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How Loudly, Personally, and Ignorantly Money Can Speak
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
Robert Wechsler
Money rarely speaks as loudly and personally as it did for Tom
Golisano, a billionaire who appears to have been the principal force in pushing the Democrats out
of power in Albany, after he was snubbed by the party to which he has
been a principal patron. And rarely has a good government advocate
shown so clearly that he doesn't even know what government ethics is.
According to an article in today's New York Times, Golisano helped convince two Democrats to go across the aisle and give the Republicans a majority. One of them became Senate president, second in line to the governorship. The new Senate president has been fined more than $60,000 for campaign finance violations; the nonprofit he ran for decades is being investigated on suspicion of misappropriation of funds; he is being investigated concerning whether he actually lives in the district he represents; and just this year he requested $2 million in earmarks for two organizations that had not existed days before the request was made (one of them is chaired by one of his staff members).
When asked about the new Senate president's legal troubles, Golisano responded:
How can Golisano bring good government to Albany when he equates cocaine use and private affairs with campaign finance violations, earmarks to staff members' organizations, and the public crimes about which the new Senate president is being investigated?
Golisano also doesn't seem to understand that the weight he is throwing around is based on the size and number of his campaign contributions, which is something that good government advocates oppose. Nor does he seem to understand how New Yorkers will feel about his concern for them when they learn that he just moved his principal residence to Florida, so that he won't have to pay higher New York taxes.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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According to an article in today's New York Times, Golisano helped convince two Democrats to go across the aisle and give the Republicans a majority. One of them became Senate president, second in line to the governorship. The new Senate president has been fined more than $60,000 for campaign finance violations; the nonprofit he ran for decades is being investigated on suspicion of misappropriation of funds; he is being investigated concerning whether he actually lives in the district he represents; and just this year he requested $2 million in earmarks for two organizations that had not existed days before the request was made (one of them is chaired by one of his staff members).
When asked about the new Senate president's legal troubles, Golisano responded:
Don’t talk to me about ethical
background in Albany. We have
a governor who stood on a podium on national television and said he had
extramarital affairs and used cocaine.
How can Golisano bring good government to Albany when he equates cocaine use and private affairs with campaign finance violations, earmarks to staff members' organizations, and the public crimes about which the new Senate president is being investigated?
Golisano also doesn't seem to understand that the weight he is throwing around is based on the size and number of his campaign contributions, which is something that good government advocates oppose. Nor does he seem to understand how New Yorkers will feel about his concern for them when they learn that he just moved his principal residence to Florida, so that he won't have to pay higher New York taxes.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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