Okay, I have to admit that I have lost track of how many times the story about the use of the state issued credit cards in Delaware’s Treasurer’s office has changed.
First the expenses were not legitimate, and had to be paid back. Then they were legitimate and the Deputy Treasurer Erika Benner was owed money back that she had paid back to the state because the expenses were not legitimate. See what I mean?
First it was only Ms. Benner who had misused the state issued credit cards, then possibly also Delaware Treasurer Chip Flowers. It seems that the story changes every time Mr. Flowers releases a new statement.
The latest revelation comes as we find out in articles in the Wilmington News Journal, that both Mr. Flowers and Ms. Benner used their state issued credit cards to pay for lodging and food, and other services on a trip to Alaska for a conference. The problems arise because both Ms. Benner and Mr. Flowers stayed on after the conference ended, and continued to use their state issued credit cards to pay for their lodging and food.
Mr. Flowers first said that he stayed on to hold meeting with bankers and others in regards to drumming up investors for Delaware, and so the expenses were legitimate. He has denied and then admitted to having traveled to a national park, the same park that Ms. Benner traveled to.
Ms. Benner registered at a lodge near the national park, along with a second adult. Mr. Flowers has denied that he was that second adult, we will have to wait and see if this story also changes.
I have to tell you that my opinion is that this story has changed too many times for it to be even close to the truth. Mr. Flowers has stone-walled the investigators at all turns. His story changes every time he is cornered by a new revelation.
Let us consider this one such revelation. Ms. Benner used her state issued credit card to rent a car to go to the lodge she stayed at while visiting the national park. The lodge that Mr. Flowers says he was not at, and the park he first denied going to and then admitted to visiting. The odd thing is, Mr. Flowers used his state issued credit card to pay for valet parking on the day that Ms. Benner rented a car to go to the lodge, however, Mr. Flowers did not rent a car. So why did he pay for valet parking?
My question is, where is the outrage over this? Where is the complete audit of the Treasurer’s office use of state issued credit cards, for that matter a complete audit of all state issued credit cards? Where is the governor calling for such an audit? Will the Legislature call for such an audit?
If it is a matter of funding such an audit, then the Legislature should immediately provide the emergency funding. Or will the Democratically controlled Legislature protect one of their own? Is the governor silent because Mr. Flowers is a Democrat?
Every citizen of Delaware who have to get up and go to work and pay taxes, who have to live within their means, should be outraged about this blatant misuse of state issued credit cards, but more, they should be screaming for a complete reckoning for all involved.
Instead of running what amounts to re-election ads, Mr. Flowers should be writing a letter of resignation.
As far as the outrage while it should be there it’s not just like it wasn’t when Minner was in office. The sad commentary is that people apparently just don’t care, or have just reached the point of why bother. Complacency is a tough habit to break. When there is investigation after investigation with nothing more than layers of more coverups people just plain give up hope. People read the headlines yet nothing surprises most people anymore.
We need an Inspector General.
No Mr. Protack, not for this case we do not. The auditor could do this if empowered and funded, and inclined. Why create another layer of government?
I do not think we need an inspector general or an investigation into the monnies. They both admitted to improper use of the card, restitution was made.
The issue is the lying, the re-lying, the conspiracy of the cover up. My other issue is the ” meat ” of the issue. What is it that they are so desparately trying to keep out of the public purview? I have a tendancy to think the worst about people after the first round of lies, we are on round 4 or 5.
He and she both should be punished forth with for egregious character crimes un becoming of their positions, and be removed from office. She should also NOT be allowed to go back into the states grift program at the level she left.
waterpirate I must disagree. The Treasurer’s Office never fully complied with the FOIA requests made by the NJ, therefore we don’t really know if the funds were paid back.
We don’t need an Inspector General, what we need is a fully compliant and transparent government. If the state’s checkbook can be put online, why can’t the state’s credit cards go online?
Sorry, I had forgot that detail. I will lump that into the ongoing conspiracy category. I agree a transparent gov. should put the statements on line.
Transparency and government are an oxymoron. We see it at every level, clearly some as waterpirate said are more egregious than others. All however create a sense of mistrust for our government.