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Senator Espada Uses Placard to Block Hydrant Days After Bronx Fire
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 5, 2010
Modified Jan 5, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 5, 2010
Modified Jan 5, 2010
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Two days after a second devastating fire destroyed several businesses in the Norwood section of The Bronx, a Mercedes Benz registered to controversial State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. was observed illegally parked in front of a fire hydrant with a Police Vehicle Identification placard in the window. The Benz was noticed by Boogie Downer, whose photos were then picked up by the permanently galled Uncivil Servants blog (which specializes in photos of parking placard abuse). Police parking permits are not typically issued to legislators, and parking at a hydrant is illegal at all times, even for those with official permits.
Last night Espada issued this statement to a local tabloid, which posted it on the Internet: "While I cannot check at the moment because I am in conference at the Senate retreat in upstate New York, I am certain that the police placard was issued at the request of a member of my staff." (It would be a shame if this flap ruins the big Senate retreat; today they're doing trust falls!)
Of course, in his defense, Espada's vehicle wasn't there overnight—probably because his actual full-time residence is (allegedly) not in his district, but is in Westchester, which is something the Bronx DA has supposedly been investigating.
Tagged
bronx
espada
hydrant
nyc
parking
pedro
photos
placard
retreat
senate
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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