Let's Talk About Congressman Pat Ryan's Big Adventure In South Blooming Grove
The Congressman took pictures with a couple of criminals, and pledged he'd do everything he can to support them.
Update 4/8: I can now confirm that the Congressman received multiple large donations, at least $9,300 from a developer associated with this project prior to his visit. A follow-up story on the Congressman’s donors is forthcoming. Original story below.
Congressman Pat Ryan — seen here with one Blooming Grove Town Councilman about to undergo an ethics investigation, and two Village of South Blooming Grove employees currently engaged in a verifiable criminal conspiracy and Establishment Clause violations— came to a ribbon cutting in South Blooming Grove last Fall.
Many residents of South Blooming Grove, and members of the surrounding community, have called Congressman Ryan’s office to voice concerns about this criminal conspiracy. They have suggested, correctly, that the Congressman ask the FBI to investigate. They’ve also asked for the EPA to get involved with what’s happening with Keen Equities because the DEC stop work orders are all being ignored.
Ryan’s DC office has promised to follow-up with those callers, and thus far, it has failed to do so.
Multiple calls and emails for comment to Congressman Ryan’s press representative about this story have also gone unanswered.
It’s clear the Congressman doesn’t want to talk about South Blooming Grove. So, today, we’re going to revisit a past issue of The Blooming Grove Report, which detailed the Congressman’s visit to the area.
Be warned. There are some political comments ahead.
Some Background First
I know a lot of you are just joining us, so excuse me for a moment here to bring everyone up to speed.
-I’m a Democrat. So, I don’t enjoy “going after” other Democrats. But. I’m a reporter first, and a Democrat like, third or fourth. Really it’s reporter first, comedian second, Mets fan third, and Democrat fourth. Regardless, I look at the facts, and I report on where they bring me. Even when I don’t like what those facts suggest.
-The Blooming Grove Report is an official publication of The Village of South Blooming Grove. It is only released electronically, and can usually be found on WhatsApp channels and other Yiddish-language message boards such as Ivelt.com. You can find a bunch of back issues, along with Mr. Joel Stern and Mr. Isaac Ekstein’s United Jewish Community of Blooming Grove newsletter, here. You’ll notice BGR is essentially the same as the United Jewish Community of Blooming Grove’s newsletter in terms of tone, content, and style. They’re also generally posted together on Ivelt.com, meaning it’s likely (but not confirmed) that it’s the same people writing and distributing both. There’s nothing wrong with a governing body putting out information in Yiddish. I think that’s awesome. But occasionally, the BGR gets into editorializing, and that’s where we have problems. And today, this is yet another issue where I have problems. And I think many of fellow separation of Church and State lovers will agree.
Below is the most recent issue of the BGR, sent on behalf of the Village Transportation Department. This one is announcing emergency construction to renovate the Willow Brook water and gas pipes. Totally fine. The Village did notify everyone, in English, of the same.
-The Yiddish language press, such as The KJ Weekly, Der Yid, Der Blatt, and numerous others, present a distorted view of Blooming Grove. Residents of South Blooming Grove will tell you Village Planning Board meetings — where Town Councilman Simon Schwartz serves as a member — are farcical. There’s little discussion and massive projects are already under construction before they’re even approved by the Village Planning Board. But that’s not the picture of things presented in the Yiddish-language press. Here’s an example from just a few days ago:
The headline above says, “Magnificent plans are unveiled for the replacement of the Beit Schmuel court building in the neighborhood of Dvri Haim”
Dvri Haim is the neighborhood in and around Clovewood.
The article says, in part:
“Beit Schmuel neighborhood, on behalf of the management of the Beit Schmuel church, the happy news comes that people are already preparing to join the heavy construction work to build a gigantic building on the area of the Beit Schmuel neighborhood in the Dobri Haim South neighborhood [South Blooming Grove]. The new building will be built on the area in front of the court and will contain all the accessories of the court in which the last few years has emerged as the central court of the area. Chai Church. LB was founded seven years ago, in the early days when the residents of Kiryat Joel began to move out to the new areas of the city of Kiryat Joel. For seven years it was placed in a house on Rinouk Street in the neighborhood in the last year.” [Emphasis added.]
