NY governor orders background checks of his staff

Associated Press ^ | Oct. 23, 2008 | MICHAEL GORMLEY

[george76]

Gov. David Paterson has ordered background checks of all executive chamber employees after learning that such a check had not been done on his chief of staff, who came under fire for failing to pay taxes.

The background checks, which are not required by law, were started by Paterson's predecessor, Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

[george76]

Wwere background checks on Paterson or Eliot Spitzer?

/s

.

[george76]

Charles O’Byrne failed to pay nearly $300,000 in taxes from 2001-2005.

[paterfamilias]

This is a GREAT idea!

While he’s at it, he should get a background check on Obama.

[17th Miss Regt]

A background check for members of the governors staff is a good idea, although I am pretty sure that this is being done simply to avoid another 'surprise' for the governor and not because he thought it was a good principle.

If Clinton had done this on his staff, most would be disqualified for moral turpitude, etc.

[Jackson57]

Call me cynical, but it sounds like he’s wanting to smoke out any conservatives or anyone on his staff that might not be “loyal”.

[17th Miss Regt]

The investigators would draw a blank. There appears to be no paper trail.

[stan_sipple]

how do you fail to pay taxes while on govt payroll? Must have been a self[employed shyster who had to collect his own fica and income tax

[mlocher]

While he’s at it, he should get a background check on Obama.

I agree, but it would not matter. His background has been expunged.

[Liz]

Were background checks done on Eliot Spitzer? /s

Spitzer's got A LOT to hide.

FReeper CALPERNIA POSTED The brothels that were shut down in NY (Emperor and Lap Dance) were laundering monies through nonprofits (ACORN affiliates). One owner was a certified IRS agent and the other a lawyer specializing in bankruptcy.

REFERENCE Mark Brener, the 62-year-old alleged mastermind of the Emperors Club (patronized by disgraced ex-Gov Eliot Spitzer), was certified by the IRS to represent taxpayers in disputes, and assured his customers that he’d never get caught because he always paid his taxes. Brener once worked for the Israeli national tax-collection agency.

REFERENCE The beginning of Spitzer’s end can be traced to three banking transfers that left his personal account at the North Fork Bank in New York spring and summer 2007. These payments totaling $15,000 attracted the attention of bank employees who monitor accounts for signs of suspicious activity. (NOTE: After 911, money-laundering laws were significantly tightened, requiring banks to file so-called “suspicious activity reports” whenever there is evidence that clients might be trying to sidestep routine regulations).

Spitzer’s money transfers to a company called QAT International Inc – later revealed to be a front for Brener's Emperors Club brothel– were reportedly considered by the bank to be an attempt to avoid another law that requires all transactions over $10,000 to be reported to the US Treasury.

Breaking down payments with intent to avoid US Treasury reporting requirements is an offense known as “structuring.”

Then-Gov Spitzer’s administration has also been connected to sophisticated "Destroyer Programs" that erase computer hard drives.

===========================================

For his two state campaigns, Spitzer spent a total of about $12M, mostly personal funds and bank loans. Spitzer borrowed about $5M from his father to help settle loans, and was earning $200,000 a year consulting for his father.

ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN MONIES During Spitler's 1998 AG campaign, he indignantly denied allegations by his GOP opponent, Dennis Vacco (Vacco is a top-notch pro-life conservative), that Spitler's wealthy father had provided millions in loans to his campaign. Candidate Spitzer insisted he was using only his own money (family members are limited by law to $110,000 in total contributions). Spitler accused Vacco of "smearing" his father. Not until he'd actually taken office did Spitzer admit that Dennis Vacco had been correct. In fact, it turned out Spitzer, despite earlier denials, had done the exact same thing during his unsuccessful 1994 run for AG.

Spitzer falsely claimed during his 1988 campaign that he secured a $5 million campaign loan by mortgaging eight apartments his billionaire developer-father had given him. As the end of his campaign neared, Spitzer admitted that his father was actually paying off the loans and, therefore, financing his campaign - a possible election-law violation. Harvard-educated Spitzer was quoted as saying in a magazine article "I didn't realize how necessary it was to be transparent about every personal financial transaction."

Between 2000-2004, the "father's charity" gave $101,000 to NARAL's foundation. NARAL also gave $10,500 to Spitzer's two campaigns..... and endorsed him.

The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust - on which Eliot, Daniel and their parents are board members - gave a total of $66,000 in 2004 to NARAL Pro-Choice New York, the radical abortion rights group; the Drum Major Institute, a think tank; and the Progressive America Fund, a voter mobilization effort. These groups, whose leaders backed Spitzer for governor, received $75,000 from this "charity" between 2000 and 2003.

Donations to Spitzer's political allies were apparently a fraction of $2.6 million (?) the Spitzer Foundation supposedly awarded in 2004.

REFERENCE The Bernard & Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust Inc. (Formerly: The Bernard & Anne Spitzer Foundation Inc.)
730 5th Ave----Suite 2202
New York, NY 10019-4105
Telephone: (212) 765-5170

Bernard Spitzer, President; Anne Spitzer, Treasurer. Board members--Eliot and his brother Dr Daniel Spitzer.

Type of foundation: Independent
Fiscal Date: 12/31/05
Assets: $35,115,418 Total Giving: $578,663

EIN:137298842

Most Recent IRS Filing: View 0990 FORM http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:l2QSwTcRe2YJ:foundationcenter.org/cgi-bin/ffindershow.cgi%3Fid%3DSPIT004

[Alex Murphy]

Charles O’Byrne failed to pay nearly $300,000 in taxes from 2001-2005.

What kind of salary is the governor handing out, that attracts someone whose prior salary/income generated $300K in taxes over a four year period?

[mewzilla]

HOT-SHEETS GOV PUTS $$ BACK 'INN' REPAYS 2002 ELECTION FUND FOR MOTEL STAYS

The fox is guarding the henhouse.

[rahbert]

These are great opportunities; the appointees will leave
these jobs later highly juiced with contacts and info.

[ladyjane]

Gee - I hope he doesn’t ask to see their birth certificates. That would be racist.

[mass55th]

"Charles O’Byrne failed to pay nearly $300,000 in taxes from 2001-2005."

Yeah, he said he was depressed all that time. I figured that as a Democrat, he was probably suffering extensively from Bush Derangement Syndrome during those years.

[Calpernia]

Odd:

The Bernard & Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust Inc. (Formerly: The Bernard & Anne Spitzer Foundation Inc.)
730 5th Ave——Suite 2202
New York, NY 10019-4105
Telephone: (212) 765-5170

You mean 212-765-5170 rings to a Trust Foundation? I thought it rang to construction/developer/realitor that bid on contracts and then passed the work on to politically connected associates.

Silly me.

[Calpernia]

Hot Lap Dance = Lou Posner headed up Voter March as well as No Blood For Oil.

Hot Lap Dance also offered Premium Events which was ‘specialty catering’. Activisms, special needs/desires and affiliate style business opportunities.

[Liz]

NY Post reported today Spitzer was also a client of We-Do-Anything-For-a-Buck “Wicked Models” brothel.

I wonder if Spitzer was ever NOT in a state of turgidity?

[Liz]

.....212-765-5170 rings to Spitzer Trust Foundation AND to construction/developer/realitor that bid on contracts and then passed the work on to politically connected associates..........

Called multi-tasking (/s).

[Calpernia]

Oh, multi-tasking!

[Liz]

"First they launder it, then they spin it."