EFTA01098757.pdf

Hodge puts WAPA's spin on LEAC FACT CHECK: Point-by-point breakdown of the utility's claims about soaring rates Page 4 mug° Hod?, A. We Virgin Islands • 0 0.13 00;0 I. DAILY(~gz4jNEWS A Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper ' .,4C4'11553X474/KIftel=1106iiiKRANWEED:Ciina:Cria. viiiRiVrAVQ1UWIthTfrirON.MeIVA Unaccountable For the last 10 months, Senate President Ronald Russell has obstructed the public's access to travel records and concealed the facts behind $6.9 million in 'questionable' spending by the Legislature Page '3 Bonus bonanza? Bill would allow Russell to give bonuses to Senate staff retroactive to Jan. 1, 2000 Page 2 THE BEST MORTGAGE BANK IN THE VI CAN HELP YOU OBTAIN THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS. 1;1 EFTA01098757 Thursday, October 11, 2O12 VIRGINISLANDS The Virgin Islands Daily News 3 10 months after audit, Russell still withholding Legislature's travel and cash advance records By LOU MATTE Obstructing Deily News Stall As the V.I. Legislature continues to It's lust a matter of gettktg the Information to you. the public's right to know obstruct public access to travel expeme She could probably help you out The Wow% is a threcne of /mints SOW to The Davy NOW( records, The Doily News annoutued — Senate President Remld /basal referring 10 V.I. Legaleture Veding alga to damn access to Punk mown detedIng the is examining all legal options to bring beet menses of Ile 2611' 27th aryl 28Iblefelatures. Executive Discs Penal, Rettaids Serniel die documents to Light. In the JO months since The Daily • Deessrafirer 2011: M audit of the V.I. Legislature by the VI News requested 44 Inspector Genwat's OhIce and the Ocoee of the Women the documents General at the U.S. Department ie the Interior finds thIgNy from Senile I don't have the information you're looking for. questIonable practices' Meeting the management of President Ronald He took that project back. PAM funds that resulted in more than 36.9 million of Russell in —vi. Legislature Executive Director Pamela Achim*. Slew* lost revenues. unnecessary expenses and meant:rotted December. the costs Senate President Ronald Russell announces an Senate leader has internal investigation Into the audit's endings and ledges to provided several release the results — including the names of the senator's excuses for not to the records. equipment being misused, lost or responsibie for the incidents repro tad in the audit producing the 'This request was mode Dec. IS stolen. • Dec. 25: The Petty News hatadelhees a imaret to insoret records — bat no of laal year," Robbins said. "Tea The audit looked at the 26th. 17th travel records nom the 26th. 27th and 28th ieesioures to documents. Ronald Russell months later, we still have not and 28th Legislatures, although most Russell on the Senate leer. Weeks later. Russell says he In the moo thee exchange. Russell received anything but mittepeeseem of the findings focused on the 18th -mitretaced the ettee' cant/toed The Deily News' attorney Hoe and obstrection. The people of Legislature. • lamk 23: Tim Daily News handeellvers the Mier to Russell a expressing an interest in meeting with the Virgin Islands deserve better. Senators in the 281h Legislature second time. the newspaper's publisher to provide This Issue was wpm when it came were Craig Darshinger, Adlels • Abeam 2012: Ruston aneelsii005 he will not reveal Me the records and be interviewed about to light last December. and it's even Donation Jr., Carlton Dowe. LOUIS names or gee senators Implicated In the audit and says the their contents_ more urgent today." Hill, Neville /Irma. Wayne Ames, servitors can reveal their own identities. Dasty News Publisher Jason Robbins The records request was spatted Shawn.lvtichset Malone, Tenant. • He. & The Daily News goes Russel the public infornaton responded with an Oct. I loser telling by a joint federal end local audit of Nelson, Usie Richards. Nereids I request a third time. Russell annum recent by Mona. cut Russell that The Daily New, looked the Senate describing "highly qr s. Rivera-O'Reilly, Samenitel Sines, does not respond to the request Or provide the document,. forward to receiving the records and amiable practices" involving the Patrick Simeon Sprauve, Michael • NI 2012: Russell SEWS the is ready to male pubic the would into new Is, after the rumps- management of public fends that Thurber& Celestine White Sr. and MOJA of It Irmengetlen: he never does an. pet had a chance to review them. resulted in more than 16.9 million of Alvin Williams Jr. • arty 2012: Russell says federal and local insestlgaboris Nothing had been provided as of lost revenue, %memory expenses The Daily News wrote a letter lo prevent Wm from iiihnlainC the results of Ns Investigation. Wedersdey.aad Rinsed denied having sod unsupported costs. The report R ussell in December requesting • Re Says the Log/slature's legal comet advised An not to teen Robbins' letter. was published by the VI. Inspector series of documents and popover* release any information relaxing Ns Orestgation until the