“I’m taking a pounding - and it’s well-deserved. It was irresponsible of me,” said NYS Comptroller Alan Hevesi in Lake George last week, apologizing for his outrageous use of a State employee to as a driver for his ailing wife.

Last week, under pressure, Hevesi personally repaid $82,688 for what he says were the costs involved, since 2003, for having Nicholas Acquafredda, a member of his security detail, drive his wife Carol using a Hevesi family car. Hevesi had once reimbursed the City more than $6,000 for having the very same Acquafreeda drive his wife when Hevesi was Comptroller of the City.

How did the scandal-in-waiting become public?

J. Chris Callahan, the unknown Republican who is challenging Alan’s seemingly easy run for reelection, filed a complaint.

Hevesi reacted claiming he had approval from the State Ethics Commission to use the driver if security was a factor and if he repaid the State for costs. In three years he failed to repay anything and apparently had not produced any response or documentation concerning the need for security. His explanation now hinges on the need for security for his ill wife because of threats against him and his “intention” but tardiness in repaying the funds.

The Comptroller is the fiscal watchdog of the State’s funds.

Boom!



IT’S RE-ELECTION TIME

The good news for Alan is he is so far ahead of Callahan in polls, name recognition and fundraising that his election could only be jeopardized by the political classic line of being found in bed with a live underage boy or a dead underage girl.

The bad news is that this is not going away. It will be the subject of much commentary and investigation in the immediate future and will be a footnote on everything he does as he goes forward.

Financial shady dealings is a terrible thing from any elected official. Financial shady dealing is usually a career-ender for an elected official charged with watching public funds.

Even though we expect this incident to rise to the level of scandal -- if it has not already -- and be investigated by several public offices, short of a an indictment for criminal wrong-doing, Alan Hevesi will likely spend the next four years as State Comptroller trying to win back his once shiny image.

We’ve known Alan forever and share some brief memories below, reprinted from our column of June 13, 2001.

One small scenario not included in that column’s reminising, took place in the hallway of Long Island Jewish hospital more than a decade ago. My father-in-law was recovering at LIJ where I visited him. In the next room was Carol Hevesi, Alan’s wife. It was during the walk in the hallway of LIJ with Alan that I first found out that Carol was in constant pain from a chronic back ailment. It was then that I first saw Alan seriously distressed about the condition of his wife.

It was apparently Carol’s need for continual care that caused Alan both as City Comptroller and State Comptroller to use Acquafredda as a chauffer for his wife.



WHAT’S NEXT?

I feel for Alan but like everyone else in this State, I am outraged about the use of public employees for personal purposes. It is wrong; it is unacceptable!

The fact that it started when Alan was City Comptroller and continued for the past three plus years with the same guy on the public payroll indicates just how arrogant our good public officials can get.

I like and respect Alan Hevesi but this single outrageous misstep is indicative of a climate in State Government – if not in public service in general – that elected officials hold themselves above the law.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not calling for Alan’s head. I clearly hope he recovers from this scandal. However, it must be fully investigated and all facts disclosed. The public cannot rely on the Comptroller’s own office to calculate the bill due. The relevant correspondence with the Ethics Commission should be made public prior to Election Day. All appropriate investigative offices should, without regard to the upcoming election, treat this matter in a non-partisan and expeditious manner.

Our Governor-to-be, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the State’s highest law enforcement official, should investigate the matter with the same rigor he has pursued others for the past almost eight years.



CHECKING THE RECORD

When a routine Comptroller’s audit revealed upstate Clerk-Treasurer of Little Valley, NY, Tammy Buchhardt had used State funds for personal purposes and did not provide proper documentation, Hevesi and his staff reacted. His auditors questioned some $72,000 in expenses of the Clerk-Treasurer which the mayor and board of trustees failed to properly review and the Village officials only requested Buchhardt repay approximately $8,000. Hevesi’s staff referred the audit findings to the State Attorney General’s Office.

A Comptroller Office press release dated Feb. 8, 2005 said:

“Rarely have we seen such blatant misuse of credit card privileges and inappropriate spending of public money that was seemingly overlooked,” said Hevesi.

Hevesi’s auditors recommended, “Terminate Buchhardt, require her to repay money due to the Village and request that law enforcement officials conduct a criminal investigation.”

Certainly, Hevesi should request similar review of his own actions. His simple decision to repay what his office calculates and to apologize for his lapse in judgment does not meet the standards he has established.

We believe Alan will be easily re-elected. We hope his actions are investigated quickly and thoroughly and he is able to abide by the judgments made and continue to serve our state.

We wish him, Carol and the family well.

Not4Publication.com by Dom Nunziato