UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Anybody watch Spitzer’s new show last night? Didn’t think so since the only thing less appealing than watching Elliot try to rehab his image is doing so with the visual of him and a hooker playing in your mind at the same time.

Anyway I did watch the snippet posted on the DN blog of Elliot and Henry Blodgett and I hope the crack team of investigators at PIC did as well because right there on national television is an example of special counsel Ralph’s new interpretation of the lifetime bar.

Elliot has a segment called “unfinished business” where he interviews people he persecuted oops prostituted oops prosecuted in his past. He revisits cases from his time as AG (and I would imagine governor as the show progresses). I actually might watch the steamroller interview some of his former opponents. It was hilarious to see him brag about how he got the bad guy for misleading investors then turn around and praise him for now having a web site that advises investors. Hypocrisy thy name is Elliot. Spitzer would be perfect on the PIC.

Now under special counsel Ralph’s expanded and totally inaccurate version of the lifetime bar Elliot would be subject to a $40,000 fine for receiving compensation for communicating about a case in which he personally participated while in public service.

Ridiculous right?

That was never what the lifetime bar was intended to prohibit. If special counsel Ralph is right in his expanded view of the lifetime bar Elliot and I are not the only ones in danger of violating it. Commissioner’s Celli and Peters both worked for Elliot at the AG’s office, better check your cases make sure you have not represented a client on any matter involving a law or program instituted while you worked for the AG (stop and frisk perhaps). I could go on and on with well known former public officials that would have violated special counsel Ralph’s new lifetime bar but I’m now actually looking forward to the opinion Barry has told me is forthcoming from the commission. It’s going to apply to all of us and I’m thinking the perfect person to represent all of the former state workers damaged by this forthcoming opinion would be former Ethics Executive Director Karl Sleight the only problem? Karl would be barred from ever representing anyone related to the lifetime bar since he was Executive Director when many of the old opinions on the subject where issued. Now since I know Karl has represented folks before the PIC that must mean that special counsel Ralph’s lifetime bar only applies to me. I’m honored.

Oh by the way I want to correct something I wrote in a previous blog. I said that there was only one case left from my time at the Lobby Commission. That case was Abbrussezze but I remembered their might be another we had an open investigation into the SUNY Research Foundation and I honestly don’t remember if it was closed. Anyway I don’t represent anyone associated with that entity so it shouldn’t be an issue for Ralph, yet.

Speaking of unfinished business Mr. Cherkasky it’s going to be two months next Thursday and still no answer to what you called the simple question of did the commission change the way it calculates due dates. Please don’t use that tired old excuse of being understaffed when I ask the question again. It’s never too late to take a step in the right direction, anytime you want to meet and talk about all this I’m ready willing and able I’ll even buy lunch it won’t be the first time a chairman of PIC ate lunch on my AmEx card.