He's Back! Espada Plans Rally at Soundview Clinic

Former State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. is enlisting the help of some old amigos to publicly combat charges that he embezzled more than $500,000 from the nonprofit network of health care clinics he founded and continues to run. Espada's holding a rally tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. in front of Soundview Health Center, 731 White Plains Road.

With him, according to a press release that describes the event as a "unity press conference," will be Espada's former nemesis turned number one supporter in the state senate, Ruben Diaz Sr. (we received the release from his communications person), as well as Assemblyman Marcos Crespo and Bishop Fernando Rodriguez of the Latin American Chaplain's Association, plus a whole bunch of other folks.

Espada is also facing civil charges from the Attorney General's office that he bilked another $14 million from Soundview.

Here's the meat of the release:

"State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Bishop Fernando Rodriguez, president of the Latin American Chaplains Association, Pedro Espada, Jr., patients, clergy and civic leaders, other elected officials,and medical staff and health vendors will hold a unity press conference and rally in support of the Soundview Healthcare Network, emphasizing the importance of the network’s four medical facilities to the health care of tens of thousands of Bronx residents, families, children and senior citizens."

Bronx News Roundup for June 3

Marcos Crespo and Vanessa Gibson were, as expected, victorious in a special election held Tuesday to determine the new Assembly members in the 77th and 85th Districts. They will fill the seats vacated by newly elected Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and his new deputy Aurelia Greene. More on the story here.

A Bronx woman discovered a four-foot yellow rat snake in her Gerard Avenue apartment.

Yankee attendance records are at their lowest since the 2004 season, and a new poll suggests excessive ticket prices at the new stadium are at fault.

The four men charged with the attempted bombings of a Riverdale synagogue pled not guilty at an arraignment this morning in White Plains.

Pedro Espada, Jeffrey Klein, Eric Shneiderman, and Jose Serrano are among 20 New York state senators who say they would vote yes on a bill legalizing gay marriage.