JERKOFF commission is trying to give me a hand job

IT'S THE PEOPLE STUPID

And Ariel Dvorkin the newly minted "Coordinator" of the NY Ethics Review Commission (JERKOFF) has proven my point yet again.

A week ago I made a FOIL request of Salkin that her commission provide some pretty simple documentation to establish her public statements about why the public hearing scheduled for Albany was cancelled.  Well tonight, exactly one week after my request, I got a response from Ariel Dvorkin on Ethics Review Stationary listing him as "Coordinator".  And true to form it was the standard state agency response under the Cuomo regime of we got your Foil and we will let you know in 20 days what we plan to do about it.  Perfectly legal but far from transparent.

What are they hiding this time?

I'll wait the 20 days but will be on the phone Tuesday to Blair Horner to see if the goo goos are going to take a stand against the charade of this review commission or go along and become part of the circle JERKOFF on Wednesday.

Remember Blair when it comes to ethics masturbation the pleasure given equals the pleasure received.

For those that want to see Ariels email and my response I've copied it below.

-----Original Message-----
From: "Dvorkin, Ariel"
Sent: Oct 12, 2015 6:05 PM
To: "'grandeau@ix.netcom.com'"
Subject: Initial response to FOIL request

David, attached is the acknowledgement letter for your FOIL request. Thanks very much.

 

Ariel Dvorkin

Ariel

 

Congratulations on your appointment? as "Coordinator" of the New York Ethics Review Commission.  Does the position of Coordinator make you a member of the Commission or an employee?  Does this mean you are subject to the restrictions that are associated with employment or appointment to a New York State Commission?  In any event your response to my FOIL request shows you have mastered the skill required to be involved with any New York State ethics agency.  A 20 day response to provide an "update or final determination"?  Really? could you be less transparent?   We both know you have the ability to provide the information I requested but you are choosing to delay before you refuse to provide it.  And we both know why you are choosing to act with little or no integrity.  But rest assured I shall patiently await your next response to my FOIL request and continue to post all your responses so the media and public can see how truly ineffectual you and the commission you are the Coordinator of are.  By the way I still have not received any of the material I requested from Ms. Salkin that I or anyone else would need to provide cogent testimony at your public hearing on Wednesday.  Would you care to provide just a modicum of honesty by letting me know you don't have that material so that I don't waste a trip to New York City to watch the good government groups embarrass themselves by repeating the same old nonsense about fewer commissioners and more transparency.

 

David

 

JJOKE meeting got hot and I have the inside scoop

To those who watched the JJOKE meeting yesterday it was obvious that the debate got heated, what you could not tell unless you were actually present (and not a single representative of JERKOFF was there) was that the room itself was hot as hell, and I know why.  Marvin Jacobs is suffering from a cold and asked commission staff to raise the heat.  Being as incompetent as they are they overdid it and we all sweated like lower east side sweatshop workers in the old days.  Now Chairman Dan Horwitz didn't sweat from the heat because once again the JJOKE chairman didn't have the courtesy to actually attend the meeting in person.  I think Dan is just afraid to face Marvin and George Weissman, who made their dislike of Horwitz known to all that could hear their cross table whispering.  As I get older my hearing fails me at times but I was pretty close to the table, in fact I felt like Roy Cohn at a McCarthy hearing with as much whispering of advice as I gave Cavullo and Weissman, but I could have sworn I heard Weissman tell Marvin that if Horwitz ever showed up he would "teach that "pissant" a lesson he'd never forget" and I'm 99% sure Marvin responded "we know how to handle "fagellas" like him on the lower east side".  Now if I was Horwitz I wouldn't worry about those two I'd keep my eye on Joe Cavullo.  For an old guy I'm sure he can still throw down and he strikes me as a commissioner who just doesn't give a fuck about being politically correct anymore.  He had the best moment of the meeting when he told the other commissioners to resign if they would have to ask for an exemption from the financial disclosure reports for their clients with referral business from lobbyists.  You should have seen Gary Levine turn white.  But to be fair after the meeting I asked Gary a very direct question.  I asked did he represent any lobbyists or clients with state business.  He hesitated and then said no.  I'll be checking that answer out and let you know what I find out.

