DOI: Investigations are Political
The Daily News' Juan Gonzalez award winning investigation of the corrupt CityTime contract is a hero of journalism. Gonzalez along with the U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Controller Liu are responsible for saving the city millions. Yet for some reason Gonzalez praises the Deprtment of Investigations Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn for here work in uncovering CityTime. After the NYT won the release of the former head of the city's Office of Payroll Richard Valcich letter that blew the whistle on CityTime corruption in 2003 it hard to see how the reporter said DOI did a good job. DOI has traditional been a political arm of the mayor why up till two months ago said CityTime was doing a good job. U.S. Attorneys like Bharara and Giuliani uncovered corruption in government and with elected officials. With DOI it not just CityTime.
Corrupt BOE and Council Slush Fund?
Last year DOI said it was investigating the city's Board of Elections for fired Commissioner Gonzalez's attempt to fix a ballot in a Queens special election. The BOE whose Tammany Hall structure and corruption helps incumbents win elections would be cleaned up with one serious investigation. Can you imagine if investigators got Gonzalez to rat on his fellow board commissioners. The city would need to expand Rikers Island. Over three years ago DOI said they were conducting an investigation of Speaker Quinn City Council slush fund scandal. I wonder if Quinn puppet like support for the mayor's agenda has something to do with the long stalled DOI Slush Fund Investigation? Does DOI know the names of the City Council Members and mayoral aides got their tickets fixed by the NYPD? 'CityTime' outState to nix contractor's new pacts(NYP)* New York City's $720 Million CityTime Project a Vehicle for Unprecedented Fraud Says US Prosecutor * CityTime, MTA and DOE Contract Scandal (True News) * City Council Slush Fund (True News)
