President of Citizens Against A Corrupt Niagara Falls City Hall
Judge Anthony Morinello, rather than hear the City of Niagara Falls’ case against One Niagara for parking about a dozen cars a day on its small, gravel lot facing the State Park, chose to recuse himself.
This has left people wondering why the distinguished jurist should step aside on such a minor case.
Neither One Niagara nor its managing partner Frank Parlato has made campaign contributions to the judge. Parlato said he never saw the judge before appearing in his court for arraignment last week for his role in allowing cars to park on One Niagara Property.
Unlike anywhere else in the USA, it is illegal for a private company or individual to rent parking spaces on its own property in Niagara Falls, NY.
Parlato recently questioned the constitutionality of the city’s ordinance whereby government sets up in business, then makes a law prohibiting others from getting into it.
“What if the city gets into souvenirs,” Parlato asked publicly, “will they pass an ordinance that no one but they can sell these?”
Some see the city’s attack as payback for Parlato’s outspokenness.
But why did Judge Morinello refuse to hear the case?
Some say it’s because certain officials at City Hall made it clear to the judge that he better throw the book at Parlato or else!
Parlato said, rather than being disturbed, he welcomes the court challenge because he is intent on overturning the self -serving parking ordinance.
Aside from the alleged unfairness of that ordinance, look at the poor example the city sets for parking: The Rainbow Ramp needs to eliminate the graffiti which infests the whole place- alongside the foul odor and dank and unsafe stairwells where vandals, vagrants and violent criminals are known to visit. Robberies have occurred in the dark corners of the place.
That the city attacks a developer while failing to clean up its own act is typical in Niagara Falls. What is not typical, however, is for a city court judge to recuse himself: what kind of unlawful pressure are certain officials at city hall trying to put on the judiciary to corrupt the process of law and order?
We do not have the answers—maybe Judge Morinello does….