Mayor Lovely Warren’s political action committee, Warren for a Stronger Rochester PAC, essentially functioned as a second campaign committee, a potential violation of the law. Rochester for All reviewed four years of election filings. There is considerable evidence that Warren may have created a fraudulent PAC to solicit over-the-limit donations. Public filings indicate she used that money for personal spending and …
Continue readingRachel discusses charges filed against Paul Manafort, Mayor Warren’s request for a loan to developer Bob Morgan, Warren’s alleged campaign finance violations, the race for Monroe County Sheriff, and proposed changes to East Avenue in Brighton.
The Rachel Barnhart Show airs live Monday at 5pm on Rochester Free Radio, WFRZ 106.3FM, and is re-broadcast Friday at 4pm.
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Mayor Lovely Warren submitted legislation to City Council asking for approval of a $1.5 million loan to Morgan Management for a proposed riverfront apartment complex on Court St. The downtown building would have 111 apartments. The total project would cost $33 million. Morgan secured a $23.6 million bank loan this month. The loan requires Morgan to put in $9.997 million …
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Manhattan’s District Attorney is under fire for political contributions he received from attorneys connected to people under investigation by his office. Cy Vance claims hefty donations from attorneys for Harvey Weinstein and the Trump family didn’t influence his decisions not to prosecute. In New York State, district attorneys are not subject to the same campaign ethics rules as judicial candidates. …
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A report from the Brookings Institution maps the digital divide across the country. Lack of access to broadband is a rural problem. Lack of adoption is an urban issue. The latter problem doesn’t get much attention from elected officials and policy makers. Neighborhood-level maps clearly illustrate digital inequality in the City of Rochester. The neighborhoods where only 20 to 40 …
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Imagine if everyone in Rochester’s 19th Ward or the Town of Penfield suddenly lost health insurance. The impact, of course, would be devastating. We’re looking at those kinds of numbers in the Rochester region if Congress does not act. Thirty-seven thousand adults and children could be left without vital healthcare. The Essential Plan and Child Health Plus are in danger. …
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Local leaders have touted the growth of the Millennial population in the Rochester region. The Democrat and Chronicle featured an economist noting their explosive growth. The narrative is young people are moving to Rochester, reversing the brain drain. It’s true there are a lot more Millennials. Between 2007 and 2016, the Rochester metro gained 20,000 people between the ages of …
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A new study from New York University’s Furman Center found that more people are renting, rents are increasing and more affluent people are becoming renters. Do these trends hold in Rochester? The study provided other insights into the Rochester rental market. More people are indeed renting in the Rochester region. Between 2006 and 2015, the Rochester area added about 15,000 renting …
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Economic development agencies in Buffalo and Rochester are teaming up to make a play for Amazon’s second headquarters. The response to Amazon’s Request for Proposals is due in one week — on October 19. The stakes are high, as Amazon pledges billions in investment and 50,000 jobs. Luring Amazon will undoubtedly cost tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer incentives …
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Facebook is under fire for selling ads to Russian fake news factories that attempted to influence the 2016 presidential election. Digital ads are now ubiquitous in campaigns on all levels. Many of posts and pages come from anonymous sources with made-up names. There’s no way to know who is paying to advertise the content. This is especially disturbing because the …
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