National search for the next Sugarman

For those of you expecting the next chapter in the Leathers novel you will have to wait a day or two, a couple of things have tweaked my outrage and they just don't fit into the novel at this point so I'll just blog about them to relieve my outrage and allow me to get on with my work with a clear head.

Let's start with the settlement of the LLC loophole case brought by Risa Sugarman and then we can talk about JJOKE's mythical national search for Kevin Gagan.

Sugarman got a settlement and a $10000 fine from the CAMPAIGN account of some losing candidate whose name doesn't matter because no one cared.  This settlement, if you believe the experts quoted in the Times Union, is suppose to act as a deterrent against the use of LLCs to raise money in campaigns, an evil thing as every reform group, goo goo and editorial will tell you.  Risa must have believed the LLC loophole (by the way what is the definition of a loophole?) was an evil thing to have brought the suit but quite frankly who gives a shit what Risa thinks.  The Board of Elections where she works hasn't changed the rules that allow LLC donations and the Legislature hasn't changed the laws to prohibit it.  Hell even the Governor whom Risa really works for hasn't stopped raising money from LLCs NOR SHOULD HE it's legal.  Now the fact that Risa, without any appointing authorities approval brought a law suit against some nobody may at least have had the dubious benefit of forcing a legal decision on LLC donations but she didn't see it thru to a judicial conclusion.  Instead I bet she got a call from the second floor and settled this case ASAP.  And here is the true hypocracy of Risa Sugarman's pursuit to close the LLC loophole.  The fine she insisted on to settle the case came from the campaign account, which used . . . wait for it . . . the LLC donated money.  Risa never made the campaign return the tainted LLC money to the evil LLC  NOOOOOOO she took that blood money herself.  It seems to me if the LLC money is good enough for Risa it's good enough for any candidate that wants it.  And for Blair Horner or Susan Lerner or the Times Union editorial staff to say it is  a step in the right direction, it's not it's just a huge stinking load of Albany reform bullshit.

Speaking of Albany reform bullshit, it has been over a month since LT resigned and JJOKE announced it would undertake a national search for her replacement.  Has anyone seen or heard of this search actually being undertaken?  I only ask because I would like to apply for the job but haven't seen nor heard of it being posted anywhere not even on the JJOKE website.  I only wish to apply because I am certain that Kevin Gagan will get the job so my application would provide me much amusement with no risk of actually having to come back and straighten out this huge stinking pile of ethics reform bullshit.  Hey Kevin have LT set up a date for coffee and I'll save you a couple of years of agony.  Does anyone, even my many detractors (don't hate the playa hate the game) really believe I don't possess the very qualifications the JJOKE commissioners announced they where looking for? Knowledge of ethics enforcement, years of experience and totally independent from the appointing authorities.  Hell the first thing I would do is investigate JJOKE and it's commissioners.  HMMMM that alone may be worth the price of admission.

By the way given what I know and what I've done for the last 20 years can someone explain to me why that review board looking at JJOKE hasn't reached out for my thoughts?  I know Patty Salkin, I'm not a fan but I know her, you would think she would want my input if for no other reason than to learn the real problems with huge stinking piles of ethics reform bullshit before she stepped in one.

So that JJOKE can not be mistaken I hereby apply for the vacant position of Executive Director.  Do I at least get an interview?  I'll open my interview to the media it should make for an interesting pile of ethics reform bullshit. 

I still got my shovel.