Show Me a Hero (2015): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript
As 1988 begins, Nick tries to convince the Yonkers City Council to agree to the housing plan as the reaction from residents of the proposed new build sites turns nasty. Meanwhile, Carmen and Doreen face tough decisions.
( music playing ) _
Sand: How many times
in the last year
has the City of Yonkers
been in this courtroom
at the brink of a crisis
of its own making?
Three? Four?
This case was decided
over two years ago.
This court issued its remedy
order 18 months ago.
To vote in favor
of the overall remedy,
as the Yonkers City Council
has finally managed to do,
is insufficient.
Yonkers must approve a plan
to build specific houses
at specific locations. _
If Yonkers officials continue
to ignore this court's order
and by 4:30 Thursday do not approve
200 units of public housing
to be built
at specific locations
east of the Saw Mill
River Parkway,
I will find the City of
Yonkers in contempt.
In addition, I will
impose a daily fine,
beginning at $100
the first day
and doubling every day
thereafter
until Yonkers is bankrupt.
This is the moment
of truth, gentlemen.
Your Honor, I'd like
to request a recess
so I can confer
with my client.
Well, it's approaching
lunchtime.
Why don't we reconvene
at 2:00?
Court stands in recess
until then.
Clerk:
All rise.
( chatter )
- You can see we've worked his last nerve.
- Nick: Yeah.
We don't have
any slack here.
- Gentlemen, enjoy your lunch.
- DeLuca: You, too.
You know,
to hell with him.
We appeal again.
We go to the Supreme Court.
Win or lose,
we take our shot.
Councilman Longo,
what the fuck?
I know, but there's got
to be a way out of this.
This goddamn judge, he's
shoving it so far up my ass,
- I can feel it in my throat, Nick.
- Neil, he starts--
he starts fining us
100 bucks
and doubles it every day,
when do we start hurting?
The entire city operating budget
is just under 300 million.
So working backwards,
we exceed that on...
( calculator clacking )
...day 22.
Clear enough, guys?
In three weeks, the City
of Yonkers goes bankrupt.
Man: Fuck.
( chatter )
At last,
they see the light?
Sand was breathing fire
in there.
Now they're singed.
Once they cross
the Triborough,
a little north of the Bronx,
this thing,
it becomes a lot less real.
It's like a bad dream
to these guys,
and they'll tell each other,
"It'll all be okay somehow."
The good white folk
of Yonkers
give 'em a slap
on the back and tell 'em,
"You be courageous, stand up to
those blacks, those Jew lawyers,
goddamn liberal judges."
Ah.
- What?
- Hey.
I know, it just--
this case.
I swear, every time I worry
I'm getting too cynical,
I see I'm not even
keeping pace.
What do you think
of the new mayor?
- The kid?
- Yeah.
( elevator dings )
- I'll meet you there.
- All right, okay.
This is gonna eat him up.
( man singing in Spanish
on radio )
Ah, muchacho.
( children chattering
in Spanish )
( woman singing
in Spanish on radio )
One cookie each, please!
( music continues )
( chattering in Spanish )
Roberto, don't let them
ride in the street, please.
Yes, Mom.
Hey, guys, don't ride
in the street!
Carmen, here they're all
in the street.
I know, but if I pretend
to yell at them about that,
they won't ride
on the avenida.
- ( both laughing )
- Carmen: Es verdad.
( speaking Spanish )
I still don't understand why we can't
appeal the Second Circuit decision.
You can. But you don't really
have a leg to stand on
and there are no
constitutional grounds.
- But we could appeal, technically.
- Councilman: And lose.
Maybe the full Circuit
isn't as liberal
as the three who handed
down this decision.
- Maybe. - Judges Pratt and Miner
were Reagan appointees.
We lost on the merits.
Look, here and now,
you guys need to make
a good faith effort
to comply with Sand.
Come up with a plan you can
live with and stick to it.
I think the judge is pretty much
wedded to the four School sites.
You know, the School 30 site is right
behind my house over by Nevada Avenue.
And I already got a site
in my district.
Don't look at me.
I already ate
the Walt Whitman School site.
Yeah, you know what?
I got news for you.
All right, we're gonna
lose Nevada Avenue
or we got no deal.
If I have to, I could live
with a small site, you know,
down on Midland,
over by Sarah Lawrence,
but not, you know,
in my backyard.
( chuckling )
You did not just--
That is actually
my backyard.
Look, this train's
left the station.
We're your lawyers. We're just
trying to prevent a wreck.
Chema: If we do it now,
early in the term,
it'll get hot for a while, but it'll
cool down before the next election.
( scoffs )
Jesus, this is a bitch.
Hey, it's what they pay us
the big bucks for, right?
( grunts ) She said we could
stay here till the baby comes.
( woman yelling indistinctly )
She's cool with it.
You'll see.
Never been over
this way before.
Yeah, well, they built
Mulford a long time back.
When they opened it,
it was all white people.
When Gammy moved in, it was
still mostly white people.
You know we're gonna need more
than one room when the baby comes.
Look, we ain't gonna
be here forever.
( music blaring )
Now, what you doin'?
You ain't gonna help out?
No, I like a man
carrying stuff for me.
- You like this, huh?
- Yeah.
Oh, okay.
Check this out.
( grunts )
Whoo!
- Yeah, baby.
- ( laughs ) Ooh, watch out.
Damn, boy.
- Whoo.
- Baby.
( coughs )
You got it.
You like that?
Good job, babe.
Please be seated.
- Mr. McAmis?
- Your Honor.
The City of Yonkers understands
the gravity of the situation.
After conferring
for the past four hours,
the mayor
and council majority here
have agreed to meet
in a special session tomorrow
to approve a plan of 200 units of
public housing at specific sites.
In addition, Your Honor,
Mayor Wasicsko,
himself a member of the bar,
would like to address the court.
Very well.
Mr. Mayor?
Thank you, Your Honor.
Um, Your Honor, a majority
of the Yonkers City Council
supports making
the housing commitment
and negotiating
a building plan,
and I just
want to assure you
that the city
will obey the law.
Well, I appreciate that,
Mayor Wasicsko, I do.
But let me say this-- we have
been here before with Yonkers.
Four years ago
and six years ago
we came to the brink of a
settlement in this case
before the City Council
balked at building
even a single unit
of low-income housing.
In light of that, the council
must approve a housing plan
that includes specific,
named site locations
where the 200 units
will be built
and a construction
timetable
and do so by 10:00 AM
next Monday.
Yes, Your Honor.
Sand: Mr. McAmis, the
court will expect...
Goddamn sellout.
...immediately following
the council vote.
McAmis:
Yes, Your Honor.
Yonkers officials agreed to comply
with the federal desegregation order
after the judge threatened fines
that would bankrupt the city.
We are making
these concessions
in order to save the city from
enormous fines and contempt.
Reporter:
But even opponents...
They talking about
building those here?
I think so.
We were double-crossed by the
councilmen in there today.
They promised people they
wouldn't give in and they folded.
Reporter: And city officials must
still identify specific sites...
- Did you pick up--
- Shh, please.
...for another deadline
set by the judge.
I think we'll have a resolution
by Monday one way or the other.
Now, there are some proposed sites
that are still on the table,
but the ball is squarely
in the City of Yonkers' court.
( chuckles )
Reporter: I'm Virginia Kim,
Cablevision News, Westchester.
Chicken's overcooked
again, isn't it?
News anchor: Turning to
sports, the New York Knicks
take on the Cleveland
Cavaliers tonight...
Buddy?
The Knicks have had big trouble
on the road this year...
No, it's fine.
It's real--
it's great, actually.
So Martinelli
was right.
About the housing?
Yeah,
about the housing.
He said we had to build
it, and guess what?
- We gotta build it.
- ( chuckles )
It's just an appeal
is a waste of money.
I mean, there's no getting
around this goddamned judge.
You didn't know all that
when you ran against him.
Right?
( music playing )
I don't know. Maybe I
didn't want to know.
You know what?
We can get past this.
We can. I just got to, uh,
get everybody on board,
convince the rest of the council
that the law is the law.
( chuckles )
I think you're gonna
be a great mayor.
Yeah?
I think so.
♪ I just want to say ♪
♪ this is my way
of telling you... ♪
Nick:
You weren't there.
You don't know how angry
this judge is.
Oh, he's angry?
He ain't the only one.
I'm for taking this to the Supreme
Court, appealing all the way.
Councilman, we don't have a
chance before the Supreme Court.
We need to offer them
a housing plan--
A housing plan? Sure.
Here's my housing plan.
No low-income housing.
If they can afford
a house, great.
- If not--
- We're past that, Hank.
That argument was heard
and it lost.
If we don't offer a plan,
the judge is gonna hold
the city, all of us,
in contempt.
He can fine us,
jail us--
This judge ain't the Pope.
We're talking due process here.
All right, sit down, Hank. Let's agree
on something we can all support.
I ain't supporting
nothing.
( chuckles )
He's not
supporting nothing?
Oh, God.
Well, as we've
been intimating,
Mr. Spallone's just doubled the number
of housing units coming to his district.
Longo:
What a gaping asshole.
Hank's gonna grandstand
the shit out of this.
No, Daddy.
No, no, she was here
this morning,
but I think she
went to, um--
she went to work
this afternoon.
- Where?
- Work. I think she went to work, Daddy.
- All right.
- Mm-hmm.
( music blaring )
If I see her,
I sure will.
All right, then.
All right.
Love to Mama.
All right.
Love you.
( beeps )
I don't like
lying to him.
- ( coughs )
- Hey, Skip.
Hey, what's up?
Breakout down.
You making money
today, ain't ya?
