Ware Stands Firm On Mafoliegate Report; Feds Reviewing Response
Business Week Article Highlights deJongh Response, Davis Opinion In Spending Scandal
Gov. John P. deJongh, Jr.
The Governor can say what he wants about the US Inspector General’s (IG) report on the Mafoliegate scandal, but the local IG is standing firm on its conclusions.
“We do stand behind every single fact on that report. There is nothing on that response that sways us or moves us,” Hannibal Ware, the U.S. agency’s assistant regional manager, told Business Week magazine.
The response Ware is referring to is a defiant letter Governor John deJongh sent in rebuttal to the federal report that concluded he was not authorized to spend $490,000 in public funds earmarked for road repair on security enhancements at his private home at Estate Mafolie on St. Thomas. The office’s report had recommended the money be returned.
In his response, deJongh not only refuted the IG’s conclusion, he declared he would not pay back the funds without a court order and further, in an act of dangerous defiance, questioned the competence and integrity of the investigator who prepared the report.
From the beginning of this controversy, the administration has repeatedly dismissed the allegations as a political ploy instigated by Sen. Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg to discredit this Administration. In his report, he chastises the IG for allowing a ”linkage” between Donastorg and Ware to “undermine the solid respect” the community has previously had for the IG office and said he regrets the investigation was so “woefully inadequate, as it further corrodes the public’s respect for the integrity of government.”
Time after time in the face of irrefutable evidence and documentation, the Administration has either ignored or outright lied about the events that led to the Mafolie exposure.
And if you needed any more evidence about the level of hubris resident in Government House, please note that the Governor also stated that whether or not the Senators who voted on the funds knew that they would be used for Mafolie improvements was “irrelevant” since in his opinion, and relying on a flawed opinion from then AG Elliot Davis, he was justified in using the money as he did.
Well, we shall see. According to the Business Week article, the federal IG is reviewing the governor’s response.
In the meantime, consider this. Business Week Magazine, which has a circulation of over one million subscribers, is owned by Bloomberg LP, a well respected widely read financial publisher in the states and beyond. Add to that the intense scrutiny being focused by the national and international press on the impact of the Diageo deal and its distribution of some $2.7 billion in cover-over revenues to a foreign corporation and the following statement made by Ware could foreshadow things to come.
“The American public right now is questioning funds that go to places, especially those places that have shown issues with accountability, transparency and integrity,” Ware said.Â
I want to know would this whole Mafoliegate saga affect the VI getting additional federal funding for infrastructure needs?
The arrogance of this governor can, it jeopardize the VI receiving federal assistance? If yes, then he needs to go, like yesterday.
Misuse of public funds is a serious matter. I hope everyone is really understanding his actions (dewolf) is showing that we the territory have issues in accountability.
Fed’s need a take over of all money sent here…..track where it goes and where it is spent. Bet you most of it is paying salaries or going where it should not go.
Can’t wait for the legislature audit………6 year study of graft by our boys and girls doing the ‘people’s business’.
If the governor thought he was being ‘cute’ with his ‘Clinton-like’ response to the Inspector General’s Report on Mafoliegate,
he must,now that the feds have reviewed it and have found nothing
that ‘sways’ them, be a-shaking and a-quiverring in his boots.
Governor deJongh missed a golden opportunity to have negotiated a
way out of this scandal by agreeing to the repayment of all public funds that were illegally used to repair and otherwise enhance the value of his private property.But no,’Bro.Puffy’ had
to do his thing and,in so doing,having the gall to besmirch the office of the Inspector General by questioning its accountability
,transparency and integrity’.How dare it,or anyone for that matter,tell this governor what he can and cannot do in the name of good (?) governance.
As I’ve mentioned before,no amount of ‘ducking’ and ‘bob-’n'-weaving’ is a gonna save ‘Humpty’ from falling off his perch.The noose is a-tightening and his legal options are few…if any.
Governor,pick up the phone.Give the IG’s office a call and tell them the check is in the mail.
I can’t believe what I am reading. For the governor to put himself in this position, he either truly don’t care about how his decisions affect us or he completely lost his mind! This is reaching to the point that not even media outlet, like the Daily News, can cover up for him. If the feds do not get to him, we will! All those who are willing to oust John deJongh in the primary in September, say “Aye!”
Aye, Aye.
I hope Ware is as thorough with the legislative audit…..but then again…nothing EVER happens from negative audit results. Willis is still working, Francois is still working, Flemming is still working. All on our dime even though these guys failed miserably at their past government jobs most likely getting kick backs to look the other way. Crime pays in the VI.
crime won’t pay for long. We the people need to all stand together to get these people out.
You’re right GW the people with integrity are sent home.
There must be a lot of fear in the air at Walker’s by the Sea tonight.
The New Day has arrived.
DeJongh has put it in writing that he cares not what anyone thinks of his doings, but he has met his match. This is no little game. The Feds don’t have time for games.
Compile his stance on the Rum Cover Over deal with Diagio, the illegal use of lottery funds for benefits to Rwanda, hiring during a hiring freeze, his soon to be discovered kick-back alliance with P&P, and whatever else he has done that hasn’t come to surface just yet…and now we see we have a self-centered power-hungry Type-A personality running us people into the ground.
I DO hope this sends a big red flag to anyone who thinks they can take his place and pull more of the same, or even worse, cover-up any wrong doings committed by any candidate for the Governor position.
Really people, can you see what coming? This is really big. I anxiously await the details as they unfold…
THANK GOD FOR A NEW DAY!
John deJongh is not the only Gubernatorial candidate in hot water. This election will be a sorts of cleansing for US Virgin Islands.
Dark days are ahead for this territory. I just hope the announcement of our financial collapse coincides with the announcement of an indictment against this administration.
I agree, Enough!
The turds are going to hit the fan.
Would anyone really nelieve that DeJongh would’nt do anything to take all the other borderline(putting it nicely) candidates down with him?
Let’s just ask now for Federal Appointment of the next Administration.
Unfortunately, for us, DeJongh will use his new and old legal advisors to string this out, meaning the dissolution of the corrupt USVI.
well well well we going back to the pass .Why just because some people can not keep they hand out the cookie jar? What we need is one good upstanding candidate to run not 4 and 5 people that is only going to help this administration stay in power. if all of the people that want to run for governor love these ISLANDS and want a better Virgin Islands for the people they will come together and pick THE BEST TEAM (ONE TEAM) to go up and run in November and win and change things.
Anybody know da amount of ppl at de Jongh Francis general body meeting? I hearin it was only 300 – 350 ppl
DS the C, would you really want to see the Feds appoint our leadership? Are you suggesting that we, unlike other people all over the world, are uncapable of self-government?
What we need is better means to discipline our leaders. They obviously feel that they don’t need our approval until election time. We need honest media, more achievable recall process, and COURAGE (like Recon)!!
Remember, the Feds have been known to install and support currupt leadership for their own purposes. The Feds are only people, like us!
I agree, PSN!!! The last thing we need is the Feds taking over the Government. Look at the mess they made of the Housing Authority.
Ha! Ha! John please tell your people to stop posting under ‘Donastorg Massive’. We know you are really a deJongh supporter. As for de meeting, 300-350 huh? Dis is hell to tell Ellick! DeJongh don’t know when to stop lieing. The entire camp needs therapy.
the real number was about 500 “Donastorg Massive”
das wut i hearing
Heaven help us. Foncie is that you again? For the last time, the word is “lying”, not “lieing”. Don’t do it again governor to be.