tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41147996713083242142012-02-07T19:27:07.368-05:00A Bunch of Random Thoughts Collected Together on Law, Politics, The Borough I Love, and Anything Else I Can Think UpGene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.comBlogger361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-11558211209941771262010-07-25T21:34:00.003-04:002010-07-25T22:04:15.571-04:00

Just wanted to share some news with everyone - I know, I know... I haven't been blogging as much as I had been lately. But, in my defense, I've been working on lots of other projects:Brooklyn GOP Radio has taken up a lot of my weekends. Thankfully, I've gotten some help from new co-host Russell Gallo, and the show has been steadily growing in audience and exposure. We even set up a new Official

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-39831002850856686182010-06-11T22:55:00.007-04:002010-06-11T23:08:08.132-04:00

I'm excited about this, guys and gals... my internet radio debut (if you don't count me briefly filling in back in the Gotham Sports Radio days, that is!)You can listen LIVE HERE, or anytime by using that new BlogTalkRadio player gadget thingy on the left of this page.The DEBUT episode of Brooklyn GOP Radio explodes on the scene!Gene Berardelli will be your host for the hour, which will start

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-29717967767711800302010-04-19T14:41:00.004-04:002010-04-19T14:53:01.789-04:00

I'm sure that just about everyone has at one time or another heard of "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" by Longfellow. Revere and his cries that "the British are coming!" are, after all, is part of American folklore.But unless you saw Assume the Position With Mr. Wahl, you've probably never heard of Israel Bissell - the postman who really called the colonies to arms at the start of the

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-69899285843918168662010-04-12T23:48:00.009-04:002010-04-13T01:29:37.955-04:00

As some of you may have figured out by now, I am now writing a regular column online for the Brooklyn GOP. I've been given carte blanche to write what I feel are relevant federal, state, city and local issues. It's my effort to initiate some mature, topical political discussion - something that has been lacking as of late. It's a lot of ground to cover, but so far the response has been

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-25269050085433053412010-03-21T16:51:00.007-04:002010-03-21T21:58:38.407-04:00

While recently reading an op-ed piece in Crain's New York, I was reminded of the well-known phrase attributed to poet-philosopher George Santayana that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” New York voters would do well to remember this when they head to the polls in November to vote for their next Governor.NY Democrats breathed a collective sigh of relief that Gov.

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-60939883940047591572010-03-05T15:16:00.014-05:002010-03-05T15:53:59.645-05:00

This might become an annual kind of posting - explaining why I voted a certain way in a given endorsement!So, it looks like I ruffled a few feathers with my vote on who to endorse in the 44th Council Special Election.Let’s recap briefly. For those who don’t know, there is a special City Council election to fill the 44th District seat held by Simcha Felder. There are two Republicans running –

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-35486787119272259422010-02-28T22:51:00.006-05:002010-02-28T23:27:18.432-05:00

I would’ve never thought that my first blog of 2010 would have come a full two months into this new decade, but here we are. So far, 2010 has been a year of renewed optimism personally, professionally as well as politically. I’ve had the opportunity to take on lots of new projects and responsibilities – in fact, in my next blog, I hope to update you all on the new projects I’ve taken on as

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-58848176297704745272009-12-27T23:20:00.012-05:002009-12-28T01:02:40.750-05:00

The word "reform" is thrown around by all sorts - mostly by those who do not care about actual reform itself. Most of the time, it's the power-hungry who use it as a guise to take that which they think they are entitled: the mantle of leader. It's a useful tool because the promise of "reform" calls many "true believers" to action who wish to see brighter days ahead. Out with the wicked ways

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-72012520738133732592009-11-29T16:40:00.004-05:002009-11-29T19:03:12.206-05:00

(People are going to say that by what writing what you’re about to read that I am once again throwing my hat into the political ring. Let me state upfront and definitively that I am not now nor will I be a candidate for any office in 2010. With that disclaimer in mind, let’s get into it.)Brooklyn is suffering from a political infirmity named Carl Kruger.The man is a local embarrassment and a

