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State Liquor Authority Investigated for Corruption
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 8, 2009
Modified Apr 8, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 8, 2009
Modified Apr 8, 2009
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The party's over for employees at the State Liquor Authority office in Harlem. This morning investigators raided the office on orders from the state Inspector General. According to WCBS 880, all 24 employees at the licensing bureau were questioned about an alleged bribery scheme! Deputy Inspector General Kelly Donovan says, "We believe employees are fast-tracking liquor licenses in exchange for gratuities, at the expense of legitimate applicants." No arrests were made today, but the investigation has been ongoing for over a year, and was sparked by complaints that some liquor license applicants wait more than eight months while others get licenses in 11 days, thanks to good old Mr. Bribe. Besides handling license applications for NYC and Long Island, the Harlem office regulates 65% of roughly 70,000 operating licenses and permits statewide. And if true, this won't be the first whiff of SLA corruption; you'll recall that last winter an aide to Governor Paterson resigned amidst allegations that he successfully influenced two SLA commissioners to go easy on Cipriani. [Via Eater]
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state liquor authority
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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