( scoffs ) As long as the young'un
ain't fucked the count up.
Who?
Dante.
Boy in the blue.
- He been fucking up, huh?
- Every goddamn day.
( police siren chirping )
Gary: Oh, shit. 5-0 checking.
They're hitting up
Frankie's crew.
I said turn around!
Turn around!
Yo, I'm paying this motherfucker
over here to be the lookout
and he got his fucking hand in his
pocket rubbing his goddamned nuts.
Shit.
Yo, pick it up and go.
Casual.
Ignorant motherfucker.
Pick it up.
Pick my shit up.
Now.
God damn!
What the--
Hey!
Hey, you, freeze!
5-0 on you, Skip.
( helicopter
blades whirring )
Yo, yo, yo!
( Skip coughing, wheezing )
Run back, tell my
sister to dial 911.
( raspy )
No.
You can't breathe!
You call an ambo and the
police are gonna come with.
( coughing )
Just let me be.
( police sirens wailing )
( music playing )
There's my girl.
Hey.
Hey, how's
the Bronxville Bomber?
- Huh?
- Oh.
Thanks for coming out.
You sounded
pretty down, Vinni.
Oh, yeah.
I don't know.
I just, uh--
I felt like I--
I just needed
to talk to someone.
Someone other
than myself.
( chuckles )
Hi.
- A Stoli and tonic with
a twist of lime, please. - Sure.
- Another one of those?
- Uh, yeah. Just no lime.
- Menus?
- No, thank you.
- Uh...
- What's going on?
I don't know.
I just, uh--
I'm just feeling
a little lost.
Adrift, maybe, just
being out so suddenly.
Right. Well, you're working at
the photography shop, right?
- Yeah.
- Family is...?
Yeah, good.
You know.
Yeah?
It's different.
It's like,
when you're out of office,
it's like your candle
goes out, you know?
And everyone just moves on
to the next candle.
And, uh...
people stop calling
and reporters
stop trying to reach you
and, uh...
it's back to your life.
Yeah.
But you're reading the paper
and you're watching TV,
- so you know what's going on.
- You know what?
I think you might've been the
lucky one in this situation
because this
housing shit...
the judge,
Spallone, Longo...
Oh, fuck Nick Longo.
He should get ass cancer.
( laughs )
Shit.
Well, I definitely would prefer
you in that seat than him,
but what are you-- what are we gonna do?
They redistricted us.
From 12 seats
down to six, you know?
Some of us
were gonna fall.
( exhales )
Yeah, but...
it hurts to lose.
You tell yourself
it's not personal, but...
Right.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Thanks.
Ahem.
Yeah, I know.
I have my family,
I have a phenomenal
relationship with my kids.
I love them to death.
But, uh, the whole time
I'm thinking,
"My God, there's a whole
part of my life
that's not gonna
be there anymore."
It's just politics,
Vinni.
It's addictive
is what it is.
Once you get that taste
in your mouth,
I mean...
I've, uh--
( sniffles )
I've even thought...
You can think some pretty dark
shit when they make you walk away.
( Vinni chuckles )
- You're all right.
- ( sniffles )
You're all right.
Yeah, how's Nay?
Good?
Stressed.
Yeah, me, too.
Oh, you know,
I miss the stress.
- Yeah, well...
- Give me your stress.
- I want the stress.
- ( laughing )
All right, just get Nevada
Avenue off the goddamn list.
All right?
That's all I'm asking.
Well, look at the fucking
seminary, then.
- St. Joseph's?
- Yes.
What-- didn't we already object to
that in the earlier court filings?
Yeah, well, that was then,
this is now.
I could talk to the
cardinal about it.
I'm on the boards of St. Patrick's
and Catholic Charities.
- I see him enough.
- Wait, wait, wait. You really think?
Look, let's just put it down
as tentative for now.
- Fine.
- Judge, you'll talk to the cardinal?
- Yes.
- Okay, well, that's one site down, maybe.
- McAmis: That's a start.
- DeLuca: Seven to go.
( typewriters clacking ) _
Oh, my God.
"You won't see
the next one."
Oh, Jesus.
- Mine's bigger.
- ( chuckles )
Hey, you get yours yet?
My bullet?
Yep.
You see
that guy over there?
That's your new
best friend, Nick.
He's gonna follow you home
after the meeting,
stay outside your house, and
follow you back to work tomorrow.
- Round the clock.
- Well, I feel so special.
You're not. The other
good-vote council members
get police escorts, too.
For everybody else, tomorrow
we put in metal detectors.
All visitors start
signing in and out.
Hey, this mayor thing?
When's the fun part start?
Okay.
( speaking Spanish ) - 260.
- 260?
That much?
25 each of these, 75.
Plus 45,
four of these for 15.60,
and the chicken, 80.
260.
Okay.
( music playing )
Leave this,
I'll pay for the rest.
Okay.
165.
Maria.
But I want candy.
We have at home.
( chatter in Spanish )
And finally
the last site
would be at Midland
and Theresa Avenues,
making for a total of seven
agreed-upon sites, so--
Cardinal's on the line,
Your Honor.
Thank you.
Your Eminence,
Judge Sand here.
Good morning.
How are you?
Cardinal: Just fine, Judge.
And you?
Very good. I have here in chambers
lawyers for the City of Yonkers
and from the Department
of Justice and the NAACP.
I just want to make sure
we all understand each other.
Certainly, Judge Sand.
Go ahead.
The city's lawyers,
Judge Mulligan among them,
tell me that the archdiocese
has agreed to let the city
build 16 low-income
housing units
at St. Joseph's Seminary
off Valentine Street.
That's right. Bill and I have
talked about a sliver of the site
for the housing and perhaps a
bit more for a playground.
I see, Your Eminence.
If you have a problem
with this proposal--
a political problem--
Oh, no, no, I understand the
proposal and I'm prepared to do it.
It's a help to the poor
and consistent with the
mission of the archdiocese.
Once everything's
finalized on your end,
let us know and we'll
release a statement.
Will do, Your Eminence.
Thank you.
- Not at all.
- We'll be in touch.
( phone clicks )
Done.
( chuckles )
Wait, which one did
you say was Hobart again?
Uh, 3F.
Right there.
Yeah, that one.
- Now, there.
- Yeah.
That way I'll be able to tell
when you're not here to help me.
Yeah, I got practice
Tuesday at the rec.
You know, I could miss it, but that'd
mean I'd have to quit the team.
No, no, no, no.
I'll make do
on Tuesday.
All right.
Can you wait on me?
Jesus Christ, did you
read this quote from Fagan?
About the judge?
( scoffs )
If I knew you'd
be so little help,
I would never have agreed
to move in with you.
I put the bed together.
What else do you and me
need in a new apartment?
( scoffs )
If my father heard you talk
like that, he'd kill you twice.
( laughs )
Yeah, he's already
mad at me,
moving in with a guy
and no ring on my finger.
Ah, I'll win him over
like any other constituent.
You'll see.
♪ now, some may want to die,
young man... ♪
You should come to bed.
Tomorrow's gonna be a long day.
( sighs )
Tomorrow
is gonna be hell.
♪ hey, buddy,
that ain't me... ♪
( crowd shouting, booing )
Cola: That's-- that's--
that's the only plan
that makes sense for the city.
Thank you, Councilman.
Mr. Spallone?
You know, I'm not like these
wimps who are kowtowing
to some judge who's off
the friggin' wall.
( crowd cheering )
I'm not wearing Pampers.
I swore an allegiance
to you, the voters,
and I'm gonna keep that
allegiance to you,
and I got a message
for Judge Sands.
Nuts to Judge Sands.
You wanna take me away?
- Come get me!
- ( cheering )
Great, we're one wing nut
away from a riot.
Tell me about it. They confiscated
four guns at the door.
I wonder which one of these
bastards sent the bullets.
Uh, we're here to take testimony
from the citizens of Yonkers...
( scattered booing )
...regarding
the housing site plan.
( booing, shouting )
Those who have signed up
and wish to make a statement
may proceed to the podium
in the proper order.
What I'd like to know is whatever
happened to majority rule, huh?
- Crowd: Yeah!
- Isn't this still America?
- Crowd: Yeah!
- A bunch of wimps is what you all are!
It's about these
public housing people
bringing drugs and crime
into our neighborhood
and ruining
our property values!
- You promised us an appeal!
- Yes!
You promised
you wouldn't settle!
You have succeeded in raping
the voters of their city!
( cheering )
You people campaigned
on this issue.
I knocked on doors
for you, Nick Longo.
And you, Ed Fagan, you
said, "I will go to jail."
You're not even
a man of your word.
You know,
we're gonna find out.
We're gonna find out
what deal was done
and I think you're gonna regret
the day you went into politics.
So enjoy the next
two years on the council!
They're your last
two years!
Shame on you!
You should be ashamed
of yourselves!
I'd like to remind
the speakers
to be respectful
of the people up here.
Woman: Where's our respect?
No more lies!
No more lies!
No more lies!
( crowd chanting )
No more lies! No more lies!
No more lies!
Yet officials say approval of
eight East Yonkers housing sites
by the council
is inevitable
despite the near unanimous
objections of Yonkers residents,
hundreds of whom turned out tonight
to register their displeasure.
They're really
gonna build them.
Yeah, the paper said that the Loring
and Clark site is still on the list.
And that's just a couple
of blocks from us.
I mean, these people.
They don't live
the way we do.
They don't want
what we want.
And their
neighborhoods...
Yeah, a mess.
Buddy, that's the last damn
meeting I'm going to miss.
You mark my words.
Majority rules in America,
but it can't rule contrary to law!
