—retaliation allows the politics of Corporate Campus to continue the needed lies and the fraud, while passing along the yearly costs to the taxpayer.
 
Until retaliation gets the proper attention what’s OUR choice Gov?—stay quiet and totally professional hoping I will go away, or make people aware? Being decent, accountable with superior work ethics, and consummate team play doesn’t work.  Go down the hall and ask our Chancellor how relative this case is to him, but, you already know the answer to the question.  Regarding my case Gov. and it ain’t “without merit.”  
The S.B.A. refused to release information to the A.S.B.L.  (the American Small Business League—not to be confused with a lobby group staffed by associates and tell us how wonderful a job the SBDC is doing) who dragged y’all into court and won 8 times, so when my requests for information from their “partner” they fund along with our CUNY/SUNY system regarding the reports from 2006 and 2007 and am denied is no great unexpected shock to me…even those requests as to who else in the State was eliminated from the supposed reorganization.  And when we listened at Arthur Kill as a Director walked away from our Veteran’s—the Strategic Plan of this government funded agency has a mandate to assist not just Veteran’s, but also Minorities—ain’t that right Mr. President? Would testimony from those at Arthur Kill come in handy in court? How about the officials that advised us about the condescending remarks and a previous organization that was left “splintered” by this person?  And Mr. President—it is not the system, or the government or the non-profits that should shoulder the entire blame—those individuals that use retaliation to silence our freedom of speech , and their associates that allow and that threaten (with witnesses) what “they will do if we don’t shut up,” need to share the financial burden. Those that left before me and after me need their stories to be and to think my request to tape investigator closed door conversations was denied.
AUDIT can’t account for $109M of Columbia Work—Daily News- -July 9, 2010.
“Many of the reports and conclusions are grossly misleading and inaccurate,” and “the need to review documentation is necessary to make sure there is no misuse of funds.” People within the College know, and when those documents and time sheets are knowingly fudged by administrators—it is difficult to put an end to.  Controller Liu-gosh bless, and the cure is allowing whistle blowers the freedom to end fraud by allowing us to speak without fear of reprisal.
 
A few years back, I was advised of issues on campus such as dead trees (by the hundreds) and the cause landfill that was dumped that supposedly raised the ground level around trees, which was the answer given to me by a professor at the college as they were cutting hundred year old former majestic dead trees in back of the astronomy lab by the soccer field— along with many others that died in the beautiful forests on campus.  Even the landscaping at the back entrance has huge trees—no longer.  Issues with water, and a recent hazmat fire, coupled with articles that discuss health issues and high levels of toxins are well known.  The trees were and are being chopped down as I write (300 or so) and my concern is the ground students play on—if the ground is in question.  So they planted many new trees around the ball fields last year—and all as in all are dead.  All as in all on the meridian coming into the college, and many as in many of the new plantings opposite the track and ball fields have also died.  Was the landfill contaminated?
Pictures thankfully do not need political words to reflect the accuracy of the dead wood, and the illegal dumping of landfill during the previous regime is well known—and those opposed to this dumping paid the price, as officials discuss their concern for the environment and commitment to green to the media-maybe they meant the dollars, rather than the environment. My kids play on those ball fields.  Pictures are worth 1,000 words and do not lie, and the request to check the ground for contaminants…Funny thing about the word “insubordination” and used as part of the needed lies by the administration, BUT the charge of insubordination was dropped from my case right after the college refused to discuss the incident with witnesses—in court there are others who refused to compromise safety, diverted funds, missing equipment, and ethics in neighboring departments and “left.”  Do the above have to do with my case directly? NO. Same people pulling the strings? YES. Maybe the Dean at the College will enlighten us in court.
We closed ball fields in Great Kills for high levels of radon in the ground due to contaminated dumping of landfill that some believe is “safe,” and the air was just as safe after 9/11 in lower Manhattan—go ask those that are suffering, and simple requests to check soil for safety sake, but with given answers to simple questions such as missing equipment on campus that is met with “if you value your job-shut up or else.”--waddya expect.
Making people personally and financially responsible for retaliation when proven guilty is long overdue, but instead we reward them with other no-show positions within the system, allow their pensions and benefits to kick in, make sure the fudged numbers and time sheets continue to be fudged,  while the taxpayer pays for this...forever.  
 
 
Daily News-July13, 2010—Jobs for cronies (pay pals) upstate starting at $110,000 times 6,  Meeks and the loan,  Third term shenanigans, Racino, and you think I matter?  AND AS IN MY CASE—PEOPLE KNOW AND ARE AFRAID TO TALK UP DUE TO FEAR OF RETALIATION.  We read about the scandal in Binghamton, as the athletics head of C.S.I. departs—some say it was due to politics and diversion.
This is not just about my little case of retaliation that you could squash at will, but just might not be able to in court—it is a primer for all threatened and dismissed through lies. The “laws” do nothing to protect our freedom of speech—so to write and write and write until heard needs awareness—it is what it is. Retaliation protection as outlined by college administration falls under the guise of “creative” re-organizations, that when you look at the replacements and the lies from day one up until recent hiring’s (in my case) make a mockery of “protection.”  Be responsible for your actions.
And you wonder why the economy is in the shitter.
VTY,
Robert Stein
718-715-2902