On the subject of the nationwide search for the next executive director I took the opportunity before the meeting began to secure Marvin's support for my candidacy.  That's one vote I just need 7 more.  Cavullo and Weissman told me to submit a resume, to which I responded if you don't know who I am why are you involved in voting for the next head of the agency.  I'm kind of a big deal when it comes to ethics in New York, just ask Patty Salkin or Barbara Bartoletti.  Gary Levine told the other commissioners in front of the media that I was brilliant and should receive serious consideration.  I'm going to count Gary as a yes vote until he is told by Horwitz not to bring my name up during any conversation about the next executive director.  Now I did get the opportunity to speak with the person that will become JJOKE's next executive director, Kevin Gagan.  I must say he doesn't look like a cop and he didn't act like a cop he just sounded and acted like a guy that has realized he is in way over his head.  I told him to call me for a cup of coffee and I'd try to save him from a year of misery and a potential subpoena from the U S Attorneys office.  He's got time because the Cuomo crowd will stall until the pain in the ass legislative appointed commissioners are replaced.  Then Horwitz can go back to being the bully that he naturally is without fear that a commissioner will knock his dick in the dirt in front of everyone.  It happened so often this last meeting you have to wonder if Dan thinks getting his wife a $200000 + job from the Cuomo crowd is worth it.  Well people will go a long way to help family just ask Skelos or Salkin or Bruno or Holzer (that's a Biben reference, more of that research I do) or . . . well it's a long list which I may publish one of these days.

I also got a chance to introduce Marvin to Chris Bragg from the Times Union.  Marvin was bothered that every time Chris writes about Marvin he prefaces it with "appointed by indicted former speaker Sheldon Silver"  I explained to Marvin if Chris wanted to be snide or snarky he could pull a Casey Sielor and preface it with "appointed by his old school roommate and indicted former speaker Sheldon Silver".  Marvin was speechless, but part of being a serious reporter is doing your research.

Had Salkin or anyone else from the JERKOFF commission seen the meeting they would have been able to see Horwitz um and ahh his way thru the usual announcement at the conclusion of the executive session "we did a little of this granted a couple of those settled some other things and agreed upon an amnesty program for lobby filiers"  What did he just mumble? an amnesty program for lobby filiers.  Now just wait a second you voted on something effecting the Lobby Act in a secret executive session?  I'm shocked that is a clear violation of the Public Officers Law.  Issues under the Lobby Act require public meetings.  Well I'm sure Salkin will include that in her well written report on JJOKE.  Maybe she can even have a Senate intern review the legal issue for her.  Independent my ass.  I do my research Patty and I don't ever stop.  You never know Patty your independence or lack thereof may even come up at that public hearing next week waaaaay down in New York City.  Of course you could always cancel it tomorrow, it being the Friday before a holiday on Monday the timing would be perfect.

I'm going to do my own review of the JERKOFF (JjokE Review Kommission OFFicial coverup)

So the accomplished intelligent independent lawyers on the JJOKE review commission announced the cancellation of their Albany public hearing.  They did it on a Friday afternoon, does that remind anyone of someone else's press strategy for bad news?

