For the editorial click here.
Here are some highlights.
Darrel Aubertine hiring his sister was a violation of the Public Officer's Law, which Darrel Aubertine voted for while he was in the Assembly. Once a violation occurs, the law requires the appointing politician repay the state the amount of payroll and up to a $40,000 penalty, neither of which has occurred to date in Mr. Aubertine's case which is nearly six months after the incident.
This line below is directly from the editorial and it speaks to this issue, but also speaks to the larger issue of governing in our state; our poor financial situation at the state, the general lack of leadership witnessed in the last 8 months in the 48th Senate district, the ATV, NYPA or A.L. Lee Memorial Hospital issues are all examples.
Apparently Mr. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, did not understand the law he voted for.That comment speaks volumes.
On the other hand, Dave Renzi participated in a wide spread and accepted practice of classifying a municipal attorney as an employee, where a municipal attorney will easily put in more time than the elected official that they are advising. The Attorney General's office did an about face earlier this year on the practice of allowing this situation to occur.
And finally this line directly from the editorial that sums it all up.
David Renzi did understand the new rule and he voluntarily complied. He did not cost the taxpayers anything. Darrel Aubertine has yet to comply.
63 comments:
Accepted practice? This is Dave Renzi's latest lie, and apparently MR. Johnson bought it. They did not "change the rules." They have discoved longterm fraud and enforced existing rules. In April, AG Cuomo said: “This is not a close legal call. Nobody can come in and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t understand the rules.’ People understand the rules.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/nyregion/11pensions.html
Read the WDT story -- the Comptroller's Office admits that the rules changed.
Also, you all keep trying to hang this on Renzi. It's the towns that misinterpreted the rules (not laws -- there is no illegality involved).
All the comptroller is doing is removing "misclassified" attorneys. No one has been charged or even accused of wrongdoing.
That's very different from, say, for example, a sitting State Senator hiring his own sister after voting for a law that bars that explicit practice.
Or how about a sitting State Senator who votes over a dozen times to make it easier to site wind turbines, provide tax breaks for such and encourage state investment in wind when he's got a contract for turbines on his own land?
If someone did either of those things, he would definitely be breaking the law, and the attorney general would likely want to know more about the facts and cricumstances of those cases.
Watertown Daily Times did its research on the Renzi Pension scam story on thursday. But the editorial board did not do its research for today's payback for Renzi. They took Renzi's lie hook, line and sinker.
The law has not changed in recent years. Look it up. The parctice was not widespread or accepted. It was illegal, and only 90 attorney across the state were breaking this law. Renzi was one of them.
Dave Renzi was breaking tha law for 4 years. If he did not know it, he should have. Worse, yet, he did not just break the law by getting pension credits. He also lied about his days worked. He is screwed.
I have observed Darrel Aubertine in several of his campaigns since running for the Assembly in 2000. I supported Darrel and thought he is a good guy like everyone else thought.
Then as campaign after campaign occurred it became apparent he is very calculating and negative, but gives the appearance that he is as clean as a whistle. Go back to his chairman win at the Jefferson County Board and look forward. He is very negative and his campaigns workers carry out the nasty duties and shield Darrel from the mudslinging. This is nothing less than the evidence of his style.
Democrat for Dave
OPPORTUNITY OFFERED: Did you provide service to a local government, school, town or village? Did you mow a lawn, paint a building, repair an elevator, stop a leak or clean a carpet? Then you, too, may be eligible for New York State Retirement Benefits. Lawyers everywhere are doing it ! Contact this Newspaper.
" All the comptroller is doing is removing "misclassified" attorneys. No one has been charged or even accused of wrongdoing."
Well, that is not all he is doing, but you are right, he is doing it. He is removing "misclassified lawyers". And, it is at the direction of the Attorney General.
He is removing Dave Renzi who was once classified as HONEST and is now being re-classified as DISHONEST.
Now, lets hope the voters are as smart as the Attorney General who is also a lawyer.
Anon #2.
"Read the WDT story -- the Comptroller's Office admits that the rules changed."
Just read it again. It does not say it. Mr. Renzi says it. But it is not true. Here is the story:
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20081002/NEWS03/310021217
Why must you lie about such simple facts? The law has not changed.
Hey, Democrat for Dave, I was a Republican for Darrel. WAS, being the key word here. I can not agree with you more. Two years into his assembly seat and it was easy to see that clean as a whistle image tarnished. Not to say, he has abandoned the North Country on hard issues.
