23 April 2013 (10:02 UTC-07 Tango)/12 Jumada t-Tania 1434/03 Ordibehest 1391/14 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

“That’s politics, it’s all about how much. Not about whether or will, it’s about how much, and that’s our politicians in New York, they’re all like that.”-attributed to Daniel Halloran, one of six ‘elected’ officials charged with bribery

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested six New York politicians on bribery charges.  Supposedly the investigation started after a witness to the bribery blew the whistle.

Three are Republicans, three are Democrats.  Four are from New York City, two from Spring Valley.  It’s reported they pled not guilty.

The FBI says the exalted ‘elected’ officials accepted tens of thousands of U.S. dollars in cash and real estate bribes, and one even promised to divert taxpayer funds to a contractor in exchange for more bribes.

“It seems that a culture of corruption has developed and grown, just like barnacles on a boat bottom. And just as with barnacles on a boat bottom, when a growth is permitted to spread and grow unchecked, it unsurprisingly takes an unrelenting, collective effort to clean up.”-Preet Bharara, federal attorney