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-56588272542273373102009-11-15T23:57:00.004-05:002009-11-16T00:52:43.388-05:00

If you came looking for a post-mortem of my City Council campaign, then you'll go wanting. The time for reflection is over - I'll gladly discuss the intricacies of the campaign with those who wish to really delve into the details one-on-one.So for now, I take a cue from the campaign: Move Forward. Never Look Back.And it's of "moving forward" that I wish to talk about today. I'll keep this

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-84543249242915838402009-10-03T23:03:00.010-04:002009-10-05T13:28:59.374-04:00

I'm taking a break from the VERY busy business of running a City Council campaign to talk about participating this past week at the Kings County Republican Convention. Get ready for a really long posting.Some of you may have read about the contention between our current GOP Chair, Craig Eaton, and his erstwhile critic, Dr. Arnaldo Ferraro of the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Club. For the past

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-53215994496335271782009-09-20T12:51:00.010-04:002009-09-20T15:28:55.758-04:00

Primary Day saw the biggest turnover of City Council members in many years - with more possibly still to come.Some ousted Members took their losses gracefully, while others are being dragged kickin' and screamin' out of office. The people spoke loud and clear. Some incumbents lost, while others were given quite a scare - even the Speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn wasn't immune from

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-35705278848736571542009-09-13T15:02:00.004-04:002009-09-13T16:17:53.617-04:00

Something has been happening lately that I haven't seen before in this area of Brooklyn: there is actual coverage of a real political race. And I'm in the middle of it!Don't just take my word for it - look at the local papers. So few of us do on a regular basis, but check it out. From whatever incarnation of Courier Life Publications (CNG) to the Canarsie Courier, we can all read about a

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-17973228724020617592009-08-16T15:45:00.010-04:002009-08-16T17:30:45.883-04:00

It's been a pretty eventful week - let's recap it, shall we?So some of you probably saw the little spat that the Councilman and I had on GerritsenBeach.net. For those who missed it, check it out here - it's in the comments.Some people will say that what I did was a cheap political trick or tactic. Other will call it a n unnecessary personal attack on Lew. Those that think that don’t know me.

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-67511364911155169032009-08-09T13:32:00.005-04:002009-08-09T23:57:18.963-04:00

For those of you who couldn't make it to my campaign kick-off, he's a copy of my speech –No funny pictures. I'm serious with this one, folks. Oh, and it includes a special message for a certain "Democratic Opponent". Happy reading -GBThey say you can tell a lot about a man by the company he chooses to keep. I hope you see why I consider Alex Zablocki, Joe Mendola and Marc D'Ottavio friends – they

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-80938445716825254632009-08-02T15:04:00.010-04:002009-08-02T22:20:32.816-04:00

Many people have asked me, "So when are you going to really start your campaign?" To be honest, I didn't feel comfortable campaigning and taking people's money unless I was securely on the ballot.Well, that arcane, out-of-date, draconian process known as petitioning is finally over for me, and I'm proud to have the endorsement of both the Republican and Conservative parties.So it's time to set

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-27124488055407069242009-07-13T21:30:00.006-04:002009-07-14T00:04:55.829-04:00

"I do wish to point out that Gene is the Republican candidate for this Council seat. When this area last elected a Republican, well, there was no City Council. And even then, I doubt we had a Republican Alderman."- Lew Fidler, SheepsheadBites.com, 7/12/09So, it looks like Lew wants you to know that I'm a Republican.Well, so do I! And I think those of you who have read this regularly know this

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-58461509906868298072009-07-09T11:41:00.003-04:002009-07-09T12:16:52.394-04:00

It looks like the little park that could is getting off the ground!For those who haven't seen Courier Life's latest edition, the Brigham Street Park Project got a shot in the arm from Councilman Lew Fidler and Borough President Marty Markowitz, who allocated a total of $500,000.00 to the park project.As leader of this community project, I couldn't be happier! While the money is great, I'm happy

