Hidden junket funds: How Deval Patrick secretly diverted millions to off-budget accounts
Former Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration secretly diverted nearly $27 million in public money to off-budget accounts that paid for a $1.35 million trade junket tab, bloated advertising contracts, and a deal with a federally subsidized tourism venture backed by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, a Herald investigation has found.$27 million of our tax dollars improperly transferred to Patrick's "travel" budget. He didn't have to worry about budget cuts affecting his lavish lifestyle (remember, this is "Cadillac" Deval we're talking about), because he'd been secretly diverting public funds into accounts he could tap for his own use. Because, you know, Cadillac don't fly coach...
The maneuver to fatten the hidden “trust” accounts with millions from state quasi-public agencies allowed Patrick to skirt the state Legislature and evade state budget cutbacks during the recession, the Herald found.
What do I expect to happen from this revelation? Close your eyes. What do you see? That's right, a big, fat nothing. Patrick is smart enough not to have diverted any of these funds into private accounts; he merely diverted funds into a secret account that didn't have the oversight ordinary travel funds are subject to. I'd wager he might get a small fine (to be paid out of his hidden account, of course), but actual prosecution is quite doubtful.
I mean, it's not like Patrick bought a boat or anything...
That is all.
4 comments:
Oh, yes. Jeff Kuhner at WRKO has pounded on this.
Oh, yes. Jeff Kuhner at WRKO has pounded on this.
Remember when politicans were tarred and feathered for less? *sigh* Ah, the good ol' days...
Yeah, he'll walk... And probably already playing the Raciss. card...
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