Once Darrel secures his seat, he will secure the windmills, and I will be surprised to see him RUN AGAIN. Albany is no place for the faint of heart or a nice guy. Sheldon Silver has not given Darrel permission to fight for the North Country. Mr. Renzi, is hard nose, a worker, and as a majority member, the senate republicans will listen and take note to his legislation.
I agree, Darrel broke, a law he co-signed and he should do the right thing, restitution and payback. Dave should have not signed up for state pension and this should be rectified with him and the other 90 lawyers. Now let’s put this to rest, how many times will PIV bring this issue up, let’s stick to the issues (JOBS, ECONOMY, TAXES, AND NORTH COUNTRY WAY OF LIFE)!
Poly Info Mation
How come Darrel can't put 2 grand together to pay the state back? He has been making close to a hundred grand for 5 years.
He had no intention of repaying the money until it became public. If he wins, I doubt the state will see a penny.
I thought the editorial got it right and was balanced. The took exception with both individuals.
Hardly unfair as some are claiming.
Relax...The Times went into panic mode...they screwed up big time when they uncovered Renzi for what he is.....This just a way of trying to preserve their tradition of indorsing Republicans....it is too bad they had to lie to their public to do it.
RW believes that if he tells a lie often enough people will believe it to be the truth.
The law did not change. The interpretation did. The state is full of people who've been credited with retirement time for which they are not entitiled. In the past, it hasn't mattered. The money flowed, and indirectly, it was for "the children". No one objected. Here in NY we have had so much fun for so long. We've been drunk and stupid for over a generation. But to tag this on Renzi is dishonest, a quality we've had no shortage of here in our partisan state.
Wriley
You are hopelessly liberal and not even objective and it is fun watching you squirm on being wrong on this one.
Wiley or Mt. Drew so Darrel hiring his sister isn't dishonest or breaking the law. If he is "one of us" it should be ok for Dave also.
I want to be one of us, too! Where do I check my ethics, and when can my sister, brother and cousins start work?
"the Comptroller's Office admits that the rules changed."
The comptroller's office does not make law and it does not enforce law. It keeps it's eye on the taxpayers money. Don't confuse "rules" with laws. What they mean by that is, since everything is being done by computer they didn't realize Dave Renzi and few other lawyers were scamming them. It was not easy using the old rules to detect illegal practices. Especially in Daves case where the word, COACH, pops up in his work record.
Their "change of rule" means they changed their way of protecting our retirement from theft by using new audit rules and procedures and became more careful with how they handle our books in case some dishonest lawyer comes along and tries to cheat them. They even gave them the warning. The so called "admission" that you use as an excuse.
Some of the lawyers using the scam already are collecting on it. We want the money back. Some lawyers picked up the change in enforcement rule immediately and quit right then. Some lawyers were not so smart, called their bluff on the rule change and risked continuing the practice even though it was illegal. Dave Renzi and his firm are in the latter category.
Dave Renzi is being given a privilege by the Watertown Times and his Republican supporters that they would not give to welfare cheats.
Rwiley = partisan mudslinging hack for Darrel Aubertine.
You are going to attempt to make an issue out of Dave coaching. Give me a friggin' break you a$$hole. Go play with yourself.
The interpretation of the law did not change. The accounting methods or rules used by the comptroller changed when the Attorney General pointed out to them that there are a few lawyers in the state that are violating a law and cheating the New York State Retirement system.
Perhaps this will help you understand:
ALBANY, N.Y. (June 23, 2008) – Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced comprehensive landmark legislation to increase government accountability at all levels and end fraud and abuse in the state retirement system with tough new penalties for fraud, the closing of “double dipping” loopholes for retirees and increased transparency and accountability in school spending plans.
Legislation Makes Pension Fraud a Felony
"You are going to attempt to make an issue out of Dave coaching"
Read what I have said more carefully, and you will see that I defended Dave Renzi's legal right to receive retirement credits as a coach.
David Renzi did understand the new rule and he voluntarily complied
bahWAAHahahahahahahahahahahaha!
thanx to the JeffCo board, the WDT and the out of control Renzi campaign for screwing this up. Renzi's thugs the other night, were disgusting the other night , too.
"Dave Renzi was breaking the law for 4 years. If he did not know it, he should have. Worse, yet, he did not just break the law by getting pension credits. He also lied about his days worked. He is screwed."
Good point, Anon. If he was casually buying credits by the hour for a few pennies on the dollar and a friend at the Town was supplying the false instrument, which could be done with the few strokes of a keyboard, it wouldn't take much.
