Alan Hevesi’s decision to reimburse the state an additional $33,000 for using a government employee to take care of his ailing wife comes as some writers move to the comptroller’s defense. At the core of the arguments: 1) everyone does it; and 2) Hevesi may be a scoundrel but he’s the voters’ scoundrel.
The Daily Politics noted, “Seems to me that the public debate over Alan Hevesi has really shifted. His critics are a bit worn out of calling for his blood, and a couple of important pieces came into the debate today.”
If Hevesi goes through a removal process in the Senate, he could call witnesses who “could provide quite a window” how legislators use their staffs, cars and other perks of offices, writes Spincycle. “Regardless of where you stand on the comptroller’s fate and misdeeds, this could become one of the biggest procedural spectacles to hit Albany in decades.”
While critics think Hevesi’s offense will undermine his ability to do his job, “pesky” voters disagree, writes Clyde Haberman in the Times: “They knew about Mr. Hevesi’s misdeeds, and still they handed him another term.” If they are overruled and Hevesi leaves, Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer will then name the comptroller, in short getting to select the person whose job will be to monitor the probity of the state government.
“An effort to drive an independently elected executive from office, based on facts that were widely known at the time of his election, seems to be an over-reaching attempt to frustrate the public will,” says Henry Stern. “One does not impeach a state-wide elected official for misusing his car and driver, just as one does not impeach a President of the United States for a personal affair.”
In perhaps the most spirited defense of Hevesi, Wayne Barrett in the Voice focuses on what Spitzer will do: “An administration poised to challenge the culture of the capital will begin, on Day 1, by negating the judgment of 2 million fully informed voters and handpicking a fellow insider to audit its own performance.” Barrett then offers 10 reasons the effort to remove Hevesi should end.
But whatever the merits of such arguments may be, Spitzer has withdrawn support from Hevesi, has made ethics a core principle and is expected to try to remove the comptroller. Whether he can backtrack is questionable. “Plans by Eliot Spitzer to push for the removal of New York’s comptroller, Alan Hevesi, are threatening to backfire on the governor-elect, who is facing pressure to reverse course and accept the growing possibility that Mr. Hevesi will survive his ethics scandal and serve a second term in office,” writes Jacob Gershman in the Sun.
Meanwhile, the voters have their doubts. A Quinnipiac University poll released today found 45 percent of New York State voters say Hevesi should resign and 43 percent think he stay in office.
By Gail Robinson on December 13, 2006, 11:10 am
In category: Albany, Gotham City, Voting
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