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-84284152797834846802009-06-30T10:49:00.016-04:002009-06-30T11:49:56.243-04:00

(Click to Enlarge - Courtesy AM NY)You know something, I always thought that politicians were hypocrites on some level - but I never thought people had the audacity to go this far.We all know about Councilman Fidler's schtick on the Mayor - billionaire out of touch with the common folk, like me. Well, it turns out that the Councilman isn't as common as we all were led to believe. According to

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-67815274684963070922009-06-12T21:47:00.006-04:002009-06-12T22:51:24.400-04:00

In case you haven't been following, the graphic says it all - I have decided to run for City Council for Councilman Fidler's seat.Some people have been asking me why I'm doing this. If you've read this blog regularly, then you'd know the answer. As this year has gone on, I've grown more and more agitated at our local political scene.I've been calling for people to step up and take a stand

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-22156120808785185422009-05-17T22:35:00.005-04:002009-05-18T17:59:37.790-04:00

This weekend, I made my annual time travel excursion - circa 1864, to be exact.Yes, friends, this weekend marked the 4th Annual Gotham Cup Vintage Base Ball gathering! To those who don't know, Gotham Sports Media and the Gothams Base Ball Club of New York sponsor a weekend long tournament of "vintage base ball". Teams from all over the northeast gather in Central Park to pay America's Pastime

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-34904019684766657702009-04-19T23:02:00.010-04:002009-04-20T00:01:18.000-04:00

(Photo shamelessly stolen from http://brooklynyr.com!)Probably the best thing to come out of Bloomberg's latest flirtation with the Republican party is that NYC Republicans are active. They're talking online and in person, debating the pros and cons of this issue and others. And it's great to be part of.Prime example: I walked out of work this past Wednesday heading towards the City Hall

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-86800472265772026382009-04-11T21:01:00.011-04:002009-04-13T15:26:48.577-04:00

In case you haven't been following Gerritsen Beach.net, you've missed the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of Cherry Hill Gourmet Restaurant & Market and the political gang down here in Sheepshead Bay. Check it out so you know what i"m talking about.It's just amazing the games people - especially politicians - play. To briefly recap:We have a deputy commissioner inspecting a building (kind of

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-65756965306111172822009-03-28T19:04:00.011-04:002009-03-28T23:03:57.134-04:00

Congestion pricing, the Ravitch Plan, the Kheel Plan, ... and then in the end, we get no plan.And the consolation prize - new taxes and new tolls, with less service.Is this not the very definiton of madness?This latest botched job is just another sign of a larger systemic problem that is pervasive in New York City and the DState. To put it simply, our elected officials just don't give a damn.

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-75665048232588784652009-03-21T17:13:00.004-04:002009-03-21T19:51:24.260-04:00

Writer's block. It's an ugly, ugly thing. Especially when you have a normal run-of-the mill, uneventful week.So since there's not much goin' on in my life that's worth writing about, let's take a moment for some quick updates:First, we'll put a period at the end of the last week's topic. While I didn't get response on the site to my last posting, I did get into a very lively conversation with

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-8002683585474955142009-03-15T15:55:00.018-04:002009-03-21T19:52:45.571-04:00

(Photo Courtesy of PolitickerNY)Something that you may not know about me - in 2008, I became a Vice Chair of the Kings County Republican Committee. (That's me on the far left - of the photo, not the political spectrum!) I am part of the Law Committee in charge of Club Activities. Basically, I deal with district club compliance with the law and would handle any legal issue that would come up,

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-31182655909716714932009-03-11T12:48:00.000-04:002009-03-11T12:50:09.906-04:00

A short little entry to show that I haven't forgotten about my promises to blog and answer Avvo questions - I know, I know... I never blog, blah blah blah. There's a lot on my plate right now! I promise that I will get back to regular blogging starting this weekend. No, really. This time, I REALLY swear!

