MORAL BANKRUPTCY IN THE
HEIN AND AUERBACH CAMPAIGNS
IS STILL AN ISSUE
The staff at Ulster Politics had previously run a post about the Hein Campaign accepting money from Indian Tribes that are interested in building casinos in Ulster County.
Apparently, after this information came to light, Mike Hein returned the money. Hein's buddy, Paul Brooks, at the Times Herald record said that
There is "No ethics problem here" [barf, give us a break]
Mike Hein is returning the $1,250 contribution from the Western Mohegan Indian Tribe and Nation. The donation was the largest single contribution among the more than 200 to Hein's campaign for Ulster County executive. He is currently the county administrator. The tribe continues to lobby for support for a casino at its home, the former Tamarack resort on Route 52 outside Ellenville. "The last thing I want to do is to make an issue where there is none. I want to avoid even the appearance of anything unethical. My integrity is too important to me," Hein said.
written by: Paul Brooks
click HERE to read the article on-line
(scroll to the bottom, it's the last in a series of articles on that page)
The staff at Ulster Politics agrees, and thinks that Paul Brooks is out of his mind, and should write for Blaber News and Commentary, not a paper like the Times Herald Record. No ethics problem here? Give me a break. Thank God for people with common sense like Jim Quigley.
This is not the end of the Indian Casino Money connection with Hein and Auerbach.
There is now another $8,000 in contributions still at issue.
Click here to read the full press release put out by Jim Quigley and Len Bernardo
We at Ulster Politics are only left to conclude that Hein and Auerbach are morally bankrupt and will accept money from anyone who has a special interest in Ulster County business, but our slogan is "we report, you decide".
So let us know what you decided after reading this information.
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21 comments:
Easy to say when you are a deep pockets, self financed campaign. One can only wonder where, or even IF any money would be coming in if they weren't self financing.
No one gives a shit but the people who run this blog and the 4 other active independents/republicans who are supporting Bernardo and Quigley.
It has all been said before with other candidates and other contributors, the voters don't care where the money comes from. Don't you read the papers? The papers publish questionable contributions and they voters keep electing the same people.
Don't you read the papers 8:53?
If "no ones gives a shit", then why did Mike Hein give the money?
Actions speak louder than blogger comments 8:53, apparently Mike Hein thinks someone cares, or he would have kept the money
No one gives a shit is right. Just look at some of the people who are elected and see where the money comes from. Hein isn't the first one to give money back and he won't be the last one.
So far it appears the only ones who care were Hein and a couple of people on the blog.
Lew Kirschner has stolen enough money since that dead artist's scandal to finance Mike Hein's campaign all by himself,, but he wont put his money where his puppet's mouth is,,,
I applaud Bernardo & Quigley's campaign for telling it like it is & doing the right & MORAL thing,,,
Indian Casino money, indded,,, IT STINKS !!!!
I could be wrong but this whole moral agenda think stinks of the religious right. It reminds me of how they try impose their morals on others.
I guess it was a matter of time before Bernardo and his followers true leanings showed.
Accepting or not accepting a contribution is a political decision, not moral a decision.
Are you saying you have a problem with people who can afford to finance their own campaign? By accepting money from other people, those people are going to expect something in return. That's the way the government is today. And that is messed up. By financing his own campaign, he wont owe anyone anything on the side so Ulster County will be better off for Quigley as Comptroller!!
Mike Bloomberg is probably the most popular "politician" in America: smart, business common sense, effective, and oh yeah - independent.
We need more Mike Bloomberg's and less career politicians. Bernardo and Quigley, while not Bloomberg-esque in terms of money are independent of party bosses. That is a good thing in case you someone doesn't get that.
Good Poll on KingstonTruth!
UP, your story made #3 on
UlsterMusings.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Sunday Award Show
It is most certainly arrogant of me to do this, but then again that fits my personality :) I have decided to start a weekly awards show for the Jerk of the week. So here are the nominees:
Jerk:
(1) Jeremy Blaber for the disrespectful way he treated Terry Bernardo and the disrespectful way he treated the Ulster County Republicans at the Ulster County Fair
(2) Commissioner Roberto Rodriguez from the Department of Social Services for sending the package involved in "antgate"
(3) Mike Hein for taking money from the Indians in the first place and not yet returning the money from their lawyer
And the winner is.............................................................................................