Now, I know why the Watertown Times, Renzi and PIV are so anxious for this to go away.
The "Sister Act" has been discussed for many months and has been resolved in many voters minds. But the "LawyerGate" issue is new.
Yes the ATV issue. Two Saturdays ago they were both out riding around on illegally opened roads in Lewis County. The law means nothing to either of them.
"Relax...The Times went into panic mode"
Also, they know this is deeper than the campaign. The link provided by rwiley says at the bottom that there is a hotline number to report any suspicions of this practice to the AG office. At the top of the article it says this has the support of both sides of both houses. Bipartisian.
Democrat or Republican, bipartisian. Both people have the right to complain to the AG. It appears they are serious and the times knows it. We all know the Times is Repub. Don't confuse it with a "Public Service Annuncement.
Scalpel Please
I don't think right now the republicans want you running around with anything sharp in your hand.
Renzi didn't cost the taxpayers a dime YET...because he hasn't retired to collect his retirement pension YET.
DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH!!!
RW is stuck in 3/4, and the state is doing the polka. Whatever.
Wileyboy, so you're not going after the coaching thing? I know, that would step on too many donkey toes that love the "children". It is the same thing. We've let all kinds of people get state credit for questionable work. Once the determination is made, it is rarely, if ever, reviewed. Cuomo deserves some credit for going after it. Renzi is not to blame for something that has gone on for years.
This is the Empire State. We built the Empire. Enjoy, and don't try to make a partisan issue out of it.
"You are going to attempt to make an issue out of Dave coaching. Give me a friggin' break you a$$hole. Go play with yourself."
I went back and checked. He supported Dave Renzi on collecting retirement as a coach.
You are going to attempt to make an issue out of Dave coaching. Give me a friggin' break you a$$hole. Go play with yourself.
I went back and checked, I did defend Dave Renzi for receiving retirement as a caoch. The first post as I wrote it was a bit confusing.
Sorry for the double post as I was trying to edit it.
Rwiley, you do not have much to say about Darrel! It is not like he did not break the law he just co-signed. You are so self righteousness please comment on Darrel’s criminal activity. Maybe it will prompt him to pay the money back, and hopefully not fined. Then we might get pass this BS and deal with some issues.
Poly Info Mation
RW is stuck in 3/4, and the state is doing the polka. Whatever.
Wileyboy, so you're not going after the coaching thing? I know, that would step on too many donkey toes that love the "children.
I assume you mean RWiley.
No, I am not going after the coaching thing, PIV and recognize that the pay that David Renzi received is most likely less than minimum wage for the number of hours that he spent with and caring about the team. To step on too many donkey toes that love the "children" would be stepping on my own.
When he was not caring for the team, he was asking for illegal New York State Retirement credits. That is my beef.
That was stepping on everybody's toes.
I am a hell of a dancer, know the difference between a waltz and polka and recently won an international dance contest to the music of a Bulgarian Band.
I am a hell of a dancer, know the difference between a waltz and polka and recently won an international dance contest to the music of a Bulgarian Band
Sorry, I forgot to give credit to my lovely dance partner, my wife, who also thinks that lawyers trying to scam the Retirement system are bad and the Watertown Times was wrong trying to make excuses for breaking the law.
Maybe it will prompt him to pay the money back, and hopefully not fined. Then we might get pass this BS and deal with some issues.
Poly Info Mation
I have no influence over Darrel, Poly and It is not that simple. I am only a Darrel supporter that recognizes that he is one of us. And even if I did, it wouldn't do any good because there is still the investigation of Dave Renzi who is being looked at by the office of the AG for fraud and felony on the table.
We have a slight disagreement here about this BS.
You see stealing from the Retirement System as right. I see it as wrong.
Rwiley is really in defense mode, Love it.
Is this blog Political Wriley?
Or Political IV?
"Rwiley is really in defense mode, Love it.
Defense is attempted justification or vindication of something. You have me confused with David Renzi and the Watertown Times who are in defense mode.
David Renzi and the Watertown Times are on the defense trying to convince me and the rest of the voters that David was justified in taking the undeserved New York State Retirement credit and asking for vindication because everybody does it.
Wiley would you like your own site so you can keep talking to yourself? We can pay for the site for you.
www.idefenddarrel.com would be a good one for you.
Mr. Wiley you try hard to defend your brother in law. Is Darrel going to pay the money back out of his pocket or is he going to make you and Debra pay it back???
is this blog Political Wriley?
Or Political IV?