The reason they proffered after I requested an explanation was as follows in reverse order as I've provided the entire email trail:

From: grandeau@ix.netcom.com

To: "admin@nyethicsreview.org"

Subject: Re: Public Hearing Notice and Update

Date: Oct 2, 2015 5:38 PM

Ariel No offense but you and your commission are a joke, a joke I've seen too many times    get me the data I requested that Patty obtain and I'll talk to you anytime and anywhere.  Otherwise I will wait to comment on what I am sure will be a well written report based on hopes and wishes, I'm just not sure whose hopes and wishes.   As an aside if you really thought it "would be best not to conflict with JCOPE's public meeting"  why not hold your hearing pre or post the JJOKE meeting?  That way you could have actually attended a JJOKE meeting and had first hand knowledge.   I'll be at JJOKE on the 7th I'm sure I'll see you and the rest of the review commission there. If you really want to know what I think is wrong with JJOKE and your commission it can be summed up as "IT"S THE PEOPLE STUPID"  the stupid I'm referring to is not you individually as I don't know anything about you yet but rather those that keep thinking you can change the ethics laws and somehow change ethics by so doing. David -----Original Message----- From: "admin@nyethicsreview.org" Sent: Oct 2, 2015 5:26 PM To: David Grandeau Subject: Re: Public Hearing Notice and Update Hi David, it's Ariel Dvorkin. The Commission realized that it would be best not to conflict with JCOPE's public meeting and nearly everyone who expressed interest in testifying wanted to do so at the NYC hearing on October 14. The Commission is still very interested in hearing from you, so you are welcome to come to NYC to testify on the 14th. Alternatively, if you don't think you can come, we would be happy to schedule a conference call between you and members of the Commission. Please let me know. Thank you very much. On Fri, Oct 2, 2015 at 4:15 PM, David Grandeau <grandeau@ix.netcom.com> wrote: Why is the hearing cancelled? Sent from my iPhone On Oct 2, 2015, at 3:58 PM, "admin@nyethicsreview.org" <admin@nyethicsreview.org> wrote: Please be advised that the New York Ethics Review Commission (also known as the JCOPE Review Commission), chaired by Senator Dale Volker (Ret.) has cancelled its hearing on October 7 in Albany. The Commission will proceed with the public hearing on October 14, with details below.  If anyone intended to appear before the Commission on October 7, they are encouraged to submit appear at the hearing in New York City, or submit written testimony to admin@nyethicsreview.org. Ariel acts as if the JJOKE meeting on the 7th was a big surprise to his commission and the conflict that they avoided was somehow unavoidable.  Do they really think anyone believes that?  You are reviewing JJOKE and you didn't know their meeting schedule?  It's only been on line all year.   That's quite a comprehensive review they've undertaken. Salkin's review commission is just an amateurish attempt to mimic the independence of the Moreland Commission.  But now it's made me curious so I'll start my own review.  Here is today's request of  JERKOFF (JjokE Review Kommission OFFficial coverup): From: grandeau@ix.netcom.com To: Patricia Salkin Cc: "dg@davidgrandeau.com" , "Crowell,Anthony" , "Dvorkin,Ariel" Subject: FOIL request Date: Oct 5, 2015 8:20 AM Please grant access to the following records:   List of all individuals and/or groups that had requested to appear at the October 7, 2015 public hearing as of close of business October 2, 2015 List of all individuals and/or groups that had requested to appear at the October 14, 2015 public hearing as of close of business October 2, 2015 Any correspondence from any member and/or staff of the JCOPE review commission with any officer of employee of the executive branch of the State of New York as of close of business October 2, 2015 Any correspondence from any member and/or staff of the JCOPE review commission with any commissioner and/or employee of the JCOPE as of close of business October 2, 2015 Any records of phone conversations between any member and/or staff of the JCOPE review commission with any officer of employee of the executive branch of the State of New York as of close of business October 2, 2015 Any records of electronic conversations between any member and/or staff of the JCOPE review commission with any officer of employee of the executive branch of the State of New York as of close of business October 2, 2015 Copies of all written materials obtained from JCOPE prior to close of business October 2, 2015 Copies of all written materials requested from JCOPE prior to close of business October 2, 2015   Please notify me when these records are available for review and the location where they may be reviewed   David Grandeau   OK Patty you have my attention now lets dance.

If a JJOKE review Commission cancels it's public hearing does anyone care?

