Tool's Disability Outrage

HalMallon wrote:Most charges dismissed in LIRR disability pension case:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nass ... -1.1649523

Could you copy and paste the story. Live in PA .

Here's Newsday's story from today's paper. It leaved out much pertinent information, especially of the judge's criticism of the prosecution. It's also unfortunate that it was placed in a Saturday edition, which isn't well read.

Judge dismisses most charges against LIRR official

December 11, 2009 By ALFONSO A. CASTILLO

Most charges dismissed in LIRR disability pension case
Frederick Kreuder did not break the law by running a side business to help fellow Long Island Rail Road employees apply for federal disability benefits, but he should have paid taxes on the money he made in that venture, a Nassau County judge ruled Friday as he dismissed dozens of charges against the Bellmore man. Kreuder, 50, is the only person to be criminally charged in state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's ongoing investigation into unusually high disability application rates by employees of the nation's largest commuter railroad. Kreuder's attorney, William Petrillo of Rockville Centre, said Judge John Kase's decision to dismiss 48 of the 53 charges in Kreuder's indictment was "a tremendous victory." "This decision validates the fact that this prosecution is misguided, selective and a huge waste of taxpayer money," Petrillo said. "We look forward to a jury hearing what's left of this absurd case." A spokesman for Cuomo's office said prosecutors are "reviewing the decision and considering our options."

[Unfortunately, we cannot copy and paste entire articles from copyrighted sources. Only brief "fair use" quotes -omv]

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=59891

The Tool just edited the Wikipedia entries for "Railroad Retirement Board" and "Long Island Rail Road" to indicate that Mr. FK had all charges of Official Misconduct and Corruption against him dismissed.

Tool added the proper references and footnotes. As Wiki has financial ties with the NY Times, who promoted this case as social engineering against railroad retirement and Social Security payments, we'll bet that Tool's edits will be removed and Tool will once again be banned from Wiki for six months.

The readers of this board my wish to do their part in keeping the record straight by correcting any libelous information the editors of Wiki/NY Times insist on posting to the Wiki site.

Saw your edits, Tool, and there's nothing in wikipolicy that would support their removal. I won't get into the otherwise misguided nature of your rant, but I will say that this edit, unlike your previous ones, is verified and supported by a "reliable" source. (I too think Newsday is a rag and full of it, but newspapers are usually considered reliable by wikipedia standards).

Thanks for the support, Oknazevad. The glowing credentials as a qualified apologist welcome defending my views to an otherwise intellectual disbeliever. To further discuss the "misguided nature of my rant" privately, The Tool extends an invitation to Private Messages.

Interesting how the AG's office says that Fred is a Civil Servant. I thought that only operating personnel could be classified as that , if they are under the taylor law.

AG's office is reviewing the ruling, perhaps thay will offer a plea deal to non payment of taxes ? Lets hope for the best and that the grandstanding AG has egg on his face.

While FK's arrest was front page news to the New York Times, they only saw fit to bury his vindication today on Page 38.

Prosecutors agree to drop case against LIRR employee:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nass ... -1.1743513

State prosecutors agreed to drop their case against a Long Island Rail Road employee who was the only person criminally charged in an ongoing investigation into potential abuses of a federal disability pension by LIRR employees. Frederick Kreuder, 50, of Bellmore, was accused of operating a side business in which he guided fellow LIRR employees on how to apply for disability benefits from the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. He was paid up to $1,000 by each employee he helped, prosecutors said. In exchange for dismissing the three remaining charges, Kreuder agreed to resign from his job as an LIRR budget analyst, pay a $1,500 penalty, file amended tax returns, and never again work in the public sector, officials with the office of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.

[Please do not copy and paste whole articles from copyrighted sources - omv]

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=59891

Mr Kreuders agreement does not vindicate him , but by signing it , he admits guilt without punisment, other than loosing his job.

The agreement Kreuder executed makes the arrest and all charges "null".

That vindicates him in the US and most of the free world. He's working on a Papal dispensation to vindicate him to Dutch.

From Webster:

1 : having no legal or binding force : invalid
2 : amounting to nothing : nil

Welcome to the fastest growing roster on the property, Fred: "The Roster of Dedicated, hard working Managers Driven out on a rail by a Politicos Disdaining Technical Knowledge and Expertise." I think you're number five this year.

Will he loose his pension.

I am sad freddy lost his job, I hope he gets his pension.
Yes it was a witch hunt he got caught up in, however he did break the law in taking money without reporting it.
1,000 dollars a person does add up, especially tax free, and he knew the ramifications if he got caught.
He is lucky he was not charged with tax evasion.
Let this be a lesson to others who take money or favors from others, a lot of it does go on, on the LIRR

FK will now apply for his pension, which should be based on his last 12 working months. He'll have no problem getting the benefits owed him and probably any that the proceedings jeopardized.

As there was no evidence whatever of fraud presented by the prosecution, the judge ruled any misreported income an oversight and permitted FK to file an amended tax return, correcting the error.

It appears now that contrary to the judge's order, the LIRR is refusing to pay Mr. F. K. his back pay.

They tell him it's "under review".

Which means he'll have to file a lawsuit to demand the LIRR comply with the court's judgment.

Newsday today announced that in Mr. Cuomo's quest for Governor:

Cuomo: 'Examiner' to address LIRR disability abuses
Originally published: March 22, 2010 11:52 AM
Updated: March 22, 2010 12:27 PM
By PATRICK WHITTLE [email protected]

The Long Island Rail Road has agreed to use an "independent examiner" to address abuses of its retiree disability benefits system, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
...
The attorney general said in a statement Monday that hiring the examiner, as well as taking other measures, will "help ensure that benefits are available only to those who truly are disabled."...

The article continues to say nothing about how the LIRR will utilize this "examiner" or how they would mandate "examinations" of retiring employees, since occupational disability annuities are issued by the Railroad Retirement Board based on the opinions of independent doctors. The Railroad Retirement Board has refused to provide information to Cuomo's office, calling the probe a "politically driven witch hunt".

Each news relase from Mr. Cuomo is more ridiculous and costly to the taxpayers than the one before...