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-57145400791518712002009-02-06T22:34:00.005-05:002009-02-07T00:35:30.913-05:00

Oh, I"m sorry, were you waiting long?I know, I know, it's been awhile between posts. But in my defense, I've been busy! It's not like I haven't been on here - I'm still answering some Avvo questions, and hey, I spruced up the joint a little so that left bar actually has something on it... I've been joining every website in creation! Take a look.OK, OK, enough excuses. Here's a quick summary of

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-28743301870387329192009-01-18T23:22:00.004-05:002009-01-18T23:38:23.106-05:00

So lately, I've been so busy at work, that I've been hard-pressed to even think about this blog, so I'm sorry for the time between postings.Most of the concentration outside of work has been devoted to the Brigham St. Park Project. I'm so proud of how far this project has come - from a neighborhood rallying against an ill-conceived restaurant project, to our Summer Workshops, to our present

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-89476983451871918442008-12-26T21:58:00.000-05:002008-12-26T23:48:43.281-05:00

I recently wrote this guide on Avvo based on a article I read in Crain's New York. I thought I would highlight it here, and expand it a little bit for you guys.Here it is in a nutshell for the short attention span people - there are a lot of crooks out there, and the "Good guys" are on their trail, but until they catch up with them, buyer beware. The

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-28341796939203823262008-12-21T14:07:00.000-05:002008-12-21T16:35:42.512-05:00

2008 is a year that many of us will want to forget, but in the spirit of "those things that don't kill us make us stronger", I'm gonna take stock in what I've been through this year, and take a look back at the year that was for me personally and professionally.FEBRUARY: The future of my neighborhood is very important to me, so I was pleased when the Borough President's office invited the SB/PB

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-34752219002739197372008-12-08T10:14:00.000-05:002008-12-08T10:19:03.221-05:00

Here is some awesome news from Gotham Sports Media, of which I am part-owner and General Counsel. This is an exciting project that has been a year in the making, and I'm so proud to share it with all of you!Congratulations to my partners Mark Healey and Paul Greco (who are right now living the high life in Vegas covering MLB's Winter Meetings while I'm freezing my butt off in NYC!), Joe Janish

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-780778753138753812008-11-27T09:02:00.001-05:002008-11-27T11:11:04.349-05:00

Oh C'mon! Everyone Loves a Bad News Bears Reference!I recently read a posting from The Brooklyn View's Ed DeMarche that, ironically enough, was a blog discussing why he feels that bloggers should not be issued press credentials. The topic has been flying around the good ol' InterWeb recently. Sheepshead Bites has a great accounting of the plight of bloggers who were denied credentials.

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-79941895234539457012008-11-18T14:41:00.000-05:002008-11-19T17:26:41.730-05:00

I didn't realize that when I named this blog that there may be confusion with another "Brooklyn Barrister". But, after a simple Google search, I found the publication run by the Brooklyn Bar Association. Not being a member myself (I'm working mostly out of Manhattan now, and have pledged my allegiance to NYCLA), I didn't even think to look for it. So much for me being clever.... I should've known

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-59447796920832787102008-11-14T22:35:00.000-05:002008-11-15T00:50:01.835-05:00

If you've ever gone to a Community Board meeting - and chances are, you haven't - then you'd know that there's a growing divide between those who feel that neighborhoods should be totally preserved, and those who feel that neighborhoods should change with the influx of new residents.(There I am, yappin', and yappin' at CB15, and probably not saying much!)Actually you don't need to go to a

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4114799671308324214.post-32993056137667382422008-11-06T22:09:00.001-05:002008-11-11T17:23:00.502-05:00

If you've found this blog already, then wow, I'm impressed! I just told a few people about it.If you don't know me, check out my bio... when I put it up.I intend for this blog to be many things:"1) My "legal diary" - A place to comment on the law. I feel like I am growing and becoming a good advocate for my clients - hopefully a tool like this will help in that growth.2) My "soap box" - A spot to

Gene R. Berardelli, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06606533493859667900noreply@blogger.com1