Contacted Wednesday, Russell at Oenerni's Office and the Office of detailing the travel expenses end outside inveatigeturin here owned. first hesitated when asked about the the Inspector General at the U.S. cash advances made to senators in 1 • Aly 23: Russel cenfirms ova email that he received The Daily documents. Depenrenal of the Interior. the 26th. 27th end 28th Legislmwes. News ooen records request anti it had been sent to him "Give me an Idea of what you're "We emibute the serious deficien- V.I. statute defines publu records fourth time. talking about," Russell said. cies to an absence of formal policy as salt records and documents of of ' • hey 31: The Daily News request is sere to Russel again and Ile later said he bad authorized the end procedures as well as weak inter- belonging to this Territoryor any t copied to MI 15 senators. release of the records and he believed nal controls." the report urges. - The branch of government in such • Aug. 1: VL Legislature Enecutiee Director Pamela aiciwcs they were ready to be disclosed. unregulated ado/inter/lion of public Territory or any department, board. I soave sends an mail to The Daily News staling that Russell "It's just a matte, of getting the funds has led to a <ulnae with almost council or committee of any branch has charged her thus Olin the request. She says she cannot information to yea" Reuel/ mid. no accountability and transparency, of governmat." 1 immolate* MR the realest because a set parson Is eft of He then directed a Daily News especially in area, such as the The law exempts IS types of the once until Aug. 20. reporter to VI. Legislature Executive improper use of allotted funds, arbi- records from public inspection, none • Aug. 1T: Russell sends a letter to Daly Nees Executive Editor Director Pamela Richards Samuel trary procurement of goods and ser- of which cover financial records A Love Davis ocknowledgreg IM Open records realest Owen foe Nether infonnation about access- vices, tad inadequately secured sen- related to the Senate spending tax- December and aelcating the legislature's stall is won*/ on ing the records. sitive equipment." payer money for travel. the request. -I apologize for sty incomenance that mey have "She could probably help yon The audit's major findings meted. Russell recently shed some light been mused by OW deter in ore response: homer. let me out," Russell said. ed: on his view of the government's rela- assure you that Ow Staff is working to execute this threshes When asked about the records. • Payment of cash 'demon to tionship to the public in an Interview at the earliest meminlenee: Arise! mote. Samuel said Russell polled her off seasitoo for travel with no vetifka- last month following a closed-door • Sept. 25: Missed contacts The Derry News' Storms Amin the project a month ago. lion that the travel actually meeting on St. Croix between 12 Rimes, expressing a term to meet with Dairy News "I don't have the information moused senators and the governor regarding Publisher Jason Retains to tame ea documents responsive you're looking for," Samuel said. • Awarding of bonuses to employ- future plans for the HOVENSA to the newspapers request and to sit for an interview about "He took that project back." ees without written standard. or jut. refinery. the aerie Samuel and Russell both lam said III-Korea of such awards. "Anything wedelns ain't subject • Ott.1: Robbing emends cent a letter to Russell stating that compiling the records is now the • Selo:lion, approval and payment to the Sunshine Act and that's how it The Doily News looks forward Io yore Previding us with this responsibility of • finance depart- of contracts without competition and is." Russell said. Issuing the meet- public nremetion• and that the newspaper start *await the ment employee who, as of internal controls. leading to overpay- ing was not open to the public Information at you% earliest opportunitc Wednesday. was out of the offers on ment end no documentation that the because it was a Senate <sums. • Oct. 10: Russell denies Min nen Iris letter but says ho jury dirty. They did not elaborate. work had been performed. "Yoe have to trust us," Remelt has authorized release of the Oocuments. Wee& Russel Samuel said she would have to • No reporting to the Internal said et the tine. "Whenever we have is unable to provide a date. ilea or enece for releasing the look Nilo the Wee further and might Revenue Bureau, leading to under. very important Information, we share records. Samuel says that Russell pollee her of 0e job of have more information today. payment of tax receipts to the V.I. it with the public." tumbling the documents a =nth ago and that the enema Meanwhile, The Daily News' govonment — Confect rennet Low Mattel employee now assigned to COMella the records la on Wry duty. annotated Wednesday it is prepar- • No documentation for sensitive of 7/4.9124 or {wolf • Oct. 10: The Day News ennhances 41s preparing to take ing to take legal action to gain aceew equipment. potentially leading to the s.H. legal action to obtain the records. EFTA01098758