( booing, shouting )
Mr. Clerk,
roll call this vote.
Mayor Wasicsko?
- Yes.
- ( booing )
Clerk:
Vice Mayor Spallone.
- No.
- ( cheering )
- Majority Leader Cola?
- Cola: Yes.
- Minority Leader Longo?
- Yes.
- Council Member Fagan?
- Yes.
Mr. Chema?
Mr. Chema?
( cheering )
- Mr. Oxman?
- Yes.
Clerk: I have five
ayes, two nays.
The measure passes!
- ( booing )
- Hey, please.
What a waste of time.
( crowd chanting )
Sold us out! Sold us out!
Sold us out!
Sold us out!
Sold us out! Sold us out!
I never thought
it could get this bad.
Did you hear those people?
Jesus Christ.
What if we appeal
to the Supreme Court?
What if we say
we're gonna appeal?
There are no grounds, Nick.
The lawyers said so.
- Fuck the lawyers.
- Fuck the lawyers?
- Yeah.
- You got a law degree, right, Nick?
Yeah, I got too much
pride to use it.
Seriously, fuck
the fucking lawyers.
( laughs )
Seriously, I don't see
how you guys can sit here
going over it again
and again and again.
I just want to go home.
All right,
I'm right behind you.
I need to
decompress, okay?
I'm wired and exhausted
all at once.
I get it.
- I'll see you later.
- Be safe, okay?
Yeah.
♪ oh, I wanna dance
with somebody... ♪
What's wrong with you?
Fuck the lawyers?
Never. The lawyers
only fuck you.
Yesterday they sent us a bill for
another $160,000 for last month,
which means
we've already spent,
what, $15 million
fighting this thing?
Yeah, well, what's another
couple hundred thousand?
Come on, Nick. When we
accepted the consent decree,
we gave up
our right to appeal.
You go to the Supreme Court now, you
piss off Judge Sand all over again.
All right, so we don't appeal the
low-income housing part of the plan.
That's done, fine.
But we can still appeal the
affordable housing part, can't we?
Right?
That's the next
800 units
that we're gonna have to
build after these sites.
What?
Would you rather take
your chances with Judge Sand
or the good and angry people
of Yonkers, New York?
Whoa, wait a minute.
Are you shitting me?
- Maalox and Stoli?
- Yeah.
I've never
seen anyone do that.
Me neither, actually.
♪ I want to feel
the heat with somebody ♪
♪ yeah, I wanna dance
with somebody... ♪
- Well?
- I don't recommend it.
( laughs )
( coughs )
Where does this go?
( coughs )
That's extra.
Extra?
Yeah, you know they always
give you extra pieces.
No, they don't always.
For real, Skip,
we gotta do this right
or the baby gonna be falling
through the slats or some shit.
- Oh, my God. ( laughs )
- This is serious.
It ain't funny. We got to assemble
this right or it's dangerous.
All right,
just chill out.
You want me
to call my father?
He know how
to do shit right.
No, you ain't gotta
call nobody.
What, you don't think
I know how to be a daddy?
Yo, as soon as this boy come
out, I'm going back to school.
School? You?
Yeah, me.
Westchester CC.
In the spring.
I mean, I want
to quit now, but...
I need the cash so I can
step back and do it right.
What you gonna study?
Something to get me hired.
I don't know, maybe computers or some shit.
I don't know.
You know, definitely
not construction.
- ( laughs )
- This shit ain't me, man.
- It's not you, babe.
- It's not me.
But it's okay.
Carmen:
Felipe missed you.
That he and his father have this
time together is a good thing.
I got the banana.
( laughs )
Good boy.
Well, he home now.
And you, too.
It's better for them
here, Javier,
but I am killing myself.
I'm working at the school
12 hours a day
and I still can't keep up.
Rent, electricity--
it's cheaper than New York,
but not that cheap.
And food. Food alone costs almost
as much as I make here in a week.
But Felipe's happy, no?
All your kids.
Plus, your place
in New York is bad.
So it's settled.
What is settled?
You raise my son here.
- You didn't hear what I said?
- I heard what you said.
- I can't believe you're saying it.
- Which part?
The part about the money? 'Cause I
don't see you working 12 hours a day
to put food in his mouth
and a roof over his head.
That my fault, huh?
That my fault?
Always my fault.
Huh? You gonna leave your
kids here with a maid, huh?
And you go back to America.
That's my fault?
The maid knows them
a lot better than you do.
Anyway, my mother
is just down the street.
( speaking Spanish )
You're a bad mother.
You're gonna leave your sons
here and you're gonna run away.
You're not a father.
Do you want Felipe
living with you?
No.
Then you have no say here.
Felipe!
( chanting )
Sand is dirt! Sand is dirt!
Go ahead.
- Thank you. Excuse me.
- That's their lawyer.
- That's fucking Sussman!
- Excuse me, please.
Hey, fuck you,
you son of a bitch!
- ( booing )
- Thank you! Thank you!
Uh, Michael Sussman,
lead council for the NAACP.
- Not this door.
- What do you mean, not this door?
They just-- they just told me
to come in the side door. I could get in.
- That's what they just told me.
- You were told wrong.
Look, Officer, I got
to get in there, okay?
I got to be
in court tomorrow--
depending on what they do
tonight be ready to argue
that the council
be held in contempt.
- I got to get--
- What can I tell you?
You're really doing
an exemplary job, Officer.
Really preserving the peace.
Thank you.
( indistinct shouting )
Okay, I guess I'll just
have to use the front door.
Officer of the court coming through.
Excuse me.
Right. I'm not playing
this game, okay?
I'm not playing this game.
Excuse me, sir.
Please keep your hands--
thank you.
Officer of the court coming through.
Excuse me.
( crowd shouting )
( exhales )
Look, I know
it sounds bad out there.
I know what's
in your ears.
But the vote tonight was specifically
requested by Judge Sand.
Now, he's not yet asking
that we name more sites
or even have a full plan
for affordable housing.
What he is asking is that the council
affirm that we're still committed
to the affordable housing
part of the settlement.
And we have
to be committed.
We agreed to it.
Understood?
Good.
( chanting )
Appeal! Appeal! Appeal!
Yeah, you bunch
of bums!
( chanting,
yelling continues )
- Oh, you!
- It's all right.
( gavel pounds )
( chanting continues )
The Yonkers City Council
is now in session.
Mr. Clerk?
( Nick pounds gavel )
- Please take your seats.
- Excuse me, may I? Thank you.
Nick: Will you please
take your seats?
This is my first meeting.
( pounds )
What do you do with this?
Any idea?
Here's your Pampers,
baby mayor!
( cheering )
Man: Yeah, I'm
talking about you!
Hey!
Man #2:
Try this on for size!
DeLuca: Remove him! What
are you waiting for?
Mr. Mayor, I think
this was meant for you.
- ( cheering )
- Thank you, Hank.
( laughing )
We've had it with what
you're doing here!
The hell with you!
Officers, officers, could you
please take care of this?
Don't you
build those projects!
That's enough of you!
- ( gavel pounding )
- Nick: Officers.
( shouting continues )
Hey, I'm not leaving.
I'm not leaving.
You wanna carry me?
Leave her alone!
Don't you dare, Bobby.
Don't you dare.
I know your mother.
( shouting, booing )
Don't you dare!
( overlapping arguing )
( pounding )
( crowd chanting )
Don't you dare! Don't you dare!
Don't you dare!
Don't you dare!
( pounds gavel )
As indicated
by our last vote,
we elected to appeal the
affordable housing portion
of the judge's order
to the Supreme Court,
but the Supreme Court
has refused to--
Appeal all of it,
you coward!
- ( shouting, booing )
- Roll call, Mr. Clerk. Roll call.
- Mayor Wasicsko?
- Aye.
( booing )
- Vice Mayor Spallone?
- No.
( cheering )
- Majority Leader Cola?
- No.
- Minority Leader Longo?
- No.
- Council Member Fagan?
- No.
- Council Member Chema?
- No.
- Council Member Oxman?
- Abstain.
- ( scattered laughter )
- Man: Pussy.
Clerk: I have one aye,
five nays, one abstention.
- The measure fails!
- ( cheering )
- Meeting adjourned.
- ( pounds gavel )
( sizzling )
( men yelling in Spanish )
Felipe: I wanna play.
When's it my turn?
You're six. You don't
know how to do anything.
Next game.
You always say,
"Next game."
Guys...
I have something
to tell you.
This isn't gonna be easy
for any of us,
but I have to go back
to New York soon.
- What?
- No fair.
No, you can't.
Felipe.
This is best.
For you to be here while
I earn what I can there.
Okay?
Do you understand?
Reporter on TV: About 50 protesters
from the Save Yonkers Federation
greeted New York's Cardinal
John O'Connor this afternoon
when he rived at the gate of Saint
Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie.
The group objects to the New
York Archdiocese's agreement
to give some of the seminary's land to
the City of Yonkers for public housing.
Woman on TV: We're urging
Catholics all over the city,
especially the parishioners
of St. John the Baptist,
to withhold their donations
from the church
and from the cardinal's appeal.
He needs to remember
who the people are
who are
in his archdiocese.
( chatter )
( phone rings )
Prenatal clinic.
Is there
a Doreen Henderson here?
Me.
Nurse: Miss Henderson,
I have a call for you.
For me?
- Here?
- Mm.
Hello?
Man:
Ahem.
Gammy found him in
the apartment in Mulford.
My boy always
had trouble with that. Always.
I never knew Skip to breathe
without a struggle.
What are we going to do?
( sobbing )
Clerk will
call the roll...
on the resolution
approving the plan
for 800 units
of affordable housing
to be built
on the specified sites.
