Your Tax Payer Dollars at Work
By DIA, Section News
Posted on Mon Jul 23, 2007 at 01:34:23 PM EST
It's all legal. And only coincidence that there were fundraisers those nights. If this doesn't restore Joe Bruno's good name I don't know what will.
For example, State Police aviation records reflect that state aircraft was used to transport Senator Bruno and staff from Albany to New York City on April 5, 2007 at about 11:00 a.m., and from New York City back to Albany at about 5:00 p.m. the same date. The itinerary for that date reflects a lunch at 12:30 p.m., followed by meetings at 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.
The investigation revealed that the 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. meetings related to legislative or official state business. However, the 3:30 p.m. meeting, which lasted between thirty and forty minutes, included some discussion of political business. The 4:30 p.m. meeting lasted approximately ten minutes. Thus, less than one hour of the day’s schedule related to legislative business.
State Police aviation records reflect that state aircraft was used to transport Senator Bruno and staff from Albany to New York City on May 3, 2007 at about 1:00 p.m., and from New York City back to Albany the following day, May 4, 2007. The itineraries for those dates reflect meetings at 2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., followed by the New York State Senate Republican Campaign Committee “Spring Reception” at 5:30 p.m. The itinerary for the following date, May 4, 2007, reflects a 9:00 a.m. meeting.
The investigation disclosed that the May 3, 2007 meetings at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. related to legislative or official state business. On May 4, 2007, the 9:00 a.m. meeting related to legislative business and lasted approximately 1 and ˝ hours.
State Police aviation records reflect that state aircraft were used to transport Senator Bruno and staff from Albany to New York City on May 17, 2007 at about 11:00 a.m., and from New York City back to Albany the following day, May 18, 2007, at about 9:00 a.m. The itinerary for May 17, 2007 reflects a lunch at 12:30 p.m., followed by meetings at 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. The schedule reflects the “Annual New York Republican State Committee Dinner” at 6:00 p.m. that evening. The itinerary does not reflect any scheduled meetings in New York City on the following day, May 18, 2007.
The investigation disclosed that the May 17, 2007 meetings at 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. related to legislative or official state business. No meetings were held on the following date, when the Senator and his staff used state aircraft to return to Albany. Thus, legislative business was conducted, but the balance of the days’ schedules was not dedicated to official state business.
Notwithstanding the limited nature of the legislative business conducted on some of the trips, there is no legal basis to conclude that Senator Bruno’s use of the state aircraft violated any state policy. It is plain, however, that in some instances the state’s permissive policy allowed the use of state aircraft in a manner that did not adequately protect taxpayer resources.
So what is the big deal? When has the state government ever adequately protected taxpayer resources?
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