WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. September 13, 2006: A reader questions conflict of interest criticisms of Councilman Dennis Power:
John,
Doesn't it seem quite odd that many ill informed people are raising this red herring of "conflict of interest" for Dennis Power and THEY (they can you know!!) have NOT requested an ethics opinion from ANYONE? Please tell these people to consult the law books and Opinions of the Attorney General.
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These mud slingers are whining carps who can not differentiate between legalities and innuendo and slander and are only trying to stir up emotions (sounds like the real fringe elements) - they look like fools as they are talking from their rear cheeks.
The fact is Mayor Delfino never raised the issue and voted YES for a unanimous confirmation of Dennis. Don''t you think the Mayor should have sought the opinion? Maybe the Mayor knows the answer already and that is why the Mayor voted YES for Dennis. Don't you think Dennis would not put himself in the position if there was truly a conflict?
Where were these people when Bob Greer always voted on the NY Hospital votes when his wife's job depended on that place making money - he said he had no conflict, although that one was REAL close. And when Frank Cantatore was shoved onto the Bd. of Directors of Parking Authority when he stood to benefit financially from parking lots being built near his luxury high rises going up AND he was a political party chair? That was clearly a conflict as he would personally profit from the building of new structures near his units and he was a party chair, yet he was placed and no outcry, except for my complaint filed with the Ethics Board was raised, and the Ethics Board found no conflict.
Where were the naysayers then? Is this dirty tricks campaigning? I thought Dirty Tricks went the way of Watergate!! Dennis does not profit personally at all from any of these projects when these others could or would. Like Clara Peller used to say "Where's the Beef?!!"
BTW, IF White Plains did acquire the property, we have to keep it as open space or a park - isn't that what Delfino signed off to? Personally, I''d rather it be open space/park land, but with all the high rise building going on downtown, Hey...This is White Plains!!! Let's have another!
Dan Seidel