Ahem.
On the resolution
approving the plan
for 800 units to be built
on the specified sites.
What are you doing?
I'm practicing.
I'm trying to do it
as dispassionately as I can.
( laughs )
Just even voice and...
no show of emotion.
I just want 'em to see that it's
not getting to me, you know?
Yeah?
How's it going?
I think I'm getting
better at it.
- Yeah?
- I think so.
- Good.
- Yeah.
Keep practicing.
Clerk will call
the roll.
- Ahem.
- Yeah.
Clerk will
call the roll.
Clerk will call...
the roll.
Clerk will
roll the call.
( clucking )
- Ma'am
- Thank you.
( speaking Spanish )
Are you okay, ma'am?
( speaking Spanish )
My children.
I miss them already.
I'm so sorry, ma'am.
( engine starts )
Your nephew
can't come anymore?
I'm going to miss you.
I know, darling.
Your eyes can't
get any better?
No, Mr. Hobart,
they can't.
Norma,
how old are you?
I'm 47.
You're still young.
( chuckles )
Am I?
_
Sussman:
Misled?
Misled?
Look at this.
"Too many people
of any category together
can lead
to a ghetto situation"?
Are you kidding me?
Your Honor, I know we're
well past your deadline
for approving the affordable
housing component,
but the cardinal's turnaround has
the council marching backwards.
They're asking for a new
vote on the consent decree.
They're saying that your decision
is antireligion. Or anti-Catholic.
Another Hebrew
plot exposed!
Yonkers officials are obviously using
the cardinal's unfortunate retreat
as a transparent ploy to get out
of the entire consent decree.
And please tell
your mayor I said so.
And where is
Mr. Wasicsko today?
He's meeting with
our trial attorneys.
Apparently, Cardinal O'Connor isn't
the only one with cold feet.
( laughs )
Jesus Christ.
Of course my firm has to
resign from the case.
I mean, what choice
do we have?
Our integrity's
been attacked.
The entire law firm
has been attacked.
I've been accused of misleading
the cardinal, for God's sake.
Cigar?
( sighs )
Cardinal O'Connor is actually
saying we bamboozled him,
as if we tricked him
into offering land.
Yeah, it's a dirty
business, huh?
Nobody gets out clean,
do they?
Gentlemen, I asked
for the council to affirm
that Yonkers
still supports continuing
with the second phase
of the court settlement--
the affordable
housing plan--
and the latest council action
signals the exact opposite.
So we are back
to the usual precipice.
I'm setting next Monday
as a deadline for a vote
in favor of enactment
of a full housing plan,
including the affordable
housing component.
Should you not approve a plan by
then, you and the City of Yonkers
will be in contempt of court
and fines will begin.
In addition, anyone who fails
to vote in favor of enactment
will be personally fined
$500 a day and imprisoned.
They'll be released
once a week
to attend a council meeting and
consider changing their vote.
Gentlemen, our object
is not to create
martyrs or heroes.
Our object is to get
this housing built.
( engine turns off )
Big night tonight, Pop.
Judge is gonna give us
one more chance.
Deuce hits the fan and we separate
the men from the shit talkers.
( sighs, chuckles )
Well, I don't think
I got the votes.
The stuff they're gonna be
saying tonight,
the shouting, the things
they're gonna call me...
You know, I wish
you woulda lived long enough
to see me win my first
primary for council seat.
New on the job, everybody
wanted to be my friend.
It won't be like this
forever, though, right?
I'll see you.
Okay.
Ahem.
( chatter )
That's the son of a bitch
working for Judge Sand.
The guy with the beard.
( clamoring )
Oh.
You piece of shit. That's
right, you're a piece of shit.
Man #2:
Hiding behind the cops.
He's a Jew, Newman.
They all are. That's
why this is happening.
- They're not all Jewish.
- Well, Sussman,
the lawyer that brought
the suit, he's Jewish.
And Newman and Sand.
Last weekend, when we went up to
Pound Ridge where he has a house--
Wait a minute.
You went-- you--
I'm sorry, but you
went to Pound Ridge
where Judge Sand lives
to protest?
Judge wasn't home, but I'm
sure he got the message.
You know, I don't think it's right
to make this about religion.
That's not the point.
All I'm saying is look who's
behind all this mess.
( chattering )
Good to see you.
Well, it's gonna
be a wild one.
- Don't you feel threatened?
- Nah. Goes with the job.
- Maybe with yours.
- ( chuckles )
Man: All right, Hank!
Go get 'em!
- ( crowd cheering )
- Woman: Hey, Hank! You tell 'em!
Man: Show us the pictures!
Let us see what's on them.
( crowd booing )
( pounds )
Will council members
please take their seats?
( gavel pounds )
Council members,
take your seats, please.
( shouting indistinctly )
Mr. Spallone, would you
please take your seat?
All right, as a first
order of business,
the, uh--
the council members
would like to
just take a few moments
to honor the firefighters
and the police officers
of this city
who have shown extraordinary
bravery this past year.
- ( crowd booing )
- ( pounds )
These men risk
their lives.
( booing continues )
You go home to your
mother, Wasicsko!
Go home to your mother!
Your father
would be ashamed of you.
Officers,
please eject this woman.
You hear me?
You're a sleaze!
You're a sleaze,
Wasicsko!
Officer:
Come on. Let's go.
- Here we go.
- Shame on you, Mr. Mayor.
I invite everyone to come with
me to the housing projects.
Man: Yeah.
You can see here what public
housing always leads to.
Not just here in Yonkers,
but everywhere else.
Now, these are places that
have become crack jungles
which have trapped innocent people
in the name of helping minorities.
As many of you know, I have
been opposed to this plan...
Man:
Cola, you sellout!
...but I am voting
for it because...
( crowd booing )
( pounds )
I am voting for it because maintaining
our bond rating is too important.
This is a direct attack
by the judge
on the quality of life
here in Yonkers.
( cheering )
This is--
it's a typical case of the
hypocrisy of the rich
and the elitists
looking down on those
who have to work
for everything they have.
It is not up
to this council
to judge on the constitutionality
of a court order.
( booing, shouting )
We've all sworn an obligation
to uphold and obey the law.
This is not about race.
This is not solely a black
and white question.
This is a green issue.
This is a question
of economics.
Roll call vote,
Mr. Clerk,
on the intent to adopt the
housing plan as proposed.
Man: I got your
intent right here!
- Mayor Wasicsko.
- Aye.
- ( booing )
- Vice Mayor Spallone?
- No.
- ( cheering )
- Majority Leader Cola?
- Yes.
( booing )
- Minority Leader Longo?
- No.
( cheering )
- Council Member Fagan?
- No.
- Mr. Chema?
- No.
- Mr. Oxman?
- Yes.
Clerk: I have three
ayes, four nays.
The measure fails.
Meeting adjourned.
( cheering )
There does have to come
a moment of truth,
a moment of reckoning, a moment
when the City of Yonkers
seeks not to become a national
symbol of defiance of civil rights
and not to heap shame
upon shame upon itself.
No court has strained harder,
with greater patience,
to defer to the state
and local government.
But it would be difficult
to imagine a clearer challenge
to the Constitution
or to a government of law
than that presented
this morning.
I therefore have
no alternative
other than to find the City of
Yonkers in contempt of this court
and impose a penalty of $100
a day, beginning today.
A fine that will double
every day hereafter.
As for you, councilmen,
I find your rationale to be
a frivolous pretext.
How much hypocrisy must
accompany this litigation?
I find Councilmen Longo,
Fagan, Chema, and Spallone
to be personally and individually
in contempt of this court
and impose upon each
of you a penalty
of $500 a day,
beginning today.
In addition, if the necessary
legislation is not enacted
on or before
next Wednesday, August 10th,
you will report to the federal
marshal for imprisonment
until such time
as you have purged yourself
of contempt by approving
the housing plan.
This court
stands adjourned.
- ( pounds gavel )
- All rise.
( door opens )
( phone ringing ) _
Is anybody
gonna get that?
Lisa?
Nay?
Is anybody out here?
( ringing continues )
Mayor's office.
Yes, my name
is Mary Dorman.
I would like to talk
to the mayor, please.
This is the mayor.
Hello?
This is Mayor Wasicsko.
This is--
I didn't, uh--
I didn't expect
for you to answer.
I called-- I wanted
to tell you that I, um--
I think it's wrong of you
to support the housing.
Yeah, well,
the law is the law,
and the judge ordered it
and the court upheld it
and the law's the law.
Well, why can't you say
that you think it's wrong?
At least let
the people know that.
Because that's not what
a leader is supposed to do.
A leader is supposed to lead, and
that's what I'm trying to do.
You threw me out
of the last council meeting.
Which one were you?
I have gray
salt-and-pepper hair.
I have--
wear glasses.
I was standing
right at the railing.
Yeah, I remember you.
I promise I'll never
have you thrown out again.
Okay?
Okay.
All right,
good-bye now.
Who was that?
No one, really.
♪ it's late at night ♪
♪ you're all alone ♪
♪ pale moonlight ♪
♪ cold as stone ♪
♪ heart beats fast ♪
♪ time moves slow ♪
♪ a stranger's glance ♪
♪ does he know? ♪
♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
♪ I took you in ♪
♪ and made you well ♪
♪ I told you things ♪
♪ you could never tell ♪
♪ to pay the debt ♪
♪ you made 'em fools ♪
♪ that's what you get ♪
♪ they trusted you ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
♪ when they run
to the temple ♪
♪ and find that
the treasure is gone ♪
♪ do you think
it's gonna be a cross ♪
♪ they're gonna
nail you on? ♪
- ♪ yeah, where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ where you gonna
run to? ♪
Sand: How many times
in the last year
has the City of Yonkers
been in this courtroom
at the brink of a crisis
of its own making?
