The Political Class Corruption Train Keeps On Rolling - Democratic Politician Version

We have talked many, many times about the corruption that pervades our democracy, Washington D.C., and the American political class. It wastes taxpayer wealth, corrupts decision making processes, and never resolves the major issues of our times. One major piece in this continuing saga ran in July, 2012:

http://loathemygovernment.blogspot.com/2012/07/washington-corruption-train-keeps-on.html

In August, 2012 we did a five part series that considered the slime, sleaze and immorality of the political class, beginning with the first post in that series:

http://loathemygovernment.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-slime-sleaze-immorality-and.html

And most recently, we did a series of posts this past January, starting with the following link, about the buying and selling of America:

http://loathemygovernment.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-selling-and-buying-of-america-part.html

Today we will continue this unfortunate legacy by reviewing the recent spate of Democratic party politicians and the corruption and illegal acts they have been up to at all levels of government, enriching themselves while neglecting their duties as elected officials.

1) Last summer, Brooklyn Democrat state government Assemblyman Vito Lopez was severely reprimanded by members of his own party and peers in the state legislature for what was called “blatant instances of sexual harassment.” The state government’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Guidance stripped him of a committee chairmanship, cut off resources and funding from the Assembly, stripped him of any seniority perks, and prompted a ban prohibiting him from hiring interns or employing other employees under the age of 21.

I will not go into the gruesome, disgusting details of his actions but they are outlined in the letter of admonishment that can be found at the following link:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/103820462/Vito-Lopez-Letter-8-24-12

Nice guy, even his fellow politicians found his behavior reprehensible, a pretty high bar to get over.

2) On February 16, 2013, the Albany Times Union reported that State Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr., another Brooklyn Democrat who was already under Federal indictment for bribery, has been charged with falsifying state travel forms in order to illegally and immorally collect more than $67,000 in lodging, food and mileage reimbursements that he was not entitled to receive. These charges came about as a result of a state comptroller's report and investigation.

The state audit investigated and researched Boyland's expense reports for a five-year period beginning in January 2007, and found he filed questionable claims on 609 of the 975 days that he submitted for travel reimbursement. One reason why he got caught is that his claims of traveling were found false since at the time he was supposedly traveling, he was meeting with undercover FBI agents in a sting operation where he was trying to collect $250,000 in bribes. Thus, his participation in one crime was the undoing in another crime.

3) U.S. and New Jersey Democratic Senator Robert Menendez finds himself in a tough spot following three accusations:

A) He illegally used the resources of a campaign donor to fly to the Dominican Republic a number of times.

B) While in the Dominican Republic, he engaged in sex with local prostitutes.

C) One of the prostitutes was underage.

Three very bad and chilling accusations and allegations. However, it appears that at least the first charge is accurate. According to news reports, he admitted that disclosure and repayment for two plane trips to the Dominican Republic via a donor’s private jet “slipped through the cracks.” Oops! He paid back the donor this past January to the tune of about $58,000. Must have been a nice jet.

The reason why this type of behavior breaks the law is that a U.S. Senator is required to disclose ALL income and gifts. The disclosure must be accurate, complete, and filed by May 15 for the preceding year. By not complying with this legal requirement, the Senator’s “slip through the cracks” is legally a false statement, which is a felony. Since there were two separate trips, there are two separate felony charges.

It should be interesting to see if there are any ramifications for this type of behavior. Ordinary Americans usually cannot get away with the “oops” defense when they commit a felony. Will this defense work for a politician? Probably.

It should also be very interesting to track the other two accusations above over time as the FBI and others investigate. If true, we easily could make the case that his frolicking with prostitutes in a foreign country is a national security breach and disgraceful behavior for a U.S. Senator.

4) A New York Times article from February 13, 2013 reported that a former New York State senator pleaded guilty to falsifying evidence in an attempt to cover up the theft of taxpayer money from a nonprofit agency that she founded. This plea ended a political corruption investigation that resulted in criminal charges in both Federal and state courts. Details of the corruption include the follwing fact:

• The former Democratic state senator, Shirley L. Huntley, told a judge in State Supreme Court in Nassau County that she wrote and backdated a letter in March, 2011 to create a false record indicating that the nonprofit agency, Parent Workshop Inc., held an event that never occurred.
• The agency was supposed to help parents navigate the school system, but investigators said employees both at Parent Workshop and at another nonprofit organization she operated stole more than $100,000 in state grants instead of spending the money on the nonprofits' programs.
• In the state component of the investigation, Ms. Huntley was not accused of stealing the money directly but covering up $30,000 in thefts by others.
• In the Federal District Court case in Brooklyn, prosecutors accused Ms. Huntley of directly taking taxpayer money from her other nonprofit agency, Parents Information Network Inc. Ms. Huntley pleaded guilty in that case and admitted to stealing more than $87,000 in state grants to pay for shopping for herself and her relatives.
• Ms. Huntley will pay the state the full amount she stole. She faces up to two years in prison under the Federal sentencing guidelines for the charge, conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
• Prosecutors in the state case recommended a sentence of five years’ probation because Ms. Huntley already faces Federal prison time.
• According to a New York Post report, she spent this ill gotten gain on spa treatments, upscale shopping, and expensive gifts for her dog.

You have to give this crooked politician credit, it appears she worked hard at defrauding New York and American taxpayers of their wealth. Fortunately, she got caught and will be a guest at someone’s prison facilities.

5) And last, but not least, consider the corruption and criminal activity of former U.S. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. According to a February 16, 2013 Associated Press report, Mr. Jackson AND his wife, a Chicago alderman until her recent resignation, agreed to plead guilty to Federal criminal charges. The charges revolve around the plan to misuse $750,000 for luxurious personal expenses including a $43,000 gold watch.

The charges against the Jacksons include filing false tax returns for six years that understated their income. He also filed false financial statements with the House of Representatives. As a result, both of them could go to prison for several years besides paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Their various scams and schemes enabled them to complete the following purchases:

• The actual cost of the Rolex gold watch was $43,350.
• They spent $9,588 for children's furniture.
• His wife spent over $5,000 on fur capes and parkas.
• In one effort they used the cover story of a false room rental for a bogus fundraiser to spent $1,500 on porcelain collector’s items.

Disgraceful behavior for a Congressman and city official. Just another reason why no American should pay another penny in taxes. Well, more than one reason, if you include furs, Rolex watches, etc.

No wonder major issues facing Americans never get resolved. At least today, the Democrats in office are spending so much time and effort scamming American taxpayers they have little time left to actually understand and develop plans to resolve those issues.

Groping members of your staff, going to jail, and flying off to the Dominican Republic for alleged hanky-panky is no way to run a government.

Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at:

www.loathemygovernment.com

It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.

Please visit the following sites for freedom:

http://www.reason.com/
http://www.cato.org/
http://www.robertringer.com/
http://realpolichick.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08j0sYUOb5w