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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Raul Rivera, TLC Driver and Advocate
1:46:34
·
122 sec
Raul Rivera, a TLC driver and advocate, testified about the influence of wealthy individuals on city politics, specifically criticizing Mark Gorton, founder of Open Plans. He urged council members to advocate for their constituents and to return any donations received from Gorton.
- Rivera criticized Council Member De La Rosa for suggesting constituents check a website instead of advocating for them directly.
- He described Mark Gorton as a "sugar daddy" worth over $2 billion, who settled a $105 million lawsuit for theft of musician royalties.
- Rivera accused Gorton of trying to monetize the city through NGOs like Open Plans and Transportation Alternatives, urging council members to return any donations from him.
Raul Rivera
1:46:34
Can I go?
1:46:36
Give me the green light.
1:46:38
Okay.
1:46:39
So my name is Raul Rivera.
1:46:40
I'm a TLC driver and a TLC driver advocate.
1:46:42
We fight for the drivers.
1:46:43
I just wanna point out to miss De La Rosa that in the same fashion that you advocate for yourself to become to get reelected, you don't merely tell, your constituents to go to the website.
1:46:58
Because I I just heard what you told the other gentleman there.
1:47:00
So you don't just say go to the website, you know, you actually advocate.
1:47:05
So in the same fashion, you should advocate for your constituents.
1:47:08
Now I want to bring up the sugar daddy.
1:47:11
I don't know if anybody knows the sugar daddy, but his name is Mark Gorton.
1:47:15
He's worth over $2,000,000,000.
1:47:17
He's the founder of Limewire and he settled out of court for $105,000,000 for theft of royalties that belong to the musicians.
1:47:28
Nobody mentions Mark Gorton.
1:47:32
He is the founder of Open Open Plans here in New York City, a nonprofit, an NGO that are trying to monetize our city.
1:47:39
And mister Gordon gives a lot of money to to the council members.
1:47:43
I don't know if you guys receive money from him, but, this guy is filthy rich.
1:47:48
He's up on the Upper West Side, and he's, helping, transportation alternatives.
1:47:55
He's helping open plans.
1:47:57
He's the current, founder and chair to open plans and he's funding all these NGOs to monetize our city.
1:48:04
So I think that's something that needs to be said here.
1:48:07
If you guys are receiving money from Mark Gordon, think you should consider giving that money back.
1:48:12
I think your constituents should know about it.
1:48:14
I think New York should know about it.
1:48:16
This guy is nothing.
1:48:17
He's just a thief.
1:48:19
That's all he is, trying to masquerade and some kind of advocate in the city.
1:48:23
He's no advocate.
1:48:24
He's actually from New Jersey.
1:48:25
He's a disgusting individual and a lot of people here in the city council support him.
1:48:30
I think I think the council should know about that.
1:48:33
If he gave you money, you should give it back.
1:48:35
Thank you.