Deplorable Me
.700 Nitro Express
(A strange e-mail I just got with no links.)
DiPizio Construction
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jerry McKinstry, 917-282-6185
Jerry@NovemberTeam.com
Buffalo Company: Cuomo Ignored Warnings
Contractor Who Met with Governor’s Investigators
Warned Administration of Incompetence,
Wrongdoing and ‘Pay-to-Play’
Buffalo, N.Y. -- September 26, 2016… With Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo claiming ignorance to the wrongdoing, corruption and bribes stemming from economic development projects in Western New York, a Buffalo construction company that was awarded the $20 million Canalside Skating rink contract -- before being controversially replaced by a rival firm that donated lavishly to the campaigns of the governor and Lt. governor -- today called out Cuomo for claiming he didn’t know what was going on.
Why? Because Rosanne DiPizio of DiPizio Construction has for years been sounding the alarm on crooked behavior and incompetent management stemming from her own experience working with the administration, the Empire State Development Corporation and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation.
In fact, she even met with Cuomo’s own investigators in June, who were alarmed by the facts of her case, yet said it was out of their purview to do anything about it except to notify the governor’s office as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office.
“When I hear the governor say that he didn’t know what was going on right under his nose, I just can’t believe it,” DiPizio said. “I’ve been sounding the alarm for years on the wrongdoing and incompetence and the Cuomo administration refuses to do anything about it. If my experience is indicative of how they do business, it’s no wonder that nine of his closest allies were indicted. This may be the tip of the iceberg.”
DiPizio and other representatives from DiPizio Construction and Dreamco Development Corporation, met with Cuomo’s investigators in June and were referred to both Cuomo’s office and the U.S. Attorney. They were told that while her concerns were legitimate and the actions of state leaders troubling, the case was beyond the scope of their work because, while it was an economic development project, it didn’t technically fall under the Buffalo Billion program.
Upon the advice of the investigators, however, DiPizio soon after reached out to the governor's office, but was ignored.
“Unfortunately my suspicions were confirmed: That Gov. Cuomo is more interested in saving face of than dealing with a true injustice that was created by his own incompetent administration,” DiPizio added. “Time and time again, we have asked the governor and his underlings to address this injustice and over and over they have ignored us … He clearly has no interest in finding out the truth about what’s going on in Buffalo.”
DiPizio has consistently been critical of the administration’s public comments and its self-interested defensive posturing: she has previously spoken out against the corruption, written scores of letters and in August submitted written testimony for the Assembly hearings where Gov. Cuomo’s chief economic development officer, Howard Zemsky, testified before New York State lawmakers and defended the state’s spending of hundreds of millions of dollars on “Start Up New York” campaign that has only created 408 jobs since 2013. She submitted comments to that committee regarding New York’s wasteful spending and its ‘pay-to-play’ political culture that has been the subject of scrutiny, particularly with the governor’s Buffalo Billion program.
Backstory
DiPizio was awarded the contract in 2012, and after state budgeting delays, inadequate design plans and subsequent changes, and other problems brought on by the state, the company was fired from the project after it completed 50 percent of the work. The state then hired Pike Construction, a generous donor to the Cuomo administration. Now, the ice rink is incomplete, millions over-budget and mired in legal problems, which continue to cost taxpayers’ millions of dollars.
DiPizio is involved in several protracted lawsuits -- including a federal RICO case where four judges have recused themselves -- against Empire State Development Corp. (ESD) and Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. (ECHDC). For years, DiPizio, CEO with Dreamco Development Corporation and acting CFO and project manager with DiPizio Construction, has been an outspoken critic of ECHDC President Thomas Dee and ESD Regional President, Sam Hoyt, appointee of Gov. Cuomo, for wrongly, unfairly and unilaterally terminating her family’s construction company.
The company has been in business for 38 years, has an impeccable reputation and record of results, and has completed over $400 million.