Three? Four?
This case was decided
over two years ago.
This court issued its remedy
order 18 months ago.
To vote in favor
of the overall remedy,
as the Yonkers City Council
has finally managed to do,
is insufficient.
Yonkers must approve a plan
to build specific houses
at specific locations. _
If Yonkers officials continue
to ignore this court's order
and by 4:30 Thursday do not approve
200 units of public housing
to be built
at specific locations
east of the Saw Mill
River Parkway,
I will find the City of
Yonkers in contempt.
In addition, I will
impose a daily fine,
beginning at $100
the first day
and doubling every day
thereafter
until Yonkers is bankrupt.
This is the moment
of truth, gentlemen.
Your Honor, I'd like
to request a recess
so I can confer
with my client.
Well, it's approaching
lunchtime.
Why don't we reconvene
at 2:00?
Court stands in recess
until then.
Clerk:
All rise.
( chatter )
- You can see we've worked his last nerve.
- Nick: Yeah.
We don't have
any slack here.
- Gentlemen, enjoy your lunch.
- DeLuca: You, too.
You know,
to hell with him.
We appeal again.
We go to the Supreme Court.
Win or lose,
we take our shot.
Councilman Longo,
what the fuck?
I know, but there's got
to be a way out of this.
This goddamn judge, he's
shoving it so far up my ass,
- I can feel it in my throat, Nick.
- Neil, he starts--
he starts fining us
100 bucks
and doubles it every day,
when do we start hurting?
The entire city operating budget
is just under 300 million.
So working backwards,
we exceed that on...
( calculator clacking )
...day 22.
Clear enough, guys?
In three weeks, the City
of Yonkers goes bankrupt.
Man: Fuck.
( chatter )
At last,
they see the light?
Sand was breathing fire
in there.
Now they're singed.
Once they cross
the Triborough,
a little north of the Bronx,
this thing,
it becomes a lot less real.
It's like a bad dream
to these guys,
and they'll tell each other,
"It'll all be okay somehow."
The good white folk
of Yonkers
give 'em a slap
on the back and tell 'em,
"You be courageous, stand up to
those blacks, those Jew lawyers,
goddamn liberal judges."
Ah.
- What?
- Hey.
I know, it just--
this case.
I swear, every time I worry
I'm getting too cynical,
I see I'm not even
keeping pace.
What do you think
of the new mayor?
- The kid?
- Yeah.
( elevator dings )
- I'll meet you there.
- All right, okay.
This is gonna eat him up.
( man singing in Spanish
on radio )
Ah, muchacho.
( children chattering
in Spanish )
( woman singing
in Spanish on radio )
One cookie each, please!
( music continues )
( chattering in Spanish )
Roberto, don't let them
ride in the street, please.
Yes, Mom.
Hey, guys, don't ride
in the street!
Carmen, here they're all
in the street.
I know, but if I pretend
to yell at them about that,
they won't ride
on the avenida.
- ( both laughing )
- Carmen: Es verdad.
( speaking Spanish )
I still don't understand why we can't
appeal the Second Circuit decision.
You can. But you don't really
have a leg to stand on
and there are no
constitutional grounds.
- But we could appeal, technically.
- Councilman: And lose.
Maybe the full Circuit
isn't as liberal
as the three who handed
down this decision.
- Maybe. - Judges Pratt and Miner
were Reagan appointees.
We lost on the merits.
Look, here and now,
you guys need to make
a good faith effort
to comply with Sand.
Come up with a plan you can
live with and stick to it.
I think the judge is pretty much
wedded to the four School sites.
You know, the School 30 site is right
behind my house over by Nevada Avenue.
And I already got a site
in my district.
Don't look at me.
I already ate
the Walt Whitman School site.
Yeah, you know what?
I got news for you.
All right, we're gonna
lose Nevada Avenue
or we got no deal.
If I have to, I could live
with a small site, you know,
down on Midland,
over by Sarah Lawrence,
but not, you know,
in my backyard.
( chuckling )
You did not just--
That is actually
my backyard.
Look, this train's
left the station.
We're your lawyers. We're just
trying to prevent a wreck.
Chema: If we do it now,
early in the term,
it'll get hot for a while, but it'll
cool down before the next election.
( scoffs )
Jesus, this is a bitch.
Hey, it's what they pay us
the big bucks for, right?
( grunts ) She said we could
stay here till the baby comes.
( woman yelling indistinctly )
She's cool with it.
You'll see.
Never been over
this way before.
Yeah, well, they built
Mulford a long time back.
When they opened it,
it was all white people.
When Gammy moved in, it was
still mostly white people.
You know we're gonna need more
than one room when the baby comes.
Look, we ain't gonna
be here forever.
( music blaring )
Now, what you doin'?
You ain't gonna help out?
No, I like a man
carrying stuff for me.
- You like this, huh?
- Yeah.
Oh, okay.
Check this out.
( grunts )
Whoo!
- Yeah, baby.
- ( laughs ) Ooh, watch out.
Damn, boy.
- Whoo.
- Baby.
( coughs )
You got it.
You like that?
Good job, babe.
Please be seated.
- Mr. McAmis?
- Your Honor.
The City of Yonkers understands
the gravity of the situation.
After conferring
for the past four hours,
the mayor
and council majority here
have agreed to meet
in a special session tomorrow
to approve a plan of 200 units of
public housing at specific sites.
In addition, Your Honor,
Mayor Wasicsko,
himself a member of the bar,
would like to address the court.
Very well.
Mr. Mayor?
Thank you, Your Honor.
Um, Your Honor, a majority
of the Yonkers City Council
supports making
the housing commitment
and negotiating
a building plan,
and I just
want to assure you
that the city
will obey the law.
Well, I appreciate that,
Mayor Wasicsko, I do.
But let me say this-- we have
been here before with Yonkers.
Four years ago
and six years ago
we came to the brink of a
settlement in this case
before the City Council
balked at building
even a single unit
of low-income housing.
In light of that, the council
must approve a housing plan
that includes specific,
named site locations
where the 200 units
will be built
and a construction
timetable
and do so by 10:00 AM
next Monday.
Yes, Your Honor.
Sand: Mr. McAmis, the
court will expect...
Goddamn sellout.
...immediately following
the council vote.
McAmis:
Yes, Your Honor.
Yonkers officials agreed to comply
with the federal desegregation order
after the judge threatened fines
that would bankrupt the city.
We are making
these concessions
in order to save the city from
enormous fines and contempt.
Reporter:
But even opponents...
They talking about
building those here?
I think so.
We were double-crossed by the
councilmen in there today.
They promised people they
wouldn't give in and they folded.
Reporter: And city officials must
still identify specific sites...
- Did you pick up--
- Shh, please.
...for another deadline
set by the judge.
I think we'll have a resolution
by Monday one way or the other.
Now, there are some proposed sites
that are still on the table,
but the ball is squarely
in the City of Yonkers' court.
( chuckles )
Reporter: I'm Virginia Kim,
Cablevision News, Westchester.
Chicken's overcooked
again, isn't it?
News anchor: Turning to
sports, the New York Knicks
take on the Cleveland
Cavaliers tonight...
Buddy?
The Knicks have had big trouble
on the road this year...
No, it's fine.
It's real--
it's great, actually.
So Martinelli
was right.
About the housing?
Yeah,
about the housing.
He said we had to build
it, and guess what?
- We gotta build it.
- ( chuckles )
It's just an appeal
is a waste of money.
I mean, there's no getting
around this goddamned judge.
You didn't know all that
when you ran against him.
Right?
( music playing )
I don't know. Maybe I
didn't want to know.
You know what?
We can get past this.
We can. I just got to, uh,
get everybody on board,
convince the rest of the council
that the law is the law.
( chuckles )
I think you're gonna
be a great mayor.
Yeah?
I think so.
♪ I just want to say ♪
♪ this is my way
of telling you... ♪
Nick:
You weren't there.
You don't know how angry
this judge is.
Oh, he's angry?
He ain't the only one.
I'm for taking this to the Supreme
Court, appealing all the way.
Councilman, we don't have a
chance before the Supreme Court.
We need to offer them
a housing plan--
A housing plan? Sure.
Here's my housing plan.
No low-income housing.
If they can afford
a house, great.
- If not--
- We're past that, Hank.
That argument was heard
and it lost.
If we don't offer a plan,
the judge is gonna hold
the city, all of us,
in contempt.
He can fine us,
jail us--
This judge ain't the Pope.
We're talking due process here.
All right, sit down, Hank. Let's agree
on something we can all support.
I ain't supporting
nothing.
( chuckles )
He's not
supporting nothing?
Oh, God.
Well, as we've
been intimating,
Mr. Spallone's just doubled the number
of housing units coming to his district.
Longo:
What a gaping asshole.
Hank's gonna grandstand
the shit out of this.
No, Daddy.
No, no, she was here
this morning,
but I think she
went to, um--
she went to work
this afternoon.
- Where?
- Work. I think she went to work, Daddy.
- All right.
- Mm-hmm.
( music blaring )
If I see her,
I sure will.
All right, then.
All right.
Love to Mama.
All right.
Love you.
( beeps )
I don't like
lying to him.
- ( coughs )
- Hey, Skip.
Hey, what's up?
Breakout down.
You making money
today, ain't ya?
( scoffs ) As long as the young'un
ain't fucked the count up.
Who?
Dante.
Boy in the blue.
- He been fucking up, huh?
- Every goddamn day.