So, you can see the contrast from what village residents are experiencing versus what’s being shared by Yiddish speaking residents in the surrounding area. Basically, Kiryas Joel is a city, the city is expanding into a new neighborhood (South Blooming Grove), and everything is great. Just great. Not a problem at all.
Water problems? What water problems?
BTW: Don’t you think the people of New York City are going to be more than a little pissed when they find out there’s another city relying on New York’s water supply for continuous growth and expansion?
Especially given the DEC warnings about more extreme heat and drought coming our way?
Just a thought.
Especially relevant because Congressman Ryan’s office just announced $2M to support the building of a controversial pipeline to tap into that water supply for Kiryas Joel. Of all the municipalities to recently get funding from the Congressman’s office, this was the largest awarded.
Now Let’s Bring In The Congressman …
Above is an issue of The Blooming Grove Report detailing Congressman Ryan’s visit to South Blooming Grove. What follows, with the help of Google Translate, is what the BGR says.
Page 1
Congressman Ryan is visiting South Blooming Grove to give the new administration — the one that paid off the Mayor, was / is being investigated by the FBI for election fraud, and making a water emergency somehow worse — with a “Congressional Award.”
The grocery store, “Stonegate,” is referred to as “the first commercial project under the new village leadership in a very short time.”
Well, yeah, when you start construction without approval, and then rubber stamp everything when it does come before the Village Planning Board, you can get a lot of things done in a very short time.
I hope the Blooming Grove Town Council is paying attention to Councilman Schwartz’s behavior here, given that he’s on the Village Planning Board approving these projects. This is a clear violation of the Town Councilman’s fiduciary responsibilities to both Village and Town residents. (Councilman Schwartz represents Village Residents on the Town Board.)
A Village Planning Board position he was given only after Mayor Kalaj fired everyone on the previous planning board. FYI.
Page 2
Now, we need to re-visit the first of many, many lawsuits involving Joel Stern and Isaac Ekstein, both village employees.
Because this case suddenly vanishes once it’s transferred from Kings County to Orange County. The man that Stern and Ekstein stole the $125,000 from is involved with the grocery store. You know, the one the Congressman gave an award to Stern and friends over?
On Page 2, it says, “The project carries a special weight, as the community remembers, the previous village administration and planning board were active in delaying and blocking the applicants for over three years, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in planning damages and legal costs when they just wanted to. The opening of a Herrin modest very small building for Stonegate was not supposed to serve the interests of the owners of the houses or the residents.”
Reminder: There is little available water in South Blooming Grove.
“As soon as the new administration [Stern, Ekstein, Schwartz] came in and took over leadership, the village officials sat down with the owners of the property [Libermann] and worked out a new plan with a significantly increased footprint and added floors.
As well the village made sure that the “parking used” is worked out, and god bless the purpose. The beauty has come out and the celebrities don’t need to see when the glorious new business center is ready. To serve the businesses and the residents and so on. This brings in a strong tax revenue for them. Village residents themselves, from the sales and property taxes to be able to maintain a balanced budget.” [Emphasis added.]
I don’t know about you, but I bet if I start digging into this shopping center, I’m going to find that the lawsuit against Stern and Ekstein was dropped by Libermann in exchange for that enlarged footprint for his grocery store project.
Place your bets now before I start digging this week.
Page 3
“At the same time, the project will bring over a hundred new jobs for local residents and for residents of the surrounding area.”
I’d like to see if this can be proven.
“Among the widely famous Lando’s Supermarket and the many other businesses that will soon be located in the center. In addition tot he many new jobs the whole building was built with the “Made in Blooming Grove” movement, starting from the exterior designers to the interior designers, as well as the owners of the houses made an effort to hire local contracts from Dahi, trying to support like more local domestic companies.”
Uh huh.
“At the appointed time, the congressman appeared with his entourage, together with the village officials, the town councilman Schwartz, and other businessmen, as they were given a tour of the magnificent building, starting in the Landos supermarket, as the magnificent eye-catching display and design was launched.”
To be clear, I’m very supportive of a supermarket dedicated to the needs of the Haredi community. I don’t have a problem with this at all.
