Results tagged “ethics”

Today, former governor Eliot Spitzer will be at Harvard, speaking at the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics, discussing, "What Should Be the Rationale for Government Participation in the Market?" But given Spitzer's past, from Troopergate to Hookergate, one person is very upset—a madam who had Spitzer as a client. In a letter to Professor Lawrence Lessig, Kristin Davis wrote, "For nearly 5 years, I supplied Mr. Spitzer with high priced escorts while he was both Attorney General and Governor. For this crime, I served four months on Rikers Island, had all of my assets confiscated and am now considered a sex offender on 5 years probation. Mr. Spitzer broke both state and federal laws and walked away free."

Yesterday, the Post reported that Governor Paterson had attended Game 1 of the World Series with his son, his son's girlfriend, and two aides after "secretly solicit[ing]" the tickets. Now, the state's ethics committee is looking into the incident.

Remember when Caroline Kennedy was, you know, thinking about, you know, taking over Hillary Clinton's, you know, Senate seat? Governor Paterson seemed poised to appoint her but then she dropped out quickly and all these rumors about tax problems or issues with a domestic worker popped up...and it turned out the leaks were from Paterson's own staff! Well, nine months later, Paterson won't have to face heat over that, because the state's Ethics Panel doesn't think there's anything to it.

The NY Times has an interesting article wondering about Henry Paulson's many calls to his former company, Goldman Sachs, while he was Treasury Secretary and overseeing bailouts. Sure, Paulson had sold his shares and obtained ethics waivers, but the Times reports, "During the week of the A.I.G. bailout alone, Mr. Paulson and Mr. Blankfein spoke two dozen times, the calendars show, far more frequently than Mr. Paulson did with other Wall Street executives. On Sept. 17, the day Mr. Paulson secured his waivers, he and Mr. Blankfein spoke five times. Two of the calls occurred before Mr. Paulson’s [ethics] waivers were granted." Lawyer and former executive director of the NY State Commission on Government integrity Peter Bienstock said, "If it can happen on a phone call and can happen without public scrutiny, it destroys the standard because then anything can happen in that fashion and any waiver can happen." Paulson's apparently busy writing a memoir, so he didn't comment.

A few more details on Governor Paterson's reimbursement for using a state-owned plane to fly to Washington D.C. for President Obama's inauguration. Paterson's campaign cut a check for $3,600 after the Times-Union wondered why that reimbursement wasn't included in campaign filings, which had included other inauguration-related travel. Now the Times-Union reports that the $3,600 estimate, apparently from the State Police, may be too low: " State officials using state aircraft for non-state business are required to reimburse using charter rates, which are more than just cost of the plane. Profit and airport fees also must be included. The requirement was part of an ethics opinion embraced by Gov. Eliot Spitzer in the summer of 2007, who made it state policy." A "charter" estimate would be around $8,000; Paterson's campaign says it is prepared to pay more for the reimbursement.

Yesterday, NY Times reporter David Rohde returned to the NY Times newsroom, a week and a half after escaping seven months of captivity in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Taliban kidnappers. He appeared with his fellow kidnap victim, Tahir Ludin, a reporter who worked as his translator and guide; the Times' Clyde Haberman wrote, "In an intensely emotional moment, the two men walked into the Times newsroom to enormous waves of applause from scores of reporters and editors... As the long ovation continued, Mr. Ludin wiped away tears. Some in the newsroom seemed near tears themselves."

New Yorkers may miss former governor Eliot Spitzer enough to prefer having him as governor over Governor David Paterson, but, as the transcripts from State Inspector General Joseph Fisch reveal, Spitzer is still basically a huge asshole. As part of the investigation into the Troopergate mess—where Spitzer and his aides developed a campaign to smear (then) Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno—, Fisch needed to interview Spitzer. The NY Times reports that Fisch "found him hostile, frustrated over his experience in Albany and with his legendary temper in full bloom."

A few years ago, City Council member Larry Seabrook (D-Bronx) headed an effort to increase diversity in advertising agencies, resulting in 11 agencies agreeing to improve their minority hiring and promotion efforts (or else be subject to fine). One agency, Omnicom, also backed the creation of a diversity committee, committing millions. While it was widely praised, now the NY Times reports that Seabrook recommended his sister to head the committee, which City Council Speaker Christine Quinn didn't realize: "Ms. Quinn referred the matter this month to the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board and the Council’s Standards and Ethics Committee after learning of the relationship from a reporter." Omnicom tells the Times it realized Priscilla Jenkins, an Atlanta-based consultant, was Seabrook's sister on their own before they hired her and referred to her "extremely impressive résumé." Jenkins previously worked at Morris Brown College (where was praised) and has consulted for companies that receive money from Seabrook via the slush fund. The Times points out, "City regulations prohibit elected officials from using their positions to obtain financial gain or personal advantage for themselves or close family members."

Right before the Thanksgiving holiday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement saying she expected the ethics committee investigation into Rep. Charles Rangel by January 3, 2009: "I look forward to reviewing the report at that time." The ethics panel is looking into three things: Rangel's use of Congressional letterhead to solicit donations to City College's school of public service (which is being named after him); his four rent-stabilized apartments; and unreported income from his vacation villa in the Dominican Republic. As allegations and questions have accumulated over recent months (most recently, about a $1 million donation to the school from an oil executive), Rangel has denied any wrongdoing and has been allowed to keep his chairmanship of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee in the meantime.

While the House of Representatives voted against a measure to strip Representative Charles Rangel of chairing the House Ways and Means Committee, House leaders are planning an investigation of Rangel's ethical issues--you know, the lack of reporting income on his returns, his rent-stabilized apartments, using House letterhead to solicit donations for a center being built in his name. This comes as his 1972 Mercedes Benz, long unused, was towed from a House parking garage!

After longtime Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio's arrest on bribery charges, the State Assembly apparently held a secret meeting to discuss, per the AP, "tougher rules over disclosure of outside income by lawmakers."

Only in Albany can you be nominated to head the Public Service Commission, which oversees utilities, and start doing work for the government - while still working for a private sector energy company! The state inspector general released a report explaining how this actually happened with former PSC nominee Angela Sparks-Beddoe last year.

New York State Senate leader Joseph Bruno is still under FBI investigation for possibly improper ties to unions that deal with state pension agencies! In 2006, Bruno said of the FBI's look, "I have nothing to hide. They are going into background over the past five or six years," but the NY Times describes the feds' current investigation as widening.

While Governor Spitzer has been trying to get back to business, the Senate Investigations Committee and Albany County DA's office have been busy deciding what to do with Spitzer's from communications director Darren Dopp. Dopp resigned after he at least co-devised a plan to smear Spitzer's rival Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno over the summer. The NY Times reports the Albany County DA's office is not going to charge Dopp with perjury - yet. Dopp's...