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December 4, 2008
Why has the New York Times ignored Forest City Ratner's bailout of ACORN?
Atlantic Yards Report
One might think that after running a story in the National section about how ACORN (one of the groups signed onto the Community Benefits Agreement for the proposed Atlantic Yards development) was financially bailed out, The New York Times might want to do a follow-up story when ACORN received further assistance. One would be mistaken when the company doling out the goodies is Forest City.
In case The Times changes its mind, and decides to run the story, Norman Oder has written it for them.
When the embezzlement of almost $1 million by the brother of the founder of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, better known as Acorn, surfaced last July and led to a drop-off in donations and news of taxes owed, the organization quietly recruited funds from a partner in New York City's most controversial development project.
That partner was Forest City Ratner, the developer of the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, which has signed a Community Benefits Agreement that includes a housing deal that requires ACORN to publicly support the $4 billion project.
Forest City Ratner is an ally of Bertha Lewis, ACORN's interim chief organizer and the replacement for Wade Rathke, its leader until the scandal broke.
And yes, there's a reason the Times should have made a special effort to be exacting in its coverage. It would be explained thusly:
(Forest City Ratner was the development partner with the New York Times Company in building the recently opened Times Tower in Midtown.)
Posted by steve at December 4, 2008 4:45 AM