The answer to that question is NO

I live for reviewing JJOKE and I don't care.  It's one less hypocritical outrage for me to deal with.

Patty Salkin and her commission never intended to actually review JJOKE and they certainly did not want me to ask them how they could do their review without asking for even the most basic data, so as far as I'm concerned all that's left is to find out which accomplished independent lawyer got the call from Cuomo's office to cancel the hearing.  

Sure they will hold it in NYC where only the good government groups will show up.  No one from the media that has already written off JJOKE (and that's everyone) will be there.  And if I can't get in front of some tv cameras why should I travel.  Hell I can blog about my thoughts and reach as many people who care about this issue as any reporter in NYC that attends can.   Wait a minute I've been doing that for 7 years.

Barbara Bartoletti what do you think about the cancellation?  These are all accomplished independent lawyers that must have a good reason . . . right?

IT"S THE PEOPLE STUPID

See no need for a review commission it's always the people.

Who just stepped in a huge stinking pile of ethics reform horseshit?

That list is as long and illustrious as my . . . (that will be enough of the top gun quotes for now) but lets focus on some easy ones that are particularly timely.

As I recently blogged Barbara Bartoletti of the League of Women Voters is an ethics lightweight but that didn't stop her from going balls deep into the latest pile of ethics horseshit.  Specifically her recent comments on the independence of the appointed members of the JJOKE review commission.  I don't have the time to do an in depth review of the independence of the members of that commission (and apparently they don't have the time, creativity or talent to do one of JJOKE either, but I will get to that in a moment) but I am a curious and cynical type so I took a quick look at one commissioner, Patricia Salkin.  Independence is a funny thing and somewhat subjective but those that believe they are independent enough to review the work of a state ethics agency should at least consider the appearance of their independence.  On that point I think Ms. Salkin is blind to her own appearance and I am positive Ms. Bartoletti did not do even the most basic analysis before anointing Ms. Salkin as independent.  Consider the following facts I gleaned from a quick review of Ms. Salkins connections.  And keep in mind I have not verified what Ms. Salkin or her husband Howard Gross have said in published reports about themselves.  Mr. Gross has a business that in the past has been enriched by a number of contracts it has with the State of New York and has similarly suffered serious business reversals when those contract were cancelled but then made an impressive financial recovery when it landed more State contracts.  According to the Albany Business Review when it comes to Mr. Gross's business and state contracts

 ". . . there’s no ignoring that the state contract work speaks volumes, as the jobs from the two agencies represent the lion’s share of E-BizDocs' revenue. Earlier this year, before E-BizDocs secured the contracts, the records-management company operated with a staff of 22.

The newest contract involves scanning 80,000 boxes of paper documents to electronic format for the New York State Dormitory Authority.

Gross calls the project “a long-term initiative with no end in sight.” The work should generate $400,000 this year and keep 7-9 people employed for its duration.

“This is a huge opportunity for us,” Gross says."

 

Huge opportunities for your spouse have a funny way of effecting ones independence, don't you agree Ms. Bartoletti?

 

And it's not just Ms. Salkin's husband that benefits from state contracts Ms. Salkin herself has received consulting contracts from the State of New York in the past.  According to her bio on the Touro Law School website she has performed  "consulting work for various
state agencies in New York"

 

Now I don't know if she still does consulting work for New York State or plans to in the future but I think it's an important fact to know when it comes to judging her independence on the JJOKE review commission don't you Ms. Bartoletti?

 

On that same website bio I found the following "Dean Salkin has served on the transition teams for
attorneys general-elect Eric Schneiderman, Andrew Cuomo and Eliot Spitzer"

 

At a minimum any connection to Spitzer, the whore fucker, by someone reviewing the work of New York's ethics agencies is troubling.  But maybe the JJOKE review commission can take another look at how the airplane trip on a state plane to go fuck the whore was handled by our ethics agencies.  I wrote about it on my blog.  In case you haven't read it here it is again Ms. Bartoletti 

 

 http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2013/07/when-it-comes-to-elliot-spitzer-and.html   

 

Seeing how Ms. Salkin served on the governors transition team for Attorney General  goes a long way to explaining why she is on this review commission wouldn't you agree Ms. Bartoletti?  How it explains her independence I'm at a loss to understand.

