NYC Crane Inspector Accused Of Corruption

Senior Official Charged With Taking Bribes From Crane Company; Actions Do Not Appear Connected To Accidents

(AP)  A senior city buildings official took bribes in exchange for falsely reporting that cranes had been inspected and that crane operators had been certified, but his actions did not appear to be connected to two recent crane collapses that killed nine people, authorities said Friday.

James Delayo, an assistant chief inspector with the Department of Buildings' cranes and derricks division, accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from a crane company, Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn said in a statement.

But Delayo's actions apparently had no connection to two cranes involved in fatal collapses this year. Both of those cranes were tower cranes, not the mobile cranes at the center of the investigation into Delayo, she said.

It is troubling that an official responsible for ensuring cranes are safe in New York City would be "selling out his own integrity in a way that compromised public safety," Hearn said.

Hearn's office did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment, and she did not identify the company that allegedly bribed Delayo.

Delayo, 60, has worked for the Buildings Department since 1982, a career that spans the administrations of four mayors and several buildings commissioners. The Department of Investigation said he earns $74,224 and faces suspension from his job.

There was no phone number listed under Delayo's name in the New York City directory. The Department of Investigation didn't immediately return a call seeking information on whether he had an attorney.

The charges represent another embarrassment for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration as it tries to quell the outrage over the two collapses.

[alphaa10-2009]

neobrian said, "Heckuva Job Delayo !!!'''' W'''' has a New Job For You ! New Oversight Secretary !!..."
---
Not that there is any connection between criminal leagues, but Tom DeLay at some point in his ancestry may have been a DeLayo.

DeLay, himself, currently stalks the humility and reproach venue on rightwing radio''s sympathetic circuit. After being shunned and ousted by his demoralized fellow GOP bozos, Citizen DeLay has been placed on media rehab.

On Mike Gallagher, the accused accused Obama of being a Marxist. The most absurd aspect of his comment is DeLay''s sometime protege, Jack Abramoff, has more Russian connections in his little black book.

DeLay got the usual, "You don''t say!" response, an eerie reflection of how the press received DeLay''s remarks at his indictment for campaign finance violations.

Alhough DeLay cheerfully accepted money from Russian oil barons (no mafia connection here, honest. Really.), he could not spot a Marxist at twenty paces.

[alphaa10-2009]

newster1 said, "No surprise THERE, corruption has been with the City of NY in every branch... Nothing changes does it?"
---
Except, just when you think it never does, it finally does. Sorta.

For example, the threat environment for villains has never been so quick or lethal, ruining many a promising criminal career. Corruption becomes progressively harder to keep secret. Tammany became a dynasty when none was looking, but modern-day scandals under Giuliani and Bloomberg hit the press immediately.

And with prompt reporting of most missteps, we can thank the press for keeping the likes of Giuliani, Bloomberg and, yes, Spitzer at a safe distance from the White House.

Some speculate scandal always has lurked in the background, but exceptional scandals have been driven from the underbrush, lately. Lush political scandal is an endangered species. Not to mention Gov. Spitzer. Or Bernie Kerik. Or the circus of miscreants Bush spawned. Not to mention the Miscreant-in-Chief, and his untrusty side-kicks, in and out of congress.

And just think, about a century ago, one of our presidents sniffed with disdain at reportage of corporate abuse as so much "muck-raking". Now, scandal is prime fare for most media outlets, readers and viewers.

Nothing good can be said about scandal, but reporting it seems to keep more officials more terrified of exposure.

[sjw1253]

nrgmizer -

I would like to know your source. Are you repeating rumors that have been passed around or are you citing a legitimate source.

When you throw stories like this around - it is hard for people who have any sense of common sense - that rumors do not represent the truth...

I find it interesting and I am sure there is a potential for truth - I myself would never in a forum such as this repeat such rumors as though they are fact...

When reading such statements - I would like to know the source so that I am able to objectively evaluate the veracity of the statement.

As I see this guy on the news he looks like a deer caught in headlights... I do not know his guilt or innocence - and the information provided in this story gives very little in regard to the facts and details of this arrest.

I will be interested to learn more.

[gmond]

A city official took bribes. And this is news..?

[neobrian-2009]

Heckuva Job Delayo !!!'' W'' has a New Job For You !
New Oversight Secretary !!
Perfect for people like this,.Corrupt,Greedy,Untruthful

All government is corrupt at all levels. "Revolution fades, leaving only the slime of bureaucracy" Kafka

[nothappyatall]

James Delayo, an assistant chief inspector with the Department of Buildings'' cranes and derricks division, accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from a crane company,"

No surprise THERE, corruption has been with the City of NY in every branch- detailed in reports from the 1890''s and before even. Corruption was the way of life with the NYC Buildings dept as well as the police dept. Nothing changes does it?

[cyberus-2009]

If they found this guy, and he''s not the inspector of the cranes that already went down .. it kind of points to some pretty big problems there,

[generey]

Oh the stories of "looking the other way", "corruption" and "who are you related to?". But then I would only be labeled a troublemaker. ROFLMAO.