This blog is Political IV. Political IV is an anonymous local political pundit with a right wing view. He was once described as the Hannity to Danger Democrats Colmes.
PIV posts his opinions on the main page and allows comments. On the main page you may hear all the things you love to hear. But when you go to the comment section, everything goes. Sometimes, if you disagree with PIV, you get called nasty names just like on the real Hannity.
In the comment section, you may even have to tolerate Wriley (sic). who is an opinionated old codger who is sick of the last 7 years of George Bush's political lying crap and was shocked that the Watertown Times would excuse Dave Renzi by using George Bush and Karl Rove type of lies to do it.
So, if you believe what PIV says on the main post, don't go to the comment page because you might hear something you don't want to hear.
In any event , welcome to the world of the "internets". It is not like the Watertown Times which can print an editorial opinion using false information and, just like George Bush, who they endorsed, believe it is the final word.
Oh RW! When you talk dirty I don't know whether to get excited or disappointed in you. Relax, my young partisan brother. It's only about politics. Rather than get mad, why don't you try to find some summer job you had that qualifies for state service, then you too can share in the fun.
Must have hit a nerve.
"Must have hit a nerve"
Sorry my friend. I have no nerves. They have been fried by the hot bliss of a happy retired life. My days of applying for credit and ensuring my pension were done way back in the '90s and LEGALLY.
I did not receive any illegal credits like Dave Renzi.
My concern here is to keep PIV honest in his attempt to excuse the Watertown Times who used lies during their endorsement of Renzi's scam.
"Wiley would you like your own site so you can keep talking to yourself?"
I assume you mean rwiley.
No Thanks, I already have one and it is free: You can enjoy it here.
Click Here for Lefty Limericks by RWiley
As a teacher in Fulton, I am not endorsing David Renzi.
I hope that any union representing New York State public workers would take notice of David Renzi's illegal retirement credits which are on record with the System as I write. My PAC may try to tell me how to vote, but I will vote for Mr. Aubertine. Your link to the WDT was very informative.
Long thread. Let's recap rwiley's logic:
Lawyers lie.
Republicans lie.
Renzi lies.
The Watertown Times lies.
PIV lies.
The comptroller lies.
Everyone else who posts on this blog lies.
What color is the sky on your planet, r?
Also to recap RWiley is married to Debra Wiley. Darrel's sister.
rw, this topic has been covered sooo much, I did insist on Dave and Darrel repay their debts where they both broke the law(previous PIV blog). There is a thing called right, wrong, legal and illegal; I would expect any elected or politcal asperation to choose RIGHT & LEGAL. Dave and Darrel stand up and do the right thing. It would have been nice to see Darrel & Dave do the right thing before the press and the public force them. You should mention in your comment Darrel doing the right thing.
Poly Info Mation
"Lawyers lie.
Republicans lie.
Renzi lies.
The Watertown Times lies.
PIV lies.
The comptroller lies.
Everyone else who posts on this blog lies."
1. Not all lawyers lie. But Renzi's firm did when they tried to scam the Retirement System.
2. Not all Republicans lie, But George Bush has certainly set the standard with his 'Trickle Down Politics" which has led to local Rovian tactics.
3. Renzi lies when, he as a lawyer, took illegal credit and claimed he didn't know and the rules had changed. He didn't lie when he claimed the deserved credits for working for the district as a coach.
4. The Watertown Times lied about rule changes and claiming it was common practice.
5. PIV lies.
6. The comptroller didn't lie. He only updated the methods (rules) used in detecting and catching the crooks. He even gave the crooks a fair announcement that he was on their tail.
7. Everyone else on this blog lies. Only the ones who post as anonymous when they are really, uh, well....you know where I am going with this one. Nevermind !
Also to recap RWiley is married to Debra Wiley. Darrel's sister.
I am not a betting man but I would not pass up a sure thing. Show me your last year's income tax, plus $25,000 and I will match that with my Retirement fund and lay it on the table and prove that that is a lie also. I get paid cash, of course.
I will even let the Watertown Town times have the scoop. It would be a good way for you to get your anonymity off your conscience. Some bookie could get rich on the side bets. It would be fun and it would take my mind off the Watertown Times editorial that endorses breaking the law to rob the retirement system.
RWiley is married to Darrell's sister. I did not know that. That, along with the donkey tattoo, explains everything. Thanks.
What a joke.
Just think, RW, if your sister would have been able to hang on to her illegal nepotism job, you too could have qualified for retirement benefits. And in your case, it would have been more crooked than anything you are trying to accuse Renzi of. What an absolute piece of donkey crap you be.