 

Ms. Salkin's service on Mr. Schneiderman's transition team is far more troubling in the context of her review of JJOKE.  In case either Ms. Bartoletti or Ms. Salkin were unaware several ethics complaints were filed against Mr. Schneiderman by my clients Donald Trump and Hank Greenberg.  How those complaints were handled could serve as a very useful case study as to JJOKE's effectiveness.  But to do that we need to know what it was that JJOKE did with them.  In the Trump complaint Mr. Trump had to sue JJOKE to force a vote on the complaint.  JJOKE lost that suit and then voted not to pursue the complaint.  A review of what led to those actions would certainly shed light on JJOKE's dark inner workings.  Will Ms. Salkin demand access to those records as part of her independent review of JJOKE?  Will she ask Schneiderman for his records related to the complaint and JJOKE investigation?  What do you think Ms. Bartoletti?  When it comes to the Greenberg complaint JJOKE actions get even more curious and beg for an independent review.  Although presented with voluminous records of  clear violations by members of Mr. Schneiderman's office JJOKE fashioned a no fine settlement that rewrote the rules on the provision of gifts to state officials.  I'd heard rumors of JJOKE commissioners being influenced by Schneiderman's minions but without access to the secret JJOKE investigation files and minutes we will never know. Will Ms. Salkin demand access to those records as part of her independent review of JJOKE?  Will she ask Schneiderman for his records related to the complaint and JJOKE investigation?  What do you think Ms. Bartoletti?

 

Speaking of Ms. Salkin I still have not heard back from her on the timing for my public appearance before her independent review commission.  Nor has she replied to my request for copies of JJOKE records that would make that request and analysis meaningful.  She did tell the Times Union that her commission has not requested records from JJOKE . . . yet.  Lets see if they ever do.  The Times Unions top spellchecking reporter Casey Sielor did post that the date and time for the Albany hearing has been posted on the commissions website and that it conflicts with JJOKE's next meeting also in Albany.  Now maybe I am being too critical of this accomplished group of independent lawyers but what the fuck were they thinking?  Salkin has asked for my suggestions as they go thru the review process so I sent her the following email today.

 

Patty

I haven't heard back from you as to my appearance in front of your commission nor have I received a reply to my request for any information you may have gathered from JJOKE but I did read in the Times Union that you have not asked for any of the relevant information.  I suggest you do so in a timely fashion to take advantage of the opportunity that has been afforded you by your appointment.  Additionally I read that your public hearing will be held in Albany at Albany Law School and will conflict with the next JJOKE meeting.  At the risk of being arrogant let me suggest that both the time and location of your hearing are poorly chosen and ethically tone deaf.  I am positive few if any of your commissioners have actually attended a meeting of JJOKE in person.  Don't you think they should?  The date of October 7th provides the perfect opportunity to attend the JJOKE meeting and then hold the hearing at JJOKE with all JJOKE commissioners (at least those that bother to attend in person) available to testify.  Their public input, I'm sure you would agree is invaluable to your review.  Lastly holding the public hearing at JJOKE would allow both those interested in ethics and those in the media to attend both the JJOKE meeting and your hearing, as opposed to having to choose between these two very worthwhile educational opportunities and would have the added benefit of avoiding Albany Law School, the client of a registered lobbyist and therefor subject to the strictures of the Lobby Act, possibly providing what could be seen at worst as an illegal gift or a reportable business relationship to your state commission and at best the appearance of impropriety, by giving you free space, unless of course the state is paying for the rental of that space, in which case I must ask why you are wasting taxpayer funds to rent when the state can provide any number of state locations, including JJOKE for free.  I shall await your response and look forward to providing additional suggestions as your hearings draw near.

