Here’s the full statement from Theodore Wells, an attorney for Gov. David Paterson, regarding the $62,125 fine the state Commission on Public Integrity levied on the governor yesterday. Paterson, who leaves office Dec. 31, was fined for soliciting and using five free tickets to a Yankees World Series game last year, and for lying to the commission about it. The Yankees ultimately were reimbursed for the tickets. Albany County District Attorney David Soares is reviewing the case to decide whether criminal charges are warranted.
From Wells:
“The Public Integrity Commission’s decision to impose a punitive fine for alleged perjury when its own hearing officer did not find that the Governor gave false testimony is outrageous. In issuing its decision, and rejecting the significantly lower fine of $10,000 recommended by its hearing officer, the Commission has wildly misrepresented the facts, exceeded its legal authority, and generally confirmed what has long been obvious: that these proceedings were always about the PIC’s political witch hunt and never about truth or justice.”
1 Comment
Is the governor’s lawyer for real.
David Paterson should be going to jail instead of only being nominally fined. Paterson has simply been a joke of a governor. He simply has no ability to govern. In fact, “The Democratic Conference: Organizational and Operational Structure Report” is an eyewitness account of Paterson’s DYSFUNCTIONAL governing nature while Senate Minority Leader.
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM110_demreportfinal.html
Paterson’s office was criticized for PATRONAGE, LACK OF LEADERSHIP, INDECISIVENESS and INFIGHTING, in other words the office was a ZOO. Those interviewed in the report indicated that its chief of staff the disorganized Michael Jones-Bey had no management skills, was neglectful in his duties – often boozing it up with staff and coming to the office with a hangover – and should be relieved of his position.
Amazingly, for running such a DYSFUNCTIONAL CHAOTIC office, the disorganized Michael Jones-Bey was picked by Paterson to mismanage the MWBE program at Empire State Development Corporation.
That is the Paterson way – being rewarded for your incompetence.