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This belongs to you. Take it back...
Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 19:41:14 PM EST
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According to the New York Times, New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi has agreed to payback $206,000 from his unethical use of state workers. But Hevesi's days are most likely numbered despite his re-election:
Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi agreed to pay a total of more than $206,000 today to resolve an inquiry by the New York State attorney general's office into his use of state workers to chauffeur and act as companions for his wife Carol.
[snip]
The settlement, which comes on the heels of a scathing Ethics Commission report on the matter, averted a lawsuit, but it does not end Mr. Hevesi's legal and political troubles. He is still the subject of a criminal inquiry by the Albany district attorney, and Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer will almost certainly ask the Republican-controlled New York State Senate to consider removing the comptroller from office when his term begins in January, people involved in the discussions have said.
I have to say that I have been almost personally affected by this scandal, as I used his Agenda for Reform as a portion of platform during my race for the 107th State Aseembly district.
More below... |
| Kelk :: Hevesi's days numbered? |
| During my race, I relied heavily on several sources for platform ideas with a major concentration on state government reform. I read the Brennan Center's two reports regarding rule changes and the Office of the State Comptroller's Agenda for Reform. Combined they presented in my mind a robust and comprehensive reform package that addressed the major issues facing New York State.
His Reform Agenda highlights needed reform measures in economic development, public authorities, education, fiscal, campaign finance, and procurement. From the executive summary:
This is admittedly a very ambitious set of reforms. The first impulse of some will be to try to limit it to what someone claims can realistically be achieved. That would be a serious mistake. The narrower we make the goals, the lower we set the standard, the less we will achieve. There is an opportunity, especially in this election year, to make broad reform the agenda.
Because these ideas are vital to our mission of bringing transparency back to Albany, it makes his actions seem to me an even bigger betrayal of the spirit of reform. And I am sorry to say that he needs to go. Public officials need to learn that these actions will no longer be tolerated and that we and the rest of state are watching. And as we learned today from Speaker-elect Pelosi, you have got to clean your own house before telling others to clean theirs. From ABC News:
Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi said the Democratic Steering Committee had resolved that Jefferson, who last Saturday won a runoff election in his New Orleans district, will not be given back his spot on the Ways and Means Committee, the panel that determines tax and trade policies.
Tough love = tough decisions |
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