I should probably be congratulating the D&C Editorial board for their editorial on David Gantt, but I just can’t . Cincinnatus pointed out in his post yesterday that he hoped the D&C didn’t try to tie Gantt’s conduct in a problem with the Albany culture:
I hope that when Jim Lawrence and his sidekick Tom Tobin write an editorial about this they keep the focus on Gantt (their hero from the Public Defender Fiasco) and don’t try to tie it in to what’s wrong with the Albany culture. Plain and simple Gantt’s actions are highly unethical and should be characterized as such.
But they did:
The Albany political culture is suspect on many fronts, but its allegiance to special interests stands out.
Lawmakers have made some half-hearted stabs at reform over the years, but the perception of the Legislature in the state and outside is that legislators roll over for special interests on matters large and small. It’s up to individual lawmakers to correct that view, to monitor their own relationships with lobbyists and be vigilant about potential conflicts of interests.
Then they actually believed that Gantt doesn’t know who Gaddy’s clients are. Imagine this, you are a lobbyist and have a bill that your client wants and the Chairman of the committee that the bill goes before, who has been quoted as saying you “are like a son to him”, doesn’t know who your client is. Yea, right!
Companies left on the sidelines wondered pointedly why Gantt introduced a bill that gave Gaddy’s client a leg up, especially since Gantt in the past opposed what the bill proposes — street cameras that catch red-light violators.
Gantt says he doesn’t know any of Gaddy’s clients. He says his introduction of the bill was procedural and he hasn’t decided if he favors it.
The way out of this one is for Gantt to step aside when the bill comes up, if it ever does. And the way out for the future is for the assemblyman to know Gaddy’s clients and to establish distance early on, before problems arise.
Yea, right again. Before a problem arises. Isn’t it a little too late for that? From the reports I’ve seen, the only business Robert Gaddy has are either transportation related, or something involving the City of Rochester — two areas soley under Gantt’s control.
The D&C blew it. In the interest of fairness they needed to blast Gantt for his unethical behavior. Treating Gantt with kid gloves doesn’t serve our community or the people he represents.
Tags: Articles, David Gantt, Democrat and Chronicle, New York State, The Equalizer by The Equalizer
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