Can you use the word "asshole" in a blog?

John Milgram – Incompetent or an Asshole?

Let me share with you my recent experience with JJOKE media flak John Milgram.

I made a document request on May 16 2012 for the financial disclosure records of all JJOKE employees and commissioners.

It took about a week but John informed me that he could not fulfill the request for employee records without a specific request made for individual employees.

I told John that since the JOKE was hiring so many of Ellen’s lunch buddies in NYC at salaries in six figures I did not know the names of all the new hires in New York City and would need a list of JOKE employees required to file financial disclosure reports.

He told me to make a document request. What an asshole.

But I did.

And I specifically requested Ellen Biben’s financial disclosure report, because I knew her name.

And I waited.

And I waited.

And I waited

In my line of work that failure to provide the records told me either there is some good stuff in those reports (for me not the JOKE) or Milgram is incompetent or he was being an asshole.

So I waited

And I waited

And I waited

And then I found out that the person that copies the reports had done her job so I knew that the delay was the result of either the fact that there is some good stuff in those reports (for me not the JOKE) or Milgram is an asshole or both.

So yesterday I sent a message to Milgram that it was time to provide the records or I would be forced to get creative.

The result? I got the following email:

Dear Mr. Grandeau,

“This is in response to your records request dated May 16, 2012 for certain Commission records. In accordance with Executive Law §94(19) and the Commission’s guidelines for accessing publicly-available records at http://www.jcope.ny.gov/law/recordsaccess.html, copies of the financial disclosure statements for the Joint Commission's 14 commissioners will be available for you at the Commission's first floor reception desk Thursday morning. The statements total 183 pages, the first 40 for which there is no charge. The remaining 143 copies at $0.25 amount to $35.75, and a check made out to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics will be due upon receipt of the documents. As previously discussed, financial disclosure statements for Commission staff will be provided subsequent to a request identifying individuals whose statements you are seeking copies of. “  (ASSHOLE)

So I sent this response:

“Dear Mr. Milgram

As I am sure you are aware I requested to review these records at the commission’s office. I will then be happy to pay for any pages in excess of 40 that I require copied. As to the employee records as we discussed I have requested a list of employees that are required to file financial disclosure reports and would then request to review (once again at the commission's office) those reports. Lastly as I am sure you are aware I have requested Ms. Biben's financial disclosure report. Can you please advise when that report will be available for review? 

David Grandeau” (Reasonable)

And this was Milgram’s next move:

“Dear Mr. Grandeau,

Pursuant to Executive Law §94(19)(a)(1) financial disclosure forms are necessarily copied for public disclosure. In partial response to your May 16 records request, copies of the financial disclosure statements for the Joint Commission's 14 commissioners will be available for you at the Commission's first floor reception desk Thursday morning, June 21. The statements total 183 pages, the first 40 for which there is no charge. The remaining 143 copies at $0.25 each amount to $35.75, and a check made out to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics will be due upon receipt of the documents.”  (ASSHOLE)

And my response:

“Mr. Milgram

I strongly suggest you read Executive Law §94(19)(a)(1) and the recently promulgated commission guidelines related thereto as they both clearly state in language even a public information officer should be able to understand that the listed records are "available for public inspection".

Further the guidelines state that:

"Location of records for inspection

(a) Once granted access, access to records will be arranged by the Records Access Officer, and records will be made available in a convenient and appropriate manner.

(b) Appointments for public inspection of records at the Commission's office shall be arranged on days that the Commission is regularly open for business and during the hours of 9am-4:30pm."

If you do not understand the effect of the foregoing language I suggest you ask one of the commission's attorneys to provide you guidance.

I again insist upon being provided the opportunity to inspect the records in question at the commission's office in a convenient and appropriate manner as provided for by statute and under the commission's guidelines.

Your continued refusal to follow your own commission's guidelines leads me to the belief that you are attempting to hinder my access to these records or are incompetent.

I await your response.

David Grandeau

 (Reasonable and correct)

Now understand that thanks to a long list of corrupt and incompetent ethics officials and agencies my business has prospered and the $35.75 is not the issue.  The issue is, is John Milgram incompetent or an asshole.  What do you think?