JEREMY BLABER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE)
CONGRATULATIONS JEREMY
12:00pm.
This has nothing to do with the "religious right" I have a real problem with politicians taking money from people that want to do business with the County. Jim Quigley put it better than I could ever say it.
“You avoid the appearance of impropriety by not accepting the money in the first place, not by returning it after it comes to the public’s attention.” “Pay to play government may be the reality in Albany and Washington. It shouldn’t be, and it certainly shouldn’t be the case in Ellenville and Kingston. If a stock analyst was given donations by a company he was reporting on, he could go to jail, but in politics it’s apparently called a contribution. I don’t find it acceptable. That system has got to end.”
Yes, I think it's a moral problem. And BTW, the original post about "moral bankruptcy" was a play on words retorting Blaber's post about the Bernardo Campaign being "financially bankrupt". So I think that your "religious" connection is a little far reaching here.
The stock analyst comparison that Quigley makes is dead on. The reason it's not law is because it would be politicians who would have to make the law, and they are not going to outlaw their own gravy trains.
But just because it's not illegal does not mean it's not immoral.
I will vote for Jim Quigley because he is above this nonsense.
BTW, 11:13am, I'd love to know what the "dead artists scandal" involving Lew Kirschner is.
"The staff of Ulster Politics"? Who might they be?
Did you ever try and post something about Nickie Woerner over on Blabers? Never makes it to the board.
I don't know, it is like he is protecting his girlfriend or something ;- 0
The Dead Artist's scandal is over a dozen years ago, a "famous" Woodstock artist & his "friend" were traveling cross country & the artist died enroute. Without a will the County took over his estate & his paintings were deemed valuable.
Some dissapeared & the guy who was chosen to have the estate's auction was a cousin or nephew or some relative of Lew Kirschner.
This all came out after the sale of the estate & the friend of the artist ( who also brought he corpse home in his pick-up,,funny stuff,,, ) got ripped off, he claims,, & the estate got raided from the boys in charge of the auction.
It was reported but mostly covered up.
there was some follow up, but Lew & his "relative" were accused of ripping off the Artist.
this is a recollection of the facts,, not necessarily in correct order,, & i may have left out some stuff,, but you get the idea.
10:55, Thank You for explaining the dead artist and Lew Kirschner connection.
So it seems like that is Ulster County's Chappaquiddick.
It seems that if Lew Kirschner is Michael Hein's campaingn manager, can we look forward to more of the same if Hein gets elected?
It seems like a vote for Micheal is a vote for the good old boys, and that would be very dangerous for the taxpayers of Ulster County.
to 10:55
I am not a supporter of Hein's but I have to admit to having trouble following your logic to your conclusion. I wouldn't necessarily come to the same conclusion as you have. Lew Kirschner is not Mike Hein.
Add Sennett and Auerbach to that list. They have a stronger guard with Blaber than Woerner does. I have never once witnessed a negative Sennett post or comment. He's not even trying to be fair.
I read in Hugh Reynold's column the other day that Hein said he wasn't aware of the Western Mohegan contribution. Does Hein, who claims to be the "watchdog" of county finances, really expect us to believe he's not closely monitoring his own campaign finances? Hein thinks we are all stupid!!!
11:57 AM Jon Sennett is a man of class and integrity and I will not let him be attacked on my blog by anonymous people that are nasty and bitter. Not to mention the guy is not running for public office, so I don't see why you can't leave him alone. Your just nasty and jealous of his success.
I see Blaber still reads and posts here, but can't be bothered to respond to me or post my messages!
I notice his use of the word "bitter" and a few other stylistic "tics" that suggest HE may be the "anonymous" person attacking me, because HE lacks the courage to address my points and challenges! Does he have the guts to deny it? Does he have the guts to post my messages and deal with them?
*I* am NOT an anonymous person, so he can't use that excuse! *I* have not leveled any unsupportable claims, so he can't use that excuse either.
