Thursday, May 18, 2006

"Pony Up, Czarina"

Former Ethics Czar: Moody Contined to Pass Out Invitations Despite Warning

The hearings into the events surrounding the fundraiser at the Marco Polo in December are continuing, although it's sometimes hard to tell. They've been lost in the manic pre-convention shuffle.

This is too bad. Some remarkable things have been said. For example, the chief of staff, Lisa Moody, said the following yesterday:
Moody further testified that ... she was not aware of a state law banning those officials from soliciting political contributions. That ban was referenced in an Oct. 19 memo that Rachel Rubin, then Rell's special ethics counsel, explained during a meeting Moody attended.

"I was not hanging on her every word," Moody said. "I was not paying attention."
...
Even though Moody's name was on the May 2 memo, she said Rubin was the principal author. She also signed an official acknowledgment, as other staff employees were required to do, saying she'd received and would obey the memo.

But, Moody testified, "I did not fully read, and comprehend and absorb this memo. ... I didn't take the time to read it - despite the fact it had my name on it. ... I made a mistake in having signed it, saying I had. ... I did not read it and memorize it. I admit that. And I was wrong not to." (Lender)

Then today Rachael Rubin, former "ethics czar", said this:
"I told her I didn't think it appropriate to hand out invitations in the office. I told her about the appearance of someone observing that might not approve, or say she was conducting campaign activities in the office ... She said that she would not do it again."
...
Sen. Edward Meyer, D-Guilford, vice chairman of the legislature's Government Administration and Elections Committee, then asked Rubin, "She did do it again, didn't she?"

"I did not observe her doing it," Rubin said, "but apparently she did." (AP)

Moody must not have been paying attention then, either. She even sent an invitation to a Rell campaign event to Rubin, with the words "Pony up, Czarina" (a reference to Rubin's unofficial title) written on it.

Don Williams asked the crucial question:
The question Gov. Rell must now answer is, 'Is it really believable that Lisa Moody didn't know what she was doing?' And if Moody is not believable under oath, can she continue to serve as chief of staff?"(AP)

Gov. Rell has restated her trust in Moody's credibility, saying that her own trust in Moody is what "counts the most."

Nonsense.

Being moral and ethical is about making hard choices. It's about putting what's right, proper and ethical above friends, family or even your own best interests. The need for members of the governor's staff to act in a forthright, ethical and upstanding manner, especially following the Rowland scandal, should come before the governor's friendship with Lisa Moody.

It's time to be stern, Governor, and make the hard choice. Moody isn't credible at all anymore, and she has either just lied or displayed an astonishing disinterest in campaign ethics to a legislative committee.

It's time for her to go. At this point, it's the right thing to do.

Sources

Lender, Jon. "Moody: `I Was Not Aware'." Hartford Courant 18 May, 2006.

"Rell's former ethics czar says she warned Moody about invitations." Associated Press 18 May, 2006.

6 comments:

ctkeith said...

Ok DG, I agree and I want to add one more thing.

Brian Mattiello is also a Republican.He chose to NOT distribute the invitaions,Let Moody know that he thought what she was doing was wrong,Testified the first words Moody said at the meeting were "This meeting never happened" and Threw the Damn Invites in the garbage.

There are good people on both sides of the aisle.I hope they're all rewarded

ctkeith said...

DG,

I lost a municipal job for speaking up at a public meeting.IT took me 4+ yrs to get that job back and more importantly, my reputation.

I was ridiculed,called an ass,told I should have kept my mouth shut and I deserved to be fired and much worse but I did what was right and what was in the interest of the people of the town I was working for(though not the 1st Selectman).

Living your Ethics isn't always easy,It's not suppose to be but in the end it's all you got.

ctblogger said...

disgruntled_republican

I fell out of my chair after reading you 10:24 comment.

But really there is no defense for Moody and she and Rell should be bleased that the media, Malloy, and DeStefano are focused on the convention.

I Tivo'd the entire proceeding and I'm amazed that the MSM isn't picking up on this story. This story definately has legs...

Authentic Connecticut Republican said...

Clearly none of the other posters are actually familiar with Moody.

I have known her for 20 years and like many in the game she pays strict attention sometimes.

She's a weird blend of Mensa-like and total space shot rolled into one.

David said...

Watching this Lisa Moody story play out just just extremely typical of the Rell administration.

You're right, turfgrrl, Rell has used the "Gee, I didn't know..." excuse for WAY too long.

It's time for Moody to go!

Authentic Connecticut Republican said...

>>disgruntled_republican said...

And she messed up-BIG TIME! She is a liar whether she is a space cadet or not. It is time for her to go.


Jodi is nothing if not drop dead loyal; as is Lisa Moody.

Where I come from loyalty is not a "big thing" it's the only thing. Anything less is to live a life devoid of personal honor.

-ACR