( police siren chirping )
Gary: Oh, shit. 5-0 checking.
They're hitting up
Frankie's crew.
I said turn around!
Turn around!
Yo, I'm paying this motherfucker
over here to be the lookout
and he got his fucking hand in his
pocket rubbing his goddamned nuts.
Shit.
Yo, pick it up and go.
Casual.
Ignorant motherfucker.
Pick it up.
Pick my shit up.
Now.
God damn!
What the--
Hey!
Hey, you, freeze!
5-0 on you, Skip.
( helicopter
blades whirring )
Yo, yo, yo!
( Skip coughing, wheezing )
Run back, tell my
sister to dial 911.
( raspy )
No.
You can't breathe!
You call an ambo and the
police are gonna come with.
( coughing )
Just let me be.
( police sirens wailing )
( music playing )
There's my girl.
Hey.
Hey, how's
the Bronxville Bomber?
- Huh?
- Oh.
Thanks for coming out.
You sounded
pretty down, Vinni.
Oh, yeah.
I don't know.
I just, uh--
I felt like I--
I just needed
to talk to someone.
Someone other
than myself.
( chuckles )
Hi.
- A Stoli and tonic with
a twist of lime, please. - Sure.
- Another one of those?
- Uh, yeah. Just no lime.
- Menus?
- No, thank you.
- Uh...
- What's going on?
I don't know.
I just, uh--
I'm just feeling
a little lost.
Adrift, maybe, just
being out so suddenly.
Right. Well, you're working at
the photography shop, right?
- Yeah.
- Family is...?
Yeah, good.
You know.
Yeah?
It's different.
It's like,
when you're out of office,
it's like your candle
goes out, you know?
And everyone just moves on
to the next candle.
And, uh...
people stop calling
and reporters
stop trying to reach you
and, uh...
it's back to your life.
Yeah.
But you're reading the paper
and you're watching TV,
- so you know what's going on.
- You know what?
I think you might've been the
lucky one in this situation
because this
housing shit...
the judge,
Spallone, Longo...
Oh, fuck Nick Longo.
He should get ass cancer.
( laughs )
Shit.
Well, I definitely would prefer
you in that seat than him,
but what are you-- what are we gonna do?
They redistricted us.
From 12 seats
down to six, you know?
Some of us
were gonna fall.
( exhales )
Yeah, but...
it hurts to lose.
You tell yourself
it's not personal, but...
Right.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Thanks.
Ahem.
Yeah, I know.
I have my family,
I have a phenomenal
relationship with my kids.
I love them to death.
But, uh, the whole time
I'm thinking,
"My God, there's a whole
part of my life
that's not gonna
be there anymore."
It's just politics,
Vinni.
It's addictive
is what it is.
Once you get that taste
in your mouth,
I mean...
I've, uh--
( sniffles )
I've even thought...
You can think some pretty dark
shit when they make you walk away.
( Vinni chuckles )
- You're all right.
- ( sniffles )
You're all right.
Yeah, how's Nay?
Good?
Stressed.
Yeah, me, too.
Oh, you know,
I miss the stress.
- Yeah, well...
- Give me your stress.
- I want the stress.
- ( laughing )
All right, just get Nevada
Avenue off the goddamn list.
All right?
That's all I'm asking.
Well, look at the fucking
seminary, then.
- St. Joseph's?
- Yes.
What-- didn't we already object to
that in the earlier court filings?
Yeah, well, that was then,
this is now.
I could talk to the
cardinal about it.
I'm on the boards of St. Patrick's
and Catholic Charities.
- I see him enough.
- Wait, wait, wait. You really think?
Look, let's just put it down
as tentative for now.
- Fine.
- Judge, you'll talk to the cardinal?
- Yes.
- Okay, well, that's one site down, maybe.
- McAmis: That's a start.
- DeLuca: Seven to go.
( typewriters clacking ) _
Oh, my God.
"You won't see
the next one."
Oh, Jesus.
- Mine's bigger.
- ( chuckles )
Hey, you get yours yet?
My bullet?
Yep.
You see
that guy over there?
That's your new
best friend, Nick.
He's gonna follow you home
after the meeting,
stay outside your house, and
follow you back to work tomorrow.
- Round the clock.
- Well, I feel so special.
You're not. The other
good-vote council members
get police escorts, too.
For everybody else, tomorrow
we put in metal detectors.
All visitors start
signing in and out.
Hey, this mayor thing?
When's the fun part start?
Okay.
( speaking Spanish ) - 260.
- 260?
That much?
25 each of these, 75.
Plus 45,
four of these for 15.60,
and the chicken, 80.
260.
Okay.
( music playing )
Leave this,
I'll pay for the rest.
Okay.
165.
Maria.
But I want candy.
We have at home.
( chatter in Spanish )
And finally
the last site
would be at Midland
and Theresa Avenues,
making for a total of seven
agreed-upon sites, so--
Cardinal's on the line,
Your Honor.
Thank you.
Your Eminence,
Judge Sand here.
Good morning.
How are you?
Cardinal: Just fine, Judge.
And you?
Very good. I have here in chambers
lawyers for the City of Yonkers
and from the Department
of Justice and the NAACP.
I just want to make sure
we all understand each other.
Certainly, Judge Sand.
Go ahead.
The city's lawyers,
Judge Mulligan among them,
tell me that the archdiocese
has agreed to let the city
build 16 low-income
housing units
at St. Joseph's Seminary
off Valentine Street.
That's right. Bill and I have
talked about a sliver of the site
for the housing and perhaps a
bit more for a playground.
I see, Your Eminence.
If you have a problem
with this proposal--
a political problem--
Oh, no, no, I understand the
proposal and I'm prepared to do it.
It's a help to the poor
and consistent with the
mission of the archdiocese.
Once everything's
finalized on your end,
let us know and we'll
release a statement.
Will do, Your Eminence.
Thank you.
- Not at all.
- We'll be in touch.
( phone clicks )
Done.
( chuckles )
Wait, which one did
you say was Hobart again?
Uh, 3F.
Right there.
Yeah, that one.
- Now, there.
- Yeah.
That way I'll be able to tell
when you're not here to help me.
Yeah, I got practice
Tuesday at the rec.
You know, I could miss it, but that'd
mean I'd have to quit the team.
No, no, no, no.
I'll make do
on Tuesday.
All right.
Can you wait on me?
Jesus Christ, did you
read this quote from Fagan?
About the judge?
( scoffs )
If I knew you'd
be so little help,
I would never have agreed
to move in with you.
I put the bed together.
What else do you and me
need in a new apartment?
( scoffs )
If my father heard you talk
like that, he'd kill you twice.
( laughs )
Yeah, he's already
mad at me,
moving in with a guy
and no ring on my finger.
Ah, I'll win him over
like any other constituent.
You'll see.
♪ now, some may want to die,
young man... ♪
You should come to bed.
Tomorrow's gonna be a long day.
( sighs )
Tomorrow
is gonna be hell.
♪ hey, buddy,
that ain't me... ♪
( crowd shouting, booing )
Cola: That's-- that's--
that's the only plan
that makes sense for the city.
Thank you, Councilman.
Mr. Spallone?
You know, I'm not like these
wimps who are kowtowing
to some judge who's off
the friggin' wall.
( crowd cheering )
I'm not wearing Pampers.
I swore an allegiance
to you, the voters,
and I'm gonna keep that
allegiance to you,
and I got a message
for Judge Sands.
Nuts to Judge Sands.
You wanna take me away?
- Come get me!
- ( cheering )
Great, we're one wing nut
away from a riot.
Tell me about it. They confiscated
four guns at the door.
I wonder which one of these
bastards sent the bullets.
Uh, we're here to take testimony
from the citizens of Yonkers...
( scattered booing )
...regarding
the housing site plan.
( booing, shouting )
Those who have signed up
and wish to make a statement
may proceed to the podium
in the proper order.
What I'd like to know is whatever
happened to majority rule, huh?
- Crowd: Yeah!
- Isn't this still America?
- Crowd: Yeah!
- A bunch of wimps is what you all are!
It's about these
public housing people
bringing drugs and crime
into our neighborhood
and ruining
our property values!
- You promised us an appeal!
- Yes!
You promised
you wouldn't settle!
You have succeeded in raping
the voters of their city!
( cheering )
You people campaigned
on this issue.
I knocked on doors
for you, Nick Longo.
And you, Ed Fagan, you
said, "I will go to jail."
You're not even
a man of your word.
You know,
we're gonna find out.
We're gonna find out
what deal was done
and I think you're gonna regret
the day you went into politics.
So enjoy the next
two years on the council!
They're your last
two years!
Shame on you!
You should be ashamed
of yourselves!
I'd like to remind
the speakers
to be respectful
of the people up here.
Woman: Where's our respect?
No more lies!
No more lies!
No more lies!
( crowd chanting )
No more lies! No more lies!
No more lies!
Yet officials say approval of
eight East Yonkers housing sites
by the council
is inevitable
despite the near unanimous
objections of Yonkers residents,
hundreds of whom turned out tonight
to register their displeasure.
They're really
gonna build them.
Yeah, the paper said that the Loring
and Clark site is still on the list.
And that's just a couple
of blocks from us.
I mean, these people.
They don't live
the way we do.
They don't want
what we want.
And their
neighborhoods...
Yeah, a mess.
Buddy, that's the last damn
meeting I'm going to miss.
You mark my words.
Majority rules in America,
but it can't rule contrary to law!
( booing, shouting )
Mr. Clerk,
roll call this vote.
Mayor Wasicsko?
- Yes.
- ( booing )
Clerk:
Vice Mayor Spallone.
- No.
- ( cheering )
- Majority Leader Cola?
- Cola: Yes.
- Minority Leader Longo?
- Yes.
- Council Member Fagan?
- Yes.
Mr. Chema?
Mr. Chema?
( cheering )
- Mr. Oxman?
- Yes.
Clerk: I have five
ayes, two nays.
The measure passes!
- ( booing )
- Hey, please.
What a waste of time.
( crowd chanting )
Sold us out! Sold us out!
Sold us out!
Sold us out!
Sold us out! Sold us out!
I never thought
it could get this bad.
Did you hear those people?
Jesus Christ.
What if we appeal
to the Supreme Court?
What if we say
we're gonna appeal?
There are no grounds, Nick.
The lawyers said so.
- Fuck the lawyers.
- Fuck the lawyers?
- Yeah.
- You got a law degree, right, Nick?
Yeah, I got too much
pride to use it.
Seriously, fuck
the fucking lawyers.
( laughs )
Seriously, I don't see
how you guys can sit here
going over it again
and again and again.
I just want to go home.
All right,
I'm right behind you.
I need to
decompress, okay?
I'm wired and exhausted
all at once.
I get it.
- I'll see you later.
- Be safe, okay?
Yeah.
♪ oh, I wanna dance
with somebody... ♪
What's wrong with you?
Fuck the lawyers?
Never. The lawyers
only fuck you.
Yesterday they sent us a bill for
another $160,000 for last month,
which means
we've already spent,
what, $15 million
fighting this thing?
Yeah, well, what's another
couple hundred thousand?
Come on, Nick. When we
accepted the consent decree,
we gave up
our right to appeal.
You go to the Supreme Court now, you
piss off Judge Sand all over again.
All right, so we don't appeal the
low-income housing part of the plan.
That's done, fine.
But we can still appeal the
affordable housing part, can't we?
Right?
That's the next
800 units
that we're gonna have to
build after these sites.
What?
Would you rather take
your chances with Judge Sand
or the good and angry people
of Yonkers, New York?
Whoa, wait a minute.
Are you shitting me?
- Maalox and Stoli?
- Yeah.
I've never
seen anyone do that.
Me neither, actually.
♪ I want to feel
the heat with somebody ♪
♪ yeah, I wanna dance
with somebody... ♪
- Well?
- I don't recommend it.
( laughs )
( coughs )
Where does this go?
( coughs )
That's extra.
Extra?
Yeah, you know they always
give you extra pieces.
No, they don't always.
For real, Skip,
we gotta do this right
or the baby gonna be falling
through the slats or some shit.
- Oh, my God. ( laughs )
- This is serious.
It ain't funny. We got to assemble
this right or it's dangerous.
All right,
just chill out.
You want me
to call my father?
He know how
to do shit right.
No, you ain't gotta
call nobody.
What, you don't think
I know how to be a daddy?
Yo, as soon as this boy come
out, I'm going back to school.
School? You?
Yeah, me.
Westchester CC.
In the spring.
I mean, I want
to quit now, but...
I need the cash so I can
step back and do it right.
What you gonna study?
Something to get me hired.
I don't know, maybe computers or some shit.
I don't know.
You know, definitely
not construction.
- ( laughs )
- This shit ain't me, man.
- It's not you, babe.
- It's not me.
But it's okay.
Carmen:
Felipe missed you.
That he and his father have this
time together is a good thing.
I got the banana.
( laughs )
Good boy.
Well, he home now.
And you, too.
It's better for them
here, Javier,
but I am killing myself.
I'm working at the school
12 hours a day
and I still can't keep up.
Rent, electricity--
it's cheaper than New York,
but not that cheap.
And food. Food alone costs almost
as much as I make here in a week.
But Felipe's happy, no?
All your kids.
Plus, your place
in New York is bad.
So it's settled.
What is settled?
You raise my son here.
- You didn't hear what I said?
- I heard what you said.
- I can't believe you're saying it.
- Which part?
The part about the money? 'Cause I
don't see you working 12 hours a day
to put food in his mouth
and a roof over his head.
That my fault, huh?
That my fault?
Always my fault.
Huh? You gonna leave your
kids here with a maid, huh?
And you go back to America.
That's my fault?
The maid knows them
a lot better than you do.
Anyway, my mother
is just down the street.
( speaking Spanish )
You're a bad mother.
You're gonna leave your sons
here and you're gonna run away.
You're not a father.
Do you want Felipe
living with you?
No.
Then you have no say here.
Felipe!
( chanting )
Sand is dirt! Sand is dirt!
Go ahead.
- Thank you. Excuse me.
- That's their lawyer.
- That's fucking Sussman!
- Excuse me, please.
Hey, fuck you,
you son of a bitch!
- ( booing )
- Thank you! Thank you!
Uh, Michael Sussman,
lead council for the NAACP.
- Not this door.
- What do you mean, not this door?
They just-- they just told me
to come in the side door. I could get in.
- That's what they just told me.
- You were told wrong.
Look, Officer, I got
to get in there, okay?
I got to be
in court tomorrow--
depending on what they do
tonight be ready to argue
that the council
be held in contempt.
- I got to get--
- What can I tell you?
You're really doing
an exemplary job, Officer.
Really preserving the peace.
Thank you.
( indistinct shouting )
Okay, I guess I'll just
have to use the front door.
Officer of the court coming through.
Excuse me.
Right. I'm not playing
this game, okay?
I'm not playing this game.
Excuse me, sir.
Please keep your hands--
thank you.
Officer of the court coming through.
Excuse me.
( crowd shouting )
( exhales )
Look, I know
it sounds bad out there.
I know what's
in your ears.
But the vote tonight was specifically
requested by Judge Sand.
Now, he's not yet asking
that we name more sites
or even have a full plan
for affordable housing.
What he is asking is that the council
affirm that we're still committed
to the affordable housing
part of the settlement.
And we have
to be committed.
We agreed to it.
Understood?
Good.
( chanting )
Appeal! Appeal! Appeal!
Yeah, you bunch
of bums!
( chanting,
yelling continues )
- Oh, you!
- It's all right.
( gavel pounds )
( chanting continues )
The Yonkers City Council
is now in session.
Mr. Clerk?
( Nick pounds gavel )
- Please take your seats.
- Excuse me, may I? Thank you.
Nick: Will you please
take your seats?
This is my first meeting.
( pounds )
What do you do with this?
Any idea?
Here's your Pampers,
baby mayor!
( cheering )
Man: Yeah, I'm
talking about you!
Hey!
Man #2:
Try this on for size!
DeLuca: Remove him! What
are you waiting for?
Mr. Mayor, I think
this was meant for you.
- ( cheering )
- Thank you, Hank.
( laughing )
We've had it with what
you're doing here!
The hell with you!
Officers, officers, could you
please take care of this?
Don't you
build those projects!
That's enough of you!
- ( gavel pounding )
- Nick: Officers.
( shouting continues )
Hey, I'm not leaving.
I'm not leaving.
You wanna carry me?
Leave her alone!
Don't you dare, Bobby.
Don't you dare.
I know your mother.
( shouting, booing )
Don't you dare!
( overlapping arguing )
( pounding )
( crowd chanting )
Don't you dare! Don't you dare!
Don't you dare!
Don't you dare!
( pounds gavel )
As indicated
by our last vote,
we elected to appeal the
affordable housing portion
of the judge's order
to the Supreme Court,
but the Supreme Court
has refused to--
Appeal all of it,
you coward!
- ( shouting, booing )
- Roll call, Mr. Clerk. Roll call.
- Mayor Wasicsko?
- Aye.
( booing )
- Vice Mayor Spallone?
- No.
( cheering )
- Majority Leader Cola?
- No.
- Minority Leader Longo?
- No.
- Council Member Fagan?
- No.
- Council Member Chema?
- No.
- Council Member Oxman?
- Abstain.
- ( scattered laughter )
- Man: Pussy.
Clerk: I have one aye,
five nays, one abstention.
- The measure fails!
- ( cheering )
- Meeting adjourned.
- ( pounds gavel )
( sizzling )
( men yelling in Spanish )
Felipe: I wanna play.
When's it my turn?
You're six. You don't
know how to do anything.
Next game.
You always say,
"Next game."
Guys...
I have something
to tell you.
This isn't gonna be easy
for any of us,
but I have to go back
to New York soon.
- What?
- No fair.
No, you can't.
Felipe.
This is best.
For you to be here while
I earn what I can there.
Okay?
Do you understand?
Reporter on TV: About 50 protesters
from the Save Yonkers Federation
greeted New York's Cardinal
John O'Connor this afternoon
when he rived at the gate of Saint
Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie.
The group objects to the New
York Archdiocese's agreement
to give some of the seminary's land to
the City of Yonkers for public housing.
Woman on TV: We're urging
Catholics all over the city,
especially the parishioners
of St. John the Baptist,
to withhold their donations
from the church
and from the cardinal's appeal.
He needs to remember
who the people are
who are
in his archdiocese.
( chatter )
( phone rings )
Prenatal clinic.
Is there
a Doreen Henderson here?
Me.
Nurse: Miss Henderson,
I have a call for you.
For me?
- Here?
- Mm.
Hello?
Man:
Ahem.
Gammy found him in
the apartment in Mulford.
My boy always
had trouble with that. Always.
I never knew Skip to breathe
without a struggle.
What are we going to do?
( sobbing )
Clerk will
call the roll...
on the resolution
approving the plan
for 800 units
of affordable housing
to be built
on the specified sites.
Ahem.
On the resolution
approving the plan
for 800 units to be built
on the specified sites.
What are you doing?
I'm practicing.
