6 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 4, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com Judge dismisses ousted Queens Library trustees’ lawsuit against BP Katz Queens Library Photo courtesy of Queens Library JOHN J. CIAFONE, Esq. Attorney & Counselor at Law Yo u r P a r t n e r I n T h e S t r u g g l e F o r J u s t i c e On The Law with John Ciafone Esq. Q. I was recently arrested for DWI. I hired a lawyer who had the charges reduced with a six month license suspension. However, I just received a letter from the Department of Motor Vehicles suspending my license for one year. How could this happen? A. The DMV can independently revoke your license for one year upon your refusal to take a breathalyzer test. So, if you refused to take the test which was asked of you by the arresting officer, expect a one year revocation of your license independent to what you plead in Criminal Court. Since a driver’s license is a privilege and not a right, New York and many states have statutes which automatically revoke the drivers’ license of a motorist who refuses to submit to a breathalyzer test. • Personal Injury/Accidents • Worker’s Compensation • Wills/Estates • Criminal • Medical Malpractice* • Real Estate • Commer./Corp./Business • Matrimonial/Divorce • Bankruptcy • Elder Law • Trial Lawyer Serving the needs of our community 24 Hours/7 Days 25-59 Steinway St., Suite 2F Astoria, NY 11103 (718) 278-3900 *Free consultation at home, hospital or work ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������� ���������������������������� 2014 Holiday Events Sat, Nov 29 - Small Business Saturday All Day Sun, Dec 7 - Winter Festival In Partnership with Council Member Paul Vallone 5 PM - Children’s Holiday Parade Bell Blvd from 36th to 41st Ave 5:30 PM - Holiday Lighting Ceremony Bayside LIRR Station 41st Ave �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� www.baysidevillage.net 718-423-2434 [email protected] @baysidebid bayside village bid BY ERIC JANKIEWICZ [email protected] @ericjankiewicz A federal judge granted the request of six former trustees of the Queens Library to dismiss their lawsuit that challenged Borough President Melinda Katz’s decision to remove them from the board last summer. The fi rings came after a battle over the tenure of library director Tom Galante, who was criticized after a smoking deck was built outside his offi ce in the Central Library in Jamaica as well as revelations that he augmented his $400,000 salary with more than $200,000 in part-time pay from the Elmont, L.I., school district. Katz lauded the dismissal of the lawsuit, which she called “a bitter attempt by the removed trustees at personal retaliation devoid of consideration for the public interest.” According to one of the lawyers representing the former trustees, the lawsuit was dismissed because the former trustees didn’t have the fi nancial ability and emotional willpower to pursue the lawsuit. But, in a prepared statement, Katz said that the lawsuit was dropped based on its lack of merit. “The court’s action underscores just how specious their claims were,” she said. Hillary Prudlo, one of the lawyers representing the former trustees, disagreed with Katz’s assessment, pointing out that the court documents tell a different story. “Katz gives the disingenuous impression that the judge denied the suit on its merits,” she said. “Her attacks on the former trustees had an emotional impact on them, and ultimately it just didn’t make sense for them to pursue this.” Katz dismissed six members, and Mayor Bill de Blasio cut loose two board members in July. The eight members cut loose were Joseph R. Ficalora, Jacqueline E. Arrington, Patricia Flynn, William Jefferson, Grace Lawrence, Terri C. Mangino, George Stamatiades and Stephen Van Anden. Van Anden and Flynn were the mayoral appointees. One of the trustees fi red by Katz, who wished to remain anonymous, called the move “politics at its worst.” And in the lawsuit that Judge Frederic Block of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York struck down, the former board of trustees members called the ousting a “brazen and unconstitutional power grab.” The six plaintiffs also demand unspecifi ed monetary damages against Katz—including punitive damages— “on account of the egregious nature of the unconstitutional violations and Katz’s malicious and punitive conduct in publicly smearing plaintiffs in order to aggrandize herself,” according to court papers fi led in Brooklyn federal court. But this is not the end of the court battle over the fi rings. The ousted board members have fi led a separate “whistleblowers” claim.
QC12042014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above