Posted on 10/25/2006 11:36:04 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
On Tuesday morning, Chris Callaghan got something he had been asking for since July. State Comptroller Alan Hevesi agreed to debate Callaghan right away.
But Hevesi's Republican challenger, largely unknown until Monday morning, suddenly was too busy. His schedule was packed and he had a fundraiser Tuesday night. Instead, the two will debate tonight.
Things started looking up for Callaghan, a 59-year-old, bow-tie-wearing government accountant, on Monday. That's when the state Ethics Commission accused Hevesi of breaking the law by using a state employee to drive around his ailing wife. Within a half-hour of the report's release, the state Republican Committee offered Callaghan's campaign $25,000.
Callaghan's son, a tugboat captain who's been acting as his father's spokesman, said the campaign's fund increased by a third with that one phone call. The candidate has three full-time staffers and had a budget of less than $100,000. Hevesi has raised more than $6 million.
By Monday night, the Republican Committee had set up a fundraiser for him in Manhattan next week. Tickets will range from $500 to $5,000.
"We're waiting for the flood of money," Callaghan said in Syracuse Tuesday afternoon. That was his third news conference of the day. His political director, Marcus Povinelli, said he had 47 voice mails Monday. How does that compare with other days?
"I usually don't get voice mails," Povinelli explained. He always had the time to just answer the phone.
Back at Callaghan's office in Waterford, a small town north of Albany, staffers are getting about 100 calls a day far more than they can return.
And high-profile help is on the way. Next week's Manhattan event is being organized by Cathy Blaney, Gov. George Pataki's chief fundraiser.
"We're also working the phones, turning over every stone, talking to new people in the wake of the ethics scandal," said Ryan Moses, executive director of the state Republican Committee, "and we're hopeful to have a significant amount of money for the cause."
Callaghan started the commission investigation. After getting a tip about Hevesi's driver in September, Callaghan called Hevesi's hotline for misuse of taxpayer money. He also called reporters.
The offices of the Albany County district attorney and state attorney general are investigating, too. The ethics report indicated that Hevesi owes far more than the nearly $83,000 payment he already made, so Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office is trying to pin down that number. Spitzer said he will not be involved in that investigation to avoid the appearance of political favoritism.
Spitzer, the Democratic candidate for governor, said Tuesday he is "re-evaluating" his support for Hevesi. Spitzer's opponent, John Faso, has been calling for Hevesi's resignation for weeks.
Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady, called on Speaker Sheldon Silver to start impeachment proceedings against Hevesi and try to resolve the matter before Election Day. But Silver, D-Manhattan, said the mechanics of the process would prevent that. Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, said Hevesi should avoid a "dragged out, divisive process" and resign.
"The serious charges, which the comptroller has admitted, have eroded public confidence in him as the state's chief fiscal officer and have damaged his credibility beyond repair," Bruno said.
It's also possible that Hevesi violated tax law, said Robert Green, a professor at Cornell Law School. The assignment of a driver for Hevesi's wife probably would not qualify as a tax-exempt benefit and Hevesi should have paid taxes on it, he told The Associated Press.
Despite Callaghan's emergence, one thing is sure, said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Hevesi is kaput one way or another," Carroll said. "But I don't think Callaghan is going to beat him."
In a poll last week, before the Ethics Commission findings, Hevesi led Callaghan, 54 percent to 27 percent. Carroll said if Election Day weren't so near, he might have a chance. "It's too little too late," he said.
Callaghan, though, is not listening. After his news conference Tuesday in Syracuse, he rushed out the door, planning to speak with radio host Jim Reith by phone instead of going down to the studio.
"We just don't have time," Povinelli, the aide, said apologetically.
Then he and Callaghan hustled off to the parking lot and Callaghan got into the driver's seat of his green Honda Civic, ready to drive himself back to Albany.
Ping to my CoE ping list.
Meanwhile the RINOS on another "gop website" attack John Faso who is running against Spitzer. Faso nearly defeated Hevesi - shows how dumb the voters are in NYC that Hevesi won. Yet these bloggers go after Faso!
If someone was to vote against Hevesi, they might just vote "R" down the line.
Let's see how this impacts her heinous.
Are you kidding? Here in the Empire State its a badge of honor for a politician to commit public fraud, particularly for a Democrat! Expect Hevesi's numbers to push close to 90% favorable on election day .......
/sarcasm off
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