Miguel has documented the obscene corruption of the NYDP gun permitting system.  Pretty much, the only way to get one of the hen’s teeth carry permits in NYC is to be rich, famous, and well connected to a politician (and one of their big-money donors) or to bribe the NYPD officers in charge of giving out licenses.

If you thought that the NYC carry permit system is corrupt, the liquor licensing system blows that out of the water.  Given that a liquor license can make or break a restaurant, restauranteurs will give anything to get and keep a license.

But there is another side to this.  Liquor licenses can be revoked punitively.  Not just for statutory violations of the licensing laws, but as political leverage and for petty vengeance.

Joe Borelli is a city councilman in NYC, and one of the few elected Republicans in the city.

This is an account of what happened to a business in NYC from Mr. Borelli’s Twitter feed (unrolled for easy reading).

Want to hear how big of pieces of shit @NYGovCuomo @NYCMayor & the state liquor authority are?

Listen to this one

Joyce’s tavern had never been visited by the State Liquor Authority… not during Covid, not before, & had no violations

They’re are getting killed financially (1)

— Joe Borelli (@JoeBorelliNYC) September 13, 2020

(Unrolled)

Want to hear how big of pieces of shit @NYGovCuomo @NYCMayor & the state liquor authority are?

Listen to this one

Joyce’s tavern had never been visited by the State Liquor Authority… not during Covid, not before, & had no violations

They’re are getting killed financially (1)

On Thurs, They let me have a little book signing- Outdoors of course, on a small patio. I advertised the event from the same twitter acnt I use to bash Cuomo & de Blasio on a daily basis. The bar also has flags that wld make it seem like it was right-leaning (2)

What a coincidence, on Friday, the very next night, the SLA goons come in for a surprise random inspection. The first time there ever. Was there a complaint?

The restaurant was very busy that night, “busier than they have been since Covid” according to the owner…why? (3)

Despite their poor financial situation. They joined a number of local NYC restaurants that would be donating a portion of their proceeds on 9/11 to the @Tunnel2Towers foundation. Coincidentally, an organization that just embarrassed the Gov into restoring the Tribute in Lights(4)

The public responded. Our community is choc full of first responders, victims families, & folks suffering from 9-11 cancer. Many were there… the place was packed, no question about that. There was an hour wait for the few outdoor tables they had. (5)

Some charitable patrons, their legs growing tired, sat in chairs in the indoor portion of the restaurant. They weren’t eating. The SLA never alleged they were eating. They were sitting and waiting. Two people had water. Again, no food, no beer, Just waiting for outdoor tables.(6)

In thunders the SLA. Perhaps they read the advertisements online about the nights charitable cause. They immediately remove and revoke their liquor license. No warnings. At hearing the next day, the owners are not allowed to defend themselves. They lose by default, Cuomo-style (7)

This is the same commission that shuttered another SI business when the SLA observed people drinking by a pool (the restaurant had no pool) Joyce’s will now likely face a $25,000 fine. This will put them out of business. The fam will go bust, the workers will be on unemployment(8)

How do we accept this as normal? How do we let a neighborhood business that was giving back to our 9/11 families and first responders just get fined out of business. How does the SLA inspector sleep at night? How do Cuomo & de Blasio ? (End)

A bar in NYC has a book signing with a Republican who is critical of Cuomo and de Blasio and sho Cuomo sends his Liquor Authority goons to yank the bar’s license and kill it.

Cuomo is everything the Democrats accuse Trump of being, i.e., an entitled, thin-skinned, despot.

Cuomo seems himself less as Governor and more of the Sonny Corleone of New York, inheriting the Governorship from his father.  Insult him and you end up paying for it with your livelihood.