By Bob Gaydos

   Looking for a break from all Trump all the time, we went out the other night to listen to a talented local duo, Kevin and Sue, perform some familiar tunes and some not so familiar. A good decision on our part. Also serendipitous for me.

        One of the songs Kevin sang was “Yesterday’s News,” by William Sadler. I’d never heard it, but I wrote the title down on a napkin immediately. Then I heard the lyrics and I knew there had to be some reason.

        Later that night, I read a story in The New York Times about New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ legal problems with the feds and the people thinking of succeeding him should he resign, be removed or run for reelection. Among the 13 names was Andrew Cuomo.

        Yesterday’s news.

         Cuomo resigned in 2021 during his third term as governor of New York State in the midst of a sexual misconduct scandal. He was way too handsy with female employees. Since then, he’s been pretty much out of the news. In addition to the inappropriate behavior with females, he was known to be a bit of a bully politically. So sure, he’s just what New York City needs in a mayor.

         The other interesting name in that list of would-be successors to Adams is Letitia James. Don’t tell me the gods don’t have a sense of humor, particularly when it comes to puffed-up politicos.

     James, of course, is the state attorney general who pressured Cuomo to resign when the sexual assault allegations against him multiplied. She was relentless. Also in her résumé is a $454 million civil fraud judgment against Donald Trump and an embezzlement verdict against the leadership of the National Rifle Association. She also previously held the job of advocate for the City of New York. Maybe tomorrow’s news.

    There’s a line in the song: “A worn out man with worn out dreams.” Frankly, Cuomo blew it. He had a major national profile for his handling of the Covid crisis and if he had just stuck to business, he might well have been the Democratic Party presidential candidate this year. Instead, he joined his father, Mario, as a New York governor who might’ve been president. Couldda, wouldda, shouldda.

      As for the beleaguered mayor, he faces federal charges of bribery, fraud, and soliciting donations from a foreign national. Not the kind of case the justice department typically loses. Nonetheless, Adams has denied the charges and is resisting calls to resign.

     Two of his key aides have also been indicted and four prominent members of his administration have resigned. New Yorkers are not happy. Adams, too, would appear to be yesterday’s news.

                                           ***

Yesterday’s News

“Five o’clock in the station, with no clear destination

Lord he’s just killin’ time, “Can you spare us a dime?” hear him say

Got some scars to remind him, got his best years behind him

Ah but he’s got enough change to buy him some Night Train

And it takes him, takes him away

A worn out man with worn out dreams

And a pair of worn out shoes

Blownin’ down that ol’ road again

Like yesterday’s news, yesterdays news

Tellin’ folks in the breadlines, how he once made the headlines

He knew where he was goin’ ‘tll a cold wind came blowin’ one day

And it does not surprise him, they don’t recognize him

‘Cause he traded his good name for a ride on the Night Train

And it takes him, takes him away

A worn out man with worn out dreams

Tryin’ to shake these worn out blues

Blownin’ down the ol’ road again

Like yesterday’s news, yesterday’s news

An American story. Born and raised in the USA

In the land of hope and glory

And we let him slip away

We let him slip away

Tryin’ to sleep in your doorway. Tryin’ to keep out of your way

Then without any warning the blue skies of morning turn gray

As the first drops of rain fall, he hears the ol’ train call

And he’ll raise to his feet an’ shuffle off down the street

And let the Night Train take him away

A worn out man with worn out dreams

And nothin’ left to lose

Blownin’ down that ol’ road again

Like yesterday’s news, yesterday’s news

Yesterday’s news”

 By William Sadler

                                           ***

*Screw-cap wine Night Train Express was once a big seller for E & J Gallo Winery. It was discontinued in 2016.

By Bob Gaydos

  This is a story about how the rich often get special treatment from our justice system. There is also a footnote to the story which raises at least some hope that the rich-get-off-easy scenario may soon be amended.