David

 

 

 

You would think all these accomplished independent appointees could manage not to step in the huge stinking piles of ethics reform horseshit that litter Albany . . . just once. PLEASE.

 

 

Chapter 33

Pat had a call for me on hold.  “Leathers a Mr. Ping Bo Xian is on the phone”

I had been waiting for Ping Pong to call about Dante, this would be a delicate matter I had to be firm without pissing off the US Attorney.  “Is it Ping or one of his assistants?”

“It’s Mr. Bo Xian and don’t be an asshole Leathers I’m not going to visit you in some federal prison”

“Put him through Pat and if they were going to arrest me they wouldn’t call first they would visit my home at 7am”

“Mort Leatherbaum may I help you?”

“I certainly hope so Mr. Leatherbaum, it’s Ping Bo Xian I am the US Attorney for the Southern District and I’d like to take a moment of your time to speak with you”

“Please call me Leathers and I am happy to speak with you should we meet in person?”

“In person would be fine and call me Mr. Bo Xian the only people that call me Ping are my friends and family and the only people that call me Ping Pong are those in prison or soon to be in prison”

“Certainly Mr. Bo Xian when would be convenient?”

There was a loud knock on the door as it opened and a diminutive man dressed in an elegant suit walked in.

“How about right now Leathers?”

I looked behind Ping to see if he had brought any members of the FBI or investigators from his office, seeing none I relaxed assuming I was not about to be placed in custody.

“Now is fine Mr. Bo Xian, do I need to call my lawyer?”

“If you needed a lawyer you would have known that by now, Karp would have tipped you off I’m sure, those fucking FBI agents haven’t learned a thing since the Whitey Bulger fiasco, no I want to talk to you about your client Dante Dorr”

“Dante?”

“Please Leathers don’t play stupid I’m not here to talk to you about Dante’s criminal liability which you know as well as I do is nonexistent.  I’m here to talk to you about his immense political talent, which quite frankly I am in awe of and which I assume you are responsible for since Dante is clinically insane.”

“I’m not sure I understand Mr. Bo Xian, what it is you want to talk about if not Dante’s criminal liability?”

“I want to retain you Leathers as my political consultant and chief strategist.  I have not given up on my dream of becoming the first Asian President and right now the best way to do that is to hitch my wagon to Dante’s shooting star.  And the best person to make that happen is you.”

“But Dante hasn’t decided which office he wants to run for, I think he just likes the idea of running”

“That’s where you come in Leathers.  Convince him to run for President with me as his Vice President.  Think of it as the Ying and Yang ticket”

“And I work for you?”

“You could but I think you would make far more money working for the campaign.  As chief strategist for Dante/Ping 2016 you could name your price.  We will raise a fortune in campaign contributions”

I started to feel my creative juices flowing.  “So Dante taps into the I’m innocent crowd and you tap into the big money pay to play donors with the implied threat that a failure to donate results in a criminal indictment of their industry and the ire of Dane’s populist interest groups”

“Exactly Leathers Dante keeps saying I’m innocent so you can go fuck yourself and I keep saying everyone but Dante is guilty so donate or go to jail”

“It has promise and appeal . . . Ping.  I can see it already they will teach it in political science classes for the next 50 years.  We can call it the Ping Pong strategy”

I saw Ping processing that bit of information.  He was alternating between anger and excitement.  Finally he smiled.

“Let’s see if we can’t come up with a catchier title for our strategy.  In the meantime go get Dante onboard for the biggest political press conference, rally, media event and/or perp work in the history of politics”

“I’ll call Dante right now, do you think your family can manufacture those micro condoms with a slogan on the side?”

