Quit Stalling Russell! Give Us The Names!
Sen. President Ronald Russell
It’s hard to understand how the Senate President can talk out of one side of his mouth about preserving the integrity of the Senate and out of the other side refusing to identify the Senators who are complicit in the $6.9 million in stolen funds identified in the most recent Legislative audit – unless they say’s it’s okay.
After months of dodging the issue, now that it’s long past time for the “voluntary reconciliation” for those Senators who misused the funds; after several promises that “at the appropriate time” and “after the Senators have had a chance to address questions about their expenses” – now we hear that the only way the names of those Senators implicated in the theft will be released is if they give their permission.
So exactly how would that conversation go?
“Good morning Senator X.” Russell would say. “You know they people they are clamoring to know who spent this $6.9 million of their money and I’ve run out of excuses not to tell them – but I don’t want to release your name unless it’s all right with you.”
Our money says we won’t know any more after those conversations than we do right now.
Sen. Louis P. Hill
The fact is, disclosure shouldn’t be optional. This should have been made public when the audit was released and not after months of vacillation about who did it and what actions were being taken.
But the attitude toward disclosure has been discouraged throughout this administration, and particularly during the past few weeks when everyone from the Governor and Attorney General, through those implicated in this lingering audit issue, have faced the public demands about coming clean.
Remember what Senator Louis Hill had to say last week to those who called for a recall of the Governor and the disclosure of the names of those Senators named in the audit that Russell refuses to identify.Â
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Well it’s difficult not to draw that conclusion, when public evidence confirms that criminal activity has taken place and, by all appearances, is being covered up.
We invite Sen. Russell to take the action that Hill (sarcastically we think) threw out during that session – call his bluff and clear the air.Â
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Russell, you’ve got the evidence. Now come out and tell the people what it is.
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Ohhhh,but he will.Maybe not as soon as we would like him to–but release them
HE WILL.
I am very pleased that both papers, Daily News on Saturday and AVIS Sunday/Monday edition, carried FRONT page coverage of Russell once again promising to come forth with detail to include names and reveal ALL travel (vacations we paid for and to whom and where along with legitimate trips and exactly what was accomplished for the VI), lost equipment, 325 pieces and where the equipment was and now is, and of course the extravagant details on the renovations of all three legislature buildings.
The AVIS has all senators from the 26th through the 28th legislature and their comments. Hill’s was interesting, he can ‘account’ for all his expenses. Remember he took staff, friends ON OUR MONEY to Italy…account is BS, why did you go and who went with you?
Williams, White, Wesselhof and Millin-Young had no comment. Hansen stated ‘she did not know what was going on’. Really? Williams of course, we paid to go to Obama’s inauguration……why? How is that helping you living here in the VI? We should never have paid for that trip…much less the additional $2,500 and change Williams did not produce receipts for…….I do believe he traveled first class and had very expensive hotel costs as well. Well, why not? He was not footing the bill, was he? How many other senators fly first class? Dailey News has been asking for the travel records since 12/11……According to VI code, they are public documents. Russell being an attorney and all is breaking the law by not coughing up the information.
All and all you must decide who is telling the truth and who is not since it is apparent we will not be viewing the detail. I am not voting for any of the incumbents since talk is cheap and we really do not know how our money is being spent. Cash advances still have yet to be paid back.
It may not be illegal the way our senators spend money, but it is immoral to take personal trips not germane to ‘serving’ VI public. Renovations to include way more than necessary for a functioning work space for the people’s buildings. Just where did all that extra tile go we paid for? A senator’s home? Here or on Dominica?
Kings and Queens and ‘honorable’ ‘servants’.
Who got contracts for projects? No RFP process was done. Who got kickbacks for the work? The devil would be in the details………….
Remember in November how we, the people we trust to put in office, have betrayed our trust and who will again be asking for our vote.
Makes my skin crawl.
When you listen to Hill on the audio, he sounds so slimy and dirty. He needs to go along with the other 14 this year.
This AM, Russell tells us ‘to move on’ and forget the $6.9million in misspent PUBLIC funds. He went on to say all audits never name names……well Russell, all audits are not conducted in the people’s house and done on ELECTED OFFICIALS.
We need the names and the details now. Our IG has publicly stated there is NO reason for the details to include names not to come out. You are lying and covering up for your corrupt cronies in the senate.
Hey Russell!! Next time you are wasting the People’s time on St. Thomas, just take the drive up to the FBI office on Raphune Hill. Do you know where that is?? If not, they will be happy to come visit you. OH, never mind. They are coming to GET you. You just sit tight. LIAR!
What prevents the IG’s office in releasing a copy of the report (with all details) to the newspapers? What?
The IG audit was a ‘sampling’ of data. More senators may be complicit if EVERY advance, backup documentation was viewed.
It would not be fair to just name the senators who were included in the sampling of data……
Russell, can and should release the data. It is PUBLIC FUNDS that were misspent. I want to see a perp walk on the senate floor!
The IG released the audit on DeJongh and nothing happened to him after he”improperly removed” money improve his residence. Nothing happened. O snap! We reelected him.
So if history is any gauge, releasing audits of the senator who took money would assure their reelection.
CIF you should request a copy of the audit from the IG under the Sunshine Law.
The audit was released and posted on the IG website in 12/11. It is the detail we are missing of who did what.
http://www.viig.org/pdf/audits/VI-IN-VIS-0001-2010.pdf
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