Senate Leadership
May 18, 2006
Williams: Testimony Calls Into Question Veracity of Moody's Claims
Rell's former Ethics Adviser conflicts with Moody on important issues
State Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today said it was "troubling" that the governor's former ethics chief's sworn testimony conflicted with claims made under oath yesterday by gubernatorial chief of staff Lisa Moody. Former ethics advisor Rachel Rubin testified today before the legislature's Government Administration and Elections Committee that is looking into improper campaign fundraising in the governor's office.
"Rachel Rubin's testimony today clearly calls into question whether Lisa Moody was being forthright in her sworn testimony to the committee just yesterday," Sen. Williams said. "Ms. Moody admitted the violation of the ethics policy, admitted facilitating state commissioners to break the law and apologized over and over. That's all well and good. But she still maintains she didn't know what the ethics policy was and didn't know the law when she passed out the invitations. Given what we heard today, that is extremely hard to believe. Ms. Moody was under oath. The situation is very serious."
Sen. Williams noted that Rubin testified that after she drafted the new ethics policy and distributed it to the governor and her chief of staff, Moody came back with suggestions to "tighten up the memo." "This is the same memo Ms. Moody claimed she never read," he said.
Rubin also testified that Moody called a meeting to brief commissioners on the memo, opened the meeting and was in attendance when commissioners asked extensive questions. "Again," said Sen. Williams, "This is the policy Moody claims to not have known about."
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Senator Williams’ Larry Cook |
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Senator Looney’s Larry Cook |
