In the past week, both major newspapers have written articles on town Democratic Chairman Jeff Spain's failure to file a single Financial Disclosure Report since his election to the post one year ago in January. The latest entry comes fromt he Record and can be read here. It was featured in the Sunday edition making Spain's Superbowl Sunday a day to continue hiding from the press as he and his Treasurer were unavailable for comment.
It is noteworthy that the Tresurer of the Spain led commitee is the town's Receiver of Taxes, Kyran Devery. If Mr. Devery is unable to file a financial report for his party commitee, it makes one wonder how he manages millions of dollars in tax recipts from taxpayers?
It is also comical that the Spain Democrats, after running as "reformers", have so openly violated the law requiring finacial disclosure and sold out their partty by supporting the Republican candidates for Supervisor, Council and Highway Suiperintendent.
We also question why the State Board of Elections would grant an administrative hold on filing it's July 2007 report until its new treasurer was seated. Could it be the State Board was unaware that Mr. Devery was seated a full 6 month's earlier and that all needed financial records including the bank account and check book were turned over when he was elected? Buyer beware is the old adage. Sometimes you can't judge a book by it's cover.
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Spain Provides Missing Financial Records to Blogger?
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Claims have circulated in the blogosphere that Jeff Spain has provided access to his missing financial records to a blog known for its severe linguistic challenges and twisted hate mongering. The site claims to have reviewed 77 checks written by Spain's committee without any details.
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More importantly, it continues to lie about missing checks and funds from the prior Democratic Committee. It also falsely claims the party check book had to be wrestled away from the prior leadership even though those records were turned over the very night of the election at Democratic Headquarters in Troy. Spain's reformers have a history of lies and deceit, character assassination and demonization of their opponents. Their claims have included missing checks, provably untrue by simply examining the financial reports filed with the Boards of Election. Every check is accounted for and every cent recorded to the FULL satisfaction of State officials with whom the reports are filed.
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It's so strange that Mr. Spain and his crew never complain about their ally F. James Germano who in contrast turned over no check book of funds to the new Chairman when he left in disgrace several years ago. At least Germano filed financial disclosures as required by law and his final report showed he liquidated the account leaving .56 cents, which was not turned over to the new Chairman. By contrast, the check book and approximately $1000 was turned over to Spain the night he was elected. We did get a laugh from a published claim that 12 checks were missing from the Ashley filings. We say a laugh not only because every check is readily accounted for on line, but because the rocket scientist making the charge stated that the amount of the missing checks totaled $3421.73. Imagination alone allows one to ask what they were using to tally up the total! As for another bizarre claim that 1/6 th of all Ashely's Commitee revenue is unaccounted for, while untrue, that would mean that 6/6th or 100% of all of Spain's revenue in unaccounted for. Sorry Jeff, your defenders make you look worse than you do.
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It remains Spain and his crew who violate the law by refusing to file reports as required. No State official, the folks with the credibility and authority to question reports, has ever questioned the reports filed under Chairman Dan Ashley. That must really stick in the craw of Mr. Spain and his increasingly desperate band of Republican leaning Democrats after selling out their party to GOP endorsed candidates.
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Doug DeLisle
We note sadly the passing of Doug DeLisle, a long time editor and writer for the Troy Record.
Our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues at the Record.
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