“That all depends on how big the slogan is Leathers but I’m sure we can think of something and sell a shitload of them”

I stood up and shook Pings hand, it was a really small effeminate hand.

“One last thing Leathers, don’t fuck with me, I’ll make Andy Karp look like the tooth fairy if you cross me”

Ping left the office closing the door behind him.  I sat down and pressed the button to turn off my recording equipment.  Tooth fairy my ass.

If I learned nothing else in my time in politics it was to live by the famous words of former pro football star and bodyguard to the stars Rosy Grier who reportedly said “I’m nonviolent but if it doesn’t hurt the drape of your jacket drop a .38 in your pocket, better safe than sorry”.

Barbara Bartoletti is an ethics lightweight

Chris Bragg had a meaningful piece in the Sunday Times Union. You can read it here if you don't want to pay for the TU premium content:  http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Will-review-of-ethics-watchdog-have-bite-6517967.php  I should note that Chris would never have written the story if he didn't read my blog.  I guess original reporting ideas are rarer than Barbara Bartoletti's hard hitting analysis of ethics in NY.

On that point Chris does us a huge favor by getting Ms. Bartoletti to comment on the record about the JJOKE review panel (as an aside I wonder who suggested he call the goo goos for comment?).  Salkin and her review panel made the basic mistake of soliciting comment from the good government groups at the beginning of their review.  Assuming as most amateurs in ethics would that the goo goos actually have thought about what a review of JJOKE would entail.  But true to form the goo goos miss the forest, the trees and the stinking piles of ethics reform bullshit in the forest.  After her stunning failure as part of the Moreland Commission here is what Barbara said to Mr. Bragg when it came to Salkin's review panel.

"Bartoletti said she was impressed by the academic credentials of the eight volunteer commissioners, and believed they would be independent.
The topic of whether the review panel was requesting documents from JCOPE did not come up at the meeting.
"Considering most of the people on the panel are very accomplished lawyers, I can only assume they thought about it and decided legally they can't do it," Bartoletti said."

Just a couple of thoughts here about Barbara's thought process.

Stop being impressed by academic credentials.  How many times have we heard assholes tell us how great the academic credentials were of all those involved with ethics in NY?  Enough already it's like the Miss America pagent for ethics, all the contestants are smoking hot and have the combined ethics IQ of . . . a doorknob.

Stop believing they will be independent.  If the history of NY ethics has taught us nothing else it's that they will not be independent.  How independent was the Moreland Commission you served on Barbara?  Someone in government appointed them they are not independent.  In fact just ask Salkin who appointed her and why.

And stop providing cover for these impressive independent members of the review panel.  Barbara is already making excuses for the very accomplished lawyers on the review panel for not at least trying to acquire the material they need to do the most basic review.  "I can only assume they thought about it and decided legally they can't do it"  What a genius you are Barbara, assuming Salkin's review panel thought about asking for relevant material and deciding that legally they can't do it.  Bragg points out in his story that legally they can do it and even explains how they can do it  (I admit I helped Chris understand this legal issue, but I lack impressive academic credentials, I am not an accomplished lawyer and I am certainly not a goo goo).  Here is what Salkin should have done and still can do.  Request the material I listed.  Then publicly request that JJOKE vote to release that material.  If they vote yes, great do your review and release the information publicly.  If they vote no or do not vote at all, make a public statement that they are preventing the review panel from doing it's work and recommend that JJOKE be abolished and lets try again to create a meaningful ethics agency.

By the way the fact that Salkin admits to not even asking for the material tells me all I need to know about her review panels accomplishments, independence and credentials.

And about Salkin's statement of interviewing commissioners I'm going to call bullshit.  I know and speak with quite a few who haven't heard from her or her panel. 

But here is a thought for the accomplished, impressive and independent review panel why don't you publicly release which present and/or former commissioners and staff you have interviewed.  Then Barbara and the rest of the ethics crowd can stop assuming and start advocating.

Remember Barbara the old saying that it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt.