Put Dolan in the dock
Brand new Assemblyman Tony Simone joined veteran state Sens. Liz Krueger and Brad Hoylman-Sigal and others on Sunday to protest the use of facial recognition by Jim Dolan’s Madison Square Garden to bar lawyers from any firm that is engaged in litigation against MSG.
The nasty and petty prohibition, mailed out to 90 law firms, prevents every attorney at each of these firms from entering the Garden, Radio City Musical Hall and the Beacon Theater. Also included is the MSG-owned Chicago Theatre. Seeing the Rangers or Knicks or any shows at the venues is now impossible for the listed attorneys and MSG promises refunds to those refused admission.
A number of lawsuits from the excluded lawyers have been filed (which to us would put those firms doubly on the excluded list). But the case that interests us the most hasn’t been filed: A charge from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg against the Garden and Dolan for violating New York State Civil Rights Law §40-b.
The 1941 statute says that no “owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent or employee of any place of public entertainment and amusement shall refuse to admit to any public performance any person over the age of 21 years who presents a ticket of admission.”
Each violation brings a penalty paid to the excluded person between $100 and $500. Furthermore, “for every such offense be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500, or shall be imprisoned not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days, or both such fine and imprisonment.” Hmm, a month on Rikers for every exclusion.
Some suing lawyers have won partial relief for shows, but not games because the law covers only “legitimate theatres, burlesque theatres, music halls, opera houses, concert halls and circuses.” So here’s an idea for the protesting lawmakers Simone, Krueger and Hoylman-Sigal, whose districts include the Garden: Amend the 1941 law to add the phrase “sporting events” and score against bully Dolan.