     First, a favor for the rich guy.

     Michael Steinhardt, a billionaire who is used to having pretty much anything he wants, recently got an early birthday present from Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr.: A stay-out-of-jail card.

   The gift came with a message, a stern warning if you will: Tsk, tsk, Michael. You know better than that. Now round up all those weird old things cluttering up all your homes and give them back to their rightful owners. And don’t ever do that again. (Signed), Cy

    Steinhardt’s lawyer said his client, a hedge fund founder who has been accused of sexual harassment in the past, was “pleased” with Vance’s gift. Most rich people Vance lets off the hook usually are.

    As he prepares to retire, Vance provided one more piece of evidence confirming that his scales of justice are weighted heavily in favor of the rich.

  Steinhardt, described in news accounts as a philanthropist and collector of antiquities, was ordered to return some $70 million worth of those antiquities to their rightful owners. People from whom they were stolen, in other words. The people of 11 nations, actually.

   He was also told to refrain from this practice, or else. The “or else” part was not spelled out. Two days after Vance’s  announcement, Steinhardt celebrated his 81st birthday, presumably suitably chastised.

    This “punishment” for aggressively seeking, purchasing and possessing 180 pieces of stolen property was the culmination of a four-year investigation by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan prosecutor’s office. It involved investigators and officials in the following countries: Bulgaria, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Turkey, a veritable Who’s Who of places one might shop for antiquities. And Steinhardt was a frequent shopper. He also apparently knew where to find the good stuff.

In a prepared statement, Vance said: “For decades, Michael Steinhardt displayed a rapacious appetite for plundered artifacts without concern for the legality of his actions, the legitimacy of the pieces he bought and sold, or the grievous cultural damage he wrought across the globe. His pursuit of ‘new’ additions to showcase and sell knew no geographic or moral boundaries, as reflected in the sprawling underworld of antiquities traffickers, crime bosses, money launderers, and tomb raiders he relied upon to expand his collection.”

       Despite all those traffickers, crime bosses, money launderers and tomb raiders with whom Steinhardt did business, Vance said he decided not to prosecute Steinhardt in order to return the stolen subject to their rightful owners as quickly as possible.  Suddenly, time is of importance with these extremely old treasures.

    Vance also said he wanted to protect the identity of witnesses around the globe. Future tipsters. So thoughtful. 

     In comparison, studies of his office’s prosecution rates show that low-level offenders (people in possession of less-pricey stolen property, for example) from Manhattan represent a significantly higher population of Rikers Island in New York City, than similar miscreants from Brooklyn, which has a significantly higher population of all types. Hey, if you do the crime in Manhattan, Vance says you gotta pay the time.       

    Then there are Vance’s past decisions not to prosecute movie producer Harvey Wasserman on sexual harassment charges, or to charge Donald or Ivanka Trump on the usual fraud stuff. People who care about ethics in government have also criticized Vance”s practice of accepting campaign donations from lawyers and law firms whose clients had dealings with his office. The connection between money and influence is, well, elementary.

       Now for the hopeful news in this story, the footnote. 

        This is Vance’s swan song in Manhattan. He’s retiring. That means the new, eager DA will get to work with New York Attorney General Letitia James on putting Trump and his cohorts behind bars on a variety of tax fraud charges. 

       James decided not to run for governor and to focus on the continuing Trump prosecution she has been working on with the Manhattan DAs office. She’s already forced Andrew Cuomo to resign as governor because of sexual harassment allegations. Nailing Trump would make her a political rock star as well as establishing a different, more balanced, atmosphere in the Manhattan DA’s office.

        Maybe Vance finally decided this was one political favor to a rich friend he couldn’t deliver. And maybe all those museums that slapped Steinhart’s name on galleries because of his “generosity“ need to take it down. At least his ego will pay a price.

rjgaydos@gmail.com

Bob Gaydos is writer-in-residence at zestoforange.com.