I would be happy to debate him point-for-point on Auerbach, once he admits he barely knows the guy, and knows even less about what actually has been going on down here in Ellenville.
I thought Sennett was running for Chairman of the County Democratic party? What happened to that?
In August 7, 2008, Ellenville Journal
Article about the press release that Bernardo and Quigley sent out denouncing the acceptance of campaign funding from attorney David Lenefsky by then respective opponents, Democrats Michael Hein and Elliott Auerbach. The full press release is on Bernardo’s website.
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Candidates Spar Over Campaign Donations
The press release states, “Hein and Auerbach, along with the Ulster County Democratic Party have taken $8,000 in contributions from David Lenefsky, the lawyer/lobbyist for the Western Mohigan Tribe and Nation in 2007/2008. The so-called ‘Tribe’ has received strong support from Auerbach, the Village of Ellenville Manager to locate a casino in Wawarsing.”
When asked about the press release, Bernardo said this week that he wanted to call attention to the contributions because, “it’s important for us as candidates to be very moral about how we’re doing things and to make sure we’re not getting attached to special interests.” “ As candidates we have a responsibility to make sure that we’re not taking money from folks that may have influence on decisions that we make at the end of the day,” he said.
Responding to the accusations, Auerbach said that his list of contributors was a matter of public record, and that Lenefsky’s contributions should not be any concern. “I could understand their concern if I had taken a contribution from the Western Mohigan tribe,” said Auerbach on Monday. “There are several attorneys on that list, Lenefsky being one of several, who probably have a varied array of clients, ranging from private to public companies. Are we going to paint them all with the same brush?” “The comptroller’s position is not a policy making position,” he elaborated.” I probably understand where my opponents are reaching to, but I just think they’ve over extended their reach when it comes to those accusations.” He went on to say he had known Lenefsky “long before the Indians showed up on the scene.” “I met him probably ten or fifteen years ago. He was the attorney for, among other people, [Congressman] Maurice Hinchey.”
Bernardo responded to Auerbach’s defense, saying, “I have lawyers on my contributors list as well – but they have no special interests.” “Elliott [Auerbach] and Michael [Hein] are taking money from folks that have special interests in mind.” continued Bernardo. “If that’s the way Elliott wants to defend it, far be it from me to disagree with him. I personally think that that could be somewhat of a conflict. I know he’s not setting policy. I know he’s a comptroller, but his standards should be higher than anyone’s. Obviously, he’s going to be the eyes and the ears of the taxpayers at the end of the day. And having that job, it’s very important for him to know that he has to stand firm in making sure that he has no one able to pull those coat strings, even though he’s not setting policy.”
Bernardo also brought up another portion of the press release which condemns Hein for his receipt of $1,250 from the Western Mohegan tribe, even though Hein sent the check back.
“He shouldn’t have taken that in the beginning, because, again, that makes you somewhat attached to them, and he should know better than that,” said Bernardo. “If he wants to remain bipartisan, it’s bipartisan from lobbyists, bipartisan from politicians as well. So he has a lot to think about.”
As of this week, Hein’s campaign has raised $80,805 and Auerbach’s has raised $14,220, while Bernardo’s campaign has raised $12,010 and Quigley’s has raised $17,500. When asked if the attack on Hein and Auerbach’s campaigns stemmed from their campaigns having raised more money than he and Quigley, Bernardo said the connection was without merit. “It’s baseless, quite frankly. It’s not a matter of how many people; it’s the quality of the people,” he said.
Hein, who is currently serving as the Ulster county Administrator, responded to our inquiry with some surprise, saying, “You’re the first reporter that actually called me – that got absolutely no traction, because, to be frank with you, it’s a non-issue.” “Once we confirmed that the check had actually come in from [the Western Mohegans], we sent it back,” explained Hein on Tuesday. “The facts are simple. I have an enormous amount of support across a wide spectrum of people, which ranges from people who have given me $20 to people who have given me $1,000. I have a strong sense of integrity, and make decisions based on what is in the best interests of the people of Ulster county. My opponent is trying to use personal wealth and political connections to buy this election, rather than focus on substantive issues facing the people of Ulster County. It’s sad to see this sort of desperate attempt.”
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