I have with a problem with how it was done, how it was presented, and how it’s being weaponized to put down the previous Village Board. Mr. Stern has a demonstrable pattern of putting down everyone that gets in his way, which is why I suspect he is the author of these communications.
Also: While imperfect and flawed, the previous Village Board was mindful of the water situation.
Page 4
“The congressman was then given a tour of the floors of the building as people went to visit various Jewish businesses and businessmen located in the center. The congressman greeted all the present owners and workers and expressed himself warmly about the readiness to stand and serve with whatever is needed and to maintain the connection for when it is needed.” [Emphasis added.]
I don’t know about you, but I translate this to mean that’s why the Congressman isn’t answering anyone’s calls or emails concerning Clovewood.
Also, it’s interesting to note that in The Blooming Grove Report, Ekstein and Stern are rarely, if ever, mentioned by name. Here they’re referred to as “businessmen” probably to give the illusion that the BGR isn’t being used to give them free publicity. This is despite the fact that both men are paid village employees.
Page 5
“After the tour the congressman, accompanied by the businessmen, stood in front of the royal court for the special “ribbon-cutting” ceremony and the congressman expressed his enthusiasm, as blessed by God, the village has been taken over by home grown people who understand both to support the local economy, to create new jobs and employment opportunities and how to work hand-in-hand with the county, the state, and with the federal government for any help that can be obtained.” [Emphasis Added]
Welp. If I was the Republican running against Congressman Ryan, I’d just start beating him over the head with Page 5 alone.
Do I have a problem with Republicans? Not the normal ones. I love the normal ones. I was a Republican myself until I heard the phrase, “weapons of mass destruction.”
But.
Do I want the Republicans to control Congress?
Fuck no. Because right now, the normal ones have let the crazy ones run the place, and look at how that’s working out for everyone.
Ronald Reagan, devoted hater of all things Russia, is probably spinning in his grave right now as the crazy Republicans refuse to fund Ukraine’s fight for survival.
But …
Do I want a corrupt Democrat who pledges to aid an ongoing criminal conspiracy in exchange for a bloc vote and money to represent me?
Fuck no as well.
And I have to be honest with you. As much as I don’t want the Republicans to control Congress, I am much more concerned with local issues than I am national issues.
And locally, this criminal conspiracy is THE story. The water shortage and pollution from the constant construction and development will have a life threatening impact on local residents.
There is no doubt of this.
So, for the Congressman to pledge to further aid and abet this criminal conspiracy …
Yeah. I’m probably not going to be voting for him this Fall.
And I may even suggest you consider Congressman Ryan’s activity in South Blooming Grove when you vote in November too.
Page 6 and Remaining Pages
“The congressman then arranged it as Amshnelst, to the satisfaction of the business owner and for the residents, to be able to shop with peace of mind. And in the name of God, we will succeed.” [Emphasis Added.]
Remember: The BRG is an official Village of South Blooming Grove publication saying, “And in the name of God, we will succeed.”
What follows then is a series of pictures. Most relevant here is the bottom of Page 8, where Congressman Ryan, standing next to Joel Stern, is pointing to something. The caption reads “The congressman receives a report on further development progress in the city.”
First of all: The Village of South Blooming Grove is not a city.
Second, I wonder if the construction Ryan is pointing to was even permitted to be happening. It probably wasn’t.
The last page shows us the original, accepted rendering of what Stonegate was going to look like. It’s much, much smaller than what was approved.
Probably because of all those pesky water issues.
The issue with water and the environment is a priority.
Pat Ryan must make it clear to the rest of his constituents that he is concerned with the violations of DEC stop work orders with massive deforestation in preparation for multiple developments planned by South Blooming Grove. The present water and Sewer proposals for these developments show complete disregard for the environment and quality of life of surrounding communities. We need Pat Ryan to make sure the water shortage situation does not get worse which will inevitably result if massive overbuilding is allowed resulting in contamination of our waterways and wells and isolation of wildlife in disconnected corridors.
If he is not with us, then he is against us, no matter Democrat or Republican, regarding the pricelessness of our land, water and air.