DiPizio and her family owned business won the contract to build the Canalside rink in 2012 by being the lowest responsible bidder. After being wrongly blamed for delays, the contract was given to Pike Construction after DiPizio completed 50 percent of the job. DiPizio is currently suing the Empire State Development Corporation, ECHDC and its leaders for blaming her for the project’s delays and tarnishing her company’s reputation
DiPizio Construction
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jerry McKinstry, 917-282-6185
Jerry@NovemberTeam.com
Buffalo Company: Cuomo Ignored Warnings
Contractor Who Met with Governor’s Investigators
Warned Administration of Incompetence,
Wrongdoing and ‘Pay-to-Play’
Buffalo, N.Y. -- September 26, 2016… With Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo claiming ignorance to the wrongdoing, corruption and bribes stemming from economic development projects in Western New York, a Buffalo construction company that was awarded the $20 million Canalside Skating rink contract -- before being controversially replaced by a rival firm that donated lavishly to the campaigns of the governor and Lt. governor -- today called out Cuomo for claiming he didn’t know what was going on.
Why? Because Rosanne DiPizio of DiPizio Construction has for years been sounding the alarm on crooked behavior and incompetent management stemming from her own experience working with the administration, the Empire State Development Corporation and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation.
In fact, she even met with Cuomo’s own investigators in June, who were alarmed by the facts of her case, yet said it was out of their purview to do anything about it except to notify the governor’s office as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office.
“When I hear the governor say that he didn’t know what was going on right under his nose, I just can’t believe it,” DiPizio said. “I’ve been sounding the alarm for years on the wrongdoing and incompetence and the Cuomo administration refuses to do anything about it. If my experience is indicative of how they do business, it’s no wonder that nine of his closest allies were indicted. This may be the tip of the iceberg.”
DiPizio and other representatives from DiPizio Construction and Dreamco Development Corporation, met with Cuomo’s investigators in June and were referred to both Cuomo’s office and the U.S. Attorney. They were told that while her concerns were legitimate and the actions of state leaders troubling, the case was beyond the scope of their work because, while it was an economic development project, it didn’t technically fall under the Buffalo Billion program.
Upon the advice of the investigators, however, DiPizio soon after reached out to the governor's office, but was ignored.
“Unfortunately my suspicions were confirmed: That Gov. Cuomo is more interested in saving face of than dealing with a true injustice that was created by his own incompetent administration,” DiPizio added. “Time and time again, we have asked the governor and his underlings to address this injustice and over and over they have ignored us … He clearly has no interest in finding out the truth about what’s going on in Buffalo.”
DiPizio has consistently been critical of the administration’s public comments and its self-interested defensive posturing: she has previously spoken out against the corruption, written scores of letters and in August submitted written testimony for the Assembly hearings where Gov. Cuomo’s chief economic development officer, Howard Zemsky, testified before New York State lawmakers and defended the state’s spending of hundreds of millions of dollars on “Start Up New York” campaign that has only created 408 jobs since 2013. She submitted comments to that committee regarding New York’s wasteful spending and its ‘pay-to-play’ political culture that has been the subject of scrutiny, particularly with the governor’s Buffalo Billion program.
Backstory
DiPizio was awarded the contract in 2012, and after state budgeting delays, inadequate design plans and subsequent changes, and other problems brought on by the state, the company was fired from the project after it completed 50 percent of the work. The state then hired Pike Construction, a generous donor to the Cuomo administration. Now, the ice rink is incomplete, millions over-budget and mired in legal problems, which continue to cost taxpayers’ millions of dollars.
DiPizio is involved in several protracted lawsuits -- including a federal RICO case where four judges have recused themselves -- against Empire State Development Corp. (ESD) and Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. (ECHDC). For years, DiPizio, CEO with Dreamco Development Corporation and acting CFO and project manager with DiPizio Construction, has been an outspoken critic of ECHDC President Thomas Dee and ESD Regional President, Sam Hoyt, appointee of Gov. Cuomo, for wrongly, unfairly and unilaterally terminating her family’s construction company.
The company has been in business for 38 years, has an impeccable reputation and record of results, and has completed over $400 million.
DiPizio and her family owned business won the contract to build the Canalside rink in 2012 by being the lowest responsible bidder. After being wrongly blamed for delays, the contract was given to Pike Construction after DiPizio completed 50 percent of the job. DiPizio is currently suing the Empire State Development Corporation, ECHDC and its leaders for blaming her for the project’s delays and tarnishing her company’s reputation