I'm trying to do it
as dispassionately as I can.
( laughs )
Just even voice and...
no show of emotion.
I just want 'em to see that it's
not getting to me, you know?
Yeah?
How's it going?
I think I'm getting
better at it.
- Yeah?
- I think so.
- Good.
- Yeah.
Keep practicing.
Clerk will call
the roll.
- Ahem.
- Yeah.
Clerk will
call the roll.
Clerk will call...
the roll.
Clerk will
roll the call.
( clucking )
- Ma'am
- Thank you.
( speaking Spanish )
Are you okay, ma'am?
( speaking Spanish )
My children.
I miss them already.
I'm so sorry, ma'am.
( engine starts )
Your nephew
can't come anymore?
I'm going to miss you.
I know, darling.
Your eyes can't
get any better?
No, Mr. Hobart,
they can't.
Norma,
how old are you?
I'm 47.
You're still young.
( chuckles )
Am I?
_
Sussman:
Misled?
Misled?
Look at this.
"Too many people
of any category together
can lead
to a ghetto situation"?
Are you kidding me?
Your Honor, I know we're
well past your deadline
for approving the affordable
housing component,
but the cardinal's turnaround has
the council marching backwards.
They're asking for a new
vote on the consent decree.
They're saying that your decision
is antireligion. Or anti-Catholic.
Another Hebrew
plot exposed!
Yonkers officials are obviously using
the cardinal's unfortunate retreat
as a transparent ploy to get out
of the entire consent decree.
And please tell
your mayor I said so.
And where is
Mr. Wasicsko today?
He's meeting with
our trial attorneys.
Apparently, Cardinal O'Connor isn't
the only one with cold feet.
( laughs )
Jesus Christ.
Of course my firm has to
resign from the case.
I mean, what choice
do we have?
Our integrity's
been attacked.
The entire law firm
has been attacked.
I've been accused of misleading
the cardinal, for God's sake.
Cigar?
( sighs )
Cardinal O'Connor is actually
saying we bamboozled him,
as if we tricked him
into offering land.
Yeah, it's a dirty
business, huh?
Nobody gets out clean,
do they?
Gentlemen, I asked
for the council to affirm
that Yonkers
still supports continuing
with the second phase
of the court settlement--
the affordable
housing plan--
and the latest council action
signals the exact opposite.
So we are back
to the usual precipice.
I'm setting next Monday
as a deadline for a vote
in favor of enactment
of a full housing plan,
including the affordable
housing component.
Should you not approve a plan by
then, you and the City of Yonkers
will be in contempt of court
and fines will begin.
In addition, anyone who fails
to vote in favor of enactment
will be personally fined
$500 a day and imprisoned.
They'll be released
once a week
to attend a council meeting and
consider changing their vote.
Gentlemen, our object
is not to create
martyrs or heroes.
Our object is to get
this housing built.
( engine turns off )
Big night tonight, Pop.
Judge is gonna give us
one more chance.
Deuce hits the fan and we separate
the men from the shit talkers.
( sighs, chuckles )
Well, I don't think
I got the votes.
The stuff they're gonna be
saying tonight,
the shouting, the things
they're gonna call me...
You know, I wish
you woulda lived long enough
to see me win my first
primary for council seat.
New on the job, everybody
wanted to be my friend.
It won't be like this
forever, though, right?
I'll see you.
Okay.
Ahem.
( chatter )
That's the son of a bitch
working for Judge Sand.
The guy with the beard.
( clamoring )
Oh.
You piece of shit. That's
right, you're a piece of shit.
Man #2:
Hiding behind the cops.
He's a Jew, Newman.
They all are. That's
why this is happening.
- They're not all Jewish.
- Well, Sussman,
the lawyer that brought
the suit, he's Jewish.
And Newman and Sand.
Last weekend, when we went up to
Pound Ridge where he has a house--
Wait a minute.
You went-- you--
I'm sorry, but you
went to Pound Ridge
where Judge Sand lives
to protest?
Judge wasn't home, but I'm
sure he got the message.
You know, I don't think it's right
to make this about religion.
That's not the point.
All I'm saying is look who's
behind all this mess.
( chattering )
Good to see you.
Well, it's gonna
be a wild one.
- Don't you feel threatened?
- Nah. Goes with the job.
- Maybe with yours.
- ( chuckles )
Man: All right, Hank!
Go get 'em!
- ( crowd cheering )
- Woman: Hey, Hank! You tell 'em!
Man: Show us the pictures!
Let us see what's on them.
( crowd booing )
( pounds )
Will council members
please take their seats?
( gavel pounds )
Council members,
take your seats, please.
( shouting indistinctly )
Mr. Spallone, would you
please take your seat?
All right, as a first
order of business,
the, uh--
the council members
would like to
just take a few moments
to honor the firefighters
and the police officers
of this city
who have shown extraordinary
bravery this past year.
- ( crowd booing )
- ( pounds )
These men risk
their lives.
( booing continues )
You go home to your
mother, Wasicsko!
Go home to your mother!
Your father
would be ashamed of you.
Officers,
please eject this woman.
You hear me?
You're a sleaze!
You're a sleaze,
Wasicsko!
Officer:
Come on. Let's go.
- Here we go.
- Shame on you, Mr. Mayor.
I invite everyone to come with
me to the housing projects.
Man: Yeah.
You can see here what public
housing always leads to.
Not just here in Yonkers,
but everywhere else.
Now, these are places that
have become crack jungles
which have trapped innocent people
in the name of helping minorities.
As many of you know, I have
been opposed to this plan...
Man:
Cola, you sellout!
...but I am voting
for it because...
( crowd booing )
( pounds )
I am voting for it because maintaining
our bond rating is too important.
This is a direct attack
by the judge
on the quality of life
here in Yonkers.
( cheering )
This is--
it's a typical case of the
hypocrisy of the rich
and the elitists
looking down on those
who have to work
for everything they have.
It is not up
to this council
to judge on the constitutionality
of a court order.
( booing, shouting )
We've all sworn an obligation
to uphold and obey the law.
This is not about race.
This is not solely a black
and white question.
This is a green issue.
This is a question
of economics.
Roll call vote,
Mr. Clerk,
on the intent to adopt the
housing plan as proposed.
Man: I got your
intent right here!
- Mayor Wasicsko.
- Aye.
- ( booing )
- Vice Mayor Spallone?
- No.
- ( cheering )
- Majority Leader Cola?
- Yes.
( booing )
- Minority Leader Longo?
- No.
( cheering )
- Council Member Fagan?
- No.
- Mr. Chema?
- No.
- Mr. Oxman?
- Yes.
Clerk: I have three
ayes, four nays.
The measure fails.
Meeting adjourned.
( cheering )
There does have to come
a moment of truth,
a moment of reckoning, a moment
when the City of Yonkers
seeks not to become a national
symbol of defiance of civil rights
and not to heap shame
upon shame upon itself.
No court has strained harder,
with greater patience,
to defer to the state
and local government.
But it would be difficult
to imagine a clearer challenge
to the Constitution
or to a government of law
than that presented
this morning.
I therefore have
no alternative
other than to find the City of
Yonkers in contempt of this court
and impose a penalty of $100
a day, beginning today.
A fine that will double
every day hereafter.
As for you, councilmen,
I find your rationale to be
a frivolous pretext.
How much hypocrisy must
accompany this litigation?
I find Councilmen Longo,
Fagan, Chema, and Spallone
to be personally and individually
in contempt of this court
and impose upon each
of you a penalty
of $500 a day,
beginning today.
In addition, if the necessary
legislation is not enacted
on or before
next Wednesday, August 10th,
you will report to the federal
marshal for imprisonment
until such time
as you have purged yourself
of contempt by approving
the housing plan.
This court
stands adjourned.
- ( pounds gavel )
- All rise.
( door opens )
( phone ringing ) _
Is anybody
gonna get that?
Lisa?
Nay?
Is anybody out here?
( ringing continues )
Mayor's office.
Yes, my name
is Mary Dorman.
I would like to talk
to the mayor, please.
This is the mayor.
Hello?
This is Mayor Wasicsko.
This is--
I didn't, uh--
I didn't expect
for you to answer.
I called-- I wanted
to tell you that I, um--
I think it's wrong of you
to support the housing.
Yeah, well,
the law is the law,
and the judge ordered it
and the court upheld it
and the law's the law.
Well, why can't you say
that you think it's wrong?
At least let
the people know that.
Because that's not what
a leader is supposed to do.
A leader is supposed to lead, and
that's what I'm trying to do.
You threw me out
of the last council meeting.
Which one were you?
I have gray
salt-and-pepper hair.
I have--
wear glasses.
I was standing
right at the railing.
Yeah, I remember you.
I promise I'll never
have you thrown out again.
Okay?
Okay.
All right,
good-bye now.
Who was that?
No one, really.
♪ it's late at night ♪
♪ you're all alone ♪
♪ pale moonlight ♪
♪ cold as stone ♪
♪ heart beats fast ♪
♪ time moves slow ♪
♪ a stranger's glance ♪
♪ does he know? ♪
♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
♪ I took you in ♪
♪ and made you well ♪
♪ I told you things ♪
♪ you could never tell ♪
♪ to pay the debt ♪
♪ you made 'em fools ♪
♪ that's what you get ♪
♪ they trusted you ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
♪ when they run
to the temple ♪
♪ and find that
the treasure is gone ♪
♪ do you think
it's gonna be a cross ♪
♪ they're gonna
nail you on? ♪
- ♪ yeah, where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ when the people find out
that you lied? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna run to? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
- ♪ where you gonna hide? ♪
♪ where you gonna
run to? ♪