But then again, you probably already have a back door wind turbine deal worked out for after the election. So don't fret about not being able to steal retirement money.
Married to Darrell's sister, and posting the things you've said. Says a lot about you.
"Poly Info Mation"
Poly, that trick is older that Lee Atwater's grave.
Your candidate makes a whopper of a mistake which could lead to an investigation even legal charges that blow your campaign all to hell.
You cry loud and hard that the other guy did something bad, too.
You realize that you are still in deep trouble so you get your supporters to ask for both to confess, an attempt to neutralize your candidate's horrible blunder.
My dad told me that politics was a dirty business. My dad was right, Mr Wiley. You have an amazing ability to live one way and preach another. Sick.
Rwiley is a married to Darrel's sister. I wonder if the times will do an expose'?. The sad part is that Darrel's sister did nothing wrong, Darrel did!
I must still wonder why Aubertine can't cut a check to return the money? I don't think he has any intentions to. I think we need our DA to get a special procecutor involved!!!!
Darrell ought to just endorse over one of the wind mill dividend checks to the state to pay it back....
Rwiley's hourly posts in defence of his kinsman Darrell remind me of the joke about the red kneck with the hot sister who had to climb the town water tower every week to defend her honor in spray paint...
Wow -- the rwiley personal connection to all this is exposed! No wonder.
But the fact is that this is all Darrel's doing, not Debra's.
Nice of you to defend your brother-in-law, but why throw your wife under the bus??
Strange family, this.
Is the NY football teams coaches on the pension system also??
"Rwiley is a married to Darrel's sister. I wonder if the times will do an expose'?"
I hope you are sure about this PIV. Thanks, we don't need a times expose.
Let me get this straight. You run an anonymous political blog. You scream like a baby and defend your anonymity when the WDT and your political friends find out who you are. Then when an opposing commenter rattles your chain you go into your own comment section and carry on a vicious campaign against the Senator's sister and brother-in-law, trying to prove that they are responsible for the opposing view. Your blog is moderated. You have every right to encourage people to agree with your political bent. But, you also have the means to close comments when the discussion deteriorates into a personal attack on the messenger with the opposing view. Your failure to do so is a statement of your own personal, moral, mental, business and political character.
Old Newsboy
I have not screamed about anything and no one has rattled my chain. I have not commented in this section, so I am not sure what you are referring. Yes, I can moderate comments and people often accuse me of doing it when I do not. The point here you are missing, RWiley continues the dialogue with others who are responding to him.
You must be confusing me and RWiley.
No one has personally acted anyone. The question has been raised about the relationship of Rwiley and Darrel's sister Debra Wiley?
"The point here you are missing, RWiley continues the dialogue with others who are responding to him."
That is why they call it dialogue. Why would dialogue upset you unless you, too, were in the mix and divulging your frustrations. If you were not emotionally involved the dialogue, why would you even care or make such a silly defense.
And, PIV, I will continue the dialogue. The point you are missing is that a declaration or comment based on false information or a personal attack is not the final word in a discussion, just because you are a Republican or a Republican newspaper as in the case of the Time's recent effort to suppress public dialogue on LawyerGate.
On a national level, George Bush, Karl Rove, and now John McCain are attempting to do that and the American People are Speaking up. We can't afford four more years of George Bush by electing George Bush typel politicians who would take George Bush morality to our Senate.
Your blog has deteriorated into a Republican attack machine for use against Darrel.
Therefore, I will continue the dialog whenever it is necessary to counter your lies and will continue to support my political choice of a decent man who is not one of them.
"No one has personally acted anyone. The question has been raised about the relationship of Rwiley and Darrel's sister Debra Wiley?"
And exactly what would that accomplish for you other than continue the dialogue with others who respond with you? That would only piss off PIV who just took a position against it.
The Watertown Times, David Renzi's campaign and the Republican Party have enough troubles right now burning up their money defending Dave Ranzi's sticky fingers without wasting their time chasing down an old man who might actually be "Rumplestillskin".
Oh, damnit, you TRICKED ME !!!
Holy crap! rwiley hasn't posted since 9:19. I hope he's OK and they didn't overmedicate again.
Mr Wiley, I would suggest you take a day off from this blog. Think over what you are saying. You can't possibly be serious, comparing Renzi's actions with those of your own family.
Just take a few hours off and rest.
For your own good. But then again, maybe you're going for disability money. If that's the case, just keep writing.
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