Cashgate Update

Patch has an update on Councilwoman Beth Mason's denials that her 2009 mayoral campaign disbursed "street money", a fourth-degree felony punishable by 18 months in prison.

Mason has provided Patch access to original carbon copies of all 48 disputed checks, which had been noted as payable to "cash" on her certified ELEC filing; and Patch is confirming all were made out to individuals, and none to "cash". Mason's called the erroneous "cash" attributions in her ELEC Ledger a clerical error by someone at Professional Financial Services, Ltd., the CPA who completed the ELEC report. She said the firm has taken responsibility for the mistake and will be issuing a correction.

So that explains that. Mistakes happen. 48 times. But what about the multiple cash disbursements from a single check?

Patch asked that, too:

"Mason responded that she didn't exactly know why that had occurred, noting that as the candidate she relied on others to carry out those types of tasks."

Oops. It looks like somebody's going under the bus.

At least that's an admission,of sorts. No question or denial that it had occurred, she just couldn't say why.

Enter her spokesman offering up a big, fuzzy, shapeless blob of speculation on why the multiple disbursements:

"...it may have been the result of the way campaign workers interpreted the section on "street money" found on page 28 of ELEC's Candidate Compliance Manual . The spokesman, who did not work on the campaign, said the language of the laws governing street money use and the guideline contained in the manual read slightly differently and a layman may have interpreted it to mean that doing so was kosher."

Now that one had the needle flying off my BS Detector. Ping! Right out the window.

Mason's spokesman seems to say laymen were confused by the "different readings " between "laws governing street money use" and ELEC's compliance manual. So is he trying to say the NJ election law and the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) guidelines are not absolutely consistent in the prohibition of street-money use? Huh? That between them there were ambiguities about how campaign monies are properly disbursed? And is he saying the person responsible for oversight, presumably the Treasurer, was too confused to follow the law?

I am not sure this spokesman is doing the Councilwoman any big favors.

Well, here is page 28 of the ELEC Candidate Compliance Manual, and see if you are likewise confused.


What do you think?

Comments

  1. Between the lines...

    "Mason responded that she didn't understand why she was being asked any questions, noting that as the Queen she doesn't answer to anyone and relies on her subjects to carry out those tasks beneath her." She also mumbled something under her breath about people losing their heads....

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  2. Hullabaloo- Hilarious! Excellent quote.

    Don't forget to donate to Bob. . .he's hanging with the Masons Monday night. Get your checkbooks ready!

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