CITYWIDE

GEORGE JEFFERSON A FEDERALIST PAPERS AUTHOR?

In an apparent blunder during closed-door testimony this week, Council Member Allan Jennings named “George Jefferson” as an author of the Federalist Papers. Sources familiar with the testimony, delivered during his continuing misconduct trial at the City Council, said the Democrat from Queens was using a historical analogy to make the case that he is an independent thinker. Neither Thomas Jefferson nor George Washington – nor, for that matter, the patriarch on the onetime hit television series “The Jeffersons” – was involved in crafting the Federalist Papers, a series of essays written to persuade New York voters to ratify the Constitution. The authors were James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.

The attorney for Mr. Jennings, Robert Ellis, said he did not recall hearing the council member cite “George Jefferson.” Mr. Jennings, he said, was making a case for reducing bureaucracy at the council and explaining his view that the body adhered to anti-Democratic processes.

Besides, the lawyer said: “There are a lot more important things going on. This is like a typo on a document.” Mr. Ellis said, by way of example, that it was “outrageous” that the hearings were not open to the public.

Mr. Jennings is accused of making sexually explicit comments to two council employees and acting inappropriately toward several others. The proceedings were adjourned to January 20, when he is to be cross-examined.

The council’s standard and ethics committee, which is holding the hearing, will deliberate once the trial is complete. If he is found guilty, the panel can recommend to the full council anything from a fine to expulsion.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

MILLER TO CAMPAIGN ON SCHOOLS

City Council Speaker Gifford Miller plans to make attacking Mayor Bloomberg’s education overhaul the centerpiece of his drive for the Democratic nomination for mayor, according to an internal campaign memo that circulated at City Hall yesterday.

The memo detailed how the speaker would flip on its head what Mr. Bloomberg has touted as his biggest accomplishment, gaining control of the city’s public school system and ending “social promotion” of third-graders. Mr. Bloomberg, a Republican, has consistently told New Yorkers to judge him on his success or failure with the issue. A spokesman for Mr. Miller, David Chai, declined to comment.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

EPA SUES COMPANY CITY HIRED TO FIGHT WEST NILE VIRUS

The Environmental Protection Agency is suing a pesticide company hired by the city of New York to fight the West Nile virus during six months of 2000. Amid panic over the virus, the company, Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management, of Roselle, Ill., was contracted by the city’s Department of Health and subsequently hired several city-area workers to dispense pesticides in all five boroughs.

But some of the workers, three of which are cited in a complaint filed by the EPA in court yesterday, were not given the proper training to handle the highly toxic pesticides and became exposed to them.

The EPA is asking Clarke Environmental to pay $742,500 in fines. In a statement, the spokeswoman for Clarke Environmental, Laura McGowan, said the company had complied with all safety measures for its employees and subcontractors and was confident the EPA’s charges would be dropped.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

MAYOR REACHES DEAL TO SAVE ON SCHOOLS CONSTRUCTION

Mayor Bloomberg, schools Chancellor Joel Klein, and labor leader Edward Malloy announced a cost-saving agreement that should cut the price of building 66,000 new seats for students over the next five years by $500 million.

The agreement establishes a 5% differential for night and weekend work compared with past agreements, which provided premiums ranging from 12% to 27%.

The city officials and Mr. Malloy, who heads the Building and Construction Trades Council, also announced a memorandum of understanding specifying that construction projects in buildings leased from private landlords must comply with the requirements of the School Construction Authority, a division of the city Department of Education. Unions had complained that such arrangements allowed officials to ignore prevailing wage laws.

– Associated Press

VELELLA LOSES LAST BID FOR EARLY RELEASE

A former state senator, Guy Velella, lost his last bid to secure early release from prison yesterday when the state’s highest court declined to hear his appeal of a ruling that sent him back to jail for his role in an influence-peddling scheme.

Without comment, the Court of Appeals denied Velella’s motion to hear arguments that a local early release commission in New York City acted properly when it freed the former state legislator in September after serving three months of a yearlong jail sentence.

The midlevel Appellate Division of state Supreme Court said the commission overstepped its authority and ordered Velella back to jail, where he has been since December 27. A judge on the Court of Appeals declined to let Velella stay out of jail as the high court deliberated whether to hear his appeal.

– Associated Press

MANHATTAN

MAYOR CELEBRATES AT THREE KINGS PARADE

Neither sleet nor rain nor threat of snow prevented marchers (or Mayor Bloomberg) from making their appointed rounds through East Harlem yesterday in the 28th annual Three Kings Day Parade. The Christian holiday, also known as the Epiphany, is meant to commemorate the three wise men who traveled to Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus.

“This is supposed to mark the day the Three Wise Men actually met the baby Jesus,” said one of the parade’s organizers, Monica Tavares of the Museo del Barrio. “The three followed a bright star, found the baby Jesus, and gave him gifts. So today is the day for Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain when we exchange gifts with our families and loved ones. So, it is a very special day.”

Mayor Bloomberg helped lead the parade down 106th Street on a route that had been shortened this year because of the cold and wet weather.

The East Harlem parade featured giant puppets of the kings and marchers in traditional dress. Camels, sheep, and other live animals also joined the procession.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

ALBANY

STATE ASSEMBLY SET TO END ‘EMPTY SEAT’ VOTING

In a rare show of bipartisanship on the operation of the state Assembly, majority Democrats and minority Republicans have agreed to a series of rules changes that lawmakers plan to adopt Monday.

Among the changes announced by both blocs yesterday is an end to “empty seat” voting in the Assembly where legislators don’t have to actually be present in the chamber to be recorded as voting “yes” for a bill.

Also yesterday, the Republicans who control the state Senate announced a series of changes in their chamber, including expanded time for floor debate on bills and expanded committee hearings on prospective legislation. Both the Assembly and Senate said they’d approve the changes on Monday, the first working day of the 2005 legislative session. A swipe card voting system has allowed Assembly members to be recorded as present at the start of a session and to be recorded as voting for all the legislation to come that day before the Assembly, though lawmakers might be eating lunch, in their offices or on their way home.

– Associated Press

POLICE BLOTTER

THREE BROOKLYN TEENAGERS RESCUED FROM NEW YORK BAY

A night of horseplay ended in the dramatic rescue of three Brooklyn teenagers from New York Bay’s icy waters Wednesday night, police said.

After they scaled a small concrete barrier to reach a maintenance barge docked near Shore Parkway and Bay Parkway in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, three friends, Abhi Bhattacacharya, 18; Alexander Fhmzlezich, 16, and Ram Datt Balmick, 19, quickly found themselves in over their heads. While standing on the barge, it unexpectedly broke loose and sent the trio drifting out onto open water, according to police. Harbor police arrived on the scene after they received a 911 call from bystanders who heard the teens’ calls for help. Using the ship’s radar, police located the errant vessel a half-mile off shore.

All three were transported safely